the wood beyond the world-第28章

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learn　them　wisdom；　but　for　this　time　it　is　enough。　　And　I　shall　tell
you　that　ye　were　best　to　hasten　home　straightway　to　your　houses　in
the　downland　dales；　for　the　weather　which　I　have　bidden　for　you　is
even　now　coming　forth　from　the　forge　of　storms　in　the　heart　of　the
mountains。　　Now　this　last　word　I　give　you；　that　times　are　changed
since　I　wore　the　last　shape　of　God　that　ye　have　seen；　wherefore　a
change　I　command　you。　　If　so　be　aliens　come　amongst　you；　I　will　not
that　ye　send　them　to　me　by　the　flint　and　the　fire；　rather；　unless
they　be　baleful　unto　you；　and　worthy　of　an　evil　death；　ye　shall
suffer　them　to　abide　with　you；　ye　shall　make　them　become　children　of
the　Bears；　if　they　be　goodly　enough　and　worthy；　and　they　shall　be　my
children　as　ye　be；　otherwise；　if　they　be　ill…favoured　and　weakling；
let　them　live　and　be　thralls　to　you；　but　not　join　with　you；　man　to
woman。　　Now　depart　ye　with　my　blessing。〃

Therewith　she　came　down　from　the　mound；　and　went　her　ways　up　the
pass　so　lightly；　that　it　was　to　Walter；　standing　amongst　the　Bears；
as　if　she　had　vanished　away。　　But　the　men　of　that　folk　abode
standing　and　worshipping　their　God　for　a　little　while；　and　that
while　he　durst　not　sunder　him　from　their　company。　　But　when　they　had
blessed　him　and　gone　on　their　way　backward；　he　betook　him　in　haste
to　following　the　Maid；　thinking　to　find　her　abiding　him　in　some　nook
of　the　pass。

Howsoever；　it　was　now　twilight　or　more；　and；　for　all　his　haste；　dark
night　overtook　him；　so　that　perforce　he　was　stayed　amidst　the　tangle
of　the　mountain　ways。　　And；　moreover；　ere　the　night　was　grown　old；
the　weather　came　upon　him　on　the　back　of　a　great　south　wind；　so　that
the　mountain　nooks　rattled　and　roared；　and　there　was　the　rain　and
the　hail；　with　thunder　and　lightning；　monstrous　and　terrible；　and
all　the　huge　array　of　a　summer　storm。　　So　he　was　driven　at　last　to
crouch　under　a　big　rock　and　abide　the　day。

But　not　so　were　his　troubles　at　an　end。　　For　under　the　said　rock　he
fell　asleep；　and　when　he　awoke　it　was　day　indeed；　but　as　to　the
pass；　the　way　thereby　was　blind　with　the　driving　rain　and　the
lowering　lift；　so　that；　though　he　struggled　as　well　as　he　might
against　the　storm　and　the　tangle；　he　made　but　little　way。

And　now　once　more　the　thought　came　on　him；　that　the　Maid　was　of　the
fays；　or　of　some　race　even　mightier；　and　it　came　on　him　now　not　as
erst；　with　half　fear　and　whole　desire；　but　with　a　bitter　oppression
of　dread；　of　loss　and　misery；　so　that　he　began　to　fear　that　she　had
but　won　his　love　to　leave　him　and　forget　him　for　a　new…comer；　after
the　wont　of　fay…women；　as　old　tales　tell。

Two　days　he　battled　thus　with　storm　and　blindness；　and　wanhope　of
his　life；　for　he　was　growing　weak　and　fordone。　　But　the　third
morning　the　storm　abated；　though　the　rain　yet　fell　heavily；　and　he
could　see　his　way　somewhat　as　well　as　feel　it：　　withal　he　found　that
now　his　path　was　leading　him　downwards。　　As　it　grew　dusk；　he　came
down　into　a　grassy　valley　with　a　stream　running　through　it　to　the
southward；　and　the　rain　was　now　but　little；　coming　down　but　in
dashes　from　time　to　time。　　So　he　crept　down　to　the　stream…side；　and
lay　amongst　the　bushes　there；　and　said　to　himself；　that　on　the
morrow　he　would　get　him　victual；　so　that　he　might　live　to　seek　his
Maiden　through　the　wide　world。　　He　was　of　somewhat　better　heart：
but　now　that　he　was　laid　quiet；　and　had　no　more　for　that　present　to
trouble　him　about　the　way；　the　anguish　of　his　loss　fell　upon　him　the
keener；　and　he　might　not　refrain　him　from　lamenting　his　dear　Maiden
aloud；　as　one　who　deemed　himself　in　the　empty　wilderness：　　and　thus
he　lamented　for　her　sweetness　and　her　loveliness；　and　the　kindness
of　her　voice　and　her　speech；　and　her　mirth。　　Then　he　fell　to　crying
out　concerning　the　beauty　of　her　shaping；　praising　the　parts　of　her
body；　as　her　face；　and　her　hands；　and　her　shoulders；　and　her　feet；
and　cursing　the　evil　fate　which　had　sundered　him　from　the
friendliness　of　her；　and　the　peerless　fashion　of　her。



