The Secret Rose-第6章

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e　five　years　and　more；　and　even　with　affection；　taking　away　thereby　a　little　of　the　doom　of　loneliness　which　always　falls　upon　the　wise。　now；　too；　that　the　end　of　my　labour　and　the　triumph　of　my　hopes　is　at　hand；　it　is　the　more　needful　for　you　to　have　this　knowledge。

master；　do　not　think　that　i　would　question　you。　it　is　for　me　to　keep　the　fire　alight；　and　the　thatch　close　against　the　rain；　and　strong；　lest　the　wind　blow　it　among　the　trees；　and　it　is　for　me　to　take　the　heavy　books　from　the　shelves；　and　to　lift　from　its　corner　the　great　painted　roll　with　the　names　of　the　sidhe；　and　to　possess　the　while　an　incurious　and　reverent　heart；　for　right　well　i　know　that　god　has　made　out　of　his　abundance　a　separate　wisdom　for　everything　which　lives；　and　to　do　these　things　is　my　wisdom。

you　are　afraid；　said　the　old　man；　and　his　eyes　shone　with　a　momentary　anger。

sometimes　at　night；　said　the　boy；　when　you　are　reading；　with　the　rod　of　quicken　wood　in　your　hand；　i　look　out　of　the　door　and　see；　now　a　great　grey　man　driving　swine　among　the　hazels；　and　now　many　little　people　in　red　caps　who　e　out　of　the　lake　driving　little　white　cows　before　them。　i　do　not　fear　these　little　people　so　much　as　the　grey　man；　for；　when　they　e　near　the　house；　they　milk　the　cows；　and　they　drink　the　frothing　milk；　and　begin　to　dance；　and　i　know　there　is　good　in　the　heart　that　loves　dancing；　but　i　fear　them　for　all　that。

and　i　fear　the　tall　white？armed　ladies　who　e　out　of　the　air；　and　move　slowly　hither　and　thither；　crowning　themselves　with　the　roses　or　with　the　lilies；　and　shaking　about　their　living　hair；　which　moves；　for　so　i　have　heard　them　tell　each　other；　with　the　motion　of　their　thoughts；　now　spreading　out　and　now　gathering　close　to　their　heads。　they　have　mild；　beautiful　faces；　but；　aengus；　son　of　forbis；　i　fear　all　these　beings；　i　fear　the　people　of　sidhe；　and　i　fear　the　art　which　draws　them　about　us。

