the wood beyond the world-第3章

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meney；　and　lo！　here；　a　most　goodly　and　noble　lady！　　Yea；　I　see；　and
doubtless　she　owneth　both　the　two；　and　is　of　the　greatest　of　the
folk　of　this　fair　city；　for　on　the　maiden's　ankle　I　saw　an　iron
ring；　which　betokeneth　thralldom　amongst　these　aliens。　　But　this　is
strange！　for　notest　thou　not　how　the　folk　in　the　street　heed　not
this　quaint　show；　nay　not　even　the　stately　lady；　though　she　be　as
lovely　as　a　goddess　of　the　gentiles；　and　beareth　on　her　gems　that
would　buy　Langton　twice　over；　surely　they　must　be　over…wont　to
strange　and　gallant　sights。　　But　now；　master；　but　now！〃

〃Yea；　what　is　it？〃　said　Walter。

〃Why；　master；　they　should　not　yet　be　gone　out　of　eye…shot；　yet　gone
they　are。　　What　is　become　of　them；　are　they　sunk　into　the　earth？〃

〃Tush；　man！〃　said　Walter；　looking　not　on　Arnold；　but　still　staring
down　the　street；　〃they　have　gone　into　some　house　while　thine　eyes
were　turned　from　them　a　moment。〃

〃Nay；　master；　nay；〃　said　Arnold；　〃mine　eyes　were　not　off　them　one
instant　of　time。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Walter；　somewhat　snappishly；　〃they　are　gone　now；　and
what　have　we　to　do　to　heed　such　toys；　we　with　all　this　grief　and
strife　on　our　hands？　　Now　would　I　be　alone　to　turn　the　matter　of
thine　errand　over　in　my　mind。　　Meantime　do　thou　tell　the　shipmaster
Geoffrey　and　our　other　folk　of　these　tidings；　and　thereafter　get
thee　all　ready；　and　come　hither　to　me　before　sunrise　to…morrow；　and
I　shall　be　ready　for　my　part；　and　so　sail　we　back　to　Langton。〃

Therewith　he　turned　him　back　into　the　house；　and　the　others　went
their　ways；　but　Walter　sat　alone　in　his　chamber　a　long　while；　and
pondered　these　things　in　his　mind。　　And　whiles　he　made　up　his　mind
that　he　would　think　no　more　of　the　vision　of　those　three；　but　would
fare　back　to　Langton；　and　enter　into　the　strife　with　the　Reddings
and　quell　them；　or　die　else。　　But　lo；　when　he　was　quite　steady　in
this　doom；　and　his　heart　was　lightened　thereby；　he　found　that　he
thought　no　more　of　the　Reddings　and　their　strife；　but　as　matters
that　were　passed　and　done　with；　and　that　now　he　was　thinking　and
devising　if　by　any　means　he　might　find　out　in　what　land　dwelt　those
three。　　And　then　again　he　strove　to　put　that　from　him；　saying　that
what　he　had　seen　was　but　meet　for　one　brainsick；　and　a　dreamer　of
dreams。　　But　furthermore　he　thought；　Yea；　and　was　Arnold；　who　this
last　time　had　seen　the　images　of　those　three；　a　dreamer　of　waking
dreams？　for　he　was　nought　wonted　in　such　wise；　then　thought　he：　　At
least　I　am　well　content　that　he　spake　to　me　of　their　likeness；　not　I
to　him；　for　so　I　may　tell　that　there　was　at　least　something　before
my　eyes　which　grew　not　out　of　mine　own　brain。　　And　yet　again；　why
should　I　follow　them；　and　what　should　I　get　by　it；　and　indeed　how
shall　I　set　about　it？

Thus　he　turned　the　matter　over　and　over；　and　at　last；　seeing　that　if
he　grew　no　foolisher　over　it；　he　grew　no　wiser；　he　became　weary
thereof；　and　bestirred　him；　and　saw　to　the　trussing　up　of　his　goods；
and　made　all　ready　for　his　departure；　and　so　wore　the　day　and　slept
at　nightfall；　and　at　daybreak　comes　Arnold　to　lead　him　to　their
keel；　which　hight　the　Bartholomew。　　He　tarried　nought；　and　with　few
farewells　went　aboard　ship；　and　an　hour　after　they　were　in　the　open
sea　with　the　ship's　head　turned　toward　Langton　on　Holm。



CHAPTER　IV：　　STORM　BEFALLS　THE　BARTHOLOMEW；　AND　SHE　IS　DRIVEN　OFF
HER　COURSE



Now　swift　sailed　the　Bartholomew　for　four　weeks　toward　the　north…
west　with　a　fair　wind；　and　all　was　well　with　ship　and　crew。　　Then
the　wind　died　out　on　even　of　a　day；　so　that　the　ship　scarce　made　way
at　all；　though　she　rolled　in　a　great　swell　of　the　sea；　so　great；
that　it　seemed　to　ridge　all　the　main　athwart。　　Moreover　down　in　the
west　was　a　great　bank　of　cloud　huddled　up　in　haze；　whereas　for
twenty　days　past　the　sky　had　been　clear；　save　for　a　few　bright　white
clouds　flying　before　the　wind。　　Now　the　shipmaster；　a　man　right
cunning　in　his　craft；　looked　long　on　sea　and　sky；　and　then　turned
and　bade　the　mariners　take　in　sail　and　be　right　heedful。　　And　when
Walter　asked　him　what　he　looked　for；　and　wherefore　he　spake　not　to
him　thereof；　he　said　surlily：　　〃Why　should　I　tell　thee　what　any　fool
can　see　without　telling；　to　wit　that　there　is　weather　to　hand？〃

