登陆注册
5452800000062

第62章

I did so, and followed after her, sick with fear; and she led me through the wood into a lawn which I knew well, round which was a wall, as it were, of great yew trees, and amidst, a table of stone, made of four uprights and a great stone plank on the top of them; and this was the only thing in all the wood wherein I was used to wander which was of man's handiwork, save and except our house, and the sheds and fences about it.

"The woman stayed and leaned against this stonework and said to me:

'Go about now and gather dry sticks for a fire.' I durst do naught else, and said to myself that I should be whipped if I were tardy, though, forsooth, I thought she was going to kill me; and I brought her a bundle, and she said, 'Fetch more.'

And when I had brought her seven bundles, she said: 'It is enough: stand over against me and hearken.' So I stood there quaking; for my fear, which had somewhat abated while I went to and fro after the wood, now came back upon me tenfold.

"She said: 'It were thy due that I should slay thee here and now, as thou slayest the partridges which thou takest in thy springes: but for certain causes I will not slay thee. Again, it were no more than thy earnings were I to torment thee till thou shouldst cry out for death to deliver thee from the anguish; and if thou wert a woman grown, even so would I deal with thee.

But thou art yet but a child, therefore I will keep thee to see what shall befall betwixt us. Yet must I do somewhat to grieve thee, and moreover something must be slain and offered up here on this altar, lest all come to naught, both thou and I, and that which we have to do.

Hold thy white goat now, which thou lovest more than aught else, that I may redden thee and me and this altar with the blood thereof.'

"I durst do naught but obey her, and I held the poor beast, that licked my hands and bleated for love of me: and now since my terror and the fear of death was lessened at her words, I wept sore for my dear friend.

"But the woman drew a strong sharp knife from her girdle and cut the beast's throat, and dipped her fingers in the blood and reddened both herself and me on the breast, and the hands, and the feet; and then she turned to the altar and smote blood upon the uprights, and the face of the stone plank.

Then she bade me help her, and we laid the seven faggots on the alter, and laid the carcase of the goat upon them: and she made fire, but I saw not how, and set it to the wood, and when it began to blaze she stood before it with her arms outspread, and sang loud and hoarse to a strange tune; and though I knew not the words of her song, it filled me with dread, so that I cast myself down on the ground and hid my face in the grass.

"So she went on till the beast was all burned up and the fire became naught but red embers, and then she ceased her song and sank down upon the grass, and laid her head back and so fell asleep; but I durst not move from the place, but cowered in the grass there, I know not how long, till she arose and came to me, and smote me with her foot and cried: 'Rise up, fool! what harm hast thou?

Go milk thy goats and lead them to pasture.' And therewith she strode away home, not heeding me.

"As for me, I arose and dealt with my goats as she bade me; and presently I was glad that I had not been slain, yet thenceforth was the joy of my life that I had had amongst my goats marred with fear, and the sounds of the woodland came to me mingled with terror; and I was sore afraid when I entered the house in the morning and the evening, and when I looked on the face of the woman; though she was no harder to me than heretofore, but maybe somewhat softer.

同类推荐
  • 学行

    学行

    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。
  • 熙朝新语

    熙朝新语

    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。
  • 指頭畫說

    指頭畫說

    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。
  • 犍稚梵赞

    犍稚梵赞

    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。
  • 西方陀罗尼藏中金刚族阿蜜哩多军吒利法

    西方陀罗尼藏中金刚族阿蜜哩多军吒利法

    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
  • 荀子进取人生(传世名家经典文丛)

    荀子进取人生(传世名家经典文丛)

    人生是一门博大精深的学问,有着太多太多的智慧等待着我们去汲取、领悟;思想是一片宽广无垠的大海,有着太浓太浓的魅力吸引我们去畅游其中。名家的人生,闪烁智慧的光芒,为我们折射出人生的光彩,波荡出生活的弦音;名家的人生,尽显思想的魅力,引领我们享受心灵的美丽旅途,体味生命的丰富元素。驰骋于睿智的思想海洋,让我们的精神变得充盈,心灵变得纯净而通透。
  • 儿童康复科

