They went slowly as men began to gather about them; yea, some of the good folk that lived hard by must needs fare home to their houses to fetch cakes and wine for the guests; and they made them sit down and rest on the green grass by the side of the Portway, and eat and drink to cheer their hearts; others, women and young swains, while they rested went down into the meadows and plucked of the spring flowers, and twined them hastily with deft8 and well-wont fingers into chaplets and garlands for their heads and bodies. Thus indeed they covered their nakedness, till the lowering faces and weather-beaten skins of those hardly-entreated thralls looked grimly out from amidst the knots of cowslip and oxlip, and the branches of the milk-white blackthorn bloom, and the long trumpets9 of the daffodils, of the hue10 that wrappeth round the quill11 which the webster takes in hand when she would pleasure her soul with the sight of the yellow growing upon the dark green web.
So they went on again as the evening was waning13, and when they were gotten within a furlong of the Gate, lo! there was come the minstrelsy, the pipe and the tabor, the fiddle14 and the harp15, and the folk that had learned to sing the sweetest, both men and women, and Redesman at the head of them all.
Then fell the throng16 into an ordered company; first went the music, and then a score of Face-of-god’s warriors17 with drawn18 swords and uplifted spears; and then the flower-bedecked misery of the Runaways, men and women going together, gaunt, befouled, and hollow-eyed, with here and there a flushed cheek or gleaming eye, or tear-bedewed face, as the joy and triumph of the eve pierced through their wonted weariness of grief; then the rest of the warriors, and lastly the mingled crowd of Dalesfolk, tall men and fair women gaily20 arrayed, clean-faced, clear-skinned, and sleek-haired, with glancing eyes and ruddy lips.
And now Redesman turned about to the music and drew his bow across his fiddle, and the other bows ran out in concert, and the harps21 followed the story of them, and he lifted up his voice and sang the words of an old song, and all the singers joined him and blended their voices with his. And these are some of the words which they sang:
Lo! here is Spring, and all we are living,
We that were wan12 with Winter’s fear;
Reach out your hands to her hands that are giving,
Lest ye lose her love and the light of the year.
Many a morn did we wake to sorrow,
When low on the land the cloud-wrath22 lay;
Many an eve we feared to-morrow,
The unbegun unfinished day.
Ah we — we hoped not, and thou wert tardy23;
Nought24 wert thou helping25; nought we prayed.
Where was the eager heart, the hardy26?
Where was the sweet-voiced unafraid?
But now thou lovest, now thou leadest,
Where is gone the grief of our minds?
What was the word of the tale, that thou heedest
E’en as the breath of the bygone winds?
Green and green is thy garment growing
Over thy blossoming limbs beneath;
Up o’er our feet rise the blades of thy sowing,
Pierced are our hearts with thine odorous breath.
But where art thou wending, thou new-comer?
Hurrying on to the Courts of the Sun?
Where art thou now in the House of the Summer?
Told are thy days and thy deed is done.
Spring has been here for us that are living
After the days of Winter’s fear;
Here in our hands is the wealth of her giving,
The Love of the Earth, and the Light of the Year.
Thus came they to the Gate, and lo! the Bride thereby27, leaning against a buttress28, gazing with no dull eyes at the coming throng. She was now clad in her woman’s attire29 again, to wit a light flame-coloured gown over a green kirtle; but she yet bore a gilded30 helm on her head and a sword girt to her side in token of her oath to the God. She had been in Hall-face’s company in that last battle, and had done a man’s service there, fighting very valiantly31, but had not been hurt, and had come back to Burgstead when the shift of men was.
Now she drew herself up and stood a little way before the Gate and looked forth33 on the throng, and when her eyes beheld34 the Runaways amidst of the weaponed carles of Burgdale, her face flushed, and her eyes filled with tears as she stood, partly wondering, partly deeming what they were. She waited till Stone-face came by her, and then she took the old man by the sleeve, and drew him apart a little and said to him: ‘What meaneth this show, my friend? Who hath clad these folk thus strangely; and who be these three naked tall ones, so fierce-looking, but somewhat noble of aspect?’
For indeed those three men of the kindreds, when they had gotten into the Dale, and had rested them, and drunk a cup of wine, and when they had seen the chaplets and wreaths of the spring-flowers wherewith they were bedecked, and had smelt35 the sweet savour of them, fell to walking proudly, heeding36 not their nakedness; for no rag had they upon them save breech-clouts of deer-skin: they had changed weapons with the Burgdale carles; and one had gotten a great axe37, which he bore over his shoulder, and the shaft38 thereof was all done about with copper39; and another had shouldered a long heavy thrusting-spear, and the third, an exceeding tall man, bore a long broad-bladed war-sword. Thus they went, brown of skin beneath their flower-garlands, their long hair bleached40 by the sun falling about their shoulders; high they strode amongst the shuffling41 carles and tripping women of the later-come thralls. But when they heard the music, and saw that they were coming to the Gate in triumph, strange thoughts of old memories swelled42 up in their hearts, and they refrained them not from weeping, for they felt that the joy of life had come back to them.
