Small Catechism 第29章

LifeinthecastletookfromthistimequiteanotherforThosetwobrightbeings，FolkoandGabrielle，spentmostpartofthedayintheirapartments，andwhentheyshowedthemselves，itwaswithquietdignityandgravesilence，whileBiornandSintramstoodbeforetheminhumblefear.Nevertheless，Biorncouldnotbearthethoughtofhisguestsseekingshelterinanyotherknightsabode.WhenFolkooncespokeofit，somethinglikeatearstoodinthewildmanseye.

Hisheadsank，andhesaidsoftly，"Asyouplease;butIfeelthatifyougo，Ishallrunamongtherocksfordays."Andthustheyallremainedtogether;forthestormcontinuedtoragewithsuchincreasingfuryoverthesea，thatnoseavoyagecouldbethoughtof，andtheoldestmaninNorwaycouldnotcalltomindsuchanautumn.Thepriestsexaminedalltherunicbooks，thebardslookedthroughtheirlaysandtales，andyettheycouldfindnorecordofthelike.BiornandSintrambravedthetempest;butduringthefewhoursinwhichFolkoandGabrielleshowedthemselves，thefatherandsonwerealwaysinthecastle，asifrespectfullywaitinguponthem;therestoftheday--nay，oftenthroughwholenights，theyrushedthroughtheforestsandovertherocksinpursuitofbears.

Folkothewhilecalledupallthebrightnessofhisfancy，allhiscourtlygrace，inordertomakeGabrielleforgetthatshewaslivinginthiswildcastle，andthatthelong，hardnorthernwinterwassettingin，whichwouldicetheminformanyamonth.Sometimeshewouldrelatebrighttales;thenhewouldplaytheliveliestairstoinduceGabrielletoleadadancewithherattendants;then，again，handinghislutetooneofthewomen，hewouldhimselftakeapartthedance，wellknowingtoexpresstherebyaftersomenewfashionhisdevotiontohislady.Anothertimehewouldhavethespacioushallsofthecastlepreparedforhisarmedretainerstogothroughtheirwarlikeexercises，andGabriellealwaysadjudgedtherewardtotheconqueror.Folkooftenjoinedthecircleofcombatants;sothatheonlymettheirattacks，defendinghimself，butdeprivingnooneoftheprize.TheNorwegians，whostoodaroundasspectators，usedtocomparehimtothedemi-godBaldur，oneoftheheroesoftheiroldtraditions，whowaswonttoletthedartsofhiscompanionsbeallhurledagainsthim，consciousthathewasinvulnerable，andofhisownindwellingstrength.

Atthecloseofoneofthesemartialexercises，oldRolfadvancedtowardsFolko，andbeckoninghimwithanhumblelook，saidsoftly，"TheycallyouthebeautifulmightyBaldur，--andtheyareright.

ButeventhebeautifulmightyBaldurdidnotescapedeath.Takeheedtoyourself.Folkolookedathimwondering."NotthatIknowofanytreachery，"continuedtheoldman;"orthatIcanevenforeseethelikelihoodofany.GodkeepaNorwegianfromsuchafear.Butwhenyoustandbeforemeinallthebrightnessofyourglory，thefleetingnessofeverythingearthlyweighsdownmymind，andIcannotrefrainfromsaying，Takeheed，noblebaron!oh，takeheed!Eventhemostbeautifulglorycomestoanend.""Thosearewiseandpiousthoughts，"repliedFolkocalmly，"andIwilltreasuretheminapureheart."

ThegoodRolfwasoftenwithFolkoandGabrielle，andmadeaconnectinglinkbetweenthetwowidelydifferingpartiesinthecastle.ForhowcouldhehaveeverforsakenhisownSintram!Onlyinthewildhuntingexpeditionsthroughthehowlingstormsandtempestshenolongerwasabletofollowhisyounglord.

Atlengththeicyreignofwinterbeganinallitsglory.OnthisaccountareturntoNormandywasimpossible，andthereforethemagicalstormwaslulled.Thehillsandvalleysshonebrilliantlyintheirwhiteattireofsnow，andFolkousedsometimes，withskatesonhisfeet，todrawhisladyinalightsledgeovertheglitteringfrozenlakesandstreams.Ontheotherhand，thebear-huntsofthelordofthecastleandhissontookastillmoredesperateandtothemjoyouscourse.

Aboutthistime，--whenChristmaswasdrawingnear，andSintramwasseekingtooverpowerhisdreadoftheawfuldreamsbythemostdaringexpeditions，--aboutthistime，FolkoandGabriellestoodtogetherononeoftheterracesofthecastle.Theeveningwasmild;thesnow-cladfieldswereglowingintheredlightofthesettingsun;frombelowtherewereheardmensvoicessingingsongsofancientheroictimes，whiletheyworkedinthearmourersforge.Atlastthesongsdiedaway，thebeatingofhammersceased，and，withoutthespeakersbeingseen，ortherebeinganypossibilityofdistinguishingthembytheirvoices，thefollowingdiscoursearose:--"Whoisthebravestamongstallthosewhoseracederivesitsoriginfromourrenownedland?""ItisFolkoofMontfaucon."

"Rightlysaid;buttellme，isthereanythingfromwhicheventhisboldbarondrawsback?""Intruththereisonething，--andwewhohaveneverleftNorwayfaceitquitewillinglyandjoyfully.""Andthatis--?"

"Abear-huntinwinter，overtracklessplainsofsnow，downfrightfulice-coveredprecipices.""Trulythouanswerestaright，mycomrade.Hewhoknowsnothowtofastenourskatesonhisfeet，howtoturninthemtotherightorleftatamomentswarning，hemaybeavaliantknightinotherrespects，buthehadbetterkeepawayfromourhuntingparties，andremainwithhistimidwifeinherapartments."Atwhichthespeakerswereheardtolaughwellpleased，andthentobetakethemselvesagaintotheirarmourerswork.

Folkostoodlongburiedinthought.Aglowbeyondthatoftheeveningskyreddenedhischeek.Gabriellealsoremainedsilent，consideringsheknewnotwhat.Atlastshetookcourage，andembracingherbeloved，shesaid:"To-morrowthouwiltgoforthtohuntthebear，wiltthounot?andthouwiltbringthespoilsofthechasetothylady?"Theknightgaveajoyfulsignofassent;andtherestoftheeveningwasspentindancesandmusic.