The Wood Beyond the World quotes

“Yea,” said Arnold, “we may up anchor this very day, or tomorrow morn at latest. But what aileth thee, master, that thou starest so wild over my shoulder? I pray thee take it not so much to heart!

Ever it is the wont of fathers to depart this world before their sons.

”

Walter sat up and said: “

I am a man; I hight Golden Walter; I come from Langton; I want victual.

”

And therewith she put her hands before her face, and wept, and murmured: “

Who shall deliver me from this death in life?

”

If thou have to yield thee to her, then yield rather late than early, so as to gain time. Yet not so late as to seem shamed in yielding for fear’s sake.

Hold fast to thy life, my friend, for in warding that, thou wardest me from grief without remedy.

Thou wilt see me ere long; it may be tomorrow, it may be some days hence. But forget not, that what I may do, that I am doing.

Spake the Lady, and some of her old disdain was in her words: “Dost thou deem that I wander about the world and its cheaping-steads like one of the chapmen?

Nay, I dwell in the Wood beyond the World, and nowhere else.

What hath put this word into thy mouth?”

Said he: “

Yea, for that now I see thee unhidden, and meseemeth there hath been none such since the old days of the Gentiles.

”

Then was he all abashed, and again laughed in scorn of himself, and said:

Forsooth I deemed I had done manly; but now forsooth I shot nought, and nought there was before the sword of my father’s son.

And what may I deem now, but that this is a land of mere lies, and that there is nought real and alive therein save me.

But the King’s Son did but laugh, and answered nought but to Walter’s last words, and said: “Yea, yea! this word of thine showeth how little thou wottest of that which lieth betwixt my darling and thine.

Doth the lamb appeal from the shepherd to the wolf?

Even so shall the Maid appeal from me to thy Lady. What! ask thy Lady at thy leisure what her wont hath been with her thrall; she shall think it a fair tale to tell thee thereof.

“What ails thee?” she said.

“Hunger,” he said, “and longing for thee.”

“Well,” she said, “me thou hast; there is one ill quenched; take my hand, and we will see to the other one.”

He laughed, and his face grew brighter:

“Mastery mows the meadow,” quoth he, “and one man is of little might against many. But I promise thee I shall not be slothful before thee.”

amidst of them came the Maid, and she yet clad in nought save the white coat wherewith she had won through the wilderness, save that on her head was a garland of red roses, and her middle was wreathed with the same.

Fresh and fair she was as the dawn of June; her face bright, red-lipped, and clear-eyed, and her cheeks flushed with hope and love.

She went straight to Walter where he sat, and lightly put away with her hand the elder who would lead her to the ivory throne beside the King; but she knelt down before him, and laid her hand on his steel-clad knee, and said: