The Secret Rose-第2章

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mother；　and　your　grandfather　and　your　grandmother；　and　upon　all　your　relations。

is　he　cursing　in　rhyme？

he　is　cursing　in　rhyme；　and　with　two　assonances　in　every　line　of　his　curse。

the　abbot　pulled　his　night？cap　off　and　crumpled　it　in　his　hands；　and　the　circular　brown　patch　of　hair　in　the　middle　of　his　bald　head　looked　like　an　island　in　the　midst　of　a　pond；　for　in　connaught　they　had　not　yet　abandoned　the　ancient　tonsure　for　the　style　then　ing　into　use。　if　we　do　not　somewhat；　he　said；　he　will　teach　his　curses　to　the　children　in　the　street；　and　the　girls　spinning　at　the　doors；　and　to　the　robbers　upon　ben　bulben。

shall　i　go；　then；　said　the　other；　and　give　him　dry　sods；　a　fresh　loaf；　clean　water　in　a　jug；　clean　foot？water；　and　a　new　blanket；　and　make　him　swear　by　the　blessed　saint　benignus；　and　by　the　sun　and　moon；　that　no　bond　be　lacking；　not　to　tell　his　rhymes　to　the　children　in　the　street；　and　the　girls　spinning　at　the　doors；　and　the　robbers　upon　ben　bulben？

neither　our　blessed　patron　nor　the　sun　and　moon　would　avail　at　all；　said　the　abbot；　for　to？morrow　or　the　next　day　the　mood　to　curse　would　e　upon　him；　or　a　pride　in　those　rhymes　would　move　him；　and　he　would　teach　his　lines　to　the　children；　and　the　girls；　and　the　robbers。　or　else　he　would　tell　another　of　his　craft　how　he　fared　in　the　guest？house；　and　he　in　his　turn　would　begin　to　curse；　and　my　name　would　wither。　for　learn　there　is　no　steadfastness　of　purpose　upon　the　roads；　but　only　under　roofs　and　between　four　walls。　therefore　i　bid　you　go　and　awaken　brother　kevin；　brother　dove；　brother　little　wolf；　brother　bald　patrick；　brother　bald　brandon；　brother　james　and　brother　peter。　and　they　shall　take　the　man；　and　bind　him　with　ropes；　and　dip　him　in　the　river　that　he　shall　cease　to　sing。　and　in　the　morning；　lest　this　but　make　him　curse　the　louder；　we　will　crucify　him。

the　crosses　are　all　full；　said　the　lay　brother。

then　we　must　make　another　cross。　if　we　do　not　make　an　end　of　him　another　will；　for　who　can　eat　and　sleep　in　peace　while　men　like　him　are　going　about　the　world？　ill　should　we　stand　before　blessed　saint　benignus；　and　sour　would　be　his　face　when　he　es　to　judge　us　at　the　last　day；　were　we　to　spare　an　enemy　of　his　when　we　had　him　under　our　thumb！　brother；　the　bards　and　the　gleemen　are　an　evil　race；　ever　cursing　and　ever　stirring　up　the　people；　and　immoral　and　immoderate　in　all　things；　and　heathen　in　their　hearts；　always　longing　after　the　　son　of　lir；　and　aengus；　and　bridget；　and　the　dagda；　and　dana　the　mother；　and　all　the　false　gods　of　the　old　days；　always　making　poems　in　praise　of　those　kings　and　queens　of　the　demons；　finvaragh；　whose　home　is　under　cruachmaa；　and　red　aodh　of　cnocna？sidhe；　and　cleena　of　the　wave；　and　aoibhell　of　the　grey　rock；　and　him　they　call　donn　of　the　vats　of　the　sea；　and　railing　against　god　and　christ　and　the　blessed　saints。

while　he　was　speaking　he　crossed　himself；　and　when　he　had　finished　he　drew　the　nightcap　over　his　ears；　to　shut　out　the　noise；　and　closed　his　eyes；　and　posed　himself　to　sleep。

