the enchanted island of yew-第4章

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lenta？〃

〃That　I　do　not　know；〃　said　Seseley；　with　truth。

〃Where　did　you　meet　him？〃　continued　the　baron。

〃In　the　forest；　my　father；　and　he　kindly　escorted　us　home。〃

〃Hm！〃　muttered　the　baron；　thoughtfully。　　〃Did　he　say　what　adventure　brought　him　to　our　Kingdom　of　Heg？〃

〃No；　father。　　But　he　mentioned　being　in　search　of　adventure。〃

〃Oh；　he'll　find　enough　to　busy　him　in　this　wild　island；　where　every　man　he　meets　would　rather　draw　his　sword　than　eat；〃　returned　the　old　warrior；　smiling。　　〃How　old　may　this　Prince　Marvel　be？〃

〃He　looks　not　over　fifteen　years　of　age；〃　said　Seseley；　uneasy　at　so　much　questioning；　for　she　did　not　wish　to　be　forced　to　tell　an　untruth。　　〃But　it　is　possible　he　is　much　older；〃　she　added；　beginning　to　get　confused。

〃Well；　well；　I　am　sorry　he　did　not　pay　my　castle　a　visit；〃　declared　the　baron。　　〃He　is　very　small　and　slight　to　be　traveling　this　dangerous　country　alone；　and　I　might　have　advised　him　as　to　his　welfare。〃

Seseley　thought　that　Prince　Marvel　would　need　no　advice　from　any　one　as　to　his　conduct；　but　she　wisely　refrained　from　speaking　this　thought；　and　the　old　baron　walked　away　to　glance　through　a　slit　in　the　stone　wall　at　the　figure　of　the　now　distant　knight。

Prince　Marvel　was　riding　swiftly　toward　the　brow　of　the　hill；　and　shortly　his　great　war…horse　mounted　the　ascent　and　disappeared　on　its　farther　slope。

The　youth's　heart　was　merry　and　light；　and　he　reflected　joyously；　as　he　rode　along；　that　a　whole　year　of　freedom　and　fascinating　adventure　lay　before　him。

The　valley　in　which　he　now　found　himself　was　very　beautiful；　the　soft　grass　beneath　his　horse's　feet　being　sprinkled　with　bright　flowers；　while　clumps　of　trees　stood　here　and　there　to　break　the　monotony　of　the　landscape。

For　an　hour　the　prince　rode　along；　rejoicing　in　the　free　motion　of　his　horse　and　breathing　in　the　perfume…laden　air。　　Then　he　found　he　had　crossed　the　valley　and　was　approaching　a　series　of　hills。　　These　were　broken　by　huge　rocks；　the　ground　being　cluttered　with　boulders　of　rough　stone。　　His　horse　speedily　found　a　pathway　leading　through　these　rocks；　but　was　obliged　to　proceed　at　a　walk；　turning　first　one　way　and　then　another　as　the　path　zigzagged　up　the　hill。

Presently；　being　engaged　in　deep　thought　and　little　noting　the　way；　Prince　Marvel　rode　between　two　high　walls　of　rock　standing　so　close　together　that　horse　and　rider　could　scarcely　pass　between　the　sides。　Having　traversed　this　narrow　space　some　distance　the　wall　opened　suddenly　upon　a　level　plat　of　ground；　where　grass　and　trees　grew。　　It　was　not　a　very　big　place；　but　was　surely　the　end　of　the　path；　as　all　around　it　stood　bare　walls　so　high　and　steep　that　neither　horse　nor　man　could　climb　them。　　In　the　side　of　the　rocky　wall　facing　the　entrance　the　traveler　noticed　a　hollow；　like　the　mouth　of　a　cave；　across　which　was　placed　an　iron　gate。　　And　above　the　gateway　was　painted　in　red　letters　on　the　gray　stone　the　following　words：


　　　　　　　　　　　　WUL…TAKIM　　　　　　　　　　KING　OF　THIEVES　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HIS　TREASURE　HOUSE　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KEEP　OUT


Prince　Marvel　laughed　on　reading　this；　and　after　getting　down　from　his　saddle　he　advanced　to　the　iron　gate　and　peered　through　its　heavy　bars。

〃I　have　no　idea　who　this　Wul…Takim　is；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　know　nothing　at　all　of　the　ways　of　men　outside　the　forest　in　which　I　have　always　dwelt。　　But　thieves　are　bad　people；　I　am　quite　sure；　and　since　Wul…Takim　is　the　king　of　thieves　he　must　be　by　far　the　worst　man　on　this　island。〃

Then　he　saw；　through　the　bars　of　the　gate；　that　a　great　cavern　lay　beyond；　in　which　were　stacked　treasures　of　all　sorts：　rich　cloths；　golden　dishes　and　ornaments；　gemmed　coronets　and　bracelets；　cleverly　forged　armor；　shields　and　battle…axes。　　Also　there　were　casks　and　bales　of　merchandise　of　every　sort。

The　gate　appeared　to　have　no　lock；　so　Prince　Marvel　opened　it　and　walked　in。　　Then　he　perceived；　perched　on　the　very　top　of　a　pyramid　of　casks；　the　form　of　a　boy；　who　sat　very　still　and　watched　him　with　a　look　of　astonishment　upon　his　face。