Nor must it be deemed that these were the only ones amongst the Runaways whose hearts were cheered and softened43: already were many of them coming back to life, as they felt their worn bodies caressed44 by the clear soft air of Burgdale, and the sweetness of the flowers that hung about them, and saw all round about the kind and happy faces of their well-willers.
So Stone-face looked on the Bride as she stood with face yet tear-bedewed, awaiting his answer, and said:
‘Daughter, thou sayest who clad these folk thus? It was misery that hath so dight them; and they are the images of what we shall be if we love foul19 life better than fair death, and so fall into the hands of the Felons45, who were the masters of these men. As for the tall naked men, they are of our own blood, and kinsmen46 to Face-of-god’s new friends; and they are of the best of the vanquished47: it was in early days that they fled from thralldom; as we may have to do. Now, daughter, I bid thee be as joyous48 as thou art valiant32, and then shall all be well.’
Therewith she smiled on him, and he departed, and she stood a little while, as the throng moved on and was swallowed by the Gate, and looked after them; and for all her pity for the other folk, she thought chiefly of those fearless tall men who were of the blood of those with whom it was lawful49 to wed3.
There she stood as the wind dried the tears upon her cheeks, thinking of the sorrow which these folk had endured, and their stripes and mocking, their squalor and famine; and she wondered and looked on her own fair and shapely hands with the precious finger-rings thereon, and on the dainty cloth and trim broidery of her sleeve; and she touched her smooth cheek with the back of her hand, and smiled, and felt the spring sweet in her mouth, and its savour goodly in her nostrils50; and therewith she called to mind the aspect of her lovely body, as whiles she had seen it imaged, all its full measure, in the clear pool at midsummer, or piece-meal, in the shining steel of the Westland mirror. She thought also with what joy she drew the breath of life, yea, even amidst of grief, and of how sweet and pure and well-nurtured she was, and how well beloved of many friends and the whole folk, and she set all this beside those woeful bodies and lowering faces, and felt shame of her sorrow of heart, and the pain it had brought to her; and ever amidst shame and pity of all that misery rose up before her the images of those tall fierce men, and it seemed to her as if she had seen something like to them in some dream or imagination of her mind.
So came the Burgdalers and their guests into the street of Burgstead amidst music and singing; and the throng was great there. Then Face-of-god bade make a ring about the strangers, and they did so, and he and the Runaways alone were in the midst of it; and he spake in a loud voice and said:
‘Men of the Dale and the Burg, these folk whom here ye see in such a sorry plight51 are they whom our deadly foes52 have rejoiced to torment53; let us therefore rejoice to cherish them. Now let those men come forth who deem that they have enough and more, so that they may each take into their houses some two or three of these friends such as would be fain to be together. And since I am War-leader, and have the right hereto, I will first choose them whom I will lead into the House of the Face. And lo you! will I have this man (and he laid his hand on Dallach),who is he whom I first came across, and who found us all these others, and next I will have yonder tall carles, the three of them, because I perceive them to be men meet to be with a War-leader, and to follow him in battle.’
Therewith he drew the three Men of the Wolf towards him, but Dallach already was standing54 beside him. And folk rejoiced in Face-of-god.
But the Bride came forward next, and spake to him meekly55 and simply:
‘War-leader, let me have of the women those who need me most, that I may bring them to the House of the Steer56, and try if there be not some good days yet to be found for them, wherein they shall but remember the past grief as an ugly dream.’
Then Face-of-god looked on her, and him-seemed he had never seen her so fair; and all the shame wherewith he had beheld her of late was gone from him, and his heart ran over with friendly love towards her as she looked into his face with kindly57 eyes; and he said:
‘Kinswoman, take thy choice as thy kindness biddeth, and happy shall they be whom thou choosest.’
She bowed her head soberly, and chose from among the guests four women of the saddest and most grievous, and no man of their kindred spake for going along with them; then she went her ways home, leading one of them by the hand, and strange was it to see those twain going through sun and shade together, that poor wretch58 along with the goodliest of women.
Then came forward one after other of the worthy59 goodmen of the Dale, and especially such as were old, and they led away one one man, and another two, and another three, and often would a man crave60 to go with a woman or a woman with a man, and it was not gainsaid61 them. So were all the guests apportioned62, and ill-content were those goodmen that had to depart without a guest; and one man would say to another: ‘Such-an-one, be not downcast; this guest shall be between us, if he will, and shall dwell with thee and me month about; but this first month with me, since I was first comer.’ And so forth was it said.
Now to prevent the time to come, it may be said about the Runaways, that when they had been a little while amongst the Burgdalers, well fed and well clad and kindly cherished, it was marvellous how they were bettered in aspect of body, and it began to be seen of them that they were well-favoured people, and divers63 of the women exceeding goodly, black-haired and grey-eyed, and very clear-skinned and white-skinned; most of them were young, and the oldest had not seen above forty winters. They of Rose-dale, and especially such as had first fled away to the wood, were very soon seen to be merry and kindly folk; but they who had been longest in captivity64, and notably65 those from Silver-dale who were not of the kindreds, were for a long time sullen66 and heavy, and it availed little to trust to them for the doing of work; albeit67 they would follow about their friends of Burgdale with the love of a dog; also they were, divers of them, somewhat thievish, and if they lacked anything would liefer take it by stealth than ask for it; which forsooth the Burgdale men took not amiss, but deemed of it as a jest rather.
