The Secret Rose-第5章

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sdom　might　bid　him　obey　the　law；　and　call　some　other；　who　had　but　a　mon　mind；　to　reign　in　his　stead。

when　the　child　was　seven　years　old　the　poets　and　the　men　of　law　were　called　together　by　the　chief　poet；　and　all　these　matters　weighed　and　considered。　the　child　had　already　seen　that　those　about　him　had　hair　only；　and；　though　they　had　told　him　that　they　too　had　had　feathers　but　had　lost　them　because　of　a　sin　mitted　by　their　forefathers；　they　knew　that　he　would　learn　the　truth　when　he　began　to　wander　into　the　country　round　about。

after　much　consideration　they　decreed　a　new　law　manding　every　one　upon　pain　of　death　to　mingle　artificially　the　feathers　of　the　grey　hawk　into　his　hair；　and　they　sent　men　with　nets　and　slings　and　bows　into　the　countries　round　about　to　gather　a　sufficiency　of　feathers。　they　decreed　also　that　any　who　told　the　truth　to　the　child　should　be　flung　from　a　cliff　into　the　sea。

the　years　passed；　and　the　child　grew　from　childhood　into　boyhood　and　from　boyhood　into　manhood；　and　from　being　curious　about　all　things　he　became　busy　with　strange　and　subtle　thoughts　which　came　to　him　in　dreams；　and　with　distinctions　between　things　long　held　the　same　and　with　the　resemblance　of　things　long　held　different。　multitudes　came　from　other　lands　to　see　him　and　to　ask　his　counsel；　but　there　were　guards　set　at　the　frontiers；　who　pelled　all　that　came　to　wear　the　feathers　of　the　grey　hawk　in　their　hair。　while　they　listened　to　him　his　words　seemed　to　make　all　darkness　light　and　filled　their　hearts　like　music；　but；　alas；　when　they　　returned　to　their　own　lands　his　words　seemed　far　off；　and　what　they　could　remember　too　strange　and　subtle　to　help　them　to　live　out　their　hasty　days。　a　number　indeed　did　live　differently　afterwards；　but　their　new　life　was　less　excellent　than　the　old：　some　among　them　had　long　served　a　good　cause；　but　when　they　heard　him　praise　it　and　their　labour；　they　returned　to　their　own　lands　to　find　what　they　had　loved　less　lovable　and　their　arm　lighter　in　the　battle；　for　he　had　taught　them　how　little　a　hair　divides　the　false　and　true；　others；　again；　who　had　served　no　cause；　but　wrought　in　peace　the　welfare　of　their　own　households；　when　he　had　expounded　the　meaning　of　their　purpose；　found　their　bones　softer　and　their　will　less　ready　for　toil；　for　he　had　shown　them　greater　purposes；　and　numbers　of　the　young；　when　they　had　heard　him　upon　all　these　things；　remembered　certain　words　that　became　like　a　fire　in　their　hearts；　and　made　all　kindly　joys　and　traffic　between　man　and　man　as　nothing；　and　went　different　ways；　but　all　into　vague　regret。

when　any　asked　him　concerning　the　mon　things　of　life；　disputes　about　the　mear　of　a　territory；　or　about　the　straying　of　cattle；　or　about　the　penalty　of　blood；　he　would　turn　to　those　nearest　him　for　advice；　but　this　was　held　to　be　from　courtesy；　for　none　knew　that　these　matters　were　hidden　from　him　by　thoughts　and　dreams　that　filled　his　mind　like　the　marching　and　counter？marching　of　armies。　far　less　could　any　know　that　his　heart　wandered　lost　amid　throngs　of　overing　thoughts　and　dreams；　shuddering　at　its　own　consuming　solitude。

among　those　who　came　to　look　at　him　and　to　listen　to　him　was　the　daughter　of　a　little　king　who　lived　a　great　way　off；　and　when　he　saw　her　he　loved；　for　she　was　beautiful；　with　a　strange　and　pale　beauty　unlike　the　women　of　his　land；　but　dana；　the　great　mother；　had　decreed　her　a　heart　that　was　but　as　the　heart　of　others；　and　when　she　considered　the　mystery　of　the　hawk　feathers　she　was　troubled　with　a　great　horror。　he　called　her　to　him　when　the　assembly　was　over　and　told　her　of　her　beauty；　and　praised　her　simply　and　frankly　as　though　she　were　a　fable　of　the　bards；　and　he　asked　her　humbly　to　give　him　her　love；　for　he　was　only　subtle　in　his　dreams。

overwhelmed　with　his　greatness；　she　half　consented；　and　yet　half　refused；　for　she　longed　to　marry　some　warrior　who　could　carry　her　over　a　mountain　in　his　arms。　day　by　day　the　king　gave　her　gifts；　cups　with　ears　of　gold　and　findrinny　wrought　by　the　craftsmen　of　distant　lands；　cloth　from　over　sea；　which；　though　woven　with　curious　figures；　seemed　to　her　less　beautiful　than　the　bright　cloth　of　her　own　country；　and　still　she　was　ever　between　a　smile　and　a　frown；　between　yielding　and　withholding。　he　laid　down　his　wisdom　at　her　feet；　and　told　how　the　heroes　when　they　die　return　to　the　world　and　begin　their　labour　anew；　how　the　kind　and　mirthful　men　of　dea　drove　out　the　huge　and　gloomy　and　misshapen　people　from　under　the　sea；　and　a　multitude　of　things　that　even　the　sidhe　have　forgotten；　either　because　they　happened　so　long　ago　or　because　they　have　not　time　to　think　of　them；　and　still　she　half　refused；　and　still　he　hoped；　because　he　could　not　believe　that　a　beauty　so　much　like　wisdom　could　hide　a　mon　heart。

there　was　a　tall　young　man　in　the　dun　who　had　yellow　hair；　and　was　skilled　in　wrestling　and　in　the　training　of　horses；　and　one　day　when　the　king　walked　in　the　orchard；　which　was　between　the　foss　and　the　forest；　he　heard　his　voice　among　the　salley　bushes　which　hid　the　waters　of　the　foss。　my　blossom；　it　said；　i　hate　them　for　making　you　weave　these　dingy　feathers　into　your　beautiful　hair；　and　all　that　the　bird　of　prey　upon　the　throne　may　sleep　easy　o　nights；　and　then　the　low；　musical　voice　he　loved　answered：　my　hair　is　not　beautiful　like　yours；　and　now　that　i　have　plucked　the　feathers　out　of　your　hair　i　will　put　my　hands　through　it；　thus；　and　thus；　and　thus；　for　it　casts　no　shadow　of　terror　and　darkness　upon　my　heart。　then　the　king　remembered　many　things　that　he　had　forgotten　without　understanding　them；　doubtful　words　of　his　poets　and　his　men　of　law；　doubts　that　he　had　reasoned　away；　his　own　continual　solitude；　and　he　called　to　the　lovers　in　a　trembling　voice。

they　came　from　among　the　salley　bushes　and　threw　themselves　at　his　feet　and　prayed　for　pardon；　and　he　stooped　down　and　plucked　the　feathers　out　of　the　hair　of　the　woman　and　then　turned　away　towards　the　dun　without　a　word。　he　strode　into　the　hall　of　assembly；　and　having　gathered　his　poets　and　his　men　of　law　about　him；　stood　upon　the　dais　and　spoke　in　a　loud；　clear　voice：　men　of　law；　why　did　you　make　me　sin　against　the　laws　of　eri？　men　of　verse；　why　did　you　make　me　sin　against　the　secrecy　of　wisdom；　for　law　was　made　by　man　for　the　welfare　of　man；　but　wisdom　the　gods　have　made；　and　no　man　shall　live　by　its　light；　for　it　and　the　hail　and　the　rain　and　the　thunder　follow　a　way　that　is　deadly　to　mortal　things？　men　of　law　and　men　of　verse；　live　according　to　your　kind；　and　call　eocha　of　the　hasty　mind　to　reign　over　you；　for　i　set　out　to　find　my　kindred。

he　then　came　down　among　them；　and　drew　out　of　the　hair　of　first　one　and　then　another　the　feathers　of　the　　grey　hawk；　and；　having　scattered　them　over　the　rushes　upon　the　floor；　passed　out；　and　none　dared　to　follow　him；　for　his　eyes　gleamed　like　the　eyes　of　the　birds　of　prey；　and　no　man　saw　him　again　or　heard　his　voice。

some　believed　that　he　found　his　eternal　abode　among　the　demons；　and　some　that　he　dwelt　henceforth　with　the　dark　and　dreadful　goddesses；　who　sit　all　night　about　the　pools　in　the　forest　watching　the　constellations　rising　and　setting　in　those　desolate　mirrors。

xs



THE　HEART　OF　THE　SPRING

小说
a　very　old　man；　whose　face　was　almost　as　fleshless　as　the　foot　of　a　bird；　sat　meditating　upon　the　rocky　shore　of　the　flat　and　hazel？　covered　isle　which　fills　the　widest　part　of　the　lough　gill。　a　russet？　faced　boy　of　seventeen　years　sat　by　his　side；　watching　the　swallows　dipping　for　flies　in　the　still　water。　the　old　man　was　dressed　in　threadbare　blue　velvet；　and　the　boy　wore　a　frieze　coat　and　a　blue　cap；　and　had　about　his　neck　a　rosary　of　blue　beads。　behind　the　two；　and　half　hidden　by　trees；　was　a　little　monastery。　it　had　been　burned　down　a　long　while　before　by　sacrilegious　men　of　the　queens　party；　but　had　been　roofed　anew　with　rushes　by　the　boy；　that　the　old　man　might　find　shelter　in　his　last　days。　he　had　not　set　his　spade；　however；　into　the　garden　about　it；　and　the　lilies　and　the　roses　of　the　monks　had　spread　out　until　their　confused　luxuriancy　met　and　mingled　with　the　narrowing　circle　of　the　fern。　beyond　the　lilies　and　the　roses　the　ferns　were　so　deep　that　a　child　walking　among　them　would　be　hidden　from　sight；　even　though　he　stood　upon　his　toes；　and　beyond　the　fern　rose　many　hazels　and　small　oak　trees。

master；　said　the　boy；　this　long　fasting；　and　the　labour　of　beckoning　after　nightfall　with　your　rod　of　quicken　wood　to　the　beings　who　dwell　in　the　waters　and　among　the　hazels　and　oak？trees；　is　too　much　for　your　strength。　rest　from　all　this　labour　for　a　little；　for　your　hand　seemed　more　heavy　upon　my　shoulder　and　your　feet　less　steady　under　you　to？day　than　i　have　known　them。　men　say　that　you　are　older　than　the　eagles；　and　yet　you　will　not　seek　the　rest　that　belongs　to　age。　he　spoke　in　an　eager；　impulsive　way；　as　though　his　heart　were　in　the　words　and　thoughts　of　the　moment；　and　the　old　man　answered　slowly　and　deliberately；　as　though　his　heart　were　in　distant　days　and　distant　deeds。

i　will　tell　you　why　i　have　not　been　able　to　rest；　he　said。　it　is　right　that　you　should　know；　for　you　have　served　me　faithfully　these　five　years　and　more；　and　even　with　affection；　taking　away　thereby　a　little　of　the　doom　of　loneline