the wood beyond the world-第7章

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else；　but　when　his　thirst　was　fully　quenched　his　eyes　caught　sight
of　the　stream　which　flowed　from　the　well；　and　he　gave　a　shout；　for
lo！　it　was　running　south。　　Wherefore　it　was　with　a　merry　heart　that
he　went　on；　and　as　he　went；　came　on　more　streams；　all　running　south
or　thereabouts。　　He　hastened　on　all　he　might；　but　in　despite　of　all
the　speed　he　made；　and　that　he　felt　the　land　now　going　down
southward；　night　overtook　him　in　that　same　wilderness。　　Yet　when　he
stayed　at　last　for　sheer　weariness；　he　lay　down　in　what　he　deemed　by
the　moonlight　to　be　a　shallow　valley；　with　a　ridge　at　the　southern
end　thereof。

He　slept　long；　and　when　he　awoke　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens；
and　never　was　brighter　or　clearer　morning　on　the　earth　than　was
that。　　He　arose　and　ate　of　what　little　was　yet　left　him；　and　drank
of　the　water　of　a　stream　which　he　had　followed　the　evening　before；
and　beside　which　he　had　laid　him　down；　and　then　set　forth　again　with
no　great　hope　to　come　on　new　tidings　that　day。　　But　yet　when　he　was
fairly　afoot；　himseemed　that　there　was　something　new　in　the　air
which　he　breathed；　that　was　soft　and　bore　sweet　scents　home　to　him；
whereas　heretofore；　and　that　especially　for　the　last　three　or　four
days；　it　had　been　harsh　and　void；　like　the　face　of　the　desert
itself。

So　on　he　went；　and　presently　was　mounting　the　ridge　aforesaid；　and；
as　oft　happens　when　one　climbs　a　steep　place；　he　kept　his　eyes　on
the　ground；　till　he　felt　he　was　on　the　top　of　the　ridge。　　Then　he
stopped　to　take　breath；　and　raised　his　head　and　looked；　and　lo！　he
was　verily　on　the　brow　of　the　great　mountain…neck；　and　down　below
him　was　the　hanging　of　the　great　hill…slopes；　which　fell　down；　not
slowly；　as　those　he　had　been　those　days　a…mounting；　but　speedily
enough；　though　with　little　of　broken　places　or　sheer　cliffs。　　But
beyond　this　last　of　the　desert　there　was　before　him　a　lovely　land　of
wooded　hills；　green　plains；　and　little　valleys；　stretching　out　far
and　wide；　till　it　ended　at　last　in　great　blue　mountains　and　white
snowy　peaks　beyond　them。

Then　for　very　surprise　of　joy　his　spirit　wavered；　and　he　felt　faint
and　dizzy；　so　that　he　was　fain　to　sit　down　a　while　and　cover　his
face　with　his　hands。　　Presently　he　came　to　his　sober　mind　again；　and
stood　up　and　looked　forth　keenly；　and　saw　no　sign　of　any　dwelling　of
man。　　But　he　said　to　himself　that　that　might　well　be　because　the
good　and　well…grassed　land　was　still　so　far　off；　and　that　he　might
yet　look　to　find　men　and　their　dwellings　when　he　had　left　the
mountain　wilderness　quite　behind　him：　　So　therewith　he　fell　to　going
his　ways　down　the　mountain；　and　lost　little　time　therein；　whereas　he
now　had　his　livelihood　to　look　to。



CHAPTER　IX：　　WALTER　HAPPENETH　ON　THE　FIRST　OF　THOSE　THREE　CREATURES



What　with　one　thing；　what　with　another；　as　his　having　to　turn　out　of
his　way　for　sheer　rocks；　or　for　slopes　so　steep　that　he　might　not
try　the　peril　of　them；　and　again　for　bogs　impassable；　he　was　fully
three　days　more　before　he　had　quite　come　out　of　the　stony　waste；　and
by　that　time；　though　he　had　never　lacked　water；　his　scanty　victual
was　quite　done；　for　all　his　careful　husbandry　thereof。　　But　this
troubled　him　little；　whereas　he　looked　to　find　wild　fruits　here　and
there　and　to　shoot　some　small　deer；　as　hare　or　coney；　and　make　a
shift　to　cook　the　same；　since　he　had　with　him　flint　and　fire…steel。
Moreover　the　further　he　went；　the　surer　he　was　that　he　should　soon
come　across　a　dwelling；　so　smooth　and　fair　as　everything　looked
before　him。　　And　he　had　scant　fear；　save　that　he　might　happen　on　men
who　should　enthrall　him。

But　when　he　was　come　down　past　the　first　green　slopes；　he　was　so
worn；　that　he　said　to　himself　that　rest　was　better　than　meat；　so
little　as　he　had　slept　for　the　last　three　days；　so　he　laid　him　down
under　an　ash…tree　by　a　stream…side；　nor　asked　what　was　o'clock；　but
had　his　fill　of　sleep；　and　even　when　he　awoke　in　the　fresh　morning
was　little　fain　of　rising；　but　lay　betwixt　sleeping　and　waking　for
some　three　hours　more；　then　he　arose；　and　went　further　down　the　next
green　bent；　yet　somewhat　slowly　because　of　his　hunger…weakness。　　And
the　scent　of　that　fair　land　came　up　to　him　like　the　odour　of　one
great　nosegay。

