the enchanted island of yew-第19部分

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23。　　The　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna


One　morning；　while　they　were　all　standing　in　the　courtyard　waiting　for　their　horses；　as　they　were　about　to　go　for　a　ride；　a　courier　came　galloping　swiftly　up　to　the　palace　and　cried：

〃Does　any　one　know　where　Prince　Marvel　can　be　found？〃

〃I　am　Prince　Marvel；〃　replied　the　young　knight；　stepping　out　from　among　the　others。

〃Then　have　I　reached　my　journey's　end！〃　said　the　courier；　whose　horse　was　nearly　exhausted　from　long　and　hard　riding。　　〃The　Lady　Seseley　is　in　great　danger；　and　sends　for　you　to　come　and　rescue　her。　　The　great　Baron　Merd；　her　father；　has　been　killed　and　his　castle　destroyed；　and　all　his　people　are　either　captives　or　have　been　slain　outright。〃

〃And　who　has　done　this　evil　thing？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel；　looking　very　stern　and　grave。

〃The　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna；〃　answered　the　messenger。　　〃He　quarreled　with　the　Baron　Merd　and　sent　his　savage　hordes　to　tear　down　his　castle　and　slay　him。　　I　myself　barely　escaped　with　my　life；　and　the　Lady　Seseley　had　but　time　to　say；　before　she　was　carried　off；　that　if　I　could　find　Prince　Marvel　he　would　surely　rescue　her。〃

〃And　so　I　will！〃　declared　the　prince；　〃if　she　be　still　alive。〃

〃Who　is　this　Lady　Seseley？〃　asked　Nerle；　who　had　come　to　his　master's　side。

〃She　is　my　first　friend；　to　whom　I　owe　my　very　existence。　　It　is　her　image；　together　with　those　of　her　two　friends；　which　is　graven　on　my　shield；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel；　thoughtfully。

〃And　what　will　you　do？〃　inquired　the　esquire。

〃I　must　go　to　her　at　once。〃

When　they　heard　of　his　mission　all　the　party　insisted　on　accompanying　him。　　Even　the　dainty　High　Ki　could　not　be　deterred　by　any　thoughts　of　dangers　they　might　encounter；　and　after　some　discussion　Prince　Marvel　allowed　them　to　join　him。

So　Wul…Takim　sharpened　his　big　broadsword；　and　Nerle　carefully　prepared　his　master's　horse；　so　that　before　an　hour　had　passed　they　were　galloping　toward　the　province　of　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna。

Prince　Marvel　knew　little　concerning　this　personage；　but　Nerle　had　much　to　tell　of　him。　　The　Red　Rogue　had　once　been　page　to　a　wise　scholar　and　magician；　who　lived　in　a　fine　old　castle　in　Dawna　and　ruled　over　a　large　territory。　　The　boy　was　very　small　and　weaksmaller　even　than　the　average　dwarfand　his　master　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　watch　him。　　But　one　evening；　while　the　magician　was　standing　upon　the　top　of　the　highest　tower　of　his　castle；　the　boy　gave　him　a　push　from　behind；　and　he　met　death　on　the　sharp　rocks　below。　Then　the　boy　took　his　master's　book　of　magic　and　found　a　recipe　to　make　one　grow。　　He　made　the　mixture　and　swallowed　it；　and　straightway　began　to　grow　big　and　tall。　　This　greatly　delighted　him；　until　he　found　he　was　getting　much　bigger　than　the　average　man　and　rapidly　becoming　a　giant。　　So　he　sought　for　a　way　to　arrest　the　action　of　the　magical　draft；　but　before　he　could　find　it　he　had　grown　to　enormous　proportions；　and　was　bigger　than　the　biggest　giant。　　There　was　nothing　in　the　book　of　magic　to　make　one　grow　smaller；　so　he　was　obliged　to　remain　as　he　wasthe　largest　man　in　the　Enchanted　Island。

All　this　had　happened　in　a　single　night。　　The　morning　after　his　master's　murder　the　page　announced　himself　lord　of　the　castle；　and；　seeing　his　enormous　size；　none　dared　deny　his　right　to　rule。　　On　account　of　his　bushy　hair；　which　was　fiery　red　in　color；　and　the　bushy　red　beard　that　covered　his　face　when　he　became　older；　people　came　to　call　him　the　Red　One。　　And　after　his　evil　deeds　and　quarrelsome　temper　had　made　him　infamous　throughout　the　island；　people　began　to　call　him　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna。

