the enchanted island of yew-第7章

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d　speak　with　him　alone　I　said：　'Pray　tell　me　how　I　can　manage　to　acquire　the　misfortunes　you　have　undergone。　　Here　I　have　everything　that　I　desire；　and　it　makes　me　very　unhappy。'

〃The　stranger　laughed　at　me；　at　first；　and　I　found　some　pleasure　in　the　humiliation　I　then　felt。　　But　it　did　not　last　long；　for　presently　he　grew　sober　and　advised　me　to　run　away　from　home　and　seek　adventure。

〃'Once　away　from　your　father's　castle；'　said　he；　'troubles　will　fall　upon　you　thick　enough　to　satisfy　even　your　longings。'

〃'That　is　what　I　am　afraid　of！'　I　answered。　　'I　don't　want　to　be　satisfied；　even　with　troubles。　　What　I　seek　is　unsatisfied　longings。'

〃'Nevertheless；'　said　he；　'I　advise　you　to　travel。　　Everything　will　probably　go　wrong　with　you；　and　then　you　will　be　happy。'

〃I　acted　upon　the　stranger's　advice　and　ran　away　from　home　the　next　day。　　After　journeying　a　long　time　I　commenced　to　feel　the　pangs　of　hunger；　and　was　just　beginning　to　enjoy　myself　when　a　knight　rode　by　and　gave　me　a　supply　of　food。　　At　this　rebuff　I　could　not　restrain　my　tears；　but　while　I　wept　my　horse　stumbled　and　threw　me　over　his　head。　I　hoped　at　first　I　had　broken　my　neck；　and　was　just　congratulating　myself　upon　the　misfortune；　when　a　witch…woman　came　along　and　rubbed　some　ointment　upon　my　bruises；　in　spite　of　my　protests。　　To　my　great　grief　the　pain　left　me；　and　I　was　soon　well　again。　　But；　as　a　slight　compensation　for　my　disappointment；　my　horse　had　run　away；　so　I　began　my　journey　anew　and　on　foot。

〃That　afternoon　I　stepped　into　a　nest　of　wasps；　but　the　thoughtless　creatures　flew　away　without　stinging　me。　　Then　I　met　a　fierce　tiger；　and　my　heart　grew　light　and　gay。　　'Surely　this　will　cause　me　suffering！'　I　cried；　and　advanced　swiftly　upon　the　brute。　　But　the　cowardly　tiger　turned　tail　and　ran　to　hide　in　the　bushes；　leaving　me　unhurt！

〃Of　course；　my　many　disappointments　were　some　consolation；　but　not　much。　　That　night　I　slept　on　the　bare　ground；　and　hoped　I　should　catch　a　severe　cold；　but　no　such　joy　was　to　be　mine。

〃Yet　the　next　afternoon　I　experienced　my　first　pleasure。　　The　thieves　caught　me；　stripped　off　all　my　fine　clothes　and　jewels　and　beat　me　well。　　Then　they　carried　me　to　their　cave；　dressed　me　in　rags；　and　perched　me　on　the　top　of　the　casks；　where　the　slightest　movement　on　my　part　would　send　me　tumbling　among　the　sword　points。　　This　was　really　delightful；　and　I　was　quite　happy　until　you　came　and　released　me。

〃I　thought　then　that　I　might　gain　some　pleasure　by　provoking　you　to　anger；　and　our　fight　was　the　result。　　That　blow　on　the　ear　was　exquisite；　and　by　forcing　me　to　become　your　servant　you　have　made　me；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　almost　contented。　　For　I　hope　in　your　company　to　experience　a　great　many　griefs　and　disappointments。〃

As　Nerle　concluded　his　story　Prince　Marvel　turned　to　him　and　grasped　his　hand。

〃Accept　my　sympathy！〃　said　he。　　〃I　know　exactly　how　you　feel；　for　my　own　life　during　the　past　few　centuries　has　not　been　much　different。〃

〃The　past　few　centuries！〃　gasped　Nerle。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

At　this　the　prince　blushed；　seeing　he　had　nearly　disclosed　his　secret。　But　he　said；　quickly：

〃Does　it　not　seem　centuries　when　one　is　unhappy？〃

〃It　does；　indeed！〃　responded　Nerle；　earnestly。　　〃But　please　tell　me　your　story。〃

〃Not　now；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　with　a　smile。　　〃It　will　please　you　to　desire　in　vain　to　hear　a　tale　I　will　not　tell。　　Yet　I　promise　that　on　the　day　we　part　company　I　shall　inform　you　who　I　am。〃



7。　　The　Gray　Men


The　adventurers　gave　no　heed　to　the　path　they　followed　after　leaving　the　cave　of　the　reformed　thieves；　but　their　horses　accidentally　took　the　direction　of　the　foot…hills　that　led　into　the　wild　interior　Kingdom　of　Spor。　　Therefore　the　travelers；　when　they　had　finished　their　conversation　and　begun　to　look　about　them；　found　themselves　in　a　rugged；　mountainous　country　that　was　wholly　unlike　the　green　plains　of　Heg　they　had　left　behind。

