the wood beyond the world-第9章

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darling；　and　my　speech…friend。　　And　this　is　how　I　wot　that　thou
lovest　me；　my　friend。　　Now　is　all　this　dear　and　joyful；　and
overflows　my　heart　with　sweetness。　　But　now　must　I　tell　thee　of　the
fear　and　the　evil　which　lieth　behind　it。〃

Then　Walter　stretched　out　his　hands　to　her；　and　cried　out：　　〃Yea；
yea！　　But　whatever　evil　entangle　us；　now　we　both　know　these　two
things；　to　wit；　that　thou　lovest　me；　and　I　thee；　wilt　thou　not　come
hither；　that　I　may　cast　mine　arms　about　thee；　and　kiss　thee；　if　not
thy　kind　lips　or　thy　friendly　face　at　all；　yet　at　least　thy　dear
hand：　　yea；　that　I　may　touch　thy　body　in　some　wise？〃

She　looked　on　him　steadily；　and　said　softly：　　〃Nay；　this　above　all
things　must　not　be；　and　that　it　may　not　be　is　a　part　of　the　evil
which　entangles　us。　　But　hearken；　friend；　once　again　I　tell　thee
that　thy　voice　is　over　loud　in　this　wilderness　fruitful　of　evil。
Now　I　have　told　thee；　indeed；　of　two　things　whereof　we　both　wot；　but
next　I　must　needs　tell　thee　of　things　whereof　I　wot；　and　thou
wottest　not。　　Yet　this　were　better；　that　thou　pledge　thy　word　not　to
touch　so　much　as　one　of　my　hands；　and　that　we　go　together　a　little
way　hence　away　from　these　tumbled　stones；　and　sit　down　upon　the　open
greensward；　whereas　here　is　cover　if　there　be　spying　abroad。〃

Again；　as　she　spoke；　she　turned　very　pale；　but　Walter　said：　　〃Since
it　must　be　so；　I　pledge　thee　my　word　to　thee　as　I　love　thee。〃

And　therewith　she　knelt　down；　and　did　on　her　foot…gear；　and　then
sprang　lightly　over　the　rivulet；　and　then　the　twain　of　them　went
side　by　side　some　half　a　furlong　thence；　and　sat　down；　shadowed　by
the　boughs　of　a　slim　quicken…tree　growing　up　out　of　the　greensward；
whereon　for　a　good　space　around　was　neither　bush　nor　brake。

There　began　the　maiden　to　talk　soberly；　and　said：　　〃This　is　what　I
must　needs　say　to　thee　now；　that　thou　art　come　into　a　land　perilous
for　any　one　that　loveth　aught　of　good；　from　which；　forsooth；　I　were
fain　that　thou　wert　gotten　away　safely；　even　though　I　should　die　of
longing　for　thee。　　As　for　myself；　my　peril　is；　in　a　measure；　less
than　thine；　I　mean　the　peril　of　death。　　But　lo；　thou；　this　iron　on
my　foot　is　token　that　I　am　a　thrall；　and　thou　knowest　in　what　wise
thralls　must　pay　for　transgressions。　　Furthermore；　of　what　I　am；　and
how　I　came　hither；　time　would　fail　me　to　tell；　but　somewhile；　maybe；
I　shall　tell　thee。　　I　serve　an　evil　mistress；　of　whom　I　may　say　that
scarce　I　wot　if　she　be　a　woman　or　not；　but　by　some　creatures　is　she
accounted　for　a　god；　and　as　a　god　is　heried；　and　surely　never　god
was　crueller　nor　colder　than　she。　　Me　she　hateth　sorely；　yet　if　she
hated　me　little　or　nought；　small　were　the　gain　to　me　if　it　were　her
pleasure　to　deal　hardly　by　me。　　But　as　things　now　are；　and　are　like
to　be；　it　would　not　be　for　her　pleasure；　but　for　her　pain　and　loss；
to　make　an　end　of　me；　therefore；　as　I　said　e'en　now；　my　mere　life　is
not　in　peril　with　her；　unless；　perchance；　some　sudden　passion　get
the　better　of　her；　and　she　slay　me；　and　repent　of　it　thereafter。
For　so　it　is；　that　if　it　be　the　least　evil　of　her　conditions　that
she　is　wanton；　at　least　wanton　she　is　to　the　letter。　　Many　a　time
hath　she　cast　the　net　for　the　catching　of　some　goodly　young　man；　and
her　latest　prey　（save　it　be　thou）　is　the　young　man　whom　I　named；
when　first　I　saw　thee；　by　the　name　of　the　King's　Son。　　He　is　with　us
yet；　and　I　fear　him；　for　of　late　hath　he　wearied　of　her；　though　it
is　but　plain　truth　to　say　of　her；　that　she　is　the　wonder　of　all
Beauties　of　the　World。　　He　hath　wearied　of　her；　I　say；　and　hath　cast
his　eyes　upon　me；　and　if　I　were　heedless；　he　would　betray　me　to　the
uttermost　of　the　wrath　of　my　mistress。　　For　needs　must　I　say　of　him；
though　he　be　a　goodly　man；　and　now　fallen　into　thralldom；　that　he
hath　no　bowels　of　compassion；　but　is　a　dastard；　who　for　an　hour's
pleasure　would　undo　me；　and　thereafter　would　stand　by　smiling　and
taking　my　mistress's　pardon　with　good　cheer；　while　for　me　would　be
no　pardon。　　Seest　thou；　therefore；　how　it　is　with　me　between　these
two　cruel　fools？　　And　moreover　there　are　others　of　whom　I　will　not
even　speak　to　thee。〃

