The Secret Rose-第10章

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too　old　and　his　wisdom　too　new　to　save　him　from　terror　of　the　rod。　when　he　was　in　the　quern？house　i　went　to　the　window　and　looked　in；　and　the　birds　came　down　and　perched　upon　my　head　and　my　shoulders；　for　they　are　not　timid　in　that　holy　place；　and　a　wolf　passed　by；　his　right　side　shaking　my　habit；　his　left　the　leaves　of　a　bush。　olioll　opened　his　book　and　turned　to　the　page　i　had　told　him　to　learn；　and　began　to　cry；　and　the　beggar　sat　beside　him　and　forted　him　until　he　fell　asleep。　when　his　sleep　was　of　the　deepest　the　beggar　knelt　down　and　prayed　aloud；　and　said；　〃o　thou　who　dwellest　beyond　the　stars；　show　forth　thy　power　as　at　the　beginning；　and　let　knowledge　sent　from　thee　awaken　in　his　mind；　wherein　is　nothing　from　the　world；　that　the　nine　orders　of　angels　may　glorify　thy　name〃；　and　then　a　light　broke　out　of　the　air　and　wrapped　aodh；　and　i　smelt　the　breath　of　roses。　i　stirred　a　little　in　my　wonder；　and　the　beggar　turned　and　saw　me；　and；　bending　low；　said；　〃o　brother　dove；　if　i　have　done　wrong；　forgive　me；　and　i　will　do　penance。　it　was　my　pity　moved　me〃；　but　i　was　afraid　and　i　ran　away；　and　did　not　stop　running　until　i　came　here。　then　all　the　brothers　began　talking　together；　one　saying　it　was　such　and　such　a　saint；　and　one　that　it　was　not　he　but　another；　and　one　that　it　was　none　of　these；　for　they　were　still　in　their　brotherhoods；　but　that　it　was　such　and　such　a　one；　and　the　talk　was　as　near　to　quarreling　as　might　be　in　that　gentle　munity；　for　each　would　claim　so　great　a　saint　for　his　native　province。　at　last　the　abbot　said；　he　is　none　that　you　have　named；　for　at　easter　i　had　greeting　from　all；　and　each　was　in　his　brotherhood；　but　he　is　aengus　the　lover　of　god；　and　the　first　of　those　who　have　gone　to　live　in　the　wild　places　and　among　the　wild　beasts。　ten　years　ago　he　felt　the　burden　of　many　labours　in　a　brotherhood　under　the　hill　of　patrick　and　went　into　the　forest　that　he　might　labour　only　with　song　to　the　lord；　but　the　fame　of　his　holiness　brought　many　thousands　to　his　cell；　so　that　a　little　pride　clung　to　a　soul　from　which　all　else　had　been　driven。　nine　years　ago　he　dressed　himself　in　rags；　and　from　that　day　none　has　seen　him；　unless；　indeed；　it　be　true　that　he　has　been　seen　living　among　the　wolves　on　the　mountains　and　eating　the　grass　of　the　fields。　let　us　go　to　him　and　bow　down　before　him；　for　at　last；　after　long　seeking；　he　has　found　the　nothing　that　is　god；　and　bid　him　lead　us　in　the　pathway　he　has　trodden。

they　passed　in　their　white　habits　along　the　beaten　path　in　the　wood；　the　acolytes　swinging　their　censers　before　them；　and　the　abbot；　with　his　crozier　studded　with　precious　stones；　in　the　midst　of　the　incense；　and　came　before　the　quern？house　and　knelt　down　and　began　to　pray；　awaiting　the　moment　when　the　child　would　wake；　and　the　saint　cease　from　his　watch　and　e　to　look　at　the　sun　going　down　into　the　unknown　darkness；　as　his　way　was。

