"William Morris - The Wood Beyond the World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morris William)

that hall, and now not very light, so that Walter was come past the fountain before he saw any
folk therein: then he looked up toward the high-seat, and himseemed that a great light shone
thence, and dazzled his eyes; and he went on a little way, and then fell on his knees; for there
before him on the high-seat sat that wondrous Lady, whose lively image had been shown to him
thrice before; and she was clad in gold and jewels, as he had erst seen her. But now she was not
alone; for by her side sat a young man, goodly enough, so far as Walter might see him, and most
richly clad, with a jewelled sword by his side, and a chaplet of gems on his head. They held each
other by the hand, and seemed to be in dear converse together; but they spake softly, so that
Walter might not hear what they said, till at last the man spake aloud to the Lady: “Seest thou not
that there is a man in the hall?”


“Yea,” she said, “I see him yonder, kneeling on his knees; let him come nigher and give some
account of himself.”


So Walter stood up and drew nigh, and stood there, all shamefaced and confused, looking on
those twain, and wondering at the beauty of the Lady. As for the man, who was slim, and black-



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haired, and straight-featured, for all his goodliness Walter accounted him little, and nowise
deemed him to look chieftain-like.


Now the Lady spake not to Walter any more than erst; but at last the man said: “Why doest thou
not kneel as thou didst erewhile?”


Walter was on the point of giving him back a fierce answer; but the Lady spake and said: “Nay,
friend, it matters not whether he kneel or stand; but he may say, if he will, what he would have of
me, and wherefore he is come hither.”


Then spake Walter, for as wroth and ashamed as he was: “Lady, I have strayed into this land, and
have come to thine house as I suppose, and if I be not welcome, I may well depart straightway,
and seek a way out of thy land, if thou wouldst drive me thence, as well as out of thine house.”


Thereat the Lady turned and looked on him, and when her eyes met his, he felt a pang of fear and
desire mingled shoot through his heart. This time she spoke to him; but coldly, without either
wrath or any thought of him: “Newcomer,” she said, “I have not bidden thee hither; but here
mayst thou abide a while if thou wilt; nevertheless, take heed that here is no King’s Court. There
is, forsooth, a folk that serveth me (or, it may be, more than one), of whom thou wert best to
know nought. Of others I have but two servants, whom thou wilt see; and the one is a strange
creature, who should scare thee or scathe thee with a good will, but of a good will shall serve
nought save me; the other is a woman, a thrall, of little avail, save that, being compelled, she will
work woman’s service for me, but whom none else shall compel . . . Yea, but what is all this to
thee; or to me that I should tell it to thee? I will not drive thee away; but if thine entertainment