the wood beyond the world-第6部分

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snowy　peaks　beyond　them。

Then　for　very　surprise　of　joy　his　spirit　wavered；　and　he　felt　faint
and　dizzy；　so　that　he　was　fain　to　sit　down　a　while　and　cover　his
face　with　his　hands。　　Presently　he　came　to　his　sober　mind　again；　and
stood　up　and　looked　forth　keenly；　and　saw　no　sign　of　any　dwelling　of
man。　　But　he　said　to　himself　that　that　might　well　be　because　the
good　and　well…grassed　land　was　still　so　far　off；　and　that　he　might
yet　look　to　find　men　and　their　dwellings　when　he　had　left　the
mountain　wilderness　quite　behind　him：　　So　therewith　he　fell　to　going
his　ways　down　the　mountain；　and　lost　little　time　therein；　whereas　he
now　had　his　livelihood　to　look　to。



CHAPTER　IX：　　WALTER　HAPPENETH　ON　THE　FIRST　OF　THOSE　THREE　CREATURES



What　with　one　thing；　what　with　another；　as　his　having　to　turn　out　of
his　way　for　sheer　rocks；　or　for　slopes　so　steep　that　he　might　not
try　the　peril　of　them；　and　again　for　bogs　impassable；　he　was　fully
three　days　more　before　he　had　quite　come　out　of　the　stony　waste；　and
by　that　time；　though　he　had　never　lacked　water；　his　scanty　victual
was　quite　done；　for　all　his　careful　husbandry　thereof。　　But　this
troubled　him　little；　whereas　he　looked　to　find　wild　fruits　here　and
there　and　to　shoot　some　small　deer；　as　hare　or　coney；　and　make　a
shift　to　cook　the　same；　since　he　had　with　him　flint　and　fire…steel。
Moreover　the　further　he　went；　the　surer　he　was　that　he　should　soon
come　across　a　dwelling；　so　smooth　and　fair　as　everything　looked
before　him。　　And　he　had　scant　fear；　save　that　he　might　happen　on　men
who　should　enthrall　him。

But　when　he　was　come　down　past　the　first　green　slopes；　he　was　so
worn；　that　he　said　to　himself　that　rest　was　better　than　meat；　so
little　as　he　had　slept　for　the　last　three　days；　so　he　laid　him　down
under　an　ash…tree　by　a　stream…side；　nor　asked　what　was　o'clock；　but
had　his　fill　of　sleep；　and　even　when　he　awoke　in　the　fresh　morning
was　little　fain　of　rising；　but　lay　betwixt　sleeping　and　waking　for
some　three　hours　more；　then　he　arose；　and　went　further　down　the　next
green　bent；　yet　somewhat　slowly　because　of　his　hunger…weakness。　　And
the　scent　of　that　fair　land　came　up　to　him　like　the　odour　of　one
great　nosegay。

So　he　came　to　where　the　land　was　level；　and　there　were　many　trees；
as　oak　and　ash；　and　sweet…chestnut　and　wych…elm；　and　hornbeam　and
quicken…tree；　not　growing　in　a　close　wood　or　tangled　thicket；　but
set　as　though　in　order　on　the　flowery　greensward；　even　as　it　might
be　in　a　great　king's　park。

So　came　he　to　a　big　bird…cherry；　whereof　many　boughs　hung　low　down
laden　with　fruit：　　his　belly　rejoiced　at　the　sight；　and　he　caught
hold　of　a　bough；　and　fell　to　plucking　and　eating。　　But　whiles　he　was
amidst　of　this；　he　heard　suddenly；　close　anigh　him；　a　strange　noise
of　roaring　and　braying；　not　very　great；　but　exceeding　fierce　and
terrible；　and　not　like　to　the　voice　of　any　beast　that　he　knew。　　As
has　been　aforesaid；　Walter　was　no　faint…heart；　but　what　with　the
weakness　of　his　travail　and　hunger；　what　with　the　strangeness　of　his
adventure　and　his　loneliness；　his　spirit　failed　him；　he　turned　round
towards　the　noise；　his　knees　shook　and　he　trembled：　　this　way　and
that　he　looked；　and　then　gave　a　great　cry　and　tumbled　down　in　a
swoon；　for　close　before　him；　at　his　very　feet；　was　the　dwarf　whose
image　he　had　seen　before；　clad　in　his　yellow　coat；　and　grinning　up
at　him　from　his　hideous　hairy　countenance。

