The Secret Rose-第12章

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t　upon　the　roads；　the　songs　of　men　returning　from　fairs　and　wakes；　men　playing　cards　in　the　corners　of　fields　on　sundays　and　saints

days；　the　rumours　of　battles　and　changes　in　the　great　world；　the　deliberate　purposes　of　those　about　him；　troubled　him　with　an　inexplicable　trouble；　and　the　country　people　still　remember　how　when　night　had　fallen　he　would　bid　duallach　of　the　pipes　tell；　to　the　chirping　of　the　crickets；　the　son　of　apple；　the　beauty　of　the　world；　the　king　of　irelands　son；　or　some　other　of　those　traditional　tales　which　were　as　much　a　pipers　business　as　the　green　bunch　of　rushes；　the　unchion　stream；　or　the　chiefs　of　breffeny；　and　while　the　boundless　and　phantasmal　world　of　the　legends　was　a？building；　would　abandon　himself　to　the　dreams　of　his　sorrow。

duallach　would　often　pause　to　tell　how　some　clan　of　the　wild　irish　had　descended　from　an　inparable　king　of　the　blue　belt；　or　warrior　of　the　ozier　wattle；　or　to　tell　with　many　curses　how　all　the　strangers　and　most　of　the　queens　irish　were　the　seed　of　the　misshapen　and　horned　people　from　under　the　sea　or　of　the　servile　and　creeping　ferbolg；　but　costello　cared　only　for　the　love　sorrows；　and　no　matter　whither　the　stories　wandered；　whether　to　the　isle　of　the　red　lough；　where　the　blessed　are；　or　to　the　malign　country　of　the　hag　of　the　east；　oona　alone　endured　their　shadowy　hardships；　for　it　was　she　and　no　kings　daughter　of　old　who　was　hidden　in　the　steel　tower　under　the　water　with　the　folds　of　the　worm　of　nine　eyes　round　and　about　her　prison；　and　it　was　she　who　won　by　seven　years　of　service　the　right　to　deliver　from　hell　all　she　could　carry；　and　carried　away　multitudes　clinging　with　worn　fingers　to　the　hem　of　her　dress；　and　it　was　she　who　endured　dumbness　for　a　year　because　of　the　little　thorn　of　enchantment　the　fairies　had　thrust　into　her　tongue；　and　it　was　a　lock　of　her　hair；　coiled　in　a　little　carved　box；　which　gave　so　great　a　light　that　men　threshed　by　it　from　sundown　to　sunrise；　and　awoke　so　great　a　wonder　that　kings　spent　years　in　wandering　or　fell　before　unknown　armies　in　seeking　to　discover　her　hiding？place；　for　there　was　no　beauty　in　the　world　but　hers；　no　tragedy　in　the　world　but　hers：　and　when　at　last　the　voice　of　the　piper；　grown　gentle　with　the　wisdom　of　old　romance；　was　silent；　and　his　rheumatic　steps　had　toiled　upstairs　and　to　bed；　and　costello　had　dipped　his　fingers　into　the　little　delf　font　of　holy　water　and　begun　to　pray　to　mary　of　the　seven　sorrows；　the　blue　eyes　and　star？covered　dress　of　the　painting　in　the　chapel　faded　from　his　imagination；　and　the　brown　eyes　and　homespun　dress　of　dermotts　daughter　winny　came　in　their　stead；　for　there　was　no　tenderness　in　the　passion　who　keep　their　hearts　pure　for　love　or　for　hatred　as　other　men　for　god；　for　mary　and　for　the　saints；　and　who；　when　the　hour　of　their　visitation　arrives；　e　to　the　divine　essence　by　the　bitter　tumult；　the　garden　of　gethsemane；　and　the　desolate　rood　ordained　for　immortal　passions　in　mortal　hearts。