And　therewith　she　put　her　hands　before　her　face；　and　wept；　and
murmured：　　〃Who　shall　deliver　me　from　this　death　in　life？〃

But　Walter　cried　out：　　〃For　what　else　am　I　come　hither；　I；　I？〃

And　it　was　a　near　thing　that　he　did　not　take　her　in　his　arms；　but　he
remembered　his　pledged　word；　and　drew　aback　from　her　in　terror；
whereas　he　had　an　inkling　of　why　she　would　not　suffer　it；　and　he
wept　with　her。

But　suddenly　the　Maid　left　weeping；　and　said　in　a　changed　voice：
〃Friend；　whereas　thou　speakest　of　delivering　me；　it　is　more　like
that　I　shall　deliver　thee。　　And　now　I　pray　thy　pardon　for　thus
grieving　thee　with　my　grief；　and　that　more　especially　because　thou
mayst　not　solace　thy　grief　with　kisses　and　caresses；　but　so　it　was；
that　for　once　I　was　smitten　by　the　thought　of　the　anguish　of　this
land；　and　the　joy　of　all　the　world　besides。〃

Therewith　she　caught　her　breath　in　a　half…sob；　but　refrained　her　and
went　on：　　〃Now　dear　friend　and　darling；　take　good　heed　to　all　that　I
shall　say　to　thee；　whereas　thou　must　do　after　the　teaching　of　my
words。　　And　first；　I　deem　by　the　monster　having　met　thee　at　the
gates　of　the　land；　and　refreshed　thee；　that　the　Mistress　hath　looked
for　thy　coming；　nay；　by　thy　coming　hither　at　all；　that　she　hath　cast
her　net　and　caught　thee。　　Hast　thou　noted　aught　that　might　seem　to
make　this　more　like？〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Three　times　in　full　daylight　have　I　seen　go　past　me
the　images　of　the　monster　and　thee　and　a　glorious　lady；　even　as　if
ye　were　alive。〃

And　therewith　he　told　her　in　few　words　how　it　had　gone　with　him
since　that　day　on　the　quay　at　Langton。

She　said：　　〃Then　it　is　no　longer　perhaps；　but　certain；　that　thou　art
her　latest　catch；　and　even　so　I　deemed　from　the　first：　　and；　dear
friend；　this　is　why　I　have　not　suffered　thee　to　kiss　or　caress　me；
so　sore　as　I　longed　for　thee。　　For　the　Mistress　will　have　thee　for
her　only；　and　hath　lured　thee　hither　for　nought　else；　and　she　is
wise　in　wizardry　（even　as　some　deal　am　I）；　and　wert　thou　to　touch　me
with　hand　or　mouth　on　my　naked　flesh；　yea；　or　were　it　even　my
raiment；　then　would　she　scent　the　savour　of　thy　love　upon　me；　and
then；　though　it　may　be　she　would　spare　thee；　she　would　not　spare
me。〃

Then　was　she　silent　a　little；　and　seemed　very　downcast；　and　Walter
held　his　peace　from　grief　and　confusion　and　helplessness；　for　of
wizardry　he　knew　nought。

At　last　the　Maid　spake　again；　and　said：　　〃Nevertheless　we　will　not
die　redeless。　　Now　thou　must　look　to　this；　that　from　henceforward　it
is　thee；　and　not　the　King's　Son；　whom　she　desireth；　and　that　so　much
the　more　that　she　hath　not　set　eyes　on　thee。　　Remember　this；
whatsoever　her　seeming　may　be　to　thee。　　Now；　therefore；　shall　the
King's　Son　be　free；　though　he　know　it　not；　to　cast　his　love　on
whomso　he　will；　and；　in　a　way；　I　also　shall　be　free　to　yeasay　him。
Though；　forsooth；　so　fulfilled　is　she　with　malice　and　spite；　that
even　then　she　may　turn　round　on　me　to　punish　me　for　doing　that　which
she　would　have　me　do。　　Now　let　me　think　of　it。〃

Then　was　she　silent　a　good　while；　and　spoke　at　last：　　〃Yea；　all
things　are　perilous；　and　a　perilous　rede　I　have　thought　of；　whereof
I　will　not　tell　thee　as　yet；　so　waste　not　the　short　while　by　asking
me。　　At　least　the　worst　will　be　no　worse　than　what　shall　come　if　we
strive　not　against　it。　　And　now；　my　friend；　amongst　perils　it　is
growing　more　and　more　perilous　that　we　twain　should　be　longer
together。　　But　I　would　say　one　thing　yet；　and　maybe　another
thereafter。　　Thou　hast　cast　thy　love　upon　one　who　will　be　true　to
thee；　whatsoever　may　befall；　yet　is　she　a　guileful　creature；　and
might　not　help　it　her　life　long；　and　now　for　thy　very　sake　must
needs　be　more　guileful　now　than　ever　before。　　And　as　for　me；　the
guileful；　my　love　have　I　cast　upon　a　lovely　man；　and　one　true　and
simple；　and　a　stout…heart；　but　at　such　a　pinch　is　he；　that　if　he
withstand　all　temptation；　his　withstanding　may　belike　undo　both　him
and　me。　　Therefore　swear　we　both　of　us；　that　by　both　of　us　shall　all
guile　and　all　falling　away　be　forgiven　on　the　day　whe