So　they　abode　what　should　befall；　and　Walter　went　to　his　room　to
sleep　away　the　uneasy　while；　for　the　night　was　now　fallen；　and　he
knew　no　more　till　he　was　waked　up　by　great　hubbub　and　clamour　of　the
shipmen；　and　the　whipping　of　ropes；　and　thunder　of　flapping　sails；
and　the　tossing　and　weltering　of　the　ship　withal。　　But；　being　a　very
stout…hearted　young　man；　he　lay　still　in　his　room；　partly　because　he
was　a　landsman；　and　had　no　mind　to　tumble　about　amongst　the　shipmen
and　hinder　them；　and　withal　he　said　to　himself：　　What　matter　whether
I　go　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　or　come　back　to　Langton；　since
either　way　my　life　or　my　death　will　take　away　from　me　the　fulfilment
of　desire？　　Yet　soothly　if　there　hath　been　a　shift　of　wind；　that　is
not　so　ill；　for　then　shall　we　be　driven　to　other　lands；　and　so　at
the　least　our　home…coming　shall　be　delayed；　and　other　tidings　may
hap　amidst　of　our　tarrying。　　So　let　all　be　as　it　will。

So　in　a　little　while；　in　spite　of　the　ship's　wallowing　and　the
tumult　of　the　wind　and　waves；　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　woke　no　more
till　it　was　full　daylight；　and　there　was　the　shipmaster　standing　in
the　door　of　his　room；　the　sea…water　all　streaming　from　his　wet…
weather　raiment。　　He　said　to　Walter：　　〃Young　master；　the　sele　of　the
day　to　thee！　　For　by　good　hap　we　have　gotten　into　another　day。　　Now
I　shall　tell　thee　that　we　have　striven　to　beat；　so　as　not　to　be
driven　off　our　course；　but　all　would　not　avail；　wherefore　for　these
three　hours　we　have　been　running　before　the　wind；　but；　fair　sir；　so
big　hath　been　the　sea　that　but　for　our　ship　being　of　the　stoutest；
and　our　men　all　yare；　we　had　all　grown　exceeding　wise　concerning　the
ground　of　the　mid…main。　　Praise　be　to　St。　Nicholas　and　all　Hallows！
for　though　ye　shall　presently　look　upon　a　new　sea；　and　maybe　a　new
land　to　boot；　yet　is　that　better　than　looking　on　the　ugly　things
down　below。〃

〃Is　all　well　with　ship　and　crew　then？〃　said　Walter。

〃Yea　forsooth；〃　said　the　shipmaster；　〃verily　the　Bartholomew　is　the
darling　of　Oak　Woods；　come　up　and　look　at　it；　how　she　is　dealing
with　wind　and　waves　all　free　from　fear。〃

So　Walter　did　on　his　foul…weather　raiment；　and　went　up　on　to　the
quarter…deck；　and　there　indeed　was　a　change　of　days；　for　the　sea　was
dark　and　tumbling　mountain…high；　and　the　white…horses　were　running
down　the　valleys　thereof；　and　the　clouds　drave　low　over　all；　and
bore　a　scud　of　rain　along　with　them；　and　though　there　was　but　a　rag
of　sail　on　her；　the　ship　flew　before　the　wind；　rolling　a　great　wash
of　water　from　bulwark　to　bulwark。

Walter　stood　looking　on　it　all　awhile；　holding　on　by　a　stay…rope；
and　saying　to　himself　that　it　was　well　that　they　were　driving　so
fast　toward　new　things。

Then　the　shipmaster　came　up　to　him　and　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder
and　said：　　〃Well；　shipmate；　cheer　up！　and　now　come　below　again　and
eat　some　meat；　and　drink　a　cup　with　me。〃

So　Walter　went　down　and　ate　and　drank；　and　his　heart　was　lighter
than　it　had　been　since　he　had　heard　of　his　father's　death；　and　the
feud　awaiting　him　at　home；　which　forsooth　he　had　deemed　would　stay
his　wanderings　a　weary　while；　and　therewithal　his　hopes。　　But　now　it
seemed　as　if　he　needs　must　wander；　would　he；　would　he　not；　and　so　it
was　that　even　this　fed　his　hope；　so　sore　his　heart　clung　to　that
desire　of　his　to　seek　home　to　those　three　that　seemed　to　call　him
unto　them。



CHAPTER　V：　　NOW　THEY　COME　TO　A　NEW　LAND



Three　days　they　drave　before　the　wind；　and　on　the　fourth　the　clouds
lifted；　the　sun　shone　out　and　the　offing　was　clear；　the　wind　had
much　abated；　though　it　still　blew　a　breeze；　and　was　a　head　wind　for
sailing　toward　the　country　of　Langton。　　So　then　the　master　said
that；　since　they　were　bewildered；　and　the　wind　so　ill　to　deal　with；
it　were　best　to　go　still　before　the　wind　that　they　might　make　some
land　and　get　knowledge　of　their　whereabouts　from　the　folk　thereof。
Withal　he　said　that　he　deemed　the　land　n