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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3055-h.zip b/3055-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e787718 --- /dev/null +++ b/3055-h.zip diff --git a/3055-h/3055-h.htm b/3055-h/3055-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..59c86e1 --- /dev/null +++ b/3055-h/3055-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5072 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Wood Beyond the World</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + TD { vertical-align: top; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Wood Beyond the World, by William Morris</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Wood Beyond the World, by William Morris + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Wood Beyond the World + + +Author: William Morris + + + +Release Date: May 1, 2007 [eBook #3055] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1913 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">BY WILLIAM MORRIS</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">pocket +edition</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.<br /> +<span class="smcap">39 paternoster row</span>, <span +class="smcap">london</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">new york</span>, <span +class="smcap">bombay</span>, <span class="smcap">and +calcutta</span><br /> +1913</p> +<h2>CHAPTER I: OF GOLDEN WALTER AND HIS FATHER</h2> +<p>Awhile ago there was a young man dwelling in a great and +goodly city by the sea which had to name Langton on +Holm. He was but of five and twenty winters, a +fair-faced man, yellow-haired, tall and strong; rather wiser than +foolisher than young men are mostly wont; a valiant youth, and a +kind; not of many words but courteous of speech; no roisterer, +nought masterful, but peaceable and knowing how to forbear: in a +fray a perilous foe, and a trusty war-fellow. His +father, with whom he was dwelling when this tale begins, was a +great merchant, richer than a baron of the land, a head-man of +the greatest of the Lineages of Langton, and a captain of the +Porte; he was of the Lineage of the Goldings, therefore was he +called Bartholomew Golden, and his son Golden Walter.</p> +<p>Now ye may well deem that such a youngling as this was looked +upon by all as a lucky man without a lack; but there was this +flaw in his lot, whereas he had fallen into the toils of love of +a woman exceeding fair, and had taken her to wife, she nought +unwilling as it seemed. But when they had been wedded +some six months he found by manifest tokens, that his fairness +was not so much to her but that she must seek to the foulness of +one worser than he in all ways; wherefore his rest departed from +him, whereas he hated her for her untruth and her hatred of him; +yet would the sound of her voice, as she came and went in the +house, make his heart beat; and the sight of her stirred desire +within him, so that he longed for her to be sweet and kind with +him, and deemed that, might it be so, he should forget all the +evil gone by. But it was not so; for ever when she +saw him, her face changed, and her hatred of him became manifest, +and howsoever she were sweet with others, with him she was hard +and sour.</p> +<p>So this went on a while till the chambers of his +father’s house, yea the very streets of the city, became +loathsome to him; and yet he called to mind that the world was +wide and he but a young man. So on a day as he sat +with his father alone, he spake to him and said: “Father, I +was on the quays even now, and I looked on the ships that were +nigh boun, and thy sign I saw on a tall ship that seemed to me +nighest boun. Will it be long ere she +sail?”</p> +<p>“Nay,” said his father, “that ship, which +hight the Katherine, will they warp out of the haven in two +days’ time. But why askest thou of +her?”</p> +<p>“The shortest word is best, father,” said Walter, +“and this it is, that I would depart in the said ship and +see other lands.”</p> +<p>“Yea and whither, son?” said the merchant.</p> +<p>“Whither she goeth,” said Walter, “for I am +ill at ease at home, as thou wottest, father.”</p> +<p>The merchant held his peace awhile, and looked hard on his +son, for there was strong love between them; but at last he said: +“Well, son, maybe it were best for thee; but maybe also we +shall not meet again.”</p> +<p>“Yet if we do meet, father, then shalt thou see a new +man in me.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said Bartholomew, “at least I know +on whom to lay the loss of thee, and when thou art gone, for thou +shalt have thine own way herein, she shall no longer abide in my +house. Nay, but it were for the strife that should +arise thenceforth betwixt her kindred and ours, it should go +somewhat worse with her than that.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “I pray thee shame her not more than needs +must be, lest, so doing, thou shame both me and thyself +also.”</p> +<p>Bartholomew held his peace again for a while; then he said: +“Goeth she with child, my son?”</p> +<p>Walter reddened, and said: “I wot not; nor of whom the +child may be.” Then they both sat silent, till +Bartholomew spake, saying: “The end of it is, son, that +this is Monday, and that thou shalt go aboard in the small hours +of Wednesday; and meanwhile I shall look to it that thou go not +away empty-handed; the skipper of the Katherine is a good man and +true, and knows the seas well; and my servant Robert the Low, who +is clerk of the lading, is trustworthy and wise, and as myself in +all matters that look towards chaffer. The Katherine +is new and stout-builded, and should be lucky, whereas she is +under the ward of her who is the saint called upon in the church +where thou wert christened, and myself before thee; and thy +mother, and my father and mother all lie under the chancel +thereof, as thou wottest.”</p> +<p>Therewith the elder rose up and went his ways about his +business, and there was no more said betwixt him and his son on +this matter.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER II: GOLDEN WALTER TAKES SHIP TO SAIL THE SEAS</h2> +<p>When Walter went down to the Katherine next morning, there was +the skipper Geoffrey, who did him reverence, and made him all +cheer, and showed him his room aboard ship, and the plenteous +goods which his father had sent down to the quays already, such +haste as he had made. Walter thanked his father’s +love in his heart, but otherwise took little heed to his affairs, +but wore away the time about the haven, gazing listlessly on the +ships that were making them ready outward, or unlading, and the +mariners and aliens coming and going: and all these were to him +as the curious images woven on a tapestry.</p> +<p>At last when he had wellnigh come back again to the Katherine, +he saw there a tall ship, which he had scarce noted before, a +ship all-boun, which had her boats out, and men sitting to the +oars thereof ready to tow her outwards when the hawser should be +cast off, and by seeming her mariners were but abiding for some +one or other to come aboard.</p> +<p>So Walter stood idly watching the said ship, and as he looked, +lo! folk passing him toward the gangway. These were three; +first came a dwarf, dark-brown of hue and hideous, with long arms +and ears exceeding great and dog-teeth that stuck out like the +fangs of a wild beast. He was clad in a rich coat of yellow +silk, and bare in his hand a crooked bow, and was girt with a +broad sax.</p> +<p>After him came a maiden, young by seeming, of scarce twenty +summers; fair of face as a flower; grey-eyed, brown-haired, with +lips full and red, slim and gentle of body. Simple was her +array, of a short and strait green gown, so that on her right +ankle was clear to see an iron ring.</p> +<p>Last of the three was a lady, tall and stately, so radiant of +visage and glorious of raiment, that it were hard to say what +like she was; for scarce might the eye gaze steady upon her +exceeding beauty; yet must every son of Adam who found himself +anigh her, lift up his eyes again after he had dropped them, and +look again on her, and yet again and yet again. Even so did +Walter, and as the three passed by him, it seemed to him as if +all the other folk there about had vanished and were nought; nor +had he any vision before his eyes of any looking on them, save +himself alone. They went over the gangway into the ship, +and he saw them go along the deck till they came to the house on +the poop, and entered it and were gone from his sight.</p> +<p>There he stood staring, till little by little the thronging +people of the quays came into his eye-shot again; then he saw how +the hawser was cast off and the boats fell to tugging the big +ship toward the harbour-mouth with hale and how of men. +Then the sail fell down from the yard and was sheeted home and +filled with the fair wind as the ship’s bows ran up on the +first green wave outside the haven. Even therewith the +shipmen cast abroad a banner, whereon was done in a green field a +grim wolf ramping up against a maiden, and so went the ship upon +her way.</p> +<p>Walter stood awhile staring at her empty place where the waves +ran into the haven-mouth, and then turned aside and toward the +Katherine; and at first he was minded to go ask shipmaster +Geoffrey of what he knew concerning the said ship and her alien +wayfarers; but then it came into his mind, that all this was but +an imagination or dream of the day, and that he were best to +leave it untold to any. So therewith he went his way from +the water-side, and through the streets unto his father’s +house; but when he was but a little way thence, and the door was +before him, him-seemed for a moment of time that he beheld those +three coming out down the steps of stone and into the street; to +wit the dwarf, the maiden, and the stately lady: but when he +stood still to abide their coming, and looked toward them, lo! +there was nothing before him save the goodly house of Bartholomew +Golden, and three children and a cur dog playing about the steps +thereof, and about him were four or five passers-by going about +their business. Then was he all confused in his mind, and +knew not what to make of it, whether those whom he had seemed to +see pass aboard ship were but images of a dream, or children of +Adam in very flesh.</p> +<p>Howsoever, he entered the house, and found his father in the +chamber, and fell to speech with him about their matters; but for +all that he loved his father, and worshipped him as a wise and +valiant man, yet at that hour he might not hearken the words of +his mouth, so much was his mind entangled in the thought of those +three, and they were ever before his eyes, as if they had been +painted on a table by the best of limners. And of the two +women he thought exceeding much, and cast no wyte upon himself +for running after the desire of strange women. For he said +to himself that he desired not either of the twain; nay, he might +not tell which of the twain, the maiden or the stately queen, +were clearest to his eyes; but sore he desired to see both of +them again, and to know what they were.</p> +<p>So wore the hours till the Wednesday morning, and it was time +that he should bid farewell to his father and get aboard ship; +but his father led him down to the quays and on to the Katherine, +and there Walter embraced him, not without tears and forebodings; +for his heart was full. Then presently the old man went +aland; the gangway was unshipped, the hawsers cast off; the oars +of the towing-boats splashed in the dark water, the sail fell +down from the yard, and was sheeted home, and out plunged the +Katherine into the misty sea and rolled up the grey slopes, +casting abroad her ancient withal, whereon was beaten the token +of Bartholomew Golden, to wit a B and a G to the right and the +left, and thereabove a cross and a triangle rising from the +midst.</p> +<p>Walter stood on the stern and beheld, yet more with the mind +of him than with his eyes; for it all seemed but the double of +what the other ship had done; and the thought of it as if the +twain were as beads strung on one string and led away by it into +the same place, and thence to go in the like order, and so on +again and again, and never to draw nigher to each other.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER III: WALTER HEARETH TIDINGS OF THE DEATH OF HIS +FATHER</h2> +<p>Fast sailed the Katherine over the seas, and nought befell to +tell of, either to herself or her crew. She came to one +cheaping-town and then to another, and so on to a third and a +fourth; and at each was buying and selling after the manner of +chapmen; and Walter not only looked on the doings of his +father’s folk, but lent a hand, what he might, to help them +in all matters, whether it were in seaman’s craft, or in +chaffer. And the further he went and the longer the time +wore, the more he was eased of his old trouble wherein his wife +and her treason had to do.</p> +<p>But as for the other trouble, to wit his desire and longing to +come up with those three, it yet flickered before him; and though +he had not seen them again as one sees people in the streets, and +as if he might touch them if he would, yet were their images +often before his mind’s eye; and yet, as time wore, not so +often, nor so troublously; and forsooth both to those about him +and to himself, he seemed as a man well healed of his melancholy +mood.</p> +<p>Now they left that fourth stead, and sailed over the seas and +came to a fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made +more than seven months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was +Walter taking heed and joyance in such things as were toward in +that fair city, so far from his kindred, and especially he looked +on the fair women there, and desired them, and loved them; but +lightly, as befalleth young men.</p> +<p>Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; +so there they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in +pleasuring them in beholding all that there was of rare and +goodly, and making merry with the merchants and the towns-folk, +and the country-folk beyond the gates, and Walter was grown as +busy and gay as a strong young man is like to be, and was as one +who would fain be of some account amongst his own folk.</p> +<p>But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was +leaving his hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door +in his hand, there stood before him three mariners in the guise +of his own country, and with them was one of clerkly aspect, whom +he knew at once for his father’s scrivener, Arnold +Penstrong by name; and when Walter saw him his heart failed him +and he cried out: “Arnold, what tidings? Is all well +with the folk at Langton?”</p> +<p>Said Arnold: “Evil tidings are come with me; matters are +ill with thy folk; for I may not hide that thy father, +Bartholomew Golden, is dead, God rest his soul.”</p> +<p>At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but +now had sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, +and that his past life of the last few months had never been; and +it was to him as if he saw his father lying dead on his bed, and +heard the folk lamenting about the house. He held his peace +awhile, and then he said in a voice as of an angry man:</p> +<p>“What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he +was neither old nor ailing when we parted.”</p> +<p>Said Arnold: “Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was +somewhat sword-bitten.”</p> +<p>“Yea, and how?” quoth Walter.</p> +<p>Said Arnold: “When thou wert gone, in a few days’ +wearing, thy father sent thy wife out of his house back to her +kindred of the Reddings with no honour, and yet with no such +shame as might have been, without blame to us of those who knew +the tale of thee and her; which, God-a-mercy, will be pretty much +the whole of the city.”</p> +<p>“Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would +have a mote with us Goldings to talk of booting. By +ill-luck we yea-said that for the saving of the city’s +peace. But what betid? We met in our Gild-hall, and +there befell the talk between us; and in that talk certain words +could not be hidden, though they were none too seemly nor too +meek. And the said words once spoken drew forth the whetted +steel; and there then was the hewing and thrusting! Two of +ours were slain outright on the floor, and four of theirs, and +many were hurt on either side. Of these was thy father, for +as thou mayst well deem, he was nought backward in the fray; but +despite his hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he went +home on his own feet, and we deemed that we had come to our +above. But well-a-way! it was an evil victory, whereas in +ten days he died of his hurts. God have his soul! But +now, my master, thou mayst well wot that I am not come to tell +thee this only, but moreover to bear the word of the kindred, to +wit that thou come back with me straightway in the swift cutter +which hath borne me and the tidings; and thou mayst look to it, +that though she be swift and light, she is a keel full +weatherly.”</p> +<p>Then said Walter: “This is a bidding of war. Come +back will I, and the Reddings shall wot of my coming. Are +ye all-boun?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said Arnold, “we may up anchor this +very day, or to-morrow morn at latest. But what aileth +thee, master, that thou starest so wild over my shoulder? I +pray thee take it not so much to heart! Ever it is the wont +of fathers to depart this world before their sons.”</p> +<p>But Walter’s visage from wrathful red had become pale, +and he pointed up street, and cried out: “Look! dost thou +see?”</p> +<p>“See what, master?” quoth Arnold: “what! +here cometh an ape in gay raiment; belike the beast of some +jongleur. Nay, by God’s wounds! ’tis a man, +though he be exceeding mis-shapen like a very devil. Yea +and now there cometh a pretty maid going as if she were of his +meney; and lo! here, a most goodly and noble lady! Yea, I +see; and doubtless she owneth both the two, and is of the +greatest of the folk of this fair city; for on the maiden’s +ankle I saw an iron ring, which betokeneth thralldom amongst +these aliens. But this is strange! for notest thou not how +the folk in the street heed not this quaint show; nay not even +the stately lady, though she be as lovely as a goddess of the +gentiles, and beareth on her gems that would buy Langton twice +over; surely they must be over-wont to strange and gallant +sights. But now, master, but now!”</p> +<p>“Yea, what is it?” said Walter.</p> +<p>“Why, master, they should not yet be gone out of +eye-shot, yet gone they are. What is become of them, are +they sunk into the earth?”</p> +<p>“Tush, man!” said Walter, looking not on Arnold, +but still staring down the street; “they have gone into +some house while thine eyes were turned from them a +moment.”</p> +<p>“Nay, master, nay,” said Arnold, “mine eyes +were not off them one instant of time.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said Walter, somewhat snappishly, +“they are gone now, and what have we to do to heed such +toys, we with all this grief and strife on our hands? Now +would I be alone to turn the matter of thine errand over in my +mind. Meantime do thou tell the shipmaster Geoffrey and our +other folk of these tidings, and thereafter get thee all ready; +and come hither to me before sunrise to-morrow, and I shall be +ready for my part; and so sail we back to Langton.”</p> +<p>Therewith he turned him back into the house, and the others +went their ways; but Walter sat alone in his chamber a long +while, and pondered these things in his mind. And whiles he +made up his mind that he would think no more of the vision of +those three, but would fare back to Langton, and enter into the +strife with the Reddings and quell them, or die else. But +lo, when he was quite steady in this doom, and his heart was +lightened thereby, he found that he thought no more of the +Reddings and their strife, but as matters that were passed and +done with, and that now he was thinking and devising if by any +means he might find out in what land dwelt those three. And +then again he strove to put that from him, saying that what he +had seen was but meet for one brainsick, and a dreamer of +dreams. But furthermore he thought, Yea, and was Arnold, +who this last time had seen the images of those three, a dreamer +of waking dreams? for he was nought wonted in such wise; then +thought he: At least I am well content that he spake to me of +their likeness, not I to him; for so I may tell that there was at +least something before my eyes which grew not out of mine own +brain. And yet again, why should I follow them; and what +should I get by it; and indeed how shall I set about it?</p> +<p>Thus he turned the matter over and over; and at last, seeing +that if he grew no foolisher over it, he grew no wiser, he became +weary thereof, and bestirred him, and saw to the trussing up of +his goods, and made all ready for his departure, and so wore the +day and slept at nightfall; and at daybreak comes Arnold to lead +him to their keel, which hight the Bartholomew. He tarried +nought, and with few farewells went aboard ship, and an hour +after they were in the open sea with the ship’s head turned +toward Langton on Holm.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV: STORM BEFALLS THE BARTHOLOMEW, AND SHE IS DRIVEN +OFF HER COURSE</h2> +<p>Now swift sailed the Bartholomew for four weeks toward the +north-west with a fair wind, and all was well with ship and +crew. Then the wind died out on even of a day, so that the +ship scarce made way at all, though she rolled in a great swell +of the sea, so great, that it seemed to ridge all the main +athwart. Moreover down in the west was a great bank of +cloud huddled up in haze, whereas for twenty days past the sky +had been clear, save for a few bright white clouds flying before +the wind. Now the shipmaster, a man right cunning in his +craft, looked long on sea and sky, and then turned 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?”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“Is all well with ship and crew then?” said +Walter.</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER V: NOW THEY COME TO A NEW LAND</h2> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“Thou art alone here then?” said the master.</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>Said the master: “Where be the other houses of the +town?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” quoth the shipmaster grinning, “and +be the bears of thy country so manlike, that they dwell in +builded houses?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>Said the master: “Trow they in Mahound then?”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>Then spake Walter: “Yea, good sir, and how knowest thou +that? dost thou deal with them at all?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI: THE OLD MAN TELLS WALTER OF HIMSELF. WALTER +SEES A SHARD IN THE CLIFF-WALL</h2> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Well then, hast thou been long +here?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the carle, “since I was a young +man, and a stalwarth knight.”</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Didst thou find thy foregoer alive +here?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the elder, “yet he lived but for +a little while after I came to him.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Didst thou come hither of thine own +will?”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Tell me this; why didst thou slay the man? +did he any scathe to thee?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“What came thereof?” said Walter.</p> +<p>“Evil came of it,” said the carle.</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the carle.</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>“I will not tell thee,” said the carle.</p> +<p>Then they held their peace, both of them, and thereafter got +on to other talk of no import.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 place whereto their eyes were +turned, the cliffs seemed wellnigh or quite sheer, or indeed in +some places beetling over, in that said place they fell away from +each other on either side; and before this sinking was a slope or +scree, that went gently up toward the sinking of the wall. +Walter looked long and earnestly at this place, and spake nought, +till the carle said: “What! thou hast found something +before thee to look on. What is it then?”</p> +<p>Quoth Walter: “Some would say that where yonder slopes +run together up towards that sinking in the cliff-wall there will +be a pass into the country beyond.”</p> +<p>The carle smiled and said: “Yea, son; nor, so saying, +would they err; for that is the pass into the Bear-country, +whereby those huge men come down to chaffer with me.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said Walter; and therewith he turned him a +little, and scanned the rock-wall, and saw how a few miles from +that pass it turned somewhat sharply toward the sea, narrowing +the plain much there, till it made a bight, the face whereof +looked wellnigh north, instead of west, as did the more part of +the wall. And in the midst of that northern-looking bight +was a dark place which seemed to Walter like a downright shard in +the cliff. For the face of the wall was of a bleak grey, +and it was but little furrowed.</p> +<p>So then Walter spake: “Lo, old friend, there yonder is +again a place that meseemeth is a pass; whereunto doth that one +lead?” And he pointed to it: but the old man did not +follow the pointing of his finger, but, looking down on the +ground, answered confusedly, and said:</p> +<p>“Maybe: I wot not. I deem that it also leadeth +into the Bear-country by a roundabout road. It leadeth into +the far land.”</p> +<p>Walter answered nought: for a strange thought had come +uppermost in his mind, that the carle knew far more than he would +say of that pass, and that he himself might be led thereby to +find the wondrous three. He caught his breath hardly, and +his heart knocked against his ribs; but he refrained from +speaking for a long while; but at last he spake in a sharp hard +voice, which he scarce knew for his own: “Father, tell me, +I adjure thee by God and All-hallows, was it through yonder shard +that the road lay, when thou must needs make thy first stride +over a dead man?”</p> +<p>The old man spake not a while, then he raised his head, and +looked Walter full in the eyes, and said in a steady voice: +“<span class="smcap">No</span>, <span class="smcap">it was +not</span>.” Thereafter they sat looking at each +other a while; but at last Walter turned his eyes away, but knew +not what they beheld nor where he was, but he was as one in a +swoon. For he knew full well that the carle had lied to +him, and that he might as well have said aye as no, and told him, +that it verily was by that same shard that he had stridden over a +dead man. Nevertheless he made as little semblance thereof +as he might, and presently came to himself, and fell to talking +of other matters, that had nought to do with the adventures of +the land. But after a while he spake suddenly, and said: +“My master, I was thinking of a thing.”</p> +<p>“Yea, of what?” said the carle.</p> +<p>“Of this,” said Walter; “that here in this +land be strange adventures toward, and that if we, and I in +especial, were to turn our backs on them, and go home with +nothing done, it were pity of our lives: for all will be dull and +deedless there. I was deeming it were good if we tried the +adventure.”</p> +<p>“What adventure?” said the old man, rising up on +his elbow and staring sternly on him.</p> +<p>Said Walter: “The wending yonder pass to the eastward, +whereby the huge men come to thee from out of the Bear-country; +that we might see what should come thereof.”</p> +<p>The carle leaned back again, and smiled and shook his head, +and spake: “That adventure were speedily proven: death +would come of it, my son.”</p> +<p>“Yea, and how?” said Walter.</p> +<p>The carle said: “The big men would take thee, and offer +thee up as a blood-offering to that woman, who is their +Mawmet. And if ye go all, then shall they do the like with +all of you.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Is that sure?”</p> +<p>“Dead sure,” said the carle.</p> +<p>“How knowest thou this?” said Walter.</p> +<p>“I have been there myself,” said the carle.</p> +<p>“Yea,” said Walter, “but thou camest away +whole.”</p> +<p>“Art thou sure thereof?” said the carle.</p> +<p>“Thou art alive yet, old man,” said Walter, +“for I have seen thee eat thy meat, which ghosts use not to +do.” And he laughed.</p> +<p>But the old man answered soberly: “If I escaped, it was +by this, that another woman saved me, and not often shall that +befall. Nor wholly was I saved; my body escaped +forsooth. But where is my soul? Where is my heart, +and my life? Young man, I rede thee, try no such adventure; +but go home to thy kindred if thou canst. Moreover, wouldst +thou fare alone? The others shall hinder thee.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “I am the master; they shall do as I bid +them: besides, they will be well pleased to share my goods +amongst them if I give them a writing to clear them of all +charges which might be brought against them.”</p> +<p>“My son! my son!” said the carle, “I pray +thee go not to thy death!”</p> +<p>Walter heard him silently, but as if he were persuaded to +refrain; and then the old man fell to, and told him much +concerning this Bear-folk and their customs, speaking very freely +of them; but Walter’s ears were scarce open to this talk: +whereas he deemed that he should have nought to do with those +wild men; and he durst not ask again concerning the country +whereto led the pass on the northward.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII: WALTER COMES TO THE SHARD IN THE ROCK-WALL</h2> +<p>As they were in converse thus, they heard the hunters blowing +on their horns all together; whereon the old man arose, and said: +“I deem by the blowing that the hunt will be over and done, +and that they be blowing on their fellows who have gone +scatter-meal about the wood. It is now some five hours +after noon, and thy men will be getting back with their venison, +and will be fainest of the victuals they have caught; therefore +will I hasten on before, and get ready fire and water and other +matters for the cooking. Wilt thou come with me, young +master, or abide thy men here?”</p> +<p>Walter said lightly: “I will rest and abide them here; +since I cannot fail to see them hence as they go on their ways to +thine house. And it may be well that I be at hand to +command them and forbid, and put some order amongst them, for +rough playmates they be, some of them, and now all heated with +the hunting and the joy of the green earth.” Thus he +spoke, as if nought were toward save supper and bed; but inwardly +hope and fear were contending in him, and again his heart beat so +hard, that he deemed that the carle must surely hear it. +But the old man took him but according to his outward seeming, +and nodded his head, and went away quietly toward his house.</p> +<p>When he had been gone a little, Walter rose up heedfully; he +had with him a scrip wherein was some cheese and hard-fish, and a +little flasket of wine; a short bow he had with him, and a quiver +of arrows; and he was girt with a strong and good sword, and a +wood-knife withal. He looked to all this gear that it was +nought amiss, and then speedily went down off the mound, and when +he was come down, he found that it covered him from men coming +out of the wood, if he went straight thence to that shard of the +rock-wall where was the pass that led southward.</p> +<p>Now it is no nay that thitherward he turned, and went wisely, +lest the carle should make a backward cast, and see him, or lest +any straggler of his own folk might happen upon him.</p> +<p>For to say sooth, he deemed that did they wind him, they would +be like to let him of his journey. He had noted the +bearings of the cliffs nigh the shard, and whereas he could see +their heads everywhere except from the depths of the thicket, he +was not like to go astray.</p> +<p>He had made no great way ere he heard the horns blowing all +together again in one place, and looking thitherward through the +leafy boughs (for he was now amidst of a thicket) he saw his men +thronging the mound, and had no doubt therefore that they were +blowing on him; but being well under cover he heeded it nought, +and lying still a little, saw them go down off the mound and go +all of them toward the carle’s house, still blowing as they +went, but not faring scatter-meal. Wherefore it was clear +that they were nought troubled about him.</p> +<p>So he went on his way to the shard; and there is nothing to +say of his journey till he got before it with the last of the +clear day, and entered it straightway. It was in sooth a +downright breach or cleft in the rock-wall, and there was no hill +or bent leading up to it, nothing but a tumble of stones before +it, which was somewhat uneasy going, yet needed nought but labour +to overcome it, and when he had got over this, and was in the +very pass itself, he found it no ill going: forsooth at first it +was little worse than a rough road betwixt two great stony +slopes, though a little trickle of water ran down amidst of +it. So, though it was so nigh nightfall, yet Walter pressed +on, yea, and long after the very night was come. For the +moon rose wide and bright a little after nightfall. But at +last he had gone so long, and was so wearied, that he deemed it +nought but wisdom to rest him, and so lay down on a piece of +greensward betwixt the stones, when he had eaten a morsel out of +his satchel, and drunk of the water out of the stream. +There as he lay, if he had any doubt of peril, his weariness soon +made it all one to him, for presently he was sleeping as soundly +as any man in Langton on Holm.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII: WALTER WENDS THE WASTE</h2> +<p>Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and +went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the +night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way +again. When he had gone some three hours, the road, which +had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, +and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at +last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with +little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft +place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs +fetch a compass about, lest he be mired. He gave himself +but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went. The +day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he +steered by it due south. All that day he went, and found no +more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and +whiles less steep. A little before nightfall he happened on +a shallow pool some twenty yards over; and he deemed it good to +rest there, since there was water for his avail, though he might +have made somewhat more out of the tail end of the day.</p> +<p>When dawn came again he awoke and arose, nor spent much time +over his breakfast; but pressed on all he might; and now he said +to himself, that whatsoever other peril were athwart his way, he +was out of the danger of the chase of his own folk.</p> +<p>All this while he had seen no four-footed beast, save now and +again a hill-fox, and once some outlandish kind of hare; and of +fowl but very few: a crow or two, a long-winged hawk, and twice +an eagle high up aloft.</p> +<p>Again, the third night, he slept in the stony wilderness, +which still led him up and up. Only toward the end of the +day, himseemed that it had been less steep for a long while: +otherwise nought was changed, on all sides it was nought but the +endless neck, wherefrom nought could be seen, but some other part +of itself. This fourth night withal he found no water +whereby he might rest, so that he awoke parched, and longing to +drink just when the dawn was at its coldest.</p> +<p>But on the fifth morrow the ground rose but little, and at +last, when he had been going wearily a long while, and now, hard +on noontide, his thirst grieved him sorely, he came on a spring +welling out from under a high rock, the water wherefrom trickled +feebly away. So eager was he to drink, that at first he +heeded nought else; but when his thirst was fully quenched his +eyes caught sight of the stream which flowed from the well, and +he gave a shout, for lo! it was running south. Wherefore it +was with a merry heart that he went on, and as he went, came on +more streams, all running south or thereabouts. He hastened +on all he might, but in despite of all the speed he made, and +that he felt the land now going down southward, night overtook +him in that same wilderness. Yet when he stayed at last for +sheer weariness, he lay down in what he deemed by the moonlight +to be a shallow valley, with a ridge at the southern end +thereof.</p> +<p>He slept long, and when he awoke the sun was high in the +heavens, and never was brighter or clearer morning on the earth +than was that. He arose and ate of what little was yet left +him, and drank of the water of a stream which he had followed the +evening before, and beside which he had laid him down; and then +set forth again with no great hope to come on new tidings that +day. But yet when he was fairly afoot, himseemed that there +was something new in the air which he breathed, that was soft and +bore sweet scents home to him; whereas heretofore, and that +especially for the last three or four days, it had been harsh and +void, like the face of the desert itself.</p> +<p>So on he went, and presently was mounting the ridge aforesaid, +and, as oft happens when one climbs a steep place, he kept his +eyes on the ground, till he felt he was on the top of the +ridge. Then he stopped to take breath, and raised his head +and looked, and lo! he was verily on the brow of the great +mountain-neck, and down below him was the hanging of the great +hill-slopes, which fell down, not slowly, as those he had been +those days a-mounting, but speedily enough, though with little of +broken places or sheer cliffs. But beyond this last of the +desert there was before him a lovely land of wooded hills, green +plains, and little valleys, stretching out far and wide, till it +ended at last in great blue mountains and white snowy peaks +beyond them.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX: WALTER HAPPENETH ON THE FIRST OF THOSE THREE +CREATURES</h2> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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:</p> +<p>“How now! What art thou? Whence +comest? What wantest?”</p> +<p>Walter sat up and said: “I am a man; I hight Golden +Walter; I come from Langton; I want victual.”</p> +<p>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!”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“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?”</p> +<p>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 It—yes, I have seen It; ah yes and yes and +yes.”</p> +<p>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—”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER X: WALTER HAPPENETH ON ANOTHER CREATURE IN THE +STRANGE LAND</h2> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” he said, “I am an alien; wilt thou be +good to me?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>He said: “Didst thou look for my coming at about this +time?”</p> +<p>“O nay,” she said; “how might I?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>She looked on him anxiously, and grew somewhat pale, as she +said: “What other one?”</p> +<p>Now Walter did not know what the dwarf might be to her, +fellow-servant or what not, so he would not show his loathing of +him; but answered wisely: “The little man in the yellow +raiment.”</p> +<p>But when she heard that word, she went suddenly very pale, and +leaned her head aback, and beat the air with her hands; but said +presently in a faint voice: “I pray thee talk not of that +one while I am by, nor even think of him, if thou mayest +forbear.”</p> +<p>He spake not, and she was a little while before she came to +herself again; then she opened her eyes, and looked upon Walter +and smiled kindly on him, as though to ask his pardon for having +scared him. Then she rose up in her place, and stood before +him; and they were nigh together, for the stream betwixt them was +little.</p> +<p>But he still looked anxiously upon her and said: “Have I +hurt thee? I pray thy pardon.”</p> +<p>She looked on him more sweetly still, and said: “O nay; +thou wouldst not hurt me, thou!”</p> +<p>Then she blushed very red, and he in like wise; but afterwards +she turned pale, and laid a hand on her breast, and Walter cried +out hastily: “O me! I have hurt thee again. +Wherein have I done amiss?”</p> +<p>“In nought, in nought,” she said; “but I am +troubled, I wot not wherefore; some thought hath taken hold of +me, and I know it not. Mayhappen in a little while I shall +know what troubles me. Now I bid thee depart from me a +little, and I will abide here; and when thou comest back, it will +either be that I have found it out or not; and in either case I +will tell thee.”</p> +<p>She spoke earnestly to him; but he said: “How long shall +I abide away?”</p> +<p>Her face was troubled as she answered him: “For no long +while.”</p> +<p>He smiled on her and turned away, and went a space to the +other side of the oak-trees, whence she was still within +eyeshot. There he abode until the time seemed long to him; +but he schooled himself and forbore; for he said: Lest she send +me away again. So he abided until again the time seemed +long to him, and she called not to him: but once again he forbore +to go; then at last he arose, and his heart beat and he trembled, +and he walked back again speedily, and came to the maiden, who +was still standing by the rock of the spring, her arms hanging +down, her eyes downcast. She looked up at him as he drew +nigh, and her face changed with eagerness as she said: “I +am glad thou art come back, though it be no long while since thy +departure” (sooth to say it was scarce half an hour in +all). “Nevertheless I have been thinking many things, +and thereof will I now tell thee.”</p> +<p>He said: “Maiden, there is a river betwixt us, though it +be no big one. Shall I not stride over, and come to thee, +that we may sit down together side by side on the green +grass?”</p> +<p>“Nay,” she said, “not yet; tarry a while +till I have told thee of matters. I must now tell thee of +my thoughts in order.”</p> +<p>Her colour went and came now, and she plaited the folds of her +gown with restless fingers. At last she said: “Now +the first thing is this; that though thou hast seen me first only +within this hour, thou hast set thine heart upon me to have me +for thy speech-friend and thy darling. And if this be not +so, then is all my speech, yea and all my hope, come to an end at +once.”</p> +<p>“O yea!” said Walter, “even so it is: but +how thou hast found this out I wot not; since now for the first +time I say it, that thou art indeed my love, and my dear and my +darling.”</p> +<p>“Hush,” she said, “hush! lest the wood have +ears, and thy speech is loud: abide, and I shall tell thee how I +know it. Whether this thy love shall outlast the first time +that thou holdest my body in thine arms, I wot not, nor dost +thou. But sore is my hope that it may be so; for I also, +though it be but scarce an hour since I set eyes on thee, have +cast mine eyes on thee to have thee for my love and my darling, +and my speech-friend. And this is how I wot that thou +lovest me, my friend. Now is all this dear and joyful, and +overflows my heart with sweetness. But now must I tell thee +of the fear and the evil which lieth behind it.”</p> +<p>Then Walter stretched out his hands to her, and cried out: +“Yea, yea! But whatever evil entangle us, now we both +know these two things, to wit, that thou lovest me, and I thee, +wilt thou not come hither, that I may cast mine arms about thee, +and kiss thee, if not thy kind lips or thy friendly face at all, +yet at least thy dear hand: yea, that I may touch thy body in +some wise?”</p> +<p>She looked on him steadily, and said softly: “Nay, this +above all things must not be; and that it may not be is a part of +the evil which entangles us. But hearken, friend, once +again I tell thee that thy voice is over loud in this wilderness +fruitful of evil. Now I have told thee, indeed, of two +things whereof we both wot; but next I must needs tell thee of +things whereof I wot, and thou wottest not. Yet this were +better, that thou pledge thy word not to touch so much as one of +my hands, and that we go together a little way hence away from +these tumbled stones, and sit down upon the open greensward; +whereas here is cover if there be spying abroad.”</p> +<p>Again, as she spoke, she turned very pale; but Walter said: +“Since it must be so, I pledge thee my word to thee as I +love thee.”</p> +<p>And therewith she knelt down, and did on her foot-gear, and +then sprang lightly over the rivulet; and then the twain of them +went side by side some half a furlong thence, and sat down, +shadowed by the boughs of a slim quicken-tree growing up out of +the greensward, whereon for a good space around was neither bush +nor brake.</p> +<p>There began the maiden to talk soberly, and said: “This +is what I must needs say to thee now, that thou art come into a +land perilous for any one that loveth aught of good; from which, +forsooth, I were fain that thou wert gotten away safely, even +though I should die of longing for thee. As for myself, my +peril is, in a measure, less than thine; I mean the peril of +death. But lo, thou, this iron on my foot is token that I +am a thrall, and thou knowest in what wise thralls must pay for +transgressions. Furthermore, of what I am, and how I came +hither, time would fail me to tell; but somewhile, maybe, I shall +tell thee. I serve an evil mistress, of whom I may say that +scarce I wot if she be a woman or not; but by some creatures is +she accounted for a god, and as a god is heried; and surely never +god was crueller nor colder than she. Me she hateth sorely; +yet if she hated me little or nought, small were the gain to me +if it were her pleasure to deal hardly by me. But as things +now are, and are like to be, it would not be for her pleasure, +but for her pain and loss, to make an end of me, therefore, as I +said e’en now, my mere life is not in peril with her; +unless, perchance, some sudden passion get the better of her, and +she slay me, and repent of it thereafter. For so it is, +that if it be the least evil of her conditions that she is +wanton, at least wanton she is to the letter. Many a time +hath she cast the net for the catching of some goodly young man; +and her latest prey (save it be thou) is the young man whom I +named, when first I saw thee, by the name of the King’s +Son. He is with us yet, and I fear him; for of late hath he +wearied of her, though it is but plain truth to say of her, that +she is the wonder of all Beauties of the World. He hath +wearied of her, I say, and hath cast his eyes upon me, and if I +were heedless, he would betray me to the uttermost of the wrath +of my mistress. For needs must I say of him, though he be a +goodly man, and now fallen into thralldom, that he hath no bowels +of compassion; but is a dastard, who for an hour’s pleasure +would undo me, and thereafter would stand by smiling and taking +my mistress’s pardon with good cheer, while for me would be +no pardon. Seest thou, therefore, how it is with me between +these two cruel fools? And moreover there are others of +whom I will not even speak to thee.”</p> +<p>And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and +murmured: “Who shall deliver me from this death in +life?”</p> +<p>But Walter cried out: “For what else am I come hither, +I, I?”</p> +<p>And it was a near thing that he did not take her in his arms, +but he remembered his pledged word, and drew aback from her in +terror, whereas he had an inkling of why she would not suffer it; +and he wept with her.</p> +<p>But suddenly the Maid left weeping, and said in a changed +voice: “Friend, whereas thou speakest of delivering me, it +is more like that I shall deliver thee. And now I pray thy +pardon for thus grieving thee with my grief, and that more +especially because thou mayst not solace thy grief with kisses +and caresses; but so it was, that for once I was smitten by the +thought of the anguish of this land, and the joy of all the world +besides.”</p> +<p>Therewith she caught her breath in a half-sob, but refrained +her and went on: “Now dear friend and darling, take good +heed to all that I shall say to thee, whereas thou must do after +the teaching of my words. And first, I deem by the monster +having met thee at the gates of the land, and refreshed thee, +that the Mistress hath looked for thy coming; nay, by thy coming +hither at all, that she hath cast her net and caught thee. +Hast thou noted aught that might seem to make this more +like?”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Three times in full daylight have I seen +go past me the images of the monster and thee and a glorious +lady, even as if ye were alive.”</p> +<p>And therewith he told her in few words how it had gone with +him since that day on the quay at Langton.</p> +<p>She said: “Then it is no longer perhaps, but certain, +that thou art her latest catch; and even so I deemed from the +first: and, dear friend, this is why I have not suffered thee to +kiss or caress me, so sore as I longed for thee. For the +Mistress will have thee for her only, and hath lured thee hither +for nought else; and she is wise in wizardry (even as some deal +am I), and wert thou to touch me with hand or mouth on my naked +flesh, yea, or were it even my raiment, then would she scent the +savour of thy love upon me, and then, though it may be she would +spare thee, she would not spare me.”</p> +<p>Then was she silent a little, and seemed very downcast, and +Walter held his peace from grief and confusion and helplessness; +for of wizardry he knew nought.</p> +<p>At last the Maid spake again, and said: “Nevertheless we +will not die redeless. Now thou must look to this, that +from henceforward it is thee, and not the King’s Son, whom +she desireth, and that so much the more that she hath not set +eyes on thee. Remember this, whatsoever her seeming may be +to thee. Now, therefore, shall the King’s Son be +free, though he know it not, to cast his love on whomso he will; +and, in a way, I also shall be free to yeasay him. Though, +forsooth, so fulfilled is she with malice and spite, that even +then she may turn round on me to punish me for doing that which +she would have me do. Now let me think of it.”</p> +<p>Then was she silent a good while, and spoke at last: +“Yea, all things are perilous, and a perilous rede I have +thought of, whereof I will not tell thee as yet; so waste not the +short while by asking me. At least the worst will be no +worse than what shall come if we strive not against it. And +now, my friend, amongst perils it is growing more and more +perilous that we twain should be longer together. But I +would say one thing yet; and maybe another thereafter. Thou +hast cast thy love upon one who will be true to thee, whatsoever +may befall; yet is she a guileful creature, and might not help it +her life long, and now for thy very sake must needs be more +guileful now than ever before. And as for me, the guileful, +my love have I cast upon a lovely man, and one true and simple, +and a stout-heart; but at such a pinch is he, that if he +withstand all temptation, his withstanding may belike undo both +him and me. Therefore swear we both of us, that by both of +us shall all guile and all falling away be forgiven on the day +when we shall be free to love each the other as our hearts +will.”</p> +<p>Walter cried out: “O love, I swear it indeed! thou art +my Hallow, and I will swear it as on the relics of a Hallow; on +thy hands and thy feet I swear it.”</p> +<p>The words seemed to her a dear caress; and she laughed, and +blushed, and looked full kindly on him; and then her face grew +solemn, and she said: “On thy life I swear it!”</p> +<p>Then she said: “Now is there nought for thee to do but +to go hence straight to the Golden House, which is my +Mistress’s house, and the only house in this land (save one +which I may not see), and lieth southward no long way. How +she will deal with thee, I wot not; but all I have said of her +and thee and the King’s Son is true. Therefore I say +to thee, be wary and cold at heart, whatsoever outward semblance +thou mayst make. If thou have to yield thee to her, then +yield rather late than early, so as to gain time. Yet not +so late as to seem shamed in yielding for fear’s +sake. Hold fast to thy life, my friend, for in warding +that, thou wardest me from grief without remedy. Thou wilt +see me ere long; it may be to-morrow, it may be some days +hence. But forget not, that what I may do, that I am +doing. Take heed also that thou pay no more heed to me, or +rather less, than if thou wert meeting a maiden of no account in +the streets of thine own town. O my love! barren is this +first farewell, as was our first meeting; but surely shall there +be another meeting better than the first, and the last farewell +may be long and long yet.”</p> +<p>Therewith she stood up, and he knelt before her a little while +without any word, and then arose and went his ways; but when he +had gone a space he turned about, and saw her still standing in +the same place; she stayed a moment when she saw him turn, and +then herself turned about.</p> +<p>So he departed through the fair land, and his heart was full +with hope and fear as he went.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI: WALTER HAPPENETH ON THE MISTRESS</h2> +<p>It was but a little after noon when Walter left the Maid +behind: he steered south by the sun, as the Maid had bidden him, +and went swiftly; for, as a good knight wending to battle, the +time seemed long to him till he should meet the foe.</p> +<p>So an hour before sunset he saw something white and gay +gleaming through the boles of the oak-trees, and presently there +was clear before him a most goodly house builded of white marble, +carved all about with knots and imagery, and the carven folk were +all painted of their lively colours, whether it were their +raiment or their flesh, and the housings wherein they stood all +done with gold and fair hues. Gay were the windows of the +house; and there was a pillared porch before the great door, with +images betwixt the pillars both of men and beasts: and when +Walter looked up to the roof of the house, he saw that it gleamed +and shone; for all the tiles were of yellow metal, which he +deemed to be of very gold.</p> +<p>All this he saw as he went, and tarried not to gaze upon it; +for he said, Belike there will be time for me to look on all this +before I die. But he said also, that, though the house was +not of the greatest, it was beyond compare of all houses of the +world.</p> +<p>Now he entered it by the porch, and came into a hall +many-pillared, and vaulted over, the walls painted with gold and +ultramarine, the floor dark, and spangled with many colours, and +the windows glazed with knots and pictures. Midmost thereof +was a fountain of gold, whence the water ran two ways in +gold-lined runnels, spanned twice with little bridges of +silver. Long was that hall, and now not very light, so that +Walter was come past the fountain before he saw any folk therein: +then he looked up toward the high-seat, and himseemed that a +great light shone thence, and dazzled his eyes; and he went on a +little way, and then fell on his knees; for there before him on +the high-seat sat that wondrous Lady, whose lively image had been +shown to him thrice before; and she was clad in gold and jewels, +as he had erst seen her. But now she was not alone; for by +her side sat a young man, goodly enough, so far as Walter might +see him, and most richly clad, with a jewelled sword by his side, +and a chaplet of gems on his head. They held each other by +the hand, and seemed to be in dear converse together; but they +spake softly, so that Walter might not hear what they said, till +at last the man spake aloud to the Lady: “Seest thou not +that there is a man in the hall?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” she said, “I see him yonder, kneeling +on his knees; let him come nigher and give some account of +himself.”</p> +<p>So Walter stood up and drew nigh, and stood there, all +shamefaced and confused, looking on those twain, and wondering at +the beauty of the Lady. As for the man, who was slim, and +black-haired, and straight-featured, for all his goodliness +Walter accounted him little, and nowise deemed him to look +chieftain-like.</p> +<p>Now the Lady spake not to Walter any more than erst; but at +last the man said: “Why doest thou not kneel as thou didst +erewhile?”</p> +<p>Walter was on the point of giving him back a fierce answer; +but the Lady spake and said: “Nay, friend, it matters not +whether he kneel or stand; but he may say, if he will, what he +would have of me, and wherefore he is come hither.”</p> +<p>Then spake Walter, for as wroth and ashamed as he was: +“Lady, I have strayed into this land, and have come to +thine house as I suppose, and if I be not welcome, I may well +depart straightway, and seek a way out of thy land, if thou +wouldst drive me thence, as well as out of thine +house.”</p> +<p>Thereat the Lady turned and looked on him, and when her eyes +met his, he felt a pang of fear and desire mingled shoot through +his heart. This time she spoke to him; but coldly, without +either wrath or any thought of him: “Newcomer,” she +said, “I have not bidden thee hither; but here mayst thou +abide a while if thou wilt; nevertheless, take heed that here is +no King’s Court. There is, forsooth, a folk that +serveth me (or, it may be, more than one), of whom thou wert best +to know nought. Of others I have but two servants, whom +thou wilt see; and the one is a strange creature, who should +scare thee or scathe thee with a good will, but of a good will +shall serve nought save me; the other is a woman, a thrall, of +little avail, save that, being compelled, she will work +woman’s service for me, but whom none else shall compel . . +. Yea, but what is all this to thee; or to me that I should tell +it to thee? I will not drive thee away; but if thine +entertainment please thee not, make no plaint thereof to me, but +depart at thy will. Now is this talk betwixt us overlong, +since, as thou seest, I and this King’s Son are in converse +together. Art thou a King’s Son?”</p> +<p>“Nay, Lady,” said Walter, “I am but of the +sons of the merchants.”</p> +<p>“It matters not,” she said; “go thy ways +into one of the chambers.”</p> +<p>And straightway she fell a-talking to the man who sat beside +her concerning the singing of the birds beneath her window in the +morning; and of how she had bathed her that day in a pool of the +woodlands, when she had been heated with hunting, and so forth; +and all as if there had been none there save her and the +King’s Son.</p> +<p>But Walter departed all ashamed, as though he had been a poor +man thrust away from a rich kinsman’s door; and he said to +himself that this woman was hateful, and nought love-worthy, and +that she was little like to tempt him, despite all the fairness +of her body.</p> +<p>No one else he saw in the house that even; he found meat and +drink duly served on a fair table, and thereafter he came on a +goodly bed, and all things needful, but no child of Adam to do +him service, or bid him welcome or warning. Nevertheless he +ate, and drank, and slept, and put off thought of all these +things till the morrow, all the more as he hoped to see the kind +maiden some time betwixt sunrise and sunset on that new day.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII: THE WEARING OF FOUR DAYS IN THE WOOD BEYOND THE +WORLD</h2> +<p>He arose betimes, but found no one to greet him, neither was +there any sound of folk moving within the fair house; so he but +broke his fast, and then went forth and wandered amongst the +trees, till he found him a stream to bathe in, and after he had +washed the night off him he lay down under a tree thereby for a +while, but soon turned back toward the house, lest perchance the +Maid should come thither and he should miss her.</p> +<p>It should be said that half a bow-shot from the house on that +side (i.e. due north thereof) was a little hazel-brake, and round +about it the trees were smaller of kind than the oaks and +chestnuts he had passed through before, being mostly of birch and +quicken-beam and young ash, with small wood betwixt them; so now +he passed through the thicket, and, coming to the edge thereof, +beheld the Lady and the King’s Son walking together hand in +hand, full lovingly by seeming.</p> +<p>He deemed it unmeet to draw back and hide him, so he went +forth past them toward the house. The King’s Son +scowled on him as he passed, but the Lady, over whose beauteous +face flickered the joyous morning smiles, took no more heed of +him than if he had been one of the trees of the wood. But +she had been so high and disdainful with him the evening before, +that he thought little of that. The twain went on, skirting +the hazel-copse, and he could not choose but turn his eyes on +them, so sorely did the Lady’s beauty draw them. Then +befell another thing; for behind them the boughs of the hazels +parted, and there stood that little evil thing, he or another of +his kind; for he was quite unclad, save by his fell of +yellowy-brown hair, and that he was girt with a leathern girdle, +wherein was stuck an ugly two-edged knife: he stood upright a +moment, and cast his eyes at Walter and grinned, but not as if he +knew him; and scarce could Walter say whether it were the one he +had seen, or another: then he cast himself down on his belly, and +fell to creeping through the long grass like a serpent, following +the footsteps of the Lady and her lover; and now, as he crept, +Walter deemed, in his loathing, that the creature was liker to a +ferret than aught else. He crept on marvellous swiftly, and +was soon clean out of sight. But Walter stood staring after +him for a while, and then lay down by the copse-side, that he +might watch the house and the entry thereof; for he thought, now +perchance presently will the kind maiden come hither to comfort +me with a word or two. But hour passed by hour, and still +she came not; and still he lay there, and thought of the Maid, +and longed for her kindness and wisdom, till he could not refrain +his tears, and wept for the lack of her. Then he arose, and +went and sat in the porch, and was very downcast of mood.</p> +<p>But as he sat there, back comes the Lady again, the +King’s Son leading her by the hand; they entered the porch, +and she passed by him so close that the odour of her raiment +filled all the air about him, and the sleekness of her side nigh +touched him, so that he could not fail to note that her garments +were somewhat disarrayed, and that she kept her right hand (for +her left the King’s Son held) to her bosom to hold the +cloth together there, whereas the rich raiment had been torn off +from her right shoulder. As they passed by him, the +King’s Son once more scowled on him, wordless, but even +more fiercely than before; and again the Lady heeded him +nought.</p> +<p>After they had gone on a while, he entered the hall, and found +it empty from end to end, and no sound in it save the tinkling of +the fountain; but there was victual set on the board. He +ate and drank thereof to keep life lusty within him, and then +went out again to the wood-side to watch and to long; and the +time hung heavy on his hands because of the lack of the fair +Maiden.</p> +<p>He was of mind not to go into the house to his rest that +night, but to sleep under the boughs of the forest. But a +little after sunset he saw a bright-clad image moving amidst the +carven images of the porch, and the King’s Son came forth +and went straight to him, and said: “Thou art to enter the +house, and go into thy chamber forthwith, and by no means to go +forth of it betwixt sunset and sunrise. My Lady will not +away with thy prowling round the house in the +night-tide.”</p> +<p>Therewith he turned away, and went into the house again; and +Walter followed him soberly, remembering how the Maid had bidden +him forbear. So he went to his chamber, and slept.</p> +<p>But amidst of the night he awoke and deemed that he heard a +voice not far off, so he crept out of his bed and peered around, +lest, perchance, the Maid had come to speak with him; but his +chamber was dusk and empty: then he went to the window and looked +out, and saw the moon shining bright and white upon the +greensward. And lo! the Lady walking with the King’s +Son, and he clad in thin and wanton raiment, but she in nought +else save what God had given her of long, crispy yellow +hair. Then was Walter ashamed to look on her, seeing that +there was a man with her, and gat him back to his bed; but yet a +long while ere he slept again he had the image before his eyes of +the fair woman on the dewy moonlit grass.</p> +<p>The next day matters went much the same way, and the next +also, save that his sorrow was increased, and he sickened sorely +of hope deferred. On the fourth day also the forenoon wore +as erst; but in the heat of the afternoon Walter sought to the +hazel-copse, and laid him down there hard by a little clearing +thereof, and slept from very weariness of grief. There, +after a while, he woke with words still hanging in his ears, and +he knew at once that it was they twain talking together.</p> +<p>The King’s Son had just done his say, and now it was the +Lady beginning in her honey-sweet voice, low but strong, wherein +even was a little of huskiness; she said: “Otto, belike it +were well to have a little patience, till we find out what the +man is, and whence he cometh; it will always be easy to rid us of +him; it is but a word to our Dwarf-king, and it will be done in a +few minutes.”</p> +<p>“Patience!” said the King’s Son, angrily; +“I wot not how to have patience with him; for I can see of +him that he is rude and violent and headstrong, and a low-born +wily one. Forsooth, he had patience enough with me the +other even, when I rated him in, like the dog that he is, and he +had no manhood to say one word to me. Soothly, as he +followed after me, I had a mind to turn about and deal him a +buffet on the face, to see if I could but draw one angry word +from him.”</p> +<p>The Lady laughed, and said: “Well, Otto, I know not; +that which thou deemest dastardy in him may be but prudence and +wisdom, and he an alien, far from his friends and nigh to his +foes. Perchance we shall yet try him what he is. +Meanwhile, I rede thee try him not with buffets, save he be +weaponless and with bounden hands; or else I deem that but a +little while shalt thou be fain of thy blow.”</p> +<p>Now when Walter heard her words and the voice wherein they +were said, he might not forbear being stirred by them, and to +him, all lonely there, they seemed friendly.</p> +<p>But he lay still, and the King’s Son answered the Lady +and said: “I know not what is in thine heart concerning +this runagate, that thou shouldst bemock me with his valiancy, +whereof thou knowest nought. If thou deem me unworthy of +thee, send me back safe to my father’s country; I may look +to have worship there; yea, and the love of fair women +belike.”</p> +<p>Therewith it seemed as if he had put forth his hand to the +Lady to caress her, for she said: “Nay, lay not thine hand +on my shoulder, for to-day and now it is not the hand of love, +but of pride and folly, and would-be mastery. Nay, neither +shalt thou rise up and leave me until thy mood is softer and +kinder to me.”</p> +<p>Then was there silence betwixt them a while, and thereafter +the King’s Son spake in a wheedling voice: “My +goddess, I pray thee pardon me! But canst thou wonder that +I fear thy wearying of me, and am therefore peevish and jealous? +thou so far above the Queens of the World, and I a poor youth +that without thee were nothing!”</p> +<p>She answered nought, and he went on again: “Was it not +so, O goddess, that this man of the sons of the merchants was +little heedful of thee, and thy loveliness and thy +majesty?”</p> +<p>She laughed and said: “Maybe he deemed not that he had +much to gain of us, seeing thee sitting by our side, and whereas +we spake to him coldly and sternly and disdainfully. +Withal, the poor youth was dazzled and shamefaced before us; that +we could see in the eyes and the mien of him.”</p> +<p>Now this she spoke so kindly and sweetly, that again was +Walter all stirred thereat; and it came into his mind that it +might be she knew he was anigh and hearing her, and that she +spake as much for him as for the King’s Son: but that one +answered: “Lady, didst thou not see somewhat else in his +eyes, to wit, that they had but of late looked on some fair woman +other than thee? As for me, I deem it not so unlike that on +the way to thine hall he may have fallen in with thy +Maid.”</p> +<p>He spoke in a faltering voice, as if shrinking from some storm +that might come. And forsooth the Lady’s voice was +changed as she answered, though there was no outward heat in it; +rather it was sharp and eager and cold at once. She said: +“Yea, that is not ill thought of; but we may not always +keep our thrall in mind. If it be so as thou deemest, we +shall come to know it most like when we next fall in with her; or +if she hath been shy this time, then shall she pay the heavier +for it; for we will question her by the Fountain in the Hall as +to what betid by the Fountain of the Rock.”</p> +<p>Spake the King’s Son, faltering yet more: “Lady, +were it not better to question the man himself? the Maid is +stout-hearted, and will not be speedily quelled into a true tale; +whereas the man I deem of no account.”</p> +<p>“No, no,” said the Lady sharply, “it shall +not be.”</p> +<p>Then was she silent a while; and then she said: “How if +the man should prove to be our master?”</p> +<p>“Nay, our Lady,” said the King’s Son, +“thou art jesting with me; thou and thy might and thy +wisdom, and all that thy wisdom may command, to be over-mastered +by a gangrel churl!”</p> +<p>“But how if I will not have it command, King’s +Son?” said the Lady. “I tell thee I know thine +heart, but thou knowest not mine. But be at peace! +For since thou hast prayed for this woman—nay, not with thy +words, I wot, but with thy trembling hands, and thine anxious +eyes, and knitted brow—I say, since thou hast prayed for +her so earnestly, she shall escape this time. But whether +it will be to her gain in the long run, I misdoubt me. See +thou to that, Otto! thou who hast held me in thine arms so +oft. And now thou mayest depart if thou wilt.”</p> +<p>It seemed to Walter as if the King’s Son were +dumbfoundered at her words: he answered nought, and presently he +rose from the ground, and went his ways slowly toward the +house. The Lady lay there a little while, and then went her +ways also; but turned away from the house toward the wood at the +other end thereof, whereby Walter had first come thither.</p> +<p>As for Walter, he was confused in mind and shaken in spirit; +and withal he seemed to see guile and cruel deeds under the talk +of those two, and waxed wrathful thereat. Yet he said to +himself, that nought might he do, but was as one bound hand and +foot, till he had seen the Maid again.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII: NOW IS THE HUNT UP</h2> +<p>Next morning was he up betimes, but he was cast down and heavy +of heart, not looking for aught else to betide than had betid +those last four days. But otherwise it fell out; for when +he came down into the hall, there was the lady sitting on the +high-seat all alone, clad but in a coat of white linen; and she +turned her head when she heard his footsteps, and looked on him, +and greeted him, and said: “Come hither, guest.”</p> +<p>So he went and stood before her, and she said: “Though +as yet thou hast had no welcome here, and no honour, it hath not +entered into thine heart to flee from us; and to say sooth, that +is well for thee, for flee away from our hand thou mightest not, +nor mightest thou depart without our furtherance. But for +this we can thee thank, that thou hast abided here our bidding +and eaten thine heart through the heavy wearing of four days, and +made no plaint. Yet I cannot deem thee a dastard; thou so +well knit and shapely of body, so clear-eyed and bold of +visage. Wherefore now I ask thee, art thou willing to do me +service, thereby to earn thy guesting?”</p> +<p>Walter answered her, somewhat faltering at first, for he was +astonished at the change which had come over her; for now she +spoke to him in friendly wise, though indeed as a great lady +would speak to a young man ready to serve her in all +honour. Said he: “Lady, I can thank thee humbly and +heartily in that thou biddest me do thee service; for these days +past I have loathed the emptiness of the hours, and nought better +could I ask for than to serve so glorious a Mistress in all +honour.”</p> +<p>She frowned somewhat, and said: “Thou shalt not call me +Mistress; there is but one who so calleth me, that is my thrall; +and thou art none such. Thou shalt call me Lady, and I +shall be well pleased that thou be my squire, and for this +present thou shalt serve me in the hunting. So get thy +gear; take thy bow and arrows, and gird thee to thy sword. +For in this fair land may one find beasts more perilous than be +buck or hart. I go now to array me; we will depart while +the day is yet young; for so make we the summer day the +fairest.”</p> +<p>He made obeisance to her, and she arose and went to her +chamber, and Walter dight himself, and then abode her in the +porch; and in less than an hour she came out of the hall, and +Walter’s heart beat when he saw that the Maid followed her +hard at heel, and scarce might he school his eyes not to gaze +over-eagerly at his dear friend. She was clad even as she +was before, and was changed in no wise, save that love troubled +her face when she first beheld him, and she had much ado to +master it: howbeit the Mistress heeded not the trouble of her, or +made no semblance of heeding it, till the Maiden’s face was +all according to its wont.</p> +<p>But this Walter found strange, that after all that disdain of +the Maid’s thralldom which he had heard of the Mistress, +and after all the threats against her, now was the Mistress +become mild and debonaire to her, as a good lady to her good +maiden. When Walter bowed the knee to her, she turned unto +the Maid, and said: “Look thou, my Maid, at this fair new +Squire that I have gotten! Will not he be valiant in the +greenwood? And see whether he be well shapen or not. +Doth he not touch thine heart, when thou thinkest of all the woe, +and fear, and trouble of the World beyond the Wood, which he hath +escaped, to dwell in this little land peaceably, and well-beloved +both by the Mistress and the Maid? And thou, my Squire, +look a little at this fair slim Maiden, and say if she pleaseth +thee not: didst thou deem that we had any thing so fair in this +lonely place?”</p> +<p>Frank and kind was the smile on her radiant visage, nor did +she seem to note any whit the trouble on Walter’s face, nor +how he strove to keep his eyes from the Maid. As for her, +she had so wholly mastered her countenance, that belike she used +her face guilefully, for she stood as one humble but happy, with +a smile on her face, blushing, and with her head hung down as if +shamefaced before a goodly young man, a stranger.</p> +<p>But the Lady looked upon her kindly and said: “Come +hither, child, and fear not this frank and free young man, who +belike feareth thee a little, and full certainly feareth me; and +yet only after the manner of men.”</p> +<p>And therewith she took the Maid by the hand and drew her to +her, and pressed her to her bosom, and kissed her cheeks and her +lips, and undid the lacing of her gown and bared a shoulder of +her, and swept away her skirt from her feet; and then turned to +Walter and said: “Lo thou, Squire! is not this a lovely +thing to have grown up amongst our rough oak-boles? What! +art thou looking at the iron ring there? It is nought, save +a token that she is mine, and that I may not be without +her.”</p> +<p>Then she took the Maid by the shoulders and turned her about +as in sport, and said: “Go thou now, and bring hither the +good grey ones; for needs must we bring home some venison to-day, +whereas this stout warrior may not feed on nought save manchets +and honey.”</p> +<p>So the Maid went her way, taking care, as Walter deemed, to +give no side glance to him. But he stood there shamefaced, +so confused with all this openhearted kindness of the great Lady +and with the fresh sight of the darling beauty of the Maid, that +he went nigh to thinking that all he had heard since he had come +to the porch of the house that first time was but a dream of +evil.</p> +<p>But while he stood pondering these matters, and staring before +him as one mazed, the Lady laughed out in his face, and touched +him on the arm and said: “Ah, our Squire, is it so that now +thou hast seen my Maid thou wouldst with a good will abide behind +to talk with her? But call to mind thy word pledged to me +e’en now! And moreover I tell thee this for thy +behoof now she is out of ear-shot, that I will above all things +take thee away to-day: for there be other eyes, and they nought +uncomely, that look at whiles on my fair-ankled thrall; and who +knows but the swords might be out if I take not the better heed, +and give thee not every whit of thy will.”</p> +<p>As she spoke and moved forward, he turned a little, so that +now the edge of that hazel-coppice was within his eye-shot, and +he deemed that once more he saw the yellow-brown evil thing +crawling forth from the thicket; then, turning suddenly on the +Lady, he met her eyes, and seemed in one moment of time to find a +far other look in them than that of frankness and kindness; +though in a flash they changed back again, and she said merrily +and sweetly: “So, so, Sir Squire, now art thou awake again, +and mayest for a little while look on me.”</p> +<p>Now it came into his head, with that look of hers, all that +might befall him and the Maid if he mastered not his passion, nor +did what he might to dissemble; so he bent the knee to her, and +spoke boldly to her in her own vein, and said: “Nay, most +gracious of ladies, never would I abide behind to-day since thou +farest afield. But if my speech be hampered, or mine eyes +stray, is it not because my mind is confused by thy beauty, and +the honey of kind words which floweth from thy mouth?”</p> +<p>She laughed outright at his word, but not disdainfully, and +said: “This is well spoken, Squire, and even what a squire +should say to his liege lady, when the sun is up on a fair +morning, and she and he and all the world are glad.”</p> +<p>She stood quite near him as she spoke, her hand was on his +shoulder, and her eyes shone and sparkled. Sooth to say, +that excusing of his confusion was like enough in seeming to the +truth; for sure never creature was fashioned fairer than she: +clad she was for the greenwood as the hunting-goddess of the +Gentiles, with her green gown gathered unto her girdle, and +sandals on her feet; a bow in her hand and a quiver at her back: +she was taller and bigger of fashion than the dear Maiden, whiter +of flesh, and more glorious, and brighter of hair; as a flower of +flowers for fairness and fragrance.</p> +<p>She said: “Thou art verily a fair squire before the hunt +is up, and if thou be as good in the hunting, all will be better +than well, and the guest will be welcome. But lo! here +cometh our Maid with the good grey ones. Go meet her, and +we will tarry no longer than for thy taking the leash in +hand.”</p> +<p>So Walter looked, and saw the Maid coming with two couple of +great hounds in the leash straining against her as she came +along. He ran lightly to meet her, wondering if he should +have a look, or a half-whisper from her; but she let him take the +white thongs from her hand, with the same half-smile of +shamefacedness still set on her face, and, going past him, came +softly up to the Lady, swaying like a willow-branch in the wind, +and stood before her, with her arms hanging down by her +sides. Then the Lady turned to her, and said: “Look +to thyself, our Maid, while we are away. This fair young +man thou needest not to fear indeed, for he is good and leal; but +what thou shalt do with the King’s Son I wot not. He +is a hot lover forsooth, but a hard man; and whiles evil is his +mood, and perilous both to thee and me. And if thou do his +will, it shall be ill for thee; and if thou do it not, take heed +of him, and let me, and me only, come between his wrath and +thee. I may do somewhat for thee. Even yesterday he +was instant with me to have thee chastised after the manner of +thralls; but I bade him keep silence of such words, and jeered +him and mocked him, till he went away from me peevish and in +anger. So look to it that thou fall not into any trap of +his contrivance.”</p> +<p>Then the Maid cast herself at the Mistress’s feet, and +kissed and embraced them; and as she rose up, the Lady laid her +hand lightly on her head, and then, turning to Walter, cried out: +“Now, Squire, let us leave all these troubles and wiles and +desires behind us, and flit through the merry greenwood like the +Gentiles of old days.”</p> +<p>And therewith she drew up the laps of her gown till the +whiteness of her knees was seen, and set off swiftly toward the +wood that lay south of the house, and Walter followed, marvelling +at her goodliness; nor durst he cast a look backward to the +Maiden, for he knew that she desired him, and it was her only +that he looked to for his deliverance from this house of guile +and lies.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV: THE HUNTING OF THE HART</h2> +<p>As they went, they found a change in the land, which grew +emptier of big and wide-spreading trees, and more beset with +thickets. From one of these they roused a hart, and Walter +let slip his hounds thereafter and he and the Lady followed +running. Exceeding swift was she, and well-breathed withal, +so that Walter wondered at her; and eager she was in the chase as +the very hounds, heeding nothing the scratching of briars or the +whipping of stiff twigs as she sped on. But for all their +eager hunting, the quarry outran both dogs and folk, and gat him +into a great thicket, amidmost whereof was a wide plash of +water. Into the thicket they followed him, but he took to +the water under their eyes and made land on the other side; and +because of the tangle of underwood, he swam across much faster +than they might have any hope to come round on him; and so were +the hunters left undone for that time.