〃What　are　you　doing　up　there？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃Nothing；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃If　I　moved　the　least　little　bit　this　pile　of　casks　would　topple　over；　and　I　should　be　thrown　to　the　ground。〃

〃Well；〃　returned　the　prince；　〃what　of　it？〃

But　just　then　he　glanced　at　the　ground　and　saw　why　the　boy　did　not　care　to　tumble　down。　　For　in　the　earth　were　planted　many　swords；　with　their　sharp　blades　pointing　upward；　and　to　fall　upon　these　meant　serious　wounds　and　perhaps　death。

〃Oh；　ho！〃　cried　Marvel；　〃I　begin　to　understand。　　You　are　a　prisoner。〃

〃Yes；　as　you　will　also　be　shortly；〃　answered　the　boy。　　〃And　then　you　will　understand　another　thingthat　you　were　very　reckless　ever　to　enter　this　cave。〃

〃Why？〃　inquired　the　prince；　who　really　knew　little　of　the　world；　and　was　interested　in　everything　he　saw　and　heard。

〃Because　it　is　the　stronghold　of　the　robber　king；　and　when　you　opened　that　gate　you　caused　a　bell　to　ring　far　down　on　the　hillside。　　So　the　robbers　are　now　warned　that　an　enemy　is　in　their　cave；　and　they　will　soon　arrive　to　make　you　a　prisoner；　even　as　I　am。〃

〃Ah；　I　see！〃　said　the　prince；　with　a　laugh；　〃It　is　a　rather　clever　contrivance；　but　having　been　warned　in　time　I　should　indeed　be　foolish　to　be　caught　in　such　a　trap。〃

With　this　he　half　drew　his　sword；　but　thinking　that　robbers　were　not　worthy　to　be　slain　with　its　untarnished　steel；　he　pushed　it　back　into　the　jeweled　scabbard　and　looked　around　for　another　weapon。　　A　stout　oaken　staff　lay　upon　the　ground；　and　this　he　caught　up　and　ran　with　it　from　the　cave；　placing　himself　just　beside　the　narrow　opening　that　led　into　this　rock…encompassed　plain。　　For　he　quickly　saw　that　this　was　the　only　way　any　one　could　enter　or　leave　the　place；　and　therefore　knew　the　robbers　were　coming　up　the　narrow　gorge　even　as　he　had　himself　done。

Soon　they　were　heard　stumbling　along　at　a　rapid　pace；　crying　to　one　another　to　make　haste　and　catch　the　intruder。　　The　first　that　came　through　the　opening　received　so　sharp　a　blow　upon　the　head　from　Prince　Marvel's　oak　staff　that　he　fell　to　the　ground　and　lay　still；　while　the　next　was　treated　in　a　like　manner　and　fell　beside　his　comrade。

Perhaps　the　thieves　had　not　expected　so　sturdy　an　enemy；　for　they　continued　to　rush　through　the　opening　in　the　rocks　and　to　fall　beneath　the　steady　blows　of　the　prince's　staff　until　every　one　of　them　lay　senseless　before　the　victor。　　At　first　they　had　piled　themselves　upon　one　another　very　neatly；　but　the　pile　got　so　high　at　last　that　the　prince　was　obliged　to　assist　the　last　thieves　to　leap　to　the　top　of　the　heap　before　they　completely　lost　their　senses。

I　have　no　doubt　our　prince；　feeling　himself　yet　strange　in　the　new　form　he　had　acquired；　and　freshly　transported　from　the　forest　glades　in　which　he　had　always　lived；　was　fully　as　much　astonished　at　his　deed　of　valor　as　were　the　robbers　themselves；　and　if　he　shuddered　a　little　when　looking　upon　the　heap　of　senseless　thieves　you　must　forgive　him　this　weakness。　　For　he　straightway　resolved　to　steel　his　heart　to　such　sights　and　to　be　every　bit　as　stern　and　severe　as　a　mortal　knight　would　have　been。

Throwing　down　his　staff　he　ran　to　the　cave　again；　and　stepping　between　the　sword　points　he　approached　the　pile　of　casks　and　held　out　his　arms　to　the　boy　who　was　perched　upon　the　top。

〃The　thieves　are　conquered；〃　he　cried。　　〃Jump　down！〃

〃I　won't；〃　said　the　boy。

〃Why　not？〃　inquired　the　prince。

〃Can't　you　see　I'm　very　miserable？〃　asked　the　boy；　in　return；　〃don't　you　understand　that　every　minute　I　expect　to　fall　upon　those　sword　points？〃

〃But　I　will　catch　you；〃　cried　the　prince。

〃I　don't　want　you　to　catch　me；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃I　want　to　be　miserable。　It's　the　first　chance　I've　ever　had；　and　I'm　enjoying　my　misery　very　much。〃

This　speech　so　astonished　Prince　Marvel　that　for　a　moment　he　stood　motionless。　　Then　he　retorted；　angrily：

〃You're　a　fool！〃

〃If　I　wasn't　so　miserable　up　here；　I'd　come　down　and　thrash　you　for　that；〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　sigh。

This　answer　so　greatly　annoyed　Prince　Marvel　that　he　gave　the　central　cask　of　the　pyramid　a　sudden　push；　and　the　next　moment　the　casks　were　tumbling　in　every　direction；　while　the　boy　fell　headlong　in　their