Very few of the Runaways had any will to fare back to their old homes, or indeed could be got to go into the wood, or, after a day or two, to say any word of Rose-dale or Silver-dale. In this and other matters the Burgdalers dealt with them as with children who must have their way; for they deemed that their guests had much time to make up; also they were well content when they saw how goodly they were, for these Dalesmen loved to see men goodly of body and of a cheerful countenance68.
As for Dallach and the three Silver-dale men of the kindred, they went gladly whereas the Burgdale men would have them; and half a score others took weapons in their hands when the war was foughten: concerning which more hereafter.
But on the even whereof the tale now tells, Face-of-god and Stone-face and their company met after nightfall in the Hall of the Face clad in glorious raiment, and therewith were Dallach and the men of Silver-dale, washen and docked of their long hair, after the fashion of warriors who bear the helm; and they were clad in gay attire, with battle-swords girt to their sides and gold rings on their arms. Somewhat stern and sad-eyed were those Silver-dalers yet, though they looked on those about them kindly and courteously69 when they met their eyes; and Face-of-god yearned70 towards them when he called to mind the beauty and wisdom and loving-kindness of the Sun-beam. They were, as aforesaid, strong men and tall, and one of them taller than any amidst that house of tall men. Their names were Wolf-stone, the tallest, and God-swain, and Spear-fist; and God-swain the youngest was of thirty winters, and Wolf-stone of forty. They came into the Hall in such wise, that when they were washed and attired71, and all men were assembled in the Hall, and the Alderman and the chieftains sitting on the dais, Face-of-god brought them in from the out-bower, holding Dallach by the right hand and Wolf-stone by the left; and he looked but a stripling beside that huge man.
And when the men in the Hall beheld such goodly warriors, and remembered their grief late past, they all stood up and shouted for joy of them. But Face-of-god passed up the Hall with them, and stood before the dais and said:
‘O Alderman of the Dale and Chief of the House of the Face, here I bring to you the foes of our foemen, whom I have met in the Wild-wood, and bidden to our House; and meseemeth they will be our friends, and stand beside us in the day of battle. Therefore I say, take these guests and me together, or put us all to the door together; and if thou wilt72 take them, then show them to such places as thou deemest meet.’
Then stood up the Alderman and said:
‘Men of Silver-dale and Rose-dale, I bid you welcome! Be ye our friends, and abide73 here with us as long as seemeth good to you, and share in all that is ours. Son Face-of-god, show these warriors to seats on the dais beside thee, and cherish them as well as thou knowest how.’
Then Face-of-god brought them up on to the dais and sat down on the right hand of his father, with Dallach on his right hand, and then Wolf-stone out from him; then sat Stone-face, that there might be a man of the Dale to talk with them and serve them; and on his right hand first Spear-fist and then God-swain. And when they were all sat down, and the meat was on the board, Iron-face turned to his son Face-of-god and took his hand, and said in a loud voice, so that many might hear him:
‘Son Face-of-god, son Gold-mane, thou bearest with thee both ill luck and good. Erewhile, when thou wanderedst out into the Wild-wood, seeking thou knewest not what from out of the Land of Dreams, thou didst but bring aback to us grief and shame; but now that thou hast gone forth with the neighbours seeking thy foemen, thou hast come aback to us with thine hands full of honour and joy for us, and we thank thee for thy gifts, and I call thee a lucky man. Herewith, kinsman74, I drink to thee and the lasting75 of thy luck.’
Therewith he stood up and drank the health of the War-leader and the Guests: and all men were exceeding joyous thereat, when they called to mind his wrath at the Gate-thing, and they shouted for gladness as they drank that health, and the feast became exceeding merry in the House of the Face; and as to the war to come, it seemed to them as if it were over and done in all triumph.
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1
runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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2
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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3
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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4
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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5
thralls
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| n.奴隶( thrall的名词复数 )；奴役；奴隶制；奴隶般受支配的人 | |
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6
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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7
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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8
deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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9
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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10
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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11
quill
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| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
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12
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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13
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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14
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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15
harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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16
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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17
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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18
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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19
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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20
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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21
harps
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| abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 ) | |
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22
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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24
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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27
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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28
buttress
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| n.支撑物；v.支持 | |
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29
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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30
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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31
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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34
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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35
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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36
heeding
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 ) | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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38
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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40
bleached
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| 漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的 | |
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41
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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42
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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43
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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44
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
felons
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| n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎 | |
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46
kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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47
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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48
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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49
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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50
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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51
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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52
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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53
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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54
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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55
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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56
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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57
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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58
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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59
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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60
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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61
gainsaid
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| v.否认，反驳( gainsay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
apportioned
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| vt.分摊，分配（apportion的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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63
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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64
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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65
notably
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| adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地 | |
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66
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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67
albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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68
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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69
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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70
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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73
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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74
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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75
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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