the wood beyond the world-第20节

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three　weary　years　have　gone　by　since　she　began　to　see　in　me　the
enemy　of　her　days。　　Now　why　or　wherefore　I　know　not；　but　it　seemeth
that　it　would　not　avail　her　to　slay　me　outright；　or　suffer　me　to
die；　but　nought　withheld　her　from　piling　up　griefs　and　miseries　on
my　head。　　At　last　she　set　her　servant；　the　Dwarf；　upon　me；　even　he
whose　head　thou　clavest　to…day。　　Many　things　I　bore　from　him　whereof
it　were　unseemly　for　my　tongue　to　tell　before　thee；　but　the　time
came　when　he　exceeded；　and　I　could　bear　no　more；　and　then　I　showed
him　this　sharp　knife　（wherewith　I　would　have　thrust　me　through　to
the　heart　if　thou　hadst　not　pardoned　me　e'en　now）；　and　I　told　him
that　if　he　forbore　me　not；　I　would　slay；　not　him；　but　myself；　and
this　he　might　not　away　with　because　of　the　commandment　of　the　Lady；
who　had　given　him　the　word　that　in　any　case　I　must　be　kept　living。
And　her　hand；　withal；　fear　held　somewhat　hereafter。　　Yet　was　there
need　to　me　of　all　my　wisdom；　for　with　all　this　her　hatred　grew；　and
whiles　raged　within　her　so　furiously　that　it　overmastered　her　fear；
and　at　such　times　she　would　have　put　me　to　death　if　I　had　not
escaped　her　by　some　turn　of　my　lore。〃

〃Now　further；　I　shall　tell　thee　that　somewhat　more　than　a　year　ago
hither　to　this　land　came　the　King's　Son；　the　second　goodly　man；　as
thou　art　the　third；　whom　her　sorceries　have　drawn　hither　since　I
have　dwelt　here。　　Forsooth；　when　he　first　came；　he　seemed　to　us；　to
me；　and　yet　more　to　my　Lady；　to　be　as　beautiful　as　an　angel；　and
sorely　she　loved　him；　and　he　her；　after　his　fashion：　　but　he　was
light…minded；　and　cold…hearted；　and　in　a　while　he　must　needs　turn
his　eyes　upon　me；　and　offer　me　his　love；　which　was　but　foul　and
unkind　as　it　turned　out；　for　when　I　nay…said　him；　as　maybe　I　had　not
done　save　for　fear　of　my　Mistress；　he　had　no　pity　upon　me；　but
spared　not　to　lead　me　into　the　trap　of　her　wrath；　and　leave　me
without　help；　or　a　good　word。　　But；　O　friend；　in　spite　of　all　grief
and　anguish；　I　learned　still；　and　waxed　wise；　and　wiser；　abiding　the
day　of　my　deliverance；　which　has　come；　and　thou　art　come。〃

Therewith　she　took　Walter's　hands　and　kissed　them；　but　he　kissed　her
face；　and　her　tears　wet　her　lips。　　Then　she　went　on：　　〃But　sithence；
months　ago；　the　Lady　began　to　weary　of　this　dastard；　despite　of　his
beauty；　and　then　it　was　thy　turn　to　be　swept　into　her　net；　I　partly
guess　how。　　For　on　a　day　in　broad　daylight；　as　I　was　serving　my
Mistress　in　the　hall；　and　the　Evil　Thing；　whose　head　is　now　cloven；
was　lying　across　the　threshold　of　the　door；　as　it　were　a　dream　fell
upon　me；　though　I　strove　to　cast　it　off　for　fear　of　chastisement；
for　the　pillared　hall　wavered；　and　vanished　from　my　sight；　and　my
feet　were　treading　a　rough　stone　pavement　instead　of　the　marble
wonder　of　the　hall；　and　there　was　the　scent　of　the　salt　sea　and　of
the　tackle　of　ships；　and　behind　me　were　tall　houses；　and　before　me
the　ships　indeed；　with　their　ropes　beating　and　their　sails　flapping
and　their　masts　wavering；　and　in　mine　ears　was　the　hale　and　how　of
mariners；　things　that　I　had　seen　and　heard　in　the　dimness　of　my　life
gone　by。〃

