Small Catechism 第15章

"Manyabettermanthanyouhasbeensobeforenow，"mutteredthelittleMaster;"buttheydidnotlikebeingtoldofitanymorethanyoudo.""Toprovethatyouaremistaken，"saidSintram，"Iwillremainherewithyoutillthemoonstandshighintheheavens.Butyoumusttellmeoneofyourstoriesthewhile."Thelittleman，muchpleased，noddedhishead;andastheypacedtogetherupanddownaretiredelm-walk，hebegandiscoursingasfollows:--"Manyhundredyearsagoayoungknight，calledParisofTroy，livedinthatsunnylandofthesouthwherearefoundthesweetestsongs，thebrightestflowers，andthemostbeautifulladies.Youknowasongthattellsofthatfairland，doyounot，youngsir?Singheigh，singho，forthatlandofflowers."Sintrambowedhisheadinassent，andsigheddeeply."Now，"resumedthelittleMaster，"ithappenedthatParisledthatkindoflifewhichisnotuncommoninthosecountries，andofwhichtheirpoetsoftensing--hewouldpasswholemonthstogetherinthegarbofapeasant，pipinginthewoodsandmountainsandpasturinghisflocks.Hereonedaythreebeautifulsorceressesappearedtohim，disputingaboutagoldenapple;andfromhimtheysoughttoknowwhichofthemwasthemostbeautiful，sincetoherthegoldenfruitwastobeawarded.Thefirstknewhowtogivethrones，andsceptres，andcrowns;thesecondcouldgivewisdomandknowledge;andthethirdcouldpreparephiltresandlove-charmswhichcouldnotfailofsecuringtheaffectionsofthefairestofwomen.Eachoneinturnprofferedherchoicestgiftstotheyoungshepherd，inorderthat，temptedbythem，hemightadjudgetheappletoher.Butasfairwomencharmedhimmorethananythingelseintheworld，hesaidthatthethirdwasthemostbeautiful--hernamewasVenus.Thetwoothersdepartedingreatdispleasure;butVenusbidhimputonhisknightlyarmourandhishelmetadornedwithwavingfeathers，andthensheledhimtoafamouscitycalledSparta，whereruledthenobleDukeMenelaus.HisyoungDuchessHelenwastheloveliestwomanonearth，andthesorceressofferedhertoParisinreturnforthegoldenapple.Hewasmostreadytohaveherandwishedfornothingbetter;butheaskedhowhewastogainpossessionofher.""Parismusthavebeenasorryknight，"interruptedSintra"Suchthingsareeasilysettled.Thehusbandischallengedtoasinglecombat，andhethatisvictoriouscarriesoffthewife.""ButDukeMenelauswasthehostoftheyoungknight，"saidthenarrator.

"Listentome，littleMaster，"criedSintram;"hemighthaveaskedthesorceressforsomeotherbeautifulwoman，andthenhavemountedhishorse，orweighedanchor，anddeparted.""Yes，yes;itisveryeasytosayso，"repliedtheoldman."ButifyouonlyknewhowbewitchinglylovelythisDuchessHelenwas，noroomwasleftforchange."Andthenhebeganaglowingdescriptionofthecharmsofthiswondrouslybeautifulwoman，butlikeningtheimagetoGabriellesoclosely，featureforfeature，thatSintram，tottering，wasforcedtoleanagainstatree.ThelittleMasterstoodoppositetohimgrinning，andasked，"Wellnow，couldyouhaveadvisedthatpoorknightParistoflyfromher?""Tellmeatoncewhathappenednext，"stammeredSintra

"ThesorceressactedhonourablytowardsParis，"continuedtheoldman."ShedeclaredtohimthatifhewouldcarryawaythelovelyduchesstohisowncityTroy，hemightdoso，andthuscausetheruinofhiswholehouseandofhiscountry;butthatduringtenyearshewouldbeabletodefendhimselfinTroy，andrejoiceinthesweetloveofHelen.""Andheacceptedthoseterms，orhewasafool!"criedtheyouth.

"Tobesureheacceptedthem，"whisperedthelittleMaster."Iwouldhavedonesoinhisplace!Anddoyouknow，youngsir，thelookofthingsthenwasjustastheyarehappeningto-day.Thenewly-risenmoon，partlyveiledbyclouds，wasshiningdimlythroughthethickbranchesofthetreesinthesilenceofevening.Leaningagainstanoldtree，asyounowaredoing，stoodtheyoungenamouredknightParis，andathissidetheenchantressVenus，butsodisguisedandtransformed，thatshedidnotlookmuchmorebeautifulthanIdo.

Andbythesilverylightofthemoon，theformofthebeautifulbelovedonewasseensweepingbyaloneamidstthewhisperingboughs."Hewassilent，andlikeasinthemirrorofhisdeludingwords，Gabriellejustthenactuallyherselfappeared，musingasshewalkedalonedownthealleyofelms.

"Man，--fearfulMaster，--bywhatnameshallIcallyou?Towhatwouldyoudriveme?"mutteredthetremblingSintra

"ThouknowestthyfathersstrongstonecastleontheMoon-rocks?"repliedtheoldman."Thecastellanandthegarrisonaretrueanddevotedtothee.Itcouldstandatenyearssiege;andthelittlegatewhichleadstothehillsisopen，aswasthatofthecitadelofSpartaforParis."And，infact，theyouthsawthroughagate，leftopenheknewnothow，thedim，distantmountainsglitteringinthemoonlight."Andifhedidnotaccept，hewasafool，"saidthelittleMaster，withagrin，echoingSintramsformerwords.

AtthatmomentGabriellestoodclosebyhiShewaswithinreachofhisgrasp，hadhemadetheleastmovement;andamoonbeam，suddenlybreakingforth，transfigured，asitwere，herheavenlybeauty.Theyouthhadalreadybentforward--"MyLordandGod，Ipray，TurnfromhisheartawayThisworldsturmoil;AndcallhimtoThylight，Beitthroughsorrowsnight，Throughpainortoil."ThesewordsweresungbyoldRolfatthatverytime，ashelingeredonthestillmarginofthecastlefish-pond，whereheprayedalonetoHeaven，fullofforebodingcare.TheyreachedSintramsear;hestoodasifspellboundandmadetheSignoftheCross.Immediatelythelittlemasterfledaway，jumpinguncouthlyononeleg，throughthegatesandshuttingthemafterhimwithayell.

Gabrielleshuddered，terrifiedatthewildnoise.Sintramapproachedhersoftly，andsaid，offeringhisarmtoher:"Suffermetoleadyoubacktothecastle.Thenightinthesenorthernregionsisoftenwildandfearful."