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

Therewith he turned away, and went into the house again; and Walter followed him soberly,
remembering how the Maid had bidden him forbear. So he went to his chamber, and slept.


But amidst of the night he awoke and deemed that he heard a voice not far off, so he crept out of
his bed and peered around, lest, perchance, the Maid had come to speak with him; but his
chamber was dusk and empty: then he went to the window and looked out, and saw the moon
shining bright and white upon the greensward. And lo! the Lady walking with the King’s Son,
and he clad in thin and wanton raiment, but she in nought else save what God had given her of
long, crispy yellow hair. Then was Walter ashamed to look on her, seeing that there was a man
with her, and gat him back to his bed; but yet a long while ere he slept again he had the image
before his eyes of the fair woman on the dewy moonlit grass.


The next day matters went much the same way, and the next also, save that his sorrow was
increased, and he sickened sorely of hope deferred. On the fourth day also the forenoon wore as
erst; but in the heat of the afternoon Walter sought to the hazel-copse, and laid him down there
hard by a little clearing thereof, and slept from very weariness of grief. There, after a while, he
woke with words still hanging in his ears, and he knew at once that it was they twain talking
together.


The King’s Son had just done his say, and now it was the Lady beginning in her honey-sweet
voice, low but strong, wherein even was a little of huskiness; she said: “Otto, belike it were well

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to have a little patience, till we find out what the man is, and whence he cometh; it will always be
easy to rid us of him; it is but a word to our Dwarf-king, and it will be done in a few minutes.”


“Patience!” said the King’s Son, angrily; “I wot not how to have patience with him; for I can see
of him that he is rude and violent and headstrong, and a low-born wily one. Forsooth, he had
patience enough with me the other even, when I rated him in, like the dog that he is, and he had
no manhood to say one word to me. Soothly, as he followed after me, I had a mind to turn about
and deal him a buffet on the face, to see if I could but draw one angry word from him.”


The Lady laughed, and said: “Well, Otto, I know not; that which thou deemest dastardy in him
may be but prudence and wisdom, and he an alien, far from his friends and nigh to his foes.
Perchance we shall yet try him what he is. Meanwhile, I rede thee try him not with buffets, save
he be weaponless and with bounden hands; or else I deem that but a little while shalt thou be fain
of thy blow.”


Now when Walter heard her words and the voice wherein they were said, he might not forbear
being stirred by them, and to him, all lonely there, they seemed friendly.