第50部分(第3/7 頁)

ok　in　two　between　them；　children；　fiendish；

ubiquitous；　were　stealing　upstairs　to　find　out　where　our　Ursula

was；　whispering　at　bedroom　doors；　hanging　on　the　latch；　calling

mysteriously；　〃Ursula！　Ursula！〃　to　the　girl　who　had　locked

herself　in　to　read。　And　it　was　hopeless。　The　locked　door　excited

their　sense　of　mystery；　she　had　to　open　to　dispel　the　lure。

These　children　hung　on　to　her　with　round…eyed　excited

questions。

The　mother　flourished　amid　all　this。

〃Better　have　them　noisy　than　ill；〃　she　said。

But　the　growing　girls；　in　turn；　suffered　bitterly。　Ursula　was

just　ing　to　the　stage　when　Andersen　and　Grimm　were　being　left

behind　for　the　〃Idylls　of　the　King〃　and　romantic

love…stories。

〃Elaine　the　fair　Elaine　the　lovable；

Elaine　the　lily　maid　of　Astolat；

High　in　her　chamber　in　a　tower　to　the　east

Guarded　the　sacred　shield　of　Launcelot。〃

How　she　loved　it！　How　she　leaned　in　her　bedroom　window　with

her　black；　rough　hair　on　her　shoulders；　and　her　warm　face　all

rapt；　and　gazed　across　at　the　churchyard　and　the　little　church；

which　was　a　turreted　castle；　whence　Launcelot　would　ride　just

now；　would　wave　to　her　as　he　rode　by；　his　scarlet　cloak　passing

behind　the　dark　yew　trees　and　between　the　open　space：　whilst

she；　ah；　she；　would　remain　the　lonely　maid　high　up　and　isolated

in　the　tower；　polishing　the　terrible　shield；　weaving　it　a

covering　with　a　true　device；　and　waiting；　waiting；　always　remote

and　high。

At　which　point　there　would　be　a　faint　scuffle　on　the　stairs；

a　light…pitched　whispering　outside　the　door；　and　a　creaking　of

the　latch：　then　Billy；　excited；　whispering：

〃