登陆注册
5390600000041

第41章 CHAPTER XXIV: (3)

Therefore I tell thee that from the first I did plot the death of those two, the Dwarf and the Mistress. For no otherwise mightest thou live, or I escape from death in life. But as to the dastard who threatened me with a thrall's pains, I heeded him nought to live or die, for well I knew that thy valiant sword, yea, or thy bare hands, would speedily tame him. Now first I knew that I must make a show of yielding to the King's Son; and somewhat how I did therein, thou knowest. But no night and no time did I give him to bed me, till after I had met thee as thou wentest to the Golden House, before the adventure of fetching the lion's skin; and up to that time I had scarce known what to do, save ever to bid thee, with sore grief and pain, to yield thee to the wicked woman's desire. But as we spake together there by the stream, and I saw that the Evil Thing (whose head thou clavest e'en now) was spying on us, then amidst the sickness of terror which ever came over me whensoever I thought of him, and much more when I saw him (ah! he is dead now!), it came flashing into my mind how I might destroy my enemy. Therefore I made the Dwarf my messenger to her, by bidding thee to my bed in such wise that he might hear it. And wot thou well, that he speedily carried her the tidings. Meanwhile I hastened to lie to the King's Son, and all privily bade him come to me and not thee.

And thereafter, by dint of waiting and watching, and taking the only chance that there was, I met thee as thou camest back from fetching the skin of the lion that never was, and gave thee that warning, or else had we been undone indeed."

Said Walter: "Was the lion of her making or of thine then?"

She said: "Of hers: why should I deal with such a matter?"

"Yea," said Walter, "but she verily swooned, and she was verily wroth with the Enemy."

The Maid smiled, and said: "If her lie was not like very sooth, then had she not been the crafts-master that I knew her: one may lie otherwise than with the tongue alone: yet indeed her wrath against the Enemy was nought feigned; for the Enemy was even I, and in these latter days never did her wrath leave me. But to go on with my tale."

"Now doubt thou not, that, when thou camest into the hall yester eve, the Mistress knew of thy counterfeit tryst with me, and meant nought but death for thee; yet first would she have thee in her arms again, therefore did she make much of thee at table (and that was partly for my torment also), and therefore did she make that tryst with thee, and deemed doubtless that thou wouldst not dare to forgo it, even if thou shouldst go to me thereafter."

"Now I had trained that dastard to me as I have told thee, but I gave him a sleepy draught, so that when I came to the bed he might not move toward me nor open his eyes: but I lay down beside him, so that the Lady might know that my body had been there; for well had she wotted if it had not. Then as there I lay I cast over him thy shape, so that none might have known but that thou wert lying by my side, and there, trembling, I abode what should befall. Thus I passed through the hour whenas thou shouldest have been at her chamber, and the time of my tryst with thee was come as the Mistress would be deeming; so that I looked for her speedily, and my heart well-nigh failed me for fear of her cruelty."

同类推荐
  • 宗门宝积录

    宗门宝积录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金匮方歌括

    金匮方歌括

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 春秋公羊传注疏

    春秋公羊传注疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明医指掌

    明医指掌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 缁衣

    缁衣

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 九寒寂生

    九寒寂生

    “九寒”一个被世界所抛弃的人再归时便是“寂生”,寂灭所有生机毁灭所有炙热
  • Moon of Israel

    Moon of Israel

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无道剑圣

    无道剑圣

    天,只有抬头一片;而星辰,则是无边无际。当飞出天际之外,看到的只有浩瀚星空。谁说光明就一定能驱散黑暗的,有种极致的黑,连光都可以吞噬。光速就算再快,也需要时间传播,但黑暗却是瞬间覆盖。天地初生,漆黑一片,光明只是后来产物,如果没有黑暗,光明存在的意义何在?
  • 重生,霸气归来

    重生,霸气归来

    重生前,孤儿叶依依爱上了天之骄子慕容风,五年婚姻换来的却是一句,“我从未爱过你”,死心的她却重生了,重生之后的她继续坚持自己的设计师梦想,成为了国际数一数二的设计师。与渣男离婚,凌家神秘三少却悄悄爱上了她,坚持不懈的努力,终于娶的美人归。
  • 女将军现代生活录

    女将军现代生活录

    一代女将重生为农村孤女,韩佳下定决心,要努力把前世没谈的恋爱补上,要做一个有理想、有抱负,有志气的人。什么?被定了亲?寡妇婆婆不喜欢?未婚夫心属青梅?还带着克夫克子命?这活脱脱是一个苦命小媳妇儿的命哟,肿么破?
  • 我们的战国

    我们的战国

    作品从数十位战国名人的第一视角出发,讲述了从1467年到1616年这一百多年的日本战国历史。以史料为基础,以年代和具体人物为主线,并且加入了小说的写作手法,把战国时代的那些人物、故事进行了全景展示。作者放弃了原先战国历史中大凡采用的“信长,秀吉,家康”这三人为主线,作品中所描述的十多位主角的共同特性是“未曾统一天下,但却依然是历史大河中的弄潮儿”,历史是每一个人自己的历史,战国也是每一个人自己的战国,故而取名“我们的战国”。
  • 霸权千金奢华有内涵

    霸权千金奢华有内涵

    因为一场意外而穿越到一位豪门千金身上,貌似并不十分安全...
  • 孕妈妈40周生活全书

    孕妈妈40周生活全书

    为了生一个聪明健康的宝宝,面对怀孕,女性应该如何去做呢?怎样才能使孕期生活更完美,家庭生活更幸福呢?这是每一位育龄妇女都必须面对的现实问题。只有这些问题得到解决,才能顺利度过孕产期,既可以生一个聪明健康的宝宝,又无损自身的健康,为此,我们编撰了次书,旨在帮助广大育龄妇女科学怀孕,健康度过孕产期。本书从准妈妈的角度出发,以生一个聪明健康的宝宝为目的,为保证母子平安而科学全面地论述了怀孕条件、孕前生活、孕期变化、营养饮食、生活保健、异常护理、安胎养胎、科学胎教、产前检查、分娩等方面的问题,让每一位准妈妈都明白这样一个道理——保护好自己就是保护自己的孩子。
  • 这样学习最高效

    这样学习最高效

    借鉴了清华、北大等著名高校学生在中学时期成功的学习经验,并根据当前教材及考试形势总结出一套最新的高效学习方法,详细告诉你应该如何听课,如何读书,如何预习,如何复习,如何做题,如何记忆等。《这样学习最高效》融入了全国许多一线优秀教师的先进教学方法,把大量切实可行的学习技巧和中、高考状元的心得体会进行了提炼、归纳和总结。这些学习方法都是经过实践检验的宝贵经验,对中学生的学习大有帮助。一书在手,帮你把苦学变成乐学,将勤学化为会学,助你攀登学习的高峰!
  • 人生之路如何走过

    人生之路如何走过

    本书是从叔本华的诸多著作集中选取了数十篇具有代表性的文章,内容涉及人生、哲学、美学、道德等诸多方面,基本反映了叔本华人生哲学的主要思想和理论。