one　day　a　serving？man　rode　up　to　costello；　who　was　helping　his　two　lads　to　reap　a　meadow；　and　gave　him　a　letter；　and　rode　away　without　a　word；　and　the　letter　contained　these　words　in　english：　tumaus　costello；　my　daughter　is　very　ill。　the　wise　woman　from　knock？na？sidhe　has　seen　her；　and　says　she　will　die　unless　you　e　to　her。　i　therefore　bid　you　e　to　her　whose　peace　you　stole　by　treachery。？　dermott；　the　son　of　dermott。

costello　threw　down　his　scythe；　and　sent　one　of　the　lads　for　duallach；　who　had　bee　woven　into　his　mind　with　oona；　and　himself　saddled　his　great　horse　and　duallachs　garron。

when　they　came　to　dermotts　house　it　was　late　afternoon；　and　lough　gara　lay　down　below　them；　blue；　mirror？like；　and　deserted；　and　though　they　had　seen；　when　at　a　distance；　dark　figures　moving　about　the　door；　the　house　appeared　not　less　deserted　than　the　lough。　the　door　stood　half　open；　and　costello　knocked　upon　it　again　and　again；　so　that　a　number　of　lake　gulls　flew　up　out　of　the　grass　and　circled　screaming　over　his　head；　but　there　was　no　answer。

there　is　no　one　here；　said　duallach；　for　dermott　of　the　sheep　is　too　proud　to　wele　costello　the　proud；

and　he　threw　the　door　open；　and　they　saw　a　ragged；　dirty；　very　old　woman；　who　sat　upon　the　floor　leaning　against　the　wall。　costello　knew　that　it　was　bridget　delaney；　a　deaf　and　dumb　beggar；　and　she；　when　she　saw　him；　stood　up　and　made　a　sign　to　him　to　follow；　and　led　him　and　his　panion　up　a　stair　and　down　a　long　corridor　to　a　closed　door。　she　pushed　the　door　open　and　went　a　little　way　off　and　sat　down　as　before；　duallach　sat　upon　the　ground　also；　but　close　to　the　door；　and　costello　went　and　gazed　upon　winny　sleeping　upon　a　bed。

he　sat　upon　a　chair　beside　her　and　waited；　and　a　long　time　passed　and　still　she　slept　on；　and　then　duallach　motioned　to　him　through　the　door　to　wake　her；　but　he　hushed　his　very　breath；　that　she　might　sleep　on；　for　his　heart　was　full　of　that　ungovernable　pity　which　makes　the　fading　heart　of　the　lover　a　shadow　of　the　divine　heart。　presently　he　turned　to　duallach　and　said：　it　is　not　right　that　i　stay　here　where　there　are　none　of　her　kindred；　for　the　mon　people　are　always　ready　to　blame　the　beautiful。　and　then　they　went　down　and　stood　at　the　door　of　the　house　and　waited；　but　the　evening　wore　on　and　no　one　came。

it　was　a　foolish　man　that　called　you　proud　costello；　duallach　cried　at　last；　had　he　seen　you　waiting　and　waiting　where　they　left　none　but　a　beggar　to　wele　you；　it　is　humble　costello　he　would　have　called　you。

then　costello　mounted　and　duallach　mounted；　but　when　they　had　ridden　a　little　way　costello　tightened　the　reins　and　made　his　horse　stand　still。　many　minutes　passed；　and　then　duallach　cried：　it　is　no　wonder　that　you　fear　to　offend　dermott　of　the　sheep；　for　he　has　many　brothers　and　friends；　and　though　he　is　old；　he　is　a　strong　man　and　ready　with　his　hands；　and　he　is　of　the　queens　irish；　and　the　enemies　of　the　gael　are　upon　his　side。

