the wood beyond the world- 第26部分

CHAPTER　XXXVI：　　OF　WALTER　AND　THE　MAID　IN　THE　DAYS　OF　THE　KINGSHIP



Long　it　was；　indeed；　till　the　women；　by　the　King's　command；　had
brought　the　Maid　to　the　King's　chamber；　and　he　met　her；　and　took　her
by　the　shoulders　and　kissed　her；　and　said：　　〃Art　thou　not　weary；
sweetheart？　　Doth　not　the　city；　and　the　thronging　folk；　and　the
watching　eyes　of　the　great　ones　。　。　。　doth　it　not　all　lie　heavy　on
thee；　as　it　doth　upon　me？〃

She　said：　　〃And　where　is　the　city　now？　is　not　this　the　wilderness
again；　and　thou　and　I　alone　together　therein？〃

He　gazed　at　her　eagerly；　and　she　reddened；　so　that　her　eyes　shone
light　amidst　the　darkness　of　the　flush　of　her　cheeks。

He　spake　trembling　and　softly；　and　said：　　〃Is　it　not　in　one　matter
better　than　the　wilderness？　is　not　the　fear　gone；　yea；　every　whit
thereof？〃

The　dark　flush　had　left　her　face；　and　she　looked　on　him　exceeding
sweetly；　and　spoke　steadily　and　clearly：　　〃Even　so　it　is；　beloved。〃
Therewith　she　set　her　hand　to　the　girdle　that　girt　her　loins；　and
did　it　off；　and　held　it　out　toward　him；　and　said：　　〃Here　is　the
token；　this　is　a　maid's　girdle；　and　the　woman　is　ungirt。〃

So　he　took　the　girdle　and　her　hand　withal；　and　cast　his　arms　about
her：　　and　amidst　the　sweetness　of　their　love　and　their　safety；　and
assured　hope　of　many　days　of　joy；　they　spake　together　of　the　hours
when　they　fared　the　razor…edge　betwixt　guile　and　misery　and　death；
and　the　sweeter　yet　it　grew　to　them　because　of　it；　and　many　things
she　told　him　ere　the　dawn；　of　the　evil　days　bygone；　and　the　dealings
of　the　Mistress　with　her；　till　the　grey　day　stole　into　the　chamber
to　make　manifest　her　loveliness；　which；　forsooth；　was　better　even
than　the　deeming　of　that　man　amidst　the　throng　whose　heart　had　been
so　drawn　towards　her。　　So　they　rejoiced　together　in　the　new　day。

But　when　the　full　day　was；　and　Walter　arose；　he　called　his　thanes
and　wise　men　to　the　council；　and　first　he　bade　open　the　prison…
doors；　and　feed　the　needy　and　clothe　them；　and　make　good　cheer　to
all　men；　high　and　low；　rich　and　unrich；　and　thereafter　he　took
counsel　with　them　on　many　matters；　and　they　marvelled　at　his　wisdom
and　the　keenness　of　his　wit；　and　so　it　was；　that　some　were　but　half
pleased　thereat；　whereas　they　saw　that　their　will　was　like　to　give
way　before　his　in　all　matters。　　But　the　wiser　of　them　rejoiced　in
him；　and　looked　for　good　days　while　his　life　lasted。

Now　of　the　deeds　that　he　did；　and　his　joys　and　his　griefs；　the　tale
shall　tell　no　more；　nor　of　how　he　saw　Langton　again；　and　his
dealings　there。

In　Stark…wall　he　dwelt；　and　reigned　a　King；　well　beloved　of　his
folk；　sorely　feared　of　their　foemen。　　Strife　he　had　to　deal　with；　at
home　and　abroad；　but　therein　he　was　not　quelled；　till　he　fell　asleep
fair　and　softly；　when　this　world　had　no　more　of　deeds　for　him　to　do。
Nor　may　it　be　said　that　the　needy　lamented　him；　for　no　needy　had　he
left　in　his　own　land。　　And　few　foes　he　left　behind　to　hate　him。

