OUT OF THE ROSE

  Oereveninganoldknightinrusted?armourrodeslowlyalongthewoodysouthernslopeofBenBulben,watgthesungodownincrimsoncloudsoverthesea.Hishorsewastired,asafteralongjourney,andhehaduponhishelmetthecrestofnoneighbl,butasmallrosemadeofrubiesthatglimmeredeverymomenttoadeepercrimson.Hiswhitehairfellinthincurlsuponhisshoulders,anditsdisorderaddedtothemelancholyofhisface,whichwasthefaceofohosewhohaveebutseldomintotheworld,andalwaysforitstrouble,thedreamerswhomustdowhattheydream,thedoerswhomustdreamwhattheydo.

  Aftergazingawhiletowardsthesuhereinsfallupontheneckofhishorse,and,stretgoutbotharmstowardsthewest,hesaid,ODivineRoseofIntellectualFlame,letthegatesofthypeacebeopeomeatlast!Andsuddenlyaloudsquealingbeganinthewoodssomehundredsofyardsfurtherupthemountainside.Hestoppedhishorsetolisten,andheardbehindhimasoundoffeetandofvoices.Theyarebeatiomakethemgointothenarrowpathbythege,saidsomeone,andinanothermomentadozenpeasantsarmedwithshortspearshadeupwiththeknight,andstoodalittleapartfromhim,theirbluecapsintheirhands.Wheredoyougowiththespears?heasked;andonewhoseemedtheleaderanswered:Atroopofwood?thievescamedownfromthehillsawhileagoandcarriedoffthepigsbelongingtoanoldmanwholivesbyGlenCarLough,aurtogoafterthem.Nowthatweknowtheyarefourtimesmorethanweare,wefollowtofiheyhavetaken;andwillpresentlytellourstorytoDeCourcey,andifhewillnothelpus,toFitzgerald;forDeCourdFitzgeraldhavelatelymadeapeadwedonotknoebelong.

  Butbythattime,saidtheknight,thepigswillhavebeeen.

  Adozenmenore,anditwasnotreasothewholevalleyshouldturnoutandrisktheirlivesfortwo,orfortwodozenpigs.

  youtellme,saidtheknight,iftheoldmantowhomthepigsbelongispiousandtrueofheart?

  Heisastrueasanotherandmorepiousthanany,forhesaysaprayertoasainteverymbeforehisbreakfast.

  Thenitwerewelltofightinhiscause,saidtheknight,andifyouwillfightagainstthewood?thievesIwilltakethemainbruntofthebattle,andyoukhatamaninarmourisworthmanylikethesewood?thieves,cladinwoolaher.

  Andtheleaderturohisfellowsandaskediftheywouldtakethece;buttheyseemedanxioustogetbacktotheirs.

  Arethewood?thievestreacherousandimpious?

  Theyaretreacherousinalltheirdealings,saidapeasant,andnomanhasknowopray.

  Then,saidtheknight,Iwillgivefivesfortheheadofeverywood?thiefkilledbyusinthefighting;aheleadershowtheway,andtheyallwentoher.Afteratimetheycametowhereabeatentrackwoundintothewoods,and,takingthis,theydoubledbackupontheirpreviouscourse,aoasdthewoodedslopeofthemountains.Inalittlewhilethepathgrewverystraightandsteep,andtheknightwasforountandleavehishorsetiedtoatree?stem.Theykheywereontherighttrack:fortheycouldseethemarksofpointedshoesiclayandmihthemtheclovenfootprintsofthepigs.Presentlythepathbecamestillmoreabrupt,andtheykheendingoftheclovenfoot?printsthatthethieveswerecarryingthepigs.Nowandthenalongmarkintheclayshowedthatapighadslippeddown,andbeendraggedalongforalittleway.Theyhadjourhusforabouttwentyminutes,whenafusedsoundofvoicestoldthemthattheywereingupwiththethieves.Ahevoicesceased,andtheyuoodthattheyhadbeenoverheardiurn.Theypressedonrapidlyandcautiously,andinaboutfiveminutesohemcaughtsightofaleatherjerkinhalfhiddenbyahazel?bush.Anarrowstrucktheknights?armour,butglancedoffharmlessly,andthenaflightofarrowssweptbythemwiththebuzzingsoundofgreatbees.Theyranandclimbed,andclimbedandrantowardsthethieves,whowerenowallvisiblestandingupamongthebusheswiththeirstillquiveringbowsintheirhands:fortheyhadonlytheirspearsandtheymustatonehandtohand.Theknightwasinthefrontandsmotedownfirstohenahewood?thieves.Thepeasantsshouted,and,pressingon,drovethewood?thievesbeforethemuntiltheycameoutotopofthemountain,aheysawthetwopigsquietlygrubbingintheshrass,sotheyranabouttheminacircle,aomovebackagaintowardsthenarrowpath:theoldknightingnowthelastofall,andstrikingdowerthief.Thepeasantshadgotnoveryserioushurtsamongthem,forhehaddrawnthebruntofthebattleuponhimself,ascouldwellbeseenfromthebloodyrentsinhisarmour;aheycametotheentrahenarrowpathhebadethemdrivethepigsdownintothevalley,whilehestoodtheretoguardthewaybehindthem.Soinamomenthewasalone,and,beingweakwithlossofblood,mighthavebeehereahewood?thieveshehadbeatenoff,hadfearnotmadethembegoofsightihurry.

