the story of the glittering plain-第11章

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and　meadow　come　down　to　the　edge　of　the　sea。　　But　it　is　yet　far

away。〃



〃Yea；〃　said　the　elder；　〃is　it　so？　　Then　will　I　not　wear　myself　with

making　words　for　thee。　　I　will　rest　rather；　and　gather　might。　　Come

again　when　an　hour　hath　worn；　and　tell　me　what　thou　seest；　and　may

happen　then　thou　shalt　have　my　tale！〃　　And　he　laid　him　down　therewith

and　seemed　to　be　asleep　at　once。　　And　Hallblithe　might　not　amend　it；

so　he　waited　patiently　till　the　hour　had　worn；　and　then　went　forward

again；　and　looked　long　and　carefully；　and　came　back　and　said　to　the

Sea…eagle；　〃The　hour　is　worn。〃



The　old　chieftain　turned　himself　about　and　said　〃What　hast　thou　seen？



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃The　mountains　are　pale　and　high；　and　below　them

are　hills　dark　with　wood；　and　betwixt　them　and　the　sea　is　a　fair

space　of　meadowland；　and　methought　it　was　wide。〃



Said　the　old　man：　　〃Sawest　thou　a　rocky　skerry　rising　high　out　of　the

sea　anigh　the　shore？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃if　there　be；　it　is　all　blended　with　the

meadows　and　the　hills。〃



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Abide　the　wearing　of　another　hour；　and　come　and

tell　me　again；　and　then　I　may　have　a　gainful　word　for　thee。〃　　And　he

fell　asleep　again。　　But　Hallblithe　abided；　and　when　the　hour　was

worn；　he　went　forward　and　stood　on　the　forecastle。　　And　this　was　the

third　shift　of　the　rowers；　and　the　stoutest　men　in　the　ship　now　held

the　oars　in　their　hands；　and　the　ship　shook　through　all　her　length

and　breadth　as　they　drave　her　over　the　waters。



So　Hallblithe　came　aft　to　the　old　man　and　found　him　asleep；　so　he

took　him　by　the　shoulder；　and　shook　him　and　said：　　〃Awake；　faring…

fellow；　for　the　land　is　a…nigh。〃



So　the　old　man　sat　up　and　said：　　〃What　hast　thou　seen？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　have　seen　the　peaks　and　cliffs　of　the　far…off

mountains；　and　below　them　are　hills　green　with　grass　and　dark　with

woods；　and　thence　stretch　soft　green　meadows　down　to　the　sea…strand；

which　is　fair　and　smooth；　and　yellow。〃



〃Sawest　thou　the　skerry？〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。



〃Yea；　I　saw　it；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃and　it　rises　sheer　from　out　the

sea　about　a　mile　from　the　yellow　strand；　but　its　rocks　are　black；

like　the　rocks　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom。〃



〃Son；〃　said　the　elder；　〃give　me　thine　hands　and　raise　me　up　a

little。〃　　So　Hallblithe　took　him　and　raised　him　up；　so　that　he　sat

leaning　against　the　pillows；　and　he　looked　not　on　Hallblithe；　but　on

the　bows　of　the　ship；　which　now　pitched　but　a　little　up　and　down；　for

the　sea　was　laid　quiet　now。　　Then　he　cried　in　his　shrill；　piping

voice：　　〃It　is　the　Land！　　It　is　the　Land！〃



But　after　a　little　while　he　turned　to　Hallblithe　and　spake：　　〃Short

is　the　tale　to　tell：　　thou　hast　wished　me　youth；　and　thy　wish　hath

thriven；　for　to…day；　ere　the　sun　goes　down；　thou　shalt　see　me　as　I

was　in　the　days　when　I　reaped　the　harvest　of　the　sea　with　sharp　sword

and　hardy　heart。　　For　this　is　the　land　of　the　Undying　King；　who　is

our　lord　and　our　gift…giver；　and　to　some　he　giveth　the　gift　of　youth

renewed；　and　life　that　shall　abide　here　the　Gloom　of　the　Gods。　　But

none　of　us　all　may　come　to　the　Glittering　Plain　and　the　King　Undying

without　turning　the　back　for　the　last　time　on　the　Isle　of　Ransom：

nor　may　any　men　of　the　Isle　come　hither　save　those　who　are　of　the

House　of　the　Sea…eagle；　and　few　of　those；　save　the　chieftains　of　the

House；　such　as　are　they　who　sat　by　thee　on　the　high…seat　that　even。

Of　these　once　in　a　while　is　chosen　one　of　us；　who　is　old　and　spent

and　past　battle；　and　is　borne　to　this　land　and　the　gift　of　the

Undying。　　Forsooth　some　of　us　have　no　will　to　take　the　gift；　for　they

say　they　are　liefer　to　go　to　where　they　shall　meet　more　of　our

kindred　than　dwell　on　the　Glittering　Plain　and　the　Acre　of　the

Undying；　but　as　for　me　I　was　ever　an　overbearing　and　masterful　man；

and　meseemeth　it　is　well　that　I　meet　as　few　of　our　kindred　as　may　be：

for　they　are　a　strifeful　race。〃



Hereat　Hallblithe　marvelled　exceedingly；　and　he　said：　　〃And　what　am　I

in　all　this　story？　　Why　am　I　come　hither　with　thy　furtherance？〃



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃We　had　a　charge　from　the　Undying　King

