The Worm Ouroboros by Eric Rücker Eddison (e book reader online .TXT) 📖
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opened on that dale, and the reek of no man’s hearthstone burdened the
winds that blew thither. And that gable-crested peak at the head of
the dale was the southernmost of the Forks of Nantreganon, nursery of
the vulture and the eagle. And a hidden way was round the right
shoulder of that peak, over the toothed ridge by Neverdale Hause to
the upper waters of Tivarandardale.
On an afternoon of sultry summer heat it so befell that they rested
below the hause on a bastion of rock that jutted from the south-western slope. Beneath their feet precipices fell suddenly away from a
giddy verge, sweeping round in a grand cirque above which the mountain
rose like some Tartarian fortress, ponderous, cruel as the sea and
sad, scarred and gashed with great lines of cleavage as though the
face of the mountain had been slashed away by the axe-stroke of a
giant. In the depths the waters of Dule Tarn slept placid and
fathomless.
Gro was stretched on the brink of the cliff, face downward, propped on
his two elbows, studying those dark waters. “Surely,” he said, “the
great mountains of the world are a present remedy if men did but know
it against our modern discontent and ambitions. In the hills is
wisdom’s fount. They are deep in time. They know the ways of the sun
and the wind, the lightning’s fiery feet, the frost that shattereth,
the rain that shroudeth, the snow that putteth about their nakedness a
softer coverlet than fine lawn: which if their large philosophy
question not if it be a bridal sheet or a shroud, hath not this
unpolicied calm his justification ever in the returning year, and is
it not an instance to laugh our carefulness out of fashion? of us,
little children of the dust, children of a day, who with so many
burdens do burden us with taking thought and with fears and desires
and devious schemings of the mind, so that we wax old before our time
and fall weary ere the brief day be spent and one reaping-hook gather
us home at last for all our pains.”
He looked up and she met the gaze of his great eyes; deep pools of
night they seemed, where strange matters might move unseen, disturbing
to look on, yet filled with a soft slumbrous charm that lulled and
soothed.
“Thou’st fallen a-dreaming, my lord,” said Mevrian. “And for me ‘tis a
hard thing to walk with thee in thy dreams, who am awake in the broad
daylight and would be a-doing.”
“Certes it is an ill thing,” said Lord Gro, “that thou, who hast not
been nourished in mendicity or poverty but in superfluity of honour
and largesse, shouldst be made fugitive in thine own dominions, to
lodge with foxes and beasts of the wild mountain.”
Said she, “It is yet a sweeter lodging than is to-day in Krothering.
It is therefore I chafe to do somewhat. To win through to Galing, that
were something.”
“What profit is in Galing,” said Gro, “without Lord Juss?”
She answered, “Thou wilt tell me it is even as Krothering without my
brother.”
Looking sidelong up at her, where she sat armed beside him, he beheld
a tear a-tremble on her eyelid. He said gently, “Who shall foreknow
the ways of Fate? Your highness is better here belike.”
Lady Mevrian stood up. She pointed to a print in the living rock
before her feet. “The hippogriff’s hoofmark!” she cried, “stricken in
the rock ages ago by that high bird which presideth from of old over
the predestined glory of our line, to point us on to a fame advanced
above the region of the glittering stars. True is the word that that
land which is in the governance of a woman only is not surely kept. I
will abide idly here no more.”
Gro, beholding her so stand all armed on that high brink of crag,
setting with so much perfection in womanly beauty manlike valour,
bethought him that here was that true embodiment of morn and eve, that
charm which called him from Krothering, and for which the prophetic
spirits of mountain and wood and field had pointed his path with a
heavenly benison, meaning to bid him go northward to his heart’s true
home. He kneeled down and caught her hand in his, embracing and
kissing it as of her in whom all his hopes were placed, and saying
passionately, “Mevrian, Mevrian, let me but be armed in thy good grace
and I defy whatever there is or can be against me. Even as the sun
lighteth broad heaven at noon-day, and that giveth light unto this
dreary earth, so art thou the true light of Demonland which because of
thee maketh the whole world glorious. Welcome unto me be all miseries,
so only unto thee I may be welcome.”
She sprang back, snatching away her hand. Her sword leapt singing from
the scabbard. But Gro, that was so ravished and abused that he
remembered of nothing worldly but only that he beheld his lady’s face,
abode motionless. She cried, “Back to back! Swift, or ‘tis too late!”
He leaped up, barely in time. Six stout fellows, soldiers of Witchland
stolen softly upon them at unawares, closed now upon them. No breath
to waste in parley, but the clank of steel: he and Mevrian back to
back on a table of rock, those six setting on from either side. “Kill
the Goblin,” said they. “Take the lady unhurt: ‘tis death to all if
she be touched.”