</p> +<p>So the Lady cast herself down on the green grass anigh the +water, while Walter blew the hounds in and coupled them up; then +he turned round to her, and lo! she was weeping for despite that +they had lost the quarry; and again did Walter wonder that so +little a matter should raise a passion of tears in her. He +durst not ask what ailed her, or proffer her solace, but was not +ill apaid by beholding her loveliness as she lay.</p> +<p>Presently she raised up her head and turned to Walter, and +spake to him angrily and said: “Squire, why dost thou stand +staring at me like a fool?”</p> +<p>“Yea, Lady,” he said; “but the sight of thee +maketh me foolish to do aught else but to look on +thee.”</p> +<p>She said, in a peevish voice: “Tush, Squire, the day is +too far spent for soft and courtly speeches; what was good there +is nought so good here. Withal, I know more of thine heart +than thou deemest.”</p> +<p>Walter hung down his head and reddened, and she looked on him, +and her face changed, and she smiled and said, kindly this time: +“Look ye, Squire, I am hot and weary, and ill-content; but +presently it will be better with me; for my knees have been +telling my shoulders that the cold water of this little lake will +be sweet and pleasant this summer noonday, and that I shall +forget my foil when I have taken my pleasure therein. +Wherefore, go thou with thine hounds without the thicket and +there abide my coming. And I bid thee look not aback as +thou goest, for therein were peril to thee: I shall not keep thee +tarrying long alone.”</p> +<p>He bowed his head to her, and turned and went his ways. +And now, when he was a little space away from her, he deemed her +indeed a marvel of women, and wellnigh forgat all his doubts and +fears concerning her, whether she were a fair image fashioned out +of lies and guile, or it might be but an evil thing in the shape +of a goodly woman. Forsooth, when he saw her caressing the +dear and friendly Maid, his heart all turned against her, despite +what his eyes and his ears told his mind, and she seemed like as +it were a serpent enfolding the simplicity of the body which he +loved.</p> +<p>But now it was all changed, and he lay on the grass and longed +for her coming; which was delayed for somewhat more than an +hour. Then she came back to him, smiling and fresh and +cheerful, her green gown let down to her heels.</p> +<p>He sprang up to meet her, and she came close to him, and spake +from a laughing face: “Squire, hast thou no meat in thy +wallet? For, meseemeth, I fed thee when thou wert hungry +the other day; do thou now the same by me.”</p> +<p>He smiled, and louted to her, and took his wallet and brought +out thence bread and flesh and wine, and spread them all out +before her on the green grass, and then stood by humbly before +her. But she said: “Nay, my Squire, sit down by me +and eat with me, for to-day are we both hunters +together.”</p> +<p>So he sat down by her trembling, but neither for awe of her +greatness, nor for fear and horror of her guile and sorcery.</p> +<p>A while they sat there together after they had done their +meat, and the Lady fell a-talking with Walter concerning the +parts of the earth, and the manners of men, and of his +journeyings to and fro.</p> +<p>At last she said: “Thou hast told me much and answered +all my questions wisely, and as my good Squire should, and that +pleaseth me. But now tell me of the city wherein thou wert +born and bred; a city whereof thou hast hitherto told me +nought.”</p> +<p>“Lady,” he said, “it is a fair and a great +city, and to many it seemeth lovely. But I have left it, +and now it is nothing to me.”</p> +<p>“Hast thou not kindred there?” said she.</p> +<p>“Yea,” said he, “and foemen withal; and a +false woman waylayeth my life there.”</p> +<p>“And what was she?” said the Lady.</p> +<p>Said Walter: “She was but my wife.”</p> +<p>“Was she fair?” said the Lady.</p> +<p>Walter looked on her a while, and then said: “I was +going to say that she was wellnigh as fair as thou; but that may +scarce be. Yet was she very fair. But now, kind and +gracious Lady, I will say this word to thee: I marvel that thou +askest so many things concerning the city of Langton on Holm, +where I was born, and where are my kindred yet; for meseemeth +that thou knowest it thyself.”</p> +<p>“I know it, I?” said the Lady.</p> +<p>“What, then! thou knowest it not?” said +Walter.</p> +<p>Spake the Lady, and some of her old disdain was in her words: +“Dost thou deem that I wander about the world and its +cheaping-steads like one of the chap-men? Nay, I dwell in +the Wood beyond the World, and nowhere else. What hath put +this word into thy mouth?”</p> +<p>He said: “Pardon me, Lady, if I have misdone; but thus +it was: Mine own eyes beheld thee going down the quays of our +city, and thence a ship-board, and the ship sailed out of the +haven. And first of all went a strange dwarf, whom I have +seen here, and then thy Maid; and then went thy gracious and +lovely body.”</p> +<p>The Lady’s face changed as he spoke, and she turned red +and then pale, and set her teeth; but she refrained her, and +said: “Squire, I see of thee that thou art no liar, nor +light of wit, therefore I suppose that thou hast verily seen some +appearance of me; but never have I been in Langton, nor thought +thereof, nor known that such a stead there was until thou namedst +it e’en now. Wherefore, I deem that an enemy hath +cast the shadow of me on the air of that land.”</p> +<p>“Yea, my Lady,” said Walter; “and what enemy +mightest thou have to have done this?”</p> +<p>She was slow of answer, but spake at last from a quivering +mouth of anger: “Knowest thou not the saw, that a +man’s foes are they of his own house? If I find out +for a truth who hath done this, the said enemy shall have an evil +hour with me.”</p> +<p>Again she was silent, and she clenched her hands and strained +her limbs in the heat of her anger; so that Walter was afraid of +her, and all his misgivings came back to his heart again, and he +repented that he had told her so much. But in a little +while all that trouble and wrath seemed to flow off her, and +again was she of good cheer, and kind and sweet to him and she +said: “But in sooth, however it may be, I thank thee, my +Squire and friend, for telling me hereof. And surely no +wyte do I lay on thee. And, moreover, is it not this vision +which hath brought thee hither?”</p> +<p>“So it is, Lady,” said he.</p> +<p>“Then have we to thank it,” said the Lady, +“and thou art welcome to our land.”</p> +<p>And therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it on +his knees and kissed it: and then it was as if a red-hot iron had +run through his heart, and he felt faint, and bowed down his +head. But he held her hand yet, and kissed it many times, +and the wrist and the arm, and knew not where he was.</p> +<p>But she drew a little away from him, and arose and said: +“Now is the day wearing, and if we are to bear back any +venison we must buckle to the work. So arise, Squire, and +take the hounds and come with me; for not far off is a little +thicket which mostly harbours foison of deer, great and +small. Let us come our ways.”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV: THE SLAYING OF THE QUARRY</h2> +<p>So they walked on quietly thence some half a mile, and ever +the Lady would have Walter to walk by her side, and not follow a +little behind her, as was meet for a servant to do; and she +touched his hand at whiles as she showed him beast and fowl and +tree, and the sweetness of her body overcame him, so that for a +while he thought of nothing save her.</p> +<p>Now when they were come to the thicket-side, she turned to him +and said: “Squire, I am no ill woodman, so that thou mayst +trust me that we shall not be brought to shame the second time; +and I shall do sagely; so nock an arrow to thy bow, and abide me +here, and stir not hence; for I shall enter this thicket without +the hounds, and arouse the quarry for thee; and see that thou be +brisk and clean-shooting, and then shalt thou have a reward of +me.”</p> +<p>Therewith she drew up her skirts through her girdle again, +took her bent bow in her hand, and drew an arrow out of the +quiver, and stepped lightly into the thicket, leaving him longing +for the sight of her, as he hearkened to the tread of her feet on +the dry leaves, and the rustling of the brake as she thrust +through it.</p> +<p>Thus he stood for a few minutes, and then he heard a kind of +gibbering cry without words, yet as of a woman, coming from the +thicket, and while his heart was yet gathering the thought that +something had gone amiss, he glided swiftly, but with little +stir, into the brake.</p> +<p>He had gone but a little way ere he saw the Lady standing +there in a narrow clearing, her face pale as death, her knees +cleaving together, her body swaying and tottering, her hands +hanging down, and the bow and arrow fallen to the ground; and ten +yards before her a great-headed yellow creature crouching flat to +the earth and slowly drawing nigher.</p> +<p>He stopped short; one arrow was already notched to the string, +and another hung loose to the lesser fingers of his +string-hand. He raised his right hand, and drew and loosed +in a twinkling; the shaft flew close to the Lady’s side, +and straightway all the wood rung with a huge roar, as the yellow +lion turned about to bite at the shaft which had sunk deep into +him behind the shoulder, as if a bolt out of the heavens had +smitten him. But straightway had Walter loosed again, and +then, throwing down his bow, he ran forward with his drawn sword +gleaming in his hand, while the lion weltered and rolled, but had +no might to move forward. Then Walter went up to him warily +and thrust him through to the heart, and leapt aback, lest the +beast might yet have life in him to smite; but he left his +struggling, his huge voice died out, and he lay there moveless +before the hunter.</p> +<p>Walter abode a little, facing him, and then turned about to +the Lady, and she had fallen down in a heap whereas she stood, +and lay there all huddled up and voiceless. So he knelt +down by her, and lifted up her head, and bade her arise, for the +foe was slain. And after a little she stretched out her +limbs, and turned about on the grass, and seemed to sleep, and +the colour came into her face again, and it grew soft and a +little smiling. Thus she lay awhile, and Walter sat by her +watching her, till at last she opened her eyes and sat up, and +knew him, and smiling on him said: “What hath befallen, +Squire, that I have slept and dreamed?”</p> +<p>He answered nothing, till her memory came back to her, and +then she arose, trembling and pale, and said: “Let us leave +this wood, for the Enemy is therein.”</p> +<p>And she hastened away before him till they came out at the +thicket-side whereas the hounds had been left, and they were +standing there uneasy and whining; so Walter coupled them, while +the Lady stayed not, but went away swiftly homeward, and Walter +followed.</p> +<p>At last she stayed her swift feet, and turned round on Walter, +and said: “Squire, come hither.”</p> +<p>So did he, and she said: “I am weary again; let us sit +under this quicken-tree, and rest us.”</p> +<p>So they sat down, and she sat looking between her knees a +while; and at last she said: “Why didst thou not bring the +lion’s hide?”</p> +<p>He said: “Lady, I will go back and flay the beast, and +bring on the hide.”</p> +<p>And he arose therewith, but she caught him by the skirts and +drew him down, and said: “Nay, thou shalt not go; abide +with me. Sit down again.”</p> +<p>He did so, and she said: “Thou shalt not go from me; for +I am afraid: I am not used to looking on the face of +death.”</p> +<p>She grew pale as she spoke, and set a hand to her breast, and +sat so a while without speaking. At last she turned to him +smiling, and said: “How was it with the aspect of me when I +stood before the peril of the Enemy?” And she laid a +hand upon his.</p> +<p>“O gracious one,” quoth he, “thou wert, as +ever, full lovely, but I feared for thee.”</p> +<p>She moved not her hand from his, and she said: “Good and +true Squire, I said ere I entered the thicket e’en now that +I would reward thee if thou slewest the quarry. He is dead, +though thou hast left the skin behind upon the carcase. Ask +now thy reward, but take time to think what it shall +be.”</p> +<p>He felt her hand warm upon his, and drew in the sweet odour of +her mingled with the woodland scents under the hot sun of the +afternoon, and his heart was clouded with manlike desire of +her. And it was a near thing but he had spoken, and craved +of her the reward of the freedom of her Maid, and that he might +depart with her into other lands; but as his mind wavered betwixt +this and that, the Lady, who had been eyeing him keenly, drew her +hand away from him; and therewith doubt and fear flowed into his +mind, and he refrained him of speech.</p> +<p>Then she laughed merrily and said: “The good Squire is +shamefaced; he feareth a lady more than a lion. Will it be +a reward to thee if I bid thee to kiss my cheek?”</p> +<p>Therewith she leaned her face toward him, and he kissed her +well-favouredly, and then sat gazing on her, wondering what +should betide to him on the morrow.</p> +<p>Then she arose and said: “Come, Squire, and let us home; +be not abashed, there shall be other rewards +hereafter.”</p> +<p>So they went their ways quietly; and it was nigh sunset +against they entered the house again. Walter looked round +for the Maid, but beheld her not; and the Lady said to him: +“I go to my chamber, and now is thy service over for this +day.”</p> +<p>Then she nodded to him friendly and went her ways.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI: OF THE KING’S SON AND THE MAID</h2> +<p>But as for Walter, he went out of the house again, and fared +slowly over the woodlawns till he came to another close thicket +or brake; he entered from mere wantonness, or that he might be +the more apart and hidden, so as to think over his case. +There he lay down under the thick boughs, but could not so herd +his thoughts that they would dwell steady in looking into what +might come to him within the next days; rather visions of those +two women and the monster did but float before him, and fear and +desire and the hope of life ran to and fro in his mind.</p> +<p>As he lay thus he heard footsteps drawing near, and he looked +between the boughs, and though the sun had just set, he could see +close by him a man and a woman going slowly, and they hand in +hand; at first he deemed it would be the King’s Son and the +Lady, but presently he saw that it was the King’s Son +indeed, but that it was the Maid whom he was holding by the +hand. And now he saw of him that his eyes were bright with +desire, and of her that she was very pale. Yet when he +heard her begin to speak, it was in a steady voice that she said: +“King’s Son, thou hast threatened me oft and +unkindly, and now thou threatenest me again, and no less +unkindly. But whatever were thy need herein before, now is +there no more need; for my Mistress, of whom thou wert weary, is +now grown weary of thee, and belike will not now reward me for +drawing thy love to me, as once she would have done; to wit, +before the coming of this stranger. Therefore I say, since +I am but a thrall, poor and helpless, betwixt you two mighty +ones, I have no choice but to do thy will.”</p> +<p>As she spoke she looked all round about her, as one distraught +by the anguish of fear. Walter, amidst of his wrath and +grief, had wellnigh drawn his sword and rushed out of his lair +upon the King’s Son. But he deemed it sure that, so +doing, he should undo the Maid altogether, and himself also +belike, so he refrained him, though it were a hard matter.</p> +<p>The Maid had stayed her feet now close to where Walter lay, +some five yards from him only, and he doubted whether she saw him +not from where she stood. As to the King’s Son, he +was so intent upon the Maid, and so greedy of her beauty, that it +was not like that he saw anything.</p> +<p>Now moreover Walter looked, and deemed that he beheld +something through the grass and bracken on the other side of +those two, an ugly brown and yellow body, which, if it were not +some beast of the foumart kind, must needs be the monstrous +dwarf, or one of his kin; and the flesh crept upon Walter’s +bones with the horror of him. But the King’s Son +spoke unto the Maid: “Sweetling, I shall take the gift thou +givest me, neither shall I threaten thee any more, howbeit thou +givest it not very gladly or graciously.”</p> +<p>She smiled on him with her lips alone, for her eyes were +wandering and haggard. “My lord,” she said, +“is not this the manner of women?”</p> +<p>“Well,” he said, “I say that I will take thy +love even so given. Yet let me hear again that thou lovest +not that vile newcomer, and that thou hast not seen him, save +this morning along with my Lady. Nay now, thou shalt swear +it.”</p> +<p>“What shall I swear by?” she said.</p> +<p>Quoth he, “Thou shalt swear by my body;” and +therewith he thrust himself close up against her; but she drew +her hand from his, and laid it on his breast, and said: “I +swear it by thy body.”</p> +<p>He smiled on her licorously, and took her by the shoulders, +and kissed her face many times, and then stood aloof from her, +and said: “Now have I had hansel: but tell me, when shall I +come to thee?”</p> +<p>She spoke out clearly: “Within three days at furthest; I +will do thee to wit of the day and the hour to-morrow, or the day +after.”</p> +<p>He kissed her once more, and said: “Forget it not, or +the threat holds good.”</p> +<p>And therewith he turned about and went his ways toward the +house; and Walter saw the yellow-brown thing creeping after him +in the gathering dusk.</p> +<p>As for the Maid, she stood for a while without moving, and +looking after the King’s Son and the creature that followed +him. Then she turned about to where Walter lay and lightly +put aside the boughs, and Walter leapt up, and they stood face to +face. She said softly but eagerly: “Friend, touch me +not yet!”</p> +<p>He spake not, but looked on her sternly. She said: +“Thou art angry with me?”</p> +<p>Still he spake not; but she said: “Friend, this at least +I will pray thee; not to play with life and death; with happiness +and misery. Dost thou not remember the oath which we swore +each to each but a little while ago? And dost thou deem +that I have changed in these few days? Is thy mind +concerning thee and me the same as it was? If it be not so, +now tell me. For now have I the mind to do as if neither +thou nor I are changed to each other, whoever may have kissed +mine unwilling lips, or whomsoever thy lips may have +kissed. But if thou hast changed, and wilt no longer give +me thy love, nor crave mine, then shall this steel” (and +she drew a sharp knife from her girdle) “be for the fool +and the dastard who hath made thee wroth with me, my friend, and +my friend that I deemed I had won. And then let come what +will come! But if thou be nought changed, and the oath yet +holds, then, when a little while hath passed, may we thrust all +evil and guile and grief behind us, and long joy shall lie before +us, and long life, and all honour in death: if only thou wilt do +as I bid thee, O my dear, and my friend, and my first +friend!”</p> +<p>He looked on her, and his breast heaved up as all the +sweetness of her kind love took hold on him, and his face +changed, and the tears filled his eyes and ran over, and rained +down before her, and he stretched out his hand toward her.</p> +<p>Then she said exceeding sweetly: “Now indeed I see that +it is well with me, yea, and with thee also. A sore pain it +is to me, that not even now may I take thine hand, and cast mine +arms about thee, and kiss the lips that love me. But so it +has to be. My dear, even so I were fain to stand here long +before thee, even if we spake no more word to each other; but +abiding here is perilous; for there is ever an evil spy upon my +doings, who has now as I deem followed the King’s Son to +the house, but who will return when he has tracked him home +thither: so we must sunder. But belike there is yet time +for a word or two: first, the rede which I had thought on for our +deliverance is now afoot, though I durst not tell thee thereof, +nor have time thereto. But this much shall I tell thee, +that whereas great is the craft of my Mistress in wizardry, yet I +also have some little craft therein, and this, which she hath +not, to change the aspect of folk so utterly that they seem other +than they verily are; yea, so that one may have the aspect of +another. Now the next thing is this: whatsoever my Mistress +may bid thee, do her will therein with no more nay-saying than +thou deemest may please her. And the next thing: +wheresoever thou mayst meet me, speak not to me, make no sign to +me, even when I seem to be all alone, till I stoop down and touch +the ring on my ankle with my right hand; but if I do so, then +stay thee, without fail, till I speak. The last thing I +will say to thee, dear friend, ere we both go our ways, this it +is. When we are free, and thou knowest all that I have +done, I pray thee deem me not evil and wicked, and be not wroth +with me for my deed; whereas thou wottest well that I am not in +like plight with other women. I have heard tell that when +the knight goeth to the war, and hath overcome his foes by the +shearing of swords and guileful tricks, and hath come back home +to his own folk, they praise him and bless him, and crown him +with flowers, and boast of him before God in the minster for his +deliverance of friend and folk and city. Why shouldst thou +be worse to me than this? Now is all said, my dear and my +friend; farewell, farewell!”</p> +<p>Therewith she turned and went her ways toward the house in all +speed, but making somewhat of a compass. And when she was +gone, Walter knelt down and kissed the place where her feet had +been, and arose thereafter, and made his way toward the house, he +also, but slowly, and staying oft on his way.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII: OF THE HOUSE AND THE PLEASANCE IN THE WOOD</h2> +<p>On the morrow morning Walter loitered a while about the house +till the morn was grown old, and then about noon he took his bow +and arrows and went into the woods to the northward, to get him +some venison. He went somewhat far ere he shot him a fawn, +and then he sat him down to rest under the shade of a great +chestnut-tree, for it was not far past the hottest of the +day. He looked around thence and saw below him a little +dale with a pleasant stream running through it, and he bethought +him of bathing therein, so he went down and had his pleasure of +the water and the willowy banks; for he lay naked a while on the +grass by the lip of the water, for joy of the flickering shade, +and the little breeze that ran over the down-long ripples of the +stream.</p> +<p>Then he did on his raiment, and began to come his ways up the +bent, but had scarce gone three steps ere he saw a woman coming +towards him from downstream. His heart came into his mouth +when he saw her, for she stooped and reached down her arm, as if +she would lay her hand on her ankle, so that at first he deemed +it had been the Maid, but at the second eye-shot he saw that it +was the Mistress. She stood still and looked on him, so +that he deemed she would have him come to her. So he went +to meet her, and grew somewhat shamefaced as he drew nigher, and +wondered at her, for now was she clad but in one garment of some +dark grey silky stuff, embroidered with, as it were, a garland of +flowers about the middle, but which was so thin that, as the wind +drifted it from side and limb, it hid her no more, but for the +said garland, than if water were running over her: her face was +full of smiling joy and content as she spake to him in a kind, +caressing voice, and said: “I give thee good day, good +Squire, and well art thou met.” And she held out her +hand to him. He knelt down before her and kissed it, and +abode still upon his knees, and hanging down his head.</p> +<p>But she laughed outright, and stooped down to him, and put her +hand to his arms, and raised him up, and said to him: “What +is this, my Squire, that thou kneelest to me as to an +idol?”</p> +<p>He said faltering: “I wot not; but perchance thou art an +idol; and I fear thee.”</p> +<p>“What!” she said, “more than yesterday, +whenas thou sawest me afraid?”</p> +<p>Said he: “Yea, for that now I see thee unhidden, and +meseemeth there hath been none such since the old days of the +Gentiles.”</p> +<p>She said: “Hast thou not yet bethought thee of a gift to +crave of me, a reward for the slaying of mine enemy, and the +saving of me from death?”</p> +<p>“O my Lady,” he said, “even so much would I +have done for any other lady, or, forsooth, for any poor man; for +so my manhood would have bidden me. Speak not of gifts to +me then. Moreover” (and he reddened therewith, and +his voice faltered), “didst thou not give me my sweet +reward yesterday? What more durst I ask?”</p> +<p>She held her peace awhile, and looked on him keenly; and he +reddened under her gaze. Then wrath came into her face, and +she reddened and knit her brows, and spake to him in a voice of +anger, and said: “Nay, what is this? It is growing in +my mind that thou deemest the gift of me unworthy! Thou, an +alien, an outcast; one endowed with the little wisdom of the +World without the Wood! And here I stand before thee, all +glorious in my nakedness, and so fulfilled of wisdom, that I can +make this wilderness to any whom I love more full of joy than the +kingdoms and cities of the world—and thou!—Ah, but it +is the Enemy that hath done this, and made the guileless +guileful! Yet will I have the upper hand at least, though +thou suffer for it, and I suffer for thee.”</p> +<p>Walter stood before her with hanging head, and he put forth +his hands as if praying off her anger, and pondered what answer +he should make; for now he feared for himself and the Maid; so at +last he looked up to her, and said boldly: “Nay, Lady, I +know what thy words mean, whereas I remember thy first welcome of +me. I wot, forsooth, that thou wouldst call me base-born, +and of no account, and unworthy to touch the hem of thy raiment; +and that I have been over-bold, and guilty towards thee; and +doubtless this is sooth, and I have deserved thine anger: but I +will not ask thee to pardon me, for I have done but what I must +needs.”</p> +<p>She looked on him calmly now, and without any wrath, but +rather as if she would read what was written in his inmost +heart. Then her face changed into joyousness again, and she +smote her palms together, and cried out: “This is but +foolish talk; for yesterday did I see thy valiancy, and to-day I +have seen thy goodliness; and I say, that though thou mightest +not be good enough for a fool woman of the earthly baronage, yet +art thou good enough for me, the wise and the mighty, and the +lovely. And whereas thou sayest that I gave thee but +disdain when first thou camest to us, grudge not against me +therefor, because it was done but to prove thee; and now thou art +proven.”</p> +<p>Then again he knelt down before her, and embraced her knees, +and again she raised him up, and let her arm hang down over his +shoulder, and her cheek brush his cheek; and she kissed his mouth +and said: “Hereby is all forgiven, both thine offence and +mine; and now cometh joy and merry days.”</p> +<p>Therewith her smiling face grew grave, and she stood before +him looking stately and gracious and kind at once, and she took +his hand and said: “Thou mightest deem my chamber in the +Golden House of the Wood over-queenly, since thou art no +masterful man. So now hast thou chosen well the place +wherein to meet me to-day, for hard by on the other side of the +stream is a bower of pleasance, which, forsooth, not every one +who cometh to this land may find; there shall I be to thee as one +of the up-country damsels of thine own land, and thou shalt not +be abashed.”</p> +<p>She sidled up to him as she spoke, and would he, would he not, +her sweet voice tickled his very soul with pleasure, and she +looked aside on him happy and well-content.</p> +<p>So they crossed the stream by the shallow below the pool +wherein Walter had bathed, and within a little they came upon a +tall fence of flake-hurdles, and a simple gate therein. The +Lady opened the same, and they entered thereby into a close all +planted as a most fair garden, with hedges of rose and woodbine, +and with linden-trees a-blossom, and long ways of green grass +betwixt borders of lilies and clove-gilliflowers, and other sweet +garland-flowers. And a branch of the stream which they had +crossed erewhile wandered through that garden; and in the midst +was a little house built of post and pan, and thatched with +yellow straw, as if it were new done.</p> +<p>Then Walter looked this way and that, and wondered at first, +and tried to think in his mind what should come next, and how +matters would go with him; but his thought would not dwell steady +on any other matter than the beauty of the Lady amidst the beauty +of the garden; and withal she was now grown so sweet and kind, +and even somewhat timid and shy with him, that scarce did he know +whose hand he held, or whose fragrant bosom and sleek side went +so close to him.</p> +<p>So they wandered here and there through the waning of the day, +and when they entered at last into the cool dusk house, then they +loved and played together, as if they were a pair of lovers +guileless, with no fear for the morrow, and no seeds of enmity +and death sown betwixt them.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII: THE MAID GIVES WALTER TRYST</h2> +<p>Now, on the morrow, when Walter was awake, he found there was +no one lying beside him, and the day was no longer very young; so +he arose, and went through the garden from end to end, and all +about, and there was none there; and albeit that he dreaded to +meet the Lady there, yet was he sad at heart and fearful of what +might betide. Howsoever, he found the gate whereby they had +entered yesterday, and he went out into the little dale; but when +he had gone a step or two he turned about, and could see neither +garden nor fence, nor any sign of what he had seen thereof but +lately. He knit his brow and stood still to think of it, +and his heart grew the heavier thereby; but presently he went his +ways and crossed the stream, but had scarce come up on to the +grass on the further side, ere he saw a woman coming to meet him, +and at first, full as he was of the tide of yesterday and the +wondrous garden, deemed that it would be the Lady; but the woman +stayed her feet, and, stooping, laid a hand on her right ankle, +and he saw that it was the Maid. He drew anigh to her, and +saw that she was nought so sad of countenance as the last time +she had met him, but flushed of cheek and bright-eyed.</p> +<p>As he came up to her she made a step or two to meet him, +holding out her two hands, and then refrained her, and said +smiling: “Ah, friend, belike this shall be the last time +that I shall say to thee, touch me not, nay, not so much as my +hand, or if it were but the hem of my raiment.”</p> +<p>The joy grew up in his heart, and he gazed on her fondly, and +said: “Why, what hath befallen of late?”</p> +<p>“O friend,” she began, “this hath +befallen.”</p> +<p>But as he looked on her, the smile died from her face, and she +became deadly pale to the very lips; she looked askance to her +left side, whereas ran the stream; and Walter followed her eyes, +and deemed for one instant that he saw the misshapen yellow +visage of the dwarf peering round from a grey rock, but the next +there was nothing. Then the Maid, though she were as pale +as death, went on in a clear, steady, hard voice, wherein was no +joy or kindness, keeping her face to Walter and her back to the +stream: “This hath befallen, friend, that there is no +longer any need to refrain thy love nor mine; therefore I say to +thee, come to my chamber (and it is the red chamber over against +thine, though thou knewest it not) an hour before this next +midnight, and then thy sorrow and mine shall be at an end: and +now I must needs depart. Follow me not, but +remember!”</p> +<p>And therewith she turned about and fled like the wind down the +stream.</p> +<p>But Walter stood wondering, and knew not what to make of it, +whether it were for good or ill: for he knew now that she had +paled and been seized with terror because of the upheaving of the +ugly head; and yet she had seemed to speak out the very thing she +had to say. Howsoever it were, he spake aloud to himself: +Whatever comes, I will keep tryst with her.</p> +<p>Then he drew his sword, and turned this way and that, looking +all about if he might see any sign of the Evil Thing; but nought +might his eyes behold, save the grass, and the stream, and the +bushes of the dale. So then, still holding his naked sword +in his hand, he clomb the bent out of the dale; for that was the +only way he knew to the Golden House; and when he came to the +top, and the summer breeze blew in his face, and he looked down a +fair green slope beset with goodly oaks and chestnuts, he was +refreshed with the life of the earth, and he felt the good sword +in his fist, and knew that there was might and longing in him, +and the world seemed open unto him.</p> +<p>So he smiled, if it were somewhat grimly, and sheathed his +sword and went on toward the house.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX: WALTER GOES TO FETCH HOME THE LION’S +HIDE</h2> +<p>He entered the cool dusk through the porch, and, looking down +the pillared hall, saw beyond the fountain a gleam of gold, and +when he came past the said fountain he looked up to the +high-seat, and lo! the Lady sitting there clad in her queenly +raiment. She called to him, and he came; and she hailed +him, and spake graciously and calmly, yet as if she knew nought +of him save as the leal servant of her, a high Lady. +“Squire,” she said, “we have deemed it meet to +have the hide of the servant of the Enemy, the lion to wit, whom +thou slewest yesterday, for a carpet to our feet; wherefore go +now, take thy wood-knife, and flay the beast, and bring me home +his skin. This shall be all thy service for this day, so +mayst thou do it at thine own leisure, and not weary +thyself. May good go with thee.”</p> +<p>He bent the knee before her, and she smiled on him graciously, +but reached out no hand for him to kiss, and heeded him but +little. Wherefore, in spite of himself, and though he knew +somewhat of her guile, he could not help marvelling that this +should be she who had lain in his arms night-long but of +late.</p> +<p>Howso that might be, he took his way toward the thicket where +he had slain the lion, and came thither by then it was afternoon, +at the hottest of the day. So he entered therein, and came +to the very place whereas the Lady had lain, when she fell down +before the terror of the lion; and there was the mark of her body +on the grass where she had lain that while, like as it were the +form of a hare. But when Walter went on to where he had +slain that great beast, lo! he was gone, and there was no sign of +him; but there were Walter’s own footprints, and the two +shafts which he had shot, one feathered red, and one blue. +He said at first: Belike someone hath been here, and hath had the +carcase away. Then he laughed in very despite, and said: +How may that be, since there are no signs of dragging away of so +huge a body, and no blood or fur on the grass if they had cut him +up, and moreover no trampling of feet, as if there had been many +men at the deed. Then was he all abashed, and again laughed +in scorn of himself, and said: Forsooth I deemed I had done +manly; but now forsooth I shot nought, and nought there was +before the sword of my father’s son. And what may I +deem now, but that this is a land of mere lies, and that there is +nought real and alive therein save me. Yea, belike even +these trees and the green grass will presently depart from me, +and leave me falling down through the clouds.</p> +<p>Therewith he turned away, and gat him to the road that led to +the Golden House, wondering what next should befall him, and +going slowly as he pondered his case. So came he to that +first thicket where they had lost their quarry by water; so he +entered the same, musing, and bathed him in the pool that was +therein, after he had wandered about it awhile, and found nothing +new.</p> +<p>So again he set him to the homeward road, when the day was now +waning, and it was near sunset that he was come nigh unto the +house, though it was hidden from him as then by a low bent that +rose before him; and there he abode and looked about him.</p> +<p>Now as he looked, over the said bent came the figure of a +woman, who stayed on the brow thereof and looked all about her, +and then ran swiftly down to meet Walter, who saw at once that it +was the Maid.</p> +<p>She made no stay then till she was but three paces from him, +and then she stooped down and made the sign to him, and then +spake to him breathlessly, and said: “Hearken! but speak +not till I have done: I bade thee to-night’s meeting +because I saw that there was one anigh whom I must needs +beguile. But by thine oath, and thy love, and all that thou +art, I adjure thee come not unto me this night as I bade thee! +but be hidden in the hazel-copse outside the house, as it draws +toward midnight, and abide me there. Dost thou hearken, and +wilt thou? Say yes or no in haste, for I may not tarry a +moment of time. Who knoweth what is behind me?”</p> +<p>“Yes,” said Walter hastily; “but friend and +love—”</p> +<p>“No more,” she said; “hope the best;” +and turning from him she ran away swiftly, not by the way she had +come, but sideways, as though to reach the house by fetching a +compass.</p> +<p>But Walter went slowly on his way, thinking within himself +that now at that present moment there was nought for it but to +refrain him from doing, and to let others do; yet deemed he that +it was little manly to be as the pawn upon the board, pushed +about by the will of others.</p> +<p>Then, as he went, he bethought him of the Maiden’s face +and aspect, as she came running to him, and stood before him for +that minute; and all eagerness he saw in her, and sore love of +him, and distress of soul, all blent together.</p> +<p>So came he to the brow of the bent whence he could see lying +before him, scarce more than a bow-shot away, the Golden House +now gilded again and reddened by the setting sun. And even +therewith came a gay image toward him, flashing back the level +rays from gold and steel and silver; and lo! there was come the +King’s Son. They met presently, and the King’s +Son turned to go beside him, and said merrily: “I give thee +good even, my Lady’s Squire! I owe thee something of +courtesy, whereas it is by thy means that I shall be made happy, +both to-night, and to-morrow, and many to-morrows; and sooth it +is, that but little courtesy have I done thee +hitherto.”</p> +<p>His face was full of joy, and the eyes of him shone with +gladness. He was a goodly man, but to Walter he seemed an +ill one; and he hated him so much, that he found it no easy +matter to answer him; but he refrained himself, and said: +“I can thee thank, King’s Son; and good it is that +someone is happy in this strange land.”</p> +<p>“Art thou not happy then, Squire of my Lady?” said +the other.</p> +<p>Walter had no mind to show this man his heart, nay, nor even a +corner thereof; for he deemed him an enemy. So he smiled +sweetly and somewhat foolishly, as a man luckily in love, and +said: “O yea, yea, why should I not be so? How might +I be otherwise?”</p> +<p>“Yea then,” said the King’s Son, “why +didst thou say that thou wert glad someone is happy? Who is +unhappy, deemest thou?” and he looked on him keenly.</p> +<p>Walter answered slowly: “Said I so? I suppose then +that I was thinking of thee; for when first I saw thee, yea, and +afterwards, thou didst seem heavy-hearted and +ill-content.”</p> +<p>The face of the King’s Son cleared at this word, and he +said: “Yea, so it was; for look you, both ways it was: I +was unfree, and I had sown the true desire of my heart whereas it +waxed not. But now I am on the brink and verge of freedom, +and presently shall my desire be blossomed. Nay now, +Squire, I deem thee a good fellow, though it may be somewhat of a +fool; so I will no more speak riddles to thee. Thus it is: +the Maid hath promised me all mine asking, and is mine; and in +two or three days, by her helping also, I shall see the world +again.”</p> +<p>Quoth Walter, smiling askance on him: “And the Lady? +what shall she say to this matter?”</p> +<p>The King’s Son reddened, but smiled falsely enough, and +said: “Sir Squire, thou knowest enough not to need to ask +this. Why should I tell thee that she accounteth more of +thy little finger than of my whole body? Now I tell thee +hereof freely; first, because this my fruition of love, and my +freeing from thralldom, is, in a way, of thy doing. For +thou art become my supplanter, and hast taken thy place with +yonder lovely tyrant. Fear not for me! she will let me +go. As for thyself, see thou to it! But again I tell +thee hereof because my heart is light and full of joy, and +telling thee will pleasure me, and cannot do me any harm. +For if thou say: How if I carry the tale to my Lady? I +answer, thou wilt not. For I know that thine heart hath +been somewhat set on the jewel that my hand holdeth; and thou +knowest well on whose head the Lady’s wrath would fall, and +that would be neither thine nor mine.”</p> +<p>“Thou sayest sooth,” said Walter; “neither +is treason my wont.”</p> +<p>So they walked on silently a while, and then Walter said: +“But how if the Maiden had nay-said thee; what hadst thou +done then?”</p> +<p>“By the heavens!” said the King’s Son +fiercely, “she should have paid for her nay-say; then would +I—” But he broke off, and said quietly, yet +somewhat doggedly: “Why talk of what might have been? +She gave me her yea-say pleasantly and sweetly.”</p> +<p>Now Walter knew that the man lied, so he held his peace +thereon; but presently he said: “When thou art free wilt +thou go to thine own land again?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the King’s Son; “she will +lead me thither.”</p> +<p>“And wilt thou make her thy lady and queen when thou +comest to thy father’s land?” said Walter.</p> +<p>The King’s Son knit his brow, and said: “When I am +in mine own land I may do with her what I will; but I look for it +that I shall do no otherwise with her than that she shall be +well-content.”</p> +<p>Then the talk between them dropped, and the King’s Son +turned off toward the wood, singing and joyous; but Walter went +soberly toward the house. Forsooth he was not greatly cast +down, for besides that he knew that the King’s Son was +false, he deemed that under this double tryst lay something which +was a-doing in his own behalf. Yet was he eager and +troubled, if not down-hearted, and his soul was cast about +betwixt hope and fear.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XX: WALTER IS BIDDEN TO ANOTHER TRYST</h2> +<p>So came he into the pillared hall, and there he found the Lady +walking to and fro by the high-seat; and when he drew nigh she +turned on him, and said in a voice rather eager than angry: +“What hast thou done, Squire? Why art thou come +before me?”</p> +<p>He was abashed, and bowed before her and said: “O +gracious Lady, thou badest me service, and I have been about +it.”</p> +<p>She said: “Tell me then, tell me, what hath +betided?”</p> +<p>“Lady,” said he, “when I entered the thicket +of thy swooning I found there no carcase of the lion, nor any +sign of the dragging away of him.”</p> +<p>She looked full in his face for a little, and then went to her +chair, and sat down therein; and in a little while spake to him +in a softer voice, and said: “Did I not tell thee that some +enemy had done that unto me? and lo! now thou seest that so it +is.”</p> +<p>Then was she silent again, and knit her brows and set her +teeth; and thereafter she spake harshly and fiercely: “But +I will overcome her, and make her days evil, but keep death away +from her, that she may die many times over; and know all the +sickness of the heart, when foes be nigh, and friends afar, and +there is none to deliver!”</p> +<p>Her eyes flashed, and her face was dark with anger; but she +turned and caught Walter’s eyes, and the sternness of his +face, and she softened at once, and said: “But thou! this +hath little to do with thee; and now to thee I speak: Now cometh +even and night. Go thou to thy chamber, and there shalt +thou find raiment worthy of thee, what thou now art, and what +thou shalt be; do on the same, and make thyself most goodly, and +then come thou hither and eat and drink with me, and afterwards +depart whither thou wilt, till the night has worn to its midmost; +and then come thou to my chamber, to wit, through the ivory door +in the gallery above; and then and there shall I tell thee a +thing, and it shall be for the weal both of thee and of me, but +for the grief and woe of the Enemy.”</p> +<p>Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he kissed it, and +departed and came to his chamber, and found raiment therebefore +rich beyond measure; and he wondered if any new snare lay +therein: yet if there were, he saw no way whereby he might escape +it, so he did it on, and became as the most glorious of kings, +and yet lovelier than any king of the world.</p> +<p>Sithence he went his way into the pillared hall, when it was +now night, and without the moon was up, and the trees of the wood +as still as images. But within the hall shone bright with +many candles, and the fountain glittered in the light of them, as +it ran tinkling sweetly into the little stream; and the silvern +bridges gleamed, and the pillars shone all round about.</p> +<p>And there on the dais was a table dight most royally, and the +Lady sitting thereat, clad in her most glorious array, and behind +her the Maid standing humbly, yet clad in precious web of +shimmering gold, but with feet unshod, and the iron ring upon her +ankle.</p> +<p>So Walter came his ways to the high-seat, and the Lady rose +and greeted him, and took him by the hands, and kissed him on +either cheek, and sat him down beside her. So they fell to +their meat, and the Maid served them; but the Lady took no more +heed of her than if she were one of the pillars of the hall; but +Walter she caressed oft with sweet words, and the touch of her +hand, making him drink out of her cup and eat out of her +dish. As to him, he was bashful by seeming, but verily +fearful; he took the Lady’s caresses with what grace he +might, and durst not so much as glance at her Maid. Long +indeed seemed that banquet to him, and longer yet endured the +weariness of his abiding there, kind to his foe and unkind to his +friend; for after the banquet they still sat a while, and the +Lady talked much to Walter about many things of the ways of the +world, and he answered what he might, distraught as he was with +the thought of those two trysts which he had to deal with.</p> +<p>At last spake the Lady and said: “Now must I leave thee +for a little, and thou wottest where and how we shall meet next; +and meanwhile disport thee as thou wilt, so that thou weary not +thyself, for I love to see thee joyous.”</p> +<p>Then she arose stately and grand; but she kissed Walter on the +mouth ere she turned to go out of the hall. The Maid +followed her; but or ever she was quite gone, she stooped and +made that sign, and looked over her shoulder at Walter, as if in +entreaty to him, and there was fear and anguish in her face; but +he nodded his head to her in yea-say of the tryst in the +hazel-copse, and in a trice she was gone.</p> +<p>Walter went down the hall, and forth into the early night; but +in the jaws of the porch he came up against the King’s Son, +who, gazing at his attire glittering with all its gems in the +moonlight, laughed out, and said: “Now may it be seen how +thou art risen in degree above me, whereas I am but a +king’s son, and that a king of a far country; whereas thou +art a king of kings, or shalt be this night, yea, and of this +very country wherein we both are.”</p> +<p>Now Walter saw the mock which lay under his words; but he kept +back his wrath, and answered: “Fair sir, art thou as well +contented with thy lot as when the sun went down? Hast thou +no doubt or fear? Will the Maid verily keep tryst with +thee, or hath she given thee yea-say but to escape thee this +time? Or, again, may she not turn to the Lady and appeal to +her against thee?”</p> +<p>Now when he had spoken these words, he repented thereof, and +feared for himself and the Maid, lest he had stirred some +misgiving in that young man’s foolish heart. But the +King’s Son did but laugh, and answered nought but to +Walter’s last words, and said: “Yea, yea! this word +of thine showeth how little thou wottest of that which lieth +betwixt my darling and thine. Doth the lamb appeal from the +shepherd to the wolf? Even so shall the Maid appeal from me +to thy Lady. What! ask thy Lady at thy leisure what her +wont hath been with her thrall; she shall think it a fair tale to +tell thee thereof. But thereof is my Maid all whole now by +reason of her wisdom in leechcraft, or somewhat more. And +now I tell thee again, that the beforesaid Maid must needs do my +will; for if I be the deep sea, and I deem not so ill of myself, +that other one is the devil; as belike thou shalt find out for +thyself later on. Yea, all is well with me, and more than +well.”</p> +<p>And therewith he swung merrily into the litten hall. But +Walter went out into the moonlit night, and wandered about for an +hour or more, and stole warily into the hall and thence into his +own chamber. There he did off that royal array, and did his +own raiment upon him; he girt him with sword and knife, took his +bow and quiver, and stole down and out again, even as he had come +in. Then he fetched a compass, and came down into the +hazel-coppice from the north, and lay hidden there while the +night wore, till he deemed it would lack but little of +midnight.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI: WALTER AND THE MAID FLEE FROM THE GOLDEN +HOUSE</h2> +<p>There he abode amidst the hazels, hearkening every littlest +sound; and the sounds were nought but the night voices of the +wood, till suddenly there burst forth from the house a great +wailing cry. Walter’s heart came up into his mouth, +but he had no time to do aught, for following hard on the cry +came the sound of light feet close to him, the boughs were thrust +aside, and there was come the Maid, and she but in her white +coat, and barefoot. And then first he felt the sweetness of +her flesh on his, for she caught him by the hand and said +breathlessly: “Now, now! there may yet be time, or even too +much, it may be. For the saving of breath ask me no +questions, but come!”</p> +<p>He dallied not, but went as she led, and they were lightfoot, +both of them.</p> +<p>They went the same way, due south to wit, whereby he had gone +a-hunting with the Lady; and whiles they ran and whiles they +walked; but so fast they went, that by grey of the dawn they were +come as far as that coppice or thicket of the Lion; and still +they hastened onward, and but little had the Maid spoken, save +here and there a word to hearten up Walter, and here and there a +shy word of endearment. At last the dawn grew into early +day, and as they came over the brow of a bent, they looked down +over a plain land whereas the trees grew scatter-meal, and beyond +the plain rose up the land into long green hills, and over those +again were blue mountains great and far away.</p> +<p>Then spake the Maid: “Over yonder lie the outlying +mountains of the Bears, and through them we needs must pass, to +our great peril. Nay, friend,” she said, as he +handled his sword-hilt, “it must be patience and wisdom to +bring us through, and not the fallow blade of one man, though he +be a good one. But look! below there runs a stream through +the first of the plain, and I see nought for it but we must now +rest our bodies. Moreover I have a tale to tell thee which +is burning my heart; for maybe there will be a pardon to ask of +thee moreover; wherefore I fear thee.”</p> +<p>Quoth Walter: “How may that be?”</p> +<p>She answered him not, but took his hand and led him down the +bent. But he said: “Thou sayest, rest; but are we now +out of all peril of the chase?”</p> +<p>She said: “I cannot tell till I know what hath befallen +her. If she be not to hand to set on her trackers, they +will scarce happen on us now; if it be not for that +one.”</p> +<p>And she shuddered, and he felt her hand change as he held +it.</p> +<p>Then she said: “But peril or no peril, needs must we +rest; for I tell thee again, what I have to say to thee burneth +my bosom for fear of thee, so that I can go no further until I +have told thee.”</p> +<p>Then he said: “I wot not of this Queen and her +mightiness and her servants. I will ask thereof +later. But besides the others, is there not the +King’s Son, he who loves thee so unworthily?”</p> +<p>She paled somewhat, and said: “As for him, there had +been nought for thee to fear in him, save his treason: but now +shall he neither love nor hate any more; he died last +midnight.”</p> +<p>“Yea, and how?” said Walter.</p> +<p>“Nay,” she said, “let me tell my tale all +together once for all, lest thou blame me overmuch. But +first we will wash us and comfort us as best we may, and then +amidst our resting shall the word be said.”</p> +<p>By then were they come down to the stream-side, which ran fair +in pools and stickles amidst rocks and sandy banks. She +said: “There behind the great grey rock is my bath, friend; +and here is thine; and lo! the uprising of the sun!”</p> +<p>So she went her ways to the said rock, and he bathed him, and +washed the night off him, and by then he was clad again she came +back fresh and sweet from the water, and with her lap full of +cherries from a wilding which overhung her bath. So they +sat down together on the green grass above the sand, and ate the +breakfast of the wilderness: and Walter was full of content as he +watched her, and beheld her sweetness and her loveliness; yet +were they, either of them, somewhat shy and shamefaced each with +the other; so that he did but kiss her hands once and again, and +though she shrank not from him, yet had she no boldness to cast +herself into his arms.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII: OF THE DWARF AND THE PARDON</h2> +<p>Now she began to say: “My friend, now shall I tell thee +what I have done for thee and me; and if thou have a mind to +blame me, and punish me, yet remember first, that what I have +done has been for thee and our hope of happy life. Well, I +shall tell thee—”</p> +<p>But therewithal her speech failed her; and, springing up, she +faced the bent and pointed with her finger, and she all deadly +pale, and shaking so that she might scarce stand, and might speak +no word, though a feeble gibbering came from her mouth.</p> +<p>Walter leapt up and put his arm about her, and looked +whitherward she pointed, and at first saw nought; and then nought +but a brown and yellow rock rolling down the bent: and then at +last he saw that it was the Evil Thing which had met him when +first he came into that land; and now it stood upright, and he +could see that it was clad in a coat of yellow samite.</p> +<p>Then Walter stooped down and gat his bow into his hand, and +stood before the Maid, while he nocked an arrow. But the +monster made ready his tackle while Walter was stooping down, and +or ever he could loose, his bow-string twanged, and an arrow flew +forth and grazed the Maid’s arm above the elbow, so that +the blood ran, and the Dwarf gave forth a harsh and horrible +cry. Then flew Walter’s shaft, and true was it aimed, +so that it smote the monster full on the breast, but fell down +from him as if he were made of stone. Then the creature set +up his horrible cry again, and loosed withal, and Walter deemed +that he had smitten the Maid, for she fell down in a heap behind +him. Then waxed Walter wood-wroth, and cast down his bow +and drew his sword, and strode forward towards the bent against +the Dwarf. But he roared out again, and there were words in +his roar, and he said “Fool! thou shalt go free if thou +wilt give up the Enemy.”</p> +<p>“And who,” said Walter, “is the +Enemy?”</p> +<p>Yelled the Dwarf: “She, the pink and white thing lying +there; she is not dead yet; she is but dying for fear of +me. Yea, she hath reason! I could have set the shaft +in her heart as easily as scratching her arm; but I need her body +alive, that I may wreak me on her.”</p> +<p>“What wilt thou do with her?” said Walter; for now +he had heard that the Maid was not slain he had waxed wary again, +and stood watching his chance.</p> +<p>The Dwarf yelled so at his last word, that no word came from +the noise a while, and then he said: “What will I with +her? Let me at her, and stand by and look on, and then +shalt thou have a strange tale to carry off with thee. For +I will let thee go this while.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “But what need to wreak thee? What +hath she done to thee?”</p> +<p>“What need! what need!” roared the Dwarf; +“have I not told thee that she is the Enemy? And thou +askest of what she hath done! of what! Fool, she is the +murderer! she hath slain the Lady that was our Lady, and that +made us; she whom all we worshipped and adored. O impudent +fool!”</p> +<p>Therewith he nocked and loosed another arrow, which would have +smitten Walter in the face, but that he lowered his head in the +very nick of time; then with a great shout he rushed up the bent, +and was on the Dwarf before he could get his sword out, and +leaping aloft dealt the creature a stroke amidmost of the crown; +and so mightily be smote, that he drave the heavy sword right +through to the teeth, so that he fell dead straightway.</p> +<p>Walter stood over him a minute, and when be saw that he moved +not, he went slowly down to the stream, whereby the Maid yet lay +cowering down and quivering all over, and covering her face with +her hands. Then he took her by the wrist and said: +“Up, Maiden, up! and tell me this tale of the +slaying.”</p> +<p>But she shrunk away from him, and looked at him with wild +eyes, and said: “What hast thou done with him? Is he +gone?”</p> +<p>“He is dead,” said Walter; “I have slain +him; there lies he with cloven skull on the bent-side: unless, +forsooth, he vanish away like the lion I slew! or else, +perchance, he will come to life again! And art thou a lie +like to the rest of them? let me hear of this slaying.”</p> +<p>She rose up, and stood before him trembling, and said: +“O, thou art angry with me, and thine anger I cannot +bear. Ah, what have I done? Thou hast slain one, and +I, maybe, the other; and never had we escaped till both these +twain were dead. Ah! thou dost not know! thou dost not +know! O me! what shall I do to appease thy +wrath!”</p> +<p>He looked on her, and his heart rose to his mouth at the +thought of sundering from her. Still he looked on her, and +her piteous friendly face melted all his heart; he threw down his +sword, and took her by the shoulders, and kissed her face over +and over, and strained her to him, so that he felt the sweetness +of her bosom. Then he lifted her up like a child, and set +her down on the green grass, and went down to the water, and +filled his hat therefrom, and came back to her; then he gave her +to drink, and bathed her face and her hands, so that the colour +came aback to the cheeks and lips of her: and she smiled on him +and kissed his hands, and said: “O now thou art kind to +me.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said he, “and true it is that if thou +hast slain, I have done no less, and if thou hast lied, even so +have I; and if thou hast played the wanton, as I deem not that +thou hast, I full surely have so done. So now thou shalt +pardon me, and when thy spirit has come back to thee, thou shalt +tell me thy tale in all friendship, and in all loving-kindness +will I hearken the same.”</p> +<p>Therewith he knelt before her and kissed her feet. But +she said: “Yea, yea; what thou willest, that will I +do. But first tell me one thing. Hast thou buried +this horror and hidden him in the earth?”</p> +<p>He deemed that fear had bewildered her, and that she scarcely +yet knew how things had gone. But he said: “Fair +sweet friend, I have not done it as yet; but now will I go and do +it, if it seem good to thee.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” she said, “but first must thou smite +off his head, and lie it by his buttocks when he is in the earth; +or evil things will happen else. This of the burying is no +idle matter, I bid thee believe.”</p> +<p>“I doubt it not,” said he; “surely such +malice as was in this one will be hard to slay.” And +he picked up his sword, and turned to go to the field of +deed.</p> +<p>She said: “I must needs go with thee; terror hath so +filled my soul, that I durst not abide here without +thee.”</p> +<p>So they went both together to where the creature lay. +The Maid durst not look on the dead monster, but Walter noted +that he was girt with a big ungainly sax; so he drew it from the +sheath, and there smote off the hideous head of the fiend with +his own weapon. Then they twain together laboured the +earth, she with Walter’s sword, he with the ugly sax, till +they had made a grave deep and wide enough; and therein they +thrust the creature, and covered him up, weapons and all +together.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII: OF THE PEACEFUL ENDING OF THAT WILD DAY</h2> +<p>Thereafter Walter led the Maid down again, and said to her: +“Now, sweetling, shall the story be told.”</p> +<p>“Nay, friend,” she said, “not here. +This place hath been polluted by my craven fear, and the horror +of the vile wretch, of whom no words may tell his vileness. +Let us hence and onward. Thou seest I have once more come +to life again.”</p> +<p>“But,” said he, “thou hast been hurt by the +Dwarf’s arrow.”</p> +<p>She laughed, and said: “Had I never had greater hurt +from them than that, little had been the tale thereof: yet +whereas thou lookest dolorous about it, we will speedily heal +it.”</p> +<p>Therewith she sought about, and found nigh the stream-side +certain herbs; and she spake words over them, and bade Walter lay +them on the wound, which, forsooth, was of the least, and he did +so, and bound a strip of his shirt about her arm; and then would +she set forth. But he said: “Thou art all unshod; and +but if that be seen to, our journey shall be stayed by thy +foot-soreness: I may make a shift to fashion thee +brogues.”</p> +<p>She said: “I may well go barefoot. And in any +case, I entreat thee that we tarry here no longer, but go away +hence, if it be but for a mile.”</p> +<p>And she looked piteously on him, so that he might not gainsay +her.</p> +<p>So then they crossed the stream, and set forward, when amidst +all these haps the day was worn to midmorning. But after +they had gone a mile, they sat them down on a knoll under the +shadow of a big thorn-tree, within sight of the mountains. +Then said Walter: “Now will I cut thee the brogues from the +skirt of my buff-coat, which shall be well meet for such work; +and meanwhile shalt thou tell me thy tale.”</p> +<p>“Thou art kind,” she said; “but be kinder +yet, and abide my tale till we have done our day’s +work. For we were best to make no long delay here; because, +though thou hast slain the King-dwarf, yet there be others of his +kindred, who swarm in some parts of the wood as the rabbits in a +warren. Now true it is that they have but little +understanding, less, it may be, than the very brute beasts; and +that, as I said afore, unless they be set on our slot like to +hounds, they shall have no inkling of where to seek us, yet might +they happen upon us by mere misadventure. And moreover, +friend,” quoth she, blushing, “I would beg of thee +some little respite; for though I scarce fear thy wrath any more, +since thou hast been so kind to me, yet is there shame in that +which I have to tell thee. Wherefore, since the fairest of +the day is before us, let us use it all we may, and, when thou +hast done me my new foot-gear, get us gone forward +again.”</p> +<p>He kissed her kindly and yea-said her asking: he had already +fallen to work on the leather, and in a while had fashioned her +the brogues; so she tied them to her feet, and arose with a smile +and said: “Now am I hale and strong again, what with the +rest, and what with thy loving-kindness, and thou shalt see how +nimble I shall be to leave this land, for as fair as it is. +Since forsooth a land of lies it is, and of grief to the children +of Adam.”</p> +<p>So they went their ways thence, and fared nimbly indeed, and +made no stay till some three hours after noon, when they rested +by a thicket-side, where the strawberries grew plenty; they ate +thereof what they would: and from a great oak hard by Walter shot +him first one culver, and then another, and hung them to his +girdle to be for their evening’s meal; sithence they went +forward again, and nought befell them to tell of, till they were +come, whenas it lacked scarce an hour of sunset, to the banks of +another river, not right great, but bigger than the last +one. There the Maid cast herself down and said: +“Friend, no further will thy friend go this even; nay, to +say sooth, she cannot. So now we will eat of thy venison, +and then shall my tale be, since I may no longer delay it; and +thereafter shall our slumber be sweet and safe as I +deem.”</p> +<p>She spake merrily now, and as one who feared nothing, and +Walter was much heartened by her words and her voice, and he fell +to and made a fire, and a woodland oven in the earth, and +sithence dighted his fowl, and baked them after the manner of +wood-men. And they ate, both of them, in all love, and in +good-liking of life, and were much strengthened by their +supper. And when they were done, Walter eked his fire, both +against the chill of the midnight and dawning, and for a guard +against wild beasts, and by that time night was come, and the +moon arisen. Then the Maiden drew up to the fire, and +turned to Walter and spake.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV: THE MAID TELLS OF WHAT HAD BEFALLEN HER</h2> +<p>“Now, friend, by the clear of the moon and this +firelight will I tell what I may and can of my tale. Thus +it is: If I be wholly of the race of Adam I wot not nor can I +tell thee how many years old I may be. For there are, as it +were, shards or gaps in my life, wherein are but a few things +dimly remembered, and doubtless many things forgotten. I +remember well when I was a little child, and right happy, and +there were people about me whom I loved, and who loved me. +It was not in this land; but all things were lovely there; the +year’s beginning, the happy mid-year, the year’s +waning, the year’s ending, and then again its +beginning. That passed away, and then for a while is more +than dimness, for nought I remember save that I was. +Thereafter I remember again, and am a young maiden, and I know +some things, and long to know more. I am nowise happy; I am +amongst people who bid me go, and I go; and do this, and I do it: +none loveth me, none tormenteth me; but I wear my heart in +longing for I scarce know what. Neither then am I in this +land, but in a land that I love not, and a house that is big and +stately, but nought lovely. Then is a dim time again, and +sithence a time not right clear; an evil time, wherein I am +older, wellnigh grown to womanhood. There are a many folk +about me, and they foul, and greedy, and hard; and my spirit is +fierce, and my body feeble; and I am set to tasks that I would +not do, by them that are unwiser than I; and smitten I am by them +that are less valiant than I; and I know lack, and stripes, and +divers misery. But all that is now become but a dim picture +to me, save that amongst all these unfriends is a friend to me; +an old woman, who telleth me sweet tales of other life, wherein +all is high and goodly, or at the least valiant and doughty, and +she setteth hope in my heart and learneth me, and maketh me to +know much . . . O much . . . so that at last I am grown wise, and +wise to be mighty if I durst. Yet am I nought in this land +all this while, but, as meseemeth, in a great and a foul +city.”</p> +<p>“And then, as it were, I fall asleep; and in my sleep is +nought, save here and there a wild dream, somedeal lovely, +somedeal hideous: but of this dream is my Mistress a part, and +the monster, withal, whose head thou didst cleave to-day. +But when I am awaken from it, then am I verily in this land, and +myself, as thou seest me to-day. And the first part of my +life here is this, that I am in the pillared ball yonder, +half-clad and with bound hands; and the Dwarf leadeth me to the +Lady, and I hear his horrible croak as he sayeth: ‘Lady, +will this one do?’ and then the sweet voice of the Lady +saying: ‘This one will do; thou shalt have thy reward: now, +set thou the token upon her.’ Then I remember the +Dwarf dragging me away, and my heart sinking for fear of him: but +for that time he did me no more harm than the rivetting upon my +leg this iron ring which here thou seest.”</p> +<p>“So from that time forward I have lived in this land, +and been the thrall of the Lady; and I remember my life here day +by day, and no part of it has fallen into the dimness of +dreams. Thereof will I tell thee but little: but this I +will tell thee, that in spite of my past dreams, or it may be +because of them, I had not lost the wisdom which the old woman +had erst learned me, and for more wisdom I longed. Maybe +this longing shall now make both thee and me happy, but for the +passing time it brought me grief. For at first my Mistress +was indeed wayward with me, but as any great lady might be with +her bought thrall, whiles caressing me, and whiles chastising me, +as her mood went; but she seemed not to be cruel of malice, or +with any set purpose. But so it was (rather little by +little than by any great sudden uncovering of my intent), that +she came to know that I also had some of the wisdom whereby she +lived her queenly life. That was about two years after I +was first her thrall, and 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.”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“Maiden,” said Walter, “one question I would +ask thee; to wit, didst thou see me on the quay by the +ships?”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>“Yea, yea,” quoth Walter; “and, forsooth, +one of them was who but I.”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>“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!”</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>She laughed amidst of her tears, and said: “O, nay, poor +lad, if thou wilt be but wise.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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!”</p> +<p>“Fear nothing, sweetling,” said he; “for +indeed I deem that already I know partly what thou hast +done.”</p> +<p>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 flashing into my mind how I might destroy my enemy. +Therefore I made the Dwarf my messenger to her, by bidding thee +to my bed in such wise that he might hear it. And wot thou +well, that he speedily carried her the tidings. Meanwhile I +hastened to lie to the King’s Son, and all privily bade him +come to me and not thee. And thereafter, by dint of waiting +and watching, and taking the only chance that there was, I met +thee as thou camest back from fetching the skin of the lion that +never was, and gave thee that warning, or else had we been undone +indeed.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Was the lion of her making or of thine +then?”</p> +<p>She said: “Of hers: why should I deal with such a +matter?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said Walter, “but she verily swooned, +and she was verily wroth with the Enemy.”</p> +<p>The Maid smiled, and said: “If her lie was not like very +sooth, then had she not been the crafts-master that I knew her: +one may lie otherwise than with the tongue alone: yet indeed her +wrath against the Enemy was nought feigned; for the Enemy was +even I, and in these latter days never did her wrath leave +me. But to go on with my tale.”</p> +<p>“Now doubt thou not, that, when thou camest into the +hall yester eve, the Mistress knew of thy counterfeit tryst with +me, and meant nought but death for thee; yet first would she have +thee in her arms again, therefore did she make much of thee at +table (and that was partly for my torment also), and therefore +did she make that tryst with thee, and deemed doubtless that thou +wouldst not dare to forgo it, even if thou shouldst go to me +thereafter.”</p> +<p>“Now I had trained that dastard to me as I have told +thee, but I gave him a sleepy draught, so that when I came to the +bed he might not move toward me nor open his eyes: but I lay down +beside him, so that the Lady might know that my body had been +there; for well had she wotted if it had not. Then as there +I lay I cast over him thy shape, so that none might have known +but that thou wert lying by my side, and there, trembling, I +abode what should befall. Thus I passed through the hour +whenas thou shouldest have been at her chamber, and the time of +my tryst with thee was come as the Mistress would be deeming; so +that I looked for her speedily, and my heart wellnigh failed me +for fear of her cruelty.”</p> +<p>“Presently then I heard a stirring in her chamber, and I +slipped from out the bed, and hid me behind the hangings, and was +like to die for fear of her; and lo, presently she came stealing +in softly, holding a lamp in one hand and a knife in the +other. And I tell thee of a sooth that I also had a sharp +knife in my hand to defend my life if need were. She held +the lamp up above her head before she drew near to the bed-side, +and I heard her mutter: ‘She is not there then! but she +shall be taken.’ Then she went up to the bed and +stooped over it, and laid her hand on the place where I had lain; +and therewith her eyes turned to that false image of thee lying +there, and she fell a-trembling and shaking, and the lamp fell to +the ground and was quenched (but there was bright moonlight in +the room, and still I could see what betid). But she +uttered a noise like the low roar of a wild beast, and I saw her +arm and hand rise up, and the flashing of the steel beneath the +hand, and then down came the hand and the steel, and I went nigh +to swooning lest perchance I had wrought over well, and thine +image were thy very self. The dastard died without a groan: +why should I lament him? I cannot. But the Lady drew +him toward her, and snatched the clothes from off his shoulders +and breast, and fell a-gibbering sounds mostly without meaning, +but broken here and there with words. Then I heard her say: +‘I shall forget; I shall forget; and the new days shall +come.’ Then was there silence of her a little, and +thereafter she cried out in a terrible voice: ‘O no, no, +no! I cannot forget; I cannot forget;’ and she raised +a great wailing cry that filled all the night with horror (didst +thou not hear it?), and caught up the knife from the bed and +thrust it into her breast, and fell down a dead heap over the bed +and on to the man whom she had slain. And then I thought of +thee, and joy smote across my terror; how shall I gainsay +it? And I fled away to thee, and I took thine hands in +mine, thy dear hands, and we fled away together. Shall we +be still together?”</p> +<p>He spoke slowly, and touched her not, and she, forbearing all +sobbing and weeping, sat looking wistfully on him. He said: +“I think thou hast told me all; and whether thy guile slew +her, or her own evil heart, she was slain last night who lay in +mine arms the night before. It was ill, and ill done of me, +for I loved not her, but thee, and I wished for her death that I +might be with thee. Thou wottest this, and still thou +lovest me, it may be overweeningly. What have I to say +then? If there be any guilt of guile, I also was in the +guile; and if there be any guilt of murder, I also was in the +murder. Thus we say to each other; and to God and his +Hallows we say: ‘We two have conspired to slay the woman +who tormented one of us, and would have slain the other; and if +we have done amiss therein, then shall we two together pay the +penalty; for in this have we done as one body and one +soul.’”</p> +<p>Therewith he put his arms about her and kissed her, but +soberly and friendly, as if he would comfort her. And +thereafter he said to her: “Maybe to-morrow, in the +sunlight, I will ask thee of this woman, what she verily was; but +now let her be. And thou, thou art over-wearied, and I bid +thee sleep.”</p> +<p>So he went about and gathered of bracken a great heap for her +bed, and did his coat thereover, and led her thereto, and she lay +down meekly, and smiled and crossed her arms over her bosom, and +presently fell asleep. But as for him, he watched by the +fire-side till dawn began to glimmer, and then he also laid him +down and slept.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV: OF THE TRIUMPHANT SUMMER ARRAY OF THE MAID</h2> +<p>When the day was bright Walter arose, and met the Maid coming +from the river-bank, fresh and rosy from the water. She +paled a little when they met face to face, and she shrank from +him shyly. But he took her hand and kissed her frankly; and +the two were glad, and had no need to tell each other of their +joy, though much else they deemed they had to say, could they +have found words thereto.</p> +<p>So they came to their fire and sat down, and fell to +breakfast; and ere they were done, the Maid said: “My +Master, thou seest we be come nigh unto the hill-country, and +to-day about sunset, belike, we shall come into the Land of the +Bear-folk; and both it is, that there is peril if we fall into +their hands, and that we may scarce escape them. Yet I deem +that we may deal with the peril by wisdom.”</p> +<p>“What is the peril?” said Walter; “I mean, +what is the worst of it?”</p> +<p>Said the Maid: “To be offered up in sacrifice to their +God.”</p> +<p>“But if we escape death at their hands, what +then?” said Walter.</p> +<p>“One of two things,” said she; “the first +that they shall take us into their tribe.”</p> +<p>“And will they sunder us in that case?” said +Walter.</p> +<p>“Nay,” said she.</p> +<p>Walter laughed and said: “Therein is little harm +then. But what is the other chance?”</p> +<p>Said she: “That we leave them with their goodwill, and +come back to one of the lands of Christendom.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “I am not all so sure that this is the +better of the two choices, though, forsooth, thou seemest to +think so. But tell me now, what like is their God, that +they should offer up new-comers to him?”</p> +<p>“Their God is a woman,” she said, “and the +Mother of their nation and tribes (or so they deem) before the +days when they had chieftains and Lords of Battle.”</p> +<p>“That will be long ago,” said he; “how then +may she be living now?”</p> +<p>Said the Maid: “Doubtless that woman of yore agone is +dead this many and many a year; but they take to them still a new +woman, one after other, as they may happen on them, to be in the +stead of the Ancient Mother. And to tell thee the very +truth right out, she that lieth dead in the Pillared Hall was +even the last of these; and now, if they knew it, they lack a +God. This shall we tell them.”</p> +<p>“Yea, yea!” said Walter, “a goodly welcome +shall we have of them then, if we come amongst them with our +hands red with the blood of their God!”</p> +<p>She smiled on him and said: “If I come amongst them with +the tidings that I have slain her, and they trow therein, without +doubt they shall make me Lady and Goddess in her +stead.”</p> +<p>“This is a strange word,” said Walter “but +if so they do, how shall that further us in reaching the kindreds +of the world, and the folk of Holy Church?”</p> +<p>She laughed outright, so joyous was she grown, now that she +knew that his life was yet to be a part of hers. +“Sweetheart,” she said, “now I see that thou +desirest wholly what I desire; yet in any case, abiding with them +would be living and not dying, even as thou hadst it e’en +now. But, forsooth, they will not hinder our departure if +they deem me their God; they do not look for it, nor desire it, +that their God should dwell with them daily. Have no +fear.” Then she laughed again, and said: “What! +thou lookest on me and deemest me to be but a sorry image of a +goddess; and me with my scanty coat and bare arms and naked +feet! But wait! I know well how to array me when the +time cometh. Thou shalt see it! And now, my Master, +were it not meet that we took to the road?”</p> +<p>So they arose, and found a ford of the river that took the +Maid but to the knee, and so set forth up the greensward of the +slopes whereas there were but few trees; so went they faring +toward the hill-country.</p> +<p>At the last they were come to the feet of the very hills, and +in the hollows betwixt the buttresses of them grew nut and berry +trees, and the greensward round about them was both thick and +much flowery. There they stayed them and dined, whereas +Walter had shot a hare by the way, and they had found a bubbling +spring under a grey stone in a bight of the coppice, wherein now +the birds were singing their best.</p> +<p>When they had eaten and had rested somewhat, the Maid arose +and said: “Now shall the Queen array herself, and seem like +a very goddess.”</p> +<p>Then she fell to work, while Walter looked on; and she made a +garland for her head of eglantine where the roses were the +fairest; and with mingled flowers of the summer she wreathed her +middle about, and let the garland of them hang down to below her +knees; and knots of the flowers she made fast to the skirts of +her coat, and did them for arm-rings about her arms, and for +anklets and sandals for her feet. Then she set a garland +about Walter’s head, and then stood a little off from him +and set her feet together, and lifted up her arms, and said: +“Lo now! am I not as like to the Mother of Summer as if I +were clad in silk and gold? and even so shall I be deemed by the +folk of the Bear. Come now, thou shalt see how all shall be +well.”