and　costello　answered　flushing　and　looking　towards　the　house：　i　swear　by　the　mother　of　god　that　i　will　never　return　there　again　if　they　do　not　send　after　me　before　i　pass　the　ford　in　the　brown　river；　and　he　rode　on；　but　so　very　slowly　that　the　sun　went　down　and　the　bats　began　to　fly　over　the　bogs。　when　he　came　to　the　river　he　lingered　awhile　upon　the　bank　among　the　flowers　of　the　flag；　but　presently　rode　out　into　the　middle　and　stopped　his　horse　in　a　foaming　shallow。　duallach；　however；　crossed　over　and　waited　on　a　further　bank　above　a　deeper　place。　after　a　good　while　duallach　cried　out　again；　and　this　time　very　bitterly：　it　was　a　fool　who　begot　you　and　a　fool　who　bore　you；　and　they　are　fools　of　all　fools　who　say　you　e　of　an　old　and　noble　stock；　for　you　e　of　whey？faced　beggars　who　travelled　from　door　to　door；　bowing　to　gentles　and　to　serving？men。

with　bent　head；　costello　rode　through　the　river　and　stood　beside　him；　and　would　have　spoken　had　not　hoofs　clattered　on　the　further　bank　and　a　horseman　splashed　towards　them。　it　was　a　serving？man　of　dermotts；　and　he　said；　speaking　breathlessly　like　one　who　had　ridden　hard：　tumaus　costello；　i　e　to　bid　you　again　to　dermotts　house。　when　you　had　gone；　his　daughter　winny　awoke　and　called　your　name；　for　you　had　been　in　her　dreams。　bridget　delaney　the　dummy　saw　her　lips　move　and　the　trouble　upon　her；　and　came　where　we　were　hiding　in　the　wood　above　the　house　and　took　dermott　of　the　sheep　by　the　coat　and　brought　him　to　his　　daughter。　he　saw　the　trouble　upon　her；　and　bid　me　ride　his　own　horse　to　bring　you　the　quicker。

then　costello　turned　towards　the　piper　duallach　daly；　and　taking　him　about　the　waist　lifted　him　out　of　the　saddle　and　hurled　him　against　a　grey　rock　that　rose　up　out　of　the　river；　so　that　he　fell　lifeless　into　the　deep　place；　and　the　waters　swept　over　the　tongue　which　god　had　made　bitter；　that　there　might　be　a　story　in　mens　ears　in　after　time。　then　plunging　his　spurs　into　the　horse；　he　rode　away　furiously　toward　the　north？west；　along　the　edge　of　the　river；　and　did　not　pause　until　he　came　to　another　and　smoother　ford；　and　saw　the　rising　moon　mirrored　in　the　water。　he　paused　for　a　moment　irresolute；　and　then　rode　into　the　ford　and　on　over　the　ox　mountains；　and　down　towards　the　sea；　his　eyes　almost　continually　resting　upon　the　moon　which　glimmered　in　the　dimness　like　a　great　white　rose　hung　on　the　lattice　of　some　boundless　and　phantasmal　world。　but　now　his　horse；　long　dark　with　sweat　and　breathing　hard；　for　he　kept　spurring　it　to　an　extreme　speed；　fell　heavily；　hurling　him　into　the　grass　at　the　roadside。　he　tried　to　make　it　stand　up；　and　failing　in　this；　went　on　alone　towards　the　moonlight；　and　came　to　the　sea　and　saw　a　schooner　lying　there　at　anchor。　now　that　he　could　go　no　further　because　of　the　sea；　he　found　that　he　was　very　tired　and　the　night　very　cold；　and　went　into　a　shebeen　close　to　the　shore　and　threw　himself　down　upon　a　bench。　the　room　was　full　of　spanish　and　irish　sailors　who　had　just　smuggled　a　cargo　of　wine　and　ale；　and　were　waiting　a　favourable　wind　to　set　out　again。　a　spaniard　offered　him　a　drink　in　bad　gaelic。　he　drank　it　greedily　and　began　talking　wildly　and　rapidly。

for　some　three　weeks　the　wind　blew　inshore　or　with　too　great　violence；　and　the　sailors　stayed　drinking　and　talking　and　playing　cards；　and　costello　stayed　with　them；　sleeping