the　lay　brother　found　brother　kevin；　brother　dove；　brother　little　wolf；　brother　bald　patrick；　brother　bald　brandon；　brother　james　and　brother　peter　sitting　up　in　bed；　and　he　made　them　get　up。　then　they　bound　cumhal；　and　they　dragged　him　to　the　river；　and　they　dipped　him　in　it　at　the　place　which　was　afterwards　called　buckleys　ford。

gleeman；　said　the　lay　brother；　as　they　led　him　back　to　the　guest？　house；　why　do　you　ever　use　the　wit　which　god　has　given　you　to　make　blasphemous　and　immoral　tales　and　verses？　for　such　is　the　way　of　your　craft。　i　have；　indeed；　many　such　tales　and　verses　well　nigh　by　rote；　and　so　i　know　that　i　speak　true！　and　why　do　you　praise　with　rhyme　those　demons；　finvaragh；　red　aodh；　cleena；　aoibhell　and　donn？　i；　too；　am　a　man　of　great　wit　and　learning；　but　i　ever　glorify　our　gracious　abbot；　and　benignus　our　patron；　and　the　princes　of　the　province。　my　soul　is　decent　and　orderly；　but　yours　is　like　the　wind　among　the　salley　gardens。　i　said　what　i　could　for　you；　being　also　a　man　of　many　thoughts；　but　who　could　help　such　a　one　as　you？

friend；　answered　the　gleeman；　my　soul　is　indeed　like　the　wind；　and　it　blows　me　to　and　fro；　and　up　and　down；　and　puts　many　things　into　my　mind　and　out　of　my　mind；　and　therefore　am　i　called　the　swift；　wild　horse。　and　he　spoke　no　more　that　night；　for　his　teeth　were　chattering　with　the　cold。

the　abbot　and　the　friars　came　to　him　in　the　morning；　and　bade　him　get　ready　to　be　crucified；　and　led　him　out　of　the　guest？house。　and　while　he　still　stood　upon　the　step　a　flock　of　great　grass？barnacles　passed　high　above　him　with　clanking　cries。　he　lifted　his　arms　to　them　and　said；　o　great　grass？barnacles；　tarry　a　little；　and　mayhap　my　soul　will　travel　with　you　to　the　waste　places　of　the　shore　and　to　the　ungovernable　sea！　at　the　gate　a　crowd　of　beggars　gathered　about　them；　being　e　there　to　beg　from　any　traveller　or　pilgrim　who　might　have　spent　the　night　in　the　guest？house。　the　abbot　and　the　friars　led　the　gleeman　to　a　place　in　the　woods　at　some　distance；　where　many　straight　young　trees　were　growing；　and　they　made　him　cut　one　down　and　fashion　it　to　the　right　length；　while　the　beggars　stood　round　them　in　a　ring；　talking　and　gesticulating。　the　abbot　then　bade　him　cut　off　another　and　shorter　piece　of　wood；　and　nail　it　upon　the　first。　so　there　was　his　cross　for　him；　and　they　put　it　upon　his　shoulder；　for　his　crucifixion　was　to　be　on　the　top　of　the　hill　where　the　others　were。　a　half？mile　on　the　way　he　asked　them　to　stop　and　see　him　juggle　for　them；　for　he　knew；　he　said；　all　the　tricks　of　aengus　the　subtle？　hearted。　the　old　friars　were　for　pressing　on；　but　the　young　friars　would　see　him：　so　he　did　many　wonders　for　them；　even　to　the　drawing　of　live　frogs　out　of　his　ears。　but　after　a　while　they　turned　on　him；　and　said　his　tricks　were　dull　and　a　shade　unholy；　and　set　the　cross　on　his　shoulders　again。　another　half？mile　on　the　way；　and　he　asked　them　to　stop　and　hear　him　jest　for　them；　for　he　knew；　he　said；　all　the　jests　of　conan　the　bald；　upon　whose　back　a　sheeps　wool　grew。　and　the　young　friars；　when　they　had　heard　his　merry　tales；　again　bade　him　take　up　his　cross；　for　it　ill　became　them　to　listen　to　such　follies。　another　half？mile　on　the　way；　he　asked　them　to　stop　and　hear　him　sing　the　story　of　white？breasted　deirdre；　and　how　she　endured　many　sorrows；　and　how　the　sons　of　usna　died　to　serve　her。　and　the　young　friars　were　mad　to　hear　him；　but　when　he　had　ended　they　grew　angry；　and　beat　him　for　waking　forgotten　longings　in　their　hearts。　so　they　set　the　cross　upon　his　back　and　hurried　him　to　the　hill。