  Anhourpassed,andtheydidurn;andnowtheknightcouldstandonguardnolonger,buthadtoliedownuponthegrass.Ahalf?hourmorewentby,andthenayoungladwithearedtobeanumberofcocksfeathersstuckroundhishat,cameoutofthepathbehindhim,aomoveaboutamongthedeadthieves,cuttingtheirheadsoff,Thenhelaidtheheadsinaheapbeforetheknight,andsaid:Ogreatknight,Ihavebeenbideandaskyouforthesyoupromisedfortheheads:fivesahead.

  TheybidmetellyouthattheyhaveprayedtoGodandHisMiveyoualonglife,butthattheyarepoorpeasants,andthattheywouldhavethemoneybeforeyoudie.TheytoldmethisoverandoverforfearImightfetit,andpromisedtobeatmeifIdid.

  Theknightraisedhimselfuponhiselboeningabagthathungtohisbelt,tedoutthefivesforeachhead.Therewerethirtyheadsinall.

  Ogreatknight,saidthelad,theyhavealsobidmetakeallcareofyou,andlightafire,andputthisoiuponyourwounds.Aheredstidleavestogether,and,flashinghisflintandsteelunderamassofdryleaves,hadmadeaverygoodblaze.Then,drawingoftheail,hebegantoanointthewounds:buthediditclumsily,likeonewhodoesbyrotewhathehadbeentold.Theknightmotionedhimtostop,andsaid:Youseemagoodlad.

  Iwouldasksomethingofyouformyself.

  Therearestillafews,saidtheknight;shallIgivethemtoyou?

  Ono,saidthelad.Theywouldbenogoodtome.ThereisonlyohingthatIcareaboutdoing,andIhavenoneedofmoodoit.Igofromvillagetovillageandfromhilltohill,andwheneverIeacrossagoodcockIstealhimandtakehimintothewoods,andIkeephimthereunderabasketuntilIgetanoodcodthehemtofight.ThepeoplesayIamani,anddonotdomeanyharm,andneveraskmetodoanyworkbutgoamessagenowaisbecauseIamanihattheyseogetthes:anyoneelsewouldstealthem;andtheydarenotebackthemselves,fornowthatyouarenotwiththemtheyareafraidofthewood?thieves.Didyoueverhearhow,whenthewood?thievesarechristehewolvesaremadetheirgod?fathers,andtheirrightarmsarenotchristeall?

  Ifyouwillnottaketheses,mygoodlad,Ihavenothingforyou,Ifear,unlessyouwouldhavethatoldailwhichIshallsoonneednomore.

  TherewassomethingIwanted:yes,Iremembernow,saidthelad.Iwantyoutotellmewhyyoufoughtlikethechampionsandgiantsioriesandforsolittleathing.Areyouindeedamanlikeus?Areyounotratheranoldwizardwholivesamongthesehills,andwillnotawindarisepresentlyandcrumbleyouintodust?