〃And　there　was　I；　and　the　Dwarf　before　me；　and　the　Lady　after　me；
going　over　the　gangway　aboard　of　a　tall　ship；　and　she　gathered　way
and　was　gotten　out　of　the　haven；　and　straightway　I　saw　the　mariners
cast　abroad　their　ancient。〃

Quoth　Walter：　　〃What　then！　　Sawest　thou　the　blazon　thereon；　of　a
wolf…like　beast　ramping　up　against　a　maiden？　　And　that　might　well
have　been　thou。〃

She　said：　　〃Yea；　so　it　was；　but　refrain　thee；　that　I　may　tell　on　my
tale！　　The　ship　and　the　sea　vanished　away；　but　I　was　not　back　in　the
hall　of　the　Golden　House；　and　again　were　we　three　in　the　street　of
the　self…same　town　which　we　had　but　just　left；　but　somewhat　dim　was
my　vision　thereof；　and　I　saw　little　save　the　door　of　a　goodly　house
before　me；　and　speedily　it　died　out；　and　we　were　again　in　the
pillared　hall；　wherein　my　thralldom　was　made　manifest。〃

〃Maiden；〃　said　Walter；　〃one　question　I　would　ask　thee；　to　wit；　didst
thou　see　me　on　the　quay　by　the　ships？〃

〃Nay；〃　she　said；　〃there　were　many　folk　about；　but　they　were　all　as
images　of　the　aliens　to　me。　　Now　hearken　further：　　three　months
thereafter　came　the　dream　upon　me　again；　when　we　were　all　three
together　in　the　Pillared　Hall；　and　again　was　the　vision　somewhat
dim。　　Once　more　we　were　in　the　street　of　a　busy　town；　but　all　unlike
to　that　other　one；　and　there　were　men　standing　together　on　our　right
hands　by　the　door　of　a　house。〃

〃Yea；　yea；〃　quoth　Walter；　〃and；　forsooth；　one　of　them　was　who　but
I。〃

〃Refrain　thee；　beloved！〃　she　said；　〃for　my　tale　draweth　to　its
ending；　and　I　would　have　thee　hearken　heedfully：　　for　maybe　thou
shalt　once　again　deem　my　deed　past　pardon。　　Some　twenty　days　after
this　last　dream；　I　had　some　leisure　from　my　Mistress's　service；　so　I
went　to　disport　me　by　the　Well　of　the　Oak…tree　（or　forsooth　she
might　have　set　in　my　mind　the　thought　of　going　there；　that　I　might
meet　thee　and　give　her　some　occasion　against　me）；　and　I　sat　thereby；
nowise　loving　the　earth；　but　sick　at　heart；　because　of　late　the
King's　Son　had　been　more　than　ever　instant　with　me　to　yield　him　my
body；　threatening　me　else　with　casting　me　into　all　that　the　worst
could　do　to　me　of　torments　and　shames　day　by　day。　　I　say　my　heart
failed　me；　and　I　was　wellnigh　brought　to　the　point　of　yea…saying　his
desires；　that　I　might　take　the　chance　of　something　befalling　me　that
were　less　bad　than　the　worst。　　But　here　must　I　tell　thee　a　thing；
and　pray　thee　to　take　it　to　heart。　　This；　more　than　aught　else；　had
given　me　strength　to　nay…say　that　dastard；　that　my　wisdom　both　hath
been；　and　now　is；　the　wisdom　of　a　wise　maid；　and　not　of　a　woman；　and
all　the　might　thereof　shall　I　lose　with　my　maidenhead。　　Evil　wilt
thou　think　of　me　then；　for　all　I　was　tried　so　sore；　that　I　was　at
point　to　cast　it　all　away；　so　wretchedly　as　I　shrank　from　the　horror
of　the　Lady's　wrath。〃

〃But　there　as　I　sat　pondering　these　things；　I　saw　a　man　coming；　and
thought　no　otherwise　thereof　but　that　it　was　the　King's　Son；　till　I
saw　the　stranger　drawing　near；　and　his　golden　hair；　and　his　grey
eyes；　and　then　I　heard　his　voice；　and　his　kindness　pierced　my　heart；
and　I　knew　that　my　friend　had　come　to　see　me；　and　O；　friend；　these
tears　are　for　the　sweetness　of　that　past　hour！〃