</p> +<p>She laughed joyously; but he might scarce laugh for pity of +his love. Then they set forth again, and began to climb the +hills, and the hours wore as they went in sweet converse; till at +last Walter looked on the Maid, and smiled on her, and said: +“One thing I would say to thee, lovely friend, to wit: wert +thou clad in silk and gold, thy stately raiment might well suffer +a few stains, or here and there a rent maybe; but stately would +it be still when the folk of the Bear should come up against +thee. But as to this flowery array of thine, in a few hours +it shall be all faded and nought. Nay, even now, as I look +on thee, the meadow-sweet that hangeth from thy girdle-stead has +waxen dull, and welted; and the blossoming eyebright that is for +a hem to the little white coat of thee is already forgetting how +to be bright and blue. What sayest thou then?”</p> +<p>She laughed at his word, and stood still, and looked back over +her shoulder, while with her fingers she dealt with the flowers +about her side like to a bird preening his feathers. Then +she said: “Is it verily so as thou sayest? Look +again!”</p> +<p>So he looked, and wondered; for lo! beneath his eyes the +spires of the meadow-sweet grew crisp and clear again, the +eyebright blossoms shone once more over the whiteness of her +legs; the eglantine roses opened, and all was as fresh and bright +as if it were still growing on its own roots.</p> +<p>He wondered, and was even somedeal aghast; but she said: +“Dear friend, be not troubled! did I not tell thee that I +am wise in hidden lore? But in my wisdom shall be no longer +any scathe to any man. And again, this my wisdom, as I told +thee erst, shall end on the day whereon I am made all +happy. And it is thou that shall wield it all, my +Master. Yet must my wisdom needs endure for a little season +yet. Let us on then, boldly and happily.”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI: THEY COME TO THE FOLK OF THE BEARS</h2> +<p>On they went, and before long they were come up on to the +down-country, where was scarce a tree, save gnarled and knotty +thorn-bushes here and there, but nought else higher than the +whin. And here on these upper lands they saw that the +pastures were much burned with the drought, albeit summer was not +worn old. Now they went making due south toward the +mountains, whose heads they saw from time to time rising deep +blue over the bleak greyness of the down-land ridges. And +so they went, till at last, hard on sunset, after they had +climbed long over a high bent, they came to the brow thereof, +and, looking down, beheld new tidings.</p> +<p>There was a wide valley below them, greener than the downs +which they had come over, and greener yet amidmost, from the +watering of a stream which, all beset with willows, wound about +the bottom. Sheep and neat were pasturing about the dale, +and moreover a long line of smoke was going up straight into the +windless heavens from the midst of a ring of little round houses +built of turfs, and thatched with reed. And beyond that, +toward an eastward-lying bight of the dale, they could see what +looked like to a doom-ring of big stones, though there were no +rocky places in that land. About the cooking-fire amidst of +the houses, and here and there otherwhere, they saw, standing or +going to and fro, huge figures of men and women, with children +playing about betwixt them.</p> +<p>They stood and gazed down at it for a minute or two, and +though all were at peace there, yet to Walter, at least, it +seemed strange and awful. He spake softly, as though he +would not have his voice reach those men, though they were, +forsooth, out of earshot of anything save a shout: “Are +these then the children of the Bear? What shall we do +now?”</p> +<p>She said: “Yea, of the Bear they be, though there be +other folks of them far and far away to the northward and +eastward, near to the borders of the sea. And as to what we +shall do, let us go down at once, and peacefully. Indeed, +by now there will be no escape from them; for lo you! they have +seen us.”</p> +<p>Forsooth, some three or four of the big men had turned them +toward the bent whereon stood the twain, and were hailing them in +huge, rough voices, wherein, howsoever, seemed to be no anger or +threat. So the Maid took Walter by the hand, and thus they +went down quietly, and the Bear-folk, seeing them, stood all +together, facing them, to abide their coming. Walter saw of +them, that though they were very tall and bigly made, they were +not so far above the stature of men as to be marvels. The +carles were long-haired, and shaggy of beard, and their hair all +red or tawny; their skins, where their naked flesh showed, were +burned brown with sun and weather, but to a fair and pleasant +brown, nought like to blackamoors. The queans were comely +and well-eyed; nor was there anything of fierce or evil-looking +about either the carles or the queans, but somewhat grave and +solemn of aspect were they. Clad were they all, saving the +young men-children, but somewhat scantily, and in nought save +sheep-skins or deer-skins.</p> +<p>For weapons they saw amongst them clubs, and spears headed +with bone or flint, and ugly axes of big flints set in wooden +handles; nor was there, as far as they could see, either now or +afterward, any bow amongst them. But some of the young men +seemed to have slings done about their shoulders.</p> +<p>Now when they were come but three fathom from them, the Maid +lifted up her voice, and spake clearly and sweetly: “Hail, +ye folk of the Bears! we have come amongst you, and that for your +good and not for your hurt: wherefore we would know if we be +welcome.”</p> +<p>There was an old man who stood foremost in the midst, clad in +a mantle of deer-skins worked very goodly, and with a gold ring +on his arm, and a chaplet of blue stones on his head, and he +spake: “Little are ye, but so goodly, that if ye were but +bigger, we should deem that ye were come from the Gods’ +House. Yet have I heard, that how mighty soever may the +Gods be, and chiefly our God, they be at whiles nought so bigly +made as we of the Bears. How this may be, I wot not. +But if ye be not of the Gods or their kindred, then are ye mere +aliens; and we know not what to do with aliens, save we meet them +in battle, or give them to the God, or save we make them children +of the Bear. But yet again, ye may be messengers of some +folk who would bind friendship and alliance with us: in which +case ye shall at the least depart in peace, and whiles ye are +with us shall be our guests in all good cheer. Now, +therefore, we bid you declare the matter unto us.”</p> +<p>Then spake the Maid: “Father, it were easy for us to +declare what we be unto you here present. But, meseemeth, +ye who be gathered round the fire here this evening are less than +the whole tale of the children of the Bear.”</p> +<p>“So it is, Maiden,” said the elder, “that +many more children hath the Bear.”</p> +<p>“This then we bid you,” said the Maid, “that +ye send the tokens round and gather your people to you, and when +they be assembled in the Doom-ring, then shall we put our errand +before you; and according to that, shall ye deal with +us.”</p> +<p>“Thou hast spoken well,” said the elder; +“and even so had we bidden you ourselves. To-morrow, +before noon, shall ye stand in the Doom-ring in this Dale, and +speak with the children of the Bear.”</p> +<p>Therewith he turned to his own folk and called out something, +whereof those twain knew not the meaning; and there came to him, +one after another, six young men, unto each of whom he gave a +thing from out his pouch, but what it was Walter might not see, +save that it was little and of small account: to each, also, he +spake a word or two, and straight they set off running, one after +the other, turning toward the bent which was over against that +whereby the twain had come into the Dale, and were soon out of +sight in the gathering dusk.</p> +<p>Then the elder turned him again to Walter and the Maid, and +spake: “Man and woman, whatsoever ye may be, or whatsoever +may abide you to-morrow, to-night, ye are welcome guests to us; +so we bid you come eat and drink at our fire.”</p> +<p>So they sat all together upon the grass round about the embers +of the fire, and ate curds and cheese, and drank milk in +abundance; and as the night grew on them they quickened the fire, +that they might have light. This wild folk talked merrily +amongst themselves, with laughter enough and friendly jests, but +to the new-comers they were few-spoken, though, as the twain +deemed, for no enmity that they bore them. But this found +Walter, that the younger ones, both men and women, seemed to find +it a hard matter to keep their eyes off them; and seemed, withal, +to gaze on them with somewhat of doubt, or, it might be, of +fear.</p> +<p>So when the night was wearing a little, the elder arose and +bade the twain to come with him, and led them to a small house or +booth, which was amidmost of all, and somewhat bigger than the +others, and he did them to wit that they should rest there that +night, and bade them sleep in peace and without fear till the +morrow. So they entered, and found beds thereon of heather +and ling, and they laid them down sweetly, like brother and +sister, when they had kissed each other. But they noted +that four brisk men lay without the booth, and across the door, +with their weapons beside them, so that they must needs look upon +themselves as captives.</p> +<p>Then Walter might not refrain him, but spake: “Sweet and +dear friend, I have come a long way from the quay at Langton, and +the vision of the Dwarf, the Maid, and the Lady; and for this +kiss wherewith I have kissed thee e’en now, and the +kindness of thine eyes, it was worth the time and the +travail. But to-morrow, meseemeth, I shall go no further in +this world, though my journey be far longer than from Langton +hither. And now may God and All Hallows keep thee amongst +this wild folk, whenas I shall be gone from thee.”</p> +<p>She laughed low and sweetly, and said: “Dear friend, +dost thou speak to me thus mournfully to move me to love thee +better? Then is thy labour lost; for no better may I love +thee than now I do; and that is with mine whole heart. But +keep a good courage, I bid thee; for we be not sundered yet, nor +shall we be. Nor do I deem that we shall die here, or +to-morrow; but many years hence, after we have known all the +sweetness of life. Meanwhile, I bid thee good-night, fair +friend!”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII: MORNING AMONGST THE BEARS</h2> +<p>So Walter laid him down and fell asleep, and knew no more till +he awoke in bright daylight with the Maid standing over +him. She was fresh from the water, for she had been to the +river to bathe her, and the sun through the open door fell +streaming on her feet close to Walter’s pillow. He +turned about and cast his arm about them, and caressed them, +while she stood smiling upon him; then he arose and looked on +her, and said: “How thou art fair and bright this +morning! And yet . . . and yet . . . were it not well that +thou do off thee all this faded and drooping bravery of leaves +and blossoms, that maketh thee look like to a jongleur’s +damsel on a morrow of May-day?”</p> +<p>And he gazed ruefully on her.</p> +<p>She laughed on him merrily, and said: “Yea, and belike +these others think no better of my attire, or not much better; +for yonder they are gathering small wood for the burnt-offering; +which, forsooth, shall be thou and I, unless I better it all by +means of the wisdom I learned of the old woman, and perfected +betwixt the stripes of my Mistress, whom a little while ago thou +lovedst somewhat.”</p> +<p>And as she spake her eyes sparkled, her cheek flushed, and her +limbs and her feet seemed as if they could scarce refrain from +dancing for joy. Then Walter knit his brow, and for a +moment a thought half-framed was in his mind: Is it so, that she +will bewray me and live without me? and he cast his eyes on to +the ground. But she said: “Look up, and into mine +eyes, friend, and see if there be in them any falseness toward +thee! For I know thy thought; I know thy thought. +Dost thou not see that my joy and gladness is for the love of +thee, and the thought of the rest from trouble that is at +hand?”</p> +<p>He looked up, and his eyes met the eyes of her love, and he +would have cast his arms about her; but she drew aback and said: +“Nay, thou must refrain thee awhile, dear friend, lest +these folk cast eyes on us, and deem us over lover-like for what +I am to bid them deem me. Abide a while, and then shall all +be in me according to thy will. But now I must tell thee +that it is not very far from noon, and that the Bears are +streaming into the Dale, and already there is an host of men at +the Doom-ring, and, as I said, the bale for the burnt-offering is +wellnigh dight, whether it be for us, or for some other +creature. And now I have to bid thee this, and it will be a +thing easy for thee to do, to wit, that thou look as if thou wert +of the race of the Gods, and not to blench, or show sign of +blenching, whatever betide: to yea-say both my yea-say and my +nay-say: and lastly this, which is the only hard thing for thee +(but thou hast already done it before somewhat), to look upon me +with no masterful eyes of love, nor as if thou wert at once +praying me and commanding me; rather thou shalt so demean thee as +if thou wert my man all simply, and nowise my master.”</p> +<p>“O friend beloved,” said Walter, “here at +least art thou the master, and I will do all thy bidding, in +certain hope of this, that either we shall live together or die +together.”</p> +<p>But as they spoke, in came the elder, and with him a young +maiden, bearing with them their breakfast of curds arid cream and +strawberries, and he bade them eat. So they ate, and were +not unmerry; and the while of their eating the elder talked with +them soberly, but not hardly, or with any seeming enmity: and +ever his talk gat on to the drought, which was now burning up the +down-pastures; and how the grass in the watered dales, which was +no wide spread of land, would not hold out much longer unless the +God sent them rain. And Walter noted that those two, the +elder and the Maid, eyed each other curiously amidst of this +talk; the elder intent on what she might say, and if she gave +heed to his words; while on her side the Maid answered his speech +graciously and pleasantly, but said little that was of any +import: nor would she have him fix her eyes, which wandered +lightly from this thing to that; nor would her lips grow stern +and stable, but ever smiled in answer to the light of her eyes, +as she sat there with her face as the very face of the gladness +of the summer day.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII: OF THE NEW GOD OF THE BEARS</h2> +<p>At last the old man said: “My children, ye shall now +come with me unto the Doom-ring of our folk, the Bears of the +Southern Dales, and deliver to them your errand; and I beseech +you to have pity upon your own bodies, as I have pity on them; on +thine especially, Maiden, so fair and bright a creature as thou +art; for so it is, that if ye deal us out light and lying words +after the manner of dastards, ye shall miss the worship and glory +of wending away amidst of the flames, a gift to the God and a +hope to the people, and shall be passed by the rods of the folk, +until ye faint and fail amongst them, and then shall ye be thrust +down into the flow at the Dale’s End, and a stone-laden +hurdle cast upon you, that we may thenceforth forget your +folly.”</p> +<p>The Maid now looked full into his eyes, and Walter deemed that +the old man shrank before her; but she said: “Thou art old +and wise, O great man of the Bears, yet nought I need to learn of +thee. Now lead us on our way to the Stead of the +Errands.”</p> +<p>So the elder brought them along to the Doom-ring at the +eastern end of the Dale; and it was now all peopled with those +huge men, weaponed after their fashion, and standing up, so that +the grey stones thereof but showed a little over their +heads. But amidmost of the said Ring was a big stone, +fashioned as a chair, whereon sat a very old man, long-hoary and +white-bearded, and on either side of him stood a great-limbed +woman clad in war-gear, holding, each of them, a long spear, and +with a flint-bladed knife in the girdle; and there were no other +women in all the Mote.</p> +<p>Then the elder led those twain into the midst of the Mote, and +there bade them go up on to a wide, flat-topped stone, six feet +above the ground, just over against the ancient chieftain; and +they mounted it by a rough stair, and stood there before that +folk; Walter in his array of the outward world, which had been +fair enough, of crimson cloth and silk, and white linen, but was +now travel-stained and worn; and the Maid with nought upon her, +save the smock wherein she had fled from the Golden House of the +Wood beyond the World, decked with the faded flowers which she +had wreathed about her yesterday. Nevertheless, so it was, +that those big men eyed her intently, and with somewhat of +worship.</p> +<p>Now did Walter, according to her bidding, sink down on his +knees beside her, and drawing his sword, hold it before him, as +if to keep all interlopers aloof from the Maid. And there +was silence in the Mote, and all eyes were fixed on those +twain.</p> +<p>At last the old chief arose and spake: “Ye men, here are +come a man and a woman, we know not whence; whereas they have +given word to our folk who first met them, that they would tell +their errand to none save the Mote of the People; which it was +their due to do, if they were minded to risk it. For either +they be aliens without an errand hither, save, it may be, to +beguile us, in which case they shall presently die an evil death; +or they have come amongst us that we may give them to the God +with flint-edge and fire; or they have a message to us from some +folk or other, on the issue of which lieth life or death. +Now shall ye hear what they have to say concerning themselves and +their faring hither. But, meseemeth, it shall be the woman +who is the chief and hath the word in her mouth; for, lo you! the +man kneeleth at her feet, as one who would serve and worship +her. Speak out then, woman, and let our warriors hear +thee.”</p> +<p>Then the Maid lifted up her voice, and spake out clear and +shrilling, like to a flute of the best of the minstrels: +“Ye men of the Children of the Bear, I would ask you a +question, and let the chieftain who sitteth before me answer +it.”</p> +<p>The old man nodded his head, and she went on: “Tell me, +Children of the Bear, how long a time is worn since ye saw the +God of your worship made manifest in the body of a +woman!”</p> +<p>Said the elder: “Many winters have worn since my +father’s father was a child, and saw the very God in the +bodily form of a woman.”</p> +<p>Then she said again: “Did ye rejoice at her coming, and +would ye rejoice if once more she came amongst you?”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the old chieftain, “for she gave +us gifts, and learned us lore, and came to us in no terrible +shape, but as a young woman as goodly as thou.”</p> +<p>Then said the Maid: “Now, then, is the day of your +gladness come; for the old body is dead, and I am the new body of +your God, come amongst you for your welfare.”</p> +<p>Then fell a great silence on the Mote, till the old man spake +and said: “What shall I say and live? For if thou be +verily the God, and I threaten thee, wilt thou not destroy +me? But thou hast spoken a great word with a sweet mouth, +and hast taken the burden of blood on thy lily hands; and if the +Children of the Bear be befooled of light liars, how shall they +put the shame off them? Therefore I say, show to us a +token; and if thou be the God, this shall be easy to thee; and if +thou show it not, then is thy falsehood manifest, and thou shalt +dree the weird. For we shall deliver thee into the hands of +these women here, who shall thrust thee down into the flow which +is hereby, after they have wearied themselves with whipping +thee. But thy man that kneeleth at thy feet shall we give +to the true God, and he shall go to her by the road of the flint +and the fire. Hast thou heard? Then give to us the +sign and the token.”</p> +<p>She changed countenance no whit at his word; but her eyes were +the brighter, and her cheek the fresher and her feet moved a +little, as if they were growing glad before the dance; and she +looked out over the Mote, and spake in her clear voice: +“Old man, thou needest not to fear for thy words. +Forsooth it is not me whom thou threatenest with stripes and a +foul death, but some light fool and liar, who is not here. +Now hearken! I wot well that ye would have somewhat of me, +to wit, that I should send you rain to end this drought, which +otherwise seemeth like to lie long upon you: but this rain, I +must go into the mountains of the south to fetch it you; +therefore shall certain of your warriors bring me on my way, with +this my man, up to the great pass of the said mountains, and we +shall set out thitherward this very day.”</p> +<p>She was silent a while, and all looked on her, but none spake +or moved, so that they seemed as images of stone amongst the +stones.</p> +<p>Then she spake again and said: “Some would say, men of +the Bear, that this were a sign and a token great enough; but I +know you, and how stubborn and perverse of heart ye be; and how +that the gift not yet within your hand is no gift to you; and the +wonder ye see not, your hearts trow not. Therefore look ye +upon me as here I stand, I who have come from the fairer country +and the greenwood of the lands, and see if I bear not the summer +with me, and the heart that maketh increase and the hand that +giveth.”</p> +<p>Lo then! as she spake, the faded flowers that hung about her +gathered life and grew fresh again; the woodbine round her neck +and her sleek shoulders knit itself together and embraced her +freshly, and cast its scent about her face. The lilies that +girded her loins lifted up their heads, and the gold of their +tassels fell upon her; the eyebright grew clean blue again upon +her smock; the eglantine found its blooms again, and then began +to shed the leaves thereof upon her feet; the meadow-sweet +wreathed amongst it made clear the sweetness of her legs, and the +mouse-ear studded her raiment as with gems. There she stood +amidst of the blossoms, like a great orient pearl against the +fretwork of the goldsmiths, and the breeze that came up the +valley from behind bore the sweetness of her fragrance all over +the Man-mote.</p> +<p>Then, indeed, the Bears stood up, and shouted and cried, and +smote on their shields, and tossed their spears aloft. Then +the elder rose from his seat, and came up humbly to where she +stood, and prayed her to say what she would have done; while the +others drew about in knots, but durst not come very nigh to +her. She answered the ancient chief, and said, that she +would depart presently toward the mountains, whereby she might +send them the rain which they lacked, and that thence she would +away to the southward for a while; but that they should hear of +her, or, it might be, see her, before they who were now of middle +age should be gone to their fathers.</p> +<p>Then the old man besought her that they might make her a +litter of fragrant green boughs, and so bear her away toward the +mountain pass amidst a triumph of the whole folk. But she +leapt lightly down from the stone, and walked to and fro on the +greensward, while it seemed of her that her feet scarce touched +the grass; and she spake to the ancient chief where he still +kneeled in worship of her, and said “Nay; deemest thou of +me that I need bearing by men’s hands, or that I shall tire +at all when I am doing my will, and I, the very heart of the +year’s increase? So it is, that the going of my feet +over your pastures shall make them to thrive, both this year and +the coming years: surely will I go afoot.”</p> +<p>So they worshipped her the more, and blessed her; and then +first of all they brought meat, the daintiest they might, both +for her and for Walter. But they would not look on the Maid +whiles she ate, or suffer Walter to behold her the while. +Afterwards, when they had eaten, some twenty men, weaponed after +their fashion, made them ready to wend with the Maiden up into +the mountains, and anon they set out thitherward all +together. Howbeit, the huge men held them ever somewhat +aloof from the Maid; and when they came to the resting-place for +that night, where was no house, for it was up amongst the +foot-hills before the mountains, then it was a wonder to see how +carefully they built up a sleeping-place for her, and tilted it +over with their skin-cloaks, and how they watched nightlong about +her. But Walter they let sleep peacefully on the grass, a +little way aloof from the watchers round the Maid.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX: WALTER STRAYS IN THE PASS AND IS SUNDERED FROM +THE MAID</h2> +<p>Morning came, and they arose and went on their ways, and went +all day till the sun was nigh set, and they were come up into the +very pass; and in the jaws thereof was an earthen howe. +There the Maid bade them stay, and she went up on to the howe, +and stood there and spake to them, and said: “O men of the +Bear, I give you thanks for your following, and I bless you, and +promise you the increase of the earth. But now ye shall +turn aback, and leave me to go my ways; and my man with the iron +sword shall follow me. Now, maybe, I shall come amongst the +Bear-folk again before long, and yet again, and learn them +wisdom; but for this time it is enough. And I shall tell +you that ye were best to hasten home straightway to your houses +in the downland dales, for the weather which I have bidden for +you is even now coming forth from the forge of storms in the +heart of the mountains. Now this last word I give you, that +times are changed since I wore the last shape of God that ye have +seen, wherefore a change I command you. If so be aliens +come amongst you, I will not that ye send them to me by the flint +and the fire; rather, unless they be baleful unto you, and worthy +of an evil death, ye shall suffer them to abide with you; ye +shall make them become children of the Bears, if they be goodly +enough and worthy, and they shall be my children as ye be; +otherwise, if they be ill-favoured and weakling, let them live +and be thralls to you, but not join with you, man to woman. +Now depart ye with my blessing.”</p> +<p>Therewith she came down from the mound, and went her ways up +the pass so lightly, that it was to Walter, standing amongst the +Bears, as if she had vanished away. But the men of that +folk abode standing and worshipping their God for a little while, +and that while he durst not sunder him from their company. +But when they had blessed him and gone on their way backward, he +betook him in haste to following the Maid, thinking to find her +abiding him in some nook of the pass.</p> +<p>Howsoever, it was now twilight or more, and, for all his +haste, dark night overtook him, so that perforce he was stayed +amidst the tangle of the mountain ways. And, moreover, ere +the night was grown old, the weather came upon him on the back of +a great south wind, so that the mountain nooks rattled and +roared, and there was the rain and the hail, with thunder and +lightning, monstrous and terrible, and all the huge array of a +summer storm. So he was driven at last to crouch under a +big rock and abide the day.</p> +<p>But not so were his troubles at an end. For under the +said rock he fell asleep, and when he awoke it was day indeed; +but as to the pass, the way thereby was blind with the driving +rain and the lowering lift; so that, though he struggled as well +as he might against the storm and the tangle, he made but little +way.</p> +<p>And now once more the thought came on him, that the Maid was +of the fays, or of some race even mightier; and it came on him +now not as erst, with half fear and whole desire, but with a +bitter oppression of dread, of loss and misery; so that he began +to fear that she had but won his love to leave him and forget him +for a new-comer, after the wont of fay-women, as old tales +tell.</p> +<p>Two days he battled thus with storm and blindness, and wanhope +of his life; for he was growing weak and fordone. But the +third morning the storm abated, though the rain yet fell heavily, +and he could see his way somewhat as well as feel it: withal he +found that now his path was leading him downwards. As it +grew dusk, he came down into a grassy valley with a stream +running through it to the southward, and the rain was now but +little, coming down but in dashes from time to time. So he +crept down to the stream-side, and lay amongst the bushes there; +and said to himself, that on the morrow he would get him victual, +so that he might live to seek his Maiden through the wide +world. He was of somewhat better heart: but now that he was +laid quiet, and had no more for that present to trouble him about +the way, the anguish of his loss fell upon him the keener, and he +might not refrain him from lamenting his dear Maiden aloud, as +one who deemed himself in the empty wilderness: and thus he +lamented for her sweetness and her loveliness, and the kindness +of her voice and her speech, and her mirth. Then he fell to +crying out concerning the beauty of her shaping, praising the +parts of her body, as her face, and her hands, and her shoulders, +and her feet, and cursing the evil fate which had sundered him +from the friendliness of her, and the peerless fashion of +her.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX: NOW THEY MEET AGAIN</h2> +<p>Complaining thus-wise, he fell asleep from sheer weariness, +and when he awoke it was broad day, calm and bright and +cloudless, with the scent of the earth refreshed going up into +the heavens, and the birds singing sweetly in the bushes about +him: for the dale whereunto he was now come was a fair and lovely +place amidst the shelving slopes of the mountains, a paradise of +the wilderness, and nought but pleasant and sweet things were to +be seen there, now that the morn was so clear and sunny.</p> +<p>He arose and looked about him, and saw where, a hundred yards +aloof, was a thicket of small wood, as thorn and elder and +whitebeam, all wreathed about with the bines of wayfaring tree; +it hid a bight of the stream, which turned round about it, and +betwixt it and Walter was the grass short and thick, and sweet, +and all beset with flowers; and he said to himself that it was +even such a place as wherein the angels were leading the Blessed +in the great painted paradise in the choir of the big church at +Langton on Holm. But lo! as he looked he cried aloud for +joy, for forth from the thicket on to the flowery grass came one +like to an angel from out of the said picture, white-clad and +bare-foot, sweet of flesh, with bright eyes and ruddy cheeks; for +it was the Maid herself. So he ran to her, and she abode +him, holding forth kind hands to him, and smiling, while she wept +for joy of the meeting. He threw himself upon her, and +spared not to kiss her, her cheeks and her mouth, and her arms +and her shoulders, and wheresoever she would suffer it. +Till at last she drew aback a little, laughing on him for love, +and said: “Forbear now, friend, for it is enough for this +time, and tell me how thou hast sped.”</p> +<p>“Ill, ill,” said he.</p> +<p>“What ails thee?” she said.</p> +<p>“Hunger,” he said, “and longing for +thee.”</p> +<p>“Well,” she said, “me thou hast; there is +one ill quenched; take my hand, and we will see to the other +one.”</p> +<p>So he took her hand, and to hold it seemed to him sweet beyond +measure. But he looked up, and saw a little blue smoke +going up into the air from beyond the thicket; and he laughed, +for he was weak with hunger, and he said: “Who is at the +cooking yonder?”</p> +<p>“Thou shalt see,” she said; and led him therewith +into the said thicket and through it, and lo! a fair little +grassy place, full of flowers, betwixt the bushes and the bight +of the stream; and on the little sandy ere, just off the +greensward, was a fire of sticks, and beside it two trouts lying, +fat and red-flecked.</p> +<p>“Here is the breakfast,” said she; “when it +was time to wash the night off me e’en now, I went down the +strand here into the rippling shallow, and saw the bank below it, +where the water draws together yonder, and deepens, that it +seemed like to hold fish; and whereas I looked to meet thee +presently, I groped the bank for them, going softly; and lo +thou! Help me now, that we cook them.”</p> +<p>So they roasted them on the red embers, and fell to and ate +well, both of them, and drank of the water of the stream out of +each other’s hollow hands; and that feast seemed glorious +to them, such gladness went with it.</p> +<p>But when they were done with their meat, Walter said to the +Maid: “And how didst thou know that thou shouldst see me +presently?”</p> +<p>She said, looking on him wistfully: “This needed no +wizardry. I lay not so far from thee last night, but that I +heard thy voice and knew it.”</p> +<p>Said he, “Why didst thou not come to me then, since thou +heardest me bemoaning thee?”</p> +<p>She cast her eyes down, and plucked at the flowers and grass, +and said: “It was dear to hear thee praising me; I knew not +before that I was so sore desired, or that thou hadst taken such +note of my body, and found it so dear.”</p> +<p>Then she reddened sorely, and said: “I knew not that +aught of me had such beauty as thou didst bewail.”</p> +<p>And she wept for joy. Then she looked on him and smiled, +and said: “Wilt thou have the very truth of it? I +went close up to thee, and stood there hidden by the bushes and +the night. And amidst thy bewailing, I knew that thou +wouldst soon fall asleep, and in sooth I out-waked +thee.”</p> +<p>Then was she silent again; and he spake not, but looked on her +shyly; and she said, reddening yet more: “Furthermore, I +must needs tell thee that I feared to go to thee in the dark +night, and my heart so yearning towards thee.”</p> +<p>And she hung her head adown; but he said: “Is it so +indeed, that thou fearest me? Then doth that make me +afraid—afraid of thy nay-say. For I was going to +entreat thee, and say to thee: Beloved, we have now gone through +many troubles; let us now take a good reward at once, and wed +together, here amidst this sweet and pleasant house of the +mountains, ere we go further on our way; if indeed we go further +at all. For where shall we find any place sweeter or +happier than this?”</p> +<p>But she sprang up to her feet, and stood there trembling +before him, because of her love; and she said: “Beloved, I +have deemed that it were good for us to go seek mankind as they +live in the world, and to live amongst them. And as for me, +I will tell thee the sooth, to wit, that I long for this +sorely. For I feel afraid in the wilderness, and as if I +needed help and protection against my Mistress, though she be +dead; and I need the comfort of many people, and the throngs of +the cities. I cannot forget her: it was but last night that +I dreamed (I suppose as the dawn grew a-cold) that I was yet +under her hand, and she was stripping me for the torment; so that +I woke up panting and crying out. I pray thee be not angry +with me for telling thee of my desires; for if thou wouldst not +have it so, then here will I abide with thee as thy mate, and +strive to gather courage.”</p> +<p>He rose up and kissed her face, and said: “Nay, I had in +sooth no mind to abide here for ever; I meant but that we should +feast a while here, and then depart: sooth it is, that if thou +dreadest the wilderness, somewhat I dread the city.”</p> +<p>She turned pale, and said: “Thou shalt have thy will, my +friend, if it must be so. But bethink thee we be not yet at +our journey’s end, and may have many things and much strife +to endure, before we be at peace and in welfare. Now shall +I tell thee—did I not before?—that while I am a maid +untouched, my wisdom, and somedeal of might, abideth with me, and +only so long. Therefore I entreat thee, let us go now, side +by side, out of this fair valley, even as we are, so that my +wisdom and might may help thee at need. For, my friend, I +would not that our lives be short, so much of joy as hath now +come into them.”</p> +<p>“Yea, beloved,” he said, “let us on +straightway then, and shorten the while that sundereth +us.”</p> +<p>“Love,” she said, “thou shalt pardon me one +time for all. But this is to be said, that I know somewhat +of the haps that lie a little way ahead of us; partly by my lore, +and partly by what I learned of this land of the wild folk whiles +thou wert lying asleep that morning.”</p> +<p>So they left that pleasant place by the water, and came into +the open valley, and went their ways through the pass; and it +soon became stony again, as they mounted the bent which went up +from out the dale. And when they came to the brow of the +said bent, they had a sight of the open country lying fair and +joyous in the sunshine, and amidst of it, against the blue hills, +the walls and towers of a great city.</p> +<p>Then said the Maid: “O, dear friend, lo you! is not that +our abode that lieth yonder, and is so beauteous? Dwell not +our friends there, and our protection against uncouth wights, and +mere evil things in guileful shapes? O city, I bid thee +hail!”</p> +<p>But Walter looked on her, and smiled somewhat; and said: +“I rejoice in thy joy. But there be evil things in +yonder city also, though they be not fays nor devils, or it is +like to no city that I wot of. And in every city shall foes +grow up to us without rhyme or reason, and life therein shall be +tangled unto us.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” she said; “but in the wilderness +amongst the devils, what was to be done by manly might or +valiancy? There hadst thou to fall back upon the guile and +wizardry which I had filched from my very foes. But when we +come down yonder, then shall thy valiancy prevail to cleave the +tangle for us. Or at the least, it shall leave a tale of +thee behind, and I shall worship thee.”</p> +<p>He laughed, and his face grew brighter: “Mastery mows +the meadow,” quoth he, “and one man is of little +might against many. But I promise thee I shall not be +slothful before thee.”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI: THEY COME UPON NEW FOLK</h2> +<p>With that they went down from the bent again, and came to +where the pass narrowed so much, that they went betwixt a steep +wall of rock on either side; but after an hour’s going, the +said wall gave back suddenly, and, or they were ware almost, they +came on another dale like to that which they had left, but not so +fair, though it was grassy and well watered, and not so big +either. But here indeed befell a change to them; for lo! +tents and pavilions pitched in the said valley, and amidst of it +a throng of men, mostly weaponed, and with horses ready saddled +at hand. So they stayed their feet, and Walter’s +heart failed him, for he said to himself: Who wotteth what these +men may be, save that they be aliens? It is most like that +we shall be taken as thralls; and then, at the best, we shall be +sundered; and that is all one with the worst.</p> +<p>But the Maid, when she saw the horses, and the gay tents, and +the pennons fluttering, and the glitter of spears, and gleaming +of white armour, smote her palms together for joy, and cried out: +“Here now are come the folk of the city for our welcoming, +and fair and lovely are they, and of many things shall they be +thinking, and a many things shall they do, and we shall be +partakers thereof. Come then, and let us meet them, fair +friend!”</p> +<p>But Walter said: “Alas! thou knowest not: would that we +might flee! But now is it over late; so put we a good face +on it, and go to them quietly, as erewhile we did in the +Bear-country.”</p> +<p>So did they; and there sundered six from the men-at-arms and +came to those twain, and made humble obeisance to Walter, but +spake no word. Then they made as they would lead them to +the others, and the twain went with them wondering, and came into +the ring of men-at-arms, and stood before an old hoar knight, +armed all, save his head, with most goodly armour, and he also +bowed before Walter, but spake no word. Then they took them +to the master pavilion, and made signs to them to sit, and they +brought them dainty meat and good wine. And the while of +their eating arose up a stir about them; and when they were done +with their meat, the ancient knight came to them, still bowing in +courteous wise, and did them to wit by signs that they should +depart: and when they were without, they saw all the other tents +struck, and men beginning to busy them with striking the +pavilion, and the others mounted and ranked in good order for the +road; and there were two horse-litters before them, wherein they +were bidden to mount, Walter in one, and the Maid in the other, +and no otherwise might they do. Then presently was a horn +blown, and all took to the road together; and Walter saw betwixt +the curtains of the litter that men-at-arms rode on either side +of him, albeit they had left him his sword by his side.</p> +<p>So they went down the mountain-passes, and before sunset were +gotten into the plain; but they made no stay for nightfall, save +to eat a morsel and drink a draught, going through the night as +men who knew their way well. As they went, Walter wondered +what would betide, and if peradventure they also would be for +offering them up to their Gods; whereas they were aliens for +certain, and belike also Saracens. Moreover there was a +cold fear at his heart that he should be sundered from the Maid, +whereas their masters now were mighty men of war, holding in +their hands that which all men desire, to wit, the manifest +beauty of a woman. Yet he strove to think the best of it +that he might. And so at last, when the night was far +spent, and dawn was at hand, they stayed at a great and mighty +gate in a huge wall. There they blew loudly on the horn +thrice, and thereafter the gates were opened, and they all passed +through into a street, which seemed to Walter in the glimmer to +be both great and goodly amongst the abodes of men. Then it +was but a little ere they came into a square, wide-spreading, one +side whereof Walter took to be the front of a most goodly +house. There the doors of the court opened to them or ever +the horn might blow, though, forsooth, blow it did loudly three +times; all they entered therein, and men came to Walter and +signed to him to alight. So did he, and would have tarried +to look about for the Maid, but they suffered it not, but led him +up a huge stair into a chamber, very great, and but dimly lighted +because of its greatness. Then they brought him to a bed +dight as fair as might be, and made signs to him to strip and lie +therein. Perforce he did so, and then they bore away his +raiment, and left him lying there. So he lay there quietly, +deeming it no avail for him, a mother-naked man, to seek escape +thence; but it was long ere he might sleep, because of his +trouble of mind. At last, pure weariness got the better of +his hopes and fears, and he fell into slumber just as the dawn +was passing into day.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII: OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF +STARK-WALL</h2> +<p>When he awoke again the sun was shining brightly into that +chamber, and he looked, and beheld that it was peerless of beauty +and riches, amongst all that he had ever seen: the ceiling done +with gold and over-sea blue; the walls hung with arras of the +fairest, though he might not tell what was the history done +therein. The chairs and stools were of carven work well +be-painted, and amidmost was a great ivory chair under a cloth of +estate, of bawdekin of gold and green, much be-pearled; and all +the floor was of fine work alexandrine.</p> +<p>He looked on all this, wondering what had befallen him, when +lo! there came folk into the chamber, to wit, two serving-men +well-bedight, and three old men clad in rich gowns of silk. +These came to him and (still by signs, without speech) bade him +arise and come with them; and when he bade them look to it that +he was naked, and laughed doubtfully, they neither laughed in +answer, nor offered him any raiment, but still would have him +arise, and he did so perforce. They brought him with them +out of the chamber, and through certain passages pillared and +goodly, till they came to a bath as fair as any might be; and +there the serving-men washed him carefully and tenderly, the old +men looking on the while. When it was done, still they +offered not to clothe him, but led him out, and through the +passages again, back to the chamber. Only this time he must +pass between a double hedge of men, some weaponed, some in +peaceful array, but all clad gloriously, and full chieftain-like +of aspect, either for valiancy or wisdom.</p> +<p>In the chamber itself was now a concourse of men, of great +estate by deeming of their array; but all these were standing +orderly in a ring about the ivory chair aforesaid. Now said +Walter to himself: Surely all this looks toward the knife and the +altar for me; but he kept a stout countenance despite of all.</p> +<p>So they led him up to the ivory chair, and he beheld on either +side thereof a bench, and on each was laid a set of raiment from +the shirt upwards; but there was much diversity betwixt these +arrays. For one was all of robes of peace, glorious and +be-gemmed, unmeet for any save a great king; while the other was +war-weed, seemly, well-fashioned, but little adorned; nay rather, +worn and bestained with weather, and the pelting of the +spear-storm.</p> +<p>Now those old men signed to Walter to take which of those +raiments he would, and do it on. He looked to the right and +the left, and when he had looked on the war-gear, the heart arose +in him, and he called to mind the array of the Goldings in the +forefront of battle, and he made one step toward the weapons, and +laid his hand thereon. Then ran a glad murmur through that +concourse, and the old men drew up to him smiling and joyous, and +helped him to do them on; and as he took up the helm, he noted +that over its broad brown iron sat a golden crown.</p> +<p>So when he was clad and weaponed, girt with a sword, and a +steel axe in his hand, the elders showed him to the ivory throne, +and he laid the axe on the arm of the chair, and drew forth the +sword from the scabbard, and sat him down, and laid the ancient +blade across his knees; then he looked about on those great men, +and spake: “How long shall we speak no word to each other, +or is it so that God hath stricken you dumb?”</p> +<p>Then all they cried out with one voice: “All hail to the +King, the King of Battle!”</p> +<p>Spake Walter: “If I be king, will ye do my will as I bid +you?”</p> +<p>Answered the elder: “Nought have we will to do, lord, +save as thou biddest.”</p> +<p>Said Walter: “Thou then, wilt thou answer a question in +all truth?”</p> +<p>“Yea, lord,” said the elder, “if I may live +afterward.”</p> +<p>Then said Walter: “The woman that came with me into your +Camp of the Mountain, what hath befallen her?”</p> +<p>The elder answered: “Nought hath befallen her, either of +good or evil, save that she hath slept and eaten and bathed +her. What, then, is the King’s pleasure concerning +her?”</p> +<p>“That ye bring her hither to me straightway,” said +Walter.</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the elder; “and in what guise +shall we bring her hither? shall she be arrayed as a servant, or +a great lady?”</p> +<p>Then Walter pondered a while, and spake at last: “Ask +her what is her will herein, and as she will have it, so let it +be. But set ye another chair beside mine, and lead her +thereto. Thou wise old man, send one or two to bring her in +hither, but abide thou, for I have a question or two to ask of +thee yet. And ye, lords, abide here the coming of my +she-fellow, if it weary you not.”</p> +<p>So the elder spake to three of the most honourable of the +lords, and they went their ways to bring in the Maid.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII: CONCERNING THE FASHION OF KING-MAKING IN +STARK-WALL</h2> +<p>Meanwhile the King spake to the elder, and said: “Now +tell me whereof I am become king, and what is the fashion and +cause of the king-making; for wondrous it is to me, whereas I am +but an alien amidst of mighty men.”</p> +<p>“Lord,” said the old man, “thou art become +king of a mighty city, which hath under it many other cities and +wide lands, and havens by the sea-side, and which lacketh no +wealth which men desire. Many wise men dwell therein, and +of fools not more than in other lands. A valiant host shall +follow thee to battle when needs must thou wend afield; an host +not to be withstood, save by the ancient God-folk, if any of them +were left upon the earth, as belike none are. And as to the +name of our said city, it hight the City of the Stark-wall, or +more shortly, Stark-wall. Now as to the fashion of our +king-making: If our king dieth and leaveth an heir male, begotten +of his body, then is he king after him; but if he die and leave +no heir, then send we out a great lord, with knights and +sergeants, to that pass of the mountain whereto ye came +yesterday; and the first man that cometh unto them, they take and +lead to the city, as they did with thee, lord. For we +believe and trow that of old time our forefathers came down from +the mountains by that same pass, poor and rude, but full of +valiancy, before they conquered these lands, and builded the +Stark-wall. But now furthermore, when we have gotten the +said wanderer, and brought him home to our city, we behold him +mother-naked, all the great men of us, both sages and warriors; +then if we find him ill-fashioned and counterfeit of his body, we +roll him in a great carpet till he dies; or whiles, if he be but +a simple man, and without guile, we deliver him for thrall to +some artificer amongst us, as a shoemaker, a wright, or what not, +and so forget him. But in either case we make as if no such +man had come to us, and we send again the lord and his knights to +watch the pass; for we say that such an one the Fathers of old +time have not sent us. But again, when we have seen to the +new-comer that he is well-fashioned of his body, all is not done; +for we deem that never would the Fathers send us a dolt or a +craven to be our king. Therefore we bid the naked one take +to him which he will of these raiments, either the ancient +armour, which now thou bearest, lord, or this golden raiment +here; and if he take the war-gear, as thou takedst it, King, it +is well; but if he take the raiment of peace, then hath he the +choice either to be thrall of some goodman of the city, or to be +proven how wise he may be, and so fare the narrow edge betwixt +death and kingship; for if he fall short of his wisdom, then +shall he die the death. Thus is thy question answered, +King, and praise be to the Fathers that they have sent us one +whom none may doubt, either for wisdom or valiancy.”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV: NOW COMETH THE MAID TO THE KING</h2> +<p>Then all they bowed before the King, and he spake again: +“What is that noise that I hear without, as if it were the +rising of the sea on a sandy shore, when the south-west wind is +blowing.”</p> +<p>Then the elder opened his mouth to answer; but before he might +get out the word, there was a stir without the chamber door, and +the throng parted, and lo! amidst of them came the Maid, and she +yet clad in nought save the white coat wherewith she had won +through the wilderness, save that on her head was a garland of +red roses, and her middle was wreathed with the same. Fresh +and fair she was as the dawn of June; her face bright, +red-lipped, and clear-eyed, and her cheeks flushed with hope and +love. She went straight to Walter where he sat, and lightly +put away with her hand the elder who would lead her to the ivory +throne beside the King; but she knelt down before him, and laid +her hand on his steel-clad knee, and said: “O my lord, now +I see that thou hast beguiled me, and that thou wert all along a +king-born man coming home to thy realm. But so dear thou +hast been to me; and so fair and clear, and so kind withal do +thine eyes shine on me from under the grey war-helm, that I will +beseech thee not to cast me out utterly, but suffer me to be thy +servant and handmaid for a while. Wilt thou not?”</p> +<p>But the King stooped down to her and raised her up, and stood +on his feet, and took her hands and kissed them, and set her down +beside him, and said to her: “Sweetheart, this is now thy +place till the night cometh, even by my side.”</p> +<p>So she sat down there meek and valiant, her hands laid in her +lap, and her feet one over the other; while the King said: +“Lords, this is my beloved, and my spouse. Now, +therefore, if ye will have me for King, ye must worship this one +for Queen and Lady; or else suffer us both to go our ways in +peace.”</p> +<p>Then all they that were in the chamber cried out aloud: +“The Queen, the Lady! The beloved of our +lord!”</p> +<p>And this cry came from their hearts, and not their lips only; +for as they looked on her, and the brightness of her beauty, they +saw also the meekness of her demeanour, and the high heart of +her, and they all fell to loving her. But the young men of +them, their cheeks flushed as they beheld her, and their hearts +went out to her, and they drew their swords and brandished them +aloft, and cried out for her as men made suddenly drunk with +love: “The Queen, the Lady, the lovely one!”</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXV: OF THE KING OF STARK-WALL AND HIS QUEEN</h2> +<p>But while this betid, that murmur without, which is aforesaid, +grew louder; and it smote on the King’s ear, and he said +again to the elder: “Tell us now of that noise withoutward, +what is it?”</p> +<p>Said the elder: “If thou, King, and the Queen, wilt but +arise and stand in the window, and go forth into the hanging +gallery thereof, then shall ye know at once what is this rumour, +and therewithal shall ye see a sight meet to rejoice the heart of +a king new come into kingship.”</p> +<p>So the King arose and took the Maid by the hand, and went to +the window and looked forth; and lo! the great square of the +place all thronged with folk as thick as they could stand, and +the more part of the carles with a weapon in hand, and many armed +right gallantly. Then he went out into the gallery with his +Queen, still holding her hand, and his lords and wise men stood +behind him. Straightway then arose a cry, and a shout of +joy and welcome that rent the very heavens, and the great place +was all glittering and strange with the tossing up of spears and +the brandishing of swords, and the stretching forth of hands.</p> +<p>But the Maid spake softly to King Walter and said: “Here +then is the wilderness left behind a long way, and here is +warding and protection against the foes of our life and +soul. O blessed be thou and thy valiant heart!”</p> +<p>But Walter spake nothing, but stood as one in a dream; and +yet, if that might be, his longing toward her increased +manifold.</p> +<p>But down below, amidst of the throng, stood two neighbours +somewhat anigh to the window; and quoth one to the other: +“See thou! the new man in the ancient armour of the Battle +of the Waters, bearing the sword that slew the foeman king on the +Day of the Doubtful Onset! Surely this is a sign of +good-luck to us all.”</p> +<p>“Yea,” said the second, “he beareth his +armour well, and the eyes are bright in the head of him: but hast +thou beheld well his she-fellow, and what the like of her +is?”</p> +<p>“I see her,” said the other, “that she is a +fair woman; yet somewhat worse clad than simply. She is in +her smock, man, and were it not for the balusters I deem ye +should see her barefoot. What is amiss with her?”</p> +<p>“Dost thou not see her,” said the second +neighbour, “that she is not only a fair woman, but yet +more, one of those lovely ones that draw the heart out of a +man’s body, one may scarce say for why? Surely +Stark-wall hath cast a lucky net this time. And as to her +raiment, I see of her that she is clad in white and wreathed with +roses, but that the flesh of her is so wholly pure and sweet that +it maketh all her attire but a part of her body, and halloweth +it, so that it hath the semblance of gems. Alas, my friend! +let us hope that this Queen will fare abroad unseldom amongst the +people.”</p> +<p>Thus, then, they spake; but after a while the King and his +mate went back into the chamber, and he gave command that the +women of the Queen should come and fetch her away, to attire her +in royal array. And thither came the fairest of the +honourable damsels, and were fain of being her +waiting-women. Therewithal the King was unarmed, and dight +most gloriously, but still he bore the Sword of the King’s +Slaying: and sithence were the King and the Queen brought into +the great hall of the palace, and they met on the dais, and +kissed before the lords and other folk that thronged the +hall. There they ate a morsel and drank a cup together +while all beheld them; and then they were brought forth, and a +white horse of the goodliest, well bedight, brought for each of +them, and thereon they mounted and went their ways together, by +the lane which the huge throng made for them, to the great +church, for the hallowing and the crowning; and they were led by +one squire alone, and he unarmed; for such was the custom of +Stark-wall when a new king should be hallowed: so came they to +the great church (for that folk was not miscreant, so to say), +and they entered it, they two alone, and went into the choir: and +when they had stood there a little while wondering at their lot, +they heard how the bells fell a-ringing tunefully over their +heads; and then drew near the sound of many trumpets blowing +together, and thereafter the voices of many folk singing; and +then were the great doors thrown open, and the bishop and his +priests came into the church with singing and minstrelsy, and +thereafter came the whole throng of the folk, and presently the +nave of the church was filled by it, as when the water follows +the cutting of the dam, and fills up the dyke. Thereafter +came the bishop and his mates into the choir, and came up to the +King, and gave him and the Queen the kiss of peace. This +was mass sung gloriously; and thereafter was the King anointed +and crowned, and great joy was made throughout the church. +Afterwards they went back afoot to the palace, they two alone +together, with none but the esquire going before to show them the +way. And as they went, they passed close beside those two +neighbours, whose talk has been told of afore, and the first one, +he who had praised the King’s war-array, spake and said: +“Truly, neighbour, thou art in the right of it; and now the +Queen has been dight duly, and hath a crown on her head, and is +clad in white samite done all over with pearls, I see her to be +of exceeding goodliness; as goodly, maybe, as the Lord +King.”</p> +<p>Quoth the other: “Unto me she seemeth as she did +e’en now; she is clad in white, as then she was, and it is +by reason of the pure and sweet flesh of her that the pearls +shine out and glow, and by the holiness of her body is her rich +attire hallowed; but, forsooth, it seemed to me as she went past +as though paradise had come anigh to our city, and that all the +air breathed of it. So I say, praise be to God and His +Hallows who hath suffered her to dwell amongst us!”</p> +<p>Said the first man: “Forsooth, it is well; but knowest +thou at all whence she cometh, and of what lineage she may +be?”</p> +<p>“Nay,” said the other, “I wot not whence she +is; but this I wot full surely, that when she goeth away, they +whom she leadeth with her shall be well bestead. Again, of +her lineage nought know I; but this I know, that they that come +of her, to the twentieth generation, shall bless and praise the +memory of her, and hallow her name little less than they hallow +the name of the Mother of God.”</p> +<p>So spake those two; but the King and Queen came back to the +palace, and sat among the lords and at the banquet which was held +thereafter, and long was the time of their glory, till the night +was far spent and all men must seek to their beds.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI: OF WALTER AND THE MAID IN THE DAYS OF THE +KINGSHIP</h2> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>She said: “And where is the city now? is not this the +wilderness again, and thou and I alone together +therein?”</p> +<p>He gazed at her eagerly, and she reddened, so that her eyes +shone light amidst the darkness of the flush of her cheeks.</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 3055-h.htm or 3055-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/0/5/3055 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Wood Beyond the World + + +Author: William Morris + + + +Release Date: May 1, 2007 [eBook #3055] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD*** + + + + +Transcribed from the 1913 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + +THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD + + +BY WILLIAM MORRIS + +POCKET EDITION + +LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. +39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON +NEW YORK, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA +1913 + + + + +CHAPTER I: OF GOLDEN WALTER AND HIS FATHER + + +Awhile ago there was a young man dwelling in a great and goodly city by +the sea which had to name Langton on Holm. He was but of five and +twenty winters, a fair-faced man, yellow-haired, tall and strong; rather +wiser than foolisher than young men are mostly wont; a valiant youth, and +a kind; not of many words but courteous of speech; no roisterer, nought +masterful, but peaceable and knowing how to forbear: in a fray a perilous +foe, and a trusty war-fellow. His father, with whom he was dwelling +when this tale begins, was a great merchant, richer than a baron of the +land, a head-man of the greatest of the Lineages of Langton, and a +captain of the Porte; he was of the Lineage of the Goldings, therefore +was he called Bartholomew Golden, and his son Golden Walter. + +Now ye may well deem that such a youngling as this was looked upon by all +as a lucky man without a lack; but there was this flaw in his lot, +whereas he had fallen into the toils of love of a woman exceeding fair, +and had taken her to wife, she nought unwilling as it seemed. But when +they had been wedded some six months he found by manifest tokens, that +his fairness was not so much to her but that she must seek to the +foulness of one worser than he in all ways; wherefore his rest departed +from him, whereas he hated her for her untruth and her hatred of him; yet +would the sound of her voice, as she came and went in the house, make his +heart beat; and the sight of her stirred desire within him, so that he +longed for her to be sweet and kind with him, and deemed that, might it +be so, he should forget all the evil gone by. But it was not so; for +ever when she saw him, her face changed, and her hatred of him became +manifest, and howsoever she were sweet with others, with him she was hard +and sour. + +So this went on a while till the chambers of his father's house, yea the +very streets of the city, became loathsome to him; and yet he called to +mind that the world was wide and he but a young man. So on a day as he +sat with his father alone, he spake to him and said: "Father, I was on +the quays even now, and I looked on the ships that were nigh boun, and +thy sign I saw on a tall ship that seemed to me nighest boun. Will it +be long ere she sail?" + +"Nay," said his father, "that ship, which hight the Katherine, will they +warp out of the haven in two days' time. But why askest thou of her?" + +"The shortest word is best, father," said Walter, "and this it is, that I +would depart in the said ship and see other lands." + +"Yea and whither, son?" said the merchant. + +"Whither she goeth," said Walter, "for I am ill at ease at home, as thou +wottest, father." + +The merchant held his peace awhile, and looked hard on his son, for there +was strong love between them; but at last he said: "Well, son, maybe it +were best for thee; but maybe also we shall not meet again." + +"Yet if we do meet, father, then shalt thou see a new man in me." + +"Well," said Bartholomew, "at least I know on whom to lay the loss of +thee, and when thou art gone, for thou shalt have thine own way herein, +she shall no longer abide in my house. Nay, but it were for the strife +that should arise thenceforth betwixt her kindred and ours, it should go +somewhat worse with her than that." + +Said Walter: "I pray thee shame her not more than needs must be, lest, so +doing, thou shame both me and thyself also." + +Bartholomew held his peace again for a while; then he said: "Goeth she +with child, my son?" + +Walter reddened, and said: "I wot not; nor of whom the child may be." +Then they both sat silent, till Bartholomew spake, saying: "The end of it +is, son, that this is Monday, and that thou shalt go aboard in the small +hours of Wednesday; and meanwhile I shall look to it that thou go not +away empty-handed; the skipper of the Katherine is a good man and true, +and knows the seas well; and my servant Robert the Low, who is clerk of +the lading, is trustworthy and wise, and as myself in all matters that +look towards chaffer. The Katherine is new and stout-builded, and +should be lucky, whereas she is under the ward of her who is the saint +called upon in the church where thou wert christened, and myself before +thee; and thy mother, and my father and mother all lie under the chancel +thereof, as thou wottest." + +Therewith the elder rose up and went his ways about his business, and +there was no more said betwixt him and his son on this matter. + + + + +CHAPTER II: GOLDEN WALTER TAKES SHIP TO SAIL THE SEAS + + +When Walter went down to the Katherine next morning, there was the +skipper Geoffrey, who did him reverence, and made him all cheer, and +showed him his room aboard ship, and the plenteous goods which his father +had sent down to the quays already, such haste as he had made. Walter +thanked his father's love in his heart, but otherwise took little heed to +his affairs, but wore away the time about the haven, gazing listlessly on +the ships that were making them ready outward, or unlading, and the +mariners and aliens coming and going: and all these were to him as the +curious images woven on a tapestry. + +At last when he had wellnigh come back again to the Katherine, he saw +there a tall ship, which he had scarce noted before, a ship all-boun, +which had her boats out, and men sitting to the oars thereof ready to tow +her outwards when the hawser should be cast off, and by seeming her +mariners were but abiding for some one or other to come aboard. + +So Walter stood idly watching the said ship, and as he looked, lo! folk +passing him toward the gangway. These were three; first came a dwarf, +dark-brown of hue and hideous, with long arms and ears exceeding great +and dog-teeth that stuck out like the fangs of a wild beast. He was clad +in a rich coat of yellow silk, and bare in his hand a crooked bow, and +was girt with a broad sax. + +After him came a maiden, young by seeming, of scarce twenty summers; fair +of face as a flower; grey-eyed, brown-haired, with lips full and red, +slim and gentle of body. Simple was her array, of a short and strait +green gown, so that on her right ankle was clear to see an iron ring. + +Last of the three was a lady, tall and stately, so radiant of visage and +glorious of raiment, that it were hard to say what like she was; for +scarce might the eye gaze steady upon her exceeding beauty; yet must +every son of Adam who found himself anigh her, lift up his eyes again +after he had dropped them, and look again on her, and yet again and yet +again. Even so did Walter, and as the three passed by him, it seemed to +him as if all the other folk there about had vanished and were nought; +nor had he any vision before his eyes of any looking on them, save +himself alone. They went over the gangway into the ship, and he saw them +go along the deck till they came to the house on the poop, and entered it +and were gone from his sight. + +There he stood staring, till little by little the thronging people of the +quays came into his eye-shot again; then he saw how the hawser was cast +off and the boats fell to tugging the big ship toward the harbour-mouth +with hale and how of men. Then the sail fell down from the yard and was +sheeted home and filled with the fair wind as the ship's bows ran up on +the first green wave outside the haven. Even therewith the shipmen cast +abroad a banner, whereon was done in a green field a grim wolf ramping up +against a maiden, and so went the ship upon her way. + +Walter stood awhile staring at her empty place where the waves ran into +the haven-mouth, and then turned aside and toward the Katherine; and at +first he was minded to go ask shipmaster Geoffrey of what he knew +concerning the said ship and her alien wayfarers; but then it came into +his mind, that all this was but an imagination or dream of the day, and +that he were best to leave it untold to any. So therewith he went his +way from the water-side, and through the streets unto his father's house; +but when he was but a little way thence, and the door was before him, him- +seemed for a moment of time that he beheld those three coming out down +the steps of stone and into the street; to wit the dwarf, the maiden, and +the stately lady: but when he stood still to abide their coming, and +looked toward them, lo! there was nothing before him save the goodly +house of Bartholomew Golden, and three children and a cur dog playing +about the steps thereof, and about him were four or five passers-by going +about their business. Then was he all confused in his mind, and knew not +what to make of it, whether those whom he had seemed to see pass aboard +ship were but images of a dream, or children of Adam in very flesh. + +Howsoever, he entered the house, and found his father in the chamber, and +fell to speech with him about their matters; but for all that he loved +his father, and worshipped him as a wise and valiant man, yet at that +hour he might not hearken the words of his mouth, so much was his mind +entangled in the thought of those three, and they were ever before his +eyes, as if they had been painted on a table by the best of limners. And +of the two women he thought exceeding much, and cast no wyte upon himself +for running after the desire of strange women. For he said to himself +that he desired not either of the twain; nay, he might not tell which of +the twain, the maiden or the stately queen, were clearest to his eyes; +but sore he desired to see both of them again, and to know what they +were. + +So wore the hours till the Wednesday morning, and it was time that he +should bid farewell to his father and get aboard ship; but his father led +him down to the quays and on to the Katherine, and there Walter embraced +him, not without tears and forebodings; for his heart was full. Then +presently the old man went aland; the gangway was unshipped, the hawsers +cast off; the oars of the towing-boats splashed in the dark water, the +sail fell down from the yard, and was sheeted home, and out plunged the +Katherine into the misty sea and rolled up the grey slopes, casting +abroad her ancient withal, whereon was beaten the token of Bartholomew +Golden, to wit a B and a G to the right and the left, and thereabove a +cross and a triangle rising from the midst. + +Walter stood on the stern and beheld, yet more with the mind of him than +with his eyes; for it all seemed but the double of what the other ship +had done; and the thought of it as if the twain were as beads strung on +one string and led away by it into the same place, and thence to go in +the like order, and so on again and again, and never to draw nigher to +each other. + + + + +CHAPTER III: WALTER HEARETH TIDINGS OF THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER + + +Fast sailed the Katherine over the seas, and nought befell to tell of, +either to herself or her crew. She came to one cheaping-town and then to +another, and so on to a third and a fourth; and at each was buying and +selling after the manner of chapmen; and Walter not only looked on the +doings of his father's folk, but lent a hand, what he might, to help them +in all matters, whether it were in seaman's craft, or in chaffer. And +the further he went and the longer the time wore, the more he was eased +of his old trouble wherein his wife and her treason had to do. + +But as for the other trouble, to wit his desire and longing to come up +with those three, it yet flickered before him; and though he had not seen +them again as one sees people in the streets, and as if he might touch +them if he would, yet were their images often before his mind's eye; and +yet, as time wore, not so often, nor so troublously; and forsooth both to +those about him and to himself, he seemed as a man well healed of his +melancholy mood. + +Now they left that fourth stead, and sailed over the seas and came to a +fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made more than seven +months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was Walter taking heed and +joyance in such things as were toward in that fair city, so far from his +kindred, and especially he looked on the fair women there, and desired +them, and loved them; but lightly, as befalleth young men. + +Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; so there +they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in pleasuring them in +beholding all that there was of rare and goodly, and making merry with +the merchants and the towns-folk, and the country-folk beyond the gates, +and Walter was grown as busy and gay as a strong young man is like to be, +and was as one who would fain be of some account amongst his own folk. + +But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was leaving his +hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door in his hand, there +stood before him three mariners in the guise of his own country, and with +them was one of clerkly aspect, whom he knew at once for his father's +scrivener, Arnold Penstrong by name; and when Walter saw him his heart +failed him and he cried out: "Arnold, what tidings? Is all well with the +folk at Langton?" + +Said Arnold: "Evil tidings are come with me; matters are ill with thy +folk; for I may not hide that thy father, Bartholomew Golden, is dead, +God rest his soul." + +At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but now had +sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, and that his past +life of the last few months had never been; and it was to him as if he +saw his father lying dead on his bed, and heard the folk lamenting about +the house. He held his peace awhile, and then he said in a voice as of +an angry man: + +"What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he was neither old +nor ailing when we parted." + +Said Arnold: "Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was somewhat sword- +bitten." + +"Yea, and how?" quoth Walter. + +Said Arnold: "When thou wert gone, in a few days' wearing, thy father +sent thy wife out of his house back to her kindred of the Reddings with +no honour, and yet with no such shame as might have been, without blame +to us of those who knew the tale of thee and her; which, God-a-mercy, +will be pretty much the whole of the city." + +"Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would have a mote with us +Goldings to talk of booting. By ill-luck we yea-said that for the saving +of the city's peace. But what betid? We met in our Gild-hall, and there +befell the talk between us; and in that talk certain words could not be +hidden, though they were none too seemly nor too meek. And the said +words once spoken drew forth the whetted steel; and there then was the +hewing and thrusting! Two of ours were slain outright on the floor, and +four of theirs, and many were hurt on either side. Of these was thy +father, for as thou mayst well deem, he was nought backward in the fray; +but despite his hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he went home +on his own feet, and we deemed that we had come to our above. But well-a- +way! it was an evil victory, whereas in ten days he died of his hurts. +God have his soul! But now, my master, thou mayst well wot that I am not +come to tell thee this only, but moreover to bear the word of the +kindred, to wit that thou come back with me straightway in the swift +cutter which hath borne me and the tidings; and thou mayst look to it, +that though she be swift and light, she is a keel full weatherly." + +Then said Walter: "This is a bidding of war. Come back will I, and the +Reddings shall wot of my coming. Are ye all-boun?" + +"Yea," said Arnold, "we may up anchor this very day, or to-morrow morn at +latest. But what aileth thee, master, that thou starest so wild over my +shoulder? I pray thee take it not so much to heart! Ever it is the wont +of fathers to depart this world before their sons." + +But Walter's visage from wrathful red had become pale, and he pointed up +street, and cried out: "Look! dost thou see?" + +"See what, master?" quoth Arnold: "what! here cometh an ape in gay +raiment; belike the beast of some jongleur. Nay, by God's wounds! 