the wood beyond the world-第3部分

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and　bade　the　mariners　take　in　sail　and　be　right　heedful。　　And　when
Walter　asked　him　what　he　looked　for；　and　wherefore　he　spake　not　to
him　thereof；　he　said　surlily：　　〃Why　should　I　tell　thee　what　any　fool
can　see　without　telling；　to　wit　that　there　is　weather　to　hand？〃

So　they　abode　what　should　befall；　and　Walter　went　to　his　room　to
sleep　away　the　uneasy　while；　for　the　night　was　now　fallen；　and　he
knew　no　more　till　he　was　waked　up　by　great　hubbub　and　clamour　of　the
shipmen；　and　the　whipping　of　ropes；　and　thunder　of　flapping　sails；
and　the　tossing　and　weltering　of　the　ship　withal。　　But；　being　a　very
stout…hearted　young　man；　he　lay　still　in　his　room；　partly　because　he
was　a　landsman；　and　had　no　mind　to　tumble　about　amongst　the　shipmen
and　hinder　them；　and　withal　he　said　to　himself：　　What　matter　whether
I　go　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　or　come　back　to　Langton；　since
either　way　my　life　or　my　death　will　take　away　from　me　the　fulfilment
of　desire？　　Yet　soothly　if　there　hath　been　a　shift　of　wind；　that　is
not　so　ill；　for　then　shall　we　be　driven　to　other　lands；　and　so　at
the　least　our　home…coming　shall　be　delayed；　and　other　tidings　may
hap　amidst　of　our　tarrying。　　So　let　all　be　as　it　will。

So　in　a　little　while；　in　spite　of　the　ship's　wallowing　and　the
tumult　of　the　wind　and　waves；　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　woke　no　more
till　it　was　full　daylight；　and　there　was　the　shipmaster　standing　in
the　door　of　his　room；　the　sea…water　all　streaming　from　his　wet…
weather　raiment。　　He　said　to　Walter：　　〃Young　master；　the　sele　of　the
day　to　thee！　　For　by　good　hap　we　have　gotten　into　another　day。　　Now
I　shall　tell　thee　that　we　have　striven　to　beat；　so　as　not　to　be
driven　off　our　course；　but　all　would　not　avail；　wherefore　for　these
three　hours　we　have　been　running　before　the　wind；　but；　fair　sir；　so
big　hath　been　the　sea　that　but　for　our　ship　being　of　the　stoutest；
and　our　men　all　yare；　we　had　all　grown　exceeding　wise　concerning　the
ground　of　the　mid…main。　　Praise　be　to　St。　Nicholas　and　all　Hallows！
for　though　ye　shall　presently　look　upon　a　new　sea；　and　maybe　a　new
land　to　boot；　yet　is　that　better　than　looking　on　the　ugly　things
down　below。〃

〃Is　all　well　with　ship　and　crew　then？〃　said　Walter。

〃Yea　forsooth；〃　said　the　shipmaster；　〃verily　the　Bartholomew　is　the
darling　of　Oak　Woods；　come　up　and　look　at　it；　how　she　is　dealing
with　wind　and　waves　all　free　from　fear。〃

So　Walter　did　on　his　foul…weather　raiment；　and　went　up　on　to　the
quarter…deck；　and　there　indeed　was　a　change　of　days；　for　the　sea　was
dark　and　tumbling　mountain…high；　and　the　white…horses　were　running
down　the　valleys　thereof；　and　the　clouds　drave　low　over　all；　and
bore　a　scud　of　rain　along　with　them；　and　though　there　was　but　a　rag
of　sail　on　her；　the　ship　flew　before　the　wind；　rolling　a　great　wash
of　water　from　bulwark　to　bulwark。

Walter　stood　looking　on　it　all　awhile；　holding　on　by　a　stay…rope；
and　saying　to　himself　that　it　was　well　that　they　were　driving　so
fast　toward　new　things。

Then　the　shipmaster　came　up　to　him　and　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder
and　said：　　〃Well；　shipmate；　cheer　up！　and　now　come　below　again　and
eat　some　meat；　and　drink　a　cup　with　me。〃

So　Walter　went　down　and　ate　and　drank；　and　his　heart　was　lighter
than　it　had　been　since　he　had　heard　of　his　father's　death；　and　the
feud　awaiting　him　at　home；　which　forsooth　he　had　deemed　would　stay
his　wanderings　a　weary　while；　and　therewithal　his　hopes。　　But　now　it
seemed　as　if　he　needs　must　wander；　would　he；　would　he　not；　and　so　it
was　that　even　this　fed　his　hope；　so　sore　his　heart　clung　to　that
desire　of　his　to　seek　home　to　those　three　that　seemed　to　call　him
unto　them。



