the wood beyond the world-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


say　that　such　an　one　the　Fathers　of　old　time　have　not　sent　us。　　But
again；　when　we　have　seen　to　the　new…comer　that　he　is　well…fashioned
of　his　body；　all　is　not　done；　for　we　deem　that　never　would　the
Fathers　send　us　a　dolt　or　a　craven　to　be　our　king。　　Therefore　we　bid
the　naked　one　take　to　him　which　he　will　of　these　raiments；　either
the　ancient　armour；　which　now　thou　bearest；　lord；　or　this　golden
raiment　here；　and　if　he　take　the　war…gear；　as　thou　takedst　it；　King；
it　is　well；　but　if　he　take　the　raiment　of　peace；　then　hath　he　the
choice　either　to　be　thrall　of　some　goodman　of　the　city；　or　to　be
proven　how　wise　he　may　be；　and　so　fare　the　narrow　edge　betwixt　death
and　kingship；　for　if　he　fall　short　of　his　wisdom；　then　shall　he　die
the　death。　　Thus　is　thy　question　answered；　King；　and　praise　be　to
the　Fathers　that　they　have　sent　us　one　whom　none　may　doubt；　either
for　wisdom　or　valiancy。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIV：　　NOW　COMETH　THE　MAID　TO　THE　KING



Then　all　they　bowed　before　the　King；　and　he　spake　again：　　〃What　is
that　noise　that　I　hear　without；　as　if　it　were　the　rising　of　the　sea
on　a　sandy　shore；　when　the　south…west　wind　is　blowing。〃

Then　the　elder　opened　his　mouth　to　answer；　but　before　he　might　get
out　the　word；　there　was　a　stir　without　the　chamber　door；　and　the
throng　parted；　and　lo！　amidst　of　them　came　the　Maid；　and　she　yet
clad　in　nought　save　the　white　coat　wherewith　she　had　won　through　the
wilderness；　save　that　on　her　head　was　a　garland　of　red　roses；　and
her　middle　was　wreathed　with　the　same。　　Fresh　and　fair　she　was　as
the　dawn　of　June；　her　face　bright；　red…lipped；　and　clear…eyed；　and
her　cheeks　flushed　with　hope　and　love。　　She　went　straight　to　Walter
where　he　sat；　and　lightly　put　away　with　her　hand　the　elder　who　would
lead　her　to　the　ivory　throne　beside　the　King；　but　she　knelt　down
before　him；　and　laid　her　hand　on　his　steel…clad　knee；　and　said：　　〃O
my　lord；　now　I　see　that　thou　hast　beguiled　me；　and　that　thou　wert
all　along　a　king…born　man　coming　home　to　thy　realm。　　But　so　dear
thou　hast　been　to　me；　and　so　fair　and　clear；　and　so　kind　withal　do
thine　eyes　shine　on　me　from　under　the　grey　war…helm；　that　I　will
beseech　thee　not　to　cast　me　out　utterly；　but　suffer　me　to　be　thy
servant　and　handmaid　for　a　while。　　Wilt　thou　not？〃

But　the　King　stooped　down　to　her　and　raised　her　up；　and　stood　on　his
feet；　and　took　her　hands　and　kissed　them；　and　set　her　down　beside
him；　and　said　to　her：　　〃Sweetheart；　this　is　now　thy　place　till　the
night　cometh；　even　by　my　side。〃

So　she　sat　down　there　meek　and　valiant；　her　hands　laid　in　her　lap；
and　her　feet　one　over　the　other；　while　the　King　said：　　〃Lords；　this
is　my　beloved；　and　my　spouse。　　Now；　therefore；　if　ye　will　have　me
for　King；　ye　must　worship　this　one　for　Queen　and　Lady；　or　else
suffer　us　both　to　go　our　ways　in　peace。〃

Then　all　they　that　were　in　the　chamber　cried　out　aloud：　　〃The　Queen；
the　Lady！　　The　beloved　of　our　lord！〃

And　this　cry　came　from　their　hearts；　and　not　their　lips　only；　for　as
they　looked　on　her；　and　the　brightness　of　her　beauty；　they　saw　also
the　meekness　of　her　demeanour；　and　the　high　heart　of　her；　and　they
all　fell　to　loving　her。　　But　the　young　men　of　them；　their　cheeks
flushed　as　they　beheld　her；　and　their　hearts　went　out　to　her；　and
they　drew　their　swords　and　brandished　them　aloft；　and　cried　out　for
her　as　men　made　suddenly　drunk　with　love：　　〃The　Queen；　the　Lady；　the
lovely　one！〃



CHAPTER　XXXV：　　OF　THE　KING　OF　STARK…WALL　AND　HIS　QUEEN



But　while　this　betid；　that　murmur　without；　which　is　aforesaid；　grew
louder；　and　it　smote　on　the　King's　ear；　and　he　said　again　to　the
elder：　　〃Tell　us　now　of　that　noise　withoutward；　what　is　it？〃

Said　the　elder：　　〃If　thou；　King；　and　the　Queen；　wilt　but　arise　and
stand　in　the　window；　and　go　forth　into　the　hanging　gallery　thereof；
then　shall　ye　know　at　once　what　is　this　rumour；　and　therewithal
shall　ye　see　a　sight　meet　to　rejoice　the　heart　of　a　king　new　come
into　kingship。〃