'tis a +man, though he be exceeding mis-shapen like a very devil. Yea and now +there cometh a pretty maid going as if she were of his meney; and lo! +here, a most goodly and noble lady! Yea, I see; and doubtless she owneth +both the two, and is of the greatest of the folk of this fair city; for +on the maiden's ankle I saw an iron ring, which betokeneth thralldom +amongst these aliens. But this is strange! for notest thou not how the +folk in the street heed not this quaint show; nay not even the stately +lady, though she be as lovely as a goddess of the gentiles, and beareth +on her gems that would buy Langton twice over; surely they must be over- +wont to strange and gallant sights. But now, master, but now!" + +"Yea, what is it?" said Walter. + +"Why, master, they should not yet be gone out of eye-shot, yet gone they +are. What is become of them, are they sunk into the earth?" + +"Tush, man!" said Walter, looking not on Arnold, but still staring down +the street; "they have gone into some house while thine eyes were turned +from them a moment." + +"Nay, master, nay," said Arnold, "mine eyes were not off them one instant +of time." + +"Well," said Walter, somewhat snappishly, "they are gone now, and what +have we to do to heed such toys, we with all this grief and strife on our +hands? Now would I be alone to turn the matter of thine errand over in +my mind. Meantime do thou tell the shipmaster Geoffrey and our other +folk of these tidings, and thereafter get thee all ready; and come hither +to me before sunrise to-morrow, and I shall be ready for my part; and so +sail we back to Langton." + +Therewith he turned him back into the house, and the others went their +ways; but Walter sat alone in his chamber a long while, and pondered +these things in his mind. And whiles he made up his mind that he would +think no more of the vision of those three, but would fare back to +Langton, and enter into the strife with the Reddings and quell them, or +die else. But lo, when he was quite steady in this doom, and his heart +was lightened thereby, he found that he thought no more of the Reddings +and their strife, but as matters that were passed and done with, and that +now he was thinking and devising if by any means he might find out in +what land dwelt those three. And then again he strove to put that from +him, saying that what he had seen was but meet for one brainsick, and a +dreamer of dreams. But furthermore he thought, Yea, and was Arnold, who +this last time had seen the images of those three, a dreamer of waking +dreams? for he was nought wonted in such wise; then thought he: At least +I am well content that he spake to me of their likeness, not I to him; +for so I may tell that there was at least something before my eyes which +grew not out of mine own brain. And yet again, why should I follow them; +and what should I get by it; and indeed how shall I set about it? + +Thus he turned the matter over and over; and at last, seeing that if he +grew no foolisher over it, he grew no wiser, he became weary thereof, and +bestirred him, and saw to the trussing up of his goods, and made all +ready for his departure, and so wore the day and slept at nightfall; and +at daybreak comes Arnold to lead him to their keel, which hight the +Bartholomew. He tarried nought, and with few farewells went aboard ship, +and an hour after they were in the open sea with the ship's head turned +toward Langton on Holm. + + + + +CHAPTER IV: STORM BEFALLS THE BARTHOLOMEW, AND SHE IS DRIVEN OFF HER +COURSE + + +Now swift sailed the Bartholomew for four weeks toward the north-west +with a fair wind, and all was well with ship and crew. Then the wind +died out on even of a day, so that the ship scarce made way at all, +though she rolled in a great swell of the sea, so great, that it seemed +to ridge all the main athwart. Moreover down in the west was a great +bank of cloud huddled up in haze, whereas for twenty days past the sky +had been clear, save for a few bright white clouds flying before the +wind. Now the shipmaster, a man right cunning in his craft, looked long +on sea and sky, and then turned 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 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 place whereto their eyes were +turned, the cliffs seemed wellnigh or quite sheer, or indeed in some +places beetling over, in that said place they fell away from each other +on either side; and before this sinking was a slope or scree, that went +gently up toward the sinking of the wall. Walter looked long and +earnestly at this place, and spake nought, till the carle said: "What! +thou hast found something before thee to look on. What is it then?" + +Quoth Walter: "Some would say that where yonder slopes run together up +towards that sinking in the cliff-wall there will be a pass into the +country beyond." + +The carle smiled and said: "Yea, son; nor, so saying, would they err; for +that is the pass into the Bear-country, whereby those huge men come down +to chaffer with me." + +"Yea," said Walter; and therewith he turned him a little, and scanned the +rock-wall, and saw how a few miles from that pass it turned somewhat +sharply toward the sea, narrowing the plain much there, till it made a +bight, the face whereof looked wellnigh north, instead of west, as did +the more part of the wall. And in the midst of that northern-looking +bight was a dark place which seemed to Walter like a downright shard in +the cliff. For the face of the wall was of a bleak grey, and it was but +little furrowed. + +So then Walter spake: "Lo, old friend, there yonder is again a place that +meseemeth is a pass; whereunto doth that one lead?" And he pointed to +it: but the old man did not follow the pointing of his finger, but, +looking down on the ground, answered confusedly, and said: + +"Maybe: I wot not. I deem that it also leadeth into the Bear-country by +a roundabout road. It leadeth into the far land." + +Walter answered nought: for a strange thought had come uppermost in his +mind, that the carle knew far more than he would say of that pass, and +that he himself might be led thereby to find the wondrous three. He +caught his breath hardly, and his heart knocked against his ribs; but he +refrained from speaking for a long while; but at last he spake in a sharp +hard voice, which he scarce knew for his own: "Father, tell me, I adjure +thee by God and All-hallows, was it through yonder shard that the road +lay, when thou must needs make thy first stride over a dead man?" + +The old man spake not a while, then he raised his head, and looked Walter +full in the eyes, and said in a steady voice: "NO, IT WAS NOT." +Thereafter they sat looking at each other a while; but at last Walter +turned his eyes away, but knew not what they beheld nor where he was, but +he was as one in a swoon. For he knew full well that the carle had lied +to him, and that he might as well have said aye as no, and told him, that +it verily was by that same shard that he had stridden over a dead man. +Nevertheless he made as little semblance thereof as he might, and +presently came to himself, and fell to talking of other matters, that had +nought to do with the adventures of the land. But after a while he spake +suddenly, and said: "My master, I was thinking of a thing." + +"Yea, of what?" said the carle. + +"Of this," said Walter; "that here in this land be strange adventures +toward, and that if we, and I in especial, were to turn our backs on +them, and go home with nothing done, it were pity of our lives: for all +will be dull and deedless there. I was deeming it were good if we tried +the adventure." + +"What adventure?" said the old man, rising up on his elbow and staring +sternly on him. + +Said Walter: "The wending yonder pass to the eastward, whereby the huge +men come to thee from out of the Bear-country; that we might see what +should come thereof." + +The carle leaned back again, and smiled and shook his head, and spake: +"That adventure were speedily proven: death would come of it, my son." + +"Yea, and how?" said Walter. + +The carle said: "The big men would take thee, and offer thee up as a +blood-offering to that woman, who is their Mawmet. And if ye go all, +then shall they do the like with all of you." + +Said Walter: "Is that sure?" + +"Dead sure," said the carle. + +"How knowest thou this?" said Walter. + +"I have been there myself," said the carle. + +"Yea," said Walter, "but thou camest away whole." + +"Art thou sure thereof?" said the carle. + +"Thou art alive yet, old man," said Walter, "for I have seen thee eat thy +meat, which ghosts use not to do." And he laughed. + +But the old man answered soberly: "If I escaped, it was by this, that +another woman saved me, and not often shall that befall. Nor wholly was +I saved; my body escaped forsooth. But where is my soul? Where is my +heart, and my life? Young man, I rede thee, try no such adventure; but +go home to thy kindred if thou canst. Moreover, wouldst thou fare alone? +The others shall hinder thee." + +Said Walter: "I am the master; they shall do as I bid them: besides, they +will be well pleased to share my goods amongst them if I give them a +writing to clear them of all charges which might be brought against +them." + +"My son! my son!" said the carle, "I pray thee go not to thy death!" + +Walter heard him silently, but as if he were persuaded to refrain; and +then the old man fell to, and told him much concerning this Bear-folk and +their customs, speaking very freely of them; but Walter's ears were +scarce open to this talk: whereas he deemed that he should have nought to +do with those wild men; and he durst not ask again concerning the country +whereto led the pass on the northward. + + + + +CHAPTER VII: WALTER COMES TO THE SHARD IN THE ROCK-WALL + + +As they were in converse thus, they heard the hunters blowing on their +horns all together; whereon the old man arose, and said: "I deem by the +blowing that the hunt will be over and done, and that they be blowing on +their fellows who have gone scatter-meal about the wood. It is now some +five hours after noon, and thy men will be getting back with their +venison, and will be fainest of the victuals they have caught; therefore +will I hasten on before, and get ready fire and water and other matters +for the cooking. Wilt thou come with me, young master, or abide thy men +here?" + +Walter said lightly: "I will rest and abide them here; since I cannot +fail to see them hence as they go on their ways to thine house. And it +may be well that I be at hand to command them and forbid, and put some +order amongst them, for rough playmates they be, some of them, and now +all heated with the hunting and the joy of the green earth." Thus he +spoke, as if nought were toward save supper and bed; but inwardly hope +and fear were contending in him, and again his heart beat so hard, that +he deemed that the carle must surely hear it. But the old man took him +but according to his outward seeming, and nodded his head, and went away +quietly toward his house. + +When he had been gone a little, Walter rose up heedfully; he had with him +a scrip wherein was some cheese and hard-fish, and a little flasket of +wine; a short bow he had with him, and a quiver of arrows; and he was +girt with a strong and good sword, and a wood-knife withal. He looked to +all this gear that it was nought amiss, and then speedily went down off +the mound, and when he was come down, he found that it covered him from +men coming out of the wood, if he went straight thence to that shard of +the rock-wall where was the pass that led southward. + +Now it is no nay that thitherward he turned, and went wisely, lest the +carle should make a backward cast, and see him, or lest any straggler of +his own folk might happen upon him. + +For to say sooth, he deemed that did they wind him, they would be like to +let him of his journey. He had noted the bearings of the cliffs nigh the +shard, and whereas he could see their heads everywhere except from the +depths of the thicket, he was not like to go astray. + +He had made no great way ere he heard the horns blowing all together +again in one place, and looking thitherward through the leafy boughs (for +he was now amidst of a thicket) he saw his men thronging the mound, and +had no doubt therefore that they were blowing on him; but being well +under cover he heeded it nought, and lying still a little, saw them go +down off the mound and go all of them toward the carle's house, still +blowing as they went, but not faring scatter-meal. Wherefore it was +clear that they were nought troubled about him. + +So he went on his way to the shard; and there is nothing to say of his +journey till he got before it with the last of the clear day, and entered +it straightway. It was in sooth a downright breach or cleft in the rock- +wall, and there was no hill or bent leading up to it, nothing but a +tumble of stones before it, which was somewhat uneasy going, yet needed +nought but labour to overcome it, and when he had got over this, and was +in the very pass itself, he found it no ill going: forsooth at first it +was little worse than a rough road betwixt two great stony slopes, though +a little trickle of water ran down amidst of it. So, though it was so +nigh nightfall, yet Walter pressed on, yea, and long after the very night +was come. For the moon rose wide and bright a little after nightfall. +But at last he had gone so long, and was so wearied, that he deemed it +nought but wisdom to rest him, and so lay down on a piece of greensward +betwixt the stones, when he had eaten a morsel out of his satchel, and +drunk of the water out of the stream. There as he lay, if he had any +doubt of peril, his weariness soon made it all one to him, for presently +he was sleeping as soundly as any man in Langton on Holm. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII: WALTER WENDS THE WASTE + + +Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to +the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a +pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again. When he had gone some +three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat +gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, +till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck +with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place +with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass +about, lest he be mired. He gave himself but little rest, eating what he +needs must as he went. The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was +never hidden, and he steered by it due south. All that day he went, and +found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and +whiles less steep. A little before nightfall he happened on a shallow +pool some twenty yards over; and he deemed it good to rest there, since +there was water for his avail, though he might have made somewhat more +out of the tail end of the day. + +When dawn came again he awoke and arose, nor spent much time over his +breakfast; but pressed on all he might; and now he said to himself, that +whatsoever other peril were athwart his way, he was out of the danger of +the chase of his own folk. + +All this while he had seen no four-footed beast, save now and again a +hill-fox, and once some outlandish kind of hare; and of fowl but very +few: a crow or two, a long-winged hawk, and twice an eagle high up aloft. + +Again, the third night, he slept in the stony wilderness, which still led +him up and up. Only toward the end of the day, himseemed that it had +been less steep for a long while: otherwise nought was changed, on all +sides it was nought but the endless neck, wherefrom nought could be seen, +but some other part of itself. This fourth night withal he found no +water whereby he might rest, so that he awoke parched, and longing to +drink just when the dawn was at its coldest. + +But on the fifth morrow the ground rose but little, and at last, when he +had been going wearily a long while, and now, hard on noontide, his +thirst grieved him sorely, he came on a spring welling out from under a +high rock, the water wherefrom trickled feebly away. So eager was he to +drink, that at first he heeded nought else; but when his thirst was fully +quenched his eyes caught sight of the stream which flowed from the well, +and he gave a shout, for lo! it was running south. Wherefore it was with +a merry heart that he went on, and as he went, came on more streams, all +running south or thereabouts. He hastened on all he might, but in +despite of all the speed he made, and that he felt the land now going +down southward, night overtook him in that same wilderness. Yet when he +stayed at last for sheer weariness, he lay down in what he deemed by the +moonlight to be a shallow valley, with a ridge at the southern end +thereof. + +He slept long, and when he awoke the sun was high in the heavens, and +never was brighter or clearer morning on the earth than was that. He +arose and ate of what little was yet left him, and drank of the water of +a stream which he had followed the evening before, and beside which he +had laid him down; and then set forth again with no great hope to come on +new tidings that day. But yet when he was fairly afoot, himseemed that +there was something new in the air which he breathed, that was soft and +bore sweet scents home to him; whereas heretofore, and that especially +for the last three or four days, it had been harsh and void, like the +face of the desert itself. + +So on he went, and presently was mounting the ridge aforesaid, and, as +oft happens when one climbs a steep place, he kept his eyes on the +ground, till he felt he was on the top of the ridge. Then he stopped to +take breath, and raised his head and looked, and lo! he was verily on the +brow of the great mountain-neck, and down below him was the hanging of +the great hill-slopes, which fell down, not slowly, as those he had been +those days a-mounting, but speedily enough, though with little of broken +places or sheer cliffs. But beyond this last of the desert there was +before him a lovely land of wooded hills, green plains, and little +valleys, stretching out far and wide, till it ended at last in great blue +mountains and white 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 It--yes, 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." + +She looked on him anxiously, and grew somewhat pale, as she said: "What +other one?" + +Now Walter did not know what the dwarf might be to her, fellow-servant or +what not, so he would not show his loathing of him; but answered wisely: +"The little man in the yellow raiment." + +But when she heard that word, she went suddenly very pale, and leaned her +head aback, and beat the air with her hands; but said presently in a +faint voice: "I pray thee talk not of that one while I am by, nor even +think of him, if thou mayest forbear." + +He spake not, and she was a little while before she came to herself +again; then she opened her eyes, and looked upon Walter and smiled kindly +on him, as though to ask his pardon for having scared him. Then she rose +up in her place, and stood before him; and they were nigh together, for +the stream betwixt them was little. + +But he still looked anxiously upon her and said: "Have I hurt thee? I +pray thy pardon." + +She looked on him more sweetly still, and said: "O nay; thou wouldst not +hurt me, thou!" + +Then she blushed very red, and he in like wise; but afterwards she turned +pale, and laid a hand on her breast, and Walter cried out hastily: "O me! +I have hurt thee again. Wherein have I done amiss?" + +"In nought, in nought," she said; "but I am troubled, I wot not +wherefore; some thought hath taken hold of me, and I know it not. +Mayhappen in a little while I shall know what troubles me. Now I bid +thee depart from me a little, and I will abide here; and when thou comest +back, it will either be that I have found it out or not; and in either +case I will tell thee." + +She spoke earnestly to him; but he said: "How long shall I abide away?" + +Her face was troubled as she answered him: "For no long while." + +He smiled on her and turned away, and went a space to the other side of +the oak-trees, whence she was still within eyeshot. There he abode until +the time seemed long to him; but he schooled himself and forbore; for he +said: Lest she send me away again. So he abided until again the time +seemed long to him, and she called not to him: but once again he forbore +to go; then at last he arose, and his heart beat and he trembled, and he +walked back again speedily, and came to the maiden, who was still +standing by the rock of the spring, her arms hanging down, her eyes +downcast. She looked up at him as he drew nigh, and her face changed +with eagerness as she said: "I am glad thou art come back, though it be +no long while since thy departure" (sooth to say it was scarce half an +hour in all). "Nevertheless I have been thinking many things, and +thereof will I now tell thee." + +He said: "Maiden, there is a river betwixt us, though it be no big one. +Shall I not stride over, and come to thee, that we may sit down together +side by side on the green grass?" + +"Nay," she said, "not yet; tarry a while till I have told thee of +matters. I must now tell thee of my thoughts in order." + +Her colour went and came now, and she plaited the folds of her gown with +restless fingers. At last she said: "Now the first thing is this; that +though thou hast seen me first only within this hour, thou hast set thine +heart upon me to have me for thy speech-friend and thy darling. And if +this be not so, then is all my speech, yea and all my hope, come to an +end at once." + +"O yea!" said Walter, "even so it is: but how thou hast found this out I +wot not; since now for the first time I say it, that thou art indeed my +love, and my dear and my darling." + +"Hush," she said, "hush! lest the wood have ears, and thy speech is loud: +abide, and I shall tell thee how I know it. Whether this thy love shall +outlast the first time that thou holdest my body in thine arms, I wot +not, nor dost thou. But sore is my hope that it may be so; for I also, +though it be but scarce an hour since I set eyes on thee, have cast mine +eyes on thee to have thee for my love and my darling, and my +speech-friend. And this is how I wot that thou lovest me, my friend. Now +is all this dear and joyful, and overflows my heart with sweetness. But +now must I tell thee of the fear and the evil which lieth behind it." + +Then Walter stretched out his hands to her, and cried out: "Yea, yea! But +whatever evil entangle us, now we both know these two things, to wit, +that thou lovest me, and I thee, wilt thou not come hither, that I may +cast mine arms about thee, and kiss thee, if not thy kind lips or thy +friendly face at all, yet at least thy dear hand: yea, that I may touch +thy body in some wise?" + +She looked on him steadily, and said softly: "Nay, this above all things +must not be; and that it may not be is a part of the evil which entangles +us. But hearken, friend, once again I tell thee that thy voice is over +loud in this wilderness fruitful of evil. Now I have told thee, indeed, +of two things whereof we both wot; but next I must needs tell thee of +things whereof I wot, and thou wottest not. Yet this were better, that +thou pledge thy word not to touch so much as one of my hands, and that we +go together a little way hence away from these tumbled stones, and sit +down upon the open greensward; whereas here is cover if there be spying +abroad." + +Again, as she spoke, she turned very pale; but Walter said: "Since it +must be so, I pledge thee my word to thee as I love thee." + +And therewith she knelt down, and did on her foot-gear, and then sprang +lightly over the rivulet; and then the twain of them went side by side +some half a furlong thence, and sat down, shadowed by the boughs of a +slim quicken-tree growing up out of the greensward, whereon for a good +space around was neither bush nor brake. + +There began the maiden to talk soberly, and said: "This is what I must +needs say to thee now, that thou art come into a land perilous for any +one that loveth aught of good; from which, forsooth, I were fain that +thou wert gotten away safely, even though I should die of longing for +thee. As for myself, my peril is, in a measure, less than thine; I mean +the peril of death. But lo, thou, this iron on my foot is token that I +am a thrall, and thou knowest in what wise thralls must pay for +transgressions. Furthermore, of what I am, and how I came hither, time +would fail me to tell; but somewhile, maybe, I shall tell thee. I serve +an evil mistress, of whom I may say that scarce I wot if she be a woman +or not; but by some creatures is she accounted for a god, and as a god is +heried; and surely never god was crueller nor colder than she. Me she +hateth sorely; yet if she hated me little or nought, small were the gain +to me if it were her pleasure to deal hardly by me. But as things now +are, and are like to be, it would not be for her pleasure, but for her +pain and loss, to make an end of me, therefore, as I said e'en now, my +mere life is not in peril with her; unless, perchance, some sudden +passion get the better of her, and she slay me, and repent of it +thereafter. For so it is, that if it be the least evil of her conditions +that she is wanton, at least wanton she is to the letter. Many a time +hath she cast the net for the catching of some goodly young man; and her +latest prey (save it be thou) is the young man whom I named, when first I +saw thee, by the name of the King's Son. He is with us yet, and I fear +him; for of late hath he wearied of her, though it is but plain truth to +say of her, that she is the wonder of all Beauties of the World. He hath +wearied of her, I say, and hath cast his eyes upon me, and if I were +heedless, he would betray me to the uttermost of the wrath of my +mistress. For needs must I say of him, though he be a goodly man, and +now fallen into thralldom, that he hath no bowels of compassion; but is a +dastard, who for an hour's pleasure would undo me, and thereafter would +stand by smiling and taking my mistress's pardon with good cheer, while +for me would be no pardon. Seest thou, therefore, how it is with me +between these two cruel fools? And moreover there are others of whom I +will not even speak to thee." + +And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and murmured: +"Who shall deliver me from this death in life?" + +But Walter cried out: "For what else am I come hither, I, I?" + +And it was a near thing that he did not take her in his arms, but he +remembered his pledged word, and drew aback from her in terror, whereas +he had an inkling of why she would not suffer it; and he wept with her. + +But suddenly the Maid left weeping, and said in a changed voice: "Friend, +whereas thou speakest of delivering me, it is more like that I shall +deliver thee. And now I pray thy pardon for thus grieving thee with my +grief, and that more especially because thou mayst not solace thy grief +with kisses and caresses; but so it was, that for once I was smitten by +the thought of the anguish of this land, and the joy of all the world +besides." + +Therewith she caught her breath in a half-sob, but refrained her and went +on: "Now dear friend and darling, take good heed to all that I shall say +to thee, whereas thou must do after the teaching of my words. And first, +I deem by the monster having met thee at the gates of the land, and +refreshed thee, that the Mistress hath looked for thy coming; nay, by thy +coming hither at all, that she hath cast her net and caught thee. Hast +thou noted aught that might seem to make this more like?" + +Said Walter: "Three times in full daylight have I seen go past me the +images of the monster and thee and a glorious lady, even as if ye were +alive." + +And therewith he told her in few words how it had gone with him since +that day on the quay at Langton. + +She said: "Then it is no longer perhaps, but certain, that thou art her +latest catch; and even so I deemed from the first: and, dear friend, this +is why I have not suffered thee to kiss or caress me, so sore as I longed +for thee. For the Mistress will have thee for her only, and hath lured +thee hither for nought else; and she is wise in wizardry (even as some +deal am I), and wert thou to touch me with hand or mouth on my naked +flesh, yea, or were it even my raiment, then would she scent the savour +of thy love upon me, and then, though it may be she would spare thee, she +would not spare me." + +Then was she silent a little, and seemed very downcast, and Walter held +his peace from grief and confusion and helplessness; for of wizardry he +knew nought. + +At last the Maid spake again, and said: "Nevertheless we will not die +redeless. Now thou must look to this, that from henceforward it is thee, +and not the King's Son, whom she desireth, and that so much the more that +she hath not set eyes on thee. Remember this, whatsoever her seeming may +be to thee. Now, therefore, shall the King's Son be free, though he know +it not, to cast his love on whomso he will; and, in a way, I also shall +be free to yeasay him. Though, forsooth, so fulfilled is she with malice +and spite, that even then she may turn round on me to punish me for doing +that which she would have me do. Now let me think of it." + +Then was she silent a good while, and spoke at last: "Yea, all things are +perilous, and a perilous rede I have thought of, whereof I will not tell +thee as yet; so waste not the short while by asking me. At least the +worst will be no worse than what shall come if we strive not against it. +And now, my friend, amongst perils it is growing more and more perilous +that we twain should be longer together. But I would say one thing yet; +and maybe another thereafter. Thou hast cast thy love upon one who will +be true to thee, whatsoever may befall; yet is she a guileful creature, +and might not help it her life long, and now for thy very sake must needs +be more guileful now than ever before. And as for me, the guileful, my +love have I cast upon a lovely man, and one true and simple, and a stout- +heart; but at such a pinch is he, that if he withstand all temptation, +his withstanding may belike undo both him and me. Therefore swear we +both of us, that by both of us shall all guile and all falling away be +forgiven on the day when we shall be free to love each the other as our +hearts will." + +Walter cried out: "O love, I swear it indeed! thou art my Hallow, and I +will swear it as on the relics of a Hallow; on thy hands and thy feet I +swear it." + +The words seemed to her a dear caress; and she laughed, and blushed, and +looked full kindly on him; and then her face grew solemn, and she said: +"On thy life I swear it!" + +Then she said: "Now is there nought for thee to do but to go hence +straight to the Golden House, which is my Mistress's house, and the only +house in this land (save one which I may not see), and lieth southward no +long way. How she will deal with thee, I wot not; but all I have said of +her and thee and the King's Son is true. Therefore I say to thee, be +wary and cold at heart, whatsoever outward semblance thou mayst make. If +thou have to yield thee to her, then yield rather late than early, so as +to gain time. Yet not so late as to seem shamed in yielding for fear's +sake. Hold fast to thy life, my friend, for in warding that, thou +wardest me from grief without remedy. Thou wilt see me ere long; it may +be to-morrow, it may be some days hence. But forget not, that what I may +do, that I am doing. Take heed also that thou pay no more heed to me, or +rather less, than if thou wert meeting a maiden of no account in the +streets of thine own town. O my love! barren is this first farewell, as +was our first meeting; but surely shall there be another meeting better +than the first, and the last farewell may be long and long yet." + +Therewith she stood up, and he knelt before her a little while without +any word, and then arose and went his ways; but when he had gone a space +he turned about, and saw her still standing in the same place; she stayed +a moment when she saw him turn, and then herself turned about. + +So he departed through the fair land, and his heart was full with hope +and fear as he went. + + + + +CHAPTER XI: WALTER HAPPENETH ON THE MISTRESS + + +It was but a little after noon when Walter left the Maid behind: he +steered south by the sun, as the Maid had bidden him, and went swiftly; +for, as a good knight wending to battle, the time seemed long to him till +he should meet the foe. + +So an hour before sunset he saw something white and gay gleaming through +the boles of the oak-trees, and presently there was clear before him a +most goodly house builded of white marble, carved all about with knots +and imagery, and the carven folk were all painted of their lively +colours, whether it were their raiment or their flesh, and the housings +wherein they stood all done with gold and fair hues. Gay were the +windows of the house; and there was a pillared porch before the great +door, with images betwixt the pillars both of men and beasts: and when +Walter looked up to the roof of the house, he saw that it gleamed and +shone; for all the tiles were of yellow metal, which he deemed to be of +very gold. + +All this he saw as he went, and tarried not to gaze upon it; for he said, +Belike there will be time for me to look on all this before I die. But +he said also, that, though the house was not of the greatest, it was +beyond compare of all houses of the world. + +Now he entered it by the porch, and came into a hall many-pillared, and +vaulted over, the walls painted with gold and ultramarine, the floor +dark, and spangled with many colours, and the windows glazed with knots +and pictures. Midmost thereof was a fountain of gold, whence the water +ran two ways in gold-lined runnels, spanned twice with little bridges of +silver. Long was that hall, and now not very light, so that Walter was +come past the fountain before he saw any folk therein: then he looked up +toward the high-seat, and himseemed that a great light shone thence, and +dazzled his eyes; and he went on a little way, and then fell on his +knees; for there before him on the high-seat sat that wondrous Lady, +whose lively image had been shown to him thrice before; and she was clad +in gold and jewels, as he had erst seen her. But now she was not alone; +for by her side sat a young man, goodly enough, so far as Walter might +see him, and most richly clad, with a jewelled sword by his side, and a +chaplet of gems on his head. They held each other by the hand, and +seemed to be in dear converse together; but they spake softly, so that +Walter might not hear what they said, till at last the man spake aloud to +the Lady: "Seest thou not that there is a man in the hall?" + +"Yea," she said, "I see him yonder, kneeling on his knees; let him come +nigher and give some account of himself." + +So Walter stood up and drew nigh, and stood there, all shamefaced and +confused, looking on those twain, and wondering at the beauty of the +Lady. As for the man, who was slim, and black-haired, and +straight-featured, for all his goodliness Walter accounted him little, +and nowise deemed him to look chieftain-like. + +Now the Lady spake not to Walter any more than erst; but at last the man +said: "Why doest thou not kneel as thou didst erewhile?" + +Walter was on the point of giving him back a fierce answer; but the Lady +spake and said: "Nay, friend, it matters not whether he kneel or stand; +but he may say, if he will, what he would have of me, and wherefore he is +come hither." + +Then spake Walter, for as wroth and ashamed as he was: "Lady, I have +strayed into this land, and have come to thine house as I suppose, and if +I be not welcome, I may well depart straightway, and seek a way out of +thy land, if thou wouldst drive me thence, as well as out of thine +house." + +Thereat the Lady turned and looked on him, and when her eyes met his, he +felt a pang of fear and desire mingled shoot through his heart. This +time she spoke to him; but coldly, without either wrath or any thought of +him: "Newcomer," she said, "I have not bidden thee hither; but here mayst +thou abide a while if thou wilt; nevertheless, take heed that here is no +King's Court. There is, forsooth, a folk that serveth me (or, it may be, +more than one), of whom thou wert best to know nought. Of others I have +but two servants, whom thou wilt see; and the one is a strange creature, +who should scare thee or scathe thee with a good will, but of a good will +shall serve nought save me; the other is a woman, a thrall, of little +avail, save that, being compelled, she will work woman's service for me, +but whom none else shall compel . . . Yea, but what is all this to thee; +or to me that I should tell it to thee? I will not drive thee away; but +if thine entertainment please thee not, make no plaint thereof to me, but +depart at thy will. Now is this talk betwixt us overlong, since, as thou +seest, I and this King's Son are in converse together. Art thou a King's +Son?" + +"Nay, Lady," said Walter, "I am but of the sons of the merchants." + +"It matters not," she said; "go thy ways into one of the chambers." + +And straightway she fell a-talking to the man who sat beside her +concerning the singing of the birds beneath her window in the morning; +and of how she had bathed her that day in a pool of the woodlands, when +she had been heated with hunting, and so forth; and all as if there had +been none there save her and the King's Son. + +But Walter departed all ashamed, as though he had been a poor man thrust +away from a rich kinsman's door; and he said to himself that this woman +was hateful, and nought love-worthy, and that she was little like to +tempt him, despite all the fairness of her body. + +No one else he saw in the house that even; he found meat and drink duly +served on a fair table, and thereafter he came on a goodly bed, and all +things needful, but no child of Adam to do him service, or bid him +welcome or warning. Nevertheless he ate, and drank, and slept, and put +off thought of all these things till the morrow, all the more as he hoped +to see the kind maiden some time betwixt sunrise and sunset on that new +day. + + + + +CHAPTER XII: THE WEARING OF FOUR DAYS IN THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD + + +He arose betimes, but found no one to greet him, neither was there any +sound of folk moving within the fair house; so he but broke his fast, and +then went forth and wandered amongst the trees, till he found him a +stream to bathe in, and after he had washed the night off him he lay down +under a tree thereby for a while, but soon turned back toward the house, +lest perchance the Maid should come thither and he should miss her. + +It should be said that half a bow-shot from the house on that side (i.e. +due north thereof) was a little hazel-brake, and round about it the trees +were smaller of kind than the oaks and chestnuts he had passed through +before, being mostly of birch and quicken-beam and young ash, with small +wood betwixt them; so now he passed through the thicket, and, coming to +the edge thereof, beheld the Lady and the King's Son walking together +hand in hand, full lovingly by seeming. + +He deemed it unmeet to draw back and hide him, so he went forth past them +toward the house. The King's Son scowled on him as he passed, but the +Lady, over whose beauteous face flickered the joyous morning smiles, took +no more heed of him than if he had been one of the trees of the wood. But +she had been so high and disdainful with him the evening before, that he +thought little of that. The twain went on, skirting the hazel-copse, and +he could not choose but turn his eyes on them, so sorely did the Lady's +beauty draw them. Then befell another thing; for behind them the boughs +of the hazels parted, and there stood that little evil thing, he or +another of his kind; for he was quite unclad, save by his fell of yellowy- +brown hair, and that he was girt with a leathern girdle, wherein was +stuck an ugly two-edged knife: he stood upright a moment, and cast his +eyes at Walter and grinned, but not as if he knew him; and scarce could +Walter say whether it were the one he had seen, or another: then he cast +himself down on his belly, and fell to creeping through the long grass +like a serpent, following the footsteps of the Lady and her lover; and +now, as he crept, Walter deemed, in his loathing, that the creature was +liker to a ferret than aught else. He crept on marvellous swiftly, and +was soon clean out of sight. But Walter stood staring after him for a +while, and then lay down by the copse-side, that he might watch the house +and the entry thereof; for he thought, now perchance presently will the +kind maiden come hither to comfort me with a word or two. But hour +passed by hour, and still she came not; and still he lay there, and +thought of the Maid, and longed for her kindness and wisdom, till he +could not refrain his tears, and wept for the lack of her. Then he +arose, and went and sat in the porch, and was very downcast of mood. + +But as he sat there, back comes the Lady again, the King's Son leading +her by the hand; they entered the porch, and she passed by him so close +that the odour of her raiment filled all the air about him, and the +sleekness of her side nigh touched him, so that he could not fail to note +that her garments were somewhat disarrayed, and that she kept her right +hand (for her left the King's Son held) to her bosom to hold the cloth +together there, whereas the rich raiment had been torn off from her right +shoulder. As they passed by him, the King's Son once more scowled on +him, wordless, but even more fiercely than before; and again the Lady +heeded him nought. + +After they had gone on a while, he entered the hall, and found it empty +from end to end, and no sound in it save the tinkling of the fountain; +but there was victual set on the board. He ate and drank thereof to keep +life lusty within him, and then went out again to the wood-side to watch +and to long; and the time hung heavy on his hands because of the lack of +the fair Maiden. + +He was of mind not to go into the house to his rest that night, but to +sleep under the boughs of the forest. But a little after sunset he saw a +bright-clad image moving amidst the carven images of the porch, and the +King's Son came forth and went straight to him, and said: "Thou art to +enter the house, and go into thy chamber forthwith, and by no means to go +forth of it betwixt sunset and sunrise. My Lady will not away with thy +prowling round the house in the night-tide." + +Therewith he turned away, and went into the house again; and Walter +followed him soberly, remembering how the Maid had bidden him forbear. So +he went to his chamber, and slept. + +But amidst of the night he awoke and deemed that he heard a voice not far +off, so he crept out of his bed and peered around, lest, perchance, the +Maid had come to speak with him; but his chamber was dusk and empty: then +he went to the window and looked out, and saw the moon shining bright and +white upon the greensward. And lo! the Lady walking with the King's Son, +and he clad in thin and wanton raiment, but she in nought else save what +God had given her of long, crispy yellow hair. Then was Walter ashamed +to look on her, seeing that there was a man with her, and gat him back to +his bed; but yet a long while ere he slept again he had the image before +his eyes of the fair woman on the dewy moonlit grass. + +The next day matters went much the same way, and the next also, save that +his sorrow was increased, and he sickened sorely of hope deferred. On +the fourth day also the forenoon wore as erst; but in the heat of the +afternoon Walter sought to the hazel-copse, and laid him down there hard +by a little clearing thereof, and slept from very weariness of grief. +There, after a while, he woke with words still hanging in his ears, and +he knew at once that it was they twain talking together. + +The King's Son had just done his say, and now it was the Lady beginning +in her honey-sweet voice, low but strong, wherein even was a little of +huskiness; she said: "Otto, belike it were well to have a little +patience, till we find out what the man is, and whence he cometh; it will +always be easy to rid us of him; it is but a word to our Dwarf-king, and +it will be done in a few minutes." + +"Patience!" said the King's Son, angrily; "I wot not how to have patience +with him; for I can see of him that he is rude and violent and +headstrong, and a low-born wily one. Forsooth, he had patience enough +with me the other even, when I rated him in, like the dog that he is, and +he had no manhood to say one word to me. Soothly, as he followed after +me, I had a mind to turn about and deal him a buffet on the face, to see +if I could but draw one angry word from him." + +The Lady laughed, and said: "Well, Otto, I know not; that which thou +deemest dastardy in him may be but prudence and wisdom, and he an alien, +far from his friends and nigh to his foes. Perchance we shall yet try +him what he is. Meanwhile, I rede thee try him not with buffets, save he +be weaponless and with bounden hands; or else I deem that but a little +while shalt thou be fain of thy blow." + +Now when Walter heard her words and the voice wherein they were said, he +might not forbear being stirred by them, and to him, all lonely there, +they seemed friendly. + +But he lay still, and the King's Son answered the Lady and said: "I know +not what is in thine heart concerning this runagate, that thou shouldst +bemock me with his valiancy, whereof thou knowest nought. If thou deem +me unworthy of thee, send me back safe to my father's country; I may look +to have worship there; yea, and the love of fair women belike." + +Therewith it seemed as if he had put forth his hand to the Lady to caress +her, for she said: "Nay, lay not thine hand on my shoulder, for to-day +and now it is not the hand of love, but of pride and folly, and would-be +mastery. Nay, neither shalt thou rise up and leave me until thy mood is +softer and kinder to me." + +Then was there silence betwixt them a while, and thereafter the King's +Son spake in a wheedling voice: "My goddess, I pray thee pardon me! But +canst thou wonder that I fear thy wearying of me, and am therefore +peevish and jealous? thou so far above the Queens of the World, and I a +poor youth that without thee were nothing!" + +She answered nought, and he went on again: "Was it not so, O goddess, +that this man of the sons of the merchants was little heedful of thee, +and thy loveliness and thy majesty?" + +She laughed and said: "Maybe he deemed not that he had much to gain of +us, seeing thee sitting by our side, and whereas we spake to him coldly +and sternly and disdainfully. Withal, the poor youth was dazzled and +shamefaced before us; that we could see in the eyes and the mien of him." + +Now this she spoke so kindly and sweetly, that again was Walter all +stirred thereat; and it came into his mind that it might be she knew he +was anigh and hearing her, and that she spake as much for him as for the +King's Son: but that one answered: "Lady, didst thou not see somewhat +else in his eyes, to wit, that they had but of late looked on some fair +woman other than thee? As for me, I deem it not so unlike that on the +way to thine hall he may have fallen in with thy Maid." + +He spoke in a faltering voice, as if shrinking from some storm that might +come. And forsooth the Lady's voice was changed as she answered, though +there was no outward heat in it; rather it was sharp and eager and cold +at once. She said: "Yea, that is not ill thought of; but we may not +always keep our thrall in mind. If it be so as thou deemest, we shall +come to know it most like when we next fall in with her; or if she hath +been shy this time, then shall she pay the heavier for it; for we will +question her by the Fountain in the Hall as to what betid by the Fountain +of the Rock." + +Spake the King's Son, faltering yet more: "Lady, were it not better to +question the man himself? the Maid is stout-hearted, and will not be +speedily quelled into a true tale; whereas the man I deem of no account." + +"No, no," said the Lady sharply, "it shall not be." + +Then was she silent a while; and then she said: "How if the man should +prove to be our master?" + +"Nay, our Lady," said the King's Son, "thou art jesting with me; thou and +thy might and thy wisdom, and all that thy wisdom may command, to be over- +mastered by a gangrel churl!" + +"But how if I will not have it command, King's Son?" said the Lady. "I +tell thee I know thine heart, but thou knowest not mine. But be at +peace! For since thou hast prayed for this woman--nay, not with thy +words, I wot, but with thy trembling hands, and thine anxious eyes, and +knitted brow--I say, since thou hast prayed for her so earnestly, she +shall escape this time. But whether it will be to her gain in the long +run, I misdoubt me. See thou to that, Otto! thou who hast held me in +thine arms so oft. And now thou mayest depart if thou wilt." + +It seemed to Walter as if the King's Son were dumbfoundered at her words: +he answered nought, and presently he rose from the ground, and went his +ways slowly toward the house. The Lady lay there a little while, and +then went her ways also; but turned away from the house toward the wood +at the other end thereof, whereby Walter had first come thither. + +As for Walter, he was confused in mind and shaken in spirit; and withal +he seemed to see guile and cruel deeds under the talk of those two, and +waxed wrathful thereat. Yet he said to himself, that nought might he do, +but was as one bound hand and foot, till he had seen the Maid again. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII: NOW IS THE HUNT UP + + +Next morning was he up betimes, but he was cast down and heavy of heart, +not looking for aught else to betide than had betid those last four days. +But otherwise it fell out; for when he came down into the hall, there was +the lady sitting on the high-seat all alone, clad but in a coat of white +linen; and she turned her head when she heard his footsteps, and looked +on him, and greeted him, and said: "Come hither, guest." + +So he went and stood before her, and she said: "Though as yet thou hast +had no welcome here, and no honour, it hath not entered into thine heart +to flee from us; and to say sooth, that is well for thee, for flee away +from our hand thou mightest not, nor mightest thou depart without our +furtherance. But for this we can thee thank, that thou hast abided here +our bidding and eaten thine heart through the heavy wearing of four days, +and made no plaint. Yet I cannot deem thee a dastard; thou so well knit +and shapely of body, so clear-eyed and bold of visage. Wherefore now I +ask thee, art thou willing to do me service, thereby to earn thy +guesting?" + +Walter answered her, somewhat faltering at first, for he was astonished +at the change which had come over her; for now she spoke to him in +friendly wise, though indeed as a great lady would speak to a young man +ready to serve her in all honour. Said he: "Lady, I can thank thee +humbly and heartily in that thou biddest me do thee service; for these +days past I have loathed the emptiness of the hours, and nought better +could I ask for than to serve so glorious a Mistress in all honour." + +She frowned somewhat, and said: "Thou shalt not call me Mistress; there +is but one who so calleth me, that is my thrall; and thou art none such. +Thou shalt call me Lady, and I shall be well pleased that thou be my +squire, and for this present thou shalt serve me in the hunting. So get +thy gear; take thy bow and arrows, and gird thee to thy sword. For in +this fair land may one find beasts more perilous than be buck or hart. I +go now to array me; we will depart while the day is yet young; for so +make we the summer day the fairest." + +He made obeisance to her, and she arose and went to her chamber, and +Walter dight himself, and then abode her in the porch; and in less than +an hour she came out of the hall, and Walter's heart beat when he saw +that the Maid followed her hard at heel, and scarce might he school his +eyes not to gaze over-eagerly at his dear friend. She was clad even as +she was before, and was changed in no wise, save that love troubled her +face when she first beheld him, and she had much ado to master it: +howbeit the Mistress heeded not the trouble of her, or made no semblance +of heeding it, till the Maiden's face was all according to its wont. + +But this Walter found strange, that after all that disdain of the Maid's +thralldom which he had heard of the Mistress, and after all the threats +against her, now was the Mistress become mild and debonaire to her, as a +good lady to her good maiden. When Walter bowed the knee to her, she +turned unto the Maid, and said: "Look thou, my Maid, at this fair new +Squire that I have gotten! Will not he be valiant in the greenwood? And +see whether he be well shapen or not. Doth he not touch thine heart, +when thou thinkest of all the woe, and fear, and trouble of the World +beyond the Wood, which he hath escaped, to dwell in this little land +peaceably, and well-beloved both by the Mistress and the Maid? And thou, +my Squire, look a little at this fair slim Maiden, and say if she +pleaseth thee not: didst thou deem that we had any thing so fair in this +lonely place?" + +Frank and kind was the smile on her radiant visage, nor did she seem to +note any whit the trouble on Walter's face, nor how he strove to keep his +eyes from the Maid. As for her, she had so wholly mastered her +countenance, that belike she used her face guilefully, for she stood as +one humble but happy, with a smile on her face, blushing, and with her +head hung down as if shamefaced before a goodly young man, a stranger. + +But the Lady looked upon her kindly and said: "Come hither, child, and +fear not this frank and free young man, who belike feareth thee a little, +and full certainly feareth me; and yet only after the manner of men." + +And therewith she took the Maid by the hand and drew her to her, and +pressed her to her bosom, and kissed her cheeks and her lips, and undid +the lacing of her gown and bared a shoulder of her, and swept away her +skirt from her feet; and then turned to Walter and said: "Lo thou, +Squire! is not this a lovely thing to have grown up amongst our rough oak- +boles? What! art thou looking at the iron ring there? It is nought, +save a token that she is mine, and that I may not be without her." + +Then she took the Maid by the shoulders and turned her about as in sport, +and said: "Go thou now, and bring hither the good grey ones; for needs +must we bring home some venison to-day, whereas this stout warrior may +not feed on nought save manchets and honey." + +So the Maid went her way, taking care, as Walter deemed, to give no side +glance to him. But he stood there shamefaced, so confused with all this +openhearted kindness of the great Lady and with the fresh sight of the +darling beauty of the Maid, that he went nigh to thinking that all he had +heard since he had come to the porch of the house that first time was but +a dream of evil. + +But while he stood pondering these matters, and staring before him as one +mazed, the Lady laughed out in his face, and touched him on the arm and +said: "Ah, our Squire, is it so that now thou hast seen my Maid thou +wouldst with a good will abide behind to talk with her? But call to mind +thy word pledged to me e'en now! And moreover I tell thee this for thy +behoof now she is out of ear-shot, that I will above all things take thee +away to-day: for there be other eyes, and they nought uncomely, that look +at whiles on my fair-ankled thrall; and who knows but the swords might be +out if I take not the better heed, and give thee not every whit of thy +will." + +As she spoke and moved forward, he turned a little, so that now the edge +of that hazel-coppice was within his eye-shot, and he deemed that once +more he saw the yellow-brown evil thing crawling forth from the thicket; +then, turning suddenly on the Lady, he met her eyes, and seemed in one +moment of time to find a far other look in them than that of frankness +and kindness; though in a flash they changed back again, and she said +merrily and sweetly: "So, so, Sir Squire, now art thou awake again, and +mayest for a little while look on me." + +Now it came into his head, with that look of hers, all that might befall +him and the Maid if he mastered not his passion, nor did what he might to +dissemble; so he bent the knee to her, and spoke boldly to her in her own +vein, and said: "Nay, most gracious of ladies, never would I abide behind +to-day since thou farest afield. But if my speech be hampered, or mine +eyes stray, is it not because my mind is confused by thy beauty, and the +honey of kind words which floweth from thy mouth?" + +She laughed outright at his word, but not disdainfully, and said: "This +is well spoken, Squire, and even what a squire should say to his liege +lady, when the sun is up on a fair morning, and she and he and all the +world are glad." + +She stood quite near him as she spoke, her hand was on his shoulder, and +her eyes shone and sparkled. Sooth to say, that excusing of his +confusion was like enough in seeming to the truth; for sure never +creature was fashioned fairer than she: clad she was for the greenwood as +the hunting-goddess of the Gentiles, with her green gown gathered unto +her girdle, and sandals on her feet; a bow in her hand and a quiver at +her back: she was taller and bigger of fashion than the dear Maiden, +whiter of flesh, and more glorious, and brighter of hair; as a flower of +flowers for fairness and fragrance. + +She said: "Thou art verily a fair squire before the hunt is up, and if +thou be as good in the hunting, all will be better than well, and the +guest will be welcome. But lo! here cometh our Maid with the good grey +ones. Go meet her, and we will tarry no longer than for thy taking the +leash in hand." + +So Walter looked, and saw the Maid coming with two couple of great hounds +in the leash straining against her as she came along. He ran lightly to +meet her, wondering if he should have a look, or a half-whisper from her; +but she let him take the white thongs from her hand, with the same half- +smile of shamefacedness still set on her face, and, going past him, came +softly up to the Lady, swaying like a willow-branch in the wind, and +stood before her, with her arms hanging down by her sides. Then the Lady +turned to her, and said: "Look to thyself, our Maid, while we are away. +This fair young man thou needest not to fear indeed, for he is good and +leal; but what thou shalt do with the King's Son I wot not. He is a hot +lover forsooth, but a hard man; and whiles evil is his mood, and perilous +both to thee and me. And if thou do his will, it shall be ill for thee; +and if thou do it not, take heed of him, and let me, and me only, come +between his wrath and thee. I may do somewhat for thee. Even yesterday +he was instant with me to have thee chastised after the manner of +thralls; but I bade him keep silence of such words, and jeered him and +mocked him, till he went away from me peevish and in anger. So look to +it that thou fall not into any trap of his contrivance." + +Then the Maid cast herself at the Mistress's feet, and kissed and +embraced them; and as she rose up, the Lady laid her hand lightly on her +head, and then, turning to Walter, cried out: "Now, Squire, let us leave +all these troubles and wiles and desires behind us, and flit through the +merry greenwood like the Gentiles of old days." + +And therewith she drew up the laps of her gown till the whiteness of her +knees was seen, and set off swiftly toward the wood that lay south of the +house, and Walter followed, marvelling at her goodliness; nor durst he +cast a look backward to the Maiden, for he knew that she desired him, and +it was her only that he looked to for his deliverance from this house of +guile and lies. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE HUNTING OF THE HART + + +As they went, they found a change in the land, which grew emptier of big +and wide-spreading trees, and more beset with thickets. From one of +these they roused a hart, and Walter let slip his hounds thereafter and +he and the Lady followed running. Exceeding swift was she, and +well-breathed withal, so that Walter wondered at her; and eager she was +in the chase as the very hounds, heeding nothing the scratching of briars +or the whipping of stiff twigs as she sped on. But for all their eager +hunting, the quarry outran both dogs and folk, and gat him into a great +thicket, amidmost whereof was a wide plash of water. Into the thicket +they followed him, but he took to the water under their eyes and made +land on the other side; and because of the tangle of underwood, he swam +across much faster than they might have any hope to come round on him; +and so were the hunters left undone for that time. + +So the Lady cast herself down on the green grass anigh the water, while +Walter blew the hounds in and coupled them up; then he turned round to +her, and lo! she was weeping for despite that they had lost the quarry; +and again did Walter wonder that so little a matter should raise a +passion of tears in her. He durst not ask what ailed her, or proffer her +solace, but was not ill apaid by beholding her loveliness as she lay. + +Presently she raised up her head and turned to Walter, and spake to him +angrily and said: "Squire, why dost thou stand staring at me like a +fool?" + +"Yea, Lady," he said; "but the sight of thee maketh me foolish to do +aught else but to look on thee." + +She said, in a peevish voice: "Tush, Squire, the day is too far spent for +soft and courtly speeches; what was good there is nought so good here. +Withal, I know more of thine heart than thou deemest." + +Walter hung down his head and reddened, and she looked on him, and her +face changed, and she smiled and said, kindly this time: "Look ye, +Squire, I am hot and weary, and ill-content; but presently it will be +better with me; for my knees have been telling my shoulders that the cold +water of this little lake will be sweet and pleasant this summer noonday, +and that I shall forget my foil when I have taken my pleasure therein. +Wherefore, go thou with thine hounds without the thicket and there abide +my coming. And I bid thee look not aback as thou goest, for therein were +peril to thee: I shall not keep thee tarrying long alone." + +He bowed his head to her, and turned and went his ways. And now, when he +was a little space away from her, he deemed her indeed a marvel of women, +and wellnigh forgat all his doubts and fears concerning her, whether she +were a fair image fashioned out of lies and guile, or it might be but an +evil thing in the shape of a goodly woman. Forsooth, when he saw her +caressing the dear and friendly Maid, his heart all turned against her, +despite what his eyes and his ears told his mind, and she seemed like as +it were a serpent enfolding the simplicity of the body which he loved. + +But now it was all changed, and he lay on the grass and longed for her +coming; which was delayed for somewhat more than an hour. Then she came +back to him, smiling and fresh and cheerful, her green gown let down to +her heels. + +He sprang up to meet her, and she came close to him, and spake from a +laughing face: "Squire, hast thou no meat in thy wallet? For, meseemeth, +I fed thee when thou wert hungry the other day; do thou now the same by +me." + +He smiled, and louted to her, and took his wallet and brought out thence +bread and flesh and wine, and spread them all out before her on the green +grass, and then stood by humbly before her. But she said: "Nay, my +Squire, sit down by me and eat with me, for to-day are we both hunters +together." + +So he sat down by her trembling, but neither for awe of her greatness, +nor for fear and horror of her guile and sorcery. + +A while they sat there together after they had done their meat, and the +Lady fell a-talking with Walter concerning the parts of the earth, and +the manners of men, and of his journeyings to and fro. + +At last she said: "Thou hast told me much and answered all my questions +wisely, and as my good Squire should, and that pleaseth me. But now tell +me of the city wherein thou wert born and bred; a city whereof thou hast +hitherto told me nought." + +"Lady," he said, "it is a fair and a great city, and to many it seemeth +lovely. But I have left it, and now it is nothing to me." + +"Hast thou not kindred there?" said she. + +"Yea," said he, "and foemen withal; and a false woman waylayeth my life +there." + +"And what was she?" said the Lady. + +Said Walter: "She was but my wife." + +"Was she fair?" said the Lady. + +Walter looked on her a while, and then said: "I was going to say that she +was wellnigh as fair as thou; but that may scarce be. Yet was she very +fair. But now, kind and gracious Lady, I will say this word to thee: I +marvel that thou askest so many things concerning the city of Langton on +Holm, where I was born, and where are my kindred yet; for meseemeth that +thou knowest it thyself." + +"I know it, I?" said the Lady. + +"What, then! thou knowest it not?" said Walter. + +Spake the Lady, and some of her old disdain was in her words: "Dost thou +deem that I wander about the world and its cheaping-steads like one of +the chap-men? Nay, I dwell in the Wood beyond the World, and nowhere +else. What hath put this word into thy mouth?" + +He said: "Pardon me, Lady, if I have misdone; but thus it was: Mine own +eyes beheld thee going down the quays of our city, and thence a +ship-board, and the ship sailed out of the haven. And first of all went +a strange dwarf, whom I have seen here, and then thy Maid; and then went +thy gracious and lovely body." + +The Lady's face changed as he spoke, and she turned red and then pale, +and set her teeth; but she refrained her, and said: "Squire, I see of +thee that thou art no liar, nor light of wit, therefore I suppose that +thou hast verily seen some appearance of me; but never have I been in +Langton, nor thought thereof, nor known that such a stead there was until +thou namedst it e'en now. Wherefore, I deem that an enemy hath cast the +shadow of me on the air of that land." + +"Yea, my Lady," said Walter; "and what enemy mightest thou have to have +done this?" + +She was slow of answer, but spake at last from a quivering mouth of +anger: "Knowest thou not the saw, that a man's foes are they of his own +house? If I find out for a truth who hath done this, the said enemy +shall have an evil hour with me." + +Again she was silent, and she clenched her hands and strained her limbs +in the heat of her anger; so that Walter was afraid of her, and all his +misgivings came back to his heart again, and he repented that he had told +her so much. But in a little while all that trouble and wrath seemed to +flow off her, and again was she of good cheer, and kind and sweet to him +and she said: "But in sooth, however it may be, I thank thee, my Squire +and friend, for telling me hereof. And surely no wyte do I lay on thee. +And, moreover, is it not this vision which hath brought thee hither?" + +"So it is, Lady," said he. + +"Then have we to thank it," said the Lady, "and thou art welcome to our +land." + +And therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it on his knees +and kissed it: and then it was as if a red-hot iron had run through his +heart, and he felt faint, and bowed down his head. But he held her hand +yet, and kissed it many times, and the wrist and the arm, and knew not +where he was. + +But she drew a little away from him, and arose and said: "Now is the day +wearing, and if we are to bear back any venison we must buckle to the +work. So arise, Squire, and take the hounds and come with me; for not +far off is a little thicket which mostly harbours foison of deer, great +and small. Let us come our ways." + + + + +CHAPTER XV: THE SLAYING OF THE QUARRY + + +So they walked on quietly thence some half a mile, and ever the Lady +would have Walter to walk by her side, and not follow a little behind +her, as was meet for a servant to do; and she touched his hand at whiles +as she showed him beast and fowl and tree, and the sweetness of her body +overcame him, so that for a while he thought of nothing save her. + +Now when they were come to the thicket-side, she turned to him and said: +"Squire, I am no ill woodman, so that thou mayst trust me that we shall +not be brought to shame the second time; and I shall do sagely; so nock +an arrow to thy bow, and abide me here, and stir not hence; for I shall +enter this thicket without the hounds, and arouse the quarry for thee; +and see that thou be brisk and clean-shooting, and then shalt thou have a +reward of me." + +Therewith she drew up her skirts through her girdle again, took her bent +bow in her hand, and drew an arrow out of the quiver, and stepped lightly +into the thicket, leaving him longing for the sight of her, as he +hearkened to the tread of her feet on the dry leaves, and the rustling of +the brake as she thrust through it. + +Thus he stood for a few minutes, and then he heard a kind of gibbering +cry without words, yet as of a woman, coming from the thicket, and while +his heart was yet gathering the thought that something had gone amiss, he +glided swiftly, but with little stir, into the brake. + +He had gone but a little way ere he saw the Lady standing there in a +narrow clearing, her face pale as death, her knees cleaving together, her +body swaying and tottering, her hands hanging down, and the bow and arrow +fallen to the ground; and ten yards before her a great-headed yellow +creature crouching flat to the earth and slowly drawing nigher. + +He stopped short; one arrow was already notched to the string, and +another hung loose to the lesser fingers of his string-hand. He raised +his right hand, and drew and loosed in a twinkling; the shaft flew close +to the Lady's side, and straightway all the wood rung with a huge roar, +as the yellow lion turned about to bite at the shaft which had sunk deep +into him behind the shoulder, as if a bolt out of the heavens had smitten +him. But straightway had Walter loosed again, and then, throwing down +his bow, he ran forward with his drawn sword gleaming in his hand, while +the lion weltered and rolled, but had no might to move forward. Then +Walter went up to him warily and thrust him through to the heart, and +leapt aback, lest the beast might yet have life in him to smite; but he +left his struggling, his huge voice died out, and he lay there moveless +before the hunter. + +Walter abode a little, facing him, and then turned about to the Lady, and +she had fallen down in a heap whereas she stood, and lay there all +huddled up and voiceless. So he knelt down by her, and lifted up her +head, and bade her arise, for the foe was slain. And after a little she +stretched out her limbs, and turned about on the grass, and seemed to +sleep, and the colour came into her face again, and it grew soft and a +little smiling. Thus she lay awhile, and Walter sat by her watching her, +till at last she opened her eyes and sat up, and knew him, and smiling on +him said: "What hath befallen, Squire, that I have slept and dreamed?" + +He answered nothing, till her memory came back to her, and then she +arose, trembling and pale, and said: "Let us leave this wood, for the +Enemy is therein." + +And she hastened away before him till they came out at the thicket-side +whereas the hounds had been left, and they were standing there uneasy and +whining; so Walter coupled them, while the Lady stayed not, but went away +swiftly homeward, and Walter followed. + +At last she stayed her swift feet, and turned round on Walter, and said: +"Squire, come hither." + +So did he, and she said: "I am weary again; let us sit under this quicken- +tree, and rest us." + +So they sat down, and she sat looking between her knees a while; and at +last she said: "Why didst thou not bring the lion's hide?" + +He said: "Lady, I will go back and flay the beast, and bring on the +hide." + +And he arose therewith, but she caught him by the skirts and drew him +down, and said: "Nay, thou shalt not go; abide with me. Sit down again." + +He did so, and she said: "Thou shalt not go from me; for I am afraid: I +am not used to looking on the face of death." + +She grew pale as she spoke, and set a hand to her breast, and sat so a +while without speaking. At last she turned to him smiling, and said: +"How was it with the aspect of me when I stood before the peril of the +Enemy?" And she laid a hand upon his. + +"O gracious one," quoth he, "thou wert, as ever, full lovely, but I +feared for thee." + +She moved not her hand from his, and she said: "Good and true Squire, I +said ere I entered the thicket e'en now that I would reward thee if thou +slewest the quarry. He is dead, though thou hast left the skin behind +upon the carcase. Ask now thy reward, but take time to think what it +shall be." + +He felt her hand warm upon his, and drew in the sweet odour of her +mingled with the woodland scents under the hot sun of the afternoon, and +his heart was clouded with manlike desire of her. And it was a near +thing but he had spoken, and craved of her the reward of the freedom of +her Maid, and that he might depart with her into other lands; but as his +mind wavered betwixt this and that, the Lady, who had been eyeing him +keenly, drew her hand away from him; and therewith doubt and fear flowed +into his mind, and he refrained him of speech. + +Then she laughed merrily and said: "The good Squire is shamefaced; he +feareth a lady more than a lion. Will it be a reward to thee if I bid +thee to kiss my cheek?" + +Therewith she leaned her face toward him, and he kissed her +well-favouredly, and then sat gazing on her, wondering what should betide +to him on the morrow. + +Then she arose and said: "Come, Squire, and let us home; be not abashed, +there shall be other rewards hereafter." + +So they went their ways quietly; and it was nigh sunset against they +entered the house again. Walter looked round for the Maid, but beheld +her not; and the Lady said to him: "I go to my chamber, and now is thy +service over for this day." + +Then she nodded to him friendly and went her ways. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI: OF THE KING'S SON AND THE MAID + + +But as for Walter, he went out of the house again, and fared slowly over +the woodlawns till he came to another close thicket or brake; he entered +from mere wantonness, or that he might be the more apart and hidden, so +as to think over his case. There he lay down under the thick boughs, but +could not so herd his thoughts that they would dwell steady in looking +into what might come to him within the next days; rather visions of those +two women and the monster did but float before him, and fear and desire +and the hope of life ran to and fro in his mind. + +As he lay thus he heard footsteps drawing near, and he looked between the +boughs, and though the sun had just set, he could see close by him a man +and a woman going slowly, and they hand in hand; at first he deemed it +would be the King's Son and the Lady, but presently he saw that it was +the King's Son indeed, but that it was the Maid whom he was holding by +the hand. And now he saw of him that his eyes were bright with desire, +and of her that she was very pale. Yet when he heard her begin to speak, +it was in a steady voice that she said: "King's Son, thou hast threatened +me oft and unkindly, and now thou threatenest me again, and no less +unkindly. But whatever were thy need herein before, now is there no more +need; for my Mistress, of whom thou wert weary, is now grown weary of +thee, and belike will not now reward me for drawing thy love to me, as +once she would have done; to wit, before the coming of this stranger. +Therefore I say, since I am but a thrall, poor and helpless, betwixt you +two mighty ones, I have no choice but to do thy will." + +As she spoke she looked all round about her, as one distraught by the +anguish of fear. Walter, amidst of his wrath and grief, had wellnigh +drawn his sword and rushed out of his lair upon the King's Son. But he +deemed it sure that, so doing, he should undo the Maid altogether, and +himself also belike, so he refrained him, though it were a hard matter. + +The Maid had stayed her feet now close to where Walter lay, some five +yards from him only, and he doubted whether she saw him not from where +she stood. As to the King's Son, he was so intent upon the Maid, and so +greedy of her beauty, that it was not like that he saw anything. + +Now moreover Walter looked, and deemed that he beheld something through +the grass and bracken on the other side of those two, an ugly brown and +yellow body, which, if it were not some beast of the foumart kind, must +needs be the monstrous dwarf, or one of his kin; and the flesh crept upon +Walter's bones with the horror of him. But the King's Son spoke unto the +Maid: "Sweetling, I shall take the gift thou givest me, neither shall I +threaten thee any more, howbeit thou givest it not very gladly or +graciously." + +She smiled on him with her lips alone, for her eyes were wandering and +haggard. "My lord," she said, "is not this the manner of women?" + +"Well," he said, "I say that I will take thy love even so given. Yet let +me hear again that thou lovest not that vile newcomer, and that thou hast +not seen him, save this morning along with my Lady. Nay now, thou shalt +swear it." + +"What shall I swear by?" she said. + +Quoth he, "Thou shalt swear by my body;" and therewith he thrust himself +close up against her; but she drew her hand from his, and laid it on his +breast, and said: "I swear it by thy body." + +He smiled on her licorously, and took her by the shoulders, and kissed +her face many times, and then stood aloof from her, and said: "Now have I +had hansel: but tell me, when shall I come to thee?" + +She spoke out clearly: "Within three days at furthest; I will do thee to +wit of the day and the hour to-morrow, or the day after." + +He kissed her once more, and said: "Forget it not, or the threat holds +good." + +And therewith he turned about and went his ways toward the house; and +Walter saw the yellow-brown thing creeping after him in the gathering +dusk. + +As for the Maid, she stood for a while without moving, and looking after +the King's Son and the creature that followed him. Then she turned about +to where Walter lay and lightly put aside the boughs, and Walter leapt +up, and they stood face to face. She said softly but eagerly: "Friend, +touch me not yet!" + +He spake not, but looked on her sternly. She said: "Thou art angry with +me?" + +Still he spake not; but she said: "Friend, this at least I will pray +thee; not to play with life and death; with happiness and misery. Dost +thou not remember the oath which we swore each to each but a little while +ago? And dost thou deem that I have changed in these few days? Is thy +mind concerning thee and me the same as it was? If it be not so, now +tell me. For now have I the mind to do as if neither thou nor I are +changed to each other, whoever may have kissed mine unwilling lips, or +whomsoever thy lips may have kissed. But if thou hast changed, and wilt +no longer give me thy love, nor crave mine, then shall this steel" (and +she drew a sharp knife from her girdle) "be for the fool and the dastard +who hath made thee wroth with me, my friend, and my friend that I deemed +I had won. And then let come what will come! But if thou be nought +changed, and the oath yet holds, then, when a little while hath passed, +may we thrust all evil and guile and grief behind us, and long joy shall +lie before us, and long life, and all honour in death: if only thou wilt +do as I bid thee, O my dear, and my friend, and my first friend!" + +He looked on her, and his breast heaved up as all the sweetness of her +kind love took hold on him, and his face changed, and the tears filled +his eyes and ran over, and rained down before her, and he stretched out +his hand toward her. + +Then she said exceeding sweetly: "Now indeed I see that it is well with +me, yea, and with thee also. A sore pain it is to me, that not even now +may I take thine hand, and cast mine arms about thee, and kiss the lips +that love me. But so it has to be. My dear, even so I were fain to +stand here long before thee, even if we spake no more word to each other; +but abiding here is perilous; for there is ever an evil spy upon my +doings, who has now as I deem followed the King's Son to the house, but +who will return when he has tracked him home thither: so we must sunder. +But belike there is yet time for a word or two: first, the rede which I +had thought on for our deliverance is now afoot, though I durst not tell +thee thereof, nor have time thereto. But this much shall I tell thee, +that whereas great is the craft of my Mistress in wizardry, yet I also +have some little craft therein, and this, which she hath not, to change +the aspect of folk so utterly that they seem other than they verily are; +yea, so that one may have the aspect of another. Now the next thing is +this: whatsoever my Mistress may bid thee, do her will therein with no +more nay-saying than thou deemest may please her. And the next thing: +wheresoever thou mayst meet me, speak not to me, make no sign to me, even +when I seem to be all alone, till I stoop down and touch the ring on my +ankle with my right hand; but if I do so, then stay thee, without fail, +till I speak. The last thing I will say to thee, dear friend, ere we +both go our ways, this it is. When we are free, and thou knowest all +that I have done, I pray thee deem me not evil and wicked, and be not +wroth with me for my deed; whereas thou wottest well that I am not in +like plight with other women. I have heard tell that when the knight +goeth to the war, and hath overcome his foes by the shearing of swords +and guileful tricks, and hath come back home to his own folk, they praise +him and bless him, and crown him with flowers, and boast of him before +God in the minster for his deliverance of friend and folk and city. Why +shouldst thou be worse to me than this? Now is all said, my dear and my +friend; farewell, farewell!" + +Therewith she turned and went her ways toward the house in all speed, but +making somewhat of a compass. And when she was gone, Walter knelt down +and kissed the place where her feet had been, and arose thereafter, and +made his way toward the house, he also, but slowly, and staying oft on +his way. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII: OF THE HOUSE AND THE PLEASANCE IN THE WOOD + + +On the morrow morning Walter loitered a while about the house till the +morn was grown old, and then about noon he took his bow and arrows and +went into the woods to the northward, to get him some venison. He went +somewhat far ere he shot him a fawn, and then he sat him down to rest +under the shade of a great chestnut-tree, for it was not far past the +hottest of the day. He looked around thence and saw below him a little +dale with a pleasant stream running through it, and he bethought him of +bathing therein, so he went down and had his pleasure of the water and +the willowy banks; for he lay naked a while on the grass by the lip of +the water, for joy of the flickering shade, and the little breeze that +ran over the down-long ripples of the stream. + +Then he did on his raiment, and began to come his ways up the bent, but +had scarce gone three steps ere he saw a woman coming towards him from +downstream. His heart came into his mouth when he saw her, for she +stooped and reached down her arm, as if she would lay her hand on her +ankle, so that at first he deemed it had been the Maid, but at the second +eye-shot he saw that it was the Mistress. She stood still and looked on +him, so that he deemed she would have him come to her. So he went to +meet her, and grew somewhat shamefaced as he drew nigher, and wondered at +her, for now was she clad but in one garment of some dark grey silky +stuff, embroidered with, as it were, a garland of flowers about the +middle, but which was so thin that, as the wind drifted it from side and +limb, it hid her no more, but for the said garland, than if water were +running over her: her face was full of smiling joy and content as she +spake to him in a kind, caressing voice, and said: "I give thee good day, +good Squire, and well art thou met." And she held out her hand to him. +He knelt down before her and kissed it, and abode still upon his knees, +and hanging down his head. + +But she laughed outright, and stooped down to him, and put her hand to +his arms, and raised him up, and said to him: "What is this, my Squire, +that thou kneelest to me as to an idol?" + +He said faltering: "I wot not; but perchance thou art an idol; and I fear +thee." + +"What!" she said, "more than yesterday, whenas thou sawest me afraid?" + +Said he: "Yea, for that now I see thee unhidden, and meseemeth there hath +been none such since the old days of the Gentiles." + +She said: "Hast thou not yet bethought thee of a gift to crave of me, a +reward for the slaying of mine enemy, and the saving of me from death?" + +"O my Lady," he said, "even so much would I have done for any other lady, +or, forsooth, for any poor man; for so my manhood would have bidden me. +Speak not of gifts to me then. Moreover" (and he reddened therewith, and +his voice faltered), "didst thou not give me my sweet reward yesterday? +What more durst I ask?" + +She held her peace awhile, and looked on him keenly; and he reddened +under her gaze. Then wrath came into her face, and she reddened and knit +her brows, and spake to him in a voice of anger, and said: "Nay, what is +this? It is growing in my mind that thou deemest the gift of me +unworthy! Thou, an alien, an outcast; one endowed with the little wisdom +of the World without the Wood! And here I stand before thee, all +glorious in my nakedness, and so fulfilled of wisdom, that I can make +this wilderness to any whom I love more full of joy than the kingdoms and +cities of the world--and thou!