　。。



OF　COSTELLO　THE　PROUD；　OF　OONA　THE　DAUGHTER　OF　DER

小说
of　costello　the　proud；　of　oona　the　daughter　of　dermott；　and　of　the　bitter　tongue

costello　had　e　up　from　the　fields　and　lay　upon　the　ground　before　the　door　of　his　square　tower；　resting　his　head　upon　his　hands　and　looking　at　the　sunset；　and　considering　the　chances　of　the　weather。　though　the　customs　of　elizabeth　and　james；　now　going　out　of　fashion　in　england；　had　begun　to　prevail　among　the　gentry；　he　still　wore　the　great　cloak　of　the　native　irish；　and　the　sensitive　outlines　of　his　face　and　the　greatness　of　his　indolent　body　had　a　mingling　of　pride　and　strength　which　belonged　to　a　simpler　age。　his　eyes　wandered　from　the　sunset　to　where　the　long　white　road　lost　itself　over　the　south？western　horizon　and　to　a　horseman　who　　toiled　slowly　up　the　hill。　a　few　more　minutes　and　the　horseman　was　near　enough　for　his　little　and　shapeless　body；　his　long　irish　cloak；　and　the　dilapidated　bagpipes　hanging　from　his　shoulders；　and　the　rough？haired　garron　under　him；　to　be　seen　distinctly　in　the　grey　dusk。　so　soon　as　he　had　e　within　earshot；　he　began　crying：　is　it　sleeping　you　are；　tumaus　costello；　when　better　men　break　their　hearts　on　the　great　white　roads？

get　up　out　of　that；　proud　tumaus；　for　i　have　news！　get　up　out　of　that；　you　great　omadhaun！　shake　yourself　out　of　the　earth；　you　great　weed　of　a　man！

costello　had　risen　to　his　feet；　and　as　the　piper　came　up　to　him　seized　him　by　the　neck　of　his　jacket；　and　lifting　him　out　of　his　saddle　threw　him　on　to　the　ground。

let　me　alone；　let　me　alone；　said　the　other；　but　costello　still　shook　him。

i　have　news　from　dermotts　daughter；　winny；　the　great　fingers　were　loosened；　and　the　piper　rose　gasping。

why　did　you　not　tell　me；　said　costello；　that　you　came　from　her？　you　might　have　railed　your　fill。

i　have　e　from　her；　but　i　will　not　speak　unless　i　am　paid　for　my　shaking。

costello　fumbled　at　the　bag　in　which　he　carried　his　money；　and　it　was　some　time　before　it　would　open；　for　the　hand　that　had　overe　many　men　shook　with　fear　and　hope。　here　is　all　the　money　in　my　bag；　he　said；　dropping　a　stream　of　french　and　spanish　money　into　the　hand　of　the　piper；　who　bit　the　coins　before　he　would　answer。

that　is　right；　that　is　a　fair　price；　but　i　will　not　speak　till　i　have　good　protection；　for　if　the　dermotts　lay　their　hands　upon　me　in　any　boreen　after　sundown；　or　in　cool？a？vin　by　day；　i　will　be　left　to　rot　among　the　nettles　of　a　ditch；　or　hung　on　the　great　sycamore；　where　they　hung　the　horse？thieves　last　beltaine　four　years。　and　while　he　spoke　he　tied　the　reins　of　his　garron　to　a　bar　of　rusty　iron　that　was　mortared　into　the　wall。

i　will　make　you　my　piper　and　my　bodyservant；　said　costello；　and　no　man　dare　lay　hands　upon　the　man；　or　the　goat；　or　the　horse；　or　the　dog　that　is　tumaus　costellos。

and　i　will　only　tell　my　message；　said　the　other；　flinging　the　saddle　on　the　ground；　in　the　corner　of　the　chimney　with　a　noggin　in　my　hand；　and　a　jug　of　the　brew　of　the　little　pot　beside　me；　for　though　i　am　ragged　and　empty；　my　forbears　were　well　clothed　and　full　until　their　house　was　burnt　and　their　cattle　harried　seven　centuries　ago　by　the　dillons；　whom　i　shall　yet　see　on　the　hob　of　hell；　and　they　screeching；　and　while　he　spoke　the　little　eyes　gleamed　and　the　thin　hands　clenched。

