the blue flower-第8节

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father's　court　and　led　her　away　to　work　their　will　on　her。
But　she　escaped　from　them　as　they　slept　by　a　well；　and　came
riding　on　a　white　palfrey；　over　hill　and　dale；　as　fast　as　ever
she　could　drive。

Thus　she　came　to　the　Mill；　and　her　palfrey　was　spent；　and
there　she　took　refuge；　beseeching　Martimor　that　he　would　hide
her；　and　defend　her　from　those　caitiff　knights　that　must　soon
follow。

〃Of　hiding；〃　said　he；　〃will　I　hear　naught；　but　of
defending　am　I　full　fain。　　For　this　have　I　waited。〃

Then　he　made　ready　his　horse　and　his　armour；　and　took　both
spear　and　sword；　and　stood　forth　in　the　bridge。　　Now　this
bridge　was　strait；　so　that　none　could　pass　there　but　singly；
and　that　not　till　Martimor　yielded　or　was　beaten　down。

Then　came　the　three　knights　that　followed　the　Lady；　riding
fiercely　down　the　hill。　　And　when　they　came　about　ten
spear…lengths　from　the　bridge；　they　halted；　and　stood　still　as
it　had　been　a　plump　of　wood。　　One　rode　in　black；　and　one　rode
in　yellow；　and　the　third　rode　in　black　and　yellow。　　So　they
cried　Martimor　that　he　should　give　them　passage；　for　they
followed　a　quest。

〃Passage　takes；　who　passage　makes！〃　cried　Martimor。
〃Right　well　I　know　your　quest；　and　it　is　a　foul　one。〃

Then　the　knight　in　black　rode　at　him　lightly；
but　Martimor　encountered　him　with　the　spear　and　smote　him
backward　from　his　horse；　that　his　head　struck　the　coping　of
the　bridge　and　brake　his　neck。　　Then　came　the　knight　in
yellow；　walloping　heavily；　and　him　the　spear　pierced　through
the　midst　of　the　body　and　burst　in　three　pieces：　so　he　fell　on
his　back　and　the　life　went　out　of　him；　but　the　spear　stuck
fast　and　stood　up　from　his　breast　as　a　stake。

Then　the　knight　in　black　and　yellow；　that　was　as　big　as
both　his　brethren；　gave　a　terrible　shout；　and　rode　at　Martimor
like　a　wood　lion。　　But　he　fended　with　his　shield　that　the
spear　went　aside；　and　they　clapped　together　like　thunder；　and
both　horses　were　overthrown。　　And　lightly　they　avoided　their
horses　and　rushed　together；　tracing；　rasing；　and　foining。
Such　strokes　they　gave　that　great　pieces　were　clipped　away
from　their　hauberks；　and　their　helms；　and　they　staggered　to
and　fro　like　drunken　men。　　Then　they　hurtled　together　like
rams　and　each　battered　other　the　wind　out　of　his　body。　　So
they　sat　either　on　one　side　of　the　bridge；　to　take　their
breath；　glaring　the　one　at　the　other　as　two　owls。　　Then　they
stepped　together　and　fought　freshly；　smiting　and　thrusting；
ramping　and　reeling；　panting；　snorting；　and　scattering　blood；　for
the　space　of　two　hours。　　So　the　knight　in　black　and　yellow；
because　he　was　heavier；　drave　Martimor　backward　step　by　step　till
he　came　to　the　crown　of　the　bridge；　and　there　fell　grovelling。
At　this　the　Lady　Beauvivante　shrieked　and　wailed；　but　the　damsel
Lirette　cried　loudly；　〃Up！　Martimor；　strike　again！〃