Now；　as　I　have　before　said；　the　most　curious　and　fearful　of　the　island　people　dwelt　in　this　Kingdom　of　Spor。　　They　held　no　friendly　communication　with　their　neighbors；　and　only　left　their　own　mountains　to　plunder　and　rob；　and　so　sullen　and　fierce　were　they　on　these　occasions　that　every　one　took　good　care　to　keep　out　of　their　way　until　they　had　gone　back　home　again。

There　was　much　gossip　about　the　unknown　king　of　Spor；　who　had　never　yet　been　seen　by　any　one　except　his　subjects；　and　some　thought　he　must　be　one　of　the　huge　giants　of　Spor；　and　others　claimed　he　was　a　dwarf；　like　his　tiny　but　ferocious　dart…slingers；　and　still　others　imagined　him　one　of　the　barbarian　tribe；　or　a　fellow　to　the　terrible　Gray　Men。　But；　of　course；　no　one　knew　positively；　and　all　these　guesses　were　very　wide　of　the　mark。　　The　only　certainty　about　this　king　was　that　his　giants；　dwarfs；　barbarians　and　Gray　Men　meekly　acknowledged　his　rule　and　obeyed　his　slightest　wish；　for　though　they　might　be　terrible　to　others；　their　king　was　still　more　terrible　to　them。

Into　this　Kingdom　of　Spor　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　had　now　penetrated　and；　neither　knowing　nor　caring　where　they　were；　continued　along　the　faintly　defined　paths　the　horses　had　found。　　Presently；　however；　they　were　startled　by　a　peal　of　shrill；　elfish　laughter；　and　raising　their　eyes　they　beheld　a　horrid…looking　old　man　seated　upon　a　high　rock　near　by。

〃Why　do　you　laugh？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel；　stopping　his　horse。

〃Have　you　been　invited？　　Tell　mehave　you　been　invited？〃　demanded　the　old　man；　chuckling　to　himself　as　if　much　amused。

〃Invited　where？〃　inquired　the　prince。

〃To　Spor；　stupid！　　To　the　Kingdom　of　Spor！　　To　the　land　of　King　Terribus！〃　shrieked　the　old　man；　going　into　violent　peals　of　laughter。

〃We　go　and　come　as　we　please；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel；　calmly。

〃Goyes！　　Go　if　you　will。　　But　you'll　never　come　backnever！　never！　never！〃　The　little　old　man　seemed　to　consider　this　such　a　good　joke　that　he　bent　nearly　double　with　laughing；　and　so　lost　his　balance　and　toppled　off　the　rock；　disappearing　from　their　view；　but　they　could　hear　him　laugh　long　after　they　had　passed　on　and　left　him　far　behind　them。

〃A　strange　creature！〃　exclaimed　the　prince　thoughtfully。

〃But　perhaps　he　speaks　truth；〃　answered　Nerle；　〃if；　in　fact；　we　have　been　rash　enough　to　enter　the　Kingdom　of　Spor。　　Even　my　father；　the　bravest　baron　in　Heg；　has　never　dared　venture　within　the　borders　of　Spor。　　For　all　men　fear　its　mysterious　king。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　replied　Prince　Marvel；　〃it　is　time　some　one　investigated　this　strange　kingdom。　　People　have　left　King　Terribus　and　his　wild　subjects　too　much　to　themselves；　instead　of　stirring　them　up　and　making　them　behave　themselves。〃

Nerle　smiled　at　this　speech。

〃They　are　the　fiercest　people　on　the　Enchanted　Island；〃　said　he；　〃and　there　are　thousands　upon　thousands　who　obey　this　unknown　king。　　But　if　you　think　we　dare　defy　them　I　am　willing　to　go　on。　　Perhaps　our　boldness　will　lead　them　into　torturing　me；　or　starving　me　to　death；　and　at　the　very　least　I　ought　to　find　much　trouble　and　privation　in　the　Kingdom　of　Spor。〃

〃Time　will　determine　that；〃　said　the　prince；　cheerfully。

They　had　now　ridden　into　a　narrow　defile　of　the　mountains；　the　pathway　being　lined　with　great　fragments　of　rock。　　Happening　to　look　over　his　shoulder　Prince　Marvel　saw　that　as　they　passed　these　rocks　a　man　stepped　from　behind　each　fragment　and　followed　after　them；　their　numbers　thus　constantly　increasing　until　hundreds　were　silently　treading　in　the　wake　of　the　travelers。

These　men　were　very　peculiar　in　appearance；　their　skins　being　as　gray　as　the　rocks　themselves；　while　their　only　clothing　consisted　of　gray　cloth　tunics　belted　around　the　waists　with　bands　of　gray　fox…hide。　They　bore　no　weapons　except　that　each　was　armed　with　a　fork；　having　three　sharp　tines　six　inches　in　length；　which　the　Gray　Men　carried　stuck　through　their　fox…hide　belts。

Nerle　also　looked　back　and　saw　the　silent　throng　following　them；　and　the　sight　sent　such　a　cold　shiver　creeping　up　his　spine　that　he　smiled　with　pleasure。　　There　was　no　way　to　avoid　the　Gray　Men；　for　the　path　was　so　narrow　that　the　horsemen　could　not　turn　aside；　but　Prince　Marvel　was　not　disturbed；　and　seemed　not　to　mind　being　followed；　so　long　as　no　one　hindered　h