CHAPTER　XXX：　　NOW　THEY　MEET　AGAIN



Complaining　thus…wise；　he　fell　asleep　from　sheer　weariness；　and　when
he　awoke　it　was　broad　day；　calm　and　bright　and　cloudless；　with　the
scent　of　the　earth　refreshed　going　up　into　the　heavens；　and　the
birds　singing　sweetly　in　the　bushes　about　him：　　for　the　dale
whereunto　he　was　now　come　was　a　fair　and　lovely　place　amidst　the
shelving　slopes　of　the　mountains；　a　paradise　of　the　wilderness；　and
nought　but　pleasant　and　sweet　things　were　to　be　seen　there；　now　that
the　morn　was　so　clear　and　sunny。

He　arose　and　looked　about　him；　and　saw　where；　a　hundred　yards　aloof；
was　a　thicket　of　small　wood；　as　thorn　and　elder　and　whitebeam；　all
wreathed　about　with　the　bines　of　wayfaring　tree；　it　hid　a　bight　of
the　stream；　which　turned　round　about　it；　and　betwixt　it　and　Walter
was　the　grass　short　and　thick；　and　sweet；　and　all　beset　with
flowers；　and　he　said　to　himself　that　it　was　even　such　a　place　as
wherein　the　angels　were　leading　the　Blessed　in　the　great　painted
paradise　in　the　choir　of　the　big　church　at　Langton　on　Holm。　　But　lo！
as　he　looked　he　cried　aloud　for　joy；　for　forth　from　the　thicket　on
to　the　flowery　grass　came　one　like　to　an　angel　from　out　of　the　said
picture；　white…clad　and　bare…foot；　sweet　of　flesh；　with　bright　eyes
and　ruddy　cheeks；　for　it　was　the　Maid　herself。　　So　he　ran　to　her；
and　she　abode　him；　holding　forth　kind　hands　to　him；　and　smiling；
while　she　wept　for　joy　of　the　meeting。　　He　threw　himself　upon　her；
and　spared　not　to　kiss　her；　her　cheeks　and　her　mouth；　and　her　arms
and　her　shoulders；　and　wheresoever　she　would　suffer　it。　　Till　at
last　she　drew　aback　a　little；　laughing　on　him　for　love；　and　said：
〃Forbear　now；　friend；　for　it　is　enough　for　this　time；　and　tell　me
how　thou　hast　sped。〃

〃Ill；　ill；〃　said　he。

〃What　ails　thee？〃　she　said。

〃Hunger；〃　he　said；　〃and　longing　for　thee。〃

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃me　thou　hast；　there　is　one　ill　quenched；　take　my
hand；　and　we　will　see　to　the　other　one。〃

So　he　took　her　hand；　and　to　hold　it　seemed　to　him　sweet　beyond
measure。　　But　he　looked　up；　and　saw　a　little　blue　smoke　going　up
into　the　air　from　beyond　the　thicket；　and　he　laughed；　for　he　was
weak　with　hunger；　and　he　said：　　〃Who　is　at　the　cooking　yonder？〃

〃Thou　shalt　see；〃　she　said；　and　led　him　therewith　into　the　said
thicket　and　through　it；　and　lo！　a　fair　little　grassy　place；　full　of
flowers；　betwixt　the　bushes　and　the　bight　of　the　stream；　and　on　the
little　sandy　ere；　just　off　the　greensward；　was　a　fire　of　sticks；　and
beside　it　two　trouts　lying；　fat　and　red…flecked。

〃Here　is　the　breakfast；〃　said　she；　〃when　it　was　time　to　wash　the
night　off　me　e'en　now；　I　went　down　the　strand　here　into　the　rippling
shallow；　and　saw　the　bank　below　it；　where　the　water　draws　together
yonder；　and　deepens；　that　it　seemed　like　to　hold　fish；　and　whereas　I
looked　to　meet　thee　presently；　I　groped　the　bank　for　them；　going
softly；　and　lo　thou！　　Help　me　now；　that　we　cook　them。〃

So　they　roasted　them　on　the　red　embers；　and　fell　to　and　ate　well；
both　of　them；　and　drank　of　the　water　of　the　stream　out　of　each
other's　hollow　hands；　and　that　feast　seemed　glorious　to　them；　such
gladness　went　with　it。

But　when　they　were　done　with　their　meat；　Walter　said　to　the　Maid：
〃And　how　didst　thou　know　that　thou　shouldst　see　me　presently？〃

She　said；　looking　on　him　wistfully：　　〃This　needed　no　wizardry。　　I
lay　not　so　far　from　thee　last　night；　but　that　I　heard　thy　voice　and
knew　it。〃

Said　he；　〃Why　didst　thou　not　come　to　me　then；　since　thou　heardest　me
bemoaning　thee？〃

She　cast　her　eyes　down；　and　plucked　at　the　flowers　and　grass；　and
said：　　〃It　was　dear　to　hear　thee　praising　me；　I　knew　not　before　that
I　was　so　sore　desired；　or　that　thou　hadst　taken　such　note　of　my
body；　and　found　it　so　dear。〃

Then　she　reddened　sorely；　and　said：　　〃I　knew　not　that　aught　of　me
had　such　beauty　as　thou　didst　bewail。〃

And　she　wept　for　joy。　　Then　she　looked　on　him　and　smiled；　and　said：
〃Wilt　thou　have　the　very　truth　of　it？　　I　went　close　up　to　thee；　and
stood　there　hidden　by　the　bushes　and　the　night。　　And　amidst　thy
bewailing；　I　knew　that　thou　wouldst　soon　fall　asleep；　and　in　sooth　I
out…waked　thee。〃

Then　was　she　sile