Small Catechism 第9章

TowardseveningSintramawoke.HesawthegoodRolfsittingathisbedside，andlookedupintheoldmanskindfacewithasmileofunusuallyinnocentbrightness.Butsoonagainhisdarkbrowswereknit，andheasked，"Howdidmyfatherreceiveyou，Rolf?Didhesayaharshwordtoyou?""No，mydearyounglord，hedidnot;indeedhedidnotspeaktomeatall.Atfirsthelookedverywrathful;buthecheckedhimself，andorderedaservanttobringmefoodandwinetorefreshme，andafterwardstotakemetoyourroo""Hemighthavekepthiswordbetter.Butheismyfather，andImustnotjudgehimtoohardly.Iwillnowgodowntotheeveningmeal."Sosaying，hesprangupandthrewonhisfurredmantle.

ButRolfstoppedhim，andsaid，entreatingly:"Mydearyoungmaster，youwoulddobettertotakeyourmealto-dayalonehereinyourownapartment;forthereisaguestwithyourfather，inwhosecompanyIshouldbeverysorrytoseeyou.Ifyouwillremainhere，Iwillentertainyouwithpleasanttalesandsongs.""ThereisnothingintheworldwhichIshouldlikebetter，dearRolf，"answeredSintram;"butitdoesnotbefitmetoshunanyman.

Tellme，whomshouldIfindwithmyfather?""Alas!"saidtheoldman，"youhavealreadyfoundhiminthemountain.Formerly，whenIusedtorideaboutthecountrywithBiorn，weoftenmetwithhim，butIwasforbiddentotellyouanythingabouthim;andthisisthefirsttimethathehasevercometothecastle.""Thecrazypilgrim!"repliedSintram;andhestoodawhileindeepthought，asifconsideringthematter.Atlast，rousinghimself，hesaid，"Dearoldfriend，Iwouldmostwillinglystayherethiseveningallalonewithyouandyourstoriesandsongs，andallthepilgrimsintheworldshouldnotenticemefromthisquietrooButonethingmustbeconsidered.Ifeelakindofdreadofthatpale，tallman;andbysuchfearsnoknightssoncaneversufferhimselftobeovercome.Sobenotangry，dearRolf，ifIdeterminetogoandlookthatstrangepalmerintheface."Andheshutthedoorofthechamberbehindhim，andwithfirmandechoingstepsproceededtothehall.

Thepilgrimandtheknightweresittingoppositetoeachotheratthegreattable，onwhichmanylightswereburning;anditwasfearful，amongstallthelifelessarmour，toseethosetwotallgrimmenmove，andeat，anddrink.

Asthepilgrimlookedupontheboysentrance，Biornsaid:"Youknowhimalready:heismyonlychild，andfellow-travellerthismorning."ThepalmerfixedanearnestlookonSintram，andanswered，shakinghishead，"Iknownotwhatyoumean."Thentheboyburstforth，impatiently，"Itmustbeconfessedthatyoudealveryunfairlybyus!Yousaythatyouknowmyfatherbuttoomuch，andnowitseemsthatyouknowmealtogethertoolittle.Lookmeintheface:whoallowedyoutorideonhishorse，andinreturnhadhisgoodsteeddrivenalmostwild?Speak，ifyoucan!"Biornsmiled，shakinghishead，butwellpleased，aswashiswont，withhissonswildbehaviour;whilethepilgrimshudderedasifterrifiedandovercomebysomefearfulirresistiblepower.Atlength，withatremblingvoice，hesaidthesewords:"Yes，yes，mydearyounglord，youaresurelyquiteright;youareperfectlyrightineverythingwhichyoumaypleasetoassert."Thenthelordofthecastlelaughedaloud，andsaid:"Why，thoustrangepilgrim，whatisbecomeofallthywonderfullyfinespeechesandwarningsnow?Hastheboyallatoncestrucktheedumbandpowerless?Beware，thouprophet-messenger，beware!"ButthepalmercastafearfullookonBiorn，whichseemedtoquenchthelightofhisfieryeyes，andsaidsolemnly，inathunderingvoice，"Betweenmeandthee，oldman，thecasestandsquiteotherwise.Wehavenothingtoreproacheachotherwith.Andnowsuffermetosingasongtoyouonthelute."Hestretchedouthishand，andtookdownfromthewallaforgottenandhalf-strunglute，whichwashangingthere;and，withsurprisingskillandrapidity，havingputitinastatefitforuse，hestrucksomechords，andraisedthissongtothelowmelancholytonesoftheinstrument:

"Theflowretwasmineown，mineown，ButIhavelostitsfragrancerare，Andknightlynameandfreedomfair，Throughsin，throughsinalone.

Theflowretwasthineown，thineown，Whycastawaywhatthoudidstwin?

Thouknightnomore，butslaveofsin，Thourtfearfullyalone!""Haveacare!"shoutedheatthecloseinapealingvoice，ashepulledthestringssomightilythattheyallbrokewithaclangingwail，andacloudofdustrosefromtheoldlute，whichspreadroundhimlikeamist.

Sintramhadbeenwatchinghimnarrowlywhilsthewassinging，andmoreandmoredidhefeelconvincedthatitwasimpossiblethatthismanandhisfellow-travellerofthemorningcouldbeoneandthesame.Nay，thedoubtrosetocertainty，whenthestrangeragainlookedroundathimwiththesametimid，anxiousair，andwithmanyexcusesandlowreverenceshungtheluteinitsoldplace，andthenranoutofthehallasifbewilderedwithterror，instrangecontrastwiththeproudandstatelybearingwhichhehadshowntoBiorn.

Theeyesoftheboywerenowdirectedtohisfather，andhesawthathehadsunkbacksenselessinhisseat，asifstruckbyablow.

SintramscriescalledRolfandotherattendantsintothehall;andonlybygreatlabourdidtheirunitedeffortsawakethelordofthecastle.Hislookswerestillwildanddisordered;butheallowedhimselftobetakentorest，quietandyielding.