《The Secret Rose》第8章

ar　voice：　men　of　law；　why　did　you　make　me　sin　against　the　laws　of　eri？　men　of　verse；　why　did　you　make　me　sin　against　the　secrecy　of　wisdom；　for　law　was　made　by　man　for　the　welfare　of　man；　but　wisdom　the　gods　have　made；　and　no　man　shall　live　by　its　light；　for　it　and　the　hail　and　the　rain　and　the　thunder　follow　a　way　that　is　deadly　to　mortal　things？　men　of　law　and　men　of　verse；　live　according　to　your　kind；　and　call　eocha　of　the　hasty　mind　to　reign　over　you；　for　i　set　out　to　find　my　kindred。
he　then　came　down　among　them；　and　drew　out　of　the　hair　of　first　one　and　then　another　the　feathers　of　the grey　hawk；　and；　having　scattered　them　over　the　rushes　upon　the　floor；　passed　out；　and　none　dared　to　follow　him；　for　his　eyes　gleamed　like　the　eyes　of　the　birds　of　prey；　and　no　man　saw　him　again　or　heard　his　voice。
some　believed　that　he　found　his　eternal　abode　among　the　demons；　and　some　that　he　dwelt　henceforth　with　the　dark　and　dreadful　goddesses；　who　sit　all　night　about　the　pools　in　the　forest　watching　the　constellations　rising　and　setting　in　those　desolate　mirrors。
xs
THE　HEART　OF　THE　SPRING
小说
a　very　old　man；　whose　face　was　almost　as　fleshless　as　the　foot　of　a　bird；　sat　meditating　upon　the　rocky　shore　of　the　flat　and　hazel？　covered　isle　which　fills　the　widest　part　of　the　lough　gill。　a　russet？　faced　boy　of　seventeen　years　sat　by　his　side；　watching　the　swallows　dipping　for　flies　in　the　still　water。　the　old　man　was　dressed　in　threadbare　blue　velvet；　and　the　boy　wore　a　frieze　coat　and　a　blue　cap；　and　had　about　his　neck　a　rosary　of　blue　beads。　behind　the　two；　and　half　hidden　by　trees；　was　a　little　monastery。　it　had　been　burned　down　a　long　while　before　by　sacrilegious　men　of　the　queens　party；　but　had　been　roofed　anew　with　rushes　by　the　boy；　that　the　old　man　might　find　shelter　in　his　last　days。　he　had　not　set　his　spade；　however；　into　the　garden　about　it；　and　the　lilies　and　the　roses　of　the　monks　had　spread　out　until　their　confused　luxuriancy　met　and　mingled　with　the　narrowing　circle　of　the　fern。　beyond　the　lilies　and　the　roses　the　ferns　were　so　deep　that　a　child　walking　among　them　would　be　hidden　from　sight；　even　though　he　stood　upon　his　toes；　and　beyond　the　fern　rose　many　hazels　and　small　oak　trees。
master；　said　the　boy；　this　long　fasting；　and　the　labour　of　beckoning　after　nightfall　with　your　rod　of　quicken　wood　to　the　beings　who　dwell　in　the　waters　and　among　the　hazels　and　oak？trees；　is　too　much　for　your　strength。　rest　from　all　this　labour　for　a　little；　for　your　hand　seemed　more　heavy　upon　my　shoulder　and　your　feet　less　steady　under　you　to？day　than　i　have　known　them。　men　say　that　you　are　older　than　the　eagles；　and　yet　you　will　not　seek　the　rest　that　belongs　to　age。　he　spoke　in　an　eager；　impulsive　way；　as　though　his　heart　were　in　the　words　and　thoughts　of　the　moment；　and　the　old　man　answered　slowly　and　deliberately；　as　though　his　heart　were　in　distant　days　and　distant　deeds。