How　long　he　lay　there　as　one　dead；　he　knew　not；　but　when　he　woke
again　there　was　the　dwarf　sitting　on　his　hams　close　by　him。　　And
when　he　lifted　up　his　head；　the　dwarf　sent　out　that　fearful　harsh
voice　again；　but　this　time　Walter　could　make　out　words　therein；　and
knew　that　the　creature　spoke　and　said：

〃How　now！　　What　art　thou？　　Whence　comest？　　What　wantest？〃

Walter　sat　up　and　said：　　〃I　am　a　man；　I　hight　Golden　Walter；　I　come
from　Langton；　I　want　victual。〃

Said　the　dwarf；　writhing　his　face　grievously；　and　laughing　forsooth：
〃I　know　it　all：　　I　asked　thee　to　see　what　wise　thou　wouldst　lie。　　I
was　sent　forth　to　look　for　thee；　and　I　have　brought　thee　loathsome
bread　with　me；　such　as　ye　aliens　must　needs　eat：　　take　it！〃

Therewith　he　drew　a　loaf　from　a　satchel　which　he　bore；　and　thrust　it
towards　Walter；　who　took　it　somewhat　doubtfully　for　all　his　hunger。

The　dwarf　yelled　at　him：　　〃Art　thou　dainty；　alien？　　Wouldst　thou
have　flesh？　　Well；　give　me　thy　bow　and　an　arrow　or　two；　since　thou
art　lazy…sick；　and　I　will　get　thee　a　coney　or　a　hare；　or　a　quail
maybe。　　Ah；　I　forgot；　thou　art　dainty；　and　wilt　not　eat　flesh　as　I
do；　blood　and　all　together；　but　must　needs　half　burn　it　in　the　fire；
or　mar　it　with　hot　water；　as　they　say　my　Lady　does：　　or　as　the
Wretch；　the　Thing　does；　I　know　that；　for　I　have　seen　It　eating。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Walter；　〃this　sufficeth；〃　and　he　fell　to　eating　the
bread；　which　was　sweet　between　his　teeth。　　Then　when　he　had　eaten　a
while；　for　hunger　compelled　him；　he　said　to　the　dwarf：　　〃But　what
meanest　thou　by　the　Wretch　and　the　Thing？　　And　what　Lady　is　thy
Lady？〃

The　creature　let　out　another　wordless　roar　as　of　furious　anger；　and
then　the　words　came：　　〃It　hath　a　face　white　and　red；　like　to　thine；
and　hands　white　as　thine；　yea；　but　whiter；　and　the　like　it　is
underneath　its　raiment；　only　whiter　still：　　for　I　have　seen　Ityes；
I　have　seen　It；　ah　yes　and　yes　and　yes。〃

And　therewith　his　words　ran　into　gibber　and　yelling；　and　he　rolled
about　and　smote　at　the　grass：　　but　in　a　while　he　grew　quiet　again
and　sat　still；　and　then　fell　to　laughing　horribly　again；　and　then
said：　　〃But　thou；　fool；　wilt　think　It　fair　if　thou　fallest　into　Its
hands；　and　wilt　repent　it　thereafter；　as　I　did。　　Oh；　the　mocking　and
gibes　of　It；　and　the　tears　and　shrieks　of　It；　and　the　knife！　　What！
sayest　thou　of　my　Lady？What　Lady？　　O　alien；　what　other　Lady　is
there？　　And　what　shall　I　tell　thee　of　her？　it　is　like　that　she　made
me；　as　she　made　the　Bear　men。　　But　she　made　not　the　Wretch；　the
Thing；　and　she　hateth　It　sorely；　as　I　do。　　And　some　day　to　come〃

Thereat　he　brake　off　and　fell　to　wordless　yelling　a　long　while；　and
thereafter　spake　all　panting：　　〃Now　I　have　told　thee　overmuch；　and　O
if　my　Lady　come　to　hear　thereof。　　Now　I　will　go。〃

And　therewith　he　took　out　two　more　loaves　from　his　wallet；　and
tossed　them　to　Walter；　and　so　turned　and　went　his　ways；　whiles
walking　upright；　as　Walter　had　seen　his　image　on　the　quay　of
Langton；　whiles　bounding　and　rolling　like　a　ball　thrown　by　a　lad；
whiles　scuttling　along　on　all…fours　like　an　evil　beast；　and　ever　and
anon　giving　forth　that　harsh　and　evil　cry。

Walter　sat　a　while　after　he　was　out　of　sight；　so　stricken　with
horror　and　loathing　and　a　fear　of　he　knew　not　what；　that　he　might
not　move。　　Then　he　plucked　up　a　heart；　and　looked　to　his　weapons　and
put　the　other　loaves　into　his　scrip。

