Читать «Cup of Gold (Золотая чаша)» онлайн - страница 18

Henry went to her and sat at her feet while she talked. There is truly a spell in the ancient Cumric tongue.

It is a speech made for prophecy.

"Of course," Gwenliana said, "if I had only known of this today I should have got the shoulder bone of a new-killed sheep. It's a means of greater antiquity and better thought of than just snap-prophecy. And since I have grown old and rusty and lame I cannot go about any more to meet the spirits that wander the high-road. You cannot do as well if there is not the means in you to walk among the strolling dead and listen to their thoughts. But I shall give you a thorough life, grandson, and as fine a future as I ever pondered on."

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, but if one had looked closely he might have seen their glint below the lids where they peered out at the set face of the boy. A long time she sat entranced, and it seemed that her old brain combed out the tangles of the past to make a straight, tellable future. At length she spoke in the low, hoarse, chanting voice that is reserved for dread things.

"This is the tale out of Abred, when earth and water battled. And from the impact of their clash was born a little, struggling life to squirm upward through the circles toward Gwynfyd, the sheening Purity. In that first blundering flesh is written the world's history and the world's journey through the Void.

"And thou-often has Annwn set its fanged maw to entrap the little pinch of life thou carryest about, but thou hast made thy path to go around its snaring. A thousand centuries hast thou lived since earth and sea struggled in thy generation, and a thousand eons shalt thou carry about the little pinch of life that was given thee, so only thou shelterest it from Annwn, the Chaos."

Always she began her prophecies thus. It was a thing taught her by a wandering Bard, to whom it had come, from Bard to Bard, back and back to the white Druids. Gwenliana paused to let her words find footing in the boy's brain. She continued: "This is the tale of thy present wandering. Thou shalt become a great shining for the Divine, teaching the things of God." Her secret eyes saw the boy's face fall in disappointment, and she cried: "But wait a moment! I go too far ahead. There shall be fighting and shedding of blood, and the sword shall be thy first bride." Henry's face lighted up with pleasure. "The whisper of thy name shall be a foregathering command to the warriors of the world. Thou shalt sack the cities of the infidel and spoil him of his plunderings. The terror will precede thee like a screaming eagle over the shields of men." She knew, now, that her forecast was a success, but she hastened on to greater glories.

"The government of islands and continents shall be thine, and thou shalt bring justice and peace to them.

And at last, when thou art girded with honor and repute, thou shalt marry a white-souled maiden of mighty rank-a girl of good family, and wealthy," she finished. Her eyes opened and she glanced about for their approbation.