按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃God save you；〃 Balen softly said；
〃What grief bows down your heart and head
Thus； as one sorrowing for his dead？
Tell me； if haply I may stead
In aught your sorrow； that I may。〃
〃Sir knight；〃 that other said； 〃thy word
Makes my grief heavier that I heard。〃
And pity and wonder inly stirred
Drew Balen thence away。
And so withdrawn with silent speed
He saw the sad knight's stately steed；
A war…horse meet for warrior's need；
That none who passed might choose but heed；
So strong he stood； so great； so fair；
With eyes afire for flight or fight；
A joy to look on； mild in might；
And swift and keen and kind as light；
And all as clear of care。
And Balen； gazing on him； heard
Again his master's woful word
Sound sorrow through the calm unstirred
By fluttering wind or flickering bird；
Thus： 〃Ah； fair lady and faithless； why
Break thy pledged faith to meet me？ soon
An hour beyond thy trothplight noon
Shall strike my death…bell； and thy boon
Is this； that here I die。
〃My curse for all thy gifts may be
Heavier than death or night on thee；
For now this sword thou gavest me
Shall set me from thy bondage free。〃
And there the man had died self…slain；
But Balen leapt on him and caught
The blind fierce hand that fain had wrought
Self…murder； stung with fire of thought；
As rage makes anguish fain。
Then； mad for thwarted grief； 〃Let go
My hand；〃 the fool of wrath and woe
Cried； 〃or I slay thee。〃 Scarce the glow
In Balen's cheek and eye might show；
As dawn shows day while seas lie chill；
He heard； though pity took not heed；
But smiled and spake； 〃That shall not need：
What man may do to bid you speed
I； so God speed me； will。〃
And the other craved his name； beguiled
By hope that made his madness mild。
Again Sir Balen spake and smiled：
〃My name is Balen； called the Wild
By knights whom kings and courts make tame
Because I ride alone afar
And follow but my soul for star。〃
〃Ah； sir； I know the knight you are
And all your fiery fame。
〃The knight that bears two swords I know；
Most praised of all men； friend and foe；
For prowess of your hands； that show
Dark war the way where balefires glow
And kindle glory like the dawn's。〃
So spake the sorrowing knight； and stood
As one whose heart fresh hope made good：
And forth they rode by wold and wood
And down the glimmering lawns。
And Balen craved his name who rode
Beside him； where the wild wood glowed
With joy to feel how noontide flowed
Through glade and glen and rough green road
Till earth grew joyful as the sea。
〃My name is Garnysshe of the Mount；
A poor man's son of none account；〃
He said； 〃where springs of loftier fount
Laugh loud with pride to be。
〃But strength in weakness lives and stands
As rocks that rise through shifting sands；
And for the prowess of my hands
One made me knight and gave me lands；
Duke Hermel； lord from far to near；
Our prince； and she that loved meshe
I love； and deemed she loved but me；
His daughter； pledged her faith to be
Ere now beside me here。〃
And Balen； brief of speech as light
Whose word； beheld of depth and height；
Strikes silence through the stars of night；
Spake； and his face as dawn's grew bright；
For hope to help a happier man；
〃How far then lies she hence？〃 〃By this；〃
Her lover sighed and said； 〃I wis；
Not six fleet miles the passage is；
And straight as thought could span。〃
So rode they swift and sure； and found
A castle walled and dyked around：
And Balen； as a warrior bound
On search where hope might fear to sound
The darkness of the deeps of doubt；
Made entrance through the guardless gate
As life； while hope in life grows great；
Makes way between the doors of fate
That death may pass thereout。
Through many a glorious chamber； wrought
For all delight that love's own thought
Might dream or dwell in； Balen sought
And found of all he looked for nought；
For like a shining shell her bed
Shone void and vacant of her： thence
Through devious wonders bright and dense
He passed and saw with shame…struck sense
Where shame and faith lay dead。
Down in a sweet small garden； fair
With flowerful joy in the ardent air；
He saw； and raged with loathing； where
She lay with love…dishevelled hair
Beneath a broad bright laurel tree
And clasped in amorous arms a knight；
The unloveliest that his scornful sight
Had dwelt on yet； a shame the bright
Broad noon might shrink to see。
And thence in wrathful hope he turned；
Hot as the heart within him burned；
To meet the knight whose love； so spurned
And spat on and made nought of； yearned
And dreamed and hoped and lived in vain；
