the wood beyond the world-第10节

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them　toward　the　house。　　The　King's　Son　scowled　on　him　as　he　passed；
but　the　Lady；　over　whose　beauteous　face　flickered　the　joyous　morning
smiles；　took　no　more　heed　of　him　than　if　he　had　been　one　of　the
trees　of　the　wood。　　But　she　had　been　so　high　and　disdainful　with　him
the　evening　before；　that　he　thought　little　of　that。　　The　twain　went
on；　skirting　the　hazel…copse；　and　he　could　not　choose　but　turn　his
eyes　on　them；　so　sorely　did　the　Lady's　beauty　draw　them。　　Then
befell　another　thing；　for　behind　them　the　boughs　of　the　hazels
parted；　and　there　stood　that　little　evil　thing；　he　or　another　of　his
kind；　for　he　was　quite　unclad；　save　by　his　fell　of　yellowy…brown
hair；　and　that　he　was　girt　with　a　leathern　girdle；　wherein　was　stuck
an　ugly　two…edged　knife：　　he　stood　upright　a　moment；　and　cast　his
eyes　at　Walter　and　grinned；　but　not　as　if　he　knew　him；　and　scarce
could　Walter　say　whether　it　were　the　one　he　had　seen；　or　another：
then　he　cast　himself　down　on　his　belly；　and　fell　to　creeping　through
the　long　grass　like　a　serpent；　following　the　footsteps　of　the　Lady
and　her　lover；　and　now；　as　he　crept；　Walter　deemed；　in　his　loathing；
that　the　creature　was　liker　to　a　ferret　than　aught　else。　　He　crept
on　marvellous　swiftly；　and　was　soon　clean　out　of　sight。　　But　Walter
stood　staring　after　him　for　a　while；　and　then　lay　down　by　the　copse…
side；　that　he　might　watch　the　house　and　the　entry　thereof；　for　he
thought；　now　perchance　presently　will　the　kind　maiden　come　hither　to
comfort　me　with　a　word　or　two。　　But　hour　passed　by　hour；　and　still
she　came　not；　and　still　he　lay　there；　and　thought　of　the　Maid；　and
longed　for　her　kindness　and　wisdom；　till　he　could　not　refrain　his
tears；　and　wept　for　the　lack　of　her。　　Then　he　arose；　and　went　and
sat　in　the　porch；　and　was　very　downcast　of　mood。

But　as　he　sat　there；　back　comes　the　Lady　again；　the　King's　Son
leading　her　by　the　hand；　they　entered　the　porch；　and　she　passed　by
him　so　close　that　the　odour　of　her　raiment　filled　all　the　air　about
him；　and　the　sleekness　of　her　side　nigh　touched　him；　so　that　he
could　not　fail　to　note　that　her　garments　were　somewhat　disarrayed；
and　that　she　kept　her　right　hand　（for　her　left　the　King's　Son　held）
to　her　bosom　to　hold　the　cloth　together　there；　whereas　the　rich
raiment　had　been　torn　off　from　her　right　shoulder。　　As　they　passed
by　him；　the　King's　Son　once　more　scowled　on　him；　wordless；　but　even
more　fiercely　than　before；　and　again　the　Lady　heeded　him　nought。

After　they　had　gone　on　a　while；　he　entered　the　hall；　and　found　it
empty　from　end　to　end；　and　no　sound　in　it　save　the　tinkling　of　the
fountain；　but　there　was　victual　set　on　the　board。　　He　ate　and　drank
thereof　to　keep　life　lusty　within　him；　and　then　went　out　again　to
the　wood…side　to　watch　and　to　long；　and　the　time　hung　heavy　on　his
hands　because　of　the　lack　of　the　fair　Maiden。

He　was　of　mind　not　to　go　into　the　house　to　his　rest　that　night；　but
to　sleep　under　the　boughs　of　the　forest。　　But　a　little　after　sunset
he　saw　a　bright…clad　image　moving　amidst　the　carven　images　of　the
porch；　and　the　King's　Son　came　forth　and　went　straight　to　him；　and
said：　　〃Thou　art　to　enter　the　house；　and　go　into　thy　chamber
forthwith；　and　by　no　means　to　go　forth　of　it　betwixt　sunset　and
sunrise。　　My　Lady　will　not　away　with　thy　prowling　round　the　house　in
the　night…tide。〃

