Isoult saw Merlin loitering for her among the fir trees, and she could imagine the smile on his face—that face with its red, libidinous1 mouth and hungry, restless eyes. He stood there in a little alley2 of the wood, a figure like a grey monolith marking the spot where some king had fallen.
Isoult’s soul hardened itself against him, and she struck the strings3 of her lute4 and murmured the words of a song.
“Trust a priest to cheat at any game.”
“I walked in the wood to keep fools from straying upon you, and when I came close I said my prayers so that you should hear.”
His head poked6 forward on its long neck like the head of a vulture, and he seemed to sniff7 the air.
“What tidings, Isoult; what tidings?”
“What? You have cozened him? May all comely9 women be praised! I did not believe that the man lived who could say you nay10.”
She caught the leer in his voice, and guessed how he would be looking at her and licking his red lips. And from that moment she hated Merlin with all the hot pride of her nature.
“Make no boast of it, for I do not.”
He laughed gloatingly, and she could have struck him in the face with her knife.
“Are you sure of the fool, Isoult?”
He said nothing for a moment, but she felt his eyes upon her.
Her patience carried her no farther.
“Save your words, and let the night look after its own darkness.”
“I’ll leave youth with youth.”
“Bonds stronger than thongs16 of leather,” he said. “Fasten them upon him, Isoult, and I will give you my blessing17.”
So strong for the moment was the revulsion of her pride that when Merlin had gone she walked to and fro under the trees, raging against the tangle18 in which she found herself. The fires in the valley were as so many red eyes watching her in the toils19 of her dilemma20. To have to cheat such a man as Merlin, lie to him, make a jest of her own honour in order to blind his eyes! And why? Because that stiffnecked fool down yonder sat like a Simeon Stylites on the pillar of his pride, and would not slacken one fibre of his obstinacy21 in order to save his precious head.
She saw the past, the present, and the future all tangled22 up in a strange medley—the ringlets of a river thrown wide across green fields and orchards23, the chattering24 of aspen leaves, the roses in a garden, the grey tumbling sea, the singing woman who sang to men with her knife ready at her girdle, the fierce thrusting back of lustful25 fools, the mocking flush of the eyes, the wanderings, dreams, and adventures, the wrestling match with the man who now lay yonder most damnably determined26 to die.
Well, let him throw his raw scorn in Merlin’s face, and suffer for his stiffneckedness. What was it to her? How did it concern her? Men knew that Isoult of the Rose was not to be handled or clutched at with greedy fingers, and that her anger was not a thing to be tempted27. And was she to make herself look an outwitted and shameful28 fool, a soft-hearted ninny tricked by a man’s tongue!
She walked to and fro under the trees, and the tangle made her furious.
The wind of her passion changed just as quickly, and blew her mood to the other side of the fire. She began to curse like a man, and to snap discords30 from the strings of her lute.
“By the blood in hell, I’ll do it; I’ll do it!”
She turned and went back towards the edge of the wood like a leaf caught up and blown along by a gust31 of wind.
Fulk was watching the fires in the valley with the little black figures going to and fro about them. He heard Isoult coming back through the fir wood, and the sound of her footsteps made him harden his heart. He was wrath32 with himself because he saw everywhere the red mouth, the pale face, and the mysterious eyes.
Isoult sailed down on him over the lip of the dell like a bird with the wind.
“What had Merlin to say?”
“Leave Merlin with the devil!”
She dropped on her knees close to him, tossed the lute aside, and pulled out her girdle knife.
“Hold out your hands.”
She spoke33 and acted like one in a fever of impatience34, who could brook35 neither argument nor delay.
“Hold out your hands, fool! Don’t sit and stare! Shall I have to push you and your pride out of death’s way? I have lied and played the jade36 for your sake, and I tell you I am out of temper. I’ll cut you out of these thongs, and say good riddance.”
Her anger was so headlong that he felt driven to breast it as a swimmer breasts a wave.
“You have been putting Merlin off with lies?”
“That’s right—ask every question you can think of! What can we do with such a stubborn fool but tell lies on his account? I said I had persuaded you to play the King. Hold your hands out.”
