Small Catechism 第40章

Sintramovercamethehorrorwhichseemedtoholdhimback，andbeganinsilencetoclimbdownintothedeepdrymoatwhichwascutintherock.Hewassoonsolowdownthathecouldnolongerseethestarsshining;beneathhimmovedashroudedform;andslidingwithinvoluntaryhastedownthesteepdescent，hestoodnearthegroaningfigure;itceaseditslamentations，andbegantolaughlikeamaniacfrombeneathitslong，folded，femalegarments.

"Ohho，mycomrade!ohho，mycomrade!wertthougoingalittletoofast?Well，well，itisallright;andseenow，thoustandestnohigherthanI，mypious，valiantyouth!Takeitpatiently，--takeitpatiently!""Whatdostthouwantwithme?Whydostthoulaugh?whydostthouweep?"askedSintramimpatiently.

"Imightasktheethesamequestions，"answeredthedarkfigure，"andthouwouldstbelessabletoanswermethanItoanswerthee.Whydostthoulaugh?whydostthouweep?--Poorcreature!ButIwillshowtheearemarkablethinginthyfortress，ofwhichthouknowestnothing.Giveheed!"Andtheshroudedfigurebegantoscratchandscrapeatthestonestillalittleirondooropened，andshowedalongpassagewhichledintothedeepdarkness.

"Wiltthoucomewithme?"whisperedthestrangebeing;"itistheshortestwaytothyfatherscastle.Inhalf-an-hourweshallcomeoutofthispassage，andweshallbeinthybeauteousladysapartment.DukeMenelausshalllieinamagicsleep，--leavethattome，--andthenthouwilttaketheslight，delicateforminthinearms，andbringhertotheRocksoftheMoon;sothouwiltwinbackallthatseemedlostbythyformerwavering."Sintramtrembledvisibly，fearfullyshakentoandfrobythefeverofpassionandthestingsofconscience.Butatlast，pressingtheswordandscarftohisheart，hecriedout，"Oh!thatfairest，mostglorioushourofmylife!IfIloseallotherjoys，Iwillholdfastthatbrightesthour!""Abright，glorioushour!"saidthefigurefromunderitsveil，likeanevilecho."Dostthouknowwhomthouthenconqueredst?Agoodoldfriend，whoonlyshowedhimselfsosturdytogivetheethegloryofovercominghiWiltthouconvincethyself?Wiltthoulook?"Thedarkgarmentsofthelittlefigureflewopen，andthedwarfwarriorinstrangearmour，thegoldhornsonhishelmet，andthecurvedspearinhishand，theverysamewhomSintramthoughthehadslainonNiflungsHeath，nowstoodbeforehimandlaughed:"Thouseest，myyouth，everythinginthewideworldisbutdreamsandfroth;whereforeholdfastthedreamwhichdelightsthee，andsipupthefrothwhichrefreshesthee!Hastentothatundergroundpassage，itleadsuptothyangelHelen.Orwouldstthoufirstknowthyfriendyetbetter?"Hisvisoropened，andthehatefulfaceofthelittleMasterglaredupontheknight.Sintramasked，asifinadream，"ArtthoualsothatwickedenchantressVenus?""Somethinglikeher，"answeredthelittleMaster，laughing，"orrathersheissomethinglikeme.Andifthouwiltonlygetdisenchanted，andrecoverthebeautyofPrinceofParis，--then，0PrinceParis，"andhisvoicechangedtoanalluringsong，"then，0PrinceParis，Ishallbefairlikethee!"AtthismomentthegoodRolfappearedaboveontherampart;aconsecratedtaperinhislanternshonedownintothemoat，ashesoughtforthemissingyoungknight."InGodsname，SirSintram，"hecalledout，"whathasthespectreofwhomyouslewonNiflungsHeath，andwhomInevercouldbury，todowithyou?""Seestthouwell?hearestthouwell?"whisperedthelittleMaster，anddrewbackintothedarknessoftheundergroundpassage."Thewisemanupthereknowsmewell.Therewasnothinginthyheroicfeat.Come，takethejoysoflifewhilethoumayst."ButSintramsprangback，withastrongeffort，intothecircleoflightmadebytheshiningofthetaperfromabove，andcriedout，"Departfromme，unquietspirit!IknowwellthatIbearanameonmeinwhichthoucansthavenopart."LittleMasterrushedinfearandrageintothepassage，and，yelling，shuttheirondoorbehindhiItseemedasifhecouldstillbeheardgroaningandroaring.

Sintramclimbedupthewallofthemoat，andmadeasigntohisfoster-fathernottospeaktohim:heonlysaid，"Oneofmybestjoys，yes，theverybest，hasbeentakenfromme;but，byGodshelp，Iamnotyetlost."Intheearliestlightofthefollowingmorning，heandRolfstoppeduptheentrancetotheperilouspassagewithhugeblocksofstone.