So for a time those two defended them of all their power. Yet at such
odds could not the issue stand long in doubt, nor Gro’s high mettle
make up what he lacked of strength bodily and skill in arms. Cunning
of fence indeed was the Lady Mevrian, as they guessed not to their
hurt; for the first of them, a great chuff-headed fellow that thought
to bear her down with rushing in upon her, she with a deft thrust
passing his guard ran clean through the throat; by whose taking off,
his fellows took some lesson of caution. But Gro being at length
brought to earth with many wounds, they had the next instant caught
Mevrian from behind whiles others engaged her in the face, when in the
nick of time as by the intervention of heaven was all their business
taken in reverse, and all five in a moment laid bleeding on the stones
beside their fellows.
Mevrian, looking about and seeing what she saw, fell weak and faint in
her brother’s arms, overcome with so much radiant joy after that
stress of action and peril; beholding now with her own eyes that homecoming whereof the genii of that land had had foreknowledge and in
Gro’s sight shown themselves wild with joy thereof: Brandoch Daha and
Juss come home to Demonland, like men arisen from the dead.
“Not touched,” she answered them. “But look to my Lord Gro: I fear he
be hurt. Look to him well, for he hath approved him our friend
indeed.”
XXVI THE BATTLE OF KROTHERING SIDEHow word was brought unto the Lord Corinius
that the Lords Juss and Brandoch Daha were
come again into the land, and how he resolved to
give them battle on the side, under Erngate End;
and of the great flank march of Lord Brandoch
Daha over the mountains from Transdale; and of
the great battle, and of the issue thereof.
LAXUS and those sons of Corund walked on an afternoon in Krothering
home mead. The sky above them was hot and coloured of lead, presaging
thunder. No wind stirred in the trees that were livid-green against
that leaden pall. The noise of mattock and crow-bar came without
intermission from the castle. Where gardens had been and arbours of
shade and sweetness, was now but wreck: broken columns and smashed
porphyry vases of rare workmanship, mounds of earth and rotting
vegetation. And those great cedars, emblems of their lord’s estate and
pride, lay prostrate now with their roots exposed, a tangle of sere
foliage and branches broken, withered and lifeless. Over this
death-bed of ruined loveliness the towers of onyx showed ghastly
against the sky.
“Is there not a virtue in seven?” said Cargo. “Last week was the sixth
time we thought we had gotten the eel by the tail in yon fly-blown
hills of Mealand and came empty home. When think’st, Laxus, shall’s
run ‘em to earth indeed?”
“When egg-pies shall grow on apple-trees,” answered Laxus. “Nay, the
general setteth greater store by his proclamations concerning the
young woman (who likely never heareth of them, and assuredly will not
be by them ‘ticed home again), and by these toys of revenge, than by
sound soldiership. Hark! there goeth this day’s work.”
They turned at a shout from the gates, to behold the northern of those
two golden hippo griffs totter and crash down the steeps into the
moat, sending up a great smoke from the stones and rubble which poured
in its wake.
Lord Laxus’s brow was dark. He laid hand on Heming’s arm, saying, “The
times need all sage counsel we can reach unto, O ye sons of Corund, if
our Lord the King shall have indeed from this expedition into
Demonland the victory at last of all his evil-willers. Remember, that
was a great miss to our strength when the Goblin went.”
“Out upon the viper!” said Cargo. “Corinius was right in this, not to
warrant him the honesty of such slippery cattle. He had not served
above a month or two, but that he ran to the enemy.”
“Corinius,” said Laxus, “is yet but green in his estate. Doth he
suppose the rest of his reign shall be but play and the enjoying of a
kingdom? Those lefthanded strokes of fortune may yet o’erthrow him,
the while that he streameth out his youth in wine and venery and
manageth his private spite against this lady. Slippery youth must be
under-propped with elder counsel, lest all go amiss.”
“A most reverend old counsellor art thou!” said Cargo; “of
six-and-thirty years of age.”
Said Heming, “We be three. Take command thyself. I and my brother will
back thee.”
“I will that thou swallow back those words,” said Laxus, “as though
they had never been spoke. Remember Corsus and Gallandus. Besides,
albeit he seemeth now rather to be a man straught than one that hath
his wits, yet is Corinius in his sober self a valiant and puissant
soldier, a politic and provident captain as is not found besides in
Demonland, no, nor in Witchland neither, and it were not your noble
father; and this one in his youthly age.”
“That is true,” said Heming. “Thou hast justly reproved me.”
Now while they were a-talking, came one from the castle and made
obeisance unto Laxus saying, “You are inquired for, O king, so please
you to walk into the north chamber.”
Said Laxus, “Is it he that was newly ridden from the east country?”
“So it is, so please you,” with a low leg he made answer.
“Hath he not had audience with King Corinius?”
“He hath sought audience,” said the man, “but was denied. The matter
presseth, and he urged me therefore seek unto your lordship.”
As they walked toward the castle Heming said in Laxus’s ear, “Knowest
thou not this brave new piece of court ceremony? O’ these days, when
he hath ‘stroyed an hostage to spite the Lady Mevrian, as to-day was
‘stroyed the horse-headed eagle, he giveth not audience till sundown.
For, the deed of vengeance done, a retireth himself to
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