He did not move.
“Oh—well, I can begin elsewhere.”
She bent37 forward and cut the thongs that bound his legs and ankles, severing38 the leather with vicious jerks of the knife.
“Now—the hands. I want the burden of your pride off my conscience, to be rid of your heroics. They put one in a tangle.”
He held out his hands, and she cut them free.
“Done. The falcon will find his wings stiff. Fly ten miles before daybreak. As for me—I may be able to get some sleep.”
She sat back on her heels and began to laugh with a casual inconsequence that had a touch of mockery. Fulk was stretching his arms, and moving his wrists and fingers, and all the while a slow and puzzled anger was gathering39 in him against Isoult. He could make nothing of her moods and passions, and this laughter of hers mocked the desire for her that seemed to have flashed out of nothingness but an hour ago.
“You can set a man free, but you cannot make him walk.”
She still laughed softly as though her whole nature mocked him.
“Am I to drive you like a pig to market? Take up your bed and walk, my friend, and thank my mouth for deigning40 to tell a lie.”
“Have a care how you laugh at me.”
“Threats! Oh, my good comrade, run away and leave me in peace. You know not what manner of trouble I have had to be rid of you and your pride, to get your neck out of Merlin’s grip. Be grateful for having made me laugh a little.”
His hands flashed out and caught her wrists.
“By God’s blood, is it all laughter? What will you say to Merlin to-morrow?”
She did not try to free herself, but threw her head back and looked him in the eyes.
“I shall tell him that you made a fool of me and ran away in the night.”
“Isoult!”
“No, by God! I’ll not lend myself to that! Speak the truth. You laugh, that I may not think you too generous, and call me fool—to make it easier for me to go.”
“Well—go. I can deal with Merlin.”
“Merlin! What right has that rat to gnaw44 at your lute strings? Let him go to his own damnation. Merlin—a grey rat—to say you yea or nay!”
She freed one hand and laid it over his mouth.
“Ssst, you wild forester. Speak softly. Who knows what the wood holds?”
The fingers of her hand were like a spell set upon his lips. He looked into her eyes and was dumb.
“Now, are you cautious?”
“Isoult, what is this hedge priest to you?”
“Nothing—less than nothing.”
“And what are these ditch scrapings and plough-boys?”
“A little more than Merlin.”
“Your pride is as good as mine. I’ll not go, Isoult, unless——”
“Unless?”
She kept him at arm’s length, but her eyes were shining in her dim face.
“Ah, you think well of yourself, Fulk of the Forest. Have you the strength to fly with me? I tell you I am a flame, a storm, a sunset.”
“I have wings as strong as yours.”
“To fly in the face of the sun?”
“Over the moon—if needs be.”
They were like two flames, flaring47 and leaping against each other. An intoxication48 seized them, though there was a challenge and a defiance49 in the rushing together of desire. Their hands gripped hard, yet resisted. Their mouths provoked each other, yet held apart.
“Isoult, I swear troth.”
“Wait—wait, madman!”
“Troth until death; I swear it.”
She swayed towards him, drew back as suddenly, and started up, dragging him with her.
“Ssst, see—there!”
She pointed50 towards the wood, and Fulk saw vague movement in the darkness, and heard the rustling51 of bracken and the crackling of dead wood.
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收听单词发音
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1
libidinous
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| adj.淫荡的 | |
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alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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lute
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| n.琵琶，鲁特琴 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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falcon
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| n.隼，猎鹰 | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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15
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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thongs
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| 的东西 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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orchards
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| （通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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24
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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25
lustful
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| a.贪婪的；渴望的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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28
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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29
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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30
discords
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| 不和（discord的复数形式） | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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32
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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38
severing
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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40
deigning
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的现在分词 ) | |
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41
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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43
glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
gnaw
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| v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨 | |
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45
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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46
falcons
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| n.猎鹰( falcon的名词复数 ) | |
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47
flaring
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| a.火焰摇曳的，过份艳丽的 | |
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48
intoxication
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| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
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49
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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