the tale of balen-第7章

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〃Me　lists　not　tell　you；〃　Balen　said。
The　strange　knight's　face　grew　keen　and　red
〃Now；　might　my　hand　but　keep　my　head；
Even　here　should　one　of　twain　lie　dead
Were　he　no　better　armed　than　I。〃
And　Balen　spake　with　smiling　speed；
Where　scorn　and　courtesy　kept　heed
Of　either：　　〃That　should　little　need：
Not　here　shall　either　die。〃

And　all　the　cause　he　told　him　through
As　one　that　feared　not　though　he　knew
All：　　and　the　strange　knight　spake　anew；
Saying：　　〃I　will　part　no　more　from　you
While　life　shall　last　me。〃　　So　they　went
Where　he　might　arm　himself　to　ride；
And　rode　across　wild　ways　and　wide
To　where　against　a　churchyard　side
A　hermit's　harbour　leant。

And　there　against　them　riding　came
Fleet　as　the　lightning's　laugh　and　flame
The　invisible　evil；　even　the　same
They　sought　and　might　not　curse　by　name
As　hell's　foul　child　on　earth　set　free；
And　smote　the　strange　knight　through；　and　fled；
And　left　the　mourners　by　the　dead。
〃Alas；　again；〃　Sir　Balen　said；
〃This　wrong　he　hath　done　to　me。〃

And　there　they　laid　their　dead　to　sleep
Royally；　lying　where　wild　winds　keep
Keen　watch　and　wail　more　soft　and　deep
Than　where　men's　choirs　bid　music　weep
And　song　like　incense　heave　and　swell。
And　forth　again　they　rode；　and　found
Before　them；　dire　in　sight　and　sound；
A　castle　girt　about　and　bound
With　sorrow　like　a　spell。

Above　it　seemed　the　sun　at　noon
Sad　as　a　wintry　withering　moon
That　shudders　while　the　waste　wind's　tune
Craves　ever　none　may　guess　what　boon；
But　all　may　know　the　boon　for　dire。
And　evening　on　its　darkness　fell
More　dark　than　very　death's　farewell；
And　night　about　it　hung　like　hell；
Whose　fume　the　dawn　made　fire。

And　Balen　lighted　down　and　passed
Within　the　gateway；　whence　no　blast
Rang　as　the　sheer　portcullis；　cast
Suddenly　down；　fell；　and　made　fast
The　gate　behind　him；　whence　he　spied
A　sudden　rage　of　men　without
And　ravin　of　a　murderous　rout
That　girt　the　maiden　hard　about
With　death　on　either　side。

And　seeing　that　shame　and　peril；　fear
Bade　wrath　and　grief　awake　and　hear
What　shame　should　say　in　fame's　wide　ear
If　she；　by　sorrow　sealed　more　dear
Than　joy　might　make　her；　so　should　die：
And　up　the　tower's　curled　stair　he　sprang
As　one　that　flies　death's　deadliest　fang；
And　leapt　right　out　amid　their　gang
As　fire　from　heaven　on　high。

And　they　thereunder　seeing　the　knight
Unhurt　among　their　press　alight
And　bare　his　sword　for　chance　of　fight
Stood　from　him；　loth　to　strive　or　smite；
And　bade　him　hear　their　woful　word；
That　not　the　maiden's　death　they　sought；
But　there　through　years　too　dire　for　thought
Had　lain　their　lady　stricken；　and　nought
Might　heal　her：　　and　he　heard。

For　there　a　maiden　clean　and　whole
In　virgin　body　and　virgin　soul；
Whose　name　was　writ　on　royal　roll；
That　would　but　stain　a　silver　bowl
With　offering　of　her　stainless　blood；
Therewith　might　heal　her：　　so　they　stayed
For　hope's　sad　sake　each　blameless　maid
There　journeying　in　that　dolorous　shade
Whose　bloom　was　bright　in　bud。

No　hurt　nor　harm　to　her　it　were
If　she　should　yield　a　sister　there
Some　tribute　of　her　blood；　and　fare
Forth　with　this　joy　at　heart　to　bear；
That　all　unhurt　and　unafraid
This　grace　she　had　here　by　God's　grace　wrought。
And　kindling　all　with　kindly　thought
And　love　that　saw　save　love's　self　nought；
Shone；　smiled；　and　spake　the　maid。

〃Good　knight　of　mine；　good　will　have　I
To　help　this　healing　though　I　die。〃
〃Nay；〃　Balen　said；　〃but　love　may　try
What　help　in　living　love　may　lie。
…　I　will　not　lose　the　life　of　her
While　my　life　lasteth。〃　　So　she　gave
The　tribute　love　was　fain　to　crave；
But　might　not　heal　though　fain　to　save；
Were　God's　grace　helpfuller。

Another　maid　in　later　Mays
Won　with　her　life　that　woful　praise；
And　died。　　But　they；　when　surging　day's
Deep　tide　fulfilled　the　dawn's　wide　ways；
Rode　forth；　and　found　by　day　or　night
No　chance　to　cross　their　wayfaring
Till　when　they　saw　the　fourth　day　spring
A　knight's　hall　gave　them　harbouring
Rich　as　a　king's　house　might。