concerning　thee；　that　we　should　bring　thee　hither　alive　and　well；　if

so　be　thou　camest　to　the　Isle　of　Ransom。　　For　what　cause　we　had　the

charge；　I　know　not；　nor　do　I　greatly　heed。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃And　shall　I　also　have　that　gift　of　undying　youth；

and　life　while　the　world　of　men　and　gods　endureth？〃



〃I　must　needs　deem　so；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle；　〃so　long　as　thou　abidest

on　the　Glittering　Plain；　and　I　see　not　how　thou　mayst　ever　escape

thence。〃



Now　Hallblithe　heard　him；　how　he　said　〃escape；〃　and　thereat　he　was

somewhat　ill　at　ease；　and　stood　and　pondered　a　little。　　At　last　he

said：　　〃Is　this　then　all　that　thou　hast　to　tell　me　concerning　the

Glittering　Plain？〃



〃By　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea！〃　said　the　elder；　〃I　know　no　more　of　it。

The　living　shall　learn。　　But　I　suppose　that　thou　mayst　seek　thy

troth…plight　maiden　there　all　thou　wilt。　　Or　thou　mayst　pray　the

Undying　King　to　have　her　thither　to　thee。　　What　know　I？　　At　least；　it

is　like　that　there　shall　be　no　lack　of　fair　women　there：　　or　else　the

promise　of　youth　renewed　is　nought　and　vain。　　Shall　this　not　be

enough　for　thee？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃What；〃　said　the　elder；　〃must　it　be　one　woman　only？〃



〃One　only；〃　said　Hallblithe。



The　old　man　laughed　his　thin　mocking　laugh；　and　said：　　〃I　will　not

assure　thee　but　that　the　land　of　the　Glittering　Plain　shall　change

all　that　for　thee　so　soon　as　it　touches　the　soles　of　thy　feet。〃



Hallblithe　looked　at　him　steadily　and　smiled；　and　said：　　〃Well　is　it

then　that　I　shall　find　the　Hostage　there；　for　then　shall　we　be　of　one

mind；　either　to　sunder　or　to　cleave　together。　　It　is　well　with　me

this　day。〃



〃And　with　me　it　shall　be　well　ere　long；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。



But　now　the　rowers　ceased　rowing　and　lay　on　their　oars；　and　the

shipmen　cast　anchor；　for　they　were　but　a　bowshot　from　the　shore；　and

the　ship　swung　with　the　tide　and　lay　side…long　to　the　shore。　　Then

said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Look　forth；　shipmate；　and　tell　me　of　the　land。〃



And　Hallblithe　looked　and　said：　　〃The　yellow　beach　is　sandy　and

shell…strewn；　as　I　deem；　and　there　is　no　great　space　of　it　betwixt

the　sea　and　the　flowery　grass；　and　a　bowshot　from　the　strand　I　see　a

little　wood　amidst　which　are　fair　trees　blossoming。〃



〃Seest　thou　any　folk　on　the　shore？〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃Yea；〃　said

Hallblithe；　〃close　to　the　edge　of　the　sea　go　four；　and　by　seeming

three　are　women；　for　their　long　gowns　flutter　in　the　wind。　　And　one

of　these　is　clad　in　saffron　colour；　and　another　in　white；　and　another

in　watchet；　but　the　carle　is　clad　in　dark　red；　and　their　raiment　is

all　glistening　as　with　gold　and　gems；　and　by　seeming　they　are　looking

at　our　ship　as　though　they　expected　somewhat。〃



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Why　now　do　the　shipmen　tarry　and　have　not　made

ready　the　skiff？　　Swillers　and　belly…gods　they　be；　slothful　swine

that　forget　their　chieftain。〃



But　even　as　he　spake　came　four　of　the　shipmen；　and　without　more　ado

took　him　up；　bed　and　all；　and　bore　him　down　into　the　waist　of　the

ship；　whereunder　lay　the　skiff　with　four　strong　rowers　lying　on　their

oars。　　These　men　made　no　sign　to　Hallblithe；　nor　took　any　heed　of

him；　but　he　caught　up　his　spear；　and　followed　them　and　stood　by　as

they　lowered　the　old　man　into　the　boat。　　Then　he　set　his　foot　on　the

gunwale　of　the　ship　and　leapt　down　lightly　into　the　boat；　and　none

hindered　or　helped　him；　and　he　stood　upright　in　the　boat；　a　goodly

image　of　battle　with　the　sun　flashing　back　from　his　bright　helm；　his

spear　in　his　hand；　his　white　shield　at　his　back；　and　thereon　the

image　of　the　Raven；　but　if　he　had　been　but　a　salt…boiling　carle　of

the　sea…side　none　would　have　heeded　him　less。







CHAPTER　X：　　THEY　HOLD　CONVERSE　WITH　FOLK　OF　THE　GLITTERING　PLAIN







Now　the　rowers　lifted　the　ash…blades；　and　fell　to　rowing　towards

shor