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the blue flower-第30章

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The steps of the pilgrims were noiseless; but the sledges
creaked over the dry snow; and the panting of the horses
throbbed through the still air。  The pale…blue shadows on the
western side of the road grew longer。  The sun; declining
through its shallow arch; dropped behind the tree…tops。
Darkness followed swiftly; as if it had been a bird of prey
waiting for this sign to swoop down upon the world。

〃Father;〃 said Gregor to the leader; 〃surely this day's
march is done。  It is time to rest; and eat; and sleep。  If we
press onward now; we cannot see our steps; and will not that
be against the word of the psalmist David; who bids us not to
put confidence in the legs of a man?〃

Winfried laughed。  〃Nay; my son Gregor;〃 said he; 〃thou
hast tripped; even now; upon thy text。  For David said only;
'I take no pleasure in the legs of a man。'  And so say I; for
I am not minded to spare thy legs or mine; until we come farther
on our way; and do what must be done this night。  Draw thy
belt tighter; my son; and hew me out this tree that is fallen
across the road; for our campground is not here。〃

The youth obeyed; two of the foresters sprang to help him;
and while the soft fir…wood yielded to the stroke of the axes;
and the snow flew from the bending branches; Winfried turned
and spoke to his followers in a cheerful voice; that refreshed
them like wine。

〃Courage; brothers; and forward yet a little!  The moon
will light us presently; and the path is plain。  Well know I
that the journey is weary; and my own heart wearies also for
the home in England; where those I love are keeping feast this
Christmas…eve。  But we have work to do before we feast
to…night。  For this is the Yuletide; and the heathen people of
the forest are gathered at the thunder…oak of Geismar to
worship their god; Thor。  Strange things will be seen there;
and deeds which make the soul black。  But we are sent to
lighten their darkness; and we will teach our kinsmen to keep
a Christmas with us such as the woodland has never known。
Forward; then; and stiffen up the feeble knees!〃

A murmur of assent came from the men。  Even the horses
seemed to take fresh heart。  They flattened their backs to
draw the heavy loads; and blew the frost from their nostrils
as they pushed ahead。

The night grew broader and less oppressive。  A gate of
brightness was opened secretly somewhere in the sky。  Higher
and higher swelled the clear moon…flood; until it poured over
the eastern wall of forest into the road。  A drove of wolves
howled faintly in the distance; but they were receding; and
the sound soon died away。  The stars sparkled merrily through
the stringent air; the small; round moon shone like silver;
little breaths of dreaming wind wandered across the pointed
fir…tops; as the pilgrims toiled bravely onward; following
their clew of light through a labyrinth of darkness。

After a while the road began to open out a little。  There
were spaces of meadow…land; fringed with alders; behind which
a boisterous river ran clashing through spears of ice。

Rude houses of hewn logs appeared in the openings; each one
casting a patch of inky shadow upon the snow。 Then the travellers
passed a larger group of dwellings; all silent and unlighted; and
beyond; they saw a great house; with many outbuildings and
inclosed courtyards; from which the hounds bayed furiously; and a
noise of stamping horses came from the stalls。  But there was no
other sound of life。  The fields around lay naked to the moon。
They saw no man; except that once; on a path that skirted the
farther edge of a meadow; three dark figures passed them; running
very swiftly。

Then the road plunged again into a dense thicket;
traversed it; and climbing to the left; emerged suddenly upon
a glade; round and level except at the northern side; where a
hillock was crowned with a huge oak…tree。  It towered above
the heath; a giant with contorted arms; beckoning to the host
of lesser trees。  〃Here;〃 cried Winfried; as his eyes flashed
and his hand lifted his heavy staff; 〃here is the Thunder…oak;
and here the cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the
false god Thor。〃

Withered leaves still clung to the branches of the oak: torn
and faded banners of the departed summer。  The bright crimson
of autumn had long since disappeared; bleached away by the
storms and the cold。  But to…night these tattered remnants of
glory were red again: ancient bloodstains against the
dark…blue sky。  For an immense fire had been kindled in front
of the tree。  Tongues of ruddy flame; fountains of ruby
sparks; ascended through the spreading limbs and flung a
fierce illumination upward and around。  The pale; pure
moonlight that bathed the surrounding forests was quenched and
eclipsed here。  Not a beam of it sifted through the branches
of the oak。  It stood like a pillar of cloud between the still
light of heaven and the crackling; flashing fire of earth。