And　while　they　sat　at　meat　and　spake
Words　bright　and　kind　as　grace　might　make
Sweet　for　true　knighthood's　kindly　sake；
They　heard　a　cry　beside　them　break
The　still…souled　joy　of　blameless　rest。
〃What　noise　is　this？〃　quoth　Balen。　　〃Nay；〃
His　knightly　host　made　answer；　〃may
Our　grief　not　grieve　you　though　I　say
How　here　I　dwell　unblest。

〃Not　many　a　day　has　lived　and　died
Since　at　a　tournay　late　I　tried
My　strength　to　smite　and　turn　and　ride
Against　a　knight　of　kinglike　pride；
King　Pellam's　brother：　　twice　I　smote
The　splendour　of　his　strength　to　dust：
And　he；　fulfilled　of　hate's　fierce　lust；
Swore　vengeance；　pledged　for　hell　to　trust；
And　keen　as　hell's　wide　throat。

〃Invisible　as　the　spirit　of　night
That　heaven　and　earth　in　depth　and　height
May　see　not　by　the　mild　moon's　light
Nor　even　when　stars　would　grant　them　sight；
He　walks　and　slays　as　plague's　blind　breath
Slays：　　and　my　son；　whose　anguish　here
Makes　moan　perforce　that　mars　our　cheer；
He　wounded；　even　ere　love　might　fear
That　hate　were　strong　as　death。

〃Nor　may　my　son　be　whole　till　he
Whose　stroke　through　him　hath　stricken　me
Shall　give　again　his　blood　to　be
Our　healing：　　yet　may　no　man　see
This　felon；　clothed　with　darkness　round
And　keen　as　lightning's　life。〃　　Thereon
Spake　Balen；　and　his　presence　shone
Even　as　the　sun's　when　stars　are　gone
That　hear　dawn's　trumpet　sound。

〃That　knight　I　know：　　two　knights　of　mine；
Two　comrades；　sealed　by　faith's　bright　sign；
Whose　eyes　as　ours　that　live　should　shine；
And　drink　the　golden　sunlight's　wine
With　joy's　thanksgiving　that　they　live；
He　hath　slain　in　even　the　same　blind　wise：
Were　all　wide　wealth　beneath　the　skies
Mine；　might　I　meet　him；　eyes　on　eyes；
All　would　I　laugh　to　give。〃

His　host　made　answer；　and　his　gaze
Grew　bright　with　trust　as　dawn's　moist　maze
With　fire：　　〃Within　these　twenty　days；
King　Pellam；　lord　of　Lystenayse；
Holds　feast　through　all　this　country　cried；
And　there　before　the　knightly　king
May　no　knight　come　except　he　bring
For　witness　of　his　wayfaring
His　paramour　or　bride。

〃And　there　that　day；　so　soon　to　shine；
This　knight；　your　felon　foe　and　mine；
Shall　show；　full…flushed　with　bloodred　wine；
The　fierce　false　face　whereon　we　pine
To　wreak　the　wrong　he　hath　wrought　us；　bare
As　shame　should　see　and　brand　it。〃　　〃Then；〃
Said　Balen；　〃shall　he　give　again
His　blood　to　heal　your　son；　and　men
Shall　see　death　blind　him　there。〃

〃Forth　will　we　fare　to…morrow；〃　said
His　host：　　and　forth；　as　sunrise　led；
They　rode；　and　fifteen　days　were　fled
Ere　toward　their　goal　their　steeds　had　sped。
And　there　alighting　might　they　find
For　Balen's　host　no　place　to　rest；
Who　came　without　a　gentler　guest
Beside　him：　　and　that　household's　hest
Bade　leave　his　sword　behind。

〃Nay；〃　Balen　said；　〃that　do　I　not：
My　country's　custom　stands；　God　wot；
That　none　whose　lot　is　knighthood's　lot；
To　ride　where　chance　as　fire　is　hot
With　hope　or　promise　given　of　fight；
Shall　fail　to　keep；　for　knighthood's　part；
His　weapon　with　him　as　his　heart；
And　as　I　came　will　I　depart；
Or　hold　herein　my　right。〃

Then　gat　he　leave　to　wear　his　sword
Beside　the　strange　king's　festal　board
Where　feasted　many　a　knight　and　lord
In　seemliness　of　fair　accord：
And　Balen　asked　of　one　beside；
〃Is　there　not　in　this　court；　if　fame
Keep　faith；　a　knight　that　hath　to　name
Garlon？〃　and　saying　that　word　of　shame；
He　scanned　that　place　of　pride。

〃Yonder　he　goeth　against　the　light；
He　with　the　face　as　swart　as　night；〃
Quoth　the　other：　　〃but　he　rides　to　fight
Hid　round　by　charms　from　all　men's　sight；
And　many　a　noble　knight　he　hath　slain；
Being　wrapt　in　darkness　deep　as　hell
And　silence　dark　as　shame。〃　　〃Ah；　well；〃
Said　Balen；　〃is　that　he？　the　spell
May　be　the　sorcerer's　bane。〃

Then　Balen　gazed　upon　him　long；
And　thought；　〃If　here　I　wreak　my　wrong；
Alive　I　may　not　scape；　so　strong
The　felon's　friends　about　him　throng；
And　if　I　leave　him　here　alive；
This　chance　perchance　may　life　not　give
Again：　　much　evil；　if　he　live；
He　needs　must　do；　should　fear　forgive
When　wrongs　bid　strike　and　strive。〃

And　Garlon；　seeing　how　Balen's　eye
Dwelt　on　him　as　his　heart　waxed　high
With　joy　in　wrath　to　see　him