He　had　gathered　around　him　a　number　of　savage　barbarians；　as　wicked　and　quarrelsome　as　himself；　and　so　none　dared　to　interfere　with　him；　or　even　to　meet　him；　if　it　were　possible　to　avoid　it。

This　same　Red　Rogue　it　was　who　had　drawn　the　good　Baron　Merd　into　a　quarrel　and　afterward　slain　the　old　knight　and　his　followers；　destroyed　his　castle；　and　carried　his　little　daughter　Seseley　and　her　girl　friends；　Berna　and　Helda；　into　captivity；　shutting　them　up　in　his　own　gloomy　castle。

The　Red　Rogue　thought　he　had　done　a　very　clever　thing；　and　had　no　fear　of　the　consequences　until　one　of　his　men　came　running　up　to　the　castle　to　announce　that　Prince　Marvel　and　his　companions　were　approaching　to　rescue　the　Lady　Seseley。

〃How　many　of　them　are　there？〃　demanded　the　Red　Rogue。

〃There　are　eight；　altogether；〃　answered　the　man；　〃but　two　of　them　are　girls。〃

〃And　they　expect　to　force　me　to　give　up　my　captives？〃　asked　the　Red　One；　laughing　with　a　noise　like　the　roar　of　a　waterfall。　　〃Why；　I　shall　make　prisoners　of　every　one　of　them！〃

The　man　looked　at　his　master　fearfully；　and　replied：

〃This　Prince　Marvel　is　very　famous；　and　all　people　speak　of　his　bravery　and　power。　　It　was　he　who　conquered　King　Terribus　of　Spor；　and　that　mighty　ruler　is　now　his　friend；　and　is　one　of　the　eight　who　approach。〃

The　Red　Rogue　stopped　laughing；　for　the　fame　of　Spor's　terrible　king　had　long　ago　reached　him。　　And　he　reflected　that　any　one　who　could　conquer　the　army　of　giants　and　dwarfs　and　Gray　Men　that　served　Terribus　must　surely　be　one　to　be　regarded　seriously。　　Moreoverand　this　was　a　secretthe　Red　Rogue　had　never　been　able　to　gain　the　strength　to　correspond　with　his　gigantic　size；　but　had　ever　remained　as　weak　as　when　he　was　a　puny　boy。　　So　he　was　accustomed　to　rely　on　his　cunning　and　on　the　terror　his　very　presence　usually　excited　to　triumph　over　his　enemies。　　And　he　began　to　be　afraid　of　this　prince。

〃You　say　two　of　the　party　are　girls？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　also　among　them　are　King　Terribus　himself；　and　the　renowned　Wul…Takim；　formerly　king　of　thieves；　who　was　conquered　by　the　prince；　although　accounted　a　hard　fighter；　and　is　now　his　devoted　servant。　　And　there　are　two　old　men　who　are　just　alike　and　have　a　very　fierce　look　about　them。　　They　are　said　to　come　from　the　hidden　Kingdom　of　Twi。〃

By　this　time　the　Red　Rogue　was　thoroughly　frightened；　but　he　did　not　yet　despair　of　defeating　his　enemies。　　He　knew　better　than　to　attempt　to　oppose　Prince　Marvel　by　force；　but　he　still　hoped　to　conquer　him　by　trickery　and　deceit。

Among　the　wonderful　things　that　the　Red　Rogue's　former　master；　the　wise　scholar　and　magician；　had　made　were　two　large　enchanted　mirrors；　which　were　set　on　each　side　of　the　great　hallway　of　the　castle。　　Heavy　curtains　were　drawn　over　the　surfaces　of　these　mirrors；　because　they　both　possessed　a　dreadful　magical　power。　　For　whenever　any　one　looked　into　one　of　them　his　reflection　was　instantly　caught　and　imprisoned　in　the　mirror；　and　his　body　at　the　same　time　became　invisible　to　all　earthly　eyes；　only　the　mirror　retaining　his　form。

