石榴之屋-第18章

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is　but　for　a　little　thing；　and　the　merchants　have　mocked　at　me；　and

denied　me。　　therefore　am　i　e　to　thee；　though　men　call　thee　evil；

and　whatever　be　thy　price　i　shall　pay　it。

what　wouldst　thou？　asked　the　witch；　ing　near　to　him。

i　would　send　my　soul　away　from　me；　answered　the　young　fisherman。

the　witch　grew　pale；　and　shuddered；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　blue

mantle。　　pretty　boy；　pretty　boy；　she　muttered；　that　is　a

terrible　thing　to　do。

he　tossed　his　brown　curls　and　laughed。　　my　soul　is　nought　to　me；

he　answered。　　i　cannot　see　it。　　i　may　not　touch　it。　　i　do　not　know

it。

what　wilt　thou　give　me　if　i　tell　thee？　asked　the　witch；　looking

down　at　him　with　her　beautiful　eyes。

five　pieces　of　gold；　he　said；　and　my　nets；　and　the　wattled　house

where　i　live；　and　the　painted　boat　in　which　i　sail。　　only　tell　me

how　to　get　rid　of　my　soul；　and　i　will　give　thee　all　that　i

possess。

she　laughed　mockingly　at　him；　and　struck　him　with　the　spray　of

hemlock。　　i　can　turn　the　autumn　leaves　into　gold；　she　answered；

and　i　can　weave　the　pale　moonbeams　into　silver　if　i　will　it。　　he

whom　i　serve　is　richer　than　all　the　kings　of　this　world；　and　has

their　dominions。

what　then　shall　i　give　thee；　he　cried；　if　thy　price　be　neither

gold　nor　silver？

the　witch　stroked　his　hair　with　her　thin　white　hand。　　thou　must

dance　with　me；　pretty　boy；　she　murmured；　and　she　smiled　at　him　as

she　spoke。

nought　but　that？　cried　the　young　fisherman　in　wonder　and　he　rose

to　his　feet。

nought　but　that；　she　answered；　and　she　smiled　at　him　again。

then　at　sunset　in　some　secret　place　we　shall　dance　together；　he

said；　and　after　that　we　have　danced　thou　shalt　tell　me　the　thing

which　i　desire　to　know。

she　shook　her　head。　　when　the　moon　is　full；　when　the　moon　is

full；　she　muttered。　　then　she　peered　all　round；　and　listened。　　a

blue　bird　rose　screaming　from　its　nest　and　circled　over　the　dunes；

and　three　spotted　birds　rustled　through　the　coarse　grey　grass　and

whistled　to　each　other。　　there　was　no　other　sound　save　the　sound　of

a　wave　fretting　the　smooth　pebbles　below。　　so　she　reached　out　her

hand；　and　drew　him　near　to　her　and　put　her　dry　lips　close　to　his

ear。

to…night　thou　must　e　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　she

whispered。　　it　is　a　sabbath；　and　he　will　be　there。

the　young　fisherman　started　and　looked　at　her；　and　she　showed　her

white　teeth　and　laughed。　　who　is　he　of　whom　thou　speakest？　he

asked。

it　matters　not；　she　answered。　　go　thou　to…night；　and　stand　under

the　branches　of　the　hornbeam；　and　wait　for　my　ing。　　if　a　black

dog　run　towards　thee；　strike　it　with　a　rod　of　willow；　and　it　will

go　away。　　if　an　owl　speak　to　thee；　make　it　no　answer。　　when　the

moon　is　full　i　shall　be　with　thee；　and　we　will　dance　together　on

the　grass。

but　wilt　thou　swear　to　me　to　tell　me　how　i　may　send　my　soul　from

me？　he　made　question。

she　moved　out　into　the　sunlight；　and　through　her　red　hair　rippled

the　wind。　　by　the　hoofs　of　the　goat　i　swear　it；　she　made　answer。

thou　art　the　best　of　the　witches；　cried　the　young　fisherman；　and

i　will　surely　dance　with　thee　to…night　on　the　top　of　the　mountain。

i　would　indeed　that　thou　hadst　asked　of　me　either　gold　or　silver。

but　such　as　thy　price　is　thou　shalt　have　it；　for　it　is　but　a　little

thing。　　and　he　doffed　his　cap　to　her；　and　bent　his　head　low；　and

ran　back　to　the　town　filled　with　a　great　joy。

and　the　witch　watched　him　as　he　went；　and　when　he　had　passed　from

her　sight　she　entered　her　cave；　and　having　taken　a　mirror　from　a

box　of　carved　cedarwood；　she　set　it　up　on　a　frame；　and　burned

vervain　on　lighted　charcoal　before　it；　and　peered　through　the　coils

of　the　smoke。　　and　after　a　time　she　clenched　her　hands　in　anger。

he　should　have　been　mine；　she　muttered；　i　am　as　fair　as　she　is。

and　that　evening；　when　the　moon　had　risen；　the　young　fisherman

climbed　up　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and　stood　under　the　branches

