Small Catechism 第33章

Thatwasamournfuljourneyonwhichtheyouthandhisagedfoster-fatherwenttowardstheRocksoftheMoon，throughthewildtangledpathsofthesnow-cladvalleys.Rolffromtimetotimesangsomeversesofhymns，inwhichcomfortandpeacewerepromisedtothepenitentsinner，andSintramthankedhimforthemwithlooksofgratefulsadness.Neitherofthemspokeawordelse.

Atlength，whenthedawnofdaywasapproaching，Sintrambrokesilencebysaying，"Whoarethosetwosittingyonderbythefrozenstream--atallmanandalittleone?Theirownwildheartsmusthavedriventhemalsoforthintothewilderness.Rolf，dostthouknowthem?Thesightofthemmakesmeshudder.""Sir，"answeredtheoldman，"yourdisturbedminddeceivesyou.

Therestandsaloftyfir-tree，andtheoldweather-beatenstumpofanoak，half-coveredwithsnow，whichgivesthemasomewhatstrangeappearance.Therearenomensittingyonder.""But，Rolf，lookthere!lookagaincarefully!Nowtheymove，theywhispertogether.""Sir，themorningbreezemovesthebranches，andwhistlesinthesharppine-leavesandintheyellowoak-leaves，andrustlesthecrispsnow.""Rolf，nowtheyarebothcomingtowardsus.Nowtheyarestandingbeforeus，quiteclose.""Sir，itiswewhogetnearertothemaswewalkon，andthesettingmoonthrowssuchlonggiant-likeshadowsovertheplain.""Good-evening!"saidahollowvoice;andSintramknewitwasthecrazypilgrim，neartowhomstoodthemalignantlittleMaster，lookingmorehideousthanever.

"Youareright，sirknight，"whisperedRolf，ashedrewbackbehindSintram，andmadetheSignoftheCrossonhisbreastandhisforehead.

Thebewilderedyouth，however，advancedtowardsthetwofigures，andsaid，"Youhavealwaystakenwonderfulpleasureinbeingmycompanions.Whatdoyouexpectwillcomeofit?Anddoyouchoosetogonowwithmetothestonefortress?ThereIwilltendthee，poorpalepilgrim;andastothee，frightfulMaster，mostevildwarf，Iwillmaketheeshorterbythehead，torewardtheeforthydeedsyesterday.""Thatwouldbeafinething，"sneeredthelittleMaster;"andperhapsthouimaginestthatthouwouldstbedoingagreatservicetothewholeworld?And，indeed，whoknows?Somethingmightbegainedbyit!Only，poorwretch，thoucanstnotdoit."Thepilgrimmeantimewaswavinghispaleheadtoandfrothoughtfully，saying，"Ibelievetrulythatthouwouldstwillinglyhaveme，andIwouldgototheewillingly，butImaynotyet.Havepatienceawhile;thouwiltyetsurelyseemecome，butatadistanttime;andfirstwemustagainvisitthyfathertogether，andthenalsothouwiltlearntocallmebymyrightname，mypoorfriend.""Bewareofdisappointingmeagain!"saidthelittleMastertothepilgriminathreateningvoice;buthe，pointingwithhislong，shrivelledhandtowardsthesun，whichwasjustnowrising，said，"Stopeitherthatsunorme，ifthoucanst!"Thenthefirstraysfellonthesnow，andthelittleMasterran，muttering，downaprecipice;butthepilgrimwalkedoninthebrightbeams，calmlyandwithgreatsolemnity，towardsaneighbouringcastleonthemountain.Itwasnotlongbeforeitschapel-bellwasheardtollingforthedead.

"ForHeavenssake，"whisperedthegoodRolftohisknight--"forHeavenssake，SirSintram，whatkindofcompanionshaveyouhere?

OneofthemcannotbearthelightofGodsblessedsun，andtheotherhasnosoonersetfootinadwellingthantidingsofdeathwailafterhistrack.Couldhehavebeenamurderer?""Idonotthinkthat，"saidSintra"Heseemedtomethebestofthetwo.Butitisastrangewilfulnessofhisnottocomewithme.

DidInotinvitehimkindly?Ibelievethathecansingwell，andheshouldhavesungtomesomegentlelullaby.Sincemymotherhaslivedinacloister，noonesingslullabiestomeanymore."Atthistenderrecollectionhiseyeswerebedewedwithtears.Buthedidnothimselfknowwhathehadsaidbesides，fortherewaswildnessandconfusioninhisspirit.TheyarrivedattheRocksoftheMoon，andmounteduptothestonefortress.Thecastellan，anold，gloomyman，themoredevotedtotheyoungknightfromhisdarkmelancholyandwilddeeds，hastenedtolowerthedrawbridge.Greetingswereexchangedinsilence，andinsilencedidSintramenter，andthosejoylessgatesclosedwithacrashbehindthefuturerecluse.