And said； 〃I have found her sleeping fast；〃
And led him where the shadows cast
From leaves wherethrough light winds ran past
Screened her from sun and rain。
But Garnysshe； seeing； reeled as he stood
Like a tree； kingliest of the wood；
Half hewn through： and the burning blood
Through lips and nostrils burst aflood：
And gathering back his rage and might
As broken breakers rally and roar
The loud wind down that drives off shore；
He smote their heads off： there no more
Their life might shame the light。
Then turned he back toward Balen； mad
With grief； and said； 〃The grief I had
Was nought： ere this my life was glad：
Thou hast done this deed： I was but sad
And fearful how my hope might fare：
I had lived my sorrow down； hadst thou
Not shown me what I saw but now。〃
The sorrow and scorn on Balen's brow
Bade silence curb him there。
And Balen answered： 〃What I did
I did to hearten thee and bid
Thy courage know that shame should rid
A man's high heart of love that hid
Blind shame within its core： God knows；
I did； to set a bondman free；
But as I would thou hadst done by me；
That seeing what love must die to see
Love's end might well be woe's。〃
〃Alas；〃 the woful weakling said；
〃I have slain what most I loved： I have shed
The blood most near my heart： the head
Lies cold as earth； defiled and dead；
That all my life was lighted by；
That all my soul bowed down before；
And now may bear with life no more：
For now my sorrow that I bore
Is twofold； and I die。〃
Then with his red wet sword he rove
His breast in sunder； where it clove
Life； and no pulse against it strove；
So sure and strong the deep stroke drove
Deathward： and Balen； seeing him dead；
Rode thence； lest folk would say he had slain
Those three； and ere three days again
Had seen the sun's might wax and wane；
Far forth he had spurred and sped。
And riding past a cross whereon
Broad golden letters written shone；
Saying； 〃No knight born may ride alone
Forth toward this castle；〃 and all the stone
Glowed in the sun's glare even as though
Blood stained it from the crucified
Dead burden of one that there had died；
An old hoar man he saw beside
Whose face was wan as woe。
〃Balen the Wild；〃 he said； 〃this way
Thy way lies not： thou hast passed to…day
Thy bands： but turn again； and stay
Thy passage； while thy soul hath sway
Within thee； and through God's good power
It will avail thee：〃 and anon
His likeness as a cloud was gone；
And Balen's heart within him shone
Clear as the cloudless hour。
Nor fate nor fear might overcast
The soul now near its peace at last。
Suddenly； thence as forth he past；
A mighty and a deadly blast
Blown of a hunting…horn he heard；
As when the chase hath nobly sped。
〃That blast is blown for me；〃 he said；
〃The prize am I who am yet not dead；〃
And smiled upon the word。
As toward a royal hart's death rang
That note； whence all the loud wood sang
With winged and living sound that sprang
Like fire； and keen as fire's own fang
Pierced the sweet silence that it slew。
But nought like death or strife was here：
Fair semblance and most goodly cheer
They made him； they whose troop drew near
As death among them drew。
A hundred ladies well arrayed
And many a knight well weaponed made
That kindly show of cheer： the glade
Shone round them till its very shade
Lightened and laughed from grove to lawn
To hear and see them： so they brought
Within a castle fair as thought
Could dream that wizard hands had wrought
The guest among them drawn。
All manner of glorious joy was there：
Harping and dancing； loud and fair；
And minstrelsy that made of air
Fire； so like fire its raptures were。
Then the chief lady spake on high：
〃Knight with the two swords； one of two
Must help you here or fall from you：
For needs you now must have ado
And joust with one hereby。
〃A good knight guards an island here
Against all swords that chance brings near；
And there with stroke of sword and spear
Must all for whom these halls make cheer
Fight； and redeem or yield up life。〃
〃An evil custom；〃 Balen said；
〃Is this； that none whom chance hath led
Hither； if knighthood crown his head；
May pass unstirred to strife。〃
〃You shall not have ado to fight
Here save against one only knight；〃
She said； and all her face grew bright
As hell…fire； lit with hungry light
That wicked laughter touched with flame。
〃Well； since I shall thereto；〃 said he；
〃I am ready at heart as death for me：
Fain would I be where death should be
And life should lose its name。
〃But travelling men whose goal afar
Shines as a cloud…constraining star
Are often weary； and