CHAPTER　V：　　NOW　THEY　COME　TO　A　NEW　LAND



Three　days　they　drave　before　the　wind；　and　on　the　fourth　the　clouds
lifted；　the　sun　shone　out　and　the　offing　was　clear；　the　wind　had
much　abated；　though　it　still　blew　a　breeze；　and　was　a　head　wind　for
sailing　toward　the　country　of　Langton。　　So　then　the　master　said
that；　since　they　were　bewildered；　and　the　wind　so　ill　to　deal　with；
it　were　best　to　go　still　before　the　wind　that　they　might　make　some
land　and　get　knowledge　of　their　whereabouts　from　the　folk　thereof。
Withal　he　said　that　he　deemed　the　land　not　to　be　very　far　distant。

So　did　they；　and　sailed　on　pleasantly　enough；　for　the　weather　kept
on　mending；　and　the　wind　fell　till　it　was　but　a　light　breeze；　yet
still　foul　for　Langton。

So　wore　three　days；　and　on　the　eve　of　the　third；　the　man　from　the
topmast　cried　out　that　he　saw　land　ahead；　and　so　did　they　all　before
the　sun　was　quite　set；　though　it　were　but　a　cloud　no　bigger　than　a
man's　hand。

When　night　fell　they　struck　not　sail；　but　went　forth　toward　the　land
fair　and　softly；　for　it　was　early　summer；　so　that　the　nights　were
neither　long　nor　dark。

But　when　it　was　broad　daylight；　they　opened　a　land；　a　long　shore　of
rocks　and　mountains；　and　nought　else　that　they　could　see　at　first。
Nevertheless　as　day　wore　and　they　drew　nigher；　first　they　saw　how
the　mountains　fell　away　from　the　sea；　and　were　behind　a　long　wall　of
sheer　cliff；　and　coming　nigher　yet；　they　beheld　a　green　plain　going
up　after　a　little　in　green　bents　and　slopes　to　the　feet　of　the　said
cliff…wall。

No　city　nor　haven　did　they　see　there；　not　even　when　they　were　far
nigher　to　the　land；　nevertheless；　whereas　they　hankered　for　the
peace　of　the　green　earth　after　all　the　tossing　and　unrest　of　the
sea；　and　whereas　also　they　doubted　not　to　find　at　the　least　good　and
fresh　water；　and　belike　other　bait　in　the　plain　under　the　mountains；
they　still　sailed　on　not　unmerrily；　so　that　by　nightfall　they　cast
anchor　in　five…fathom　water　hard　by　the　shore。

Next　morning　they　found　that　they　were　lying　a　little　way　off　the
mouth　of　a　river　not　right　great；　so　they　put　out　their　boats　and
towed　the　ship　up　into　the　said　river；　and　when　they　had　gone　up　it
for　a　mile　or　thereabouts　they　found　the　sea　water　failed；　for
little　was　the　ebb　and　flow　of　the　tide　on　that　coast。　　Then　was　the
river　deep　and　clear；　running　between　smooth　grassy　land　like　to
meadows。　　Also　on　their　left　board　they　saw　presently　three　head　of
neat　cattle　going；　as　if　in　a　meadow　of　a　homestead　in　their　own
land；　and　a　few　sheep；　and　thereafter；　about　a　bow…draught　from　the
river；　they　saw　a　little　house　of　wood　and　straw…thatch　under　a
wooded　mound；　and　with　orchard　trees　about　it。　　They　wondered　little
thereat；　for　they　knew　no　cause　why　that　land　should　not　be　builded；
though　it　were　in　the　far　outlands。　　However；　they　drew　their　ship
up　to　the　bank；　thinking　that　they　would　at　least　abide　awhile　and
ask　tidings　and　have　some　refreshing　of　the　green　plain；　which　was
so　lovely　and　pleasant。

But　while　they　were　busied　herein　they　saw　a　man　come　out　of　the
house；　and　down　to　the　river　to　meet　them；　and　they　soon　saw　that　he
was　tall　and　old；　long…hoary　of　hair　and　beard；　and　clad　mostly　in
the　skins　of　beasts。

He　drew　nigh　without　any　fear　or　mistrust；　and　coming　close　to　them
gave　them　the　sele　of　the　day　in　a　kindly　and　pleasant　voice。　　The
shipmaster　greeted　him　in　his　turn；　and　said　withal：　　〃Old　man；　art
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