of　the　hornbeam。　　like　a　targe　of　polished　metal　the　round　sea　lay

at　his　feet；　and　the　shadows　of　the　fishing…boats　moved　in　the

little　bay。　　a　great　owl；　with　yellow　sulphurous　eyes；　called　to

him　by　his　name；　but　he　made　it　no　answer。　　a　black　dog　ran　towards

him　and　snarled。　　he　struck　it　with　a　rod　of　willow；　and　it　went

away　whining。

at　midnight　the　witches　came　flying　through　the　air　like　bats。

phew！　they　cried；　as　they　lit　upon　the　ground；　there　is　some　one

here　we　know　not！　and　they　sniffed　about；　and　chattered　to　each

other；　and　made　signs。　　last　of　all　came　the　young　witch；　with　her

red　hair　streaming　in　the　wind。　　she　wore　a　dress　of　gold　tissue

embroidered　with　peacocks　eyes；　and　a　little　cap　of　green　velvet

was　on　her　head。

where　is　he；　where　is　he？　shrieked　the　witches　when　they　saw　her；

but　she　only　laughed；　and　ran　to　the　hornbeam；　and　taking　the

fisherman　by　the　hand　she　led　him　out　into　the　moonlight　and　began

to　dance。

round　and　round　they　whirled；　and　the　young　witch　jumped　so　high

that　he　could　see　the　scarlet　heels　of　her　shoes。　　then　right

across　the　dancers　came　the　sound　of　the　galloping　of　a　horse；　but

no　horse　was　to　be　seen；　and　he　felt　afraid。

faster；　cried　the　witch；　and　she　threw　her　arms　about　his　neck；

and　her　breath　was　hot　upon　his　face。　　faster；　faster！　she　cried；

and　the　earth　seemed　to　spin　beneath　his　feet；　and　his　brain　grew

troubled；　and　a　great　terror　fell　on　him；　as　of　some　evil　thing

that　was　watching　him；　and　at　last　he　became　aware　that　under　the

shadow　of　a　rock　there　was　a　figure　that　had　not　been　there　before。

it　was　a　man　dressed　in　a　suit　of　black　velvet；　cut　in　the　spanish

fashion。　　his　face　was　strangely　pale；　but　his　lips　were　like　a

proud　red　flower。　　he　seemed　weary；　and　was　leaning　back　toying　in

a　listless　manner　with　the　pommel　of　his　dagger。　　on　the　grass

beside　him　lay　a　plumed　hat；　and　a　pair　of　riding…gloves　gauntleted

with　gilt　lace；　and　sewn　with　seed…pearls　wrought　into　a　curious

device。　　a　short　cloak　lined　with　sables　hang　from　his　shoulder；

and　his　delicate　white　hands　were　gemmed　with　rings。　　heavy　eyelids

drooped　over　his　eyes。

the　young　fisherman　watched　him；　as　one　snared　in　a　spell。　　at　last

their　eyes　met；　and　wherever　he　danced　it　seemed　to　him　that　the

eyes　of　the　man　were　upon　him。　　he　heard　the　witch　laugh；　and

caught　her　by　the　waist；　and　whirled　her　madly　round　and　round。

suddenly　a　dog　bayed　in　the　wood；　and　the　dancers　stopped；　and

going　up　two　by　two；　knelt　down；　and　kissed　the　mans　hands。　　as

they　did　so；　a　little　smile　touched　his　proud　lips；　as　a　birds

wing　touches　the　water　and　makes　it　laugh。　　but　there　was　disdain

in　it。　　he　kept　looking　at　the　young　fisherman。

e！　let　us　worship；　whispered　the　witch；　and　she　led　him　up；

and　a　great　desire　to　do　as　she　besought　him　seized　on　him；　and　he

followed　her。　　but　when　he　came　close；　and　without　knowing　why　he

did　it；　he　made　on　his　breast　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and　called

upon　the　holy　name。

no　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　the　witches　screamed　like　hawks　and

flew　away；　and　the　pallid　face　that　had　been　watching　him　twitched

with　a　spasm　of　pain。　　the　man　went　over　to　a　little　wood；　and

whistled。　　a　jennet　with　silver　trappings　came　running　to　meet　him。

as　he　leapt　upon　the　saddle　he　turned　round；　and　looked　at　the

young　fisherman　sadly。

and　the　witch　with　the　red　hair　tried　to　fly　away　also；　but　the

fisherman　caught　her　by　her　wrists；　and　held　her　fast。

loose　me；　she　cried；　and　let　me　go。　　for　thou　hast　named　what

should　not　be　named；　and　shown　the　sign　that　may　not　be　looked　at。

nay；　he　answered；　but　i　will　not　let　thee　go　till　thou　hast　told

me　the　secret。

what　secret？　said　the　witch；　wrestling　with　him　like　a　wild　cat；

and　biting　her　foam…flecked　lips。

thou　knowest；　he　made　answer。

her　grass…green　eyes　grew　dim　with　tears；　and　she　said　to　the

fisherman；　ask　me　anything　but　that！

he　laughed；　and　held　her　all　the　more　tightly。

and　when　she　saw　that　she　could　not　free　herself；　she　whispered　to

him；　surely　i　am　as　fair　as　the　daughters　of　the　sea；　and　as

ely　as　those　that　dwell　in　the　blue　waters；　and　she　fawned　on

him　and　put　her　face　close　to　his。

but　he　thrust　her　back　frowning；　and　said　to　her；　if　thou　keepest

not　the　promise　that　thou　madest　to　me　i　will　slay　thee　for　a　false

witch。

she　grew　grey　as　a　blossom　of　the　judas　tree；　and　shuddered。　　be

it　so；　she　muttered。　　it　is　thy　soul　and　not　mine。　　do　with　it　as

thou　wilt。　　and　she　took　from　her　girdle　a　little　knife　that　had　a

handle　of　green　vipers　skin；　and　gave　it　to　him。

what　shall　this　serve　me？　he　asked　of　her；　wondering。

she　was　silent　for　a　few　moments；　and　a　look　of　terror　came　over

her　face。　　then　she　brushed　her　hair　back　from　her　forehead；　and

smiling　strangely　she　said　to　him；　what　men　call　the　shadow　of　the

body　is　not　the　shadow　of　the　body；　but　is　the　body　of　the　soul。

stand　on　the　sea…shore　with　thy　back　to　the　moon；　and　cut　away　from

around　thy　feet　thy　shadow；　which　is　thy　souls　body；　and　bid　thy

soul　leave　thee；　and　it　will　do　so。

the　y