--Ah, but it is the Enemy that hath done +this, and made the guileless guileful! Yet will I have the upper hand at +least, though thou suffer for it, and I suffer for thee." + +Walter stood before her with hanging head, and he put forth his hands as +if praying off her anger, and pondered what answer he should make; for +now he feared for himself and the Maid; so at last he looked up to her, +and said boldly: "Nay, Lady, I know what thy words mean, whereas I +remember thy first welcome of me. I wot, forsooth, that thou wouldst +call me base-born, and of no account, and unworthy to touch the hem of +thy raiment; and that I have been over-bold, and guilty towards thee; and +doubtless this is sooth, and I have deserved thine anger: but I will not +ask thee to pardon me, for I have done but what I must needs." + +She looked on him calmly now, and without any wrath, but rather as if she +would read what was written in his inmost heart. Then her face changed +into joyousness again, and she smote her palms together, and cried out: +"This is but foolish talk; for yesterday did I see thy valiancy, and to- +day I have seen thy goodliness; and I say, that though thou mightest not +be good enough for a fool woman of the earthly baronage, yet art thou +good enough for me, the wise and the mighty, and the lovely. And whereas +thou sayest that I gave thee but disdain when first thou camest to us, +grudge not against me therefor, because it was done but to prove thee; +and now thou art proven." + +Then again he knelt down before her, and embraced her knees, and again +she raised him up, and let her arm hang down over his shoulder, and her +cheek brush his cheek; and she kissed his mouth and said: "Hereby is all +forgiven, both thine offence and mine; and now cometh joy and merry +days." + +Therewith her smiling face grew grave, and she stood before him looking +stately and gracious and kind at once, and she took his hand and said: +"Thou mightest deem my chamber in the Golden House of the Wood +over-queenly, since thou art no masterful man. So now hast thou chosen +well the place wherein to meet me to-day, for hard by on the other side +of the stream is a bower of pleasance, which, forsooth, not every one who +cometh to this land may find; there shall I be to thee as one of the up- +country damsels of thine own land, and thou shalt not be abashed." + +She sidled up to him as she spoke, and would he, would he not, her sweet +voice tickled his very soul with pleasure, and she looked aside on him +happy and well-content. + +So they crossed the stream by the shallow below the pool wherein Walter +had bathed, and within a little they came upon a tall fence of +flake-hurdles, and a simple gate therein. The Lady opened the same, and +they entered thereby into a close all planted as a most fair garden, with +hedges of rose and woodbine, and with linden-trees a-blossom, and long +ways of green grass betwixt borders of lilies and clove-gilliflowers, and +other sweet garland-flowers. And a branch of the stream which they had +crossed erewhile wandered through that garden; and in the midst was a +little house built of post and pan, and thatched with yellow straw, as if +it were new done. + +Then Walter looked this way and that, and wondered at first, and tried to +think in his mind what should come next, and how matters would go with +him; but his thought would not dwell steady on any other matter than the +beauty of the Lady amidst the beauty of the garden; and withal she was +now grown so sweet and kind, and even somewhat timid and shy with him, +that scarce did he know whose hand he held, or whose fragrant bosom and +sleek side went so close to him. + +So they wandered here and there through the waning of the day, and when +they entered at last into the cool dusk house, then they loved and played +together, as if they were a pair of lovers guileless, with no fear for +the morrow, and no seeds of enmity and death sown betwixt them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: THE MAID GIVES WALTER TRYST + + +Now, on the morrow, when Walter was awake, he found there was no one +lying beside him, and the day was no longer very young; so he arose, and +went through the garden from end to end, and all about, and there was +none there; and albeit that he dreaded to meet the Lady there, yet was he +sad at heart and fearful of what might betide. Howsoever, he found the +gate whereby they had entered yesterday, and he went out into the little +dale; but when he had gone a step or two he turned about, and could see +neither garden nor fence, nor any sign of what he had seen thereof but +lately. He knit his brow and stood still to think of it, and his heart +grew the heavier thereby; but presently he went his ways and crossed the +stream, but had scarce come up on to the grass on the further side, ere +he saw a woman coming to meet him, and at first, full as he was of the +tide of yesterday and the wondrous garden, deemed that it would be the +Lady; but the woman stayed her feet, and, stooping, laid a hand on her +right ankle, and he saw that it was the Maid. He drew anigh to her, and +saw that she was nought so sad of countenance as the last time she had +met him, but flushed of cheek and bright-eyed. + +As he came up to her she made a step or two to meet him, holding out her +two hands, and then refrained her, and said smiling: "Ah, friend, belike +this shall be the last time that I shall say to thee, touch me not, nay, +not so much as my hand, or if it were but the hem of my raiment." + +The joy grew up in his heart, and he gazed on her fondly, and said: "Why, +what hath befallen of late?" + +"O friend," she began, "this hath befallen." + +But as he looked on her, the smile died from her face, and she became +deadly pale to the very lips; she looked askance to her left side, +whereas ran the stream; and Walter followed her eyes, and deemed for one +instant that he saw the misshapen yellow visage of the dwarf peering +round from a grey rock, but the next there was nothing. Then the Maid, +though she were as pale as death, went on in a clear, steady, hard voice, +wherein was no joy or kindness, keeping her face to Walter and her back +to the stream: "This hath befallen, friend, that there is no longer any +need to refrain thy love nor mine; therefore I say to thee, come to my +chamber (and it is the red chamber over against thine, though thou +knewest it not) an hour before this next midnight, and then thy sorrow +and mine shall be at an end: and now I must needs depart. Follow me not, +but remember!" + +And therewith she turned about and fled like the wind down the stream. + +But Walter stood wondering, and knew not what to make of it, whether it +were for good or ill: for he knew now that she had paled and been seized +with terror because of the upheaving of the ugly head; and yet she had +seemed to speak out the very thing she had to say. Howsoever it were, he +spake aloud to himself: Whatever comes, I will keep tryst with her. + +Then he drew his sword, and turned this way and that, looking all about +if he might see any sign of the Evil Thing; but nought might his eyes +behold, save the grass, and the stream, and the bushes of the dale. So +then, still holding his naked sword in his hand, he clomb the bent out of +the dale; for that was the only way he knew to the Golden House; and when +he came to the top, and the summer breeze blew in his face, and he looked +down a fair green slope beset with goodly oaks and chestnuts, he was +refreshed with the life of the earth, and he felt the good sword in his +fist, and knew that there was might and longing in him, and the world +seemed open unto him. + +So he smiled, if it were somewhat grimly, and sheathed his sword and went +on toward the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX: WALTER GOES TO FETCH HOME THE LION'S HIDE + + +He entered the cool dusk through the porch, and, looking down the +pillared hall, saw beyond the fountain a gleam of gold, and when he came +past the said fountain he looked up to the high-seat, and lo! the Lady +sitting there clad in her queenly raiment. She called to him, and he +came; and she hailed him, and spake graciously and calmly, yet as if she +knew nought of him save as the leal servant of her, a high Lady. +"Squire," she said, "we have deemed it meet to have the hide of the +servant of the Enemy, the lion to wit, whom thou slewest yesterday, for a +carpet to our feet; wherefore go now, take thy wood-knife, and flay the +beast, and bring me home his skin. This shall be all thy service for +this day, so mayst thou do it at thine own leisure, and not weary +thyself. May good go with thee." + +He bent the knee before her, and she smiled on him graciously, but +reached out no hand for him to kiss, and heeded him but little. +Wherefore, in spite of himself, and though he knew somewhat of her guile, +he could not help marvelling that this should be she who had lain in his +arms night-long but of late. + +Howso that might be, he took his way toward the thicket where he had +slain the lion, and came thither by then it was afternoon, at the hottest +of the day. So he entered therein, and came to the very place whereas +the Lady had lain, when she fell down before the terror of the lion; and +there was the mark of her body on the grass where she had lain that +while, like as it were the form of a hare. But when Walter went on to +where he had slain that great beast, lo! he was gone, and there was no +sign of him; but there were Walter's own footprints, and the two shafts +which he had shot, one feathered red, and one blue. He said at first: +Belike someone hath been here, and hath had the carcase away. Then he +laughed in very despite, and said: How may that be, since there are no +signs of dragging away of so huge a body, and no blood or fur on the +grass if they had cut him up, and moreover no trampling of feet, as if +there had been many men at the deed. Then was he all abashed, and again +laughed in scorn of himself, and said: Forsooth I deemed I had done +manly; but now forsooth I shot nought, and nought there was before the +sword of my father's son. And what may I deem now, but that this is a +land of mere lies, and that there is nought real and alive therein save +me. Yea, belike even these trees and the green grass will presently +depart from me, and leave me falling down through the clouds. + +Therewith he turned away, and gat him to the road that led to the Golden +House, wondering what next should befall him, and going slowly as he +pondered his case. So came he to that first thicket where they had lost +their quarry by water; so he entered the same, musing, and bathed him in +the pool that was therein, after he had wandered about it awhile, and +found nothing new. + +So again he set him to the homeward road, when the day was now waning, +and it was near sunset that he was come nigh unto the house, though it +was hidden from him as then by a low bent that rose before him; and there +he abode and looked about him. + +Now as he looked, over the said bent came the figure of a woman, who +stayed on the brow thereof and looked all about her, and then ran swiftly +down to meet Walter, who saw at once that it was the Maid. + +She made no stay then till she was but three paces from him, and then she +stooped down and made the sign to him, and then spake to him +breathlessly, and said: "Hearken! but speak not till I have done: I bade +thee to-night's meeting because I saw that there was one anigh whom I +must needs beguile. But by thine oath, and thy love, and all that thou +art, I adjure thee come not unto me this night as I bade thee! but be +hidden in the hazel-copse outside the house, as it draws toward midnight, +and abide me there. Dost thou hearken, and wilt thou? Say yes or no in +haste, for I may not tarry a moment of time. Who knoweth what is behind +me?" + +"Yes," said Walter hastily; "but friend and love--" + +"No more," she said; "hope the best;" and turning from him she ran away +swiftly, not by the way she had come, but sideways, as though to reach +the house by fetching a compass. + +But Walter went slowly on his way, thinking within himself that now at +that present moment there was nought for it but to refrain him from +doing, and to let others do; yet deemed he that it was little manly to be +as the pawn upon the board, pushed about by the will of others. + +Then, as he went, he bethought him of the Maiden's face and aspect, as +she came running to him, and stood before him for that minute; and all +eagerness he saw in her, and sore love of him, and distress of soul, all +blent together. + +So came he to the brow of the bent whence he could see lying before him, +scarce more than a bow-shot away, the Golden House now gilded again and +reddened by the setting sun. And even therewith came a gay image toward +him, flashing back the level rays from gold and steel and silver; and lo! +there was come the King's Son. They met presently, and the King's Son +turned to go beside him, and said merrily: "I give thee good even, my +Lady's Squire! I owe thee something of courtesy, whereas it is by thy +means that I shall be made happy, both to-night, and to-morrow, and many +to-morrows; and sooth it is, that but little courtesy have I done thee +hitherto." + +His face was full of joy, and the eyes of him shone with gladness. He +was a goodly man, but to Walter he seemed an ill one; and he hated him so +much, that he found it no easy matter to answer him; but he refrained +himself, and said: "I can thee thank, King's Son; and good it is that +someone is happy in this strange land." + +"Art thou not happy then, Squire of my Lady?" said the other. + +Walter had no mind to show this man his heart, nay, nor even a corner +thereof; for he deemed him an enemy. So he smiled sweetly and somewhat +foolishly, as a man luckily in love, and said: "O yea, yea, why should I +not be so? How might I be otherwise?" + +"Yea then," said the King's Son, "why didst thou say that thou wert glad +someone is happy? Who is unhappy, deemest thou?" and he looked on him +keenly. + +Walter answered slowly: "Said I so? I suppose then that I was thinking +of thee; for when first I saw thee, yea, and afterwards, thou didst seem +heavy-hearted and ill-content." + +The face of the King's Son cleared at this word, and he said: "Yea, so it +was; for look you, both ways it was: I was unfree, and I had sown the +true desire of my heart whereas it waxed not. But now I am on the brink +and verge of freedom, and presently shall my desire be blossomed. Nay +now, Squire, I deem thee a good fellow, though it may be somewhat of a +fool; so I will no more speak riddles to thee. Thus it is: the Maid hath +promised me all mine asking, and is mine; and in two or three days, by +her helping also, I shall see the world again." + +Quoth Walter, smiling askance on him: "And the Lady? what shall she say +to this matter?" + +The King's Son reddened, but smiled falsely enough, and said: "Sir +Squire, thou knowest enough not to need to ask this. Why should I tell +thee that she accounteth more of thy little finger than of my whole body? +Now I tell thee hereof freely; first, because this my fruition of love, +and my freeing from thralldom, is, in a way, of thy doing. For thou art +become my supplanter, and hast taken thy place with yonder lovely tyrant. +Fear not for me! she will let me go. As for thyself, see thou to it! But +again I tell thee hereof because my heart is light and full of joy, and +telling thee will pleasure me, and cannot do me any harm. For if thou +say: How if I carry the tale to my Lady? I answer, thou wilt not. For I +know that thine heart hath been somewhat set on the jewel that my hand +holdeth; and thou knowest well on whose head the Lady's wrath would fall, +and that would be neither thine nor mine." + +"Thou sayest sooth," said Walter; "neither is treason my wont." + +So they walked on silently a while, and then Walter said: "But how if the +Maiden had nay-said thee; what hadst thou done then?" + +"By the heavens!" said the King's Son fiercely, "she should have paid for +her nay-say; then would I--" But he broke off, and said quietly, yet +somewhat doggedly: "Why talk of what might have been? She gave me her +yea-say pleasantly and sweetly." + +Now Walter knew that the man lied, so he held his peace thereon; but +presently he said: "When thou art free wilt thou go to thine own land +again?" + +"Yea," said the King's Son; "she will lead me thither." + +"And wilt thou make her thy lady and queen when thou comest to thy +father's land?" said Walter. + +The King's Son knit his brow, and said: "When I am in mine own land I may +do with her what I will; but I look for it that I shall do no otherwise +with her than that she shall be well-content." + +Then the talk between them dropped, and the King's Son turned off toward +the wood, singing and joyous; but Walter went soberly toward the house. +Forsooth he was not greatly cast down, for besides that he knew that the +King's Son was false, he deemed that under this double tryst lay +something which was a-doing in his own behalf. Yet was he eager and +troubled, if not down-hearted, and his soul was cast about betwixt hope +and fear. + + + + +CHAPTER XX: WALTER IS BIDDEN TO ANOTHER TRYST + + +So came he into the pillared hall, and there he found the Lady walking to +and fro by the high-seat; and when he drew nigh she turned on him, and +said in a voice rather eager than angry: "What hast thou done, Squire? +Why art thou come before me?" + +He was abashed, and bowed before her and said: "O gracious Lady, thou +badest me service, and I have been about it." + +She said: "Tell me then, tell me, what hath betided?" + +"Lady," said he, "when I entered the thicket of thy swooning I found +there no carcase of the lion, nor any sign of the dragging away of him." + +She looked full in his face for a little, and then went to her chair, and +sat down therein; and in a little while spake to him in a softer voice, +and said: "Did I not tell thee that some enemy had done that unto me? and +lo! now thou seest that so it is." + +Then was she silent again, and knit her brows and set her teeth; and +thereafter she spake harshly and fiercely: "But I will overcome her, and +make her days evil, but keep death away from her, that she may die many +times over; and know all the sickness of the heart, when foes be nigh, +and friends afar, and there is none to deliver!" + +Her eyes flashed, and her face was dark with anger; but she turned and +caught Walter's eyes, and the sternness of his face, and she softened at +once, and said: "But thou! this hath little to do with thee; and now to +thee I speak: Now cometh even and night. Go thou to thy chamber, and +there shalt thou find raiment worthy of thee, what thou now art, and what +thou shalt be; do on the same, and make thyself most goodly, and then +come thou hither and eat and drink with me, and afterwards depart whither +thou wilt, till the night has worn to its midmost; and then come thou to +my chamber, to wit, through the ivory door in the gallery above; and then +and there shall I tell thee a thing, and it shall be for the weal both of +thee and of me, but for the grief and woe of the Enemy." + +Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he kissed it, and departed and +came to his chamber, and found raiment therebefore rich beyond measure; +and he wondered if any new snare lay therein: yet if there were, he saw +no way whereby he might escape it, so he did it on, and became as the +most glorious of kings, and yet lovelier than any king of the world. + +Sithence he went his way into the pillared hall, when it was now night, +and without the moon was up, and the trees of the wood as still as +images. But within the hall shone bright with many candles, and the +fountain glittered in the light of them, as it ran tinkling sweetly into +the little stream; and the silvern bridges gleamed, and the pillars shone +all round about. + +And there on the dais was a table dight most royally, and the Lady +sitting thereat, clad in her most glorious array, and behind her the Maid +standing humbly, yet clad in precious web of shimmering gold, but with +feet unshod, and the iron ring upon her ankle. + +So Walter came his ways to the high-seat, and the Lady rose and greeted +him, and took him by the hands, and kissed him on either cheek, and sat +him down beside her. So they fell to their meat, and the Maid served +them; but the Lady took no more heed of her than if she were one of the +pillars of the hall; but Walter she caressed oft with sweet words, and +the touch of her hand, making him drink out of her cup and eat out of her +dish. As to him, he was bashful by seeming, but verily fearful; he took +the Lady's caresses with what grace he might, and durst not so much as +glance at her Maid. Long indeed seemed that banquet to him, and longer +yet endured the weariness of his abiding there, kind to his foe and +unkind to his friend; for after the banquet they still sat a while, and +the Lady talked much to Walter about many things of the ways of the +world, and he answered what he might, distraught as he was with the +thought of those two trysts which he had to deal with. + +At last spake the Lady and said: "Now must I leave thee for a little, and +thou wottest where and how we shall meet next; and meanwhile disport thee +as thou wilt, so that thou weary not thyself, for I love to see thee +joyous." + +Then she arose stately and grand; but she kissed Walter on the mouth ere +she turned to go out of the hall. The Maid followed her; but or ever she +was quite gone, she stooped and made that sign, and looked over her +shoulder at Walter, as if in entreaty to him, and there was fear and +anguish in her face; but he nodded his head to her in yea-say of the +tryst in the hazel-copse, and in a trice she was gone. + +Walter went down the hall, and forth into the early night; but in the +jaws of the porch he came up against the King's Son, who, gazing at his +attire glittering with all its gems in the moonlight, laughed out, and +said: "Now may it be seen how thou art risen in degree above me, whereas +I am but a king's son, and that a king of a far country; whereas thou art +a king of kings, or shalt be this night, yea, and of this very country +wherein we both are." + +Now Walter saw the mock which lay under his words; but he kept back his +wrath, and answered: "Fair sir, art thou as well contented with thy lot +as when the sun went down? Hast thou no doubt or fear? Will the Maid +verily keep tryst with thee, or hath she given thee yea-say but to escape +thee this time? Or, again, may she not turn to the Lady and appeal to +her against thee?" + +Now when he had spoken these words, he repented thereof, and feared for +himself and the Maid, lest he had stirred some misgiving in that young +man's foolish heart. But the King's Son did but laugh, and answered +nought but to Walter's last words, and said: "Yea, yea! this word of +thine showeth how little thou wottest of that which lieth betwixt my +darling and thine. Doth the lamb appeal from the shepherd to the wolf? +Even so shall the Maid appeal from me to thy Lady. What! ask thy Lady at +thy leisure what her wont hath been with her thrall; she shall think it a +fair tale to tell thee thereof. But thereof is my Maid all whole now by +reason of her wisdom in leechcraft, or somewhat more. And now I tell +thee again, that the beforesaid Maid must needs do my will; for if I be +the deep sea, and I deem not so ill of myself, that other one is the +devil; as belike thou shalt find out for thyself later on. Yea, all is +well with me, and more than well." + +And therewith he swung merrily into the litten hall. But Walter went out +into the moonlit night, and wandered about for an hour or more, and stole +warily into the hall and thence into his own chamber. There he did off +that royal array, and did his own raiment upon him; he girt him with +sword and knife, took his bow and quiver, and stole down and out again, +even as he had come in. Then he fetched a compass, and came down into +the hazel-coppice from the north, and lay hidden there while the night +wore, till he deemed it would lack but little of midnight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI: WALTER AND THE MAID FLEE FROM THE GOLDEN HOUSE + + +There he abode amidst the hazels, hearkening every littlest sound; and +the sounds were nought but the night voices of the wood, till suddenly +there burst forth from the house a great wailing cry. Walter's heart +came up into his mouth, but he had no time to do aught, for following +hard on the cry came the sound of light feet close to him, the boughs +were thrust aside, and there was come the Maid, and she but in her white +coat, and barefoot. And then first he felt the sweetness of her flesh on +his, for she caught him by the hand and said breathlessly: "Now, now! +there may yet be time, or even too much, it may be. For the saving of +breath ask me no questions, but come!" + +He dallied not, but went as she led, and they were lightfoot, both of +them. + +They went the same way, due south to wit, whereby he had gone a-hunting +with the Lady; and whiles they ran and whiles they walked; but so fast +they went, that by grey of the dawn they were come as far as that coppice +or thicket of the Lion; and still they hastened onward, and but little +had the Maid spoken, save here and there a word to hearten up Walter, and +here and there a shy word of endearment. At last the dawn grew into +early day, and as they came over the brow of a bent, they looked down +over a plain land whereas the trees grew scatter-meal, and beyond the +plain rose up the land into long green hills, and over those again were +blue mountains great and far away. + +Then spake the Maid: "Over yonder lie the outlying mountains of the +Bears, and through them we needs must pass, to our great peril. Nay, +friend," she said, as he handled his sword-hilt, "it must be patience and +wisdom to bring us through, and not the fallow blade of one man, though +he be a good one. But look! below there runs a stream through the first +of the plain, and I see nought for it but we must now rest our bodies. +Moreover I have a tale to tell thee which is burning my heart; for maybe +there will be a pardon to ask of thee moreover; wherefore I fear thee." + +Quoth Walter: "How may that be?" + +She answered him not, but took his hand and led him down the bent. But +he said: "Thou sayest, rest; but are we now out of all peril of the +chase?" + +She said: "I cannot tell till I know what hath befallen her. If she be +not to hand to set on her trackers, they will scarce happen on us now; if +it be not for that one." + +And she shuddered, and he felt her hand change as he held it. + +Then she said: "But peril or no peril, needs must we rest; for I tell +thee again, what I have to say to thee burneth my bosom for fear of thee, +so that I can go no further until I have told thee." + +Then he said: "I wot not of this Queen and her mightiness and her +servants. I will ask thereof later. But besides the others, is there +not the King's Son, he who loves thee so unworthily?" + +She paled somewhat, and said: "As for him, there had been nought for thee +to fear in him, save his treason: but now shall he neither love nor hate +any more; he died last midnight." + +"Yea, and how?" said Walter. + +"Nay," she said, "let me tell my tale all together once for all, lest +thou blame me overmuch. But first we will wash us and comfort us as best +we may, and then amidst our resting shall the word be said." + +By then were they come down to the stream-side, which ran fair in pools +and stickles amidst rocks and sandy banks. She said: "There behind the +great grey rock is my bath, friend; and here is thine; and lo! the +uprising of the sun!" + +So she went her ways to the said rock, and he bathed him, and washed the +night off him, and by then he was clad again she came back fresh and +sweet from the water, and with her lap full of cherries from a wilding +which overhung her bath. So they sat down together on the green grass +above the sand, and ate the breakfast of the wilderness: and Walter was +full of content as he watched her, and beheld her sweetness and her +loveliness; yet were they, either of them, somewhat shy and shamefaced +each with the other; so that he did but kiss her hands once and again, +and though she shrank not from him, yet had she no boldness to cast +herself into his arms. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII: OF THE DWARF AND THE PARDON + + +Now she began to say: "My friend, now shall I tell thee what I have done +for thee and me; and if thou have a mind to blame me, and punish me, yet +remember first, that what I have done has been for thee and our hope of +happy life. Well, I shall tell thee--" + +But therewithal her speech failed her; and, springing up, she faced the +bent and pointed with her finger, and she all deadly pale, and shaking so +that she might scarce stand, and might speak no word, though a feeble +gibbering came from her mouth. + +Walter leapt up and put his arm about her, and looked whitherward she +pointed, and at first saw nought; and then nought but a brown and yellow +rock rolling down the bent: and then at last he saw that it was the Evil +Thing which had met him when first he came into that land; and now it +stood upright, and he could see that it was clad in a coat of yellow +samite. + +Then Walter stooped down and gat his bow into his hand, and stood before +the Maid, while he nocked an arrow. But the monster made ready his +tackle while Walter was stooping down, and or ever he could loose, his +bow-string twanged, and an arrow flew forth and grazed the Maid's arm +above the elbow, so that the blood ran, and the Dwarf gave forth a harsh +and horrible cry. Then flew Walter's shaft, and true was it aimed, so +that it smote the monster full on the breast, but fell down from him as +if he were made of stone. Then the creature set up his horrible cry +again, and loosed withal, and Walter deemed that he had smitten the Maid, +for she fell down in a heap behind him. Then waxed Walter wood-wroth, +and cast down his bow and drew his sword, and strode forward towards the +bent against the Dwarf. But he roared out again, and there were words in +his roar, and he said "Fool! thou shalt go free if thou wilt give up the +Enemy." + +"And who," said Walter, "is the Enemy?" + +Yelled the Dwarf: "She, the pink and white thing lying there; she is not +dead yet; she is but dying for fear of me. Yea, she hath reason! I +could have set the shaft in her heart as easily as scratching her arm; +but I need her body alive, that I may wreak me on her." + +"What wilt thou do with her?" said Walter; for now he had heard that the +Maid was not slain he had waxed wary again, and stood watching his +chance. + +The Dwarf yelled so at his last word, that no word came from the noise a +while, and then he said: "What will I with her? Let me at her, and stand +by and look on, and then shalt thou have a strange tale to carry off with +thee. For I will let thee go this while." + +Said Walter: "But what need to wreak thee? What hath she done to thee?" + +"What need! what need!" roared the Dwarf; "have I not told thee that she +is the Enemy? And thou askest of what she hath done! of what! Fool, she +is the murderer! she hath slain the Lady that was our Lady, and that made +us; she whom all we worshipped and adored. O impudent fool!" + +Therewith he nocked and loosed another arrow, which would have smitten +Walter in the face, but that he lowered his head in the very nick of +time; then with a great shout he rushed up the bent, and was on the Dwarf +before he could get his sword out, and leaping aloft dealt the creature a +stroke amidmost of the crown; and so mightily be smote, that he drave the +heavy sword right through to the teeth, so that he fell dead straightway. + +Walter stood over him a minute, and when be saw that he moved not, he +went slowly down to the stream, whereby the Maid yet lay cowering down +and quivering all over, and covering her face with her hands. Then he +took her by the wrist and said: "Up, Maiden, up! and tell me this tale of +the slaying." + +But she shrunk away from him, and looked at him with wild eyes, and said: +"What hast thou done with him? Is he gone?" + +"He is dead," said Walter; "I have slain him; there lies he with cloven +skull on the bent-side: unless, forsooth, he vanish away like the lion I +slew! or else, perchance, he will come to life again! And art thou a lie +like to the rest of them? let me hear of this slaying." + +She rose up, and stood before him trembling, and said: "O, thou art angry +with me, and thine anger I cannot bear. Ah, what have I done? Thou hast +slain one, and I, maybe, the other; and never had we escaped till both +these twain were dead. Ah! thou dost not know! thou dost not know! O +me! what shall I do to appease thy wrath!" + +He looked on her, and his heart rose to his mouth at the thought of +sundering from her. Still he looked on her, and her piteous friendly +face melted all his heart; he threw down his sword, and took her by the +shoulders, and kissed her face over and over, and strained her to him, so +that he felt the sweetness of her bosom. Then he lifted her up like a +child, and set her down on the green grass, and went down to the water, +and filled his hat therefrom, and came back to her; then he gave her to +drink, and bathed her face and her hands, so that the colour came aback +to the cheeks and lips of her: and she smiled on him and kissed his +hands, and said: "O now thou art kind to me." + +"Yea," said he, "and true it is that if thou hast slain, I have done no +less, and if thou hast lied, even so have I; and if thou hast played the +wanton, as I deem not that thou hast, I full surely have so done. So now +thou shalt pardon me, and when thy spirit has come back to thee, thou +shalt tell me thy tale in all friendship, and in all loving-kindness will +I hearken the same." + +Therewith he knelt before her and kissed her feet. But she said: "Yea, +yea; what thou willest, that will I do. But first tell me one thing. +Hast thou buried this horror and hidden him in the earth?" + +He deemed that fear had bewildered her, and that she scarcely yet knew +how things had gone. But he said: "Fair sweet friend, I have not done it +as yet; but now will I go and do it, if it seem good to thee." + +"Yea," she said, "but first must thou smite off his head, and lie it by +his buttocks when he is in the earth; or evil things will happen else. +This of the burying is no idle matter, I bid thee believe." + +"I doubt it not," said he; "surely such malice as was in this one will be +hard to slay." And he picked up his sword, and turned to go to the field +of deed. + +She said: "I must needs go with thee; terror hath so filled my soul, that +I durst not abide here without thee." + +So they went both together to where the creature lay. The Maid durst not +look on the dead monster, but Walter noted that he was girt with a big +ungainly sax; so he drew it from the sheath, and there smote off the +hideous head of the fiend with his own weapon. Then they twain together +laboured the earth, she with Walter's sword, he with the ugly sax, till +they had made a grave deep and wide enough; and therein they thrust the +creature, and covered him up, weapons and all together. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII: OF THE PEACEFUL ENDING OF THAT WILD DAY + + +Thereafter Walter led the Maid down again, and said to her: "Now, +sweetling, shall the story be told." + +"Nay, friend," she said, "not here. This place hath been polluted by my +craven fear, and the horror of the vile wretch, of whom no words may tell +his vileness. Let us hence and onward. Thou seest I have once more come +to life again." + +"But," said he, "thou hast been hurt by the Dwarf's arrow." + +She laughed, and said: "Had I never had greater hurt from them than that, +little had been the tale thereof: yet whereas thou lookest dolorous about +it, we will speedily heal it." + +Therewith she sought about, and found nigh the stream-side certain herbs; +and she spake words over them, and bade Walter lay them on the wound, +which, forsooth, was of the least, and he did so, and bound a strip of +his shirt about her arm; and then would she set forth. But he said: +"Thou art all unshod; and but if that be seen to, our journey shall be +stayed by thy foot-soreness: I may make a shift to fashion thee brogues." + +She said: "I may well go barefoot. And in any case, I entreat thee that +we tarry here no longer, but go away hence, if it be but for a mile." + +And she looked piteously on him, so that he might not gainsay her. + +So then they crossed the stream, and set forward, when amidst all these +haps the day was worn to midmorning. But after they had gone a mile, +they sat them down on a knoll under the shadow of a big thorn-tree, +within sight of the mountains. Then said Walter: "Now will I cut thee +the brogues from the skirt of my buff-coat, which shall be well meet for +such work; and meanwhile shalt thou tell me thy tale." + +"Thou art kind," she said; "but be kinder yet, and abide my tale till we +have done our day's work. For we were best to make no long delay here; +because, though thou hast slain the King-dwarf, yet there be others of +his kindred, who swarm in some parts of the wood as the rabbits in a +warren. Now true it is that they have but little understanding, less, it +may be, than the very brute beasts; and that, as I said afore, unless +they be set on our slot like to hounds, they shall have no inkling of +where to seek us, yet might they happen upon us by mere misadventure. And +moreover, friend," quoth she, blushing, "I would beg of thee some little +respite; for though I scarce fear thy wrath any more, since thou hast +been so kind to me, yet is there shame in that which I have to tell thee. +Wherefore, since the fairest of the day is before us, let us use it all +we may, and, when thou hast done me my new foot-gear, get us gone forward +again." + +He kissed her kindly and yea-said her asking: he had already fallen to +work on the leather, and in a while had fashioned her the brogues; so she +tied them to her feet, and arose with a smile and said: "Now am I hale +and strong again, what with the rest, and what with thy loving-kindness, +and thou shalt see how nimble I shall be to leave this land, for as fair +as it is. Since forsooth a land of lies it is, and of grief to the +children of Adam." + +So they went their ways thence, and fared nimbly indeed, and made no stay +till some three hours after noon, when they rested by a thicket-side, +where the strawberries grew plenty; they ate thereof what they would: and +from a great oak hard by Walter shot him first one culver, and then +another, and hung them to his girdle to be for their evening's meal; +sithence they went forward again, and nought befell them to tell of, till +they were come, whenas it lacked scarce an hour of sunset, to the banks +of another river, not right great, but bigger than the last one. There +the Maid cast herself down and said: "Friend, no further will thy friend +go this even; nay, to say sooth, she cannot. So now we will eat of thy +venison, and then shall my tale be, since I may no longer delay it; and +thereafter shall our slumber be sweet and safe as I deem." + +She spake merrily now, and as one who feared nothing, and Walter was much +heartened by her words and her voice, and he fell to and made a fire, and +a woodland oven in the earth, and sithence dighted his fowl, and baked +them after the manner of wood-men. And they ate, both of them, in all +love, and in good-liking of life, and were much strengthened by their +supper. And when they were done, Walter eked his fire, both against the +chill of the midnight and dawning, and for a guard against wild beasts, +and by that time night was come, and the moon arisen. Then the Maiden +drew up to the fire, and turned to Walter and spake. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV: THE MAID TELLS OF WHAT HAD BEFALLEN HER + + +"Now, friend, by the clear of the moon and this firelight will I tell +what I may and can of my tale. Thus it is: If I be wholly of the race of +Adam I wot not nor can I tell thee how many years old I may be. For +there are, as it were, shards or gaps in my life, wherein are but a few +things dimly remembered, and doubtless many things forgotten. I remember +well when I was a little child, and right happy, and there were people +about me whom I loved, and who loved me. It was not in this land; but +all things were lovely there; the year's beginning, the happy mid-year, +the year's waning, the year's ending, and then again its beginning. That +passed away, and then for a while is more than dimness, for nought I +remember save that I was. Thereafter I remember again, and am a young +maiden, and I know some things, and long to know more. I am nowise +happy; I am amongst people who bid me go, and I go; and do this, and I do +it: none loveth me, none tormenteth me; but I wear my heart in longing +for I scarce know what. Neither then am I in this land, but in a land +that I love not, and a house that is big and stately, but nought lovely. +Then is a dim time again, and sithence a time not right clear; an evil +time, wherein I am older, wellnigh grown to womanhood. There are a many +folk about me, and they foul, and greedy, and hard; and my spirit is +fierce, and my body feeble; and I am set to tasks that I would not do, by +them that are unwiser than I; and smitten I am by them that are less +valiant than I; and I know lack, and stripes, and divers misery. But all +that is now become but a dim picture to me, save that amongst all these +unfriends is a friend to me; an old woman, who telleth me sweet tales of +other life, wherein all is high and goodly, or at the least valiant and +doughty, and she setteth hope in my heart and learneth me, and maketh me +to know much . . . O much . . . so that at last I am grown wise, and wise +to be mighty if I durst. Yet am I nought in this land all this while, +but, as meseemeth, in a great and a foul city." + +"And then, as it were, I fall asleep; and in my sleep is nought, save +here and there a wild dream, somedeal lovely, somedeal hideous: but of +this dream is my Mistress a part, and the monster, withal, whose head +thou didst cleave to-day. But when I am awaken from it, then am I verily +in this land, and myself, as thou seest me to-day. And the first part of +my life here is this, that I am in the pillared ball yonder, half-clad +and with bound hands; and the Dwarf leadeth me to the Lady, and I hear +his horrible croak as he sayeth: 'Lady, will this one do?' and then the +sweet voice of the Lady saying: 'This one will do; thou shalt have thy +reward: now, set thou the token upon her.' Then I remember the Dwarf +dragging me away, and my heart sinking for fear of him: but for that time +he did me no more harm than the rivetting upon my leg this iron ring +which here thou seest." + +"So from that time forward I have lived in this land, and been the thrall +of the Lady; and I remember my life here day by day, and no part of it +has fallen into the dimness of dreams. Thereof will I tell thee but +little: but this I will tell thee, that in spite of my past dreams, or it +may be because of them, I had not lost the wisdom which the old woman had +erst learned me, and for more wisdom I longed. Maybe this longing shall +now make both thee and me happy, but for the passing time it brought me +grief. For at first my Mistress was indeed wayward with me, but as any +great lady might be with her bought thrall, whiles caressing me, and +whiles chastising me, as her mood went; but she seemed not to be cruel of +malice, or with any set purpose. But so it was (rather little by little +than by any great sudden uncovering of my intent), that she came to know +that I also had some of the wisdom whereby she lived her queenly life. +That was about two years after I was first her thrall, and 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 flashing into +my mind how I might destroy my enemy. Therefore I made the Dwarf my +messenger to her, by bidding thee to my bed in such wise that he might +hear it. And wot thou well, that he speedily carried her the tidings. +Meanwhile I hastened to lie to the King's Son, and all privily bade him +come to me and not thee. And thereafter, by dint of waiting and +watching, and taking the only chance that there was, I met thee as thou +camest back from fetching the skin of the lion that never was, and gave +thee that warning, or else had we been undone indeed." + +Said Walter: "Was the lion of her making or of thine then?" + +She said: "Of hers: why should I deal with such a matter?" + +"Yea," said Walter, "but she verily swooned, and she was verily wroth +with the Enemy." + +The Maid smiled, and said: "If her lie was not like very sooth, then had +she not been the crafts-master that I knew her: one may lie otherwise +than with the tongue alone: yet indeed her wrath against the Enemy was +nought feigned; for the Enemy was even I, and in these latter days never +did her wrath leave me. But to go on with my tale." + +"Now doubt thou not, that, when thou camest into the hall yester eve, the +Mistress knew of thy counterfeit tryst with me, and meant nought but +death for thee; yet first would she have thee in her arms again, +therefore did she make much of thee at table (and that was partly for my +torment also), and therefore did she make that tryst with thee, and +deemed doubtless that thou wouldst not dare to forgo it, even if thou +shouldst go to me thereafter." + +"Now I had trained that dastard to me as I have told thee, but I gave him +a sleepy draught, so that when I came to the bed he might not move toward +me nor open his eyes: but I lay down beside him, so that the Lady might +know that my body had been there; for well had she wotted if it had not. +Then as there I lay I cast over him thy shape, so that none might have +known but that thou wert lying by my side, and there, trembling, I abode +what should befall. Thus I passed through the hour whenas thou shouldest +have been at her chamber, and the time of my tryst with thee was come as +the Mistress would be deeming; so that I looked for her speedily, and my +heart wellnigh failed me for fear of her cruelty." + +"Presently then I heard a stirring in her chamber, and I slipped from out +the bed, and hid me behind the hangings, and was like to die for fear of +her; and lo, presently she came stealing in softly, holding a lamp in one +hand and a knife in the other. And I tell thee of a sooth that I also +had a sharp knife in my hand to defend my life if need were. She held +the lamp up above her head before she drew near to the bed-side, and I +heard her mutter: 'She is not there then! but she shall be taken.' Then +she went up to the bed and stooped over it, and laid her hand on the +place where I had lain; and therewith her eyes turned to that false image +of thee lying there, and she fell a-trembling and shaking, and the lamp +fell to the ground and was quenched (but there was bright moonlight in +the room, and still I could see what betid). But she uttered a noise +like the low roar of a wild beast, and I saw her arm and hand rise up, +and the flashing of the steel beneath the hand, and then down came the +hand and the steel, and I went nigh to swooning lest perchance I had +wrought over well, and thine image were thy very self. The dastard died +without a groan: why should I lament him? I cannot. But the Lady drew +him toward her, and snatched the clothes from off his shoulders and +breast, and fell a-gibbering sounds mostly without meaning, but broken +here and there with words. Then I heard her say: 'I shall forget; I +shall forget; and the new days shall come.' Then was there silence of +her a little, and thereafter she cried out in a terrible voice: 'O no, +no, no! I cannot forget; I cannot forget;' and she raised a great +wailing cry that filled all the night with horror (didst thou not hear +it?), and caught up the knife from the bed and thrust it into her breast, +and fell down a dead heap over the bed and on to the man whom she had +slain. And then I thought of thee, and joy smote across my terror; how +shall I gainsay it? And I fled away to thee, and I took thine hands in +mine, thy dear hands, and we fled away together. Shall we be still +together?" + +He spoke slowly, and touched her not, and she, forbearing all sobbing and +weeping, sat looking wistfully on him. He said: "I think thou hast told +me all; and whether thy guile slew her, or her own evil heart, she was +slain last night who lay in mine arms the night before. It was ill, and +ill done of me, for I loved not her, but thee, and I wished for her death +that I might be with thee. Thou wottest this, and still thou lovest me, +it may be overweeningly. What have I to say then? If there be any guilt +of guile, I also was in the guile; and if there be any guilt of murder, I +also was in the murder. Thus we say to each other; and to God and his +Hallows we say: 'We two have conspired to slay the woman who tormented +one of us, and would have slain the other; and if we have done amiss +therein, then shall we two together pay the penalty; for in this have we +done as one body and one soul.'" + +Therewith he put his arms about her and kissed her, but soberly and +friendly, as if he would comfort her. And thereafter he said to her: +"Maybe to-morrow, in the sunlight, I will ask thee of this woman, what +she verily was; but now let her be. And thou, thou art over-wearied, and +I bid thee sleep." + +So he went about and gathered of bracken a great heap for her bed, and +did his coat thereover, and led her thereto, and she lay down meekly, and +smiled and crossed her arms over her bosom, and presently fell asleep. +But as for him, he watched by the fire-side till dawn began to glimmer, +and then he also laid him down and slept. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV: OF THE TRIUMPHANT SUMMER ARRAY OF THE MAID + + +When the day was bright Walter arose, and met the Maid coming from the +river-bank, fresh and rosy from the water. She paled a little when they +met face to face, and she shrank from him shyly. But he took her hand +and kissed her frankly; and the two were glad, and had no need to tell +each other of their joy, though much else they deemed they had to say, +could they have found words thereto. + +So they came to their fire and sat down, and fell to breakfast; and ere +they were done, the Maid said: "My Master, thou seest we be come nigh +unto the hill-country, and to-day about sunset, belike, we shall come +into the Land of the Bear-folk; and both it is, that there is peril if we +fall into their hands, and that we may scarce escape them. Yet I deem +that we may deal with the peril by wisdom." + +"What is the peril?" said Walter; "I mean, what is the worst of it?" + +Said the Maid: "To be offered up in sacrifice to their God." + +"But if we escape death at their hands, what then?" said Walter. + +"One of two things," said she; "the first that they shall take us into +their tribe." + +"And will they sunder us in that case?" said Walter. + +"Nay," said she. + +Walter laughed and said: "Therein is little harm then. But what is the +other chance?" + +Said she: "That we leave them with their goodwill, and come back to one +of the lands of Christendom." + +Said Walter: "I am not all so sure that this is the better of the two +choices, though, forsooth, thou seemest to think so. But tell me now, +what like is their God, that they should offer up new-comers to him?" + +"Their God is a woman," she said, "and the Mother of their nation and +tribes (or so they deem) before the days when they had chieftains and +Lords of Battle." + +"That will be long ago," said he; "how then may she be living now?" + +Said the Maid: "Doubtless that woman of yore agone is dead this many and +many a year; but they take to them still a new woman, one after other, as +they may happen on them, to be in the stead of the Ancient Mother. And +to tell thee the very truth right out, she that lieth dead in the +Pillared Hall was even the last of these; and now, if they knew it, they +lack a God. This shall we tell them." + +"Yea, yea!" said Walter, "a goodly welcome shall we have of them then, if +we come amongst them with our hands red with the blood of their God!" + +She smiled on him and said: "If I come amongst them with the tidings that +I have slain her, and they trow therein, without doubt they shall make me +Lady and Goddess in her stead." + +"This is a strange word," said Walter "but if so they do, how shall that +further us in reaching the kindreds of the world, and the folk of Holy +Church?" + +She laughed outright, so joyous was she grown, now that she knew that his +life was yet to be a part of hers. "Sweetheart," she said, "now I see +that thou desirest wholly what I desire; yet in any case, abiding with +them would be living and not dying, even as thou hadst it e'en now. But, +forsooth, they will not hinder our departure if they deem me their God; +they do not look for it, nor desire it, that their God should dwell with +them daily. Have no fear." Then she laughed again, and said: "What! +thou lookest on me and deemest me to be but a sorry image of a goddess; +and me with my scanty coat and bare arms and naked feet! But wait! I +know well how to array me when the time cometh. Thou shalt see it! And +now, my Master, were it not meet that we took to the road?" + +So they arose, and found a ford of the river that took the Maid but to +the knee, and so set forth up the greensward of the slopes whereas there +were but few trees; so went they faring toward the hill-country. + +At the last they were come to the feet of the very hills, and in the +hollows betwixt the buttresses of them grew nut and berry trees, and the +greensward round about them was both thick and much flowery. There they +stayed them and dined, whereas Walter had shot a hare by the way, and +they had found a bubbling spring under a grey stone in a bight of the +coppice, wherein now the birds were singing their best. + +When they had eaten and had rested somewhat, the Maid arose and said: +"Now shall the Queen array herself, and seem like a very goddess." + +Then she fell to work, while Walter looked on; and she made a garland for +her head of eglantine where the roses were the fairest; and with mingled +flowers of the summer she wreathed her middle about, and let the garland +of them hang down to below her knees; and knots of the flowers she made +fast to the skirts of her coat, and did them for arm-rings about her +arms, and for anklets and sandals for her feet. Then she set a garland +about Walter's head, and then stood a little off from him and set her +feet together, and lifted up her arms, and said: "Lo now! am I not as +like to the Mother of Summer as if I were clad in silk and gold? and even +so shall I be deemed by the folk of the Bear. Come now, thou shalt see +how all shall be well." + +She laughed joyously; but he might scarce laugh for pity of his love. +Then they set forth again, and began to climb the hills, and the hours +wore as they went in sweet converse; till at last Walter looked on the +Maid, and smiled on her, and said: "One thing I would say to thee, lovely +friend, to wit: wert thou clad in silk and gold, thy stately raiment +might well suffer a few stains, or here and there a rent maybe; but +stately would it be still when the folk of the Bear should come up +against thee. But as to this flowery array of thine, in a few hours it +shall be all faded and nought. Nay, even now, as I look on thee, the +meadow-sweet that hangeth from thy girdle-stead has waxen dull, and +welted; and the blossoming eyebright that is for a hem to the little +white coat of thee is already forgetting how to be bright and blue. What +sayest thou then?" + +She laughed at his word, and stood still, and looked back over her +shoulder, while with her fingers she dealt with the flowers about her +side like to a bird preening his feathers. Then she said: "Is it verily +so as thou sayest? Look again!" + +So he looked, and wondered; for lo! beneath his eyes the spires of the +meadow-sweet grew crisp and clear again, the eyebright blossoms shone +once more over the whiteness of her legs; the eglantine roses opened, and +all was as fresh and bright as if it were still growing on its own roots. + +He wondered, and was even somedeal aghast; but she said: "Dear friend, be +not troubled! did I not tell thee that I am wise in hidden lore? But in +my wisdom shall be no longer any scathe to any man. And again, this my +wisdom, as I told thee erst, shall end on the day whereon I am made all +happy. And it is thou that shall wield it all, my Master. Yet must my +wisdom needs endure for a little season yet. Let us on then, boldly and +happily." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI: THEY COME TO THE FOLK OF THE BEARS + + +On they went, and before long they were come up on to the down-country, +where was scarce a tree, save gnarled and knotty thorn-bushes here and +there, but nought else higher than the whin. And here on these upper +lands they saw that the pastures were much burned with the drought, +albeit summer was not worn old. Now they went making due south toward +the mountains, whose heads they saw from time to time rising deep blue +over the bleak greyness of the down-land ridges. And so they went, till +at last, hard on sunset, after they had climbed long over a high bent, +they came to the brow thereof, and, looking down, beheld new tidings. + +There was a wide valley below them, greener than the downs which they had +come over, and greener yet amidmost, from the watering of a stream which, +all beset with willows, wound about the bottom. Sheep and neat were +pasturing about the dale, and moreover a long line of smoke was going up +straight into the windless heavens from the midst of a ring of little +round houses built of turfs, and thatched with reed. And beyond that, +toward an eastward-lying bight of the dale, they could see what looked +like to a doom-ring of big stones, though there were no rocky places in +that land. About the cooking-fire amidst of the houses, and here and +there otherwhere, they saw, standing or going to and fro, huge figures of +men and women, with children playing about betwixt them. + +They stood and gazed down at it for a minute or two, and though all were +at peace there, yet to Walter, at least, it seemed strange and awful. He +spake softly, as though he would not have his voice reach those men, +though they were, forsooth, out of earshot of anything save a shout: "Are +these then the children of the Bear? What shall we do now?" + +She said: "Yea, of the Bear they be, though there be other folks of them +far and far away to the northward and eastward, near to the borders of +the sea. And as to what we shall do, let us go down at once, and +peacefully. Indeed, by now there will be no escape from them; for lo +you! they have seen us." + +Forsooth, some three or four of the big men had turned them toward the +bent whereon stood the twain, and were hailing them in huge, rough +voices, wherein, howsoever, seemed to be no anger or threat. So the Maid +took Walter by the hand, and thus they went down quietly, and the Bear- +folk, seeing them, stood all together, facing them, to abide their +coming. Walter saw of them, that though they were very tall and bigly +made, they were not so far above the stature of men as to be marvels. The +carles were long-haired, and shaggy of beard, and their hair all red or +tawny; their skins, where their naked flesh showed, were burned brown +with sun and weather, but to a fair and pleasant brown, nought like to +blackamoors. The queans were comely and well-eyed; nor was there +anything of fierce or evil-looking about either the carles or the queans, +but somewhat grave and solemn of aspect were they. Clad were they all, +saving the young men-children, but somewhat scantily, and in nought save +sheep-skins or deer-skins. + +For weapons they saw amongst them clubs, and spears headed with bone or +flint, and ugly axes of big flints set in wooden handles; nor was there, +as far as they could see, either now or afterward, any bow amongst them. +But some of the young men seemed to have slings done about their +shoulders. + +Now when they were come but three fathom from them, the Maid lifted up +her voice, and spake clearly and sweetly: "Hail, ye folk of the Bears! we +have come amongst you, and that for your good and not for your hurt: +wherefore we would know if we be welcome." + +There was an old man who stood foremost in the midst, clad in a mantle of +deer-skins worked very goodly, and with a gold ring on his arm, and a +chaplet of blue stones on his head, and he spake: "Little are ye, but so +goodly, that if ye were but bigger, we should deem that ye were come from +the Gods' House. Yet have I heard, that how mighty soever may the Gods +be, and chiefly our God, they be at whiles nought so bigly made as we of +the Bears. How this may be, I wot not. But if ye be not of the Gods or +their kindred, then are ye mere aliens; and we know not what to do with +aliens, save we meet them in battle, or give them to the God, or save we +make them children of the Bear. But yet again, ye may be messengers of +some folk who would bind friendship and alliance with us: in which case +ye shall at the least depart in peace, and whiles ye are with us shall be +our guests in all good cheer. Now, therefore, we bid you declare the +matter unto us." + +Then spake the Maid: "Father, it were easy for us to declare what we be +unto you here present. But, meseemeth, ye who be gathered round the fire +here this evening are less than the whole tale of the children of the +Bear." + +"So it is, Maiden," said the elder, "that many more children hath the +Bear." + +"This then we bid you," said the Maid, "that ye send the tokens round and +gather your people to you, and when they be assembled in the Doom-ring, +then shall we put our errand before you; and according to that, shall ye +deal with us." + +"Thou hast spoken well," said the elder; "and even so had we bidden you +ourselves. To-morrow, before noon, shall ye stand in the Doom-ring in +this Dale, and speak with the children of the Bear." + +Therewith he turned to his own folk and called out something, whereof +those twain knew not the meaning; and there came to him, one after +another, six young men, unto each of whom he gave a thing from out his +pouch, but what it was Walter might not see, save that it was little and +of small account: to each, also, he spake a word or two, and straight +they set off running, one after the other, turning toward the bent which +was over against that whereby the twain had come into the Dale, and were +soon out of sight in the gathering dusk. + +Then the elder turned him again to Walter and the Maid, and spake: "Man +and woman, whatsoever ye may be, or whatsoever may abide you to-morrow, +to-night, ye are welcome guests to us; so we bid you come eat and drink +at our fire." + +So they sat all together upon the grass round about the embers of the +fire, and ate curds and cheese, and drank milk in abundance; and as the +night grew on them they quickened the fire, that they might have light. +This wild folk talked merrily amongst themselves, with laughter enough +and friendly jests, but to the new-comers they were few-spoken, though, +as the twain deemed, for no enmity that they bore them. But this found +Walter, that the younger ones, both men and women, seemed to find it a +hard matter to keep their eyes off them; and seemed, withal, to gaze on +them with somewhat of doubt, or, it might be, of fear. + +So when the night was wearing a little, the elder arose and bade the +twain to come with him, and led them to a small house or booth, which was +amidmost of all, and somewhat bigger than the others, and he did them to +wit that they should rest there that night, and bade them sleep in peace +and without fear till the morrow. So they entered, and found beds +thereon of heather and ling, and they laid them down sweetly, like +brother and sister, when they had kissed each other. But they noted that +four brisk men lay without the booth, and across the door, with their +weapons beside them, so that they must needs look upon themselves as +captives. + +Then Walter might not refrain him, but spake: "Sweet and dear friend, I +have come a long way from the quay at Langton, and the vision of the +Dwarf, the Maid, and the Lady; and for this kiss wherewith I have kissed +thee e'en now, and the kindness of thine eyes, it was worth the time and +the travail. But to-morrow, meseemeth, I shall go no further in this +world, though my journey be far longer than from Langton hither. And now +may God and All Hallows keep thee amongst this wild folk, whenas I shall +be gone from thee." + +She laughed low and sweetly, and said: "Dear friend, dost thou speak to +me thus mournfully to move me to love thee better? Then is thy labour +lost; for no better may I love thee than now I do; and that is with mine +whole heart. But keep a good courage, I bid thee; for we be not sundered +yet, nor shall we be. Nor do I deem that we shall die here, or +to-morrow; but many years hence, after we have known all the sweetness of +life. Meanwhile, I bid thee good-night, fair friend!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII: MORNING AMONGST THE BEARS + + +So Walter laid him down and fell asleep, and knew no more till he awoke +in bright daylight with the Maid standing over him. She was fresh from +the water, for she had been to the river to bathe her, and the sun +through the open door fell streaming on her feet close to Walter's +pillow. He turned about and cast his arm about them, and caressed them, +while she stood smiling upon him; then he arose and looked on her, and +said: "How thou art fair and bright this morning! And yet . . . and yet +. . . were it not well that thou do off thee all this faded and drooping +bravery of leaves and blossoms, that maketh thee look like to a +jongleur's damsel on a morrow of May-day?" + +And he gazed ruefully on her. + +She laughed on him merrily, and said: "Yea, and belike these others think +no better of my attire, or not much better; for yonder they are gathering +small wood for the burnt-offering; which, forsooth, shall be thou and I, +unless I better it all by means of the wisdom I learned of the old woman, +and perfected betwixt the stripes of my Mistress, whom a little while ago +thou lovedst somewhat." + +And as she spake her eyes sparkled, her cheek flushed, and her limbs and +her feet seemed as if they could scarce refrain from dancing for joy. +Then Walter knit his brow, and for a moment a thought half-framed was in +his mind: Is it so, that she will bewray me and live without me? and he +cast his eyes on to the ground. But she said: "Look up, and into mine +eyes, friend, and see if there be in them any falseness toward thee! For +I know thy thought; I know thy thought. Dost thou not see that my joy +and gladness is for the love of thee, and the thought of the rest from +trouble that is at hand?" + +He looked up, and his eyes met the eyes of her love, and he would have +cast his arms about her; but she drew aback and said: "Nay, thou must +refrain thee awhile, dear friend, lest these folk cast eyes on us, and +deem us over lover-like for what I am to bid them deem me. Abide a +while, and then shall all be in me according to thy will. But now I must +tell thee that it is not very far from noon, and that the Bears are +streaming into the Dale, and already there is an host of men at the Doom- +ring, and, as I said, the bale for the burnt-offering is wellnigh dight, +whether it be for us, or for some other creature. And now I have to bid +thee this, and it will be a thing easy for thee to do, to wit, that thou +look as if thou wert of the race of the Gods, and not to blench, or show +sign of blenching, whatever betide: to yea-say both my yea-say and my nay- +say: and lastly this, which is the only hard thing for thee (but thou +hast already done it before somewhat), to look upon me with no masterful +eyes of love, nor as if thou wert at once praying me and commanding me; +rather thou shalt so demean thee as if thou wert my man all simply, and +nowise my master." + +"O friend beloved," said Walter, "here at least art thou the master, and +I will do all thy bidding, in certain hope of this, that either we shall +live together or die together." + +But as they spoke, in came the elder, and with him a young maiden, +bearing with them their breakfast of curds arid cream and strawberries, +and he bade them eat. So they ate, and were not unmerry; and the while +of their eating the elder talked with them soberly, but not hardly, or +with any seeming enmity: and ever his talk gat on to the drought, which +was now burning up the down-pastures; and how the grass in the watered +dales, which was no wide spread of land, would not hold out much longer +unless the God sent them rain. And Walter noted that those two, the +elder and the Maid, eyed each other curiously amidst of this talk; the +elder intent on what she might say, and if she gave heed to his words; +while on her side the Maid answered his speech graciously and pleasantly, +but said little that was of any import: nor would she have him fix her +eyes, which wandered lightly from this thing to that; nor would her lips +grow stern and stable, but ever smiled in answer to the light of her +eyes, as she sat there with her face as the very face of the gladness of +the summer day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII: OF THE NEW GOD OF THE BEARS + + +At last the old man said: "My children, ye shall now come with me unto +the Doom-ring of our folk, the Bears of the Southern Dales, and deliver +to them your errand; and I beseech you to have pity upon your own bodies, +as I have pity on them; on thine especially, Maiden, so fair and bright a +creature as thou art; for so it is, that if ye deal us out light and +lying words after the manner of dastards, ye shall miss the worship and +glory of wending away amidst of the flames, a gift to the God and a hope +to the people, and shall be passed by the rods of the folk, until ye +faint and fail amongst them, and then shall ye be thrust down into the +flow at the Dale's End, and a stone-laden hurdle cast upon you, that we +may thenceforth forget your folly." + +The Maid now looked full into his eyes, and Walter deemed that the old +man shrank before her; but she said: "Thou art old and wise, O great man +of the Bears, yet nought I need to learn of thee. Now lead us on our way +to the Stead of the Errands." + +So the elder brought them along to the Doom-ring at the eastern end of +the Dale; and it was now all peopled with those huge men, weaponed after +their fashion, and standing up, so that the grey stones thereof but +showed a little over their heads. But amidmost of the said Ring was a +big stone, fashioned as a chair, whereon sat a very old man, long-hoary +and white-bearded, and on either side of him stood a great-limbed woman +clad in war-gear, holding, each of them, a long spear, and with a flint- +bladed knife in the girdle; and there were no other women in all the +Mote. + +Then the elder led those twain into the midst of the Mote, and there bade +them go up on to a wide, flat-topped stone, six feet above the ground, +just over against the ancient chieftain; and they mounted it by a rough +stair, and stood there before that folk; Walter in his array of the +outward world, which had been fair enough, of crimson cloth and silk, and +white linen, but was now travel-stained and worn; and the Maid with +nought upon her, save the smock wherein she had fled from the Golden +House of the Wood beyond the World, decked with the faded flowers which +she had wreathed about her yesterday. Nevertheless, so it was, that +those big men eyed her intently, and with somewhat of worship. + +Now did Walter, according to her bidding, sink down on his knees beside +her, and drawing his sword, hold it before him, as if to keep all +interlopers aloof from the Maid. And there was silence in the Mote, and +all eyes were fixed on those twain. + +At last the old chief arose and spake: "Ye men, here are come a man and a +woman, we know not whence; whereas they have given word to our folk who +first met them, that they would tell their errand to none save the Mote +of the People; which it was their due to do, if they were minded to risk +it. For either they be aliens without an errand hither, save, it may be, +to beguile us, in which case they shall presently die an evil death; or +they have come amongst us that we may give them to the God with flint- +edge and fire; or they have a message to us from some folk or other, on +the issue of which lieth life or death. Now shall ye hear what they have +to say concerning themselves and their faring hither. But, meseemeth, it +shall be the woman who is the chief and hath the word in her mouth; for, +lo you! the man kneeleth at her feet, as one who would serve and worship +her. Speak out then, woman, and let our warriors hear thee." + +Then the Maid lifted up her voice, and spake out clear and shrilling, +like to a flute of the best of the minstrels: "Ye men of the Children of +the Bear, I would ask you a question, and let the chieftain who sitteth +before me answer it." + +The old man nodded his head, and she went on: "Tell me, Children of the +Bear, how long a time is worn since ye saw the God of your worship made +manifest in the body of a woman!" + +Said the elder: "Many winters have worn since my father's father was a +child, and saw the very God in the bodily form of a woman." + +Then she said again: "Did ye rejoice at her coming, and would ye rejoice +if once more she came amongst you?" + +"Yea," said the old chieftain, "for she gave us gifts, and learned us +lore, and came to us in no terrible shape, but as a young woman as goodly +as thou." + +Then said the Maid: "Now, then, is the day of your gladness come; for the +old body is dead, and I am the new body of your God, come amongst you for +your welfare." + +Then fell a great silence on the Mote, till the old man spake and said: +"What shall I say and live? For if thou be verily the God, and I +threaten thee, wilt thou not destroy me? But thou hast spoken a great +word with a sweet mouth, and hast taken the burden of blood on thy lily +hands; and if the Children of the Bear be befooled of light liars, how +shall they put the shame off them? Therefore I say, show to us a token; +and if thou be the God, this shall be easy to thee; and if thou show it +not, then is thy falsehood manifest, and thou shalt dree the weird. For +we shall deliver thee into the hands of these women here, who shall +thrust thee down into the flow which is hereby, after they have wearied +themselves with whipping thee. But thy man that kneeleth at thy feet +shall we give to the true God, and he shall go to her by the road of the +flint and the fire. Hast thou heard? Then give to us the sign and the +token." + +She changed countenance no whit at his word; but her eyes were the +brighter, and her cheek the fresher and her feet moved a little, as if +they were growing glad before the dance; and she looked out over the +Mote, and spake in her clear voice: "Old man, thou needest not to fear +for thy words. Forsooth it is not me whom thou threatenest with stripes +and a foul death, but some light fool and liar, who is not here. Now +hearken! I wot well that ye would have somewhat of me, to wit, that I +should send you rain to end this drought, which otherwise seemeth like to +lie long upon you: but this rain, I must go into the mountains of the +south to fetch it you; therefore shall certain of your warriors bring me +on my way, with this my man, up to the great pass of the said mountains, +and we shall set out thitherward this very day." + +She was silent a while, and all looked on her, but none spake or moved, +so that they seemed as images of stone amongst the stones. + +Then she spake again and said: "Some would say, men of the Bear, that +this were a sign and a token great enough; but I know you, and how +stubborn and perverse of heart ye be; and how that the gift not yet +within your hand is no gift to you; and the wonder ye see not, your +hearts trow not. Therefore look ye upon me as here I stand, I who have +come from the fairer country and the greenwood of the lands, and see if I +bear not the summer with me, and the heart that maketh increase and the +hand that giveth." + +Lo then! as she spake, the faded flowers that hung about her gathered +life and grew fresh again; the woodbine round her neck and her sleek +shoulders knit itself together and embraced her freshly, and cast its +scent about her face. The lilies that girded her loins lifted up their +heads, and the gold of their tassels fell upon her; the eyebright grew +clean blue again upon her smock; the eglantine found its blooms again, +and then began to shed the leaves thereof upon her feet; the meadow-sweet +wreathed amongst it made clear the sweetness of her legs, and the mouse- +ear studded her raiment as with gems. There she stood amidst of the +blossoms, like a great orient pearl against the fretwork of the +goldsmiths, and the breeze that came up the valley from behind bore the +sweetness of her fragrance all over the Man-mote. + +Then, indeed, the Bears stood up, and shouted and cried, and smote on +their shields, and tossed their spears aloft. Then the elder rose from +his seat, and came up humbly to where she stood, and prayed her to say +what she would have done; while the others drew about in knots, but durst +not come very nigh to her. She answered the ancient chief, and said, +that she would depart presently toward the mountains, whereby she might +send them the rain which they lacked, and that thence she would away to +the southward for a while; but that they should hear of her, or, it might +be, see her, before they who were now of middle age should be gone to +their fathers. + +Then the old man besought her that they might make her a litter of +fragrant green boughs, and so bear her away toward the mountain pass +amidst a triumph of the whole folk. But she leapt lightly down from the +stone, and walked to and fro on the greensward, while it seemed of her +that her feet scarce touched the grass; and she spake to the ancient +chief where he still kneeled in worship of her, and said "Nay; deemest +thou of me that I need bearing by men's hands, or that I shall tire at +all when I am doing my will, and I, the very heart of the year's +increase? So it is, that the going of my feet over your pastures shall +make them to thrive, both this year and the coming years: surely will I +go afoot." + +So they worshipped her the more, and blessed her; and then first of all +they brought meat, the daintiest they might, both for her and for Walter. +But they would not look on the Maid whiles she ate, or suffer Walter to +behold her the while. Afterwards, when they had eaten, some twenty men, +weaponed after their fashion, made them ready to wend with the Maiden up +into the mountains, and anon they set out thitherward all together. +Howbeit, the huge men held them ever somewhat aloof from the Maid; and +when they came to the resting-place for that night, where was no house, +for it was up amongst the foot-hills before the mountains, then it was a +wonder to see how carefully they built up a sleeping-place for her, and +tilted it over with their skin-cloaks, and how they watched nightlong +about her. But Walter they let sleep peacefully on the grass, a little +way aloof from the watchers round the Maid. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX: WALTER STRAYS IN THE PASS AND IS SUNDERED FROM THE MAID + + +Morning came, and they arose and went on their ways, and went all day +till the sun was nigh set, and they were come up into the very pass; and +in the jaws thereof was an earthen howe. There the Maid bade them stay, +and she went up on to the howe, and stood there and spake to them, and +said: "O men of the Bear, I give you thanks for your following, and I +bless you, and promise you the increase of the earth. But now ye shall +turn aback, and leave me to go my ways; and my man with the iron sword +shall follow me. Now, maybe, I shall come amongst the Bear-folk again +before long, and yet again, and learn them wisdom; but for this time it +is enough. And I shall tell you that ye were best to hasten home +straightway to your houses in the downland dales, for the weather which I +have bidden for you is even now coming forth from the forge of storms in +the heart of the mountains. Now this last word I give you, that times +are changed since I wore the last shape of God that ye have seen, +wherefore a change I command you. If so be aliens come amongst you, I +will not that ye send them to me by the flint and the fire; rather, +unless they be baleful unto you, and worthy of an evil death, ye shall +suffer them to abide with you; ye shall make them become children of the +Bears, if they be goodly enough and worthy, and they shall be my children +as ye be; otherwise, if they be ill-favoured and weakling, let them live +and be thralls to you, but not join with you, man to woman. Now depart +ye with my blessing." + +Therewith she came down from the mound, and went her ways up the pass so +lightly, that it was to Walter, standing amongst the Bears, as if she had +vanished away. But the men of that folk abode standing and worshipping +their God for a little while, and that while he durst not sunder him from +their company. But when they had blessed him and gone on their way +backward, he betook him in haste to following the Maid, thinking to find +her abiding him in some nook of the pass. + +Howsoever, it was now twilight or more, and, for all his haste, dark +night overtook him, so that perforce he was stayed amidst the tangle of +the mountain ways. And, moreover, ere the night was grown old, the +weather came upon him on the back of a great south wind, so that the +mountain nooks rattled and roared, and there was the rain and the hail, +with thunder and lightning, monstrous and terrible, and all the huge +array of a summer storm. So he was driven at last to crouch under a big +rock and abide the day. + +But not so were his troubles at an end. For under the said rock he fell +asleep, and when he awoke it was day indeed; but as to the pass, the way +thereby was blind with the driving rain and the lowering lift; so that, +though he struggled as well as he might against the storm and the tangle, +he made but little way. + +And now once more the thought came on him, that the Maid was of the fays, +or of some race even mightier; and it came on him now not as erst, with +half fear and whole desire, but with a bitter oppression of dread, of +loss and misery; so that he began to fear that she had but won his love +to leave him and forget him for a new-comer, after the wont of fay-women, +as old tales tell. + +Two days he battled thus with storm and blindness, and wanhope of his +life; for he was growing weak and fordone. But the third morning the +storm abated, though the rain yet fell heavily, and he could see his way +somewhat as well as feel it: withal he found that now his path was +leading him downwards. As it grew dusk, he came down into a grassy +valley with a stream running through it to the southward, and the rain +was now but little, coming down but in dashes from time to time. So he +crept down to the stream-side, and lay amongst the bushes there; and said +to himself, that on the morrow he would get him victual, so that he might +live to seek his Maiden through the wide world. He was of somewhat +better heart: but now that he was laid quiet, and had no more for that +present to trouble him about the way, the anguish of his loss fell upon +him the keener, and he might not refrain him from lamenting his dear +Maiden aloud, as one who deemed himself in the empty wilderness: and thus +he lamented for her sweetness and her loveliness, and the kindness of her +voice and her speech, and her mirth. Then he fell to crying out +concerning the beauty of her shaping, praising the parts of her body, as +her face, and her hands, and her shoulders, and her feet, and cursing the +evil fate which had sundered him from the friendliness of her, and the +peerless fashion of her. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX: NOW THEY MEET AGAIN + + +Complaining thus-wise, he fell asleep from sheer weariness, and when he +awoke it was broad day, calm and bright and cloudless, with the scent of +the earth refreshed going up into the heavens, and the birds singing +sweetly in the bushes about him: for the dale whereunto he was now come +was a fair and lovely place amidst the shelving slopes of the mountains, +a paradise of the wilderness, and nought but pleasant and sweet things +were to be seen there, now that the morn was so clear and sunny. + +He arose and looked about him, and saw where, a hundred yards aloof, was +a thicket of small wood, as thorn and elder and whitebeam, all wreathed +about with the bines of wayfaring tree; it hid a bight of the stream, +which turned round about it, and betwixt it and Walter was the grass +short and thick, and sweet, and all beset with flowers; and he said to +himself that it was even such a place as wherein the angels were leading +the Blessed in the great painted paradise in the choir of the big church +at Langton on Holm. But lo! as he looked he cried aloud for joy, for +forth from the thicket on to the flowery grass came one like to an angel +from out of the said picture, white-clad and bare-foot, sweet of flesh, +with bright eyes and ruddy cheeks; for it was the Maid herself. So he +ran to her, and she abode him, holding forth kind hands to him, and +smiling, while she wept for joy of the meeting. He threw himself upon +her, and spared not to kiss her, her cheeks and her mouth, and her arms +and her shoulders, and wheresoever she would suffer it. Till at last she +drew aback a little, laughing on him for love, and said: "Forbear now, +friend, for it is enough for this time, and tell me how thou hast sped." + +"Ill, ill," said he. + +"What ails thee?" she said. + +"Hunger," he said, "and longing for thee." + +"Well," she said, "me thou hast; there is one ill quenched; take my hand, +and we will see to the other one." + +So he took her hand, and to hold it seemed to him sweet beyond measure. +But he looked up, and saw a little blue smoke going up into the air from +beyond the thicket; and he laughed, for he was weak with hunger, and he +said: "Who is at the cooking yonder?" + +"Thou shalt see," she said; and led him therewith into the said thicket +and through it, and lo! a fair little grassy place, full of flowers, +betwixt the bushes and the bight of the stream; and on the little sandy +ere, just off the greensward, was a fire of sticks, and beside it two +trouts lying, fat and red-flecked. + +"Here is the breakfast," said she; "when it was time to wash the night +off me e'en now, I went down the strand here into the rippling shallow, +and saw the bank below it, where the water draws together yonder, and +deepens, that it seemed like to hold fish; and whereas I looked to meet +thee presently, I groped the bank for them, going softly; and lo thou! +Help me now, that we cook them." + +So they roasted them on the red embers, and fell to and ate well, both of +them, and drank of the water of the stream out of each other's hollow +hands; and that feast seemed glorious to them, such gladness went with +it. + +But when they were done with their meat, Walter said to the Maid: "And +how didst thou know that thou shouldst see me presently?" + +She said, looking on him wistfully: "This needed no wizardry. I lay not +so far from thee last night, but that I heard thy voice and knew it." + +Said he, "Why didst thou not come to me then, since thou heardest me +bemoaning thee?" + +She cast her eyes down, and plucked at the flowers and grass, and said: +"It was dear to hear thee praising me; I knew not before that I was so +sore desired, or that thou hadst taken such note of my body, and found it +so dear." + +Then she reddened sorely, and said: "I knew not that aught of me had such +beauty as thou didst bewail." + +And she wept for joy. Then she looked on him and smiled, and said: "Wilt +thou have the very truth of it? I went close up to thee, and stood there +hidden by the bushes and the night. And amidst thy bewailing, I knew +that thou wouldst soon fall asleep, and in sooth I out-waked thee." + +Then was she silent again; and he spake not, but looked on her shyly; and +she said, reddening yet more: "Furthermore, I must needs tell thee that I +feared to go to thee in the dark night, and my heart so yearning towards +thee." + +And she hung her head adown; but he said: "Is it so indeed, that thou +fearest me? Then doth that make me afraid--afraid of thy nay-say. For I +was going to entreat thee, and say to thee: Beloved, we have now gone +through many troubles; let us now take a good reward at once, and wed +together, here amidst this sweet and pleasant house of the mountains, ere +we go further on our way; if indeed we go further at all. For where +shall we find any place sweeter or happier than this?" + +But she sprang up to her feet, and stood there trembling before him, +because of her love; and she said: "Beloved, I have deemed that it were +good for us to go seek mankind as they live in the world, and to live +amongst them. And as for me, I will tell thee the sooth, to wit, that I +long for this sorely. For I feel afraid in the wilderness, and as if I +needed help and protection against my Mistress, though she be dead; and I +need the comfort of many people, and the throngs of the cities. I cannot +forget her: it was but last night that I dreamed (I suppose as the dawn +grew a-cold) that I was yet under her hand, and she was stripping me for +the torment; so that I woke up panting and crying out. I pray thee be +not angry with me for telling thee of my desires; for if thou wouldst not +have it so, then here will I abide with thee as thy mate, and strive to +gather courage." + +He rose up and kissed her face, and said: "Nay, I had in sooth no mind to +abide here for ever; I meant but that we should feast a while here, and +then depart: sooth it is, that if thou dreadest the wilderness, somewhat +I dread the city." + +She turned pale, and said: "Thou shalt have thy will, my friend, if it +must be so. But bethink thee we be not yet at our journey's end, and may +have many things and much strife to endure, before we be at peace and in +welfare. Now shall I tell thee--did I not before?--that while I am a +maid untouched, my wisdom, and somedeal of might, abideth with me, and +only so long. Therefore I entreat thee, let us go now, side by side, out +of this fair valley, even as we are, so that my wisdom and might may help +thee at need. For, my friend, I would not that our lives be short, so +much of joy as hath now come into them." + +"Yea, beloved," he said, "let us on straightway then, and shorten the +while that sundereth us." + +"Love," she said, "thou shalt pardon me one time for all. But this is to +be said, that I know somewhat of the haps that lie a little way ahead of +us; partly by my lore, and partly by what I learned of this land of the +wild folk whiles thou wert lying asleep that morning." + +So they left that pleasant place by the water, and came into the open +valley, and went their ways through the pass; and it soon became stony +again, as they mounted the bent which went up from out the dale. And +when they came to the brow of the said bent, they had a sight of the open +country lying fair and joyous in the sunshine, and amidst of it, against +the blue hills, the walls and towers of a great city. + +Then said the Maid: "O, dear friend, lo you! is not that our abode that +lieth yonder, and is so beauteous? Dwell not our friends there, and our +protection against uncouth wights, and mere evil things in guileful +shapes? O city, I bid thee hail!" + +But Walter looked on her, and smiled somewhat; and said: "I rejoice in +thy joy. But there be evil things in yonder city also, though they be +not fays nor devils, or it is like to no city that I wot of. And in +every city shall foes grow up to us without rhyme or reason, and life +therein shall be tangled unto us." + +"Yea," she said; "but in the wilderness amongst the devils, what was to +be done by manly might or valiancy? There hadst thou to fall back upon +the guile and wizardry which I had filched from my very foes. But when +we come down yonder, then shall thy valiancy prevail to cleave the tangle +for us. Or at the least, it shall leave a tale of thee behind, and I +shall worship thee." + +He laughed, and his face grew brighter: "Mastery mows the meadow," quoth +he, "and one man is of little might against many. But I promise thee I +shall not be slothful before thee." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI: THEY COME UPON NEW FOLK + + +With that they went down from the bent again, and came to where the pass +narrowed so much, that they went betwixt a steep wall of rock on either +side; but after an hour's going, the said wall gave back suddenly, and, +or they were ware almost, they came on another dale like to that which +they had left, but not so fair, though it was grassy and well watered, +and not so big either. But here indeed befell a change to them; for lo! +tents and pavilions pitched in the said valley, and amidst of it a throng +of men, mostly weaponed, and with horses ready saddled at hand. So they +stayed their feet, and Walter's heart failed him, for he said to himself: +Who wotteth what these men may be, save that they be aliens? It is most +like that we shall be taken as thralls; and then, at the best, we shall +be sundered; and that is all one with the worst. + +But the Maid, when she saw the horses, and the gay tents, and the pennons +fluttering, and the glitter of spears, and gleaming of white armour, +smote her palms together for joy, and cried out: "Here now are come the +folk of the city for our welcoming, and fair and lovely are they, and of +many things shall they be thinking, and a many things shall they do, and +we shall be partakers thereof. Come then, and let us meet them, fair +friend!" + +But Walter said: "Alas! thou knowest not: would that we might flee! But +now is it over late; so put we a good face on it, and go to them quietly, +as erewhile we did in the Bear-country." + +So did they; and there sundered six from the men-at-arms and came to +those twain, and made humble obeisance to Walter, but spake no word. Then +they made as they would lead them to the others, and the twain went with +them wondering, and came into the ring of men-at-arms, and stood before +an old hoar knight, armed all, save his head, with most goodly armour, +and he also bowed before Walter, but spake no word. Then they took them +to the master pavilion, and made signs to them to sit, and they brought +them dainty meat and good wine. And the while of their eating arose up a +stir about them; and when they were done with their meat, the ancient +knight came to them, still bowing in courteous wise, and did them to wit +by signs that they should depart: and when they were without, they saw +all the other tents struck, and men beginning to busy them with striking +the pavilion, and the others mounted and ranked in good order for the +road; and there were two horse-litters before them, wherein they were +bidden to mount, Walter in one, and the Maid in the other, and no +otherwise might they do. Then presently was a horn blown, and all took +to the road together; and Walter saw betwixt the curtains of the litter +that men-at-arms rode on either side of him, albeit they had left him his +sword by his side. + +So they went down the mountain-passes, and before sunset were gotten into +the plain; but they made no stay for nightfall, save to eat a morsel and +drink a draught, going through the night as men who knew their way well. +As they went, Walter wondered what would betide, and if peradventure they +also would be for offering them up to their Gods; whereas they were +aliens for certain, and belike also Saracens. Moreover there was a cold +fear at his heart that he should be sundered from the Maid, whereas their +masters now were mighty men of war, holding in their hands that which all +men desire, to wit, the manifest beauty of a woman. Yet he strove to +think the best of it that he might. And so at last, when the night was +far spent, and dawn was at hand, they stayed at a great and mighty gate +in a huge wall. There they blew loudly on the horn thrice, and +thereafter the gates were opened, and they all passed through into a +street, which seemed to Walter in the glimmer to be both great and goodly +amongst the abodes of men. Then it was but a little ere they came into a +square, wide-spreading, one side whereof Walter took to be the front of a +most goodly house. There the doors of the court opened to them or ever +the horn might blow, though, forsooth, blow it did loudly three times; +all they entered therein, and men came to Walter and signed to him to +alight. So did he, and would have tarried to look about for the Maid, +but they suffered it not, but led him up a huge stair into a chamber, +very great, and but dimly lighted because of its greatness. Then they +brought him to a bed dight as fair as might be, and made signs to him to +strip and lie therein. Perforce he did so, and then they bore away his +raiment, and left him lying there. So he lay there quietly, deeming it +no avail for him, a mother-naked man, to seek escape thence; but it was +long ere he might sleep, because of his trouble of mind. At last, pure +weariness got the better of his hopes and fears, and he fell into slumber +just as the dawn was passing into day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII: OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF STARK-WALL + + +When he awoke again the sun was shining brightly into that chamber, and +he looked, and beheld that it was peerless of beauty and riches, amongst +all that he had ever seen: the ceiling done with gold and over-sea blue; +the walls hung with arras of the fairest, though he might not tell what +was the history done therein. The chairs and stools were of carven work +well be-painted, and amidmost was a great ivory chair under a cloth of +estate, of bawdekin of gold and green, much be-pearled; and all the floor +was of fine work alexandrine. + +He looked on all this, wondering what had befallen him, when lo! there +came folk into the chamber, to wit, two serving-men well-bedight, and +three old men clad in rich gowns of silk. These came to him and (still +by signs, without speech) bade him arise and come with them; and when he +bade them look to it that he was naked, and laughed doubtfully, they +neither laughed in answer, nor offered him any raiment, but still would +have him arise, and he did so perforce. They brought him with them out +of the chamber, and through certain passages pillared and goodly, till +they came to a bath as fair as any might be; and there the serving-men +washed him carefully and tenderly, the old men looking on the while. When +it was done, still they offered not to clothe him, but led him out, and +through the passages again, back to the chamber. Only this time he must +pass between a double hedge of men, some weaponed, some in peaceful +array, but all clad gloriously, and full chieftain-like of aspect, either +for valiancy or wisdom. + +In the chamber itself was now a concourse of men, of great estate by +deeming of their array; but all these were standing orderly in a ring +about the ivory chair aforesaid. Now said Walter to himself: Surely all +this looks toward the knife and the altar for me; but he kept a stout +countenance despite of all. + +So they led him up to the ivory chair, and he beheld on either side +thereof a bench, and on each was laid a set of raiment from the shirt +upwards; but there was much diversity betwixt these arrays. For one was +all of robes of peace, glorious and be-gemmed, unmeet for any save a +great king; while the other was war-weed, seemly, well-fashioned, but +little adorned; nay rather, worn and bestained with weather, and the +pelting of the spear-storm. + +Now those old men signed to Walter to take which of those raiments he +would, and do it on. He looked to the right and the left, and when he +had looked on the war-gear, the heart arose in him, and he called to mind +the array of the Goldings in the forefront of battle, and he made one +step toward the weapons, and laid his hand thereon. Then ran a glad +murmur through that concourse, and the old men drew up to him smiling and +joyous, and helped him to do them on; and as he took up the helm, he +noted that over its broad brown iron sat a golden crown. + +So when he was clad and weaponed, girt with a sword, and a steel axe in +his hand, the elders showed him to the ivory throne, and he laid the axe +on the arm of the chair, and drew forth the sword from the scabbard, and +sat him down, and laid the ancient blade across his knees; then he looked +about on those great men, and spake: "How long shall we speak no word to +each other, or is it so that God hath stricken you dumb?" + +Then all they cried out with one voice: "All hail to the King, the King +of Battle!" + +Spake Walter: "If I be king, will ye do my will as I bid you?" + +Answered the elder: "Nought have we will to do, lord, save as thou +biddest." + +Said Walter: "Thou then, wilt thou answer a question in all truth?" + +"Yea, lord," said the elder, "if I may live afterward." + +Then said Walter: "The woman that came with me into your Camp of the +Mountain, what hath befallen her?" + +The elder answered: "Nought hath befallen her, either of good or evil, +save that she hath slept and eaten and bathed her. What, then, is the +King's pleasure concerning her?" + +"That ye bring her hither to me straightway," said Walter. + +"Yea," said the elder; "and in what guise shall we bring her hither? +shall she be arrayed as a servant, or a great lady?" + +Then Walter pondered a while, and spake at last: "Ask her what is her +will herein, and as she will have it, so let it be. But set ye another +chair beside mine, and lead her thereto. Thou wise old man, send one or +two to bring her in hither, but abide thou, for I have a question or two +to ask of thee yet. And ye, lords, abide here the coming of my +she-fellow, if it weary you not." + +So the elder spake to three of the most honourable of the lords, and they +went their ways to bring in the Maid. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII: CONCERNING THE FASHION OF KING-MAKING IN STARK-WALL + + +Meanwhile the King spake to the elder, and said: "Now tell me whereof I +am become king, and what is the fashion and cause of the king-making; for +wondrous it is to me, whereas I am but an alien amidst of mighty men." + +"Lord," said the old man, "thou art become king of a mighty city, which +hath under it many other cities and wide lands, and havens by the sea- +side, and which lacketh no wealth which men desire. Many wise men dwell +therein, and of fools not more than in other lands. A valiant host shall +follow thee to battle when needs must thou wend afield; an host not to be +withstood, save by the ancient God-folk, if any of them were left upon +the earth, as belike none are. And as to the name of our said city, it +hight the City of the Stark-wall, or more shortly, Stark-wall. Now as to +the fashion of our king-making: If our king dieth and leaveth an heir +male, begotten of his body, then is he king after him; but if he die and +leave no heir, then send we out a great lord, with knights and sergeants, +to that pass of the mountain whereto ye came yesterday; and the first man +that cometh unto them, they take and lead to the city, as they did with +thee, lord. For we believe and trow that of old time our forefathers +came down from the mountains by that same pass, poor and rude, but full +of valiancy, before they conquered these lands, and builded the Stark- +wall. But now furthermore, when we have gotten the said wanderer, and +brought him home to our city, we behold him mother-naked, all the great +men of us, both sages and warriors; then if we find him ill-fashioned and +counterfeit of his body, we roll him in a great carpet till he dies; or +whiles, if he be but a simple man, and without guile, we deliver him for +thrall to some artificer amongst us, as a shoemaker, a wright, or what +not, and so forget him. But in either case we make as if no such man had +come to us, and we send again the lord and his knights to watch the pass; +for we say that such an one the Fathers of old time have not sent us. But +again, when we have seen to the new-comer that he is well-fashioned of +his body, all is not done; for we deem that never would the Fathers send +us a dolt or a craven to be our king. Therefore we bid the naked one +take to him which he will of these raiments, either the ancient armour, +which now thou bearest, lord, or this golden raiment here; and if he take +the war-gear, as thou takedst it, King, it is well; but if he take the +raiment of peace, then hath he the choice either to be thrall of some +goodman of the city, or to be proven how wise he may be, and so fare the +narrow edge betwixt death and kingship; for if he fall short of his +wisdom, then shall he die the death. Thus is thy question answered, +King, and praise be to the Fathers that they have sent us one whom none +may doubt, either for wisdom or valiancy." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV: NOW COMETH THE MAID TO THE KING + + +Then all they bowed before the King, and he spake again: "What is that +noise that I hear without, as if it were the rising of the sea on a sandy +shore, when the south-west wind is blowing." + +Then the elder opened his mouth to answer; but before he might get out +the word, there was a stir without the chamber door, and the throng +parted, and lo! amidst of them came the Maid, and she yet clad in nought +save the white coat wherewith she had won through the wilderness, save +that on her head was a garland of red roses, and her middle was wreathed +with the same. Fresh and fair she was as the dawn of June; her face +bright, red-lipped, and clear-eyed, and her cheeks flushed with hope and +love. She went straight to Walter where he sat, and lightly put away +with her hand the elder who would lead her to the ivory throne beside the +King; but she knelt down before him, and laid her hand on his steel-clad +knee, and said: "O my lord, now I see that thou hast beguiled me, and +that thou wert all along a king-born man coming home to thy realm. But +so dear thou hast been to me; and so fair and clear, and so kind withal +do thine eyes shine on me from under the grey war-helm, that I will +beseech thee not to cast me out utterly, but suffer me to be thy servant +and handmaid for a while. Wilt thou not?" + +But the King stooped down to her and raised her up, and stood on his +feet, and took her hands and kissed them, and set her down beside him, +and said to her: "Sweetheart, this is now thy place till the night +cometh, even by my side." + +So she sat down there meek and valiant, her hands laid in her lap, and +her feet one over the other; while the King said: "Lords, this is my +beloved, and my spouse. Now, therefore, if ye will have me for King, ye +must worship this one for Queen and Lady; or else suffer us both to go +our ways in peace." + +Then all they that were in the chamber cried out aloud: "The Queen, the +Lady! The beloved of our lord!" + +And this cry came from their hearts, and not their lips only; for as they +looked on her, and the brightness of her beauty, they saw also the +meekness of her demeanour, and the high heart of her, and they all fell +to loving her. But the young men of them, their cheeks flushed as they +beheld her, and their hearts went out to her, and they drew their swords +and brandished them aloft, and cried out for her as men made suddenly +drunk with love: "The Queen, the Lady, the lovely one!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV: OF THE KING OF STARK-WALL AND HIS QUEEN + + +But while this betid, that murmur without, which is aforesaid, grew +louder; and it smote on the King's ear, and he said again to the elder: +"Tell us now of that noise withoutward, what is it?" + +Said the elder: "If thou, King, and the Queen, wilt but arise and stand +in the window, and go forth into the hanging gallery thereof, then shall +ye know at once what is this rumour, and therewithal shall ye see a sight +meet to rejoice the heart of a king new come into kingship." + +So the King arose and took the Maid by the hand, and went to the window +and looked forth; and lo! the great square of the place all thronged with +folk as thick as they could stand, and the more part of the carles with a +weapon in hand, and many armed right gallantly. Then he went out into +the gallery with his Queen, still holding her hand, and his lords and +wise men stood behind him. Straightway then arose a cry, and a shout of +joy and welcome that rent the very heavens, and the great place was all +glittering and strange with the tossing up of spears and the brandishing +of swords, and the stretching forth of hands. + +But the Maid spake softly to King Walter and said: "Here then is the +wilderness left behind a long way, and here is warding and protection +against the foes of our life and soul. O blessed be thou and thy valiant +heart!" + +But Walter spake nothing, but stood as one in a dream; and yet, if that +might be, his longing toward her increased manifold. + +But down below, amidst of the throng, stood two neighbours somewhat anigh +to the window; and quoth one to the other: "See thou! the new man in the +ancient armour of the Battle of the Waters, bearing the sword that slew +the foeman king on the Day of the Doubtful Onset! Surely this is a sign +of good-luck to us all." + +"Yea," said the second, "he beareth his armour well, and the eyes are +bright in the head of him: but hast thou beheld well his she-fellow, and +what the like of her is?" + +"I see her," said the other, "that she is a fair woman; yet somewhat +worse clad than simply. She is in her smock, man, and were it not for +the balusters I deem ye should see her barefoot. What is amiss with +her?" + +"Dost thou not see her," said the second neighbour, "that she is not only +a fair woman, but yet more, one of those lovely ones that draw the heart +out of a man's body, one may scarce say for why? Surely Stark-wall hath +cast a lucky net this time. And as to her raiment, I see of her that she +is clad in white and wreathed with roses, but that the flesh of her is so +wholly pure and sweet that it maketh all her attire but a part of her +body, and halloweth it, so that it hath the semblance of gems. Alas, my +friend! let us hope that this Queen will fare abroad unseldom amongst the +people." + +Thus, then, they spake; but after a while the King and his mate went back +into the chamber, and he gave command that the women of the Queen should +come and fetch her away, to attire her in royal array. And thither came +the fairest of the honourable damsels, and were fain of being her waiting- +women. Therewithal the King was unarmed, and dight most gloriously, but +still he bore the Sword of the King's Slaying: and sithence were the King +and the Queen brought into the great hall of the palace, and they met on +the dais, and kissed before the lords and other folk that thronged the +hall. There they ate a morsel and drank a cup together while all beheld +them; and then they were brought forth, and a white horse of the +goodliest, well bedight, brought for each of them, and thereon they +mounted and went their ways together, by the lane which the huge throng +made for them, to the great church, for the hallowing and the crowning; +and they were led by one squire alone, and he unarmed; for such was the +custom of Stark-wall when a new king should be hallowed: so came they to +the great church (for that folk was not miscreant, so to say), and they +entered it, they two alone, and went into the choir: and when they had +stood there a little while wondering at their lot, they heard how the +bells fell a-ringing tunefully over their heads; and then drew near the +sound of many trumpets blowing together, and thereafter the voices of +many folk singing; and then were the great doors thrown open, and the +bishop and his priests came into the church with singing and minstrelsy, +and thereafter came the whole throng of the folk, and presently the nave +of the church was filled by it, as when the water follows the cutting of +the dam, and fills up the dyke. Thereafter came the bishop and his mates +into the choir, and came up to the King, and gave him and the Queen the +kiss of peace. This was mass sung gloriously; and thereafter was the +King anointed and crowned, and great joy was made throughout the church. +Afterwards they went back afoot to the palace, they two alone together, +with none but the esquire going before to show them the way. And as they +went, they passed close beside those two neighbours, whose talk has been +told of afore, and the first one, he who had praised the King's +war-array, spake and said: "Truly, neighbour, thou art in the right of +it; and now the Queen has been dight duly, and hath a crown on her head, +and is clad in white samite done all over with pearls, I see her to be of +exceeding goodliness; as goodly, maybe, as the Lord King." + +Quoth the other: "Unto me she seemeth as she did e'en now; she is clad in +white, as then she was, and it is by reason of the pure and sweet flesh +of her that the pearls shine out and glow, and by the holiness of her +body is her rich attire hallowed; but, forsooth, it seemed to me as she +went past as though paradise had come anigh to our city, and that all the +air breathed of it. So I say, praise be to God and His Hallows who hath +suffered her to dwell amongst us!" + +Said the first man: "Forsooth, it is well; but knowest thou at all whence +she cometh, and of what lineage she may be?" + +"Nay," said the other, "I wot not whence she is; but this I wot full +surely, that when she goeth away, they whom she leadeth with her shall be +well bestead. Again, of her lineage nought know I; but this I know, that +they that come of her, to the twentieth generation, shall bless and +praise the memory of her, and hallow her name little less than they +hallow the name of the Mother of God." + +So spake those two; but the King and Queen came back to the palace, and +sat among the lords and at the banquet which was held thereafter, and +long was the time of their glory, till the night was far spent and all +men must seek to their beds. + + + + +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 OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD*** + + +******* This file should be named 3055.txt or 3055.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/0/5/3055 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + +THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD + + + + +CHAPTER I: OF GOLDEN WALTER AND HIS FATHER + + + +Awhile ago there was a young man dwelling in a great and goodly city +by the sea which had to name Langton on Holm. He was but of five +and twenty winters, a fair-faced man, yellow-haired, tall and +strong; rather wiser than foolisher than young men are mostly wont; +a valiant youth, and a kind; not of many words but courteous of +speech; no roisterer, nought masterful, but peaceable and knowing +how to forbear: in a fray a perilous foe, and a trusty war-fellow. +His father, with whom he was dwelling when this tale begins, was a +great merchant, richer than a baron of the land, a head-man of the +greatest of the Lineages of Langton, and a captain of the Porte; he +was of the Lineage of the Goldings, therefore was he called +Bartholomew Golden, and his son Golden Walter. + +Now ye may well deem that such a youngling as this was looked upon +by all as a lucky man without a lack; but there was this flaw in his +lot, whereas he had fallen into the toils of love of a woman +exceeding fair, and had taken her to wife, she nought unwilling as +it seemed. But when they had been wedded some six months he found +by manifest tokens, that his fairness was not so much to her but +that she must seek to the foulness of one worser than he in all +ways; wherefore his rest departed from him, whereas he hated her for +her untruth and her hatred of him; yet would the sound of her voice, +as she came and went in the house, make his heart beat; and the +sight of her stirred desire within him, so that he longed for her to +be sweet and kind with him, and deemed that, might it be so, he +should forget all the evil gone by. But it was not so; for ever +when she saw him, her face changed, and her hatred of him became +manifest, and howsoever she were sweet with others, with him she was +hard and sour. + +So this went on a while till the chambers of his father's house, yea +the very streets of the city, became loathsome to him; and yet he +called to mind that the world was wide and he but a young man. So +on a day as he sat with his father alone, he spake to him and said: +"Father, I was on the quays even now, and I looked on the ships that +were nigh boun, and thy sign I saw on a tall ship that seemed to me +nighest boun. Will it be long ere she sail?" + +"Nay," said his father, "that ship, which hight the Katherine, will +they warp out of the haven in two days' time. But why askest thou +of her?" + +"The shortest word is best, father," said Walter, "and this it is, +that I would depart in the said ship and see other lands." + +"Yea and whither, son?" said the merchant. + +"Whither she goeth," said Walter, "for I am ill at ease at home, as +thou wottest, father." + +The merchant held his peace awhile, and looked hard on his son, for +there was strong love between them; but at last he said: "Well, +son, maybe it were best for thee; but maybe also we shall not meet +again." + +"Yet if we do meet, father, then shalt thou see a new man in me." + +"Well," said Bartholomew, "at least I know on whom to lay the loss +of thee, and when thou art gone, for thou shalt have thine own way +herein, she shall no longer abide in my house. Nay, but it were +for the strife that should arise thenceforth betwixt her kindred and +ours, it should go somewhat worse with her than that." + +Said Walter: "I pray thee shame her not more than needs must be, +lest, so doing, thou shame both me and thyself also." + +Bartholomew held his peace again for a while; then he said: "Goeth +she with child, my son?" + +Walter reddened, and said: "I wot not; nor of whom the child may +be." Then they both sat silent, till Bartholomew spake, saying: +"The end of it is, son, that this is Monday, and that thou shalt go +aboard in the small hours of Wednesday; and meanwhile I shall look +to it that thou go not away empty-handed; the skipper of the +Katherine is a good man and true, and knows the seas well; and my +servant Robert the Low, who is clerk of the lading, is trustworthy +and wise, and as myself in all matters that look towards chaffer. +The Katherine is new and stout-builded, and should be lucky, whereas +she is under the ward of her who is the saint called upon in the +church where thou wert christened, and myself before thee; and thy +mother, and my father and mother all lie under the chancel thereof, +as thou wottest." + +Therewith the elder rose up and went his ways about his business, +and there was no more said betwixt him and his son on this matter. + + + +CHAPTER II: GOLDEN WALTER TAKES SHIP TO SAIL THE SEAS + + + +When Walter went down to the Katherine next morning, there was the +skipper Geoffrey, who did him reverence, and made him all cheer, and +showed him his room aboard ship, and the plenteous goods which his +father had sent down to the quays already, such haste as he had +made. Walter thanked his father's love in his heart, but otherwise +took little heed to his affairs, but wore away the time about the +haven, gazing listlessly on the ships that were making them ready +outward, or unlading, and the mariners and aliens coming and going: +and all these were to him as the curious images woven on a tapestry. + +At last when he had wellnigh come back again to the Katherine, he +saw there a tall ship, which he had scarce noted before, a ship all- +boun, which had her boats out, and men sitting to the oars thereof +ready to tow her outwards when the hawser should be cast off, and by +seeming her mariners were but abiding for some one or other to come +aboard. + +So Walter stood idly watching the said ship, and as he looked, lo! +folk passing him toward the gangway. These were three; first came a +dwarf, dark-brown of hue and hideous, with long arms and ears +exceeding great and dog-teeth that stuck out like the fangs of a +wild beast. He was clad in a rich coat of yellow silk, and bare in +his hand a crooked bow, and was girt with a broad sax. + +After him came a maiden, young by seeming, of scarce twenty summers; +fair of face as a flower; grey-eyed, brown-haired, with lips full +and red, slim and gentle of body. Simple was her array, of a short +and strait green gown, so that on her right ankle was clear to see +an iron ring. + +Last of the three was a lady, tall and stately, so radiant of visage +and glorious of raiment, that it were hard to say what like she was; +for scarce might the eye gaze steady upon her exceeding beauty; yet +must every son of Adam who found himself anigh her, lift up his eyes +again after he had dropped them, and look again on her, and yet +again and yet again. Even so did Walter, and as the three passed by +him, it seemed to him as if all the other folk there about had +vanished and were nought; nor had he any vision before his eyes of +any looking on them, save himself alone. They went over the gangway +into the ship, and he saw them go along the deck till they came to +the house on the poop, and entered it and were gone from his sight. + +There he stood staring, till little by little the thronging people +of the quays came into his eye-shot again; then he saw how the +hawser was cast off and the boats fell to tugging the big ship +toward the harbour-mouth with hale and how of men. Then the sail +fell down from the yard and was sheeted home and filled with the +fair wind as the ship's bows ran up on the first green wave outside +the haven. Even therewith the shipmen cast abroad a banner, whereon +was done in a green field a grim wolf ramping up against a maiden, +and so went the ship upon her way. + +Walter stood awhile staring at her empty place where the waves ran +into the haven-mouth, and then turned aside and toward the +Katherine; and at first he was minded to go ask shipmaster Geoffrey +of what he knew concerning the said ship and her alien wayfarers; +but then it came into his mind, that all this was but an imagination +or dream of the day, and that he were best to leave it untold to +any. So therewith he went his way from the water-side, and through +the streets unto his father's house; but when he was but a little +way thence, and the door was before him, him-seemed for a moment of +time that he beheld those three coming out down the steps of stone +and into the street; to wit the dwarf, the maiden, and the stately +lady: but when he stood still to abide their coming, and looked +toward them, lo! there was nothing before him save the goodly house +of Bartholomew Golden, and three children and a cur dog playing +about the steps thereof, and about him were four or five passers-by +going about their business. Then was he all confused in his mind, +and knew not what to make of it, whether those whom he had seemed to +see pass aboard ship were but images of a dream, or children of Adam +in very flesh. + +Howsoever, he entered the house, and found his father in the +chamber, and fell to speech with him about their matters; but for +all that he loved his father, and worshipped him as a wise and +valiant man, yet at that hour he might not hearken the words of his +mouth, so much was his mind entangled in the thought of those three, +and they were ever before his eyes, as if they had been painted on a +table by the best of limners. And of the two women he thought +exceeding much, and cast no wyte upon himself for running after the +desire of strange women. For he said to himself that he desired not +either of the twain; nay, he might not tell which of the twain, the +maiden or the stately queen, were clearest to his eyes; but sore he +desired to see both of them again, and to know what they were. + +So wore the hours till the Wednesday morning, and it was time that +he should bid farewell to his father and get aboard ship; but his +father led him down to the quays and on to the Katherine, and there +Walter embraced him, not without tears and forebodings; for his +heart was full. Then presently the old man went aland; the gangway +was unshipped, the hawsers cast off; the oars of the towing-boats +splashed in the dark water, the sail fell down from the yard, and +was sheeted home, and out plunged the Katherine into the misty sea +and rolled up the grey slopes, casting abroad her ancient withal, +whereon was beaten the token of Bartholomew Golden, to wit a B and a +G to the right and the left, and thereabove a cross and a triangle +rising from the midst. + +Walter stood on the stern and beheld, yet more with the mind of him +than with his eyes; for it all seemed but the double of what the +other ship had done; and the thought of it as if the twain were as +beads strung on one string and led away by it into the same place, +and thence to go in the like order, and so on again and again, and +never to draw nigher to each other. + + + +CHAPTER III: WALTER HEARETH TIDINGS OF THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER + + + +Fast sailed the Katherine over the seas, and nought befell to tell +of, either to herself or her crew. She came to one cheaping-town +and then to another, and so on to a third and a fourth; and at each +was buying and selling after the manner of chapmen; and Walter not +only looked on the doings of his father's folk, but lent a hand, +what he might, to help them in all matters, whether it were in +seaman's craft, or in chaffer. And the further he went and the +longer the time wore, the more he was eased of his old trouble +wherein his wife and her treason had to do. + +But as for the other trouble, to wit his desire and longing to come +up with those three, it yet flickered before him; and though he had +not seen them again as one sees people in the streets, and as if he +might touch them if he would, yet were their images often before his +mind's eye; and yet, as time wore, not so often, nor so troublously; +and forsooth both to those about him and to himself, he seemed as a +man well healed of his melancholy mood. + +Now they left that fourth stead, and sailed over the seas and came +to a fifth, a very great and fair city, which they had made more +than seven months from Langton on Holm; and by this time was Walter +taking heed and joyance in such things as were toward in that fair +city, so far from his kindred, and especially he looked on the fair +women there, and desired them, and loved them; but lightly, as +befalleth young men. + +Now this was the last country whereto the Katherine was boun; so +there they abode some ten months in daily chaffer, and in pleasuring +them in beholding all that there was of rare and goodly, and making +merry with the merchants and the towns-folk, and the country-folk +beyond the gates, and Walter was grown as busy and gay as a strong +young man is like to be, and was as one who would fain be of some +account amongst his own folk. + +But at the end of this while, it befell on a day, as he was leaving +his hostel for his booth in the market, and had the door in his +hand, there stood before him three mariners in the guise of his own +country, and with them was one of clerkly aspect, whom he knew at +once for his father's scrivener, Arnold Penstrong by name; and when +Walter saw him his heart failed him and he cried out: "Arnold, what +tidings? Is all well with the folk at Langton?" + +Said Arnold: "Evil tidings are come with me; matters are ill with +thy folk; for I may not hide that thy father, Bartholomew Golden, is +dead, God rest his soul." + +At that word it was to Walter as if all that trouble which but now +had sat so light upon him, was once again fresh and heavy, and that +his past life of the last few months had never been; and it was to +him as if he saw his father lying dead on his bed, and heard the +folk lamenting about the house. He held his peace awhile, and then +he said in a voice as of an angry man: + +"What, Arnold! and did he die in his bed, or how? for he was neither +old nor ailing when we parted." + +Said Arnold: "Yea, in his bed he died: but first he was somewhat +sword-bitten." + +"Yea, and how?" quoth Walter. + +Said Arnold: "When thou wert gone, in a few days' wearing, thy +father sent thy wife out of his house back to her kindred of the +Reddings with no honour, and yet with no such shame as might have +been, without blame to us of those who knew the tale of thee and +her; which, God-a-mercy, will be pretty much the whole of the city." + +"Nevertheless, the Reddings took it amiss, and would have a mote +with us Goldings to talk of booting. By ill-luck we yea-said that +for the saving of the city's peace. But what betid? We met in our +Gild-hall, and there befell the talk between us; and in that talk +certain words could not be hidden, though they were none too seemly +nor too meek. And the said words once spoken drew forth the whetted +steel; and there then was the hewing and thrusting! Two of ours +were slain outright on the floor, and four of theirs, and many were +hurt on either side. Of these was thy father, for as thou mayst +well deem, he was nought backward in the fray; but despite his +hurts, two in the side and one on the arm, he went home on his own +feet, and we deemed that we had come to our above. But well-a-way! +it was an evil victory, whereas in ten days he died of his hurts. +God have his soul! But now, my master, thou mayst well wot that I +am not come to tell thee this only, but moreover to bear the word of +the kindred, to wit that thou come back with me straightway in the +swift cutter which hath borne me and the tidings; and thou mayst +look to it, that though she be swift and light, she is a keel full +weatherly." + +Then said Walter: "This is a bidding of war. Come back will I, and +the Reddings shall wot of my coming. Are ye all-boun?" + +"Yea," said Arnold, "we may up anchor this very day, or to-morrow +morn at latest. But what aileth thee, master, that thou starest so +wild over my shoulder? I pray thee take it not so much to heart! +Ever it is the wont of fathers to depart this world before their +sons." + +But Walter's visage from wrathful red had become pale, and he +pointed up street, and cried out: "Look! dost thou see?" + +"See what, master?" quoth Arnold: "what! here cometh an ape in gay +raiment; belike the beast of some jongleur. Nay, by God's wounds! +'tis a man, though he be exceeding mis-shapen like a very devil. +Yea and now there cometh a pretty maid going as if she were of his +meney; and lo! here, a most goodly and noble lady! Yea, I see; and +doubtless she owneth both the two, and is of the greatest of the +folk of this fair city; for on the maiden's ankle I saw an iron +ring, which betokeneth thralldom amongst these aliens. But this is +strange! for notest thou not how the folk in the street heed not +this quaint show; nay not even the stately lady, though she be as +lovely as a goddess of the gentiles, and beareth on her gems that +would buy Langton twice over; surely they must be over-wont to +strange and gallant sights. But now, master, but now!" + +"Yea, what is it?" said Walter. + +"Why, master, they should not yet be gone out of eye-shot, yet gone +they are. What is become of them, are they sunk into the earth?" + +"Tush, man!" said Walter, looking not on Arnold, but still staring +down the street; "they have gone into some house while thine eyes +were turned from them a moment." + +"Nay, master, nay," said Arnold, "mine eyes were not off them one +instant of time." + +"Well," said Walter, somewhat snappishly, "they are gone now, and +what have we to do to heed such toys, we with all this grief and +strife on our hands? Now would I be alone to turn the matter of +thine errand over in my mind. Meantime do thou tell the shipmaster +Geoffrey and our other folk of these tidings, and thereafter get +thee all ready; and come hither to me before sunrise to-morrow, and +I shall be ready for my part; and so sail we back to Langton." + +Therewith he turned him back into the house, and the others went +their ways; but Walter sat alone in his chamber a long while, and +pondered these things in his mind. And whiles he made up his mind +that he would think no more of the vision of those three, but would +fare back to Langton, and enter into the strife with the Reddings +and quell them, or die else. But lo, when he was quite steady in +this doom, and his heart was lightened thereby, he found that he +thought no more of the Reddings and their strife, but as matters +that were passed and done with, and that now he was thinking and +devising if by any means he might find out in what land dwelt those +three. And then again he strove to put that from him, saying that +what he had seen was but meet for one brainsick, and a dreamer of +dreams. But furthermore he thought, Yea, and was Arnold, who this +last time had seen the images of those three, a dreamer of waking +dreams? for he was nought wonted in such wise; then thought he: At +least I am well content that he spake to me of their likeness, not I +to him; for so I may tell that there was at least something before +my eyes which grew not out of mine own brain. And yet again, why +should I follow them; and what should I get by it; and indeed how +shall I set about it? + +Thus he turned the matter over and over; and at last, seeing that if +he grew no foolisher over it, he grew no wiser, he became weary +thereof, and bestirred him, and saw to the trussing up of his goods, +and made all ready for his departure, and so wore the day and slept +at nightfall; and at daybreak comes Arnold to lead him to their +keel, which hight the Bartholomew. He tarried nought, and with few +farewells went aboard ship, and an hour after they were in the open +sea with the ship's head turned toward Langton on Holm. + + + +CHAPTER IV: STORM BEFALLS THE BARTHOLOMEW, AND SHE IS DRIVEN OFF +HER COURSE + + + +Now swift sailed the Bartholomew for four weeks toward the north- +west with a fair wind, and all was well with ship and crew. Then +the wind died out on even of a day, so that the ship scarce made way +at all, though she rolled in a great swell of the sea, so great, +that it seemed to ridge all the main athwart. Moreover down in the +west was a great bank of cloud huddled up in haze, whereas for +twenty days past the sky had been clear, save for a few bright white +clouds flying before the wind. Now the shipmaster, a man right +cunning in his craft, looked long on sea and sky, and then turned +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 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 place +whereto their eyes were turned, the cliffs seemed wellnigh or quite +sheer, or indeed in some places beetling over, in that said place +they fell away from each other on either side; and before this +sinking was a slope or scree, that went gently up toward the sinking +of the wall. Walter looked long and earnestly at this place, and +spake nought, till the carle said: "What! thou hast found something +before thee to look on. What is it then?" + +Quoth Walter: "Some would say that where yonder slopes run together +up towards that sinking in the cliff-wall there will be a pass into +the country beyond." + +The carle smiled and said: "Yea, son; nor, so saying, would they +err; for that is the pass into the Bear-country, whereby those huge +men come down to chaffer with me." + +"Yea," said Walter; and therewith he turned him a little, and +scanned the rock-wall, and saw how a few miles from that pass it +turned somewhat sharply toward the sea, narrowing the plain much +there, till it made a bight, the face whereof looked wellnigh north, +instead of west, as did the more part of the wall. And in the midst +of that northern-looking bight was a dark place which seemed to +Walter like a downright shard in the cliff. For the face of the +wall was of a bleak grey, and it was but little furrowed. + +So then Walter spake: "Lo, old friend, there yonder is again a +place that meseemeth is a pass; whereunto doth that one lead?" And +he pointed to it: but the old man did not follow the pointing of +his finger, but, looking down on the ground, answered confusedly, +and said: + +"Maybe: I wot not. I deem that it also leadeth into the Bear- +country by a roundabout road. It leadeth into the far land." + +Walter answered nought: for a strange thought had come uppermost in +his mind, that the carle knew far more than he would say of that +pass, and that he himself might be led thereby to find the wondrous +three. He caught his breath hardly, and his heart knocked against +his ribs; but he refrained from speaking for a long while; but at +last he spake in a sharp hard voice, which he scarce knew for his +own: "Father, tell me, I adjure thee by God and All-hallows, was it +through yonder shard that the road lay, when thou must needs make +thy first stride over a dead man?" + +The old man spake not a while, then he raised his head, and looked +Walter full in the eyes, and said in a steady voice: "NO, IT WAS +NOT." Thereafter they sat looking at each other a while; but at +last Walter turned his eyes away, but knew not what they beheld nor +where he was, but he was as one in a swoon. For he knew full well +that the carle had lied to him, and that he might as well have said +aye as no, and told him, that it verily was by that same shard that +he had stridden over a dead man. Nevertheless he made as little +semblance thereof as he might, and presently came to himself, and +fell to talking of other matters, that had nought to do with the +adventures of the land. But after a while he spake suddenly, and +said: "My master, I was thinking of a thing." + +"Yea, of what?" said the carle. + +"Of this," said Walter; "that here in this land be strange +adventures toward, and that if we, and I in especial, were to turn +our backs on them, and go home with nothing done, it were pity of +our lives: for all will be dull and deedless there. I was deeming +it were good if we tried the adventure." + +"What adventure?" said the old man, rising up on his elbow and +staring sternly on him. + +Said Walter: "The wending yonder pass to the eastward, whereby the +huge men come to thee from out of the Bear-country; that we might +see what should come thereof." + +The carle leaned back again, and smiled and shook his head, and +spake: "That adventure were speedily proven: death would come of +it, my son." + +"Yea, and how?" said Walter. + +The carle said: "The big men would take thee, and offer thee up as +a blood-offering to that woman, who is their Mawmet. And if ye go +all, then shall they do the like with all of you." + +Said Walter: "Is that sure?" + +"Dead sure," said the carle. + +"How knowest thou this?" said Walter. + +"I have been there myself," said the carle. + +"Yea," said Walter, "but thou camest away whole." + +"Art thou sure thereof?" said the carle. + +"Thou art alive yet, old man," said Walter, "for I have seen thee +eat thy meat, which ghosts use not to do." And he laughed. + +But the old man answered soberly: "If I escaped, it was by this, +that another woman saved me, and not often shall that befall. Nor +wholly was I saved; my body escaped forsooth. But where is my soul? +Where is my heart, and my life? Young man, I rede thee, try no such +adventure; but go home to thy kindred if thou canst. Moreover, +wouldst thou fare alone? The others shall hinder thee." + +Said Walter: "I am the master; they shall do as I bid them: +besides, they will be well pleased to share my goods amongst them if +I give them a writing to clear them of all charges which might be +brought against them." + +"My son! my son!" said the carle, "I pray thee go not to thy death!" + +Walter heard him silently, but as if he were persuaded to refrain; +and then the old man fell to, and told him much concerning this +Bear-folk and their customs, speaking very freely of them; but +Walter's ears were scarce open to this talk: whereas he deemed that +he should have nought to do with those wild men; and he durst not +ask again concerning the country whereto led the pass on the +northward. + + + +CHAPTER VII: WALTER COMES TO THE SHARD IN THE ROCK-WALL + + + +As they were in converse thus, they heard the hunters blowing on +their horns all together; whereon the old man arose, and said: "I +deem by the blowing that the hunt will be over and done, and that +they be blowing on their fellows who have gone scatter-meal about +the wood. It is now some five hours after noon, and thy men will be +getting back with their venison, and will be fainest of the victuals +they have caught; therefore will I hasten on before, and get ready +fire and water and other matters for the cooking. Wilt thou come +with me, young master, or abide thy men here?" + +Walter said lightly: "I will rest and abide them here; since I +cannot fail to see them hence as they go on their ways to thine +house. And it may be well that I be at hand to command them and +forbid, and put some order amongst them, for rough playmates they +be, some of them, and now all heated with the hunting and the joy of +the green earth." Thus he spoke, as if nought were toward save +supper and bed; but inwardly hope and fear were contending in him, +and again his heart beat so hard, that he deemed that the carle must +surely hear it. But the old man took him but according to his +outward seeming, and nodded his head, and went away quietly toward +his house. + +When he had been gone a little, Walter rose up heedfully; he had +with him a scrip wherein was some cheese and hard-fish, and a little +flasket of wine; a short bow he had with him, and a quiver of +arrows; and he was girt with a strong and good sword, and a wood- +knife withal. He looked to all this gear that it was nought amiss, +and then speedily went down off the mound, and when he was come +down, he found that it covered him from men coming out of the wood, +if he went straight thence to that shard of the rock-wall where was +the pass that led southward. + +Now it is no nay that thitherward he turned, and went wisely, lest +the carle should make a backward cast, and see him, or lest any +straggler of his own folk might happen upon him. + +For to say sooth, he deemed that did they wind him, they would be +like to let him of his journey. He had noted the bearings of the +cliffs nigh the shard, and whereas he could see their heads +everywhere except from the depths of the thicket, he was not like to +go astray. + +He had made no great way ere he heard the horns blowing all together +again in one place, and looking thitherward through the leafy boughs +(for he was now amidst of a thicket) he saw his men thronging the +mound, and had no doubt therefore that they were blowing on him; but +being well under cover he heeded it nought, and lying still a +little, saw them go down off the mound and go all of them toward the +carle's house, still blowing as they went, but not faring scatter- +meal. Wherefore it was clear that they were nought troubled about +him. + +So he went on his way to the shard; and there is nothing to say of +his journey till he got before it with the last of the clear day, +and entered it straightway. It was in sooth a downright breach or +cleft in the rock-wall, and there was no hill or bent leading up to +it, nothing but a tumble of stones before it, which was somewhat +uneasy going, yet needed nought but labour to overcome it, and when +he had got over this, and was in the very pass itself, he found it +no ill going: forsooth at first it was little worse than a rough +road betwixt two great stony slopes, though a little trickle of +water ran down amidst of it. So, though it was so nigh nightfall, +yet Walter pressed on, yea, and long after the very night was come. +For the moon rose wide and bright a little after nightfall. But at +last he had gone so long, and was so wearied, that he deemed it +nought but wisdom to rest him, and so lay down on a piece of +greensward betwixt the stones, when he had eaten a morsel out of his +satchel, and drunk of the water out of the stream. There as he lay, +if he had any doubt of peril, his weariness soon made it all one to +him, for presently he was sleeping as soundly as any man in Langton +on Holm. + + + +CHAPTER VIII: WALTER WENDS THE WASTE + + + +Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went +down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off +him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again. When he +had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the +way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side +lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was +he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save +that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and +such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired. +He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he +went. The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never +hidden, and he steered by it due south. All that day he went, and +found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more +and whiles less steep. A little before nightfall he happened on a +shallow pool some twenty yards over; and he deemed it good to rest +there, since there was water for his avail, though he might have +made somewhat more out of the tail end of the day. + +When dawn came again he awoke and arose, nor spent much time over +his breakfast; but pressed on all he might; and now he said to +himself, that whatsoever other peril were athwart his way, he was +out of the danger of the chase of his own folk. + +All this while he had seen no four-footed beast, save now and again +a hill-fox, and once some outlandish kind of hare; and of fowl but +very few: a crow or two, a long-winged hawk, and twice an eagle +high up aloft. + +Again, the third night, he slept in the stony wilderness, which +still led him up and up. Only toward the end of the day, himseemed +that it had been less steep for a long while: otherwise nought was +changed, on all sides it was nought but the endless neck, wherefrom +nought could be seen, but some other part of itself. This fourth +night withal he found no water whereby he might rest, so that he +awoke parched, and longing to drink just when the dawn was at its +coldest. + +But on the fifth morrow the ground rose but little, and at last, +when he had been going wearily a long while, and now, hard on +noontide, his thirst grieved him sorely, he came on a spring welling +out from under a high rock, the water wherefrom trickled feebly +away. So eager was he to drink, that at first he heeded nought +else; but when his thirst was fully quenched his eyes caught sight +of the stream which flowed from the well, and he gave a shout, for +lo! it was running south. Wherefore it was with a merry heart that +he went on, and as he went, came on more streams, all running south +or thereabouts. He hastened on all he might, but in despite of all +the speed he made, and that he felt the land now going down +southward, night overtook him in that same wilderness. Yet when he +stayed at last for sheer weariness, he lay down in what he deemed by +the moonlight to be a shallow valley, with a ridge at the southern +end thereof. + +He slept long, and when he awoke the sun was high in the heavens, +and never was brighter or clearer morning on the earth than was +that. He arose and ate of what little was yet left him, and drank +of the water of a stream which he had followed the evening before, +and beside which he had laid him down; and then set forth again with +no great hope to come on new tidings that day. But yet when he was +fairly afoot, himseemed that there was something new in the air +which he breathed, that was soft and bore sweet scents home to him; +whereas heretofore, and that especially for the last three or four +days, it had been harsh and void, like the face of the desert +itself. + +So on he went, and presently was mounting the ridge aforesaid, and, +as oft happens when one climbs a steep place, he kept his eyes on +the ground, till he felt he was on the top of the ridge. Then he +stopped to take breath, and raised his head and looked, and lo! he +was verily on the brow of the great mountain-neck, and down below +him was the hanging of the great hill-slopes, which fell down, not +slowly, as those he had been those days a-mounting, but speedily +enough, though with little of broken places or sheer cliffs. But +beyond this last of the desert there was before him a lovely land of +wooded hills, green plains, and little valleys, stretching out far +and wide, till it ended at last in great blue mountains and white +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 It--yes, +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." + +She looked on him anxiously, and grew somewhat pale, as she said: +"What other one?" + +Now Walter did not know what the dwarf might be to her, fellow- +servant or what not, so he would not show his loathing of him; but +answered wisely: "The little man in the yellow raiment." + +But when she heard that word, she went suddenly very pale, and +leaned her head aback, and beat the air with her hands; but said +presently in a faint voice: "I pray thee talk not of that one while +I am by, nor even think of him, if thou mayest forbear." + +He spake not, and she was a little while before she came to herself +again; then she opened her eyes, and looked upon Walter and smiled +kindly on him, as though to ask his pardon for having scared him. +Then she rose up in her place, and stood before him; and they were +nigh together, for the stream betwixt them was little. + +But he still looked anxiously upon her and said: "Have I hurt thee? +I pray thy pardon." + +She looked on him more sweetly still, and said: "O nay; thou +wouldst not hurt me, thou!" + +Then she blushed very red, and he in like wise; but afterwards she +turned pale, and laid a hand on her breast, and Walter cried out +hastily: "O me! I have hurt thee again. Wherein have I done +amiss?" + +"In nought, in nought," she said; "but I am troubled, I wot not +wherefore; some thought hath taken hold of me, and I know it not. +Mayhappen in a little while I shall know what troubles me. Now I +bid thee depart from me a little, and I will abide here; and when +thou comest back, it will either be that I have found it out or not; +and in either case I will tell thee." + +She spoke earnestly to him; but he said: "How long shall I abide +away?" + +Her face was troubled as she answered him: "For no long while." + +He smiled on her and turned away, and went a space to the other side +of the oak-trees, whence she was still within eyeshot. There he +abode until the time seemed long to him; but he schooled himself and +forbore; for he said: Lest she send me away again. So he abided +until again the time seemed long to him, and she called not to him: +but once again he forbore to go; then at last he arose, and his +heart beat and he trembled, and he walked back again speedily, and +came to the maiden, who was still standing by the rock of the +spring, her arms hanging down, her eyes downcast. She looked up at +him as he drew nigh, and her face changed with eagerness as she +said: "I am glad thou art come back, though it be no long while +since thy departure" (sooth to say it was scarce half an hour in +all). "Nevertheless I have been thinking many things, and thereof +will I now tell thee." + +He said: "Maiden, there is a river betwixt us, though it be no big +one. Shall I not stride over, and come to thee, that we may sit +down together side by side on the green grass?" + +"Nay," she said, "not yet; tarry a while till I have told thee of +matters. I must now tell thee of my thoughts in order." + +Her colour went and came now, and she plaited the folds of her gown +with restless fingers. At last she said: "Now the first thing is +this; that though thou hast seen me first only within this hour, +thou hast set thine heart upon me to have me for thy speech-friend +and thy darling. And if this be not so, then is all my speech, yea +and all my hope, come to an end at once." + +"O yea!" said Walter, "even so it is: but how thou hast found this +out I wot not; since now for the first time I say it, that thou art +indeed my love, and my dear and my darling." + +"Hush," she said, "hush! lest the wood have ears, and thy speech is +loud: abide, and I shall tell thee how I know it. Whether this thy +love shall outlast the first time that thou holdest my body in thine +arms, I wot not, nor dost thou. But sore is my hope that it may be +so; for I also, though it be but scarce an hour since I set eyes on +thee, have cast mine eyes on thee to have thee for my love and my +darling, and my speech-friend. And this is how I wot that thou +lovest me, my friend. Now is all this dear and joyful, and +overflows my heart with sweetness. But now must I tell thee of the +fear and the evil which lieth behind it." + +Then Walter stretched out his hands to her, and cried out: "Yea, +yea! But whatever evil entangle us, now we both know these two +things, to wit, that thou lovest me, and I thee, wilt thou not come +hither, that I may cast mine arms about thee, and kiss thee, if not +thy kind lips or thy friendly face at all, yet at least thy dear +hand: yea, that I may touch thy body in some wise?" + +She looked on him steadily, and said softly: "Nay, this above all +things must not be; and that it may not be is a part of the evil +which entangles us. But hearken, friend, once again I tell thee +that thy voice is over loud in this wilderness fruitful of evil. +Now I have told thee, indeed, of two things whereof we both wot; but +next I must needs tell thee of things whereof I wot, and thou +wottest not. Yet this were better, that thou pledge thy word not to +touch so much as one of my hands, and that we go together a little +way hence away from these tumbled stones, and sit down upon the open +greensward; whereas here is cover if there be spying abroad." + +Again, as she spoke, she turned very pale; but Walter said: "Since +it must be so, I pledge thee my word to thee as I love thee." + +And therewith she knelt down, and did on her foot-gear, and then +sprang lightly over the rivulet; and then the twain of them went +side by side some half a furlong thence, and sat down, shadowed by +the boughs of a slim quicken-tree growing up out of the greensward, +whereon for a good space around was neither bush nor brake. + +There began the maiden to talk soberly, and said: "This is what I +must needs say to thee now, that thou art come into a land perilous +for any one that loveth aught of good; from which, forsooth, I were +fain that thou wert gotten away safely, even though I should die of +longing for thee. As for myself, my peril is, in a measure, less +than thine; I mean the peril of death. But lo, thou, this iron on +my foot is token that I am a thrall, and thou knowest in what wise +thralls must pay for transgressions. Furthermore, of what I am, and +how I came hither, time would fail me to tell; but somewhile, maybe, +I shall tell thee. I serve an evil mistress, of whom I may say that +scarce I wot if she be a woman or not; but by some creatures is she +accounted for a god, and as a god is heried; and surely never god +was crueller nor colder than she. Me she hateth sorely; yet if she +hated me little or nought, small were the gain to me if it were her +pleasure to deal hardly by me. But as things now are, and are like +to be, it would not be for her pleasure, but for her pain and loss, +to make an end of me, therefore, as I said e'en now, my mere life is +not in peril with her; unless, perchance, some sudden passion get +the better of her, and she slay me, and repent of it thereafter. +For so it is, that if it be the least evil of her conditions that +she is wanton, at least wanton she is to the letter. Many a time +hath she cast the net for the catching of some goodly young man; and +her latest prey (save it be thou) is the young man whom I named, +when first I saw thee, by the name of the King's Son. He is with us +yet, and I fear him; for of late hath he wearied of her, though it +is but plain truth to say of her, that she is the wonder of all +Beauties of the World. He hath wearied of her, I say, and hath cast +his eyes upon me, and if I were heedless, he would betray me to the +uttermost of the wrath of my mistress. For needs must I say of him, +though he be a goodly man, and now fallen into thralldom, that he +hath no bowels of compassion; but is a dastard, who for an hour's +pleasure would undo me, and thereafter would stand by smiling and +taking my mistress's pardon with good cheer, while for me would be +no pardon. Seest thou, therefore, how it is with me between these +two cruel fools? And moreover there are others of whom I will not +even speak to thee." + +And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and +murmured: "Who shall deliver me from this death in life?" + +But Walter cried out: "For what else am I come hither, I, I?" + +And it was a near thing that he did not take her in his arms, but he +remembered his pledged word, and drew aback from her in terror, +whereas he had an inkling of why she would not suffer it; and he +wept with her. + +But suddenly the Maid left weeping, and said in a changed voice: +"Friend, whereas thou speakest of delivering me, it is more like +that I shall deliver thee. And now I pray thy pardon for thus +grieving thee with my grief, and that more especially because thou +mayst not solace thy grief with kisses and caresses; but so it was, +that for once I was smitten by the thought of the anguish of this +land, and the joy of all the world besides." + +Therewith she caught her breath in a half-sob, but refrained her and +went on: "Now dear friend and darling, take good heed to all that I +shall say to thee, whereas thou must do after the teaching of my +words. And first, I deem by the monster having met thee at the +gates of the land, and refreshed thee, that the Mistress hath looked +for thy coming; nay, by thy coming hither at all, that she hath cast +her net and caught thee. Hast thou noted aught that might seem to +make this more like?" + +Said Walter: "Three times in full daylight have I seen go past me +the images of the monster and thee and a glorious lady, even as if +ye were alive." + +And therewith he told her in few words how it had gone with him +since that day on the quay at Langton. + +She said: "Then it is no longer perhaps, but certain, that thou art +her latest catch; and even so I deemed from the first: and, dear +friend, this is why I have not suffered thee to kiss or caress me, +so sore as I longed for thee. For the Mistress will have thee for +her only, and hath lured thee hither for nought else; and she is +wise in wizardry (even as some deal am I), and wert thou to touch me +with hand or mouth on my naked flesh, yea, or were it even my +raiment, then would she scent the savour of thy love upon me, and +then, though it may be she would spare thee, she would not spare +me." + +Then was she silent a little, and seemed very downcast, and Walter +held his peace from grief and confusion and helplessness; for of +wizardry he knew nought. + +At last the Maid spake again, and said: "Nevertheless we will not +die redeless. Now thou must look to this, that from henceforward it +is thee, and not the King's Son, whom she desireth, and that so much +the more that she hath not set eyes on thee. Remember this, +whatsoever her seeming may be to thee. Now, therefore, shall the +King's Son be free, though he know it not, to cast his love on +whomso he will; and, in a way, I also shall be free to yeasay him. +Though, forsooth, so fulfilled is she with malice and spite, that +even then she may turn round on me to punish me for doing that which +she would have me do. Now let me think of it." + +Then was she silent a good while, and spoke at last: "Yea, all +things are perilous, and a perilous rede I have thought of, whereof +I will not tell thee as yet; so waste not the short while by asking +me. At least the worst will be no worse than what shall come if we +strive not against it. And now, my friend, amongst perils it is +growing more and more perilous that we twain should be longer +together. But I would say one thing yet; and maybe another +thereafter. Thou hast cast thy love upon one who will be true to +thee, whatsoever may befall; yet is she a guileful creature, and +might not help it her life long, and now for thy very sake must +needs be more guileful now than ever before. And as for me, the +guileful, my love have I cast upon a lovely man, and one true and +simple, and a stout-heart; but at such a pinch is he, that if he +withstand all temptation, his withstanding may belike undo both him +and me. Therefore swear we both of us, that by both of us shall all +guile and all falling away be forgiven on the day when we shall be +free to love each the other as our hearts will." + +Walter cried out: "O love, I swear it indeed! thou art my Hallow, +and I will swear it as on the relics of a Hallow; on thy hands and +thy feet I swear it." + +The words seemed to her a dear caress; and she laughed, and blushed, +and looked full kindly on him; and then her face grew solemn, and +she said: "On thy life I swear it!" + +Then she said: "Now is there nought for thee to do but to go hence +straight to the Golden House, which is my Mistress's house, and the +only house in this land (save one which I may not see), and lieth +southward no long way. How she will deal with thee, I wot not; but +all I have said of her and thee and the King's Son is true. +Therefore I say to thee, be wary and cold at heart, whatsoever +outward semblance thou mayst make. If thou have to yield thee to +her, then yield rather late than early, so as to gain time. Yet not +so late as to seem shamed in yielding for fear's sake. Hold fast to +thy life, my friend, for in warding that, thou wardest me from grief +without remedy. Thou wilt see me ere long; it may be to-morrow, it +may be some days hence. But forget not, that what I may do, that I +am doing. Take heed also that thou pay no more heed to me, or +rather less, than if thou wert meeting a maiden of no account in the +streets of thine own town. O my love! barren is this first +farewell, as was our first meeting; but surely shall there be +another meeting better than the first, and the last farewell may be +long and long yet." + +Therewith she stood up, and he knelt before her a little while +without any word, and then arose and went his ways; but when he had +gone a space he turned about, and saw her still standing in the same +place; she stayed a moment when she saw him turn, and then herself +turned about. + +So he departed through the fair land, and his heart was full with +hope and fear as he went. + + + +CHAPTER XI: WALTER HAPPENETH ON THE MISTRESS + + + +It was but a little after noon when Walter left the Maid behind: he +steered south by the sun, as the Maid had bidden him, and went +swiftly; for, as a good knight wending to battle, the time seemed +long to him till he should meet the foe. + +So an hour before sunset he saw something white and gay gleaming +through the boles of the oak-trees, and presently there was clear +before him a most goodly house builded of white marble, carved all +about with knots and imagery, and the carven folk were all painted +of their lively colours, whether it were their raiment or their +flesh, and the housings wherein they stood all done with gold and +fair hues. Gay were the windows of the house; and there was a +pillared porch before the great door, with images betwixt the +pillars both of men and beasts: and when Walter looked up to the +roof of the house, he saw that it gleamed and shone; for all the +tiles were of yellow metal, which he deemed to be of very gold. + +All this he saw as he went, and tarried not to gaze upon it; for he +said, Belike there will be time for me to look on all this before I +die. But he said also, that, though the house was not of the +greatest, it was beyond compare of all houses of the world. + +Now he entered it by the porch, and came into a hall many-pillared, +and vaulted over, the walls painted with gold and ultramarine, the +floor dark, and spangled with many colours, and the windows glazed +with knots and pictures. Midmost thereof was a fountain of gold, +whence the water ran two ways in gold-lined runnels, spanned twice +with little bridges of silver. Long was that hall, and now not very +light, so that Walter was come past the fountain before he saw any +folk therein: then he looked up toward the high-seat, and himseemed +that a great light shone thence, and dazzled his eyes; and he went +on a little way, and then fell on his knees; for there before him on +the high-seat sat that wondrous Lady, whose lively image had been +shown to him thrice before; and she was clad in gold and jewels, as +he had erst seen her. But now she was not alone; for by her side +sat a young man, goodly enough, so far as Walter might see him, and +most richly clad, with a jewelled sword by his side, and a chaplet +of gems on his head. They held each other by the hand, and seemed +to be in dear converse together; but they spake softly, so that +Walter might not hear what they said, till at last the man spake +aloud to the Lady: "Seest thou not that there is a man in the +hall?" + +"Yea," she said, "I see him yonder, kneeling on his knees; let him +come nigher and give some account of himself." + +So Walter stood up and drew nigh, and stood there, all shamefaced +and confused, looking on those twain, and wondering at the beauty of +the Lady. As for the man, who was slim, and black-haired, and +straight-featured, for all his goodliness Walter accounted him +little, and nowise deemed him to look chieftain-like. + +Now the Lady spake not to Walter any more than erst; but at last the +man said: "Why doest thou not kneel as thou didst erewhile?" + +Walter was on the point of giving him back a fierce answer; but the +Lady spake and said: "Nay, friend, it matters not whether he kneel +or stand; but he may say, if he will, what he would have of me, and +wherefore he is come hither." + +Then spake Walter, for as