Therewith　he　turned　away；　and　went　into　the　house　again；　and　Walter
followed　him　soberly；　remembering　how　the　Maid　had　bidden　him
forbear。　　So　he　went　to　his　chamber；　and　slept。

But　amidst　of　the　night　he　awoke　and　deemed　that　he　heard　a　voice
not　far　off；　so　he　crept　out　of　his　bed　and　peered　around；　lest；
perchance；　the　Maid　had　come　to　speak　with　him；　but　his　chamber　was
dusk　and　empty：　　then　he　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out；　and　saw
the　moon　shining　bright　and　white　upon　the　greensward。　　And　lo！　the
Lady　walking　with　the　King's　Son；　and　he　clad　in　thin　and　wanton
raiment；　but　she　in　nought　else　save　what　God　had　given　her　of　long；
crispy　yellow　hair。　　Then　was　Walter　ashamed　to　look　on　her；　seeing
that　there　was　a　man　with　her；　and　gat　him　back　to　his　bed；　but　yet
a　long　while　ere　he　slept　again　he　had　the　image　before　his　eyes　of
the　fair　woman　on　the　dewy　moonlit　grass。

The　next　day　matters　went　much　the　same　way；　and　the　next　also；　save
that　his　sorrow　was　increased；　and　he　sickened　sorely　of　hope
deferred。　　On　the　fourth　day　also　the　forenoon　wore　as　erst；　but　in
the　heat　of　the　afternoon　Walter　sought　to　the　hazel…copse；　and　laid
him　down　there　hard　by　a　little　clearing　thereof；　and　slept　from
very　weariness　of　grief。　　There；　after　a　while；　he　woke　with　words
still　hanging　in　his　ears；　and　he　knew　at　once　that　it　was　they
twain　talking　together。

The　King's　Son　had　just　done　his　say；　and　now　it　was　the　Lady
beginning　in　her　honey…sweet　voice；　low　but　strong；　wherein　even　was
a　little　of　huskiness；　she　said：　　〃Otto；　belike　it　were　well　to　have
a　little　patience；　till　we　find　out　what　the　man　is；　and　whence　he
cometh；　it　will　always　be　easy　to　rid　us　of　him；　it　is　but　a　word　to
our　Dwarf…king；　and　it　will　be　done　in　a　few　minutes。〃

〃Patience！〃　said　the　King's　Son；　angrily；　〃I　wot　not　how　to　have
patience　with　him；　for　I　can　see　of　him　that　he　is　rude　and　violent
and　headstrong；　and　a　low…born　wily　one。　　Forsooth；　he　had　patience
enough　with　me　the　other　even；　when　I　rated　him　in；　like　the　dog
that　he　is；　and　he　had　no　manhood　to　say　one　word　to　me。　　Soothly；
as　he　followed　after　me；　I　had　a　mind　to　turn　about　and　deal　him　a
buffet　on　the　face；　to　see　if　I　could　but　draw　one　angry　word　from
him。〃

The　Lady　laughed；　and　said：　　〃Well；　Otto；　I　know　not；　that　which
thou　deemest　dastardy　in　him　may　be　but　prudence　and　wisdom；　and　he
an　alien；　far　from　his　friends　and　nigh　to　his　foes。　　Perchance　we
shall　yet　try　him　what　he　is。　　Meanwhile；　I　rede　thee　try　him　not
with　buffets；　save　he　be　weaponless　and　with　bounden　hands；　or　else
I　deem　that　but　a　little　while　shalt　thou　be　fain　of　thy　blow。〃

Now　when　Walter　heard　her　words　and　the　voice　wherein　they　were
said；　he　might　not　forbear　being　stirred　by　them；　and　to　him；　all
lonely　there；　they　seemed　friendly。