Then　he　arose　and　went　his　ways　wondering；　yea　and　dreading；　what
kind　of　creature　he　should　next　fall　in　with。　　For　soothly　it　seemed
to　him　that　it　would　be　worse　than　death　if　they　were　all　such　as
this　one；　and　that　if　it　were　so；　he　must　needs　slay　and　be　slain。



CHAPTER　X：　　WALTER　HAPPENETH　ON　ANOTHER　CREATURE　IN　THE　STRANGE　LAND



But　as　he　went　on　through　the　fair　and　sweet　land　so　bright　and　sun…
litten；　and　he　now　rested　and　fed；　the　horror　and　fear　ran　off　from
him；　and　he　wandered　on　merrily；　neither　did　aught　befall　him　save
the　coming　of　night；　when　he　laid　him　down　under　a　great　spreading
oak　with　his　drawn　sword　ready　to　hand；　and　fell　asleep　at　once；　and
woke　not　till　the　sun　was　high。

Then　he　arose　and　went　on　his　way　again；　and　the　land　was　no　worser
than　yesterday；　but　even　better；　it　might　be；　the　greensward　more
flowery；　the　oaks　and　chestnuts　greater。　　Deer　of　diverse　kinds　he
saw；　and　might　easily　have　got　his　meat　thereof；　but　he　meddled　not
with　them　since　he　had　his　bread；　and　was　timorous　of　lighting　a
fire。　　Withal　he　doubted　little　of　having　some　entertainment；　and
that；　might　be；　nought　evil；　since　even　that　fearful　dwarf　had　been
courteous　to　him　after　his　kind；　and　had　done　him　good　and　not　harm。
But　of　the　happening　on　the　Wretch　and　the　Thing；　whereof　the　dwarf
spake；　he　was　yet　somewhat　afeard。

After　he　had　gone　a　while　and　whenas　the　summer　morn　was　at　its
brightest；　he　saw　a　little　way　ahead　a　grey　rock　rising　up　from
amidst　of　a　ring　of　oak…trees；　so　he　turned　thither　straightway；　for
in　this　plain…land　he　had　seen　no　rocks　heretofore；　and　as　he　went
he　saw　that　there　was　a　fountain　gushing　out　from　under　the　rock；
which　ran　thence　in　a　fair　little　stream。　　And　when　he　had　the　rock
and　the　fountain　and　the　stream　clear　before　him；　lo！　a　child　of
Adam　sitting　beside　the　fountain　under　the　shadow　of　the　rock。　　He
drew　a　little　nigher；　and　then　he　saw　that　it　was　a　woman；　clad　in
green　like　the　sward　whereon　she　lay。　　She　was　playing　with　the
welling　out　of　the　water；　and　she　had　trussed　up　her　sleeves　to　the
shoulder　that　she　might　thrust　her　bare　arms　therein。　　Her　shoes　of
black　leather　lay　on　the　grass　beside　her；　and　her　feet　and　legs　yet
shone　with　the　brook。

Belike　amidst　the　splashing　and　clatter　of　the　water　she　did　not
hear　him　drawing　nigh；　so　that　he　was　close　to　her　before　she　lifted
up　her　face　and　saw　him；　and　he　beheld　her；　that　it　was　the　maiden
of　the　thrice…seen　pageant。　　She　reddened　when　she　saw　him；　and
hastily　covered　up　her　legs　with　her　gown…skirt；　and　drew　down　the
sleeves　over　her　arms；　but　otherwise　stirred　not。　　As　for　him；　he
stood　still；　striving　to　speak　to　her；　but　no　word　might　he　bring
out；　and　his　heart　beat　sorely。

But　the　maiden　spake　to　him　in　a　clear　sweet　voice；　wherein　was　now
no　trouble：　　〃Thou　art　an　alien；　art　thou　not？　　For　I　have　not　seen
thee　before。〃

〃Yea；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　an　alien；　wilt　thou　be　good　to　me？〃

She　said：　　〃And　why　not？　　I　was　afraid　at　first；　for　I　thought　it
had　been　the　King's　Son。　　I　looked　to　see　none　other；　for　of　goodly
men　he　has　been　the　only　one　here　in　the　land　this　long　while；　till
thy　coming。〃

He　said：　　〃Didst　thou　look　for　my　coming　at　about　this　time？〃

〃O　nay；〃　she　said；　〃how　might　I？〃

Said　Walter：　　〃I　wot　not；　but　the　other　man　seemed　to　be　looking　for
me；　and　knew　of　me；　and　he　brought　me　bread　to　eat