the wood beyond the world-第8章
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thereafter spake all panting: 〃Now I have told thee overmuch; and O
if my Lady come to hear thereof。 Now I will go。〃
And therewith he took out two more loaves from his wallet; and
tossed them to Walter; and so turned and went his ways; whiles
walking upright; as Walter had seen his image on the quay of
Langton; whiles bounding and rolling like a ball thrown by a lad;
whiles scuttling along on all…fours like an evil beast; and ever and
anon giving forth that harsh and evil cry。
Walter sat a while after he was out of sight; so stricken with
horror and loathing and a fear of he knew not what; that he might
not move。 Then he plucked up a heart; and looked to his weapons and
put the other loaves into his scrip。
Then he arose and went his ways wondering; yea and dreading; what
kind of creature he should next fall in with。 For soothly it seemed
to him that it would be worse than death if they were all such as
this one; and that if it were so; he must needs slay and be slain。
CHAPTER X: WALTER HAPPENETH ON ANOTHER CREATURE IN THE STRANGE LAND
But as he went on through the fair and sweet land so bright and sun…
litten; and he now rested and fed; the horror and fear ran off from
him; and he wandered on merrily; neither did aught befall him save
the coming of night; when he laid him down under a great spreading
oak with his drawn sword ready to hand; and fell asleep at once; and
woke not till the sun was high。
Then he arose and went on his way again; and the land was no worser
than yesterday; but even better; it might be; the greensward more
flowery; the oaks and chestnuts greater。 Deer of diverse kinds he
saw; and might easily have got his meat thereof; but he meddled not
with them since he had his bread; and was timorous of lighting a
fire。 Withal he doubted little of having some entertainment; and
that; might be; nought evil; since even that fearful dwarf had been
courteous to him after his kind; and had done him good and not harm。
But of the happening on the Wretch and the Thing; whereof the dwarf
spake; he was yet somewhat afeard。
After he had gone a while and whenas the summer morn was at its
brightest; he saw a little way ahead a grey rock rising up from
amidst of a ring of oak…trees; so he turned thither straightway; for
in this plain…land he had seen no rocks heretofore; and as he went
he saw that there was a fountain gushing out from under the rock;
which ran thence in a fair little stream。 And when he had the rock
and the fountain and the stream clear before him; lo! a child of
Adam sitting beside the fountain under the shadow of the rock。 He
drew a little nigher; and then he saw that it was a woman; clad in
green like the sward whereon she lay。 She was playing with the
welling out of the water; and she had trussed up her sleeves to the
shoulder that she might thrust her bare arms therein。 Her shoes of
black leather lay on the grass beside her; and her feet and legs yet
shone with the brook。
Belike amidst the splashing and clatter of the water she did not
hear him drawing nigh; so that he was close to her before she lifted
up her face and saw him; and he beheld her; that it was the maiden
of the thrice…seen pageant。 She reddened when she saw him; and
hastily covered up her legs with her gown…skirt; and drew down the
sleeves over her arms; but otherwise stirred not。 As for him; he
stood still; striving to speak to her; but no word might he bring
out; and his heart beat sorely。
But the maiden spake to him in a clear sweet voice; wherein was now
no trouble: 〃Thou art an alien; art thou not? For I have not seen
thee before。〃
〃Yea;〃 he said; 〃I am an alien; wilt thou be good to me?〃
She said: 〃And why not? I was afraid at first; for I thought it
had been the King's Son。 I looked to see none other; for of goodly
men he has been the only one here in the land this long while; till
thy coming。〃
He said: 〃Didst thou look for my coming at about this time?〃
〃O nay;〃 she said; 〃how might I?〃
Said Walter: 〃I wot not; but the other man seemed to be looking for
me; and knew of me; and he brought me bread to eat。〃
She looked on him anxiously; and grew somewhat pale; as she said:
〃What other one?〃
Now Walter did not know what the dwarf might be to her; fellow…
servant or what not; so he would not show his loathing of him; but
answered wisely: 〃The little man in the yellow raiment。〃
But when she heard that word; she went suddenly very pale; and
leaned her head aback; and beat the air with her hands; but said
presently in a faint voice: 〃I pray thee talk not of that one while
I am by; nor even think of him; if thou mayest forbear。〃
He spake not; and she was a little while before she came to herself
again; then she opened her eyes; and looked upon Walter and smiled
kindly on him; as though to ask his pardon for having scared him。
Then she rose up in her place; and stood before him; and they were
nigh together; for the stream betwixt them was little。
But he still looked anxiously upon her and said: 〃Have I hurt thee?
I pray thy pardon。〃
She looked on him more sweetly still; and said: 〃O nay; thou
wouldst not hurt me; thou!〃
Then she blushed very red; and he in like wise; but afterwards she
turned pale; and laid a hand on her breast; and Walter cried out
hastily: 〃O me! I have hurt thee again。 Wherein have I done
amiss?〃
〃In nought; in nought;〃 she said; 〃but I am troubled; I wot not
wherefore; some thought hath taken hold of me; and I know it not。
Mayhappen in a little while I shall know what troubles me。 Now I
bid thee depart from me a little; and I will abide here; and when
thou comest back; it will either be that I have found it out or not;
and in either case I will tell thee。〃
She spoke earnestly to him; but he said: 〃How long shall I abide
away?〃
Her face was troubled as she answered him: 〃For no long while。〃
He smiled on her and turned away; and went a space to the other side
of the oak…trees; whence she was still within eyeshot。 There he
abode until the time seemed long to him; but he schooled himself and
forbore; for he said: Lest she send me away again。 So he abided
until again the time seemed long to him; and she called not to him:
but once again he forbore to go; then at last he arose; and his
heart beat and he trembled; and he walked back again speedily; and
came to the maiden; who was still standing by the rock of the
spring; her arms hanging down; her eyes downcast。 She looked up at
him as he drew nigh; and her face changed with eagerness as she
said: 〃I am glad thou art come back; though it be no long while
since thy departure〃 (sooth to say it was scarce half an hour in
all)。 〃Nevertheless I have been thinking many things; and thereof
will I now tell thee。〃
He said: 〃Maiden; there is a river betwixt us; though it be no big
one。 Shall I not stride over; and come to thee; that we may sit
down together side by side on the green grass?〃
〃Nay;〃 she said; 〃not yet; tarry a while till I have told thee of
matters。 I must now tell thee of my thoughts in order。〃
Her colour went and came now; and she plaited the folds of her gown
with restless fingers。 At last she said: 〃Now the first thing is
this; that though thou hast seen me first only within this hour;
thou hast set thine heart upon me to have me for thy speech…friend
and thy darling。 And if this be not so; then is all my speech; yea
and all my hope; come to an end at once。〃
〃O yea!〃 said Walter; 〃even so it is: but how thou hast found this
out I wot not; since now for the first time I say it; that thou art
indeed my love; and my dear and my darling。〃
〃Hush;〃 she said; 〃hush! lest the wood have ears; and thy speech is
loud: abide; and I shall tell thee how I know it。 Whether this thy
love shall outlast the first time that thou holdest my body in thine
arms; I wot not; nor dost thou。 But sore is my hope that it may be
so; for I also; though it be but scarce an hour since I set eyes on
thee; have cast mine eyes on thee to have thee for my love and my
darling; and my speech…friend。 And this is how I wot that thou
lovest me; my friend。 Now is all this dear