As　to　the　Maid；　she　so　waxed　in　loveliness　and　kindness；　that　it　was
a　year's　joy　for　any　to　have　cast　eyes　upon　her　in　street　or　on
field。　　All　wizardry　left　her　since　the　day　of　her　wedding；　yet　of
wit　and　wisdom　she　had　enough　left；　and　to　spare；　for　she　needed　no
going　about；　and　no　guile；　any　more　than　hard　commands；　to　have　her
will　done。　　So　loved　she　was　by　all　folk；　forsooth；　that　it　was　a
mere　joy　for　any　to　go　about　her　errands。　　To　be　short；　she　was　the
land's　increase；　and　the　city's　safeguard；　and　the　bliss　of　the
folk。

Somewhat；　as　the　days　passed；　it　misgave　her　that　she　had　beguiled
the　Bear…folk　to　deem　her　their　God；　and　she　considered　and　thought
how　she　might　atone　it。

So　the　second　year　after　they　had　come　to　Stark…wall；　she　went　with
certain　folk　to　the　head　of　the　pass　that　led　down　to　the　Bears；　and
there　she　stayed　the　men…at…arms；　and　went　on　further　with　a　two
score　of　husbandmen　whom　she　had　redeemed　from　thralldom　in　Stark…
wall；　and　when　they　were　hard　on　the　dales　of　the　Bears；　she　left
them　there　in　a　certain　little　dale；　with　their　wains　and　horses；
and　seed…corn；　and　iron　tools；　and　went　down　all　bird…alone　to　the
dwelling　of　those　huge　men；　unguarded　now　by　sorcery；　and　trusting
in　nought　but　her　loveliness　and　kindness。　　Clad　she　was　now；　as
when　she　fled　from　the　Wood　beyond　the　World；　in　a　short　white　coat
alone；　with　bare　feet　and　naked　arms；　but　the　said　coat　was　now
embroidered　with　the　imagery　of　blossoms　in　silk　and　gold；　and　gems；
whereas　now　her　wizardry　had　departed　from　her。

So　she　came　to　the　Bears；　and　they　knew　her　at　once；　and　worshipped
and　blessed　her；　and　feared　her。　　But　she　told　them　that　she　had　a
gift　for　them；　and　was　come　to　give　it；　and　therewith　she　told　them
of　the　art　of　tillage；　and　bade　them　learn　it；　and　when　they　asked
her　how　they　should　do　so；　she　told　them　of　the　men　who　were　abiding
them　in　the　mountain　dale；　and　bade　the　Bears　take　them　for　their
brothers　and　sons　of　the　ancient　Fathers；　and　then　they　should　be
taught　of　them。　　This　they　behight　her　to　do；　and　so　she　led　them　to
where　her　freedmen　lay；　whom　the　Bears　received　with　all　joy　and
loving…kindness；　and　took　them　into　their　folk。

So　they　went　back　to　their　dales　together；　but　the　Maid　went　her
ways　back　to　her　men…at…arms　and　the　city　of　Stark…wall。

Thereafter　she　sent　more　gifts　and　messages　to　the　Bears；　but　never
again　went　herself　to　see　them；　for　as　good　a　face　as　she　put　on　it
that　last　time；　yet　her　heart　waxed　cold　with　fear；　and　it　almost
seemed　to　her　that　her　Mistress　was　alive　again；　and　that　she　was
escaping　from　her　and　plotting　against　her　once　more。

As　for　the　Bears；　they　throve　and　multiplied；　till　at　last　strife
arose　great　and　grim　betwixt　them　and　other　peoples；　for　they　had
become　mighty　in　battle：　　yea；　once　and　again　they　met　the　host　of
Stark…wall　in　fight；　and　overthrew　and　were　overthrown。　　But　that
was　a　long　while　after　the　Maid　had　passed　away。

Now　of　Walter　and　the　Maid　is　no　more　to　be　told；　saving　that　they
begat　between　them　goodly　sons　and　fair　daughters；　whereof　came　a
great　lineage　in　Stark…wall；　which　lineage　was　so　strong；　and
endured　so　long　a　while；　that　by　then　it　had　died　out；　folk　had
clean　forgotten　their　ancient　Custom　of　king…making；　so　that　after
Walter　of　Langton　there　was　never　another　king　that　came　down　to
them　poor　and　lonely　from　out　of　the　Mountains　of　the　Bears。






End