Small Catechism 第30章

See，mynoblelord，"saidSintramthenextmorning，whenFolkohadexpressedhiswishofgoingoutwithhim，"theseskatesofoursgivesuchwingstoourcourse，thatwegodownthemountain-sideswiftlyasthewind;andeveningoingupagainwearetooquickforanyonetobeabletopursueus，andontheplainsnohorsecankeepupwithus;andyettheycanonlybewornwithsafetybythosewhoarewellpractised.Itseemsasthoughsomestrangespiritdweltinthem，whichisfearfullydangeroustoanythathavenotlearntthemanagementofthemintheirchildhood.

Folkoansweredsomewhatproudly:"DoyousupposethatthisisthefirsttimethatIhavebeenamongstyourmountains?YearsagoIhavejoinedinthissport，and，thankHeaven，thereisnoknightlyexercisewhichdoesnotspeedilybecomefamiliartome."Sintramdidnotventuretomakeanyfurtherobjections，andstilllessdidoldBiorn.TheybothfeltrelievedwhentheysawwithwhatskillandeaseFolkobuckledtheskatesonhisfeet，withoutsufferinganyonetoassisthiThisdaytheyhuntedupthemountaininpursuitofafiercebearwhichhadoftenbeforeescapedfromtheBeforelongitwasnecessarythattheyshouldseparate，andSintramofferedhimselfascompaniontoFolko，who，touchedbythehumblemanneroftheyouth，andhisdevotiontohim，forgotallthathadlatterlyseemedmysteriousinthepalealteredbeingbeforehim，andagreedheartily.Asnowtheycontinuedtoclimbhigherandhigherupthemountain，andsawfrommanyagiddyheighttherocksandcragsbelowthemlookinglikeavastexpanseofseasuddenlyturnedintoicewhilsttossedbyaviolenttempest，thenobleMontfaucondrewhisbreathmorefreely.Hepouredforthwar-songsandlove-longsintheclearmountainair，andthestartledechoesrepeatedfromrocktorockthelaysofhisFrankishhome.Hespranglightlyfromoneprecipicetoanother，usingstronglyandsafelyhisstaffforsupport，andturningnowtotheright，nowtotheleft，asthefancyseizedhim;sothatSintramwasfaintoexchangehisformeranxietyforawonderingadmiration，andthehunters，whoseeyeshadneverbeentakenoffthebaron，burstforthwithloudapplause，proclaimingfarandwidefreshgloryoftheirguest.

ThegoodfortunewhichusuallyaccompaniedFolkosdeedsofarmsseemedstillunwillingtoleavehiAfterashortsearch，heandSintramfounddistincttracesofthesavageanimal，andwithbeatingheartstheyfollowedthetracksoswiftlythatevenawingedenemywouldhavebeenunabletoescapefromtheButthecreaturewhomtheysoughtdidnotattemptaflight--helaysulkilyinacavernnearthetopofasteepprecipitousrock，infuriatedbytheshoutsofthehunters，andonlywaitinginhislazyfuryforsomeonetobeboldenoughtoclimbuptohisretreat，thathemighttearhimtopieces.

FolkoandSintramhadnowreachedthefootofthisrock，therestofthehuntersbeingdispersedoverthefar-extendingplain.Thetrackledthetwocompanionsuptherock，andtheysetaboutclimbingontheoppositesidesofit，thattheymightbethemoresureofnotmissingtheirprey.Folkoreachedthelonelytopmostpointfirst，andcasthiseyesaround.Awide，boundlesstractofcountry，coveredwithuntroddensnow，wasspreadbeforehim，meltinginthedistanceintotheloweringcloudsofthegloomyeveningsky.Healmostthoughtthathemusthavemissedthetracesofthefearfulbeast;whenclosebesidehimfromacleftintherockissuedalonggrowl，andahugeblackbearappearedonthesnow，standingonitshindlegs，andwithglaringeyesitadvancedtowardsthebaron.

Sintramthewhilewasstrugglinginvaintomakehiswayuptherockagainstthemassesofsnowcontinuallyslippingdown.

Joyfulatacombatsolonguntriedasalmosttobenew，FolkoofMontfauconlevelledhishuntingspear，andawaitedtheattackofthewildbeast.Hesufferedittoapproachsonearthatitsfearfulclawswerealmostuponhim;thenhemadeathrust，andthespear-headwasburieddeepinthebearsbreast.Butthefuriousbeaststillpressedonwithafiercegrowl，keptuponitshindlegsbythecross-ironofthespear，andtheknightwasforcedtoplanthisfeetdeepintheearthtoresistthesavageassault;andeverclosebeforehimthegrimandbloodyfaceofthebear，andcloseinhisearitsdeepsavagegrowl，wrungforthpartlybytheagonyofdeath，partlybythirstforblood.Atlengththebearsresistancegrewweaker，andthedarkbloodstreamedfreelyuponthesnow;hetottered;andonepowerfulthrusthurledhimbackwardsovertheedgeoftheprecipice.AtthesameinstantSintramstoodbytheBaronofMontfaucon.Folkosaid，drawingadeepbreath:"ButIhavenotyettheprizeinmyhands，andhaveitImust，sincefortunehasgivenmeaclaimtoit.Look，oneofmyskatesseemstobeoutoforder.