wroth and ashamed as he was: "Lady, I +have strayed into this land, and have come to thine house as I +suppose, and if I be not welcome, I may well depart straightway, and +seek a way out of thy land, if thou wouldst drive me thence, as well +as out of thine house." + +Thereat the Lady turned and looked on him, and when her eyes met +his, he felt a pang of fear and desire mingled shoot through his +heart. This time she spoke to him; but coldly, without either wrath +or any thought of him: "Newcomer," she said, "I have not bidden +thee hither; but here mayst thou abide a while if thou wilt; +nevertheless, take heed that here is no King's Court. There is, +forsooth, a folk that serveth me (or, it may be, more than one), of +whom thou wert best to know nought. Of others I have but two +servants, whom thou wilt see; and the one is a strange creature, who +should scare thee or scathe thee with a good will, but of a good +will shall serve nought save me; the other is a woman, a thrall, of +little avail, save that, being compelled, she will work woman's +service for me, but whom none else shall compel . . . Yea, but what +is all this to thee; or to me that I should tell it to thee? I will +not drive thee away; but if thine entertainment please thee not, +make no plaint thereof to me, but depart at thy will. Now is this +talk betwixt us overlong, since, as thou seest, I and this King's +Son are in converse together. Art thou a King's Son?" + +"Nay, Lady," said Walter, "I am but of the sons of the merchants." + +"It matters not," she said; "go thy ways into one of the chambers." + +And straightway she fell a-talking to the man who sat beside her +concerning the singing of the birds beneath her window in the +morning; and of how she had bathed her that day in a pool of the +woodlands, when she had been heated with hunting, and so forth; and +all as if there had been none there save her and the King's Son. + +But Walter departed all ashamed, as though he had been a poor man +thrust away from a rich kinsman's door; and he said to himself that +this woman was hateful, and nought love-worthy, and that she was +little like to tempt him, despite all the fairness of her body. + +No one else he saw in the house that even; he found meat and drink +duly served on a fair table, and thereafter he came on a goodly bed, +and all things needful, but no child of Adam to do him service, or +bid him welcome or warning. Nevertheless he ate, and drank, and +slept, and put off thought of all these things till the morrow, all +the more as he hoped to see the kind maiden some time betwixt +sunrise and sunset on that new day. + + + +CHAPTER XII: THE WEARING OF FOUR DAYS IN THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD + + + +He arose betimes, but found no one to greet him, neither was there +any sound of folk moving within the fair house; so he but broke his +fast, and then went forth and wandered amongst the trees, till he +found him a stream to bathe in, and after he had washed the night +off him he lay down under a tree thereby for a while, but soon +turned back toward the house, lest perchance the Maid should come +thither and he should miss her. + +It should be said that half a bow-shot from the house on that side +(i.e. due north thereof) was a little hazel-brake, and round about +it the trees were smaller of kind than the oaks and chestnuts he had +passed through before, being mostly of birch and quicken-beam and +young ash, with small wood betwixt them; so now he passed through +the thicket, and, coming to the edge thereof, beheld the Lady and +the King's Son walking together hand in hand, full lovingly by +seeming. + +He deemed it unmeet to draw back and hide him, so he went forth past +them toward the house. The King's Son scowled on him as he passed, +but the Lady, over whose beauteous face flickered the joyous morning +smiles, took no more heed of him than if he had been one of the +trees of the wood. But she had been so high and disdainful with him +the evening before, that he thought little of that. The twain went +on, skirting the hazel-copse, and he could not choose but turn his +eyes on them, so sorely did the Lady's beauty draw them. Then +befell another thing; for behind them the boughs of the hazels +parted, and there stood that little evil thing, he or another of his +kind; for he was quite unclad, save by his fell of yellowy-brown +hair, and that he was girt with a leathern girdle, wherein was stuck +an ugly two-edged knife: he stood upright a moment, and cast his +eyes at Walter and grinned, but not as if he knew him; and scarce +could Walter say whether it were the one he had seen, or another: +then he cast himself down on his belly, and fell to creeping through +the long grass like a serpent, following the footsteps of the Lady +and her lover; and now, as he crept, Walter deemed, in his loathing, +that the creature was liker to a ferret than aught else. He crept +on marvellous swiftly, and was soon clean out of sight. But Walter +stood staring after him for a while, and then lay down by the copse- +side, that he might watch the house and the entry thereof; for he +thought, now perchance presently will the kind maiden come hither to +comfort me with a word or two. But hour passed by hour, and still +she came not; and still he lay there, and thought of the Maid, and +longed for her kindness and wisdom, till he could not refrain his +tears, and wept for the lack of her. Then he arose, and went and +sat in the porch, and was very downcast of mood. + +But as he sat there, back comes the Lady again, the King's Son +leading her by the hand; they entered the porch, and she passed by +him so close that the odour of her raiment filled all the air about +him, and the sleekness of her side nigh touched him, so that he +could not fail to note that her garments were somewhat disarrayed, +and that she kept her right hand (for her left the King's Son held) +to her bosom to hold the cloth together there, whereas the rich +raiment had been torn off from her right shoulder. As they passed +by him, the King's Son once more scowled on him, wordless, but even +more fiercely than before; and again the Lady heeded him nought. + +After they had gone on a while, he entered the hall, and found it +empty from end to end, and no sound in it save the tinkling of the +fountain; but there was victual set on the board. He ate and drank +thereof to keep life lusty within him, and then went out again to +the wood-side to watch and to long; and the time hung heavy on his +hands because of the lack of the fair Maiden. + +He was of mind not to go into the house to his rest that night, but +to sleep under the boughs of the forest. But a little after sunset +he saw a bright-clad image moving amidst the carven images of the +porch, and the King's Son came forth and went straight to him, and +said: "Thou art to enter the house, and go into thy chamber +forthwith, and by no means to go forth of it betwixt sunset and +sunrise. My Lady will not away with thy prowling round the house in +the night-tide." + +Therewith he turned away, and went into the house again; and Walter +followed him soberly, remembering how the Maid had bidden him +forbear. So he went to his chamber, and slept. + +But amidst of the night he awoke and deemed that he heard a voice +not far off, so he crept out of his bed and peered around, lest, +perchance, the Maid had come to speak with him; but his chamber was +dusk and empty: then he went to the window and looked out, and saw +the moon shining bright and white upon the greensward. And lo! the +Lady walking with the King's Son, and he clad in thin and wanton +raiment, but she in nought else save what God had given her of long, +crispy yellow hair. Then was Walter ashamed to look on her, seeing +that there was a man with her, and gat him back to his bed; but yet +a long while ere he slept again he had the image before his eyes of +the fair woman on the dewy moonlit grass. + +The next day matters went much the same way, and the next also, save +that his sorrow was increased, and he sickened sorely of hope +deferred. On the fourth day also the forenoon wore as erst; but in +the heat of the afternoon Walter sought to the hazel-copse, and laid +him down there hard by a little clearing thereof, and slept from +very weariness of grief. There, after a while, he woke with words +still hanging in his ears, and he knew at once that it was they +twain talking together. + +The King's Son had just done his say, and now it was the Lady +beginning in her honey-sweet voice, low but strong, wherein even was +a little of huskiness; she said: "Otto, belike it were well to have +a little patience, till we find out what the man is, and whence he +cometh; it will always be easy to rid us of him; it is but a word to +our Dwarf-king, and it will be done in a few minutes." + +"Patience!" said the King's Son, angrily; "I wot not how to have +patience with him; for I can see of him that he is rude and violent +and headstrong, and a low-born wily one. Forsooth, he had patience +enough with me the other even, when I rated him in, like the dog +that he is, and he had no manhood to say one word to me. Soothly, +as he followed after me, I had a mind to turn about and deal him a +buffet on the face, to see if I could but draw one angry word from +him." + +The Lady laughed, and said: "Well, Otto, I know not; that which +thou deemest dastardy in him may be but prudence and wisdom, and he +an alien, far from his friends and nigh to his foes. Perchance we +shall yet try him what he is. Meanwhile, I rede thee try him not +with buffets, save he be weaponless and with bounden hands; or else +I deem that but a little while shalt thou be fain of thy blow." + +Now when Walter heard her words and the voice wherein they were +said, he might not forbear being stirred by them, and to him, all +lonely there, they seemed friendly. + +But he lay still, and the King's Son answered the Lady and said: "I +know not what is in thine heart concerning this runagate, that thou +shouldst bemock me with his valiancy, whereof thou knowest nought. +If thou deem me unworthy of thee, send me back safe to my father's +country; I may look to have worship there; yea, and the love of fair +women belike." + +Therewith it seemed as if he had put forth his hand to the Lady to +caress her, for she said: "Nay, lay not thine hand on my shoulder, +for to-day and now it is not the hand of love, but of pride and +folly, and would-be mastery. Nay, neither shalt thou rise up and +leave me until thy mood is softer and kinder to me." + +Then was there silence betwixt them a while, and thereafter the +King's Son spake in a wheedling voice: "My goddess, I pray thee +pardon me! But canst thou wonder that I fear thy wearying of me, +and am therefore peevish and jealous? thou so far above the Queens +of the World, and I a poor youth that without thee were nothing!" + +She answered nought, and he went on again: "Was it not so, O +goddess, that this man of the sons of the merchants was little +heedful of thee, and thy loveliness and thy majesty?" + +She laughed and said: "Maybe he deemed not that he had much to gain +of us, seeing thee sitting by our side, and whereas we spake to him +coldly and sternly and disdainfully. Withal, the poor youth was +dazzled and shamefaced before us; that we could see in the eyes and +the mien of him." + +Now this she spoke so kindly and sweetly, that again was Walter all +stirred thereat; and it came into his mind that it might be she knew +he was anigh and hearing her, and that she spake as much for him as +for the King's Son: but that one answered: "Lady, didst thou not +see somewhat else in his eyes, to wit, that they had but of late +looked on some fair woman other than thee? As for me, I deem it not +so unlike that on the way to thine hall he may have fallen in with +thy Maid." + +He spoke in a faltering voice, as if shrinking from some storm that +might come. And forsooth the Lady's voice was changed as she +answered, though there was no outward heat in it; rather it was +sharp and eager and cold at once. She said: "Yea, that is not ill +thought of; but we may not always keep our thrall in mind. If it be +so as thou deemest, we shall come to know it most like when we next +fall in with her; or if she hath been shy this time, then shall she +pay the heavier for it; for we will question her by the Fountain in +the Hall as to what betid by the Fountain of the Rock." + +Spake the King's Son, faltering yet more: "Lady, were it not better +to question the man himself? the Maid is stout-hearted, and will not +be speedily quelled into a true tale; whereas the man I deem of no +account." + +"No, no," said the Lady sharply, "it shall not be." + +Then was she silent a while; and then she said: "How if the man +should prove to be our master?" + +"Nay, our Lady," said the King's Son, "thou art jesting with me; +thou and thy might and thy wisdom, and all that thy wisdom may +command, to be over-mastered by a gangrel churl!" + +"But how if I will not have it command, King's Son?" said the Lady. +"I tell thee I know thine heart, but thou knowest not mine. But be +at peace! For since thou hast prayed for this woman--nay, not with +thy words, I wot, but with thy trembling hands, and thine anxious +eyes, and knitted brow--I say, since thou hast prayed for her so +earnestly, she shall escape this time. But whether it will be to +her gain in the long run, I misdoubt me. See thou to that, Otto! +thou who hast held me in thine arms so oft. And now thou mayest +depart if thou wilt." + +It seemed to Walter as if the King's Son were dumbfoundered at her +words: he answered nought, and presently he rose from the ground, +and went his ways slowly toward the house. The Lady lay there a +little while, and then went her ways also; but turned away from the +house toward the wood at the other end thereof, whereby Walter had +first come thither. + +As for Walter, he was confused in mind and shaken in spirit; and +withal he seemed to see guile and cruel deeds under the talk of +those two, and waxed wrathful thereat. Yet he said to himself, that +nought might he do, but was as one bound hand and foot, till he had +seen the Maid again. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: NOW IS THE HUNT UP + + + +Next morning was he up betimes, but he was cast down and heavy of +heart, not looking for aught else to betide than had betid those +last four days. But otherwise it fell out; for when he came down +into the hall, there was the lady sitting on the high-seat all +alone, clad but in a coat of white linen; and she turned her head +when she heard his footsteps, and looked on him, and greeted him, +and said: "Come hither, guest." + +So he went and stood before her, and she said: "Though as yet thou +hast had no welcome here, and no honour, it hath not entered into +thine heart to flee from us; and to say sooth, that is well for +thee, for flee away from our hand thou mightest not, nor mightest +thou depart without our furtherance. But for this we can thee +thank, that thou hast abided here our bidding and eaten thine heart +through the heavy wearing of four days, and made no plaint. Yet I +cannot deem thee a dastard; thou so well knit and shapely of body, +so clear-eyed and bold of visage. Wherefore now I ask thee, art +thou willing to do me service, thereby to earn thy guesting?" + +Walter answered her, somewhat faltering at first, for he was +astonished at the change which had come over her; for now she spoke +to him in friendly wise, though indeed as a great lady would speak +to a young man ready to serve her in all honour. Said he: "Lady, I +can thank thee humbly and heartily in that thou biddest me do thee +service; for these days past I have loathed the emptiness of the +hours, and nought better could I ask for than to serve so glorious a +Mistress in all honour." + +She frowned somewhat, and said: "Thou shalt not call me Mistress; +there is but one who so calleth me, that is my thrall; and thou art +none such. Thou shalt call me Lady, and I shall be well pleased +that thou be my squire, and for this present thou shalt serve me in +the hunting. So get thy gear; take thy bow and arrows, and gird +thee to thy sword. For in this fair land may one find beasts more +perilous than be buck or hart. I go now to array me; we will depart +while the day is yet young; for so make we the summer day the +fairest." + +He made obeisance to her, and she arose and went to her chamber, and +Walter dight himself, and then abode her in the porch; and in less +than an hour she came out of the hall, and Walter's heart beat when +he saw that the Maid followed her hard at heel, and scarce might he +school his eyes not to gaze over-eagerly at his dear friend. She +was clad even as she was before, and was changed in no wise, save +that love troubled her face when she first beheld him, and she had +much ado to master it: howbeit the Mistress heeded not the trouble +of her, or made no semblance of heeding it, till the Maiden's face +was all according to its wont. + +But this Walter found strange, that after all that disdain of the +Maid's thralldom which he had heard of the Mistress, and after all +the threats against her, now was the Mistress become mild and +debonaire to her, as a good lady to her good maiden. When Walter +bowed the knee to her, she turned unto the Maid, and said: "Look +thou, my Maid, at this fair new Squire that I have gotten! Will not +he be valiant in the greenwood? And see whether he be well shapen +or not. Doth he not touch thine heart, when thou thinkest of all +the woe, and fear, and trouble of the World beyond the Wood, which +he hath escaped, to dwell in this little land peaceably, and well- +beloved both by the Mistress and the Maid? And thou, my Squire, +look a little at this fair slim Maiden, and say if she pleaseth thee +not: didst thou deem that we had any thing so fair in this lonely +place?" + +Frank and kind was the smile on her radiant visage, nor did she seem +to note any whit the trouble on Walter's face, nor how he strove to +keep his eyes from the Maid. As for her, she had so wholly mastered +her countenance, that belike she used her face guilefully, for she +stood as one humble but happy, with a smile on her face, blushing, +and with her head hung down as if shamefaced before a goodly young +man, a stranger. + +But the Lady looked upon her kindly and said: "Come hither, child, +and fear not this frank and free young man, who belike feareth thee +a little, and full certainly feareth me; and yet only after the +manner of men." + +And therewith she took the Maid by the hand and drew her to her, and +pressed her to her bosom, and kissed her cheeks and her lips, and +undid the lacing of her gown and bared a shoulder of her, and swept +away her skirt from her feet; and then turned to Walter and said: +"Lo thou, Squire! is not this a lovely thing to have grown up +amongst our rough oak-boles? What! art thou looking at the iron +ring there? It is nought, save a token that she is mine, and that I +may not be without her." + +Then she took the Maid by the shoulders and turned her about as in +sport, and said: "Go thou now, and bring hither the good grey ones; +for needs must we bring home some venison to-day, whereas this stout +warrior may not feed on nought save manchets and honey." + +So the Maid went her way, taking care, as Walter deemed, to give no +side glance to him. But he stood there shamefaced, so confused with +all this openhearted kindness of the great Lady and with the fresh +sight of the darling beauty of the Maid, that he went nigh to +thinking that all he had heard since he had come to the porch of the +house that first time was but a dream of evil. + +But while he stood pondering these matters, and staring before him +as one mazed, the Lady laughed out in his face, and touched him on +the arm and said: "Ah, our Squire, is it so that now thou hast seen +my Maid thou wouldst with a good will abide behind to talk with her? +But call to mind thy word pledged to me e'en now! And moreover I +tell thee this for thy behoof now she is out of ear-shot, that I +will above all things take thee away to-day: for there be other +eyes, and they nought uncomely, that look at whiles on my fair- +ankled thrall; and who knows but the swords might be out if I take +not the better heed, and give thee not every whit of thy will." + +As she spoke and moved forward, he turned a little, so that now the +edge of that hazel-coppice was within his eye-shot, and he deemed +that once more he saw the yellow-brown evil thing crawling forth +from the thicket; then, turning suddenly on the Lady, he met her +eyes, and seemed in one moment of time to find a far other look in +them than that of frankness and kindness; though in a flash they +changed back again, and she said merrily and sweetly: "So, so, Sir +Squire, now art thou awake again, and mayest for a little while look +on me." + +Now it came into his head, with that look of hers, all that might +befall him and the Maid if he mastered not his passion, nor did what +he might to dissemble; so he bent the knee to her, and spoke boldly +to her in her own vein, and said: "Nay, most gracious of ladies, +never would I abide behind to-day since thou farest afield. But if +my speech be hampered, or mine eyes stray, is it not because my mind +is confused by thy beauty, and the honey of kind words which floweth +from thy mouth?" + +She laughed outright at his word, but not disdainfully, and said: +"This is well spoken, Squire, and even what a squire should say to +his liege lady, when the sun is up on a fair morning, and she and he +and all the world are glad." + +She stood quite near him as she spoke, her hand was on his shoulder, +and her eyes shone and sparkled. Sooth to say, that excusing of his +confusion was like enough in seeming to the truth; for sure never +creature was fashioned fairer than she: clad she was for the +greenwood as the hunting-goddess of the Gentiles, with her green +gown gathered unto her girdle, and sandals on her feet; a bow in her +hand and a quiver at her back: she was taller and bigger of fashion +than the dear Maiden, whiter of flesh, and more glorious, and +brighter of hair; as a flower of flowers for fairness and fragrance. + +She said: "Thou art verily a fair squire before the hunt is up, and +if thou be as good in the hunting, all will be better than well, and +the guest will be welcome. But lo! here cometh our Maid with the +good grey ones. Go meet her, and we will tarry no longer than for +thy taking the leash in hand." + +So Walter looked, and saw the Maid coming with two couple of great +hounds in the leash straining against her as she came along. He ran +lightly to meet her, wondering if he should have a look, or a half- +whisper from her; but she let him take the white thongs from her +hand, with the same half-smile of shamefacedness still set on her +face, and, going past him, came softly up to the Lady, swaying like +a willow-branch in the wind, and stood before her, with her arms +hanging down by her sides. Then the Lady turned to her, and said: +"Look to thyself, our Maid, while we are away. This fair young man +thou needest not to fear indeed, for he is good and leal; but what +thou shalt do with the King's Son I wot not. He is a hot lover +forsooth, but a hard man; and whiles evil is his mood, and perilous +both to thee and me. And if thou do his will, it shall be ill for +thee; and if thou do it not, take heed of him, and let me, and me +only, come between his wrath and thee. I may do somewhat for thee. +Even yesterday he was instant with me to have thee chastised after +the manner of thralls; but I bade him keep silence of such words, +and jeered him and mocked him, till he went away from me peevish and +in anger. So look to it that thou fall not into any trap of his +contrivance." + +Then the Maid cast herself at the Mistress's feet, and kissed and +embraced them; and as she rose up, the Lady laid her hand lightly on +her head, and then, turning to Walter, cried out: "Now, Squire, let +us leave all these troubles and wiles and desires behind us, and +flit through the merry greenwood like the Gentiles of old days." + +And therewith she drew up the laps of her gown till the whiteness of +her knees was seen, and set off swiftly toward the wood that lay +south of the house, and Walter followed, marvelling at her +goodliness; nor durst he cast a look backward to the Maiden, for he +knew that she desired him, and it was her only that he looked to for +his deliverance from this house of guile and lies. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE HUNTING OF THE HART + + + +As they went, they found a change in the land, which grew emptier of +big and wide-spreading trees, and more beset with thickets. From +one of these they roused a hart, and Walter let slip his hounds +thereafter and he and the Lady followed running. Exceeding swift +was she, and well-breathed withal, so that Walter wondered at her; +and eager she was in the chase as the very hounds, heeding nothing +the scratching of briars or the whipping of stiff twigs as she sped +on. But for all their eager hunting, the quarry outran both dogs +and folk, and gat him into a great thicket, amidmost whereof was a +wide plash of water. Into the thicket they followed him, but he +took to the water under their eyes and made land on the other side; +and because of the tangle of underwood, he swam across much faster +than they might have any hope to come round on him; and so were the +hunters left undone for that time. + +So the Lady cast herself down on the green grass anigh the water, +while Walter blew the hounds in and coupled them up; then he turned +round to her, and lo! she was weeping for despite that they had lost +the quarry; and again did Walter wonder that so little a matter +should raise a passion of tears in her. He durst not ask what ailed +her, or proffer her solace, but was not ill apaid by beholding her +loveliness as she lay. + +Presently she raised up her head and turned to Walter, and spake to +him angrily and said: "Squire, why dost thou stand staring at me +like a fool?" + +"Yea, Lady," he said; "but the sight of thee maketh me foolish to do +aught else but to look on thee." + +She said, in a peevish voice: "Tush, Squire, the day is too far +spent for soft and courtly speeches; what was good there is nought +so good here. Withal, I know more of thine heart than thou +deemest." + +Walter hung down his head and reddened, and she looked on him, and +her face changed, and she smiled and said, kindly this time: "Look +ye, Squire, I am hot and weary, and ill-content; but presently it +will be better with me; for my knees have been telling my shoulders +that the cold water of this little lake will be sweet and pleasant +this summer noonday, and that I shall forget my foil when I have +taken my pleasure therein. Wherefore, go thou with thine hounds +without the thicket and there abide my coming. And I bid thee look +not aback as thou goest, for therein were peril to thee: I shall +not keep thee tarrying long alone." + +He bowed his head to her, and turned and went his ways. And now, +when he was a little space away from her, he deemed her indeed a +marvel of women, and wellnigh forgat all his doubts and fears +concerning her, whether she were a fair image fashioned out of lies +and guile, or it might be but an evil thing in the shape of a goodly +woman. Forsooth, when he saw her caressing the dear and friendly +Maid, his heart all turned against her, despite what his eyes and +his ears told his mind, and she seemed like as it were a serpent +enfolding the simplicity of the body which he loved. + +But now it was all changed, and he lay on the grass and longed for +her coming; which was delayed for somewhat more than an hour. Then +she came back to him, smiling and fresh and cheerful, her green gown +let down to her heels. + +He sprang up to meet her, and she came close to him, and spake from +a laughing face: "Squire, hast thou no meat in thy wallet? For, +meseemeth, I fed thee when thou wert hungry the other day; do thou +now the same by me." + +He smiled, and louted to her, and took his wallet and brought out +thence bread and flesh and wine, and spread them all out before her +on the green grass, and then stood by humbly before her. But she +said: "Nay, my Squire, sit down by me and eat with me, for to-day +are we both hunters together." + +So he sat down by her trembling, but neither for awe of her +greatness, nor for fear and horror of her guile and sorcery. + +A while they sat there together after they had done their meat, and +the Lady fell a-talking with Walter concerning the parts of the +earth, and the manners of men, and of his journeyings to and fro. + +At last she said: "Thou hast told me much and answered all my +questions wisely, and as my good Squire should, and that pleaseth +me. But now tell me of the city wherein thou wert born and bred; a +city whereof thou hast hitherto told me nought." + +"Lady," he said, "it is a fair and a great city, and to many it +seemeth lovely. But I have left it, and now it is nothing to me." + +"Hast thou not kindred there?" said she. + +"Yea," said he, "and foemen withal; and a false woman waylayeth my +life there." + +"And what was she?" said the Lady. + +Said Walter: "She was but my wife." + +"Was she fair?" said the Lady. + +Walter looked on her a while, and then said: "I was going to say +that she was wellnigh as fair as thou; but that may scarce be. Yet +was she very fair. But now, kind and gracious Lady, I will say this +word to thee: I marvel that thou askest so many things concerning +the city of Langton on Holm, where I was born, and where are my +kindred yet; for meseemeth that thou knowest it thyself." + +"I know it, I?" said the Lady. + +"What, then! thou knowest it not?" said Walter. + +Spake the Lady, and some of her old disdain was in her words: "Dost +thou deem that I wander about the world and its cheaping-steads like +one of the chap-men? Nay, I dwell in the Wood beyond the World, and +nowhere else. What hath put this word into thy mouth?" + +He said: "Pardon me, Lady, if I have misdone; but thus it was: +Mine own eyes beheld thee going down the quays of our city, and +thence a ship-board, and the ship sailed out of the haven. And +first of all went a strange dwarf, whom I have seen here, and then +thy Maid; and then went thy gracious and lovely body." + +The Lady's face changed as he spoke, and she turned red and then +pale, and set her teeth; but she refrained her, and said: "Squire, +I see of thee that thou art no liar, nor light of wit, therefore I +suppose that thou hast verily seen some appearance of me; but never +have I been in Langton, nor thought thereof, nor known that such a +stead there was until thou namedst it e'en now. Wherefore, I deem +that an enemy hath cast the shadow of me on the air of that land." + +"Yea, my Lady," said Walter; "and what enemy mightest thou have to +have done this?" + +She was slow of answer, but spake at last from a quivering mouth of +anger: "Knowest thou not the saw, that a man's foes are they of his +own house? If I find out for a truth who hath done this, the said +enemy shall have an evil hour with me." + +Again she was silent, and she clenched her hands and strained her +limbs in the heat of her anger; so that Walter was afraid of her, +and all his misgivings came back to his heart again, and he repented +that he had told her so much. But in a little while all that +trouble and wrath seemed to flow off her, and again was she of good +cheer, and kind and sweet to him and she said: "But in sooth, +however it may be, I thank thee, my Squire and friend, for telling +me hereof. And surely no wyte do I lay on thee. And, moreover, is +it not this vision which hath brought thee hither?" + +"So it is, Lady," said he. + +"Then have we to thank it," said the Lady, "and thou art welcome to +our land." + +And therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it on his +knees and kissed it: and then it was as if a red-hot iron had run +through his heart, and he felt faint, and bowed down his head. But +he held her hand yet, and kissed it many times, and the wrist and +the arm, and knew not where he was. + +But she drew a little away from him, and arose and said: "Now is +the day wearing, and if we are to bear back any venison we must +buckle to the work. So arise, Squire, and take the hounds and come +with me; for not far off is a little thicket which mostly harbours +foison of deer, great and small. Let us come our ways." + + + +CHAPTER XV: THE SLAYING OF THE QUARRY + + + +So they walked on quietly thence some half a mile, and ever the Lady +would have Walter to walk by her side, and not follow a little +behind her, as was meet for a servant to do; and she touched his +hand at whiles as she showed him beast and fowl and tree, and the +sweetness of her body overcame him, so that for a while he thought +of nothing save her. + +Now when they were come to the thicket-side, she turned to him and +said: "Squire, I am no ill woodman, so that thou mayst trust me +that we shall not be brought to shame the second time; and I shall +do sagely; so nock an arrow to thy bow, and abide me here, and stir +not hence; for I shall enter this thicket without the hounds, and +arouse the quarry for thee; and see that thou be brisk and clean- +shooting, and then shalt thou have a reward of me." + +Therewith she drew up her skirts through her girdle again, took her +bent bow in her hand, and drew an arrow out of the quiver, and +stepped lightly into the thicket, leaving him longing for the sight +of her, as he hearkened to the tread of her feet on the dry leaves, +and the rustling of the brake as she thrust through it. + +Thus he stood for a few minutes, and then he heard a kind of +gibbering cry without words, yet as of a woman, coming from the +thicket, and while his heart was yet gathering the thought that +something had gone amiss, he glided swiftly, but with little stir, +into the brake. + +He had gone but a little way ere he saw the Lady standing there in a +narrow clearing, her face pale as death, her knees cleaving +together, her body swaying and tottering, her hands hanging down, +and the bow and arrow fallen to the ground; and ten yards before her +a great-headed yellow creature crouching flat to the earth and +slowly drawing nigher. + +He stopped short; one arrow was already notched to the string, and +another hung loose to the lesser fingers of his string-hand. He +raised his right hand, and drew and loosed in a twinkling; the shaft +flew close to the Lady's side, and straightway all the wood rung +with a huge roar, as the yellow lion turned about to bite at the +shaft which had sunk deep into him behind the shoulder, as if a bolt +out of the heavens had smitten him. But straightway had Walter +loosed again, and then, throwing down his bow, he ran forward with +his drawn sword gleaming in his hand, while the lion weltered and +rolled, but had no might to move forward. Then Walter went up to +him warily and thrust him through to the heart, and leapt aback, +lest the beast might yet have life in him to smite; but he left his +struggling, his huge voice died out, and he lay there moveless +before the hunter. + +Walter abode a little, facing him, and then turned about to the +Lady, and she had fallen down in a heap whereas she stood, and lay +there all huddled up and voiceless. So he knelt down by her, and +lifted up her head, and bade her arise, for the foe was slain. And +after a little she stretched out her limbs, and turned about on the +grass, and seemed to sleep, and the colour came into her face again, +and it grew soft and a little smiling. Thus she lay awhile, and +Walter sat by her watching her, till at last she opened her eyes and +sat up, and knew him, and smiling on him said: "What hath befallen, +Squire, that I have slept and dreamed?" + +He answered nothing, till her memory came back to her, and then she +arose, trembling and pale, and said: "Let us leave this wood, for +the Enemy is therein." + +And she hastened away before him till they came out at the thicket- +side whereas the hounds had been left, and they were standing there +uneasy and whining; so Walter coupled them, while the Lady stayed +not, but went away swiftly homeward, and Walter followed. + +At last she stayed her swift feet, and turned round on Walter, and +said: "Squire, come hither." + +So did he, and she said: "I am weary again; let us sit under this +quicken-tree, and rest us." + +So they sat down, and she sat looking between her knees a while; and +at last she said: "Why didst thou not bring the lion's hide?" + +He said: "Lady, I will go back and flay the beast, and bring on the +hide." + +And he arose therewith, but she caught him by the skirts and drew +him down, and said: "Nay, thou shalt not go; abide with me. Sit +down again." + +He did so, and she said: "Thou shalt not go from me; for I am +afraid: I am not used to looking on the face of death." + +She grew pale as she spoke, and set a hand to her breast, and sat so +a while without speaking. At last she turned to him smiling, and +said: "How was it with the aspect of me when I stood before the +peril of the Enemy?" And she laid a hand upon his. + +"O gracious one," quoth he, "thou wert, as ever, full lovely, but I +feared for thee." + +She moved not her hand from his, and she said: "Good and true +Squire, I said ere I entered the thicket e'en now that I would +reward thee if thou slewest the quarry. He is dead, though thou +hast left the skin behind upon the carcase. Ask now thy reward, but +take time to think what it shall be." + +He felt her hand warm upon his, and drew in the sweet odour of her +mingled with the woodland scents under the hot sun of the afternoon, +and his heart was clouded with manlike desire of her. And it was a +near thing but he had spoken, and craved of her the reward of the +freedom of her Maid, and that he might depart with her into other +lands; but as his mind wavered betwixt this and that, the Lady, who +had been eyeing him keenly, drew her hand away from him; and +therewith doubt and fear flowed into his mind, and he refrained him +of speech. + +Then she laughed merrily and said: "The good Squire is shamefaced; +he feareth a lady more than a lion. Will it be a reward to thee if +I bid thee to kiss my cheek?" + +Therewith she leaned her face toward him, and he kissed her well- +favouredly, and then sat gazing on her, wondering what should betide +to him on the morrow. + +Then she arose and said: "Come, Squire, and let us home; be not +abashed, there shall be other rewards hereafter." + +So they went their ways quietly; and it was nigh sunset against they +entered the house again. Walter looked round for the Maid, but +beheld her not; and the Lady said to him: "I go to my chamber, and +now is thy service over for this day." + +Then she nodded to him friendly and went her ways. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: OF THE KING'S SON AND THE MAID + + + +But as for Walter, he went out of the house again, and fared slowly +over the woodlawns till he came to another close thicket or brake; +he entered from mere wantonness, or that he might be the more apart +and hidden, so as to think over his case. There he lay down under +the thick boughs, but could not so herd his thoughts that they would +dwell steady in looking into what might come to him within the next +days; rather visions of those two women and the monster did but +float before him, and fear and desire and the hope of life ran to +and fro in his mind. + +As he lay thus he heard footsteps drawing near, and he looked +between the boughs, and though the sun had just set, he could see +close by him a man and a woman going slowly, and they hand in hand; +at first he deemed it would be the King's Son and the Lady, but +presently he saw that it was the King's Son indeed, but that it was +the Maid whom he was holding by the hand. And now he saw of him +that his eyes were bright with desire, and of her that she was very +pale. Yet when he heard her begin to speak, it was in a steady +voice that she said: "King's Son, thou hast threatened me oft and +unkindly, and now thou threatenest me again, and no less unkindly. +But whatever were thy need herein before, now is there no more need; +for my Mistress, of whom thou wert weary, is now grown weary of +thee, and belike will not now reward me for drawing thy love to me, +as once she would have done; to wit, before the coming of this +stranger. Therefore I say, since I am but a thrall, poor and +helpless, betwixt you two mighty ones, I have no choice but to do +thy will." + +As she spoke she looked all round about her, as one distraught by +the anguish of fear. Walter, amidst of his wrath and grief, had +wellnigh drawn his sword and rushed out of his lair upon the King's +Son. But he deemed it sure that, so doing, he should undo the Maid +altogether, and himself also belike, so he refrained him, though it +were a hard matter. + +The Maid had stayed her feet now close to where Walter lay, some +five yards from him only, and he doubted whether she saw him not +from where she stood. As to the King's Son, he was so intent upon +the Maid, and so greedy of her beauty, that it was not like that he +saw anything. + +Now moreover Walter looked, and deemed that he beheld something +through the grass and bracken on the other side of those two, an +ugly brown and yellow body, which, if it were not some beast of the +foumart kind, must needs be the monstrous dwarf, or one of his kin; +and the flesh crept upon Walter's bones with the horror of him. But +the King's Son spoke unto the Maid: "Sweetling, I shall take the +gift thou givest me, neither shall I threaten thee any more, howbeit +thou givest it not very gladly or graciously." + +She smiled on him with her lips alone, for her eyes were wandering +and haggard. "My lord," she said, "is not this the manner of +women?" + +"Well," he said, "I say that I will take thy love even so given. +Yet let me hear again that thou lovest not that vile newcomer, and +that thou hast not seen him, save this morning along with my Lady. +Nay now, thou shalt swear it." + +"What shall I swear by?" she said. + +Quoth he, "Thou shalt swear by my body;" and therewith he thrust +himself close up against her; but she drew her hand from his, and +laid it on his breast, and said: "I swear it by thy body." + +He smiled on her licorously, and took her by the shoulders, and +kissed her face many times, and then stood aloof from her, and said: +"Now have I had hansel: but tell me, when shall I come to thee?" + +She spoke out clearly: "Within three days at furthest; I will do +thee to wit of the day and the hour to-morrow, or the day after." + +He kissed her once more, and said: "Forget it not, or the threat +holds good." + +And therewith he turned about and went his ways toward the house; +and Walter saw the yellow-brown thing creeping after him in the +gathering dusk. + +As for the Maid, she stood for a while without moving, and looking +after the King's Son and the creature that followed him. Then she +turned about to where Walter lay and lightly put aside the boughs, +and Walter leapt up, and they stood face to face. She said softly +but eagerly: "Friend, touch me not yet!" + +He spake not, but looked on her sternly. She said: "Thou art angry +with me?" + +Still he spake not; but she said: "Friend, this at least I will +pray thee; not to play with life and death; with happiness and +misery. Dost thou not remember the oath which we swore each to each +but a little while ago? And dost thou deem that I have changed in +these few days? Is thy mind concerning thee and me the same as it +was? If it be not so, now tell me. For now have I the mind to do +as if neither thou nor I are changed to each other, whoever may have +kissed mine unwilling lips, or whomsoever thy lips may have kissed. +But if thou hast changed, and wilt no longer give me thy love, nor +crave mine, then shall this steel" (and she drew a sharp knife from +her girdle) "be for the fool and the dastard who hath made thee +wroth with me, my friend, and my friend that I deemed I had won. +And then let come what will come! But if thou be nought changed, +and the oath yet holds, then, when a little while hath passed, may +we thrust all evil and guile and grief behind us, and long joy shall +lie before us, and long life, and all honour in death: if only thou +wilt do as I bid thee, O my dear, and my friend, and my first +friend!" + +He looked on her, and his breast heaved up as all the sweetness of +her kind love took hold on him, and his face changed, and the tears +filled his eyes and ran over, and rained down before her, and he +stretched out his hand toward her. + +Then she said exceeding sweetly: "Now indeed I see that it is well +with me, yea, and with thee also. A sore pain it is to me, that not +even now may I take thine hand, and cast mine arms about thee, and +kiss the lips that love me. But so it has to be. My dear, even so +I were fain to stand here long before thee, even if we spake no more +word to each other; but abiding here is perilous; for there is ever +an evil spy upon my doings, who has now as I deem followed the +King's Son to the house, but who will return when he has tracked him +home thither: so we must sunder. But belike there is yet time for +a word or two: first, the rede which I had thought on for our +deliverance is now afoot, though I durst not tell thee thereof, nor +have time thereto. But this much shall I tell thee, that whereas +great is the craft of my Mistress in wizardry, yet I also have some +little craft therein, and this, which she hath not, to change the +aspect of folk so utterly that they seem other than they verily are; +yea, so that one may have the aspect of another. Now the next thing +is this: whatsoever my Mistress may bid thee, do her will therein +with no more nay-saying than thou deemest may please her. And the +next thing: wheresoever thou mayst meet me, speak not to me, make +no sign to me, even when I seem to be all alone, till I stoop down +and touch the ring on my ankle with my right hand; but if I do so, +then stay thee, without fail, till I speak. The last thing I will +say to thee, dear friend, ere we both go our ways, this it is. When +we are free, and thou knowest all that I have done, I pray thee deem +me not evil and wicked, and be not wroth with me for my deed; +whereas thou wottest well that I am not in like plight with other +women. I have heard tell that when the knight goeth to the war, and +hath overcome his foes by the shearing of swords and guileful +tricks, and hath come back home to his own folk, they praise him and +bless him, and crown him with flowers, and boast of him before God +in the minster for his deliverance of friend and folk and city. Why +shouldst thou be worse to me than this? Now is all said, my dear +and my friend; farewell, farewell!" + +Therewith she turned and went her ways toward the house in all +speed, but making somewhat of a compass. And when she was gone, +Walter knelt down and kissed the place where her feet had been, and +arose thereafter, and made his way toward the house, he also, but +slowly, and staying oft on his way. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: OF THE HOUSE AND THE PLEASANCE IN THE WOOD + + + +On the morrow morning Walter loitered a while about the house till +the morn was grown old, and then about noon he took his bow and +arrows and went into the woods to the northward, to get him some +venison. He went somewhat far ere he shot him a fawn, and then he +sat him down to rest under the shade of a great chestnut-tree, for +it was not far past the hottest of the day. He looked around thence +and saw below him a little dale with a pleasant stream running +through it, and he bethought him of bathing therein, so he went down +and had his pleasure of the water and the willowy banks; for he lay +naked a while on the grass by the lip of the water, for joy of the +flickering shade, and the little breeze that ran over the down-long +ripples of the stream. + +Then he did on his raiment, and began to come his ways up the bent, +but had scarce gone three steps ere he saw a woman coming towards +him from downstream. His heart came into his mouth when he saw her, +for she stooped and reached down her arm, as if she would lay her +hand on her ankle, so that at first he deemed it had been the Maid, +but at the second eye-shot he saw that it was the Mistress. She +stood still and looked on him, so that he deemed she would have him +come to her. So he went to meet her, and grew somewhat shamefaced +as he drew nigher, and wondered at her, for now was she clad but in +one garment of some dark grey silky stuff, embroidered with, as it +were, a garland of flowers about the middle, but which was so thin +that, as the wind drifted it from side and limb, it hid her no more, +but for the said garland, than if water were running over her: her +face was full of smiling joy and content as she spake to him in a +kind, caressing voice, and said: "I give thee good day, good +Squire, and well art thou met." And she held out her hand to him. +He knelt down before her and kissed it, and abode still upon his +knees, and hanging down his head. + +But she laughed outright, and stooped down to him, and put her hand +to his arms, and raised him up, and said to him: "What is this, my +Squire, that thou kneelest to me as to an idol?" + +He said faltering: "I wot not; but perchance thou art an idol; and +I fear thee." + +"What!" she said, "more than yesterday, whenas thou sawest me +afraid?" + +Said he: "Yea, for that now I see thee unhidden, and meseemeth +there hath been none such since the old days of the Gentiles." + +She said: "Hast thou not yet bethought thee of a gift to crave of +me, a reward for the slaying of mine enemy, and the saving of me +from death?" + +"O my Lady," he said, "even so much would I have done for any other +lady, or, forsooth, for any poor man; for so my manhood would have +bidden me. Speak not of gifts to me then. Moreover" (and he +reddened therewith, and his voice faltered), "didst thou not give me +my sweet reward yesterday? What more durst I ask?" + +She held her peace awhile, and looked on him keenly; and he reddened +under her gaze. Then wrath came into her face, and she reddened and +knit her brows, and spake to him in a voice of anger, and said: +"Nay, what is this? It is growing in my mind that thou deemest the +gift of me unworthy! Thou, an alien, an outcast; one endowed with +the little wisdom of the World without the Wood! And here I stand +before thee, all glorious in my nakedness, and so fulfilled of +wisdom, that I can make this wilderness to any whom I love more full +of joy than the kingdoms and cities of the world--and thou!--Ah, but +it is the Enemy that hath done this, and made the guileless +guileful! Yet will I have the upper hand at least, though thou +suffer for it, and I suffer for thee." + +Walter stood before her with hanging head, and he put forth his +hands as if praying off her anger, and pondered what answer he +should make; for now he feared for himself and the Maid; so at last +he looked up to her, and said boldly: "Nay, Lady, I know what thy +words mean, whereas I remember thy first welcome of me. I wot, +forsooth, that thou wouldst call me base-born, and of no account, +and unworthy to touch the hem of thy raiment; and that I have been +over-bold, and guilty towards thee; and doubtless this is sooth, and +I have deserved thine anger: but I will not ask thee to pardon me, +for I have done but what I must needs." + +She looked on him calmly now, and without any wrath, but rather as +if she would read what was written in his inmost heart. Then her +face changed into joyousness again, and she smote her palms +together, and cried out: "This is but foolish talk; for yesterday +did I see thy valiancy, and to-day I have seen thy goodliness; and I +say, that though thou mightest not be good enough for a fool woman +of the earthly baronage, yet art thou good enough for me, the wise +and the mighty, and the lovely. And whereas thou sayest that I gave +thee but disdain when first thou camest to us, grudge not against me +therefor, because it was done but to prove thee; and now thou art +proven." + +Then again he knelt down before her, and embraced her knees, and +again she raised him up, and let her arm hang down over his +shoulder, and her cheek brush his cheek; and she kissed his mouth +and said: "Hereby is all forgiven, both thine offence and mine; and +now cometh joy and merry days." + +Therewith her smiling face grew grave, and she stood before him +looking stately and gracious and kind at once, and she took his hand +and said: "Thou mightest deem my chamber in the Golden House of the +Wood over-queenly, since thou art no masterful man. So now hast +thou chosen well the place wherein to meet me to-day, for hard by on +the other side of the stream is a bower of pleasance, which, +forsooth, not every one who cometh to this land may find; there +shall I be to thee as one of the up-country damsels of thine own +land, and thou shalt not be abashed." + +She sidled up to him as she spoke, and would he, would he not, her +sweet voice tickled his very soul with pleasure, and she looked +aside on him happy and well-content. + +So they crossed the stream by the shallow below the pool wherein +Walter had bathed, and within a little they came upon a tall fence +of flake-hurdles, and a simple gate therein. The Lady opened the +same, and they entered thereby into a close all planted as a most +fair garden, with hedges of rose and woodbine, and with linden-trees +a-blossom, and long ways of green grass betwixt borders of lilies +and clove-gilliflowers, and other sweet garland-flowers. And a +branch of the stream which they had crossed erewhile wandered +through that garden; and in the midst was a little house built of +post and pan, and thatched with yellow straw, as if it were new +done. + +Then Walter looked this way and that, and wondered at first, and +tried to think in his mind what should come next, and how matters +would go with him; but his thought would not dwell steady on any +other matter than the beauty of the Lady amidst the beauty of the +garden; and withal she was now grown so sweet and kind, and even +somewhat timid and shy with him, that scarce did he know whose hand +he held, or whose fragrant bosom and sleek side went so close to +him. + +So they wandered here and there through the waning of the day, and +when they entered at last into the cool dusk house, then they loved +and played together, as if they were a pair of lovers guileless, +with no fear for the morrow, and no seeds of enmity and death sown +betwixt them. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: THE MAID GIVES WALTER TRYST + + + +Now, on the morrow, when Walter was awake, he found there was no one +lying beside him, and the day was no longer very young; so he arose, +and went through the garden from end to end, and all about, and +there was none there; and albeit that he dreaded to meet the Lady +there, yet was he sad at heart and fearful of what might betide. +Howsoever, he found the gate whereby they had entered yesterday, and +he went out into the little dale; but when he had gone a step or two +he turned about, and could see neither garden nor fence, nor any +sign of what he had seen thereof but lately. He knit his brow and +stood still to think of it, and his heart grew the heavier thereby; +but presently he went his ways and crossed the stream, but had +scarce come up on to the grass on the further side, ere he saw a +woman coming to meet him, and at first, full as he was of the tide +of yesterday and the wondrous garden, deemed that it would be the +Lady; but the woman stayed her feet, and, stooping, laid a hand on +her right ankle, and he saw that it was the Maid. He drew anigh to +her, and saw that she was nought so sad of countenance as the last +time she had met him, but flushed of cheek and bright-eyed. + +As he came up to her she made a step or two to meet him, holding out +her two hands, and then refrained her, and said smiling: "Ah, +friend, belike this shall be the last time that I shall say to thee, +touch me not, nay, not so much as my hand, or if it were but the hem +of my raiment." + +The joy grew up in his heart, and he gazed on her fondly, and said: +"Why, what hath befallen of late?" + +"O friend," she began, "this hath befallen." + +But as he looked on her, the smile died from her face, and she +became deadly pale to the very lips; she looked askance to her left +side, whereas ran the stream; and Walter followed her eyes, and +deemed for one instant that he saw the misshapen yellow visage of +the dwarf peering round from a grey rock, but the next there was +nothing. Then the Maid, though she were as pale as death, went on +in a clear, steady, hard voice, wherein was no joy or kindness, +keeping her face to Walter and her back to the stream: "This hath +befallen, friend, that there is no longer any need to refrain thy +love nor mine; therefore I say to thee, come to my chamber (and it +is the red chamber over against thine, though thou knewest it not) +an hour before this next midnight, and then thy sorrow and mine +shall be at an end: and now I must needs depart. Follow me not, +but remember!" + +And therewith she turned about and fled like the wind down the +stream. + +But Walter stood wondering, and knew not what to make of it, whether +it were for good or ill: for he knew now that she had paled and +been seized with terror because of the upheaving of the ugly head; +and yet she had seemed to speak out the very thing she had to say. +Howsoever it were, he spake aloud to himself: Whatever comes, I +will keep tryst with her. + +Then he drew his sword, and turned this way and that, looking all +about if he might see any sign of the Evil Thing; but nought might +his eyes behold, save the grass, and the stream, and the bushes of +the dale. So then, still holding his naked sword in his hand, he +clomb the bent out of the dale; for that was the only way he knew to +the Golden House; and when he came to the top, and the summer breeze +blew in his face, and he looked down a fair green slope beset with +goodly oaks and chestnuts, he was refreshed with the life of the +earth, and he felt the good sword in his fist, and knew that there +was might and longing in him, and the world seemed open unto him. + +So he smiled, if it were somewhat grimly, and sheathed his sword and +went on toward the house. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: WALTER GOES TO FETCH HOME THE LION'S HIDE + + + +He entered the cool dusk through the porch, and, looking down the +pillared hall, saw beyond the fountain a gleam of gold, and when he +came past the said fountain he looked up to the high-seat, and lo! +the Lady sitting there clad in her queenly raiment. She called to +him, and he came; and she hailed him, and spake graciously and +calmly, yet as if she knew nought of him save as the leal servant of +her, a high Lady. "Squire," she said, "we have deemed it meet to +have the hide of the servant of the Enemy, the lion to wit, whom +thou slewest yesterday, for a carpet to our feet; wherefore go now, +take thy wood-knife, and flay the beast, and bring me home his skin. +This shall be all thy service for this day, so mayst thou do it at +thine own leisure, and not weary thyself. May good go with thee." + +He bent the knee before her, and she smiled on him graciously, but +reached out no hand for him to kiss, and heeded him but little. +Wherefore, in spite of himself, and though he knew somewhat of her +guile, he could not help marvelling that this should be she who had +lain in his arms night-long but of late. + +Howso that might be, he took his way toward the thicket where he had +slain the lion, and came thither by then it was afternoon, at the +hottest of the day. So he entered therein, and came to the very +place whereas the Lady had lain, when she fell down before the +terror of the lion; and there was the mark of her body on the grass +where she had lain that while, like as it were the form of a hare. +But when Walter went on to where he had slain that great beast, lo! +he was gone, and there was no sign of him; but there were Walter's +own footprints, and the two shafts which he had shot, one feathered +red, and one blue. He said at first: Belike someone hath been +here, and hath had the carcase away. Then he laughed in very +despite, and said: How may that be, since there are no signs of +dragging away of so huge a body, and no blood or fur on the grass if +they had cut him up, and moreover no trampling of feet, as if there +had been many men at the deed. Then was he all abashed, and again +laughed in scorn of himself, and said: Forsooth I deemed I had done +manly; but now forsooth I shot nought, and nought there was before +the sword of my father's son. And what may I deem now, but that +this is a land of mere lies, and that there is nought real and alive +therein save me. Yea, belike even these trees and the green grass +will presently depart from me, and leave me falling down through the +clouds. + +Therewith he turned away, and gat him to the road that led to the +Golden House, wondering what next should befall him, and going +slowly as he pondered his case. So came he to that first thicket +where they had lost their quarry by water; so he entered the same, +musing, and bathed him in the pool that was therein, after he had +wandered about it awhile, and found nothing new. + +So again he set him to the homeward road, when the day was now +waning, and it was near sunset that he was come nigh unto the house, +though it was hidden from him as then by a low bent that rose before +him; and there he abode and looked about him. + +Now as he looked, over the said bent came the figure of a woman, who +stayed on the brow thereof and looked all about her, and then ran +swiftly down to meet Walter, who saw at once that it was the Maid. + +She made no stay then till she was but three paces from him, and +then she stooped down and made the sign to him, and then spake to +him breathlessly, and said: "Hearken! but speak not till I have +done: I bade thee to-night's meeting because I saw that there was +one anigh whom I must needs beguile. But by thine oath, and thy +love, and all that thou art, I adjure thee come not unto me this +night as I bade thee! but be hidden in the hazel-copse outside the +house, as it draws toward midnight, and abide me there. Dost thou +hearken, and wilt thou? Say yes or no in haste, for I may not tarry +a moment of time. Who knoweth what is behind me?" + +"Yes," said Walter hastily; "but friend and love--" + +"No more," she said; "hope the best;" and turning from him she ran +away swiftly, not by the way she had come, but sideways, as though +to reach the house by fetching a compass. + +But Walter went slowly on his way, thinking within himself that now +at that present moment there was nought for it but to refrain him +from doing, and to let others do; yet deemed he that it was little +manly to be as the pawn upon the board, pushed about by the will of +others. + +Then, as he went, he bethought him of the Maiden's face and aspect, +as she came running to him, and stood before him for that minute; +and all eagerness he saw in her, and sore love of him, and distress +of soul, all blent together. + +So came he to the brow of the bent whence he could see lying before +him, scarce more than a bow-shot away, the Golden House now gilded +again and reddened by the setting sun. And even therewith came a +gay image toward him, flashing back the level rays from gold and +steel and silver; and lo! there was come the King's Son. They met +presently, and the King's Son turned to go beside him, and said +merrily: "I give thee good even, my Lady's Squire! I owe thee +something of courtesy, whereas it is by thy means that I shall be +made happy, both to-night, and to-morrow, and many to-morrows; and +sooth it is, that but little courtesy have I done thee hitherto." + +His face was full of joy, and the eyes of him shone with gladness. +He was a goodly man, but to Walter he seemed an ill one; and he +hated him so much, that he found it no easy matter to answer him; +but he refrained himself, and said: "I can thee thank, King's Son; +and good it is that someone is happy in this strange land." + +"Art thou not happy then, Squire of my Lady?" said the other. + +Walter had no mind to show this man his heart, nay, nor even a +corner thereof; for he deemed him an enemy. So he smiled sweetly +and somewhat foolishly, as a man luckily in love, and said: "O yea, +yea, why should I not be so? How might I be otherwise?" + +"Yea then," said the King's Son, "why didst thou say that thou wert +glad someone is happy? Who is unhappy, deemest thou?" and he looked +on him keenly. + +Walter answered slowly: "Said I so? I suppose then that I was +thinking of thee; for when first I saw thee, yea, and afterwards, +thou didst seem heavy-hearted and ill-content." + +The face of the King's Son cleared at this word, and he said: "Yea, +so it was; for look you, both ways it was: I was unfree, and I had +sown the true desire of my heart whereas it waxed not. But now I am +on the brink and verge of freedom, and presently shall my desire be +blossomed. Nay now, Squire, I deem thee a good fellow, though it +may be somewhat of a fool; so I will no more speak riddles to thee. +Thus it is: the Maid hath promised me all mine asking, and is mine; +and in two or three days, by her helping also, I shall see the world +again." + +Quoth Walter, smiling askance on him: "And the Lady? what shall she +say to this matter?" + +The King's Son reddened, but smiled falsely enough, and said: "Sir +Squire, thou knowest enough not to need to ask this. Why should I +tell thee that she accounteth more of thy little finger than of my +whole body? Now I tell thee hereof freely; first, because this my +fruition of love, and my freeing from thralldom, is, in a way, of +thy doing. For thou art become my supplanter, and hast taken thy +place with yonder lovely tyrant. Fear not for me! she will let me +go. As for thyself, see thou to it! But again I tell thee hereof +because my heart is light and full of joy, and telling thee will +pleasure me, and cannot do me any harm. For if thou say: How if I +carry the tale to my Lady? I answer, thou wilt not. For I know +that thine heart hath been somewhat set on the jewel that my hand +holdeth; and thou knowest well on whose head the Lady's wrath would +fall, and that would be neither thine nor mine." + +"Thou sayest sooth," said Walter; "neither is treason my wont." + +So they walked on silently a while, and then Walter said: "But how +if the Maiden had nay-said thee; what hadst thou done then?" + +"By the heavens!" said the King's Son fiercely, "she should have +paid for her nay-say; then would I--" But he broke off, and said +quietly, yet somewhat doggedly: "Why talk of what might have been? +She gave me her yea-say pleasantly and sweetly." + +Now Walter knew that the man lied, so he held his peace thereon; but +presently he said: "When thou art free wilt thou go to thine own +land again?" + +"Yea," said the King's Son; "she will lead me thither." + +"And wilt thou make her thy lady and queen when thou comest to thy +father's land?" said Walter. + +The King's Son knit his brow, and said: "When I am in mine own land +I may do with her what I will; but I look for it that I shall do no +otherwise with her than that she shall be well-content." + +Then the talk between them dropped, and the King's Son turned off +toward the wood, singing and joyous; but Walter went soberly toward +the house. Forsooth he was not greatly cast down, for besides that +he knew that the King's Son was false, he deemed that under this +double tryst lay something which was a-doing in his own behalf. Yet +was he eager and troubled, if not down-hearted, and his soul was +cast about betwixt hope and fear. + + + +CHAPTER XX: WALTER IS BIDDEN TO ANOTHER TRYST + + + +So came he into the pillared hall, and there he found the Lady +walking to and fro by the high-seat; and when he drew nigh she +turned on him, and said in a voice rather eager than angry: "What +hast thou done, Squire? Why art thou come before me?" + +He was abashed, and bowed before her and said: "O gracious Lady, +thou badest me service, and I have been about it." + +She said: "Tell me then, tell me, what hath betided?" + +"Lady," said he, "when I entered the thicket of thy swooning I found +there no carcase of the lion, nor any sign of the dragging away of +him." + +She looked full in his face for a little, and then went to her +chair, and sat down therein; and in a little while spake to him in a +softer voice, and said: "Did I not tell thee that some enemy had +done that unto me? and lo! now thou seest that so it is." + +Then was she silent again, and knit her brows and set her teeth; and +thereafter she spake harshly and fiercely: "But I will overcome +her, and make her days evil, but keep death away from her, that she +may die many times over; and know all the sickness of the heart, +when foes be nigh, and friends afar, and there is none to deliver!" + +Her eyes flashed, and her face was dark with anger; but she turned +and caught Walter's eyes, and the sternness of his face, and she +softened at once, and said: "But thou! this hath little to do with +thee; and now to thee I speak: Now cometh even and night. Go thou +to thy chamber, and there shalt thou find raiment worthy of thee, +what thou now art, and what thou shalt be; do on the same, and make +thyself most goodly, and then come thou hither and eat and drink +with me, and afterwards depart whither thou wilt, till the night has +worn to its midmost; and then come thou to my chamber, to wit, +through the ivory door in the gallery above; and then and there +shall I tell thee a thing, and it shall be for the weal both of thee +and of me, but for the grief and woe of the Enemy." + +Therewith she reached her hand to him, and he kissed it, and +departed and came to his chamber, and found raiment therebefore rich +beyond measure; and he wondered if any new snare lay therein: yet +if there were, he saw no way whereby he might escape it, so he did +it on, and became as the most glorious of kings, and yet lovelier +than any king of the world. + +Sithence he went his way into the pillared hall, when it was now +night, and without the moon was up, and the trees of the wood as +still as images. But within the hall shone bright with many +candles, and the fountain glittered in the light of them, as it ran +tinkling sweetly into the little stream; and the silvern bridges +gleamed, and the pillars shone all round about. + +And there on the dais was a table dight most royally, and the Lady +sitting thereat, clad in her most glorious array, and behind her the +Maid standing humbly, yet clad in precious web of shimmering gold, +but with feet unshod, and the iron ring upon her ankle. + +So Walter came his ways to the high-seat, and the Lady rose and +greeted him, and took him by the hands, and kissed him on either +cheek, and sat him down beside her. So they fell to their meat, and +the Maid served them; but the Lady took no more heed of her than if +she were one of the pillars of the hall; but Walter she caressed oft +with sweet words, and the touch of her hand, making him drink out of +her cup and eat out of her dish. As to him, he was bashful by +seeming, but verily fearful; he took the Lady's caresses with what +grace he might, and durst not so much as glance at her Maid. Long +indeed seemed that banquet to him, and longer yet endured the +weariness of his abiding there, kind to his foe and unkind to his +friend; for after the banquet they still sat a while, and the Lady +talked much to Walter about many things of the ways of the world, +and he answered what he might, distraught as he was with the thought +of those two trysts which he had to deal with. + +At last spake the Lady and said: "Now must I leave thee for a +little, and thou wottest where and how we shall meet next; and +meanwhile disport thee as thou wilt, so that thou weary not thyself, +for I love to see thee joyous." + +Then she arose stately and grand; but she kissed Walter on the mouth +ere she turned to go out of the hall. The Maid followed her; but or +ever she was quite gone, she stooped and made that sign, and looked +over her shoulder at Walter, as if in entreaty to him, and there was +fear and anguish in her face; but he nodded his head to her in yea- +say of the tryst in the hazel-copse, and in a trice she was gone. + +Walter went down the hall, and forth into the early night; but in +the jaws of the porch he came up against the King's Son, who, gazing +at his attire glittering with all its gems in the moonlight, laughed +out, and said: "Now may it be seen how thou art risen in degree +above me, whereas I am but a king's son, and that a king of a far +country; whereas thou art a king of kings, or shalt be this night, +yea, and of this very country wherein we both are." + +Now Walter saw the mock which lay under his words; but he kept back +his wrath, and answered: "Fair sir, art thou as well contented with +thy lot as when the sun went down? Hast thou no doubt or fear? +Will the Maid verily keep tryst with thee, or hath she given thee +yea-say but to escape thee this time? Or, again, may she not turn +to the Lady and appeal to her against thee?" + +Now when he had spoken these words, he repented thereof, and feared +for himself and the Maid, lest he had stirred some misgiving in that +young man's foolish heart. But the King's Son did but laugh, and +answered nought but to Walter's last words, and said: "Yea, yea! +this word of thine showeth how little thou wottest of that which +lieth betwixt my darling and thine. Doth the lamb appeal from the +shepherd to the wolf? Even so shall the Maid appeal from me to thy +Lady. What! ask thy Lady at thy leisure what her wont hath been +with her thrall; she shall think it a fair tale to tell thee +thereof. But thereof is my Maid all whole now by reason of her +wisdom in leechcraft, or somewhat more. And now I tell thee again, +that the beforesaid Maid must needs do my will; for if I be the deep +sea, and I deem not so ill of myself, that other one is the devil; +as belike thou shalt find out for thyself later on. Yea, all is +well with me, and more than well." + +And therewith he swung merrily into the litten hall. But Walter +went out into the moonlit night, and wandered about for an hour or +more, and stole warily into the hall and thence into his own +chamber. There he did off that royal array, and did his own raiment +upon him; he girt him with sword and knife, took his bow and quiver, +and stole down and out again, even as he had come in. Then he +fetched a compass, and came down into the hazel-coppice from the +north, and lay hidden there while the night wore, till he deemed it +would lack but little of midnight. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: WALTER AND THE MAID FLEE FROM THE GOLDEN HOUSE + + + +There he abode amidst the hazels, hearkening every littlest sound; +and the sounds were nought but the night voices of the wood, till +suddenly there burst forth from the house a great wailing cry. +Walter's heart came up into his mouth, but he had no time to do +aught, for following hard on the cry came the sound of light feet +close to him, the boughs were thrust aside, and there was come the +Maid, and she but in her white coat, and barefoot. And then first +he felt the sweetness of her flesh on his, for she caught him by the +hand and said breathlessly: "Now, now! there may yet be time, or +even too much, it may be. For the saving of breath ask me no +questions, but come!" + +He dallied not, but went as she led, and they were lightfoot, both +of them. + +They went the same way, due south to wit, whereby he had gone a- +hunting with the Lady; and whiles they ran and whiles they walked; +but so fast they went, that by grey of the dawn they were come as +far as that coppice or thicket of the Lion; and still they hastened +onward, and but little had the Maid spoken, save here and there a +word to hearten up Walter, and here and there a shy word of +endearment. At last the dawn grew into early day, and as they came +over the brow of a bent, they looked down over a plain land whereas +the trees grew scatter-meal, and beyond the plain rose up the land +into long green hills, and over those again were blue mountains +great and far away. + +Then spake the Maid: "Over yonder lie the outlying mountains of the +Bears, and through them we needs must pass, to our great peril. +Nay, friend," she said, as he handled his sword-hilt, "it must be +patience and wisdom to bring us through, and not the fallow blade of +one man, though he be a good one. But look! below there runs a +stream through the first of the plain, and I see nought for it but +we must now rest our bodies. Moreover I have a tale to tell thee +which is burning my heart; for maybe there will be a pardon to ask +of thee moreover; wherefore I fear thee." + +Quoth Walter: "How may that be?" + +She answered him not, but took his hand and led him down the bent. +But he said: "Thou sayest, rest; but are we now out of all peril of +the chase?" + +She said: "I cannot tell till I know what hath befallen her. If +she be not to hand to set on her trackers, they will scarce happen +on us now; if it be not for that one." + +And she shuddered, and he felt her hand change as he held it. + +Then she said: "But peril or no peril, needs must we rest; for I +tell thee again, what I have to say to thee burneth my bosom for +fear of thee, so that I can go no further until I have told thee." + +Then he said: "I wot not of this Queen and her mightiness and her +servants. I will ask thereof later. But besides the others, is +there not the King's Son, he who loves thee so unworthily?" + +She paled somewhat, and said: "As for him, there had been nought +for thee to fear in him, save his treason: but now shall he neither +love nor hate any more; he died last midnight." + +"Yea, and how?" said Walter. + +"Nay," she said, "let me tell my tale all together once for all, +lest thou blame me overmuch. But first we will wash us and comfort +us as best we may, and then amidst our resting shall the word be +said." + +By then were they come down to the stream-side, which ran fair in +pools and stickles amidst rocks and sandy banks. She said: "There +behind the great grey rock is my bath, friend; and here is thine; +and lo! the uprising of the sun!" + +So she went her ways to the said rock, and he bathed him, and washed +the night off him, and by then he was clad again she came back fresh +and sweet from the water, and with her lap full of cherries from a +wilding which overhung her bath. So they sat down together on the +green grass above the sand, and ate the breakfast of the wilderness: +and Walter was full of content as he watched her, and beheld her +sweetness and her loveliness; yet were they, either of them, +somewhat shy and shamefaced each with the other; so that he did but +kiss her hands once and again, and though she shrank not from him, +yet had she no boldness to cast herself into his arms. + + + +CHAPTER XXII: OF THE DWARF AND THE PARDON + + + +Now she began to say: "My friend, now shall I tell thee what I have +done for thee and me; and if thou have a mind to blame me, and +punish me, yet remember first, that what I have done has been for +thee and our hope of happy life. Well, I shall tell thee--" + +But therewithal her speech failed her; and, springing up, she faced +the bent and pointed with her finger, and she all deadly pale, and +shaking so that she might scarce stand, and might speak no word, +though a feeble gibbering came from her mouth. + +Walter leapt up and put his arm about her, and looked whitherward +she pointed, and at first saw nought; and then nought but a brown +and yellow rock rolling down the bent: and then at last he saw that +it was the Evil Thing which had met him when first he came into that +land; and now it stood upright, and he could see that it was clad in +a coat of yellow samite. + +Then Walter stooped down and gat his bow into his hand, and stood +before the Maid, while he nocked an arrow. But the monster made +ready his tackle while Walter was stooping down, and or ever he +could loose, his bow-string twanged, and an arrow flew forth and +grazed the Maid's arm above the elbow, so that the blood ran, and +the Dwarf gave forth a harsh and horrible cry. Then flew Walter's +shaft, and true was it aimed, so that it smote the monster full on +the breast, but fell down from him as if he were made of stone. +Then the creature set up his horrible cry again, and loosed withal, +and Walter deemed that he had smitten the Maid, for she fell down in +a heap behind him. Then waxed Walter wood-wroth, and cast down his +bow and drew his sword, and strode forward towards the bent against +the Dwarf. But he roared out again, and there were words in his +roar, and he said "Fool! thou shalt go free if thou wilt give up the +Enemy." + +"And who," said Walter, "is the Enemy?" + +Yelled the Dwarf: "She, the pink and white thing lying there; she +is not dead yet; she is but dying for fear of me. Yea, she hath +reason! I could have set the shaft in her heart as easily as +scratching her arm; but I need her body alive, that I may wreak me +on her." + +"What wilt thou do with her?" said Walter; for now he had heard that +the Maid was not slain he had waxed wary again, and stood watching +his chance. + +The Dwarf yelled so at his last word, that no word came from the +noise a while, and then he said: "What will I with her? Let me at +her, and stand by and look on, and then shalt thou have a strange +tale to carry off with thee. For I will let thee go this while." + +Said Walter: "But what need to wreak thee? What hath she done to +thee?" + +"What need! what need!" roared the Dwarf; "have I not told thee that +she is the Enemy? And thou askest of what she hath done! of what! +Fool, she is the murderer! she hath slain the Lady that was our +Lady, and that made us; she whom all we worshipped and adored. O +impudent fool!" + +Therewith he nocked and loosed another arrow, which would have +smitten Walter in the face, but that he lowered his head in the very +nick of time; then with a great shout he rushed up the bent, and was +on the Dwarf before he could get his sword out, and leaping aloft +dealt the creature a stroke amidmost of the crown; and so mightily +be smote, that he drave the heavy sword right through to the teeth, +so that he fell dead straightway. + +Walter stood over him a minute, and when be saw that he moved not, +he went slowly down to the stream, whereby the Maid yet lay cowering +down and quivering all over, and covering her face with her hands. +Then he took her by the wrist and said: "Up, Maiden, up! and tell +me this tale of the slaying." + +But she shrunk away from him, and looked at him with wild eyes, and +said: "What hast thou done with him? Is he gone?" + +"He is dead," said Walter; "I have slain him; there lies he with +cloven skull on the bent-side: unless, forsooth, he vanish away +like the lion I slew! or else, perchance, he will come to life +again! And art thou a lie like to the rest of them? let me hear of +this slaying." + +She rose up, and stood before him trembling, and said: "O, thou art +angry with me, and thine anger I cannot bear. Ah, what have I done? +Thou hast slain one, and I, maybe, the other; and never had we +escaped till both these twain were dead. Ah! thou dost not know! +thou dost not know! O me! what shall I do to appease thy wrath!" + +He looked on her, and his heart rose to his mouth at the thought of +sundering from her. Still he looked on her, and her piteous +friendly face melted all his heart; he threw down his sword, and +took her by the shoulders, and kissed her face over and over, and +strained her to him, so that he felt the sweetness of her bosom. +Then he lifted her up like a child, and set her down on the green +grass, and went down to the water, and filled his hat therefrom, and +came back to her; then he gave her to drink, and bathed her face and +her hands, so that the colour came aback to the cheeks and lips of +her: and she smiled on him and kissed his hands, and said: "O now +thou art kind to me." + +"Yea," said he, "and true it is that if thou hast slain, I have done +no less, and if thou hast lied, even so have I; and if thou hast +played the wanton, as I deem not that thou hast, I full surely have +so done. So now thou shalt pardon me, and when thy spirit has come +back to thee, thou shalt tell me thy tale in all friendship, and in +all loving-kindness will I hearken the same." + +Therewith he knelt before her and kissed her feet. But she said: +"Yea, yea; what thou willest, that will I do. But first tell me one +thing. Hast thou buried this horror and hidden him in the earth?" + +He deemed that fear had bewildered her, and that she scarcely yet +knew how things had gone. But he said: "Fair sweet friend, I have +not done it as yet; but now will I go and do it, if it seem good to +thee." + +"Yea," she said, "but first must thou smite off his head, and lie it +by his buttocks when he is in the earth; or evil things will happen +else. This of the burying is no idle matter, I bid thee believe." + +"I doubt it not," said he; "surely such malice as was in this one +will be hard to slay." And he picked up his sword, and turned to go +to the field of deed. + +She said: "I must needs go with thee; terror hath so filled my +soul, that I durst not abide here without thee." + +So they went both together to where the creature lay. The Maid +durst not look on the dead monster, but Walter noted that he was +girt with a big ungainly sax; so he drew it from the sheath, and +there smote off the hideous head of the fiend with his own weapon. +Then they twain together laboured the earth, she with Walter's +sword, he with the ugly sax, till they had made a grave deep and +wide enough; and therein they thrust the creature, and covered him +up, weapons and all together. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII: OF THE PEACEFUL ENDING OF THAT WILD DAY + + + +Thereafter Walter led the Maid down again, and said to her: "Now, +sweetling, shall the story be told." + +"Nay, friend," she said, "not here. This place hath been polluted +by my craven fear, and the horror of the vile wretch, of whom no +words may tell his vileness. Let us hence and onward. Thou seest I +have once more come to life again." + +"But," said he, "thou hast been hurt by the Dwarf's arrow." + +She laughed, and said: "Had I never had greater hurt from them than +that, little had been the tale thereof: yet whereas thou lookest +dolorous about it, we will speedily heal it." + +Therewith she sought about, and found nigh the stream-side certain +herbs; and she spake words over them, and bade Walter lay them on +the wound, which, forsooth, was of the least, and he did so, and +bound a strip of his shirt about her arm; and then would she set +forth. But he said: "Thou art all unshod; and but if that be seen +to, our journey shall be stayed by thy foot-soreness: I may make a +shift to fashion thee brogues." + +She said: "I may well go barefoot. And in any case, I entreat thee +that we tarry here no longer, but go away hence, if it be but for a +mile." + +And she looked piteously on him, so that he might not gainsay her. + +So then they crossed the stream, and set forward, when amidst all +these haps the day was worn to midmorning. But after they had gone +a mile, they sat them down on a knoll under the shadow of a big +thorn-tree, within sight of the mountains. Then said Walter: "Now +will I cut thee the brogues from the skirt of my buff-coat, which +shall be well meet for such work; and meanwhile shalt thou tell me +thy tale." + +"Thou art kind," she said; "but be kinder yet, and abide my tale +till we have done our day's work. For we were best to make no long +delay here; because, though thou hast slain the King-dwarf, yet +there be others of his kindred, who swarm in some parts of the wood +as the rabbits in a warren. Now true it is that they have but +little understanding, less, it may be, than the very brute beasts; +and that, as I said afore, unless they be set on our slot like to +hounds, they shall have no inkling of where to seek us, yet might +they happen upon us by mere misadventure. And moreover, friend," +quoth she, blushing, "I would beg of thee some little respite; for +though I scarce fear thy wrath any more, since thou hast been so +kind to me, yet is there shame in that which I have to tell thee. +Wherefore, since the fairest of the day is before us, let us use it +all we may, and, when thou hast done me my new foot-gear, get us +gone forward again." + +He kissed her kindly and yea-said her asking: he had already fallen +to work on the leather, and in a while had fashioned her the +brogues; so she tied them to her feet, and arose with a smile and +said: "Now am I hale and strong again, what with the rest, and what +with thy loving-kindness, and thou shalt see how nimble I shall be +to leave this land, for as fair as it is. Since forsooth a land of +lies it is, and of grief to the children of Adam." + +So they went their ways thence, and fared nimbly indeed, and made no +stay till some three hours after noon, when they rested by a +thicket-side, where the strawberries grew plenty; they ate thereof +what they would: and from a great oak hard by Walter shot him first +one culver, and then another, and hung them to his girdle to be for +their evening's meal; sithence they went forward again, and nought +befell them to tell of, till they were come, whenas it lacked scarce +an hour of sunset, to the banks of another river, not right great, +but bigger than the last one. There the Maid cast herself down and +said: "Friend, no further will thy friend go this even; nay, to say +sooth, she cannot. So now we will eat of thy venison, and then +shall my tale be, since I may no longer delay it; and thereafter +shall our slumber be sweet and safe as I deem." + +She spake merrily now, and as one who feared nothing, and Walter was +much heartened by her words and her voice, and he fell to and made a +fire, and a woodland oven in the earth, and sithence dighted his +fowl, and baked them after the manner of wood-men. And they ate, +both of them, in all love, and in good-liking of life, and were much +strengthened by their supper. And when they were done, Walter eked +his fire, both against the chill of the midnight and dawning, and +for a guard against wild beasts, and by that time night was come, +and the moon arisen. Then the Maiden drew up to the fire, and +turned to Walter and spake. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV: THE MAID TELLS OF WHAT HAD BEFALLEN HER + + + +"Now, friend, by the clear of the moon and this firelight will I +tell what I may and can of my tale. Thus it is: If I be wholly of +the race of Adam I wot not nor can I tell thee how many years old I +may be. For there are, as it were, shards or gaps in my life, +wherein are but a few things dimly remembered, and doubtless many +things forgotten. I remember well when I was a little child, and +right happy, and there were people about me whom I loved, and who +loved me. It was not in this land; but all things were lovely +there; the year's beginning, the happy mid-year, the year's waning, +the year's ending, and then again its beginning. That passed away, +and then for a while is more than dimness, for nought I remember +save that I was. Thereafter I remember again, and am a young +maiden, and I know some things, and long to know more. I am nowise +happy; I am amongst people who bid me go, and I go; and do this, and +I do it: none loveth me, none tormenteth me; but I wear my heart in +longing for I scarce know what. Neither then am I in this land, but +in a land that I love not, and a house that is big and stately, but +nought lovely. Then is a dim time again, and sithence a time not +right clear; an evil time, wherein I am older, wellnigh grown to +womanhood. There are a many folk about me, and they foul, and +greedy, and hard; and my spirit is fierce, and my body feeble; and I +am set to tasks that I would not do, by them that are unwiser than +I; and smitten I am by them that are less valiant than I; and I know +lack, and stripes, and divers misery. But all that is now become +but a dim picture to me, save that amongst all these unfriends is a +friend to me; an old woman, who telleth me sweet tales of other +life, wherein all is high and goodly, or at the least valiant and +doughty, and she setteth hope in my heart and learneth me, and +maketh me to know much . . . O much . . . so that at last I am grown +wise, and wise to be mighty if I durst. Yet am I nought in this +land all this while, but, as meseemeth, in a great and a foul city." + +"And then, as it were, I fall asleep; and in my sleep is nought, +save here and there a wild dream, somedeal lovely, somedeal hideous: +but of this dream is my Mistress a part, and the monster, withal, +whose head thou didst cleave to-day. But when I am awaken from it, +then am I verily in this land, and myself, as thou seest me to-day. +And the first part of my life here is this, that I am in the +pillared ball yonder, half-clad and with bound hands; and the Dwarf +leadeth me to the Lady, and I hear his horrible croak as he sayeth: +'Lady, will this one do?' and then the sweet voice of the Lady +saying: 'This one will do; thou shalt have thy reward: now, set +thou the token upon her.' Then I remember the Dwarf dragging me +away, and my heart sinking for fear of him: but for that time he +did me no more harm than the rivetting upon my leg this iron ring +which here thou seest." + +"So from that time forward I have lived in this land, and been the +thrall of the Lady; and I remember my life here day by day, and no +part of it has fallen into the dimness of dreams. Thereof will I +tell thee but little: but this I will tell thee, that in spite of +my past dreams, or it may be because of them, I had not lost the +wisdom which the old woman had erst learned me, and for more wisdom +I longed. Maybe this longing shall now make both thee and me happy, +but for the passing time it brought me grief. For at first my +Mistress was indeed wayward with me, but as any great lady might be +with her bought thrall, whiles caressing me, and whiles chastising +me, as her mood went; but she seemed not to be cruel of malice, or +with any set purpose. But so it was (rather little by little than +by any great sudden uncovering of my intent), that she came to know +that I also had some of the wisdom whereby she lived her queenly +life. That was about two years after I was first her thrall, and +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 +flashing into my mind how I might destroy my enemy. Therefore I +made the Dwarf my messenger to her, by bidding thee to my bed in +such wise that he might hear it. And wot thou well, that he +speedily carried her the tidings. Meanwhile I hastened to lie to +the King's Son, and all privily bade him come to me and not thee. +And thereafter, by dint of waiting and watching, and taking the only +chance that there was, I met thee as thou camest back from fetching +the skin of the lion that never was, and gave thee that warning, or +else had we been undone indeed." + +Said Walter: "Was the lion of her making or of thine then?" + +She said: "Of hers: why should I deal with such a matter?" + +"Yea," said Walter, "but she verily swooned, and she was verily +wroth with the Enemy." + +The Maid smiled, and said: "If her lie was not like very sooth, +then had she not been the crafts-master that I knew her: one may +lie otherwise than with the tongue alone: yet indeed her wrath +against the Enemy was nought feigned; for the Enemy was even I, and +in these latter days never did her wrath leave me. But to go on +with my tale." + +"Now doubt thou not, that, when thou camest into the hall yester +eve, the Mistress knew of thy counterfeit tryst with me, and meant +nought but death for thee; yet first would she have thee in her arms +again, therefore did she make much of thee at table (and that was +partly for my torment also), and therefore did she make that tryst +with thee, and deemed doubtless that thou wouldst not dare to forgo +it, even if thou shouldst go to me thereafter." + +"Now I had trained that dastard to me as I have told thee, but I +gave him a sleepy draught, so that when I came to the bed he might +not move toward me nor open his eyes: but I lay down beside him, so +that the Lady might know that my body had been there; for well had +she wotted if it had not. Then as there I lay I cast over him thy +shape, so that none might have known but that thou wert lying by my +side, and there, trembling, I abode what should befall. Thus I +passed through the hour whenas thou shouldest have been at her +chamber, and the time of my tryst with thee was come as the Mistress +would be deeming; so that I looked for her speedily, and my heart +well-nigh failed me for fear of her cruelty." + +"Presently then I heard a stirring in her chamber, and I slipped +from out the bed, and hid me behind the hangings, and was like to +die for fear of her; and lo, presently she came stealing in softly, +holding a lamp in one hand and a knife in the other. And I tell +thee of a sooth that I also had a sharp knife in my hand to defend +my life if need were. She held the lamp up above her head before +she drew near to the bed-side, and I heard her mutter: 'She is not +there then! but she shall be taken.' Then she went up to the bed +and stooped over it, and laid her hand on the place where I had +lain; and therewith her eyes turned to that false image of thee +lying there, and she fell a-trembling and shaking, and the lamp fell +to the ground and was quenched (but there was bright moonlight in +the room, and still I could see what betid). But she uttered a +noise like the low roar of a wild beast, and I saw her arm and hand +rise up, and the flashing of the steel beneath the hand, and then +down came the hand and the steel, and I went nigh to swooning lest +perchance I had wrought over well, and thine image were thy very +self. The dastard died without a groan: why should I lament him? +I cannot. But the Lady drew him toward her, and snatched the +clothes from off his shoulders and breast, and fell a-gibbering +sounds mostly without meaning, but broken here and there with words. +Then I heard her say: 'I shall forget; I shall forget; and the new +days shall come.' Then was there silence of her a little, and +thereafter she cried out in a terrible voice: 'O no, no, no! I +cannot forget; I cannot forget;' and she raised a great wailing cry +that filled all the night with horror (didst thou not hear it?), and +caught up the knife from the bed and thrust it into her breast, and +fell down a dead heap over the bed and on to the man whom she had +slain. And then I thought of thee, and joy smote across my terror; +how shall I gainsay it? And I fled away to thee, and I took thine +hands in mine, thy dear hands, and we fled away together. Shall we +be still together?" + +He spoke slowly, and touched her not, and she, forbearing all +sobbing and weeping, sat looking wistfully on him. He said: "I +think thou hast told me all; and whether thy guile slew her, or her +own evil heart, she was slain last night who lay in mine arms the +night before. It was ill, and ill done of me, for I loved not her, +but thee, and I wished for her death that I might be with thee. +Thou wottest this, and still thou lovest me, it may be +overweeningly. What have I to say then? If there be any guilt of +guile, I also was in the guile; and if there be any guilt of murder, +I also was in the murder. Thus we say to each other; and to God and +his Hallows we say: 'We two have conspired to slay the woman who +tormented one of us, and would have slain the other; and if we have +done amiss therein, then shall we two together pay the penalty; for +in this have we done as one body and one soul.'" + +Therewith he put his arms about her and kissed her, but soberly and +friendly, as if he would comfort her. And thereafter he said to +her: "Maybe to-morrow, in the sunlight, I will ask thee of this +woman, what she verily was; but now let her be. And thou, thou art +over-wearied, and I bid thee sleep." + +So he went about and gathered of bracken a great heap for her bed, +and did his coat thereover, and led her thereto, and she lay down +meekly, and smiled and crossed her arms over her bosom, and +presently fell asleep. But as for him, he watched by the fire-side +till dawn began to glimmer, and then he also laid him down and +slept. + + + +CHAPTER XXV: OF THE TRIUMPHANT SUMMER ARRAY OF THE MAID + + + +When the day was bright Walter arose, and met the Maid coming from +the river-bank, fresh and rosy from the water. She paled a little +when they met face to face, and she shrank from him shyly. But he +took her hand and kissed her frankly; and the two were glad, and had +no need to tell each other of their joy, though much else they +deemed they had to say, could they have found words thereto. + +So they came to their fire and sat down, and fell to breakfast; and +ere they were done, the Maid said: "My Master, thou seest we be +come nigh unto the hill-country, and to-day about sunset, belike, we +shall come into the Land of the Bear-folk; and both it is, that +there is peril if we fall into their hands, and that we may scarce +escape them. Yet I deem that we may deal with the peril by wisdom." + +"What is the peril?" said Walter; "I mean, what is the worst of it?" + +Said the Maid: "To be offered up in sacrifice to their God." + +"But if we escape death at their hands, what then?" said Walter. + +"One of two things," said she; "the first that they shall take us +into their tribe." + +"And will they sunder us in that case?" said Walter. + +"Nay," said she. + +Walter laughed and said: "Therein is little harm then. But what is +the other chance?" + +Said she: "That we leave them with their goodwill, and come back to +one of the lands of Christendom." + +Said Walter: "I am not all so sure that this is the better of the +two choices, though, forsooth, thou seemest to think so. But tell +me now, what like is their God, that they should offer up new-comers +to him?" + +"Their God is a woman," she said, "and the Mother of their nation +and tribes (or so they deem) before the days when they had +chieftains and Lords of Battle." + +"That will be long ago," said he; "how then may she be living now?" + +Said the Maid: "Doubtless that woman of yore agone is dead this +many and many a year; but they take to them still a new woman, one +after other, as they may happen on them, to be in the stead of the +Ancient Mother. And to tell thee the very truth right out, she that +lieth dead in the Pillared Hall was even the last of these; and now, +if they knew it, they lack a God. This shall we tell them." + +"Yea, yea!" said Walter, "a goodly welcome shall we have of them +then, if we come amongst them with our hands red with the blood of +their God!" + +She smiled on him and said: "If I come amongst them with the +tidings that I have slain her, and they trow therein, without doubt +they shall make me Lady and Goddess in her stead." + +"This is a strange word," said Walter "but if so they do, how shall +that further us in reaching the kindreds of the world, and the folk +of Holy Church?" + +She laughed outright, so joyous was she grown, now that she knew +that his life was yet to be a part of hers. "Sweetheart," she said, +"now I see that thou desirest wholly what I desire; yet in any case, +abiding with them would be living and not dying, even as thou hadst +it e'en now. But, forsooth, they will not hinder our departure if +they deem me their God; they do not look for it, nor desire it, that +their God should dwell with them daily. Have no fear." Then she +laughed again, and said: "What! thou lookest on me and deemest me +to be but a sorry image of a goddess; and me with my scanty coat and +bare arms and naked feet! But wait! I know well how to array me +when the time cometh. Thou shalt see it! And now, my Master, were +it not meet that we took to the road?" + +So they arose, and found a ford of the river that took the Maid but +to the knee, and so set forth up the greensward of the slopes +whereas there were but few trees; so went they faring toward the +hill-country. + +At the last they were come to the feet of the very hills, and in the +hollows betwixt the buttresses of them grew nut and berry trees, and +the greensward round about them was both thick and much flowery. +There they stayed them and dined, whereas Walter had shot a hare by +the way, and they had found a bubbling spring under a grey stone in +a bight of the coppice, wherein now the birds were singing their +best. + +When they had eaten and had rested somewhat, the Maid arose and +said: "Now shall the Queen array herself, and seem like a very +goddess." + +Then she fell to work, while Walter looked on; and she made a +garland for her head of eglantine where the roses were the fairest; +and with mingled flowers of the summer she wreathed her middle +about, and let the garland of them hang down to below her knees; and +knots of the flowers she made fast to the skirts of her coat, and +did them for arm-rings about her arms, and for anklets and sandals +for her feet. Then she set a garland about Walter's head, and then +stood a little off from him and set her feet together, and lifted up +her arms, and said: "Lo now! am I not as like to the Mother of +Summer as if I were clad in silk and gold? and even so shall I be +deemed by the folk of the Bear. Come now, thou shalt see how all +shall be well." + +She laughed joyously; but he might scarce laugh for pity of his +love. Then they set forth again, and began to climb the hills, and +the hours wore as they went in sweet converse; till at last Walter +looked on the Maid, and smiled on her, and said: "One thing I would +say to thee, lovely friend, to wit: wert thou clad in silk and +gold, thy stately raiment might well suffer a few stains, or here +and there a rent maybe; but stately would it be still when the folk +of the Bear should come up against thee. But as to this flowery +array of thine, in a few hours it shall be all faded and nought. +Nay, even now, as I look on thee, the meadow-sweet that hangeth from +thy girdle-stead has waxen dull, and welted; and the blossoming +eyebright that is for a hem to the little white coat of thee is +already forgetting how to be bright and blue. What sayest thou +then?" + +She laughed at his word, and stood still, and looked back over her +shoulder, while with her fingers she dealt with the flowers about +her side like to a bird preening his feathers. Then she said: "Is +it verily so as thou sayest? Look again!" + +So he looked, and wondered; for lo! beneath his eyes the spires of +the meadow-sweet grew crisp and clear again, the eyebright blossoms +shone once more over the whiteness of her legs; the eglantine roses +opened, and all was as fresh and bright as if it were still growing +on its own roots. + +He wondered, and was even somedeal aghast; but she said: "Dear +friend, be not troubled! did I not tell thee that I am wise in +hidden lore? But in my wisdom shall be no longer any scathe to any +man. And again, this my wisdom, as I told thee erst, shall end on +the day whereon I am made all happy. And it is thou that shall +wield it all, my Master. Yet must my wisdom needs endure for a +little season yet. Let us on then, boldly and happily." + + + +CHAPTER XXVI: THEY COME TO THE FOLK OF THE BEARS + + + +On they went, and before long they were come up on to the down- +country, where was scarce a tree, save gnarled and knotty thorn- +bushes here and there, but nought else higher than the whin. And +here on these upper lands they saw that the pastures were much +burned with the drought, albeit summer was not worn old. Now they +went making due south toward the mountains, whose heads they saw +from time to time rising deep blue over the bleak greyness of the +down-land ridges. And so they went, till at last, hard on sunset, +after they had climbed long over a high bent, they came to the brow +thereof, and, looking down, beheld new tidings. + +There was a wide valley below them, greener than the downs which +they had come over, and greener yet amidmost, from the watering of a +stream which, all beset with willows, wound about the bottom. Sheep +and neat were pasturing about the dale, and moreover a long line of +smoke was going up straight into the windless heavens from the midst +of a ring of little round houses built of turfs, and thatched with +reed. And beyond that, toward an eastward-lying bight of the dale, +they could see what looked like to a doom-ring of big stones, though +there were no rocky places in that land. About the cooking-fire +amidst of the houses, and here and there otherwhere, they saw, +standing or going to and fro, huge figures of men and women, with +children playing about betwixt them. + +They stood and gazed down at it for a minute or two, and though all +were at peace there, yet to Walter, at least, it seemed strange and +awful. He spake softly, as though he would not have his voice reach +those men, though they were, forsooth, out of earshot of anything +save a shout: "Are these then the children of the Bear? What shall +we do now?" + +She said: "Yea, of the Bear they be, though there be other folks of +them far and far away to the northward and eastward, near to the +borders of the sea. And as to what we shall do, let us go down at +once, and peacefully. Indeed, by now there will be no escape from +them; for lo you! they have seen us." + +Forsooth, some three or four of the big men had turned them toward +the bent whereon stood the twain, and were hailing them in huge, +rough voices, wherein, howsoever, seemed to be no anger or threat. +So the Maid took Walter by the hand, and thus they went down +quietly, and the Bear-folk, seeing them, stood all together, facing +them, to abide their coming. Walter saw of them, that though they +were very tall and bigly made, they were not so far above the +stature of men as to be marvels. The carles were long-haired, and +shaggy of beard, and their hair all red or tawny; their skins, where +their naked flesh showed, were burned brown with sun and weather, +but to a fair and pleasant brown, nought like to blackamoors. The +queans were comely and well-eyed; nor was there anything of fierce +or evil-looking about either the carles or the queans, but somewhat +grave and solemn of aspect were they. Clad were they all, saving +the young men-children, but somewhat scantily, and in nought save +sheep-skins or deer-skins. + +For weapons they saw amongst them clubs, and spears headed with bone +or flint, and ugly axes of big flints set in wooden handles; nor was +there, as far as they could see, either now or afterward, any bow +amongst them. But some of the young men seemed to have slings done +about their shoulders. + +Now when they were come but three fathom from them, the Maid lifted +up her voice, and spake clearly and sweetly: "Hail, ye folk of the +Bears! we have come amongst you, and that for your good and not for +your hurt: wherefore we would know if we be welcome." + +There was an old man who stood foremost in the midst, clad in a +mantle of deer-skins worked very goodly, and with a gold ring on his +arm, and a chaplet of blue stones on his head, and he spake: +"Little are ye, but so goodly, that if ye were but bigger, we should +deem that ye were come from the Gods' House. Yet have I heard, that +how mighty soever may the Gods be, and chiefly our God, they be at +whiles nought so bigly made as we of the Bears. How this may be, I +wot not. But if ye be not of the Gods or their kindred, then are ye +mere aliens; and we know not what to do with aliens, save we meet +them in battle, or give them to the God, or save we make them +children of the Bear. But yet again, ye may be messengers of some +folk who would bind friendship and alliance with us: in which case +ye shall at the least depart in peace, and whiles ye are with us +shall be our guests in all good cheer. Now, therefore, we bid you +declare the matter unto us." + +Then spake the Maid: "Father, it were easy for us to declare what +we be unto you here present. But, meseemeth, ye who be gathered +round the fire here this evening are less than the whole tale of the +children of the Bear." + +"So it is, Maiden," said the elder, "that many more children hath +the Bear." + +"This then we bid you," said the Maid, "that ye send the tokens +round and gather your people to you, and when they be assembled in +the Doom-ring, then shall we put our errand before you; and +according to that, shall ye deal with us." + +"Thou hast spoken well," said the elder; "and even so had we bidden +you ourselves. To-morrow, before noon, shall ye stand in the Doom- +ring in this Dale, and speak with the children of the Bear." + +Therewith he turned to his own folk and called out something, +whereof those twain knew not the meaning; and there came to him, one +after another, six young men, unto each of whom he gave a thing from +out his pouch, but what it was Walter might not see, save that it +was little and of small account: to each, also, he spake a word or +two, and straight they set off running, one after the other, turning +toward the bent which was over against that whereby the twain had +come into the Dale, and were soon out of sight in the gathering +dusk. + +Then the elder turned him again to Walter and the Maid, and spake: +"Man and woman, whatsoever ye may be, or whatsoever may abide you +to-morrow, to-night, ye are welcome guests to us; so we bid you come +eat and drink at our fire." + +So they sat all together upon the grass round about the embers of +the fire, and ate curds and cheese, and drank milk in abundance; and +as the night grew on them they quickened the fire, that they might +have light. This wild folk talked merrily amongst themselves, with +laughter enough and friendly jests, but to the new-comers they were +few-spoken, though, as the twain deemed, for no enmity that they +bore them. But this found Walter, that the younger ones, both men +and women, seemed to find it a hard matter to keep their eyes off +them; and seemed, withal, to gaze on them with somewhat of doubt, +or, it might be, of fear. + +So when the night was wearing a little, the elder arose and bade the +twain to come with him, and led them to a small house or booth, +which was amidmost of all, and somewhat bigger than the others, and +he did them to wit that they should rest there that night, and bade +them sleep in peace and without fear till the morrow. So they +entered, and found beds thereon of heather and ling, and they laid +them down sweetly, like brother and sister, when they had kissed +each other. But they noted that four brisk men lay without the +booth, and across the door, with their weapons beside them, so that +they must needs look upon themselves as captives. + +Then Walter might not refrain him, but spake: "Sweet and dear +friend, I have come a long way from the quay at Langton, and the +vision of the Dwarf, the Maid, and the Lady; and for this kiss +wherewith I have kissed thee e'en now, and the kindness of thine +eyes, it was worth the time and the travail. But to-morrow, +meseemeth, I shall go no further in this world, though my journey be +far longer than from Langton hither. And now may God and All +Hallows keep thee amongst this wild folk, whenas I shall be gone +from thee." + +She laughed low and sweetly, and said: "Dear friend, dost thou +speak to me thus mournfully to move me to love thee better? Then is +thy labour lost; for no better may I love thee than now I do; and +that is with mine whole heart. But keep a good courage, I bid thee; +for we be not sundered yet, nor shall we be. Nor do I deem that we +shall die here, or to-morrow; but many years hence, after we have +known all the sweetness of life. Meanwhile, I bid thee good-night, +fair friend!" + + + +CHAPTER XXVII: MORNING AMONGST THE BEARS + + + +So Walter laid him down and fell asleep, and knew no more till he +awoke in bright daylight with the Maid standing over him. She was +fresh from the water, for she had been to the river to bathe her, +and the sun through the open door fell streaming on her feet close +to Walter's pillow. He turned about and cast his arm about them, +and caressed them, while she stood smiling upon him; then he arose +and looked on her, and said: "How thou art fair and bright this +morning! And yet . . . and yet . . . were it not well that thou do +off thee all this faded and drooping bravery of leaves and blossoms, +that maketh thee look like to a jongleur's damsel on a morrow of +May-day?" + +And he gazed ruefully on her. + +She laughed on him merrily, and said: "Yea, and belike these others +think no better of my attire, or not much better; for yonder they +are gathering small wood for the burnt-offering; which, forsooth, +shall be thou and I, unless I better it all by means of the wisdom I +learned of the old woman, and perfected betwixt the stripes of my +Mistress, whom a little while ago thou lovedst somewhat." + +And as she spake her eyes sparkled, her cheek flushed, and her limbs +and her feet seemed as if they could scarce refrain from dancing for +joy. Then Walter knit his brow, and for a moment a thought half- +framed was in his mind: Is it so, that she will bewray me and live +without me? and he cast his eyes on to the ground. But she said: +"Look up, and into mine eyes, friend, and see if there be in them +any falseness toward thee! For I know thy thought; I know thy +thought. Dost thou not see that my joy and gladness is for the love +of thee, and the thought of the rest from trouble that is at hand?" + +He looked up, and his eyes met the eyes of her love, and he would +have cast his arms about her; but she drew aback and said: "Nay, +thou must refrain thee awhile, dear friend, lest these folk cast +eyes on us, and deem us over lover-like for what I am to bid them +deem me. Abide a while, and then shall all be in me according to +thy will. But now I must tell thee that it is not very far from +noon, and that the Bears are streaming into the Dale, and already +there is an host of men at the Doom-ring, and, as I said, the bale +for the burnt-offering is wellnigh dight, whether it be for us, or +for some other creature. And now I have to bid thee this, and it +will be a thing easy for thee to do, to wit, that thou look as if +thou wert of the race of the Gods, and not to blench, or show sign +of blenching, whatever betide: to yea-say both my yea-say and my +nay-say: and lastly this, which is the only hard thing for thee +(but thou hast already done it before somewhat), to look upon me +with no masterful eyes of love, nor as if thou wert at once praying +me and commanding me; rather thou shalt so demean thee as if thou +wert my man all simply, and nowise my master." + +"O friend beloved," said Walter, "here at least art thou the master, +and I will do all thy bidding, in certain hope of this, that either +we shall live together or die together." + +But as they spoke, in came the elder, and with him a young maiden, +bearing with them their breakfast of curds arid cream and +strawberries, and he bade them eat. So they ate, and were not +unmerry; and the while of their eating the elder talked with them +soberly, but not hardly, or with any seeming enmity: and ever his +talk gat on to the drought, which was now burning up the down- +pastures; and how the grass in the watered dales, which was no wide +spread of land, would not hold out much longer unless the God sent +them rain. And Walter noted that those two, the elder and the Maid, +eyed each other curiously amidst of this talk; the elder intent on +what she might say, and if she gave heed to his words; while on her +side the Maid answered his speech graciously and pleasantly, but +said little that was of any import: nor would she have him fix her +eyes, which wandered lightly from this thing to that; nor would her +lips grow stern and stable, but ever smiled in answer to the light +of her eyes, as she sat there with her face as the very face of the +gladness of the summer day. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII: OF THE NEW GOD OF THE BEARS + + + +At last the old man said: "My children, ye shall now come with me +unto the Doom-ring of our folk, the Bears of the Southern Dales, and +deliver to them your errand; and I beseech you to have pity upon +your own bodies, as I have pity on them; on thine especially, +Maiden, so fair and bright a creature as thou art; for so it is, +that if ye deal us out light and lying words after the manner of +dastards, ye shall miss the worship and glory of wending away amidst +of the flames, a gift to the God and a hope to the people, and shall +be passed by the rods of the folk, until ye faint and fail amongst +them, and then shall ye be thrust down into the flow at the Dale's +End, and a stone-laden hurdle cast upon you, that we may thenceforth +forget your folly." + +The Maid now looked full into his eyes, and Walter deemed that the +old man shrank before her; but she said: "Thou art old and wise, O +great man of the Bears, yet nought I need to learn of thee. Now +lead us on our way to the Stead of the Errands." + +So the elder brought them along to the Doom-ring at the eastern end +of the Dale; and it was now all peopled with those huge men, +weaponed after their fashion, and standing up, so that the grey +stones thereof but showed a little over their heads. But amidmost +of the said Ring was a big stone, fashioned as a chair, whereon sat +a very old man, long-hoary and white-bearded, and on either side of +him stood a great-limbed woman clad in war-gear, holding, each of +them, a long spear, and with a flint-bladed knife in the girdle; and +there were no other women in all the Mote. + +Then the elder led those twain into the midst of the Mote, and there +bade them go up on to a wide, flat-topped stone, six feet above the +ground, just over against the ancient chieftain; and they mounted it +by a rough stair, and stood there before that folk; Walter in his +array of the outward world, which had been fair enough, of crimson +cloth and silk, and white linen, but was now travel-stained and +worn; and the Maid with nought upon her, save the smock wherein she +had fled from the Golden House of the Wood beyond the World, decked +with the faded flowers which she had wreathed about her yesterday. +Nevertheless, so it was, that those big men eyed her intently, and +with somewhat of worship. + +Now did Walter, according to her bidding, sink down on his knees +beside her, and drawing his sword, hold it before him, as if to keep +all interlopers aloof from the Maid. And there was silence in the +Mote, and all eyes were fixed on those twain. + +At last the old chief arose and spake: "Ye men, here are come a man +and a woman, we know not whence; whereas they have given word to our +folk who first met them, that they would tell their errand to none +save the Mote of the People; which it was their due to do, if they +were minded to risk it. For either they be aliens without an errand +hither, save, it may be, to beguile us, in which case they shall +presently die an evil death; or they have come amongst us that we +may give them to the God with flint-edge and fire; or they have a +message to us from some folk or other, on the issue of which lieth +life or death. Now shall ye hear what they have to say concerning +themselves and their faring hither. But, meseemeth, it shall be the +woman who is the chief and hath the word in her mouth; for, lo you! +the man kneeleth at her feet, as one who would serve and worship +her. Speak out then, woman, and let our warriors hear thee." + +Then the Maid lifted up her voice, and spake out clear and +shrilling, like to a flute of the best of the minstrels: "Ye men of +the Children of the Bear, I would ask you a question, and let the +chieftain who sitteth before me answer it." + +The old man nodded his head, and she went on: "Tell me, Children of +the Bear, how long a time is worn since ye saw the God of your +worship made manifest in the body of a woman!" + +Said the elder: "Many winters have worn since my father's father +was a child, and saw the very God in the bodily form of a woman." + +Then she said again: "Did ye rejoice at her coming, and would ye +rejoice if once more she came amongst you?" + +"Yea," said the old chieftain, "for she gave us gifts, and learned +us lore, and came to us in no terrible shape, but as a young woman +as goodly as thou." + +Then said the Maid: "Now, then, is the day of your gladness come; +for the old body is dead, and I am the new body of your God, come +amongst you for your welfare." + +Then fell a great silence on the Mote, till the old man spake and +said: "What shall I say and live? For if thou be verily the God, +and I threaten thee, wilt thou not destroy me? But thou hast spoken +a great word with a sweet mouth, and hast taken the burden of blood +on thy lily hands; and if the Children of the Bear be befooled of +light liars, how shall they put the shame off them? Therefore I +say, show to us a token; and if thou be the God, this shall be easy +to thee; and if thou show it not, then is thy falsehood manifest, +and thou shalt dree the weird. For we shall deliver thee into the +hands of these women here, who shall thrust thee down into the flow +which is hereby, after they have wearied themselves with whipping +thee. But thy man that kneeleth at thy feet shall we give to the +true God, and he shall go to her by the road of the flint and the +fire. Hast thou heard? Then give to us the sign and the token." + +She changed countenance no whit at his word; but her eyes were the +brighter, and her cheek the fresher and her feet moved a little, as +if they were growing glad before the dance; and she looked out over +the Mote, and spake in her clear voice: "Old man, thou needest not +to fear for thy words. Forsooth it is not me whom thou threatenest +with stripes and a foul death, but some light fool and liar, who is +not here. Now hearken! I wot well that ye would have somewhat of +me, to wit, that I should send you rain to end this drought, which +otherwise seemeth like to lie long upon you: but this rain, I must +go into the mountains of the south to fetch it you; therefore shall +certain of your warriors bring me on my way, with this my man, up to +the great pass of the said mountains, and we shall set out +thitherward this very day." + +She was silent a while, and all looked on her, but none spake or +moved, so that they seemed as images of stone amongst the stones. + +Then she spake again and said: "Some would say, men of the Bear, +that this were a sign and a token great enough; but I know you, and +how stubborn and perverse of heart ye be; and how that the gift not +yet within your hand is no gift to you; and the wonder ye see not, +your hearts trow not. Therefore look ye upon me as here I stand, I +who have come from the fairer country and the greenwood of the +lands, and see if I bear not the summer with me, and the heart that +maketh increase and the hand that giveth." + +Lo then! as she spake, the faded flowers that hung about her +gathered life and grew fresh again; the woodbine round her neck and +her sleek shoulders knit itself together and embraced her freshly, +and cast its scent about her face. The lilies that girded her loins +lifted up their heads, and the gold of their tassels fell upon her; +the eyebright grew clean blue again upon her smock; the eglantine +found its blooms again, and then began to shed the leaves thereof +upon her feet; the meadow-sweet wreathed amongst it made clear the +sweetness of her legs, and the mouse-ear studded her raiment as with +gems. There she stood amidst of the blossoms, like a great orient +pearl against the fretwork of the goldsmiths, and the breeze that +came up the valley from behind bore the sweetness of her fragrance +all over the Man-mote. + +Then, indeed, the Bears stood up, and shouted and cried, and smote +on their shields, and tossed their spears aloft. Then the elder +rose from his seat, and came up humbly to where she stood, and +prayed her to say what she would have done; while the others drew +about in knots, but durst not come very nigh to her. She answered +the ancient chief, and said, that she would depart presently toward +the mountains, whereby she might send them the rain which they +lacked, and that thence she would away to the southward for a while; +but that they should hear of her, or, it might be, see her, before +they who were now of middle age should be gone to their fathers. + +Then the old man besought her that they might make her a litter of +fragrant green boughs, and so bear her away toward the mountain pass +amidst a triumph of the whole folk. But she leapt lightly down from +the stone, and walked to and fro on the greensward, while it seemed +of her that her feet scarce touched the grass; and she spake to the +ancient chief where he still kneeled in worship of her, and said +"Nay; deemest thou of me that I need bearing by men's hands, or that +I shall tire at all when I am doing my will, and I, the very heart +of the year's increase? So it is, that the going of my feet over +your pastures shall make them to thrive, both this year and the +coming years: surely will I go afoot." + +So they worshipped her the more, and blessed her; and then first of +all they brought meat, the daintiest they might, both for her and +for Walter. But they would not look on the Maid whiles she ate, or +suffer Walter to behold her the while. Afterwards, when they had +eaten, some twenty men, weaponed after their fashion, made them +ready to wend with the Maiden up into the mountains, and anon they +set out thitherward all together. Howbeit, the huge men held them +ever somewhat aloof from the Maid; and when they came to the +resting-place for that night, where was no house, for it was up +amongst the foot-hills before the mountains, then it was a wonder to +see how carefully they built up a sleeping-place for her, and tilted +it over with their skin-cloaks, and how they watched nightlong about +her. But Walter they let sleep peacefully on the grass, a little +way aloof from the watchers round the Maid. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX: WALTER STRAYS IN THE PASS AND IS SUNDERED FROM THE +MAID + + + +Morning came, and they arose and went on their ways, and went all +day till the sun was nigh set, and they were come up into the very +pass; and in the jaws thereof was an earthen howe. There the Maid +bade them stay, and she went up on to the howe, and stood there and +spake to them, and said: "O men of the Bear, I give you thanks for +your following, and I bless you, and promise you the increase of the +earth. But now ye shall turn aback, and leave me to go my ways; and +my man with the iron sword shall follow me. Now, maybe, I shall +come amongst the Bear-folk again before long, and yet again, and +learn them wisdom; but for this time it is enough. And I shall tell +you that ye were best to hasten home straightway to your houses in +the downland dales, for the weather which I have bidden for you is +even now coming forth from the forge of storms in the heart of the +mountains. Now this last word I give you, that times are changed +since I wore the last shape of God that ye have seen, wherefore a +change I command you. If so be aliens come amongst you, I will not +that ye send them to me by the flint and the fire; rather, unless +they be baleful unto you, and worthy of an evil death, ye shall +suffer them to abide with you; ye shall make them become children of +the Bears, if they be goodly enough and worthy, and they shall be my +children as ye be; otherwise, if they be ill-favoured and weakling, +let them live and be thralls to you, but not join with you, man to +woman. Now depart ye with my blessing." + +Therewith she came down from the mound, and went her ways up the +pass so lightly, that it was to Walter, standing amongst the Bears, +as if she had vanished away. But the men of that folk abode +standing and worshipping their God for a little while, and that +while he durst not sunder him from their company. But when they had +blessed him and gone on their way backward, he betook him in haste +to following the Maid, thinking to find her abiding him in some nook +of the pass. + +Howsoever, it was now twilight or more, and, for all his haste, dark +night overtook him, so that perforce he was stayed amidst the tangle +of the mountain ways. And, moreover, ere the night was grown old, +the weather came upon him on the back of a great south wind, so that +the mountain nooks rattled and roared, and there was the rain and +the hail, with thunder and lightning, monstrous and terrible, and +all the huge array of a summer storm. So he was driven at last to +crouch under a big rock and abide the day. + +But not so were his troubles at an end. For under the said rock he +fell asleep, and when he awoke it was day indeed; but as to the +pass, the way thereby was blind with the driving rain and the +lowering lift; so that, though he struggled as well as he might +against the storm and the tangle, he made but little way. + +And now once more the thought came on him, that the Maid was of the +fays, or of some race even mightier; and it came on him now not as +erst, with half fear and whole desire, but with a bitter oppression +of dread, of loss and misery; so that he began to fear that she had +but won his love to leave him and forget him for a new-comer, after +the wont of fay-women, as old tales tell. + +Two days he battled thus with storm and blindness, and wanhope of +his life; for he was growing weak and fordone. But the third +morning the storm abated, though the rain yet fell heavily, and he +could see his way somewhat as well as feel it: withal he found that +now his path was leading him downwards. As it grew dusk, he came +down into a grassy valley with a stream running through it to the +southward, and the rain was now but little, coming down but in +dashes from time to time. So he crept down to the stream-side, and +lay amongst the bushes there; and said to himself, that on the +morrow he would get him victual, so that he might live to seek his +Maiden through the wide world. He was of somewhat better heart: +but now that he was laid quiet, and had no more for that present to +trouble him about the way, the anguish of his loss fell upon him the +keener, and he might not refrain him from lamenting his dear Maiden +aloud, as one who deemed himself in the empty wilderness: and thus +he lamented for her sweetness and her loveliness, and the kindness +of her voice and her speech, and her mirth. Then he fell to crying +out concerning the beauty of her shaping, praising the parts of her +body, as her face, and her hands, and her shoulders, and her feet, +and cursing the evil fate which had sundered him from the +friendliness of her, and the peerless fashion of her. + + + +CHAPTER XXX: NOW THEY MEET AGAIN + + + +Complaining thus-wise, he fell asleep from sheer weariness, and when +he awoke it was broad day, calm and bright and cloudless, with the +scent of the earth refreshed going up into the heavens, and the +birds singing sweetly in the bushes about him: for the dale +whereunto he was now come was a fair and lovely place amidst the +shelving slopes of the mountains, a paradise of the wilderness, and +nought but pleasant and sweet things were to be seen there, now that +the morn was so clear and sunny. + +He arose and looked about him, and saw where, a hundred yards aloof, +was a thicket of small wood, as thorn and elder and whitebeam, all +wreathed about with the bines of wayfaring tree; it hid a bight of +the stream, which turned round about it, and betwixt it and Walter +was the grass short and thick, and sweet, and all beset with +flowers; and he said to himself that it was even such a place as +wherein the angels were leading the Blessed in the great painted +paradise in the choir of the big church at Langton on Holm. But lo! +as he looked he cried aloud for joy, for forth from the thicket on +to the flowery grass came one like to an angel from out of the said +picture, white-clad and bare-foot, sweet of flesh, with bright eyes +and ruddy cheeks; for it was the Maid herself. So he ran to her, +and she abode him, holding forth kind hands to him, and smiling, +while she wept for joy of the meeting. He threw himself upon her, +and spared not to kiss her, her cheeks and her mouth, and her arms +and her shoulders, and wheresoever she would suffer it. Till at +last she drew aback a little, laughing on him for love, and said: +"Forbear now, friend, for it is enough for this time, and tell me +how thou hast sped." + +"Ill, ill," said he. + +"What ails thee?" she said. + +"Hunger," he said, "and longing for thee." + +"Well," she said, "me thou hast; there is one ill quenched; take my +hand, and we will see to the other one." + +So he took her hand, and to hold it seemed to him sweet beyond +measure. But he looked up, and saw a little blue smoke going up +into the air from beyond the thicket; and he laughed, for he was +weak with hunger, and he said: "Who is at the cooking yonder?" + +"Thou shalt see," she said; and led him therewith into the said +thicket and through it, and lo! a fair little grassy place, full of +flowers, betwixt the bushes and the bight of the stream; and on the +little sandy ere, just off the greensward, was a fire of sticks, and +beside it two trouts lying, fat and red-flecked. + +"Here is the breakfast," said she; "when it was time to wash the +night off me e'en now, I went down the strand here into the rippling +shallow, and saw the bank below it, where the water draws together +yonder, and deepens, that it seemed like to hold fish; and whereas I +looked to meet thee presently, I groped the bank for them, going +softly; and lo thou! Help me now, that we cook them." + +So they roasted them on the red embers, and fell to and ate well, +both of them, and drank of the water of the stream out of each +other's hollow hands; and that feast seemed glorious to them, such +gladness went with it. + +But when they were done with their meat, Walter said to the Maid: +"And how didst thou know that thou shouldst see me presently?" + +She said, looking on him wistfully: "This needed no wizardry. I +lay not so far from thee last night, but that I heard thy voice and +knew it." + +Said he, "Why didst thou not come to me then, since thou heardest me +bemoaning thee?" + +She cast her eyes down, and plucked at the flowers and grass, and +said: "It was dear to hear thee praising me; I knew not before that +I was so sore desired, or that thou hadst taken such note of my +body, and found it so dear." + +Then she reddened sorely, and said: "I knew not that aught of me +had such beauty as thou didst bewail." + +And she wept for joy. Then she looked on him and smiled, and said: +"Wilt thou have the very truth of it? I went close up to thee, and +stood there hidden by the bushes and the night. And amidst thy +bewailing, I knew that thou wouldst soon fall asleep, and in sooth I +out-waked thee." + +Then was she silent again; and he spake not, but looked on her +shyly; and she said, reddening yet more: "Furthermore, I must needs +tell thee that I feared to go to thee in the dark night, and my +heart so yearning towards thee." + +And she hung her head adown; but he said: "Is it so indeed, that +thou fearest me? Then doth that make me afraid--afraid of thy nay- +say. For I was going to entreat thee, and say to thee: Beloved, we +have now gone through many troubles; let us now take a good reward +at once, and wed together, here amidst this sweet and pleasant house +of the mountains, ere we go further on our way; if indeed we go +further at all. For where shall we find any place sweeter or +happier than this?" + +But she sprang up to her feet, and stood there trembling before him, +because of her love; and she said: "Beloved, I have deemed that it +were good for us to go seek mankind as they live in the world, and +to live amongst them. And as for me, I will tell thee the sooth, to +wit, that I long for this sorely. For I feel afraid in the +wilderness, and as if I needed help and protection against my +Mistress, though she be dead; and I need the comfort of many people, +and the throngs of the cities. I cannot forget her: it was but +last night that I dreamed (I suppose as the dawn grew a-cold) that I +was yet under her hand, and she was stripping me for the torment; so +that I woke up panting and crying out. I pray thee be not angry +with me for telling thee of my desires; for if thou wouldst not have +it so, then here will I abide with thee as thy mate, and strive to +gather courage." + +He rose up and kissed her face, and said: "Nay, I had in sooth no +mind to abide here for ever; I meant but that we should feast a +while here, and then depart: sooth it is, that if thou dreadest the +wilderness, somewhat I dread the city." + +She turned pale, and said: "Thou shalt have thy will, my friend, if +it must be so. But bethink thee we be not yet at our journey's end, +and may have many things and much strife to endure, before we be at +peace and in welfare. Now shall I tell thee--did I not before?-- +that while I am a maid untouched, my wisdom, and somedeal of might, +abideth with me, and only so long. Therefore I entreat thee, let us +go now, side by side, out of this fair valley, even as we are, so +that my wisdom and might may help thee at need. For, my friend, I +would not that our lives be short, so much of joy as hath now come +into them." + +"Yea, beloved," he said, "let us on straightway then, and shorten +the while that sundereth us." + +"Love," she said, "thou shalt pardon me one time for all. But this +is to be said, that I know somewhat of the haps that lie a little +way ahead of us; partly by my lore, and partly by what I learned of +this land of the wild folk whiles thou wert lying asleep that +morning." + +So they left that pleasant place by the water, and came into the +open valley, and went their ways through the pass; and it soon +became stony again, as they mounted the bent which went up from out +the dale. And when they came to the brow of the said bent, they had +a sight of the open country lying fair and joyous in the sunshine, +and amidst of it, against the blue hills, the walls and towers of a +great city. + +Then said the Maid: "O, dear friend, lo you! is not that our abode +that lieth yonder, and is so beauteous? Dwell not our friends +there, and our protection against uncouth wights, and mere evil +things in guileful shapes? O city, I bid thee hail!" + +But Walter looked on her, and smiled somewhat; and said: "I rejoice +in thy joy. But there be evil things in yonder city also, though +they be not fays nor devils, or it is like to no city that I wot of. +And in every city shall foes grow up to us without rhyme or reason, +and life therein shall be tangled unto us." + +"Yea," she said; "but in the wilderness amongst the devils, what was +to be done by manly might or valiancy? There hadst thou to fall +back upon the guile and wizardry which I had filched from my very +foes. But when we come down yonder, then shall thy valiancy prevail +to cleave the tangle for us. Or at the least, it shall leave a tale +of thee behind, and I shall worship thee." + +He laughed, and his face grew brighter: "Mastery mows the meadow," +quoth he, "and one man is of little might against many. But I +promise thee I shall not be slothful before thee." + + + +CHAPTER XXXI: THEY COME UPON NEW FOLK + + + +With that they went down from the bent again, and came to where the +pass narrowed so much, that they went betwixt a steep wall of rock +on either side; but after an hour's going, the said wall gave back +suddenly, and, or they were ware almost, they came on another dale +like to that which they had left, but not so fair, though it was +grassy and well watered, and not so big either. But here indeed +befell a change to them; for lo! tents and pavilions pitched in the +said valley, and amidst of it a throng of men, mostly weaponed, and +with horses ready saddled at hand. So they stayed their feet, and +Walter's heart failed him, for he said to himself: Who wotteth what +these men may be, save that they be aliens? It is most like that we +shall be taken as thralls; and then, at the best, we shall be +sundered; and that is all one with the worst. + +But the Maid, when she saw the horses, and the gay tents, and the +pennons fluttering, and the glitter of spears, and gleaming of white +armour, smote her palms together for joy, and cried out: "Here now +are come the folk of the city for our welcoming, and fair and lovely +are they, and of many things shall they be thinking, and a many +things shall they do, and we shall be partakers thereof. Come then, +and let us meet them, fair friend!" + +But Walter said: "Alas! thou knowest not: would that we might +flee! But now is it over late; so put we a good face on it, and go +to them quietly, as erewhile we did in the Bear-country." + +So did they; and there sundered six from the men-at-arms and came to +those twain, and made humble obeisance to Walter, but spake no word. +Then they made as they would lead them to the others, and the twain +went with them wondering, and came into the ring of men-at-arms, and +stood before an old hoar knight, armed all, save his head, with most +goodly armour, and he also bowed before Walter, but spake no word. +Then they took them to the master pavilion, and made signs to them +to sit, and they brought them dainty meat and good wine. And the +while of their eating arose up a stir about them; and when they were +done with their meat, the ancient knight came to them, still bowing +in courteous wise, and did them to wit by signs that they should +depart: and when they were without, they saw all the other tents +struck, and men beginning to busy them with striking the pavilion, +and the others mounted and ranked in good order for the road; and +there were two horse-litters before them, wherein they were bidden +to mount, Walter in one, and the Maid in the other, and no otherwise +might they do. Then presently was a horn blown, and all took to the +road together; and Walter saw betwixt the curtains of the litter +that men-at-arms rode on either side of him, albeit they had left +him his sword by his side. + +So they went down the mountain-passes, and before sunset were gotten +into the plain; but they made no stay for nightfall, save to eat a +morsel and drink a draught, going through the night as men who knew +their way well. As they went, Walter wondered what would betide, +and if peradventure they also would be for offering them up to their +Gods; whereas they were aliens for certain, and belike also +Saracens. Moreover there was a cold fear at his heart that he +should be sundered from the Maid, whereas their masters now were +mighty men of war, holding in their hands that which all men desire, +to wit, the manifest beauty of a woman. Yet he strove to think the +best of it that he might. And so at last, when the night was far +spent, and dawn was at hand, they stayed at a great and mighty gate +in a huge wall. There they blew loudly on the horn thrice, and +thereafter the gates were opened, and they all passed through into a +street, which seemed to Walter in the glimmer to be both great and +goodly amongst the abodes of men. Then it was but a little ere they +came into a square, wide-spreading, one side whereof Walter took to +be the front of a most goodly house. There the doors of the court +opened to them or ever the horn might blow, though, forsooth, blow +it did loudly three times; all they entered therein, and men came to +Walter and signed to him to alight. So did he, and would have +tarried to look about for the Maid, but they suffered it not, but +led him up a huge stair into a chamber, very great, and but dimly +lighted because of its greatness. Then they brought him to a bed +dight as fair as might be, and made signs to him to strip and lie +therein. Perforce he did so, and then they bore away his raiment, +and left him lying there. So he lay there quietly, deeming it no +avail for him, a mother-naked man, to seek escape thence; but it was +long ere he might sleep, because of his trouble of mind. At last, +pure weariness got the better of his hopes and fears, and he fell +into slumber just as the dawn was passing into day. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII: OF THE NEW KING OF THE CITY AND LAND OF STARK-WALL + + + +When he awoke again the sun was shining brightly into that chamber, +and he looked, and beheld that it was peerless of beauty and riches, +amongst all that he had ever seen: the ceiling done with gold and +over-sea blue; the walls hung with arras of the fairest, though he +might not tell what was the history done therein. The chairs and +stools were of carven work well be-painted, and amidmost was a great +ivory chair under a cloth of estate, of bawdekin of gold and green, +much be-pearled; and all the floor was of fine work alexandrine. + +He looked on all this, wondering what had befallen him, when lo! +there came folk into the chamber, to wit, two serving-men well- +bedight, and three old men clad in rich gowns of silk. These came +to him and (still by signs, without speech) bade him arise and come +with them; and when he bade them look to it that he was naked, and +laughed doubtfully, they neither laughed in answer, nor offered him +any raiment, but still would have him arise, and he did so perforce. +They brought him with them out of the chamber, and through certain +passages pillared and goodly, till they came to a bath as fair as +any might be; and there the serving-men washed him carefully and +tenderly, the old men looking on the while. When it was done, still +they offered not to clothe him, but led him out, and through the +passages again, back to the chamber. Only this time he must pass +between a double hedge of men, some weaponed, some in peaceful +array, but all clad gloriously, and full chieftain-like of aspect, +either for valiancy or wisdom. + +In the chamber itself was now a concourse of men, of great estate by +deeming of their array; but all these were standing orderly in a +ring about the ivory chair aforesaid. Now said Walter to himself: +Surely all this looks toward the knife and the altar for me; but he +kept a stout countenance despite of all. + +So they led him up to the ivory chair, and he beheld on either side +thereof a bench, and on each was laid a set of raiment from the +shirt upwards; but there was much diversity betwixt these arrays. +For one was all of robes of peace, glorious and be-gemmed, unmeet +for any save a great king; while the other was war-weed, seemly, +well-fashioned, but little adorned; nay rather, worn and bestained +with weather, and the pelting of the spear-storm. + +Now those old men signed to Walter to take which of those raiments +he would, and do it on. He looked to the right and the left, and +when he had looked on the war-gear, the heart arose in him, and he +called to mind the array of the Goldings in the forefront of battle, +and he made one step toward the weapons, and laid his hand thereon. +Then ran a glad murmur through that concourse, and the old men drew +up to him smiling and joyous, and helped him to do them on; and as +he took up the helm, he noted that over its broad brown iron sat a +golden crown. + +So when he was clad and weaponed, girt with a sword, and a steel axe +in his hand, the elders showed him to the ivory throne, and he laid +the axe on the arm of the chair, and drew forth the sword from the +scabbard, and sat him down, and laid the ancient blade across his +knees; then he looked about on those great men, and spake: "How +long shall we speak no word to each other, or is it so that God hath +stricken you dumb?" + +Then all they cried out with one voice: "All hail to the King, the +King of Battle!" + +Spake Walter: "If I be king, will ye do my will as I bid you?" + +Answered the elder: "Nought have we will to do, lord, save as thou +biddest." + +Said Walter: "Thou then, wilt thou answer a question in all truth?" + +"Yea, lord," said the elder, "if I may live afterward." + +Then said Walter: "The woman that came with me into your Camp of +the Mountain, what hath befallen her?" + +The elder answered: "Nought hath befallen her, either of good or +evil, save that she hath slept and eaten and bathed her. What, +then, is the King's pleasure concerning her?" + +"That ye bring her hither to me straightway," said Walter. + +"Yea," said the elder; "and in what guise shall we bring her hither? +shall she be arrayed as a servant, or a great lady?" + +Then Walter pondered a while, and spake at last: "Ask her what is +her will herein, and as she will have it, so let it be. But set ye +another chair beside mine, and lead her thereto. Thou wise old man, +send one or two to bring her in hither, but abide thou, for I have a +question or two to ask of thee yet. And ye, lords, abide here the +coming of my she-fellow, if it weary you not." + +So the elder spake to three of the most honourable of the lords, and +they went their ways to bring in the Maid. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII: CONCERNING THE FASHION OF KING-MAKING IN STARK-WALL + + + +Meanwhile the King spake to the elder, and said: "Now tell me +whereof I am become king, and what is the fashion and cause of the +king-making; for wondrous it is to me, whereas I am but an alien +amidst of mighty men." + +"Lord," said the old man, "thou art become king of a mighty city, +which hath under it many other cities and wide lands, and havens by +the sea-side, and which lacketh no wealth which men desire. Many +wise men dwell therein, and of fools not more than in other lands. +A valiant host shall follow thee to battle when needs must thou wend +afield; an host not to be withstood, save by the ancient God-folk, +if any of them were left upon the earth, as belike none are. And as +to the name of our said city, it hight the City of the Stark-wall, +or more shortly, Stark-wall. Now as to the fashion of our king- +making: If our king dieth and leaveth an heir male, begotten of his +body, then is he king after him; but if he die and leave no heir, +then send we out a great lord, with knights and sergeants, to that +pass of the mountain whereto ye came yesterday; and the first man +that cometh unto them, they take and lead to the city, as they did +with thee, lord. For we believe and trow that of old time our +forefathers came down from the mountains by that same pass, poor and +rude, but full of valiancy, before they conquered these lands, and +builded the Stark-wall. But now furthermore, when we have gotten +the said wanderer, and brought him home to our city, we behold him +mother-naked, all the great men of us, both sages and warriors; then +if we find him ill-fashioned and counterfeit of his body, we roll +him in a great carpet till he dies; or whiles, if he be but a simple +man, and without guile, we deliver him for thrall to some artificer +amongst us, as a shoemaker, a wright, or what not, and so forget +him. But in either case we make as if no such man had come to us, +and we send again the lord and his knights to watch the pass; for we +say that such an one the Fathers of old time have not sent us. But +again, when we have seen to the new-comer that he is well-fashioned +of his body, all is not done; for we deem that never would the +Fathers send us a dolt or a craven to be our king. Therefore we bid +the naked one take to him which he will of these raiments, either +the ancient armour, which now thou bearest, lord, or this golden +raiment here; and if he take the war-gear, as thou takedst it, King, +it is well; but if he take the raiment of peace, then hath he the +choice either to be thrall of some goodman of the city, or to be +proven how wise he may be, and so fare the narrow edge betwixt death +and kingship; for if he fall short of his wisdom, then shall he die +the death. Thus is thy question answered, King, and praise be to +the Fathers that they have sent us one whom none may doubt, either +for wisdom or valiancy." + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV: NOW COMETH THE MAID TO THE KING + + + +Then all they bowed before the King, and he spake again: "What is +that noise that I hear without, as if it were the rising of the sea +on a sandy shore, when the south-west wind is blowing." + +Then the elder opened his mouth to answer; but before he might get +out the word, there was a stir without the chamber door, and the +throng parted, and lo! amidst of them came the Maid, and she yet +clad in nought save the white coat wherewith she had won through the +wilderness, save that on her head was a garland of red roses, and +her middle was wreathed with the same. Fresh and fair she was as +the dawn of June; her face bright, red-lipped, and clear-eyed, and +her cheeks flushed with hope and love. She went straight to Walter +where he sat, and lightly put away with her hand the elder who would +lead her to the ivory throne beside the King; but she knelt down +before him, and laid her hand on his steel-clad knee, and said: "O +my lord, now I see that thou hast beguiled me, and that thou wert +all along a king-born man coming home to thy realm. But so dear +thou hast been to me; and so fair and clear, and so kind withal do +thine eyes shine on me from under the grey war-helm, that I will +beseech thee not to cast me out utterly, but suffer me to be thy +servant and handmaid for a while. Wilt thou not?" + +But the King stooped down to her and raised her up, and stood on his +feet, and took her hands and kissed them, and set her down beside +him, and said to her: "Sweetheart, this is now thy place till the +night cometh, even by my side." + +So she sat down there meek and valiant, her hands laid in her lap, +and her feet one over the other; while the King said: "Lords, this +is my beloved, and my spouse. Now, therefore, if ye will have me +for King, ye must worship this one for Queen and Lady; or else +suffer us both to go our ways in peace." + +Then all they that were in the chamber cried out aloud: "The Queen, +the Lady! The beloved of our lord!" + +And this cry came from their hearts, and not their lips only; for as +they looked on her, and the brightness of her beauty, they saw also +the meekness of her demeanour, and the high heart of her, and they +all fell to loving her. But the young men of them, their cheeks +flushed as they beheld her, and their hearts went out to her, and +they drew their swords and brandished them aloft, and cried out for +her as men made suddenly drunk with love: "The Queen, the Lady, the +lovely one!" + + + +CHAPTER XXXV: OF THE KING OF STARK-WALL AND HIS QUEEN + + + +But while this betid, that murmur without, which is aforesaid, grew +louder; and it smote on the King's ear, and he said again to the +elder: "Tell us now of that noise withoutward, what is it?" + +Said the elder: "If thou, King, and the Queen, wilt but arise and +stand in the window, and go forth into the hanging gallery thereof, +then shall ye know at once what is this rumour, and therewithal +shall ye see a sight meet to rejoice the heart of a king new come +into kingship." + +So the King arose and took the Maid by the hand, and went to the +window and looked forth; and lo! the great square of the place all +thronged with folk as thick as they could stand, and the more part +of the carles with a weapon in hand, and many armed right gallantly. +Then he went out into the gallery with his Queen, still holding her +hand, and his lords and wise men stood behind him. Straightway then +arose a cry, and a shout of joy and welcome that rent the very +heavens, and the great place was all glittering and strange with the +tossing up of spears and the brandishing of swords, and the +stretching forth of hands. + +But the Maid spake softly to King Walter and said: "Here then is +the wilderness left behind a long way, and here is warding and +protection against the foes of our life and soul. O blessed be thou +and thy valiant heart!" + +But Walter spake nothing, but stood as one in a dream; and yet, if +that might be, his longing toward her increased manifold. + +But down below, amidst of the throng, stood two neighbours somewhat +anigh to the window; and quoth one to the other: "See thou! the new +man in the ancient armour of the Battle of the Waters, bearing the +sword that slew the foeman king on the Day of the Doubtful Onset! +Surely this is a sign of good-luck to us all." + +"Yea," said the second, "he beareth his armour well, and the eyes +are bright in the head of him: but hast thou beheld well his she- +fellow, and what the like of her is?" + +"I see her," said the other, "that she is a fair woman; yet somewhat +worse clad than simply. She is in her smock, man, and were it not +for the balusters I deem ye should see her barefoot. What is amiss +with her?" + +"Dost thou not see her," said the second neighbour, "that she is not +only a fair woman, but yet more, one of those lovely ones that draw +the heart out of a man's body, one may scarce say for why? Surely +Stark-wall hath cast a lucky net this time. And as to her raiment, +I see of her that she is clad in white and wreathed with roses, but +that the flesh of her is so wholly pure and sweet that it maketh all +her attire but a part of her body, and halloweth it, so that it hath +the semblance of gems. Alas, my friend! let us hope that this Queen +will fare abroad unseldom amongst the people." + +Thus, then, they spake; but after a while the King and his mate went +back into the chamber, and he gave command that the women of the +Queen should come and fetch her away, to attire her in royal array. +And thither came the fairest of the honourable damsels, and were +fain of being her waiting-women. Therewithal the King was unarmed, +and dight most gloriously, but still he bore the Sword of the King's +Slaying: and sithence were the King and the Queen brought into the +great hall of the palace, and they met on the dais, and kissed +before the lords and other folk that thronged the hall. There they +ate a morsel and drank a cup together while all beheld them; and +then they were brought forth, and a white horse of the goodliest, +well bedight, brought for each of them, and thereon they mounted and +went their ways together, by the lane which the huge throng made for +them, to the great church, for the hallowing and the crowning; and +they were led by one squire alone, and he unarmed; for such was the +custom of Stark-wall when a new king should be hallowed: so came +they to the great church (for that folk was not miscreant, so to +say), and they entered it, they two alone, and went into the choir: +and when they had stood there a little while wondering at their lot, +they heard how the bells fell a-ringing tunefully over their heads; +and then drew near the sound of many trumpets blowing together, and +thereafter the voices of many folk singing; and then were the great +doors thrown open, and the bishop and his priests came into the +church with singing and minstrelsy, and thereafter came the whole +throng of the folk, and presently the nave of the church was filled +by it, as when the water follows the cutting of the dam, and fills +up the dyke. Thereafter came the bishop and his mates into the +choir, and came up to the King, and gave him and the Queen the kiss +of peace. This was mass sung gloriously; and thereafter was the +King anointed and crowned, and great joy was made throughout the +church. Afterwards they went back afoot to the palace, they two +alone together, with none but the esquire going before to show them +the way. And as they went, they passed close beside those two +neighbours, whose talk has been told of afore, and the first one, he +who had praised the King's war-array, spake and said: "Truly, +neighbour, thou art in the right of it; and now the Queen has been +dight duly, and hath a crown on her head, and is clad in white +samite done all over with pearls, I see her to be of exceeding +goodliness; as goodly, maybe, as the Lord King." + +Quoth the other: "Unto me she seemeth as she did e'en now; she is +clad in white, as then she was, and it is by reason of the pure and +sweet flesh of her that the pearls shine out and glow, and by the +holiness of her body is her rich attire hallowed; but, forsooth, it +seemed to me as she went past as though paradise had come anigh to +our city, and that all the air breathed of it. So I say, praise be +to God and His Hallows who hath suffered her to dwell amongst us!" + +Said the first man: "Forsooth, it is well; but knowest thou at all +whence she cometh, and of what lineage she may be?" + +"Nay," said the other, "I wot not whence she is; but this I wot full +surely, that when she goeth away, they whom she leadeth with her +shall be well bestead. Again, of her lineage nought know I; but +this I know, that they that come of her, to the twentieth +generation, shall bless and praise the memory of her, and hallow her +name little less than they hallow the name of the Mother of God." + +So spake those two; but the King and Queen came back to the palace, +and sat among the lords and at the banquet which was held +thereafter, and long was the time of their glory, till the night was +far spent and all men must seek to their beds. + + + +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 of the Project Gutenberg eText The Wood Beyond the World + diff --git a/old/wbydw10.zip b/old/wbydw10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9eddc8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/wbydw10.zip |