Said　Walter：　　〃I　came　to　see　my　friend；　I　also。　　Now　have　I　noted
what　thou　badest　me；　and　I　will　forbear　all　as　thou　commandest　me；
till　we　be　safe　out　of　the　desert　and　far　away　from　all　evil　things；
but　wilt　thou　ban　me　from　all　caresses？〃

She　laughed　amidst　of　her　tears；　and　said：　　〃O；　nay；　poor　lad；　if
thou　wilt　be　but　wise。〃

Then　she　leaned　toward　him；　and　took　his　face　betwixt　her　hands　and
kissed　him　oft；　and　the　tears　started　in　his　eyes　for　love　and　pity
of　her。

Then　she　said：　　〃Alas；　friend！　even　yet　mayst　thou　doom　me　guilty；
and　all　thy　love　may　turn　away　from　me；　when　I　have　told　thee　all
that　I　have　done　for　the　sake　of　thee　and　me。　　O；　if　then　there
might　be　some　chastisement　for　the　guilty　woman；　and　not　mere
sundering！〃

〃Fear　nothing；　sweetling；〃　said　he；　〃for　indeed　I　deem　that　already
I　know　partly　what　thou　hast　done。〃

She　sighed；　and　said：　　〃I　will　tell　thee　next；　that　I　banned　thy
kissing　and　caressing　of　me　till　to…day　because　I　knew　that　my
Mistress　would　surely　know　if　a　man；　if　thou；　hadst　so　much　as
touched　a　finger　of　mine　in　love；　it　was　to　try　me　herein　that　on
the　morning　of　the　hunting　she　kissed　and　embraced　me；　till　I　almost
died　thereof；　and　showed　thee　my　shoulder　and　my　limbs；　and　to　try
thee　withal；　if　thine　eye　should　glister　or　thy　cheek　flush　thereat；
for　indeed　she　was　raging　in　jealousy　of　thee。　　Next；　my　friend；
even　whiles　we　were　talking　together　at　the　Well　of　the　Rock；　I　was
pondering　on　what　we　should　do　to　escape　from　this　land　of　lies。
Maybe　thou　wilt　say：　　Why　didst　thou　not　take　my　hand　and　flee　with
me　as　we　fled　to…day？　　Friend；　it　is　most　true；　that　were　she　not
dead　we　had　not　escaped　thus　far。　　For　her　trackers　would　have
followed　us；　set　on　by　her；　and　brought　us　back　to　an　evil　fate。
Therefore　I　tell　thee　that　from　the　first　I　did　plot　the　death　of
those　two；　the　Dwarf　and　the　Mistress。　　For　no　otherwise　mightest
thou　live；　or　I　escape　from　death　in　life。　　But　as　to　the　dastard
who　threatened　me　with　a　thrall's　pains；　I　heeded　him　nought　to　live
or　die；　for　well　I　knew　that　thy　valiant　sword；　yea；　or　thy　bare
hands；　would　speedily　tame　him。　　Now　first　I　knew　that　I　must　make　a
show　of　yielding　to　the　King's　Son；　and　somewhat　how　I　did　therein；
thou　knowest。　　But　no　night　and　no　time　did　I　give　him　to　bed　me；
till　after　I　had　met　thee　as　thou　wentest　to　the　Golden　House；
before　the　adventure　of　fetching　the　lion's　skin；　and　up　to　that
time　I　had　scarce　known　what　to　do；　save　ever　to　bid　thee；　with　sore
grief　and　pain；　to　yield　thee　to　the　wicked　woman's　desire。　　But　as
we　spake　together　there　by　the　stream；　and　I　saw　that　the　Evil　Thing
（whose　head　thou　clavest　e'en　now）　was　spying　on　us；　then　amidst　the
sickness　of　terror　which　ever　came　over　me　whensoever　I　thought　of
him；　and　much　more　when　I　saw　him　（ah！　he　is　dead　now！）；　it　came
flas