But the fire itself was invisible to Winfried and his
companions。  A great throng of people were gathered around it
in a half…circle; their backs to the open glade; their faces
toward the oak。  Seen against that glowing background; it was but
the silhouette of a crowd; vague; black; formless; mysterious。

The travellers paused for a moment at the edge of the
thicket; and took counsel together。

〃It is the assembly of the tribe;〃 said one of the
foresters; 〃the great night of the council。  I heard of it
three days ago; as we passed through one of the villages。  All
who swear by the old gods have been summoned。  They will
sacrifice a steed to the god of war; and drink blood; and eat
horse…flesh to make them strong。  It will be at the peril of
our lives if we approach them。  At least we must hide the
cross; if we would escape death。〃

〃Hide me no cross;〃 cried Winfried; lifting his staff;
〃for I have come to show it; and to make these blind folk see
its power。  There is more to be done here to…night than the
slaying of a steed; and a greater evil to be stayed than the
shameful eating of meat sacrificed to idols。  I have seen it
in a dream。  Here the cross must stand and be our rede。〃

At his command the sledge was left in the border
of the wood; with two of the men to guard it; and the rest of
the company moved forward across the open ground。  They
approached unnoticed; for all the multitude were looking
intently toward the fire at the foot of the oak。

Then Winfried's voice rang out; 〃Hail; ye sons of the
forest!  A stranger claims the warmth of your fire in the
winter night。〃

Swiftly; and as with a single motion; a thousand eyes were
bent upon the speaker。  The semicircle opened silently in the
middle; Winfried entered with his followers; it closed again
behind them。

Then; as they looked round the curving ranks; they saw
that the hue of the assemblage was not black; but
white;dazzling; radiant; solemn。  White; the robes of the
women clustered together at the points of the wide crescent;
white; the glittering byrnies of the warriors standing in
close ranks; white; the fur mantles of the aged men who held
the central palace in the circle; white; with the shimmer of
silver ornaments and the purity of lamb's…wool; the raiment of
a little group of children who stood close by the fire; white;
with awe and fear; the faces of all who looked at them; and over
all the flickering; dancing radiance of the flames played and
glimmered like a faint; vanishing tinge of blood on snow。

The only figure untouched by the glow was the old priest;
Hunrad; with his long; spectral robe; flowing hair and beard;
and dead…pale face; who stood with his back to the fire and
advanced slowly to meet the strangers。

〃Who are you?  Whence come you; and what seek you here?〃

〃Your kinsman am I; of the German brotherhood;〃 answered
Winfried; 〃and from England; beyond the sea; have I come to
bring you a greeting from that land; and a message from the
All…Father; whose servant I am。〃

〃Welcome; then;〃 said Hunrad; 〃welcome; kinsman; and be
silent; for what passes here is too high to wait; and must be
done before the moon crosses the middle heaven; unless;
indeed; thou hast some sign or token from the gods。  Canst
thou work miracles?〃

The question came sharply; as if a sudden gleam of hope
had flashed through the tangle of the old priest's mind。  But
Winfried's voice sank lower and a cloud of disappointment
passed over his face as he replied:  〃Nay; miracles have I
never wrought; though I have heard of many; but the All…Father
has given no power to my hands save such as belongs to common
man。〃

〃Stand still; then; thou common man;〃 said Hunrad;
scornfully; 〃and behold what the gods have called us hither to
do。  This night is the death…night of the sun…god; Baldur the
Beautiful; beloved of gods and men。  This night is the hour of
darkness and the power of winter; of sacrifice and mighty
fear。  This night the great Thor; the god of thunder and war;
to whom this oak is sacred; is grieved for the death of
Baldur; and angry with this people because they have forsaken
his worship。  Long is it since an offering has been laid upon
his altar; long since the roots of his holy tree have been fed
with
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