    儿童康复科

    生活总会在不经意间打击得你感觉如坠深渊,逼得你退无可退。但是,既然已经毫无退路了,那就努力向前杀出一条血路来吧!儿童康复科是治疗儿童脑性瘫痪、自闭症以及智力发育落后等为主的疾病。此类疾病为人类难题,极度困扰家庭。本小说记录了儿童康复科医生和康复治疗师们,在见识了各患儿家庭的经济困难以及精神压力后,努力克服技术难关,帮助患儿康复治疗的故事。
  • 百家与典籍历史纵横谈(中国历史纵横谈)

    百家与典籍历史纵横谈(中国历史纵横谈)

    直观的介绍历史发展进程,配以深沉的文字叙述,全方位介绍了中华文明的历史,内容涵盖政治、军事、经济、文化、外交、科技、法律、宗教、艺术等领域,具有很强的系统性、知识性和可读性,不仅是广大读者学习中国历史知识的读物,也是各级图书馆珍藏的版本。
  • 听厉以宁教授讲诗词(增补版)

    听厉以宁教授讲诗词(增补版)

    《听厉以宁教授讲诗词》一稿根据厉以宁讲授唐诗宋词的课堂笔记整理而成。全文共分三章,第一章总论诗词理解的境界,包括诗词创作和诗词的主体分类;第二章具体论说唐宋诗、五代宋词、金元诗词、明清诗词;第三章分析厉以宁创作诗词的主题与情怀。该书是对厉以宁教授关于诗词的第一次系统整理,体现了厉以宁教授对诗歌本质、诗词流派以及诗人成就深入且独到的见解。
  • 限时闪婚:前妻,乖乖复个婚

    限时闪婚:前妻,乖乖复个婚

    因一场商业联姻,世家千金杠上了豪门新贵。谁知豪门闪婚不靠谱,娇妻只好带球跑。五年后,前妻化身都市女郎携子回归,腹黑总裁上门纠缠不休。陆然冷哼:就没见过这样求复婚的!顾祁委屈巴巴扑上来:好马必吃回头草,老婆还是原配好!"
  • 菊谱

    菊谱

    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。
  • 健康红宝书:健康语录

    健康红宝书:健康语录

    本书搜集整理了古今中外有关运动、饮食、生活、心理、医疗和益寿等方面具有代表性的健康语录,再结合相关内容阐述其深刻内涵,同时为了想得更周到一些,以增强实用性和理解性,还增加了“贴心提示”和“语录链接”等内容,所以,具有很强的科学性和指导性,是广大读者身心健康的良师益友。
  • 拔剑举义讨袁护国的蔡锷

    拔剑举义讨袁护国的蔡锷

    《中华爱国人物故事》是一套故事丛书。它汇集了我国历史上80位古圣先贤、民族英雄、志士仁人、革命领袖、先进模范人物的生动感人史迹,表现了作为中华民族优秀传统的伟大的爱国主义精神。
  • 闪婚七秒:纯情总裁咬一口

    闪婚七秒:纯情总裁咬一口

    萧初这辈子最大的心愿就是把夜锦给睡了,虽然在这条路上她是屡战屡败,但也阻止不了她那颗屡败屡战的决心。谁让她小时候因为好奇玩了他的丁丁呢,让他对自己有着强大的心理阴影。于是在自己那不服输不放弃的精神下。萧初不得不对着夜锦禽兽了一把,并且闪婚。而婚后的萧初才明白,原来一直纯洁于莲花的夜锦,是一头披着羊皮的狼。
  • 诡异笔记·不可思议的离奇案件

    诡异笔记·不可思议的离奇案件

    我是个普通人,过着平凡的生活。却因在微信朋友圈看到了一条不符合常理的好友信息,在好奇心的推动下,走上了一条离奇怪诞又精彩万分的道路。我做梦也想不到,那些似有耳闻的超自然现象,竟一个一个的找上了我,“恐怖的监控录像”“藏在墙壁里的人类独眼”“雪崩后超越医学常识存活的女孩”。探索真相的过程,真是让人紧张又兴奋。