why；　said　the　old　man；　do　you　fear　the　ancient　gods　who　made　the　spears　of　your　fathers　fathers　to　be　stout　in　battle；　and　the　little　people　who　came　at　night　from　the　depth　of　the　lakes　and　sang　among　the　crickets　upon　their　hearths？　and　in　our　evil　day　they　still　watch　over　the　loveliness　of　the　earth。　but　i　must　tell　you　why　i　have　fasted　and　laboured　when　others　would　sink　into　the　sleep　of　age；　for　without　your　help　once　more　i　shall　have　fasted　and　laboured　to　no　good　end。　when　you　have　done　for　me　this　last　thing；　you　may　go　and　build　your　cottage　and　till　your　fields；　and　take　some　girl　to　wife；　and　forget　the　ancient　gods。　i　have　saved　all　the　gold　and　silver　pieces　that　were　given　to　me　by　earls　and　knights　and　squires　for　keeping　them　from　the　evil　eye　and　from　the　love？weaving　enchantments　of　witches；　and　by　earls　and　knights　and　squires　ladies　for　keeping　the　people　of　the　sidhe　from　making　the　udders　of　their　cattle　fall　dry；　and　taking　the　butter　from　their　churns。　i　have　saved　it　all　for　the　day　when　my　work　should　be　at　an　end；　and　now　that　the　end　is　at　hand　you　shall　not　lack　for　gold　and　silver　pieces　enough　to　make　strong　the　roof？tree　of　your　cottage　and　to　keep　cellar　and　larder　full。　i　have　sought　through　all　my　life　to　find　the　secret　of　life。　i　was　not　happy　in　my　youth；　for　i　knew　that　it　would　pass；　and　i　was　not　happy　in　my　manhood；　for　i　knew　that　age　was　ing；　and　so　i　gave　myself；　in　youth　and　manhood　and　age；　to　the　search　for　the　great　secret。　i　longed　for　a　life　whose　abundance　would　fill　centuries；　i　scorned　the　life　of　fourscore　winters。　i　would　be？？nay；　i　will　be！？？like　the　ancient　gods　of　the　land。　i　read　in　my　youth；　in　a　hebrew　manuscript　i　found　in　a　spanish　monastery；　that　there　is　a　moment　after　the　sun　has　entered　the　ram　and　before　he　has　passed　the　lion；　which　trembles　with　the　song　of　the　immortal　powers；　and　that　whosoever　finds　this　moment　and　listens　to　the　song　shall　bee　like　the　immortal　powers　themselves；　i　came　back　to　ireland　and　asked　the　fairy　men；　and　the　cow？doctors；　if　they　knew　when　this　moment　was；　but　though　all　had　heard　of　it；　there　was　none　could　find　the　moment　upon　the　hour？glass。　so　i　gave　myself　to　magic；　and　spent　my　life　in　fasting　and　in　labour　that　i　might　bring　the　gods　and　the　fairies　to　my　side；　and　now　at　last　one　of　the　fairies　has　told　me　that　the　moment　is　at　hand。　one；　who　wore　a　red　cap　and　whose　lips　were　white　with　the　froth　of　the　new　milk；　whispered　it　into　my　ear。　tomorrow；　a　little　before　the　close　of　the　first　hour　after　dawn；　i　shall　find　the　moment；　and　then　i　will　go　away　to　a　southern　land　and　build　myself　a　palace　of　white　marble　amid　orange　trees；　and　gather　the　brave　and　the　beautiful　about　me；　and　enter　into　the　eternal　kingdom　of　my　youth。　but；　that　i　may　hear　the　whole　song；　i　was　told　by　the　little　fellow　with　the　froth　of　the　new　milk　on　his　lips；　that　you　must　bring　great　masses　of　green　boughs　and　pile　them　about　the　door　and　the　window　of　my　room；　and　you　must　put　fresh　green　rushes　upon　the　floor；　and　cover　the　table　and　the　rushes　with　the　roses　and　the　lilies　of　the　monks。　you　must　do　this　to？night；　and　in　the　morning　at　the　end　of　the　first　hour　after　dawn；　you　must　e　and　find　me。

will　you　be　quite　young　then？　said　the　boy。

i　will　be　as　young　then　as　you　are；　but　now　i　am　still　old　and　tired；　and　you　must　help　me　to　my　chair　and　to　my　books。

when　the　boy　had　left　aengus　son　of　forbis　in　his　room；　and　had　lighted　the　lamp　which；　by　some　contrivance　of　the　wizards；　gave　forth　a　sweet　odour　as　of　strange　flowers；　he　went　into　the　wood　and　began　cutting　green　boughs　from　the　hazels；　and　great　bundles　of　rushes　from　the　western　border　of　the　isle；　where　the　small　rocks　gave　place　to　gently　sloping　sand　and　clay。　it　was　nightfall　before　he　had　cut　enough　for　his　purpose；　and　well？nigh　midnight　before　he　had　carried　the　last　bundle　to　its　place；　and　gone　back　for　the　roses　and　the　lilies。　it　was　one　of　those　warm；　beautiful　nights　when　everything　seems　carved　of　precious　stones。