costello　led　him　into　the　great　rush？strewn　hall；　where　were　none　of　the　forts　which　had　begun　to　grow　mon　among　the　gentry；　but　a　feudal　gauntness　and　bareness；　and　pointed　to　the　bench　in　the　great　chimney；　and　when　he　had　sat　down；　filled　up　a　horn　noggin　and　set　it　on　the　bench　beside　him；　and　set　a　great　black　jack　of　leather　beside　the　noggin；　and　lit　a　torch　that　slanted　out　from　a　ring　in　the　wall；　his　hands　trembling　the　while；　and　then　turned　towards　him　and　said：　will　dermotts　daughter　e　to　me；　duallach；　son　of　daly？

dermotts　daughter　will　not　e　to　you；　for　her　father　has　set　women　to　watch　her；　but　she　bid　me　tell　you　that　this　day　sennight　will　be　the　eve　of　st。　john　and　the　night　of　her　betrothal　to　namara　of　the　lake；　and　she　would　have　you　there　that；　when　they　bid　her　drink　to　him　she　loves　best；　as　the　way　is；　she　may　drink　to　you；　tumaus　costello；　and　let　all　know　where　her　heart　is；　and　how　little　of　gladness　is　in　her　marriage；　and　i　myself　bid　you　go　with　good　men　about　you；　for　i　saw　the　horse？thieves　with　my　own　eyes；　and　they　dancing　the　〃blue　pigeon〃　in　the　air。　and　then　he　held　the　now　empty　noggin　towards　costello；　his　hand　closing　round　it　like　the　claw　of　a　bird；　and　cried：　fill　my　noggin　again；　for　i　would　the　day　had　e　when　all　the　water　in　the　world　is　to　shrink　into　a　periwinkle？shell；　that　i　might　drink　nothing　but　poteen。

finding　that　costello　made　no　reply；　but　sat　in　a　dream；　he　burst　out：　fill　my　noggin；　i　tell　you；　for　no　costello　is　so　great　in　the　world　that　he　should　not　wait　upon　a　daly；　even　though　the　daly　travel　the　road　with　his　pipes　and　the　costello　have　a　bare　hill；　an　empty　house；　a　horse；　a　herd　of　goats；　and　a　handful　of　cows。　praise　the　dalys　if　you　will；　said　costello　as　he　filled　the　noggin；　for　you　have　brought　me　a　kind　word　from　my　love。

for　the　next　few　days　duallach　went　hither　and　thither　trying　to　raise　a　bodyguard；　and　every　man　he　met　had　some　story　of　costello；　how　he　killed　the　wrestler　when　but　a　boy　by　so　straining　at　the　belt　that　went　about　them　both　that　he　broke　the　big　wrestlers　back；　how　when　somewhat　older　he　dragged　fierce　horses　through　a　ford　in　the　unchion　for　a　wager；　how　when　he　came　to　manhood　he　broke　the　steel　horseshoe　in　mayo；　how　he　drove　many　men　before　him　through　rushy　meadow　at　drum？an？air　because　of　a　malevolent　song　they　had　about　his　poverty；　and　of　many　another　deed　of　his　strength　and　pride；　but　he　could　find　none　who　would　trust　themselves　with　any　so　passionate　and　poor　in　a　quarrel　with　careful　and　wealthy　persons　like　dermott　of　the　sheep　and　namara　of　the　lake。

then　costello　went　out　himself；　and　after　listening　to　many　excuses　and　in　many　places；　brought　in　a　big　half？witted　fellow；　who　followed　him　like　a　dog；　a　farm？labourer　who　worshipped　him　for　his　strength；　a　fat　farmer　whose　forefathers　had　served　his　family；　and　a　couple　of　lads　who　looked　after　his　goats　and　cows；　and　marshalled　them　before　the　fire　in　the　empty　hall。　they　had　brought　with　them　their　stout　cudgels；　and　costello　gave　them　an　old　pistol　apiec