Then　the　courage　came　into　his　body；　and　with　a　great
might　he　abraid　upon　his　feet；　and　smote　the　black　and　yellow
knight　upon　the　helm　by　an　overstroke　so　fierce　that　the　sword
sheared　away　the　third　part　of　his　head；　as　it　had　been　a
rotten　cheese。　　So　he　lay　upon　the　bridge；　and　the　blood　ran
out　of　him。　　And　Martimor　smote　off　the　rest　of　his　head
quite；　and　cast　it　into　the　river。　　Likewise　did　he　with　the
other　twain　that　lay　dead　beyond　the　bridge。　　And　he　cried　to
Flumen；　〃Hide　me　these　black　eggs　that　hatched　evil　thoughts。〃
So　the　river　bore　them　away。

Then　Martimor　came　into　the　Mill；　all　for…bled；
〃Now　are　ye　free；　lady；〃　he　cried；　and　fell　down　in　a　swoon。
Then　the　Lady　and　the　Maid　wept　full　sore　and　made　great　dole
and　unlaced　his　helm；　and　Lirette　cherished　him　tenderly　to
recover　his　life。

So　while　they　were　thus　busied　and　distressed；　came　Sir
Lancelot　with　a　great　company　of　knights　and　squires　riding
for　to　rescue　the　princess。　　When　he　came　to　the　bridge　all
bedashed　with　blood；　and　the　bodies　of　the　knights　headless；
〃Now；　by　my　lady's　name；〃　said　he；　〃here　has　been　good
fighting；　and　those　three　caitiffs　are　slain！　　By　whose　hand
I　wonder？〃

So　he　came　into　the　Mill；　and　there　he　found　Martimor
recovered　of　his　swoon；　and　had　marvellous　joy　of　him；　when　he
heard　how　he　had　wrought。

〃Now　are　thou　proven　worthy　of　the　noble　order　of
knighthood；〃　said　Lancelot；　and　forthwith　he　dubbed　him
knight。

Then　he　said　that　Sir　Martimor　should　ride　with　him　to　the
court　of　King　Pellinore；　to　receive　a　castle　and　a　fair　lady
to　wife；　for　doubtless　the　King　would　deny　him　nothing　to　reward
the　rescue　of　his　daughter。

But　Martimor　stood　in　a　muse；　then　said　he；　〃May　a　knight
have　his　free　will　and　choice　of　castles；　where　he　will
abide？〃

〃Within　the　law；〃　said　Lancelot；　〃and　by　the　King's　word
he　may。〃

〃Then　choose　I　the　Mill；〃　said　Martimor；　〃for　here　will　I
dwell。〃

〃Freely　spoken；〃　said　Lancelot；　laughing；　〃so　art　thou　Sir
Martimor　of　the　Mill；　no　doubt　the　King　will　confirm　it。　　And
now　what　sayest　thou　of　ladies？〃

〃May　a　knight　have　his　free　will　and　choice　here　also？〃
said　he。

〃According　to　his　fortune；〃　said　Lancelot；　〃and　by　the
lady's　favour；　he　may。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Sir　Martimor；　taking　Lirette　by　the
hand；　〃this　Maid　is　to　me　liefer　to　have　and　to　wield　as　my
wife　than　any　dame　or　princess　that　is　christened。〃

〃What；　brother；〃　said　Sir　Lancelot；　〃is　the　wind　in　that
quarter？　　And　will　the　Maid　have　thee？〃

〃I　will　well；〃　said　Lirette。

〃Now　are　you　well　provided；〃　said　Sir　Lancelot；　〃with
knighthood；　and　a　castle；　and　a　lady。　　Lacks　but　a　motto　and
a　name　for　the　Blue　Flower　in　thy　shield。〃

〃He　that　names　it　shall　never　find　it；〃　said　Sir　Martimor；
〃and　he　that　finds　it　needs　no　name。〃

So　Lirette　rejoiced　Sir　Martimor　and　loved　together　during
their　life…days；　and　this　is　the　end　and　the　beginning　of　the
Story　of　the　Mill。





