the wood beyond the world-第4节

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thou　the　king　of　this　country？〃

The　elder　laughed；　〃It　hath　had　none　other　a　long　while；〃　said　he；
〃and　at　least　there　is　no　other　son　of　Adam　here　to　gainsay。〃

〃Thou　art　alone　here　then？〃　said　the　master。

〃Yea；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃save　for　the　beasts　of　the　field　and　the
wood；　and　the　creeping　things；　and　fowl。　　Wherefore　it　is　sweet　to
me　to　hear　your　voices。〃

Said　the　master：　　〃Where　be　the　other　houses　of　the　town？〃

The　old　man　laughed。　　Said　he：　　〃When　I　said　that　I　was　alone；　I
meant　that　I　was　alone　in　the　land　and　not　only　alone　in　this　stead。
There　is　no　house　save　this　betwixt　the　sea　and　the　dwellings　of　the
Bears；　over　the　cliff…wall　yonder；　yea　and　a　long　way　over　it。〃

〃Yea；〃　quoth　the　shipmaster　grinning；　〃and　be　the　bears　of　thy
country　so　manlike；　that　they　dwell　in　builded　houses？〃

The　old　man　shook　his　head。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃as　to　their　bodily
fashion；　it　is　altogether　manlike；　save　that　they　be　one　and　all
higher　and　bigger　than　most。　　For　they　be　bears　only　in　name；　they
be　a　nation　of　half　wild　men；　for　I　have　been　told　by　them　that
there　be　many　more　than　that　tribe　whose　folk　I　have　seen；　and　that
they　spread　wide　about　behind　these　mountains　from　east　to　west。
Now；　sir；　as　to　their　souls　and　understandings　I　warrant　them　not；
for　miscreants　they　be；　trowing　neither　in　God　nor　his　hallows。〃

Said　the　master：　　〃Trow　they　in　Mahound　then？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　elder；　〃I　wot　not　for　sure　that　they　have　so　much　as
a　false　God；　though　I　have　it　from　them　that　they　worship　a　certain
woman　with　mickle　worship。〃

Then　spake　Walter：　　〃Yea；　good　sir；　and　how　knowest　thou　that？　dost
thou　deal　with　them　at　all？〃

Said　the　old　man：　　〃Whiles　some　of　that　folk　come　hither　and　have　of
me　what　I　can　spare；　a　calf　or　two；　or　a　half…dozen　of　lambs　or
hoggets；　or　a　skin　of　wine　or　cyder　of　mine　own　making：　　and　they
give　me　in　return　such　things　as　I　can　use；　as　skins　of　hart　and
bear　and　other　peltries；　for　now　I　am　old；　I　can　but　little　of　the
hunting　hereabout。　　Whiles；　also；　they　bring　little　lumps　of　pure
copper；　and　would　give　me　gold　also；　but　it　is　of　little　use　in　this
lonely　land。　　Sooth　to　say；　to　me　they　are　not　masterful　or　rough…
handed；　but　glad　am　I　that　they　have　been　here　but　of　late；　and　are
not　like　to　come　again　this　while；　for　terrible　they　are　of　aspect；
and　whereas　ye　be　aliens；　belike　they　would　not　hold　their　hands
from　off　you；　and　moreover　ye　have　weapons　and　other　matters　which
they　would　covet　sorely。〃

Quoth　the　master：　　〃Since　thou　dealest　with　these　wild　men；　will　ye
not　deal　with　us　in　chaffer？　　For　whereas　we　are　come　from　long
travel；　we　hanker　after　fresh　victual；　and　here　aboard　are　many
things　which　were　for　thine　avail。〃