So　he　came　to　where　the　land　was　level；　and　there　were　many　trees；
as　oak　and　ash；　and　sweet…chestnut　and　wych…elm；　and　hornbeam　and
quicken…tree；　not　growing　in　a　close　wood　or　tangled　thicket；　but
set　as　though　in　order　on　the　flowery　greensward；　even　as　it　might
be　in　a　great　king's　park。

So　came　he　to　a　big　bird…cherry；　whereof　many　boughs　hung　low　down
laden　with　fruit：　　his　belly　rejoiced　at　the　sight；　and　he　caught
hold　of　a　bough；　and　fell　to　plucking　and　eating。　　But　whiles　he　was
amidst　of　this；　he　heard　suddenly；　close　anigh　him；　a　strange　noise
of　roaring　and　braying；　not　very　great；　but　exceeding　fierce　and
terrible；　and　not　like　to　the　voice　of　any　beast　that　he　knew。　　As
has　been　aforesaid；　Walter　was　no　faint…heart；　but　what　with　the
weakness　of　his　travail　and　hunger；　what　with　the　strangeness　of　his
adventure　and　his　loneliness；　his　spirit　failed　him；　he　turned　round
towards　the　noise；　his　knees　shook　and　he　trembled：　　this　way　and
that　he　looked；　and　then　gave　a　great　cry　and　tumbled　down　in　a
swoon；　for　close　before　him；　at　his　very　feet；　was　the　dwarf　whose
image　he　had　seen　before；　clad　in　his　yellow　coat；　and　grinning　up
at　him　from　his　hideous　hairy　countenance。

How　long　he　lay　there　as　one　dead；　he　knew　not；　but　when　he　woke
again　there　was　the　dwarf　sitting　on　his　hams　close　by　him。　　And
when　he　lifted　up　his　head；　the　dwarf　sent　out　that　fearful　harsh
voice　again；　but　this　time　Walter　could　make　out　words　therein；　and
knew　that　the　creature　spoke　and　said：

〃How　now！　　What　art　thou？　　Whence　comest？　　What　wantest？〃

Walter　sat　up　and　said：　　〃I　am　a　man；　I　hight　Golden　Walter；　I　come
from　Langton；　I　want　victual。〃

Said　the　dwarf；　writhing　his　face　grievously；　and　laughing　forsooth：
〃I　know　it　all：　　I　asked　thee　to　see　what　wise　thou　wouldst　lie。　　I
was　sent　forth　to　look　for　thee；　and　I　have　brought　thee　loathsome
bread　with　me；　such　as　ye　aliens　must　needs　eat：　　take　it！〃

Therewith　he　drew　a　loaf　from　a　satchel　which　he　bore；　and　thrust　it
towards　Walter；　who　took　it　somewhat　doubtfully　for　all　his　hunger。

The　dwarf　yelled　at　him：　　〃Art　thou　dainty；　alien？　　Wouldst　thou
have　flesh？　　Well；　give　me　thy　bow　and　an　arrow　or　two；　since　thou
art　lazy…sick；　and　I　will　get　thee　a　coney　or　a　hare；　or　a　quail
maybe。　　Ah；　I　forgot；　thou　art　dainty；　and　wilt　not　eat　flesh　as　I
do；　blood　and　all　together；　but　must　needs　half　burn　it　in　the　fire；
or　mar　it　with　hot　water；　as　they　say　my　Lady　does：　　or　as　the
Wretch；　the　Thing　does；　I　know　that；　for　I　have　seen　It　eating。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Walter；　〃this　sufficeth；〃　and　he　fell　to　eating　the
bread；　which　was　sweet　between　his　teeth。　　Then　when　he　had　eaten　a
while；　for　hunger　compelled　him；　he　said　to　the　dwarf：　　〃But　what
meanest　thou　by　the　Wretch　and　the　Thing？　　And　what　Lady　is　thy
Lady？〃

The　creature　let　out　another　wordless　roar　as　of　furious　anger；　and
then　the　words　came：　　〃It　hath　a　face　white　and　red；　like　to　thine；
and　hands　white　as　thine；　yea；　but　whiter；　and　the　like　it　is
underneath　its　raiment；　only　whiter　still：　　for　I　have　seen　Ityes；
I　have　seen　It；　ah　yes　and　yes　and　yes。〃

And　therewith　his　words　ran　into　gibber　and　yelling；　and　he　rolled
about　and　smote　at　the　grass：　　but　in　a　while　he　grew　quiet　again
and　sat　still；　and　then　fell　to　laughing　horribly　again；　and　then
said：　　〃But　thou；　fool；　wilt　think　It　fair　if　thou　fallest　into　Its
hands；　and　wilt　repent　it　thereafter；　as　I　did。　　Oh；　the　mocking　and
gibes　of　It；　and　the　tears　and　shrieks　of　It；　and　the　knife！　　What！
sayest　thou　of　my　Lady？What　Lady？　　O　alien；　what　other　Lady　is
there？　　And　what　shall　I　tell　thee　of　her？　it　is　like　that　she　made
me；　as　she　made　the　Bear　men。　　But　she　made　not　the　Wretch；　the
Thing；　and　she　hateth　It　sorely；　as　I　do。　　And　some　day　to　come〃

Thereat　he　brake　off　and　fell　to　wordless　yelling　a　long　while；　and
thereafter　spake　all　panting：　　〃Now　I　have　told　thee　overmuch；　and　O
if　my　Lady　come　to　h