when　he　was　e　to　the　top；　they　took　the　cross　from　him；　and　began　to　dig　a　hole　to　stand　it　in；　while　the　beggars　gathered　round；　and　talked　among　themselves。　i　ask　a　favour　before　i　die；　says　cumhal。

we　will　grant　you　no　more　delays；　says　the　abbot。

i　ask　no　more　delays；　for　i　have　drawn　the　sword；　and　told　the　truth；　and　lived　my　vision；　and　am　content。

would　you；　then；　confess？

by　sun　and　moon；　not　i；　i　ask　but　to　be　let　eat　the　food　i　carry　in　my　wallet。　i　carry　food　in　my　wallet　whenever　i　go　upon　a　journey；　but　i　do　not　taste　of　it　unless　i　am　well？nigh　starved。　i　have　not　eaten　now　these　two　days。

you　may　eat；　then；　says　the　abbot；　and　he　turned　to　help　the　friars　dig　the　hole。

the　gleeman　took　a　loaf　and　some　strips　of　cold　fried　bacon　out　of　his　wallet　and　laid　them　upon　the　ground。　i　will　give　a　tithe　to　the　poor；　says　he；　and　he　cut　a　tenth　part　from　the　loaf　and　the　bacon。　who　among　you　is　the　poorest？　and　thereupon　was　a　great　clamour；　for　the　beggars　began　the　history　of　their　sorrows　and　their　poverty；　and　their　yellow　faces　swayed　like　gara　lough　when　the　floods　have　filled　it　with　water　from　the　bogs。

he　listened　for　a　little；　and；　says　he；　i　am　myself　the　poorest；　for　i　have　travelled　the　bare　road；　and　by　the　edges　of　the　sea；　and　the　tattered　doublet　of　particoloured　cloth　upon　my　back　and　the　torn　pointed　shoes　upon　my　feet　have　ever　irked　me；　because　of　the　towered　city　full　of　noble　raiment　which　was　in　my　heart。　and　i　have　been　the　more　alone　upon　the　roads　and　by　the　sea　because　i　heard　in　my　heart　the　rustling　of　the　rose？bordered　dress　of　her　who　is　more　subtle　than　aengus；　the　subtle？hearted；　and　more　full　of　the　beauty　of　laughter　than　conan　the　bald；　and　more　full　of　the　wisdom　of　tears　than　white？breasted　deirdre；　and　more　lovely　than　a　bursting　dawn　to　them　that　are　lost　in　the　darkness。　therefore；　i　award　the　tithe　to　myself；　but　yet；　because　i　am　done　with　all　things；　i　give　it　unto　you。

so　he　flung　the　bread　and　the　strips　of　bacon　among　the　beggars；　and　they　fought　with　many　cries　until　the　last　scrap　was　eaten。　but　meanwhile　the　friars　nailed　the　gleeman　to　his　cross；　and　set　it　upright　in　the　hole；　and　shovelled　the　earth　in　at　the　foot；　and　trampled　it　level　and　hard。　so　then　they　went　away；　but　the　beggars　stared　on；　sitting　round　the　cross。　but　when　the　sun　was　sinking；　they　also　got　up　to　go；　for　the　air　was　getting　chilly。　and　as　soon　as　they　had　gone　a　little　way；　the　wolves；　who　had　been　showing　themselves　on　the　edge　of　a　neighbouring　coppice；　came　nearer；　and　the　birds　wheeled　closer　and　closer。　stay；　outcasts；　yet　a　little　while；　the　crucified　one　called　in　a　we