Small Catechism 第28章

Thenobleladyhadjustunbuckledherknightsarmourwithherownfairhands，--onthefieldofbattlealonewerepagesoresquiresbiddenhandleMontfauconsarmour，--andnowshewasthrowingoverhisshouldershismantleofbluevelvetembroideredwithgold，whenthedooropenedgently，andSintramenteredtheroom，humblygreetingtheGabriellereceivedhimkindly，asshewaswont，butsuddenlyturningpale，shelookedawayandsaid:

"0Sintram，whathashappenedtoyou?Andhowcanonesinglenighthavesofearfullyalteredyou?"Sintramstoodstill，thunderstruck，andfeelingasifhehimselfdidnotknowwhathadbefallenhiThenFolkotookhimbythehand，ledhimtowardsabrightpolishedshield，andsaidveryearnestly，"Lookhereatyourself，youngknight!"AtthefirstglanceSintramdrewbackhorrified.HefanciedthathesawthelittleMasterbeforehimwiththatsingleuprightfeatherstickingoutofhiscap;butheatlengthperceivedthatthemirrorwasonlyshowinghimhisownimageandnoneother，andthathisownwilddaggerhadgivenhimthisstrangeandspectre-likeaspect，ashecouldnotdenytohimself.

"Whohasdonethattoyou?"askedFolko，yetmoregraveandsolemn.

"Andwhatterrormakesyourdisorderedhairstandonend?"Sintramknewnotwhattoanswer.Hefeltasifajudgmentwerecomingonhim，andashamefuldegradingfromhisknightlyrank.

SuddenlyFolkodrewhimawayfromtheshield，andtakinghimtowardstherattlingwindow，heasked:"Whencecomesthistempest?"StillSintramkeptsilence.Hislimbsbegantotrembleunderhim;andGabrielle，paleandterrified，whispered，"0Folko，myknight，whathashappened?Oh，tellme;arewecomeintoanenchantedcastle?""Thelandofournorthernancestors，"repliedFolkowithsolemnity，"isfullofmysteriousknowledge.Butwemaynot，forallthat，callitspeopleenchanters;stillthisyouthhascausetowatchhimselfnarrowly;hewhomtheevilonehastouchedbysomuchasonehairofhishead..."Sintramheardnomore;withadeepgroanhestaggeredoutoftherooAsheleftit，hemetoldRolf，stillalmostbenumbedbythecoldandstormsofthenight.Now，inhisjoyatagainseeinghisyoungmaster，hedidnotremarkhisalteredappearance;butasheaccompaniedhimtohissleeping-roomhesaid，"Witchesandspiritsofthetempestmusthavetakenuptheirabodeonthesea-shore.Iamcertainthatsuchwildstormsneverarisewithoutsomedevilisharts."Sintramfellintoafainting-fit，fromwhichRolfcouldwithdifficultyrecoverhimsufficientlytoappearinthegreathallatthemid-dayhour.Butbeforehewentdown，hecausedashieldtobebrought，sawhimselftherein，andcutcloseround，ingriefandhorror，therestofhislongblackhair，sothathemadehimselflookalmostlikeamonk;andthushejoinedtheothersalreadyassembledroundthetable.Theyalllookedathimwithsurprise;butoldBiornroseupandsaidfiercely，"Areyougoingtobetakeyourselftothecloister，aswellasthefairladyyourmother?"AcommandinglookfromtheBaronofMontfauconcheckedanyfurtheroutbreak;andasifinapology，Biornadded，withaforcedsmile，"Iwasonlythinkingifanyaccidenthadbefallenhim，likeAbsaloms，andifhehadbeenobligedtosavehimselffrombeingstrangledbypartingwithallhishair.""Youshouldnotjestwithholythings，"answeredthebaronseverely，andallweresilent.Nosoonerwastherepastended，thanFolkoandGabrielle，withagraveandcourteoussalutation，retiredtotheirapartments.