  Iwilltellyouofmyself,repliedtheknight,fornowthatIamthelastofthefellowship,Imaytellallandwitnessfod.LookattheRoseofRubieso,ahesymbolofmylifeandofmyhope.

  Aoldtheladthisstory,butwithalwaysmorefrequentpauses;and,whilehetoldit,theRoseshoneadeepblood?colourinthefirelight,andtheladstuckthecocksfeathersihinfrontofhim,andmovedthemaboutasthoughhemadethemactorsintheplay.

  Iliveinalandfarfromthis,andwasoheKnightsofSt.John,saidtheoldman;butIwasohoseintheOrderwhoalwayslongedformorearduouslaboursintheserviceoftheMostHigh.AtlasttherecametousaknightofPalestiowhomthetruthoftruthshadbeenrevealedbyGodHimself.HehadseeRoseofFire,andaVoiceoutoftheRosehadtoldhimhowmenwouldturnfromthelightoftheirows,andbowdownbeforeouterorderandouterfixity,andthatthenthelightwouldcease,andnoneescapethecurseexceptthefoolishgoodmanwhocouldnot,andthepassionatewickedmanwhowouldnot,think.

  Already,theVoicetoldhim,thewaywardlightoftheheartwasshiningoutupontheworldtokeepitalive,withalessclearlustre,andthat,asitpaled,astrangeiionwastougthestarsandthehillsandthegrassareeswithcorruption,andthathosewhohadseenclearlythetruthandtheawaycouldeotheKingdomofGod,whichisintheHeartoftheRose,iftheystayedonwillinglyinthecorruptedworld;andsotheymustprovetheirangeragainstthePowersofCorruptionbydyingintheserviceoftheRoseofGod.WhiletheKnightofPalestiellingusthesethingsweseemedtoseeinavisionacrimsonRosespreadingitselfabouthim,sothatheseemedtospeakoutofitsheart,andtheairwasfilledwithfragrahiswekhatitwastheveryVoiceofGodwhichspoketousbytheknight,aheredabouthimandbadehimdirectusinallthings,andteachushowtoobeytheVoice.Sohebounduswithanoath,andgaveussignsandwordswherebywemightknoweachotherevenaftermanyyears,andheappointedplaeeting,ausoutintroopsintotheworldtoseekgoodcauses,anddieindoingbattleforthem.Atfirstwethoughttodiemorereadilybyfastingtodeathinhonourofsomesaint;butthishetolduswasevil,forwediditforthesakeofdeath,andthustookoutofthehandsofGodthechoiceofthetimeandmannerofourdeath,andbysodoingmadeHispowertheless.Wemustchooseourserviceforitsexcellendforthisalone,andleaveittoGodtorewardusatHisowntimeandinHisownmanner.Andafterthishepelledustoeatalwaystwoatatabletowatcheachotherlestwefastedunduly,forsomeamongussaidthatifoedforaloveoftheholinessofsaintsandthehedeathwouldbeacceptable.Andtheyearspassed,andonebyonemyfellowsdiedintheHolyLand,orinwarringupontheevilpriheearth,orinclearingtheroadsofrobbers;andamongthemdiedtheknightofPalestine,andatlastIwasalone.Ifoughtineverycausewherethefewtendedagainstthemany,andmyhairgrewwhite,andaterriblefearlestIhadfallehedispleasureofGodcameupo,hearingatlasthowthiswesternislewasfullerofwarsandrapihananyotherland,Icamehither,andIhavefouhingIsought,and,behold!Iamfilledwithagreatjoy.

  ThereathebegantosinginLatin,and,whilehesang,hisvoicegrewfainterandfaihenhiseyesclosed,andhislipsfellapart,andtheladknewhewasdead.Hehastoldmeagoodtale,hesaid,fortherewasfightinginit,butIdidnotuandmuchofit,anditishardtoremembersolongastory.

  And,takingtheknightssword,hebegantodigagraveiclay.Hedughard,andafaintlightofdawnhadtouchedhishairandhehadalmostdonehisworkwhenacockcrowedinthevalleybelow.Ah,hesaid,Imusthavethatbird;andherandownthenarrowpathtothevalley.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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