the wood beyond the world-第6章

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all；　then　shall　they　do　the　like　with　all　of　you。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Is　that　sure？〃

〃Dead　sure；〃　said　the　carle。

〃How　knowest　thou　this？〃　said　Walter。

〃I　have　been　there　myself；〃　said　the　carle。

〃Yea；〃　said　Walter；　〃but　thou　camest　away　whole。〃

〃Art　thou　sure　thereof？〃　said　the　carle。

〃Thou　art　alive　yet；　old　man；〃　said　Walter；　〃for　I　have　seen　thee
eat　thy　meat；　which　ghosts　use　not　to　do。〃　　And　he　laughed。

But　the　old　man　answered　soberly：　　〃If　I　escaped；　it　was　by　this；
that　another　woman　saved　me；　and　not　often　shall　that　befall。　　Nor
wholly　was　I　saved；　my　body　escaped　forsooth。　　But　where　is　my　soul？
Where　is　my　heart；　and　my　life？　　Young　man；　I　rede　thee；　try　no　such
adventure；　but　go　home　to　thy　kindred　if　thou　canst。　　Moreover；
wouldst　thou　fare　alone？　　The　others　shall　hinder　thee。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃I　am　the　master；　they　shall　do　as　I　bid　them：
besides；　they　will　be　well　pleased　to　share　my　goods　amongst　them　if
I　give　them　a　writing　to　clear　them　of　all　charges　which　might　be
brought　against　them。〃

〃My　son！　my　son！〃　said　the　carle；　〃I　pray　thee　go　not　to　thy　death！〃

Walter　heard　him　silently；　but　as　if　he　were　persuaded　to　refrain；
and　then　the　old　man　fell　to；　and　told　him　much　concerning　this
Bear…folk　and　their　customs；　speaking　very　freely　of　them；　but
Walter's　ears　were　scarce　open　to　this　talk：　　whereas　he　deemed　that
he　should　have　nought　to　do　with　those　wild　men；　and　he　durst　not
ask　again　concerning　the　country　whereto　led　the　pass　on　the
northward。



CHAPTER　VII：　　WALTER　COMES　TO　THE　SHARD　IN　THE　ROCK…WALL



As　they　were　in　converse　thus；　they　heard　the　hunters　blowing　on
their　horns　all　together；　whereon　the　old　man　arose；　and　said：　　〃I
deem　by　the　blowing　that　the　hunt　will　be　over　and　done；　and　that
they　be　blowing　on　their　fellows　who　have　gone　scatter…meal　about
the　wood。　　It　is　now　some　five　hours　after　noon；　and　thy　men　will　be
getting　back　with　their　venison；　and　will　be　fainest　of　the　victuals
they　have　caught；　therefore　will　I　hasten　on　before；　and　get　ready
fire　and　water　and　other　matters　for　the　cooking。　　Wilt　thou　come
with　me；　young　master；　or　abide　thy　men　here？〃

Walter　said　lightly：　　〃I　will　rest　and　abide　them　here；　since　I
cannot　fail　to　see　them　hence　as　they　go　on　their　ways　to　thine
house。　　And　it　may　be　well　that　I　be　at　hand　to　command　them　and
forbid；　and　put　some　order　amongst　them；　for　rough　playmates　they
be；　some　of　them；　and　now　all　heated　with　the　hunting　and　the　joy　of
the　green　earth。〃　　Thus　he　spoke；　as　if　nought　were　toward　save
supper　and　bed；　but　inwardly　hope　and　fear　were　contending　in　him；
and　again　his　heart　beat　so　hard；　that　he　deemed　that　the　carle　must
surely　hear　it。　　But　the　old　man　took　him　but　according　to　his
outward　seeming；　and　nodded　his　head；　and　went　away　quietly　toward
his　house。

When　he　had　been　gone　a　little；　Walter　rose　up　heedfully；　he　had
with　him　a　scrip　wherein　was　some　cheese　and　hard…fish；　and　a　little
flasket　of　wine；　a　short　bow　he　had　with　him；　and　a　quiver　of
arrows；　and　he　was　girt　with　a　strong　and　good　sword；　and　a　wood…
knife　withal。　　He　looked　to　all　this　gear　that　it　was　nought　amiss；
and　then　speedily　went　down　off　the　mound；　and　when　he　was　come
down；　he　found　that　it　covered　him　from　men　coming　out　of　the　wood；
if　he　went　straight　thence　to　that　shard　of　the　rock…wall　where　was
the　pass　that　led　southward。

Now　it　is　no　nay　that　thitherward　he　turned；　and　went　wisely；　lest
the　carle　should　make　a　backward　cast；　and　see　him；　or　lest　any
straggler　of　his　own　folk　might　happen　upon　him。

For　to　say　sooth；　he　deemed　that　did　they　wind　him；　they　would　be
like　to　let　him　of　his　journey。　　He　had　noted　the　bearings　of　the
cliffs　nigh　the　shard；　and　whereas　he　could　see　their　heads
everywhere　except　from　the　depths　of　the　thicket；　he　was　not　like　to
go　astray。