But　he　lay　still；　and　the　King's　Son　answered　the　Lady　and　said：　　〃I
know　not　what　is　in　thine　heart　concerning　this　runagate；　that　thou
shouldst　bemock　me　with　his　valiancy；　whereof　thou　knowest　nought。
If　thou　deem　me　unworthy　of　thee；　send　me　back　safe　to　my　father's
country；　I　may　look　to　have　worship　there；　yea；　and　the　love　of　fair
women　belike。〃

Therewith　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　put　forth　his　hand　to　the　Lady　to
caress　her；　for　she　said：　　〃Nay；　lay　not　thine　hand　on　my　shoulder；
for　to…day　and　now　it　is　not　the　hand　of　love；　but　of　pride　and
folly；　and　would…be　mastery。　　Nay；　neither　shalt　thou　rise　up　and
leave　me　until　thy　mood　is　softer　and　kinder　to　me。〃

Then　was　there　silence　betwixt　them　a　while；　and　thereafter　the
King's　Son　spake　in　a　wheedling　voice：　　〃My　goddess；　I　pray　thee
pardon　me！　　But　canst　thou　wonder　that　I　fear　thy　wearying　of　me；
and　am　therefore　peevish　and　jealous？　thou　so　far　above　the　Queens
of　the　World；　and　I　a　poor　youth　that　without　thee　were　nothing！〃

She　answered　nought；　and　he　went　on　again：　　〃Was　it　not　so；　O
goddess；　that　this　man　of　the　sons　of　the　merchants　was　little
heedful　of　thee；　and　thy　loveliness　and　thy　majesty？〃

She　laughed　and　said：　　〃Maybe　he　deemed　not　that　he　had　much　to　gain
of　us；　seeing　thee　sitting　by　our　side；　and　whereas　we　spake　to　him
coldly　and　sternly　and　disdainfully。　　Withal；　the　poor　youth　was
dazzled　and　shamefaced　before　us；　that　we　could　see　in　the　eyes　and
the　mien　of　him。〃

Now　this　she　spoke　so　kindly　and　sweetly；　that　again　was　Walter　all
stirred　thereat；　and　it　came　into　his　mind　that　it　might　be　she　knew
he　was　anigh　and　hearing　her；　and　that　she　spake　as　much　for　him　as
for　the　King's　Son：　　but　that　one　answered：　　〃Lady；　didst　thou　not
see　somewhat　else　in　his　eyes；　to　wit；　that　they　had　but　of　late
looked　on　some　fair　woman　other　than　thee？　　As　for　me；　I　deem　it　not
so　unlike　that　on　the　way　to　thine　hall　he　may　have　fallen　in　with
thy　Maid。〃

He　spoke　in　a　faltering　voice；　as　if　shrinking　from　some　storm　that
might　come。　　And　forsooth　the　Lady's　voice　was　changed　as　she
answered；　though　there　was　no　outward　heat　in　it；　rather　it　was
sharp　and　eager　and　cold　at　once。　　She　said：　　〃Yea；　that　is　not　ill
thought　of；　but　we　may　not　always　keep　our　thrall　in　mind。　　If　it　be
so　as　thou　deemest；　we　shall　come　to　know　it　most　like　when　we　next
fall　in　with　her；　or　if　she　hath　been　shy　this　time；　then　shall　she
pay　the　heavier　for　it；　for　we　will　question　her　by　the　Fountain　in
the　Hall　as　to　what　betid　by　the　Fountain　of　the　Rock。〃

Spake　the　King's　Son；　faltering　yet　more：　　〃Lady；　were　it　not　better
to　question　the　man　himself？　the　Maid　is　stout…hearted；　and　will　not
be　speedily　quelled　into　a　true　tale；　whereas　the　man　I　deem　of　no
account。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　Lady　sharply；　〃it　shall　not　be。〃

Then　was　she　silent　a　while；　and　then　she　said：　　〃How　if　the　man
should　prove　to　be　our　master？〃

〃Nay；　our　Lady；〃　said　the　King's　Son；　〃thou　art　jesting　with　me；
thou　and　thy　might　and　thy　wisdom；　a