While　considering　a　way　to　prevent　the　prince　from　freeing　the　Lady　Seseley；　the　Red　Rogue　happened　to　think　of　these　mirrors；　which　had　never　yet　been　used。　　So　he　went　stealthily　into　the　great　hall　and　drew　aside　the　covering　from　one　of　the　mirrors。　　He　did　not　dare　look　into　the　mirror　himself；　but　hurried　away　to　another　room；　and　then　sent　a　page　up　a　back　stairway　to　summon　the　Lady　Seseley　and　her　two　maids　into　his　presence。

The　girls　at　once　obeyed；　for　they　greatly　feared　the　Red　Rogue；　and　of　course　they　descended　the　front　stairway　and　walked　through　the　great　hall。　　At　once　the　large　mirror　that　had　been　exposed　to　view　caught　the　eye　of　Seseley；　and　she　paused　to　regard　her　reflection　in　the　glass。　　Her　two　companions　did　likewise；　and　instantly　all　three　girls　became　invisible；　while　the　mirror　held　their　reflections　fast　in　its　magic　surface。

The　Red　Rogue　was　watching　them　through　a　crack　in　the　door；　and　seeing　the　girls　disappear　he　gave　a　joyful　laugh　and　exclaimed：

〃Now　let　Prince　Marvel　find　them　if　he　can！〃

The　three　girls　began　to　wander　aimlessly　through　the　castle；　for　not　only　were　they　invisible　to　others；　but　also　to　themselves　and　to　one　another；　and　they　knew　not　what　to　do　nor　which　way　to　turn。



24。　　The　Enchanted　Mirrors


Presently　Prince　Marvel　and　his　party　arrived　and　paused　before　the　doors　of　the　castle；　where　the　Red　Rogue　stood　bowing　to　them　with　mock　politeness　and　with　an　evil　grin　showing　on　his　red　face。

〃I　come　to　demand　the　release　of　the　Lady　Seseley　and　her　companions！〃　Prince　Marvel　announced；　in　a　bold　voice。　　〃And　I　also　intend　to　call　you　to　account　for　the　murder　of　Baron　Merd。〃

〃You　must　be　at　the　wrong　castle；〃　answered　the　Red　One；　〃for　I　have　murdered　no　baron；　nor　have　I　any　Lady　Seseley　as　prisoner。〃

〃Are　you　not　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna？〃　demanded　the　prince。

〃Men　call　me　by　that　name；〃　acknowledged　the　other。

〃Then　you　are　deceiving　me；〃　said　the　prince。

〃No；　indeed！〃　answered　the　Red　Rogue；　mockingly。　　〃I　wouldn't　deceive　any　one　for　the　world。　　But；　if　you　don't　believe　me；　you　are　welcome　to　search　my　castle。〃

〃That　I　shall　do；〃　returned　the　prince；　sternly；　〃whether　I　have　your　permission　or　not；〃　and　he　began　to　dismount。　　But　Nerle　restrained　him；　saying：

〃Master；　I　beg　you　will　allow　me　to　search　the　castle。　　For　this　Red　Rogue　is　playing　some　trick　upon　us；　I　am　sure；　and　if　anything　happened　to　you　there　would　be　no　one　to　protect　the　little　High　Ki　and　our　other　friends。〃

〃But　suppose　something　should　happen　to　you？〃　inquired　the　prince；　anxiously。

〃In　that　case；〃　said　Nerle；　〃you　can　avenge　me。〃

The　advice　was　so　reasonable；　under　the　circumstances；　that　the　prince　decided　to　act　upon　it。

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　〃go　and　search　the　castle；　and　I　will　remain　with　our　friends。　　But　if　anything　happens　to　you；　I　shall　call　the　Red　Rogue　to　account。〃

So　Nerle　entered　the　castle；　passing　by　the　huge　form　of　its　owner；　who　only　nodded　to　the　boy　and　grinned　with　delight。

The　esquire　found　himself　in　the　great　hall　and　began　to　look　around　him；　but　without　seeing　any　one。　　Then　he　advanced　a　few　steps　and；　to　his　surprise；　discovered　a　large　mirror；　in　which　were　reflected　the　faces　and　forms　of　three　girls；　as　well　as　his　own。

〃Why；　here　they　are！〃　he　attempted　to　say；　but　he　could　not　hear　his　own　voice。　　He　glanced　down　at　himself　but　could　see　nothing　at　allfor　his　body　had　become　invisible。　　His　reflection　was　still　in　the　glass；　and　he　knew　that　his　body　existed　the　same　as　before；　but　although　he　yet　sa