i　will　tell　you　why　i　have　not　been　able　to　rest；　he　said。　it　is　right　that　you　should　know；　for　you　have　served　me　faithfully　these　five　years　and　more；　and　even　with　affection；　taking　away　thereby　a　little　of　the　doom　of　loneliness　which　always　falls　upon　the　wise。　now；　too；　that　the　end　of　my　labour　and　the　triumph　of　my　hopes　is　at　hand；　it　is　the　more　needful　for　you　to　have　this　knowledge。
master；　do　not　think　that　i　would　question　you。　it　is　for　me　to　keep　the　fire　alight；　and　the　thatch　close　against　the　rain；　and　strong；　lest　the　wind　blow　it　among　the　trees；　and　it　is　for　me　to　take　the　heavy　books　from　the　shelves；　and　to　lift　from　its　corner　the　great　painted　roll　with　the　names　of　the　sidhe；　and　to　possess　the　while　an　incurious　and　reverent　heart；　for　right　well　i　know　that　god　has　made　out　of　his　abundance　a　separate　wisdom　for　everything　which　lives；　and　to　do　these　things　is　my　wisdom。
you　are　afraid；　said　the　old　man；　and　his　eyes　shone　with　a　momentary　anger。
sometimes　at　night；　said　the　boy；　when　you　are　reading；　with　the　rod　of　quicken　wood　in　your　hand；　i　look　out　of　the　door　and　see；　now　a　great　grey　man　driving　swine　among　the　hazels；　and　now　many　little　people　in　red　caps　who　e　out　of　the　lake　driving　little　white　cows　before　them。　i　do　not　fear　these　little　people　so　much　as　the　grey　man；　for；　when　they　e　near　the　house；　they　milk　the　cows；　and　they　drink　the　frothing　milk；　and　begin　to　dance；　and　i　know　there　is　good　in　the　heart　that　loves　dancing；　but　i　fear　them　for　all　that。
and　i　fear　the　tall　white？armed　ladies　who　e　out　of　the　air；　and　move　slowly　hither　and　thither；　crowning　themselves　with　the　roses　or　with　the　lilies；　and　shaking　about　their　living　hair；　which　moves；　for　so　i　have　heard　them　tell　each　other；　with　the　motion　of　their　thoughts；　now　spreading　out　and　now　gathering　close　to　their　heads。　they　have　mild；　beautiful　faces；　but；　aengus；　son　of　forbis；　i　fear　all　these　beings；　i　fear　the　people　of　sidhe；　and　i　fear　the　art　which　draws　them　about　us。
why；　said　the　old　man；　do　you　fear　the　ancient　gods　who　made　the　spears　of　your　fathers　fathers　to　be　stout　in　battle；　and　the　little　people　who　came　at　night　from　the　depth　of　the　lakes　and　sang　among　the　crickets　upon　their　hearths？　and　in　our　evil　day　they　still　watch　over　the　loveliness　of　the　earth。　but　i　must　tell　you　why　i　have　fasted　and　laboured　when　others　would　sink　into　the　sleep　of　age；　for　without　your　help　once　more　i　shall　have　fasted　and　laboured　to　no　good　end。　when　you　have　done　for　me　this　last　thing；　you　may　go　and　build　your　cottage　and　till　your　fields；　and　take　some　girl　to　wife；　and　forget　the　ancient　gods。　i　have　saved　all　the　gold　and　silver　pieces　that　were　given　to　me　by　earls　and　knights　and　squires　for　keeping　them　from　the　evil　eye　and　from　the　love？weaving　enchantments　of　witches；　and　by　earls　and　knights　and　squires　ladies　for　keeping　the　people　of　the　sidhe　from　making　the　udders　of　their　cattle　fall　dry；　and　taking　the　butter　from　their　churns。　i　have　saved　it　all　for　the　day　when　my　work　should　be　at　an　end；　and　now　that　the　end　is　at　hand　you　shall　not　lack　for　gold　and　silver　pieces　enough　to　make　strong　the　roof？tree　of　your　cottage　and　to　keep　cellar　and　larder　full。　i　have　sought　through　all　my　life