Said　the　old　man：　　〃All　that　I　have　is　yours；　so　that　ye　do　but
leave　me　enough　till　my　next　ingathering：　　of　wine　and　cyder；　such
as　it　is；　I　have　plenty　for　your　service；　ye　may　drink　it　till　it　is
all　gone；　if　ye　will：　　a　little　corn　and　meal　I　have；　but　not　much；
yet　are　ye　welcome　thereto；　since　the　standing　corn　in　my　garth　is
done　blossoming；　and　I　have　other　meat。　　Cheeses　have　I　and　dried
fish；　take　what　ye　will　thereof。　　But　as　to　my　neat　and　sheep；　if　ye
have　sore　need　of　any；　and　will　have　them；　I　may　not　say　you　nay：
but　I　pray　you　if　ye　may　do　without　them；　not　to　take　my　milch…
beasts　or　their　engenderers；　for；　as　ye　have　heard　me　say；　the　Bear…
folk　have　been　here　but　of　late；　and　they　have　had　of　me　all　I　might
spare：　　but　now　let　me　tell　you；　if　ye　long　after　flesh…meat；　that
there　is　venison　of　hart　and　hind；　yea；　and　of　buck　and　doe；　to　be
had　on　this　plain；　and　about　the　little　woods　at　the　feet　of　the
rock…wall　yonder：　　neither　are　they　exceeding　wild；　for　since　I　may
not　take　them；　I　scare　them　not；　and　no　other　man　do　they　see　to
hurt　them；　for　the　Bear…folk　come　straight　to　my　house；　and　fare
straight　home　thence。　　But　I　will　lead　you　the　nighest　way　to　where
the　venison　is　easiest　to　be　gotten。　　As　to　the　wares　in　your　ship；
if　ye　will　give　me　aught　I　will　take　it　with　a　good　will；　and
chiefly　if　ye　have　a　fair　knife　or　two　and　a　roll　of　linen　cloth；
that　were　a　good　refreshment　to　me。　　But　in　any　case　what　I　have　to
give　is　free　to　you　and　welcome。〃

The　shipmaster　laughed：　　〃Friend；〃　said　he；　〃we　can　thee　mickle
thanks　for　all　that　thou　biddest　us。　　And　wot　well　that　we　be　no
lifters　or　sea…thieves　to　take　thy　livelihood　from　thee。　　So　to…
morrow；　if　thou　wilt；　we　will　go　with　thee　and　upraise　the　hunt；　and
meanwhile　we　will　come　aland；　and　walk　on　the　green　grass；　and　water
our　ship　with　thy　good　fresh　water。〃

So　the　old　carle　went　back　to　his　house　to　make　them　ready　what
cheer　he　might；　and　the　shipmen；　who　were　twenty　and　one；　all　told；
what　with　the　mariners　and　Arnold　and　Walter's　servants；　went
ashore；　all　but　two　who　watched　the　ship　and　abode　their　turn。　　They
went　well…weaponed；　for　both　the　master　and　Walter　deemed　wariness
wisdom；　lest　all　might　not　be　so　good　as　it　seemed。　　They　took　of
their　sail…cloths　ashore　and　tilted　them　in　on　the　meadow　betwixt
the　house　and　the　ship；　and　the　carle　brought　them　what　he　had　for
their　avail；　of　fresh　fruits；　and　cheeses；　and　milk；　and　wine；　and
cyder；　and　honey；　and　there　they　feasted　nowise　ill；　and　were　right
fain。



CHAPTER　VI：　　THE　OLD　MAN　TELLS　WALTER　OF　HIMSELF。　　WALTER　SEES　A
SHARD　IN　THE　CLIFF…WALL



But　when　they　had　done　their　meat　and　drink　the　master　and　the
shipmen　went　about　the　watering　of　the　ship；　and　the　others　strayed
off　along　the　meadow；　so　that　presently　Walter　was　left　alone　with
the　carle；　and　fell　to　speech　with　him　and　said：　　〃Father；　meseemeth
thou　shouldest　have　some　strange　tale　to　tell；　and　as　yet　we　have
asked　thee　of　nought　save　meat　for　our　bellies：　　now　if　I　ask　thee
concerning　thy　life；　and　how　thou　camest　hither；　and　abided　here；
wilt　thou　tell　me　aught？〃