He　had　made　no　great　way　ere　he　heard　the　horns　blowing　all　together
again　in　one　place；　and　looking　thitherward　through　the　leafy　boughs
（for　he　was　now　amidst　of　a　thicket）　he　saw　his　men　thronging　the
mound；　and　had　no　doubt　therefore　that　they　were　blowing　on　him；　but
being　well　under　cover　he　heeded　it　nought；　and　lying　still　a
little；　saw　them　go　down　off　the　mound　and　go　all　of　them　toward　the
carle's　house；　still　blowing　as　they　went；　but　not　faring　scatter…
meal。　　Wherefore　it　was　clear　that　they　were　nought　troubled　about
him。

So　he　went　on　his　way　to　the　shard；　and　there　is　nothing　to　say　of
his　journey　till　he　got　before　it　with　the　last　of　the　clear　day；
and　entered　it　straightway。　　It　was　in　sooth　a　downright　breach　or
cleft　in　the　rock…wall；　and　there　was　no　hill　or　bent　leading　up　to
it；　nothing　but　a　tumble　of　stones　before　it；　which　was　somewhat
uneasy　going；　yet　needed　nought　but　labour　to　overcome　it；　and　when
he　had　got　over　this；　and　was　in　the　very　pass　itself；　he　found　it
no　ill　going：　　forsooth　at　first　it　was　little　worse　than　a　rough
road　betwixt　two　great　stony　slopes；　though　a　little　trickle　of
water　ran　down　amidst　of　it。　　So；　though　it　was　so　nigh　nightfall；
yet　Walter　pressed　on；　yea；　and　long　after　the　very　night　was　come。
For　the　moon　rose　wide　and　bright　a　little　after　nightfall。　　But　at
last　he　had　gone　so　long；　and　was　so　wearied；　that　he　deemed　it
nought　but　wisdom　to　rest　him；　and　so　lay　down　on　a　piece　of
greensward　betwixt　the　stones；　when　he　had　eaten　a　morsel　out　of　his
satchel；　and　drunk　of　the　water　out　of　the　stream。　　There　as　he　lay；
if　he　had　any　doubt　of　peril；　his　weariness　soon　made　it　all　one　to
him；　for　presently　he　was　sleeping　as　soundly　as　any　man　in　Langton
on　Holm。



CHAPTER　VIII：　　WALTER　WENDS　THE　WASTE



Day　was　yet　young　when　he　awoke：　　he　leapt　to　his　feet；　and　went
down　to　the　stream　and　drank　of　its　waters；　and　washed　the　night　off
him　in　a　pool　thereof；　and　then　set　forth　on　his　way　again。　　When　he
had　gone　some　three　hours；　the　road；　which　had　been　going　up　all　the
way；　but　somewhat　gently；　grew　steeper；　and　the　bent　on　either　side
lowered；　and　lowered；　till　it　sank　at　last　altogether；　and　then　was
he　on　a　rough　mountain…neck　with　little　grass；　and　no　water；　save
that　now　and　again　was　a　soft　place　with　a　flow　amidst　of　it；　and
such　places　he　must　needs　fetch　a　compass　about；　lest　he　be　mired。
He　gave　himself　but　little　rest；　eating　what　he　needs　must　as　he
went。　　The　day　was　bright　and　calm；　so　that　the　sun　was　never
hidden；　and　he　steered　by　it　due　south。　　All　that　day　he　went；　and
found　no　more　change　in　that　huge　neck；　save　that　whiles　it　was　more
and　whiles　less　steep。　　A　little　before　nightfall　he　happened　on　a
shallow　pool　some　twenty　yards　over；　and　he　deemed　it　good　to　rest
there；　since　there　was　water　for　his　avail；　though　he　might　have
made　somewhat　more　out　of　the　tail　end　of　the　day。

When　dawn　came　again　he　awoke　and　arose；　nor　spent　much　time　over
his　breakfast；　but　pressed　on　all　he　might；　and　now　he　said　to
himself；　that　whatsoever　other　peril　were　athwart　his　way；　he　was
out　of　the　danger　of　the　chase　of　his　own　folk。

All　this　while　he　had　seen　no　four…footed　beast；　save　now　and　again
a　hill…fox；　and　once　some　outlandish　kind　of　hare；　and　of　fowl　but
very　few：　　a　crow　or　two；　a　long…winged　hawk；　and　twice　an　eagle
high　up　aloft。

Again；　the　third　night；　he　slept　in　the　stony　wilderness；　which
still　led　him　up　and　up。　　Only　toward　the　end　of　the　day；　himseemed
that　it　had　been　less　steep　for　a　long　while：　　otherwise　nought　was
changed；　on　all　sides　it　was　nought　but　the　endless　neck；　wherefrom
nought　could　be　seen；　but　some　other　part　of　itself。　　This　fourth
night　withal　he　found　no　water　whereby　he　might　rest；　so　that　he
awoke　parched；　and　longing　to　drink　just　when　the　dawn　was　at　its
coldest。

But　on　the　fifth　morrow　the　ground　rose　but　little；　and　at　last；
when　he　had　been　going　wearily　a　long　while；　and　now；　hard　on
noontide；　his　thirst　grieved　him　sorely；　he　came　on　a　spring　welling
out　from　under　a　high　rock；　the　water　wherefrom　trickled　feebly
away。　　So　eager　was　he　to　drink；　that　at　first　he　heeded　nought
else；　but　when　his　thirst　was　fully　quenched　his　eyes　caught　sight
of　the　stream　which　flowed　from　the　well；　and　he　ga