sleuth　wood　away　to　the　south　looked　as　though　cut　out　of　green　beryl；　and　the　waters　that　mirrored　them　shone　like　pale　opal。　the　roses　he　was　gathering　were　like　glowing　rubies；　and　the　lilies　had　the　dull　lustre　of　pearl。　everything　had　taken　upon　itself　the　look　of　something　imperishable；　except　a　glow？worm；　whose　faint　flame　burnt　on　steadily　among　the　shadows；　moving　slowly　hither　and　thither；　the　only　thing　that　seemed　alive；　the　only　thing　that　seemed　perishable　as　mortal　hope。　the　boy　gathered　a　great　armful　of　roses　and　lilies；　and　thrusting　the　glow？　worm　among　their　pearl　and　ruby；　carried　them　into　the　room；　where　the　old　man　sat　in　a　half？slumber。　he　laid　armful　after　armful　upon　the　floor　and　above　the　table；　and　then；　gently　closing　the　door；　threw　himself　upon　his　bed　of　rushes；　to　dream　of　a　peaceful　manhood　with　his　chosen　wife　at　his　side；　and　the　laughter　of　children　in　his　ears。　at　dawn　he　rose；　and　went　down　to　the　edge　of　the　lake；　taking　the　hour？glass　with　him。　he　put　some　bread　and　a　flask　of　wine　in　the　boat；　that　his　master　might　not　　lack　food　at　the　outset　of　his　journey；　and　then　sat　down　to　wait　until　the　hour　from　dawn　had　gone　by。

gradually　the　birds　began　to　sing；　and　when　the　last　grains　of　sand　were　falling；　everything　suddenly　seemed　to　overflow　with　their　music。　it　was　the　most　beautiful　and　living　moment　of　the　year；　one　could　listen　to　the　springs　heart　beating　in　it。　he　got　up　and　went　to　find　his　master。　the　green　boughs　filled　the　door；　and　he　had　to　make　a　way　through　them。　when　he　entered　the　room　the　sunlight　was　falling　in　flickering　circles　on　floor　and　walls　and　table；　and　everything　was　full　of　soft　green　shadows。　but　the　old　man　sat　clasping　a　mass　of　roses　and　lilies　in　his　arms；　and　with　his　head　sunk　upon　his　breast。　on　the　table；　at　his　left　hand；　was　a　leathern　wallet　full　of　gold　and　silver　pieces；　as　for　a　journey；　and　at　his　right　hand　was　a　long　staff。　the　boy　touched　him　and　he　did　not　move。　he　lifted　the　hands　but　they　were　quite　cold；　and　they　fell　heavily。

it　were　better　for　him；　said　the　lad；　to　have　told　his　beads　and　said　his　prayers　like　another；　and　not　to　have　spent　his　days　in　seeking　amongst　the　immortal　powers　what　he　could　have　found　in　his　own　deeds　and　days　had　he　willed。　ah；　yes；　it　were　better　to　have　said　his　prayers　and　kissed　his　beads！　he　looked　at　the　threadbare　blue　velvet；　and　he　saw　it　was　covered　with　the　pollen　of　the　flowers；　and　while　he　was　looking　at　it　a　thrush；　who　had　alighted　among　the　boughs　that　were　piled　against　the　window；　began　to　sing。

　。。　



THE　CURSE　OF　THE　FIRES　AND　OF　THE　SHADOWS

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one　summer　night；　when　there　was　peace；　a　score　of　puritan　troopers　under　the　pious　sir　frederick　hamilton；　broke　through　the　door　of　the　abbey　of　the　white　friars　which　stood　over　the　gara　lough　at　sligo。　as　the　door　fell　with　a　crash　they　saw　a　little　knot　of　friars；　gathered　about　the　altar；　their　white　habits　glimmering　in　the　steady　light　of　the　holy　candles。　all　the　monks　were　kneeling　except　the　abbot；　who　stood　upon　the　altar　steps　with　a　great　brazen　crucifix　in　his　hand。　shoot　them！　cried　sir　frederick　hamilton；　but　none　stirred；　for　all　were　new　converts；　and　feared　the　crucifix　and　the　holy　candles。　the　white　lights　from　the　altar　threw　the　shadows　of　the　trooper