The　old　man　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃Son；　my　tale　were　long　to
tell；　and　mayhappen　concerning　much　thereof　my　memory　should　fail
me；　and　withal　there　is　grief　therein；　which　I　were　loth　to　awaken：
nevertheless　if　thou　ask；　I　will　answer　as　I　may；　and　in　any　case
will　tell　thee　nought　save　the　truth。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Well　then；　hast　thou　been　long　here？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　the　carle；　〃since　I　was　a　young　man；　and　a　stalwarth
knight。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃This　house；　didst　thou　build　it；　and　raise　these
garths；　and　plant　orchard　and　vineyard；　and　gather　together　the　neat
and　the　sheep；　or　did　some　other　do　all　this　for　thee？〃

Said　the　carle：　　〃I　did　none　of　all　this；　there　was　one　here　before
me；　and　I　entered　into　his　inheritance；　as　though　this　were　a　lordly
manor；　with　a　fair　castle　thereon；　and　all　well　stocked　and
plenished。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Didst　thou　find　thy　foregoer　alive　here？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　the　elder；　〃yet　he　lived　but　for　a　little　while　after　I
came　to　him。〃

He　was　silent　a　while；　and　then　he　said：　　〃I　slew　him：　　even　so
would　he　have　it；　though　I　bade　him　a　better　lot。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Didst　thou　come　hither　of　thine　own　will？〃

〃Mayhappen；〃　said　the　carle；　〃who　knoweth？　　Now　have　I　no　will　to　do
either　this　or　that。　　It　is　wont　that　maketh　me　do；　or　refrain。〃

Said　Walter：　　〃Tell　me　this；　why　didst　thou　slay　the　man？　did　he　any
scathe　to　thee？〃

Said　the　elder：　　〃When　I　slew　him；　I　deemed　that　he　was　doing　me　all
scathe：　　but　now　I　know　that　it　was　not　so。　　Thus　it　was：　　I　would
needs　go　where　he　had　been　before；　and　he　stood　in　the　path　against
me；　and　I　overthrew　him；　and　went　on　the　way　I　would。〃

〃What　came　thereof？〃　said　Walter。

〃Evil　came　of　it；〃　said　the　carle。

Then　was　Walter　silent　a　while；　and　the　old　man　spake　nothing；　but
there　came　a　smile　in　his　face　that　was　both　sly　and　somewhat　sad。
Walter　looked　on　him　and　said：　　〃Was　it　from　hence　that　thou　wouldst
go　that　road？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　the　carle。

Said　Walter：　　〃And　now　wilt　thou　tell　me　what　that　road　was；　whither
it　went　and　whereto　it　led；　that　thou　must　needs　wend　it；　though　thy
first　stride　were　over　a　dead　man？〃

〃I　will　not　tell　thee；〃　said　the　carle。

Then　they　held　their　peace；　both　of　them；　and　thereafter　got　on　to
other　talk　of　no　import。

So　wore　the　day　till　night　came；　and　they　slept　safely；　and　on　the
morrow　after　they　had　broken　their　fast；　the　more　part　of　them　set
off　with　the　carle　to　the　hunting；　and　they　went；　all　of　them；　a
three　hours'　faring　towards　the　foot　of　the　cliffs；　which　was　all
grown　over　with　coppice；　hazel　and　thorn；　with　here　and　there　a　big
oak　or　ash…tree；　there　it　was；　said　the　old　man；　where　the　venison
was　most　and　best。

Of　their　hunting　need　nought　be　said；　saving　that　when　the　carle　had
put　them　on　the　track　of　the　deer　and　shown　them　what　to　do；　he　came
back　again　with　Walter；　who　had　no　great　lust　for　the　hunting；　and
sorely　longed　to　have　some　more　talk　with　the　said　carle。　　He　for
his　part　seemed　nought　loth　thereto；　and　so　led　Walter　to　a　mound　or
hillock　amidst　the　clear　of　the　plain；　whence　all　was　to　be　seen
save　where　the　wood　covered　it；　but　just　before　where　they　now　lay
down　there　was　no　wood；　save　low　bushes；　betwixt　them　and　the　rock…
wall；　and　Walter　noted　that　whereas　otherwhere；　save　in　one　p