So　the　King　arose　and　took　the　Maid　by　the　hand；　and　went　to　the
window　and　looked　forth；　and　lo！　the　great　square　of　the　place　all
thronged　with　folk　as　thick　as　they　could　stand；　and　the　more　part
of　the　carles　with　a　weapon　in　hand；　and　many　armed　right　gallantly。
Then　he　went　out　into　the　gallery　with　his　Queen；　still　holding　her
hand；　and　his　lords　and　wise　men　stood　behind　him。　　Straightway　then
arose　a　cry；　and　a　shout　of　joy　and　welcome　that　rent　the　very
heavens；　and　the　great　place　was　all　glittering　and　strange　with　the
tossing　up　of　spears　and　the　brandishing　of　swords；　and　the
stretching　forth　of　hands。

But　the　Maid　spake　softly　to　King　Walter　and　said：　　〃Here　then　is
the　wilderness　left　behind　a　long　way；　and　here　is　warding　and
protection　against　the　foes　of　our　life　and　soul。　　O　blessed　be　thou
and　thy　valiant　heart！〃

But　Walter　spake　nothing；　but　stood　as　one　in　a　dream；　and　yet；　if
that　might　be；　his　longing　toward　her　increased　manifold。

But　down　below；　amidst　of　the　throng；　stood　two　neighbours　somewhat
anigh　to　the　window；　and　quoth　one　to　the　other：　　〃See　thou！　the　new
man　in　the　ancient　armour　of　the　Battle　of　the　Waters；　bearing　the
sword　that　slew　the　foeman　king　on　the　Day　of　the　Doubtful　Onset！
Surely　this　is　a　sign　of　good…luck　to　us　all。〃

〃Yea；〃　said　the　second；　〃he　beareth　his　armour　well；　and　the　eyes
are　bright　in　the　head　of　him：　　but　hast　thou　beheld　well　his　she…
fellow；　and　what　the　like　of　her　is？〃

〃I　see　her；〃　said　the　other；　〃that　she　is　a　fair　woman；　yet　somewhat
worse　clad　than　simply。　　She　is　in　her　smock；　man；　and　were　it　not
for　the　balusters　I　deem　ye　should　see　her　barefoot。　　What　is　amiss
with　her？〃

〃Dost　thou　not　see　her；〃　said　the　second　neighbour；　〃that　she　is　not
only　a　fair　woman；　but　yet　more；　one　of　those　lovely　ones　that　draw
the　heart　out　of　a　man's　body；　one　may　scarce　say　for　why？　　Surely
Stark…wall　hath　cast　a　lucky　net　this　time。　　And　as　to　her　raiment；
I　see　of　her　that　she　is　clad　in　white　and　wreathed　with　roses；　but
that　the　flesh　of　her　is　so　wholly　pure　and　sweet　that　it　maketh　all
her　attire　but　a　part　of　her　body；　and　halloweth　it；　so　that　it　hath
the　semblance　of　gems。　　Alas；　my　friend！　let　us　hope　that　this　Queen
will　fare　abroad　unseldom　amongst　the　people。〃

Thus；　then；　they　spake；　but　after　a　while　the　King　and　his　mate　went
back　into　the　chamber；　and　he　gave　command　that　the　women　of　the
Queen　should　come　and　fetch　her　away；　to　attire　her　in　royal　array。
And　thither　came　the　fairest　of　the　honourable　damsels；　and　were
fain　of　being　her　waiting…women。　　Therewithal　the　King　was　unarmed；
and　dight　most　gloriously；　but　still　he　bore　the　Sword　of　the　King's
Slaying：　　and　sithence　were　the　King　and　the　Queen　brought　into　the
great　hall　of　the　palace；　and　they　met　on　the　dais；　and　kissed
before　the　lords　and　other　folk　that　thronged　the　hall。　　There　they
ate　a　morsel　and　drank　a　cup　together　while　all　beheld　them；　and
then　they　were　brought　forth；　and　a　white　horse　of　the　goodliest；
well　bedight；　brought　for　each　of　them；　and　thereon　they　mounted　and
went　their　ways　together；　by　the　lane　which　the　huge　throng　made　for
them；　to　the　great　church；　for　the　hallowing　and　the　crowning；　and
they　were　led　by　one　squire　alone；　and　he　unarmed；　for　such　was　the
custom　of　Stark…wall　when　a　new　king　should　be　hallowed：　　so　came
they　to　the　great　church　（for　that　folk　was　not　miscreant；　so　to
say）；　and　they　entered　it；　they　two　alone；　and　went　into　the　choir：
and　when　they　had　stood　there　a　little　while　wondering　at　their　lot；
they　heard　how　the　bells　fell　a…ringing　tunefully　over　their　heads；
and　then　drew　near　the　sound　of　many　trumpets　blowing　together；　and
thereafter　the　voices　of　many　folk　singing；　and　then　were　the　great
doors　thrown　open；　and　the　bishop　and　his　priests　came　into　the
church　with　singing　and　minstrelsy；　and　thereafter　came　the　whole
throng　of　the　folk；　and　presently　the　nave　of　the　church　was　filled
by　it；　as　when　the　water　follows　the　cutting　of　the　dam；　and　fills
up　the　dyke。　　Thereafter　came　the　bishop　and　his　mates　into　the
choir；　and　came　up　to　the　King；　and　gave　him　and　the　Queen　the　kiss
of　peace。　　This　was　mass　sung　gloriously；　and　thereafter　was