SPY　　ROCK

I

It　must　have　been　near　Sutherland's　Pond　that　I　lost　the　way。
For　there　the　deserted　road　which　I　had　been　following　through
the　Highlands　ran　out　upon　a　meadow　all　abloom　with　purple
loose…strife　and　golden　Saint…John's　wort。　　The　declining　sun
cast　a　glory　over　the　lonely　field；　and　far　in　the　corner；
nigh　to　the　woods；　there　was　a　touch　of　the　celestial　colour：
blue　of　the　sky　seen　between　white　clouds：　blue　of　the　sea
shimmering　through　faint　drifts　of　silver　mist。　　The　hope　of
finding　that　hue　of　distance　and　mystery　embodied　in　a　living
form；　the　old　hope　of　discovering　the　Blue　Flower　rose　again
in　my　heart。　　But　it　was　only　for　a　moment；　for　when　I　came
nearer　I　saw　that　the　colour　which　had　caught　my　eye　came　from
a　multitude　of　closed　gentiansthe　blossoms　which　never　open
into　perfectiongrowing　so　closely　together　that　their
blended　promise　had　seemed　like　a　single　flower。

So　I　harked　back　again；　slanting　across　the　meadow；　to
find　the　road。　　But　it　had　vanished。　　Wandering　among　the
alders　and　clumps　of　gray　birches；　here　and　there　I　found　a
track　that　looked　like　it；　but　as　I　tried　each　one；　it　grew
more　faint　and　uncertain　and　at　last　came　to　nothing　in　a
thicket　or　a　marsh。　　While　I　was　thus　beating　about　the　bush
the　sun　dropped　below　the　western　rim　of　hills。　　It　was
necessary　to　make　the　most　of　the　lingering　light；　if　I　did
not　wish　to　be　benighted　in　the　woods。　　The　little　village　of
Canterbury；　which　was　the　goal　of　my　day's　march；　must　lie
about　to　the　north　just　beyond　the　edge　of　the　mountain；　and
in　that　direction　I　turned；　pushing　forward　as　rapidly　as
possible　through　the　undergrowth。

Presently　I　came　into　a　region　where　the　trees　were　larger
and　the　travelling　was　easier。　　It　was　not　a　primeval　forest；
but　a　second　growth　of　chestnuts　and　poplars　and　maples。
Through　the　woods　there　ran　at　intervals　long　lines　of　broken
rock；　covered　with　mossthe　ruins；　evidently；　of　ancient
stone　fences。　　The　land　must　have　been；　in　former　days；　a
farm；　inhabited；　cultivated；　the　home　of　human
hopes　and　desires　and　labours；　but　now　relapsed　into　solitude
and　wilderness。　　What　could　the　life　have　been　among　these
rugged　and　inhospitable　Highlands；　on　this　niggard　and
reluctant　soil？　　Where　was　the　house　that　once　sheltered　the
tillers　of　this　rude　corner　of　the　earth？

Here；　perhaps；　in　the　little　clearing　into　which　I　now
emerged。　　A　couple　of　decrepit　apple…trees　grew　on　the　edge　of
it；　and　dropped　their　scanty　and　gnarled　fruit　to　feast　the
squirrels。　　A　little　farther　on；　a　straggling　clump　of　ancient
lilacs；　a　bewildered　old　bush　of　sweetbrier；　the　dark…green
leaves　of　a　cluster　of　tiger…lilies；　long　past　blooming；
marked　the　grave　of　the　garden。　　And　here；　above　this　square
hollow　in　the　earth；　with　the　remains　of　a　crumbling　chimney
standing　sentinel　beside　it；　here　the　house　must　have　stood。
What　joys；　what　sorrows　once　centred　around　this　cold　and
desolate　hearth…stone？　　What　children　went　forth　like　birds
from　this　dismantled　nest　into　the　wide　world？　　What　guests
found　refuge

〃Take　care！　stand　back！　　There　is　a　rattlesnake　in　the　old
cellar。〃

The　voice；　even　more　than　the　words；　startled　me。　　I　drew
away　suddenly；　and　saw；　behind　the　ruins　of　the　chimney；　a　man
of　an　aspect　so　striking　that　to　this　day　his　face　and　figure
are　as　vivid　in　my　memory　as　if　it　were　but　yesterday　that　I
had　me