the story of the glittering plain-第12章

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







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

shore：　　and　almost　with　the　first　of　their　strokes；　the　Sea…eagle

moaned　out：



〃Would　we　were　there；　oh；　would　we　were　there！　　Cold　groweth　eld

about　my　heart。　　Raven's　Son；　thou　art　standing　up；　tell　me　if　thou

canst　see　what　these　folk　of　the　land　are　doing；　and　if　any　others

have　come　thither？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃There　are　none　others　come；　but　kine　and　horses

are　feeding　down　the　meadows。　　As　to　what　those　four　are　doing；　the

women　are　putting　off　their　shoon；　and　girding　up　their　raiment；　as

if　they　would　wade　the　water　toward　us；　and　the　carle；　who　was

barefoot　before；　wendeth　straight　towards　the　sea；　and　there　he

standeth；　for　very　little　are　the　waves　become。〃



The　old　man　answered　nothing；　and　did　but　groan　for　lack　of　patience；

but　presently　when　the　water　was　yet　waist　deep　the　rowers　stayed　the

skiff；　and　two　of　them　slipped　over　the　gunwale　into　the　sea；　and

between　them　all　they　took　up　the　chieftain　on　his　bed　and　got　him

forth　from　the　boat　and　went　toward　the　strand　with　him；　and　the

landsfolk　met　them　where　the　water　was　shallower；　and　took　him　from

their　hands　and　bore　him　forth　on　to　the　yellow　sand；　and　laid　him

down　out　of　reach　of　the　creeping　ripple　of　the　tide。　　Hallblithe

withal　slipped　lightly　out　of　the　boat　and　waded　the　water　after

them。　　But　the　shipmen　rowed　back　again　to　their　ship；　and　presently

Hallblithe　heard　the　hale　and　how；　as　they　got　up　their　anchor。



But　when　Hallblithe　was　come　ashore；　and　was　drawn　near　the　folk　of

the　land；　the　women　looked　at　him　askance；　and　they　laughed　and　said：

〃Welcome　to　thee　also；　O　young　man！〃　　And　he　beheld　them；　and　saw

that　they　were　of　the　stature　of　the　maidens　of　his　own　land；　they

were　exceeding　fair　of　skin　and　shapely　of　fashion；　so　that　the

nakedness　of　their　limbs　under　their　girded　gowns；　and　all　glistening

with　the　sea；　was　most　lovely　and　dainty　to　behold。　　But　Hallblithe

knelt　by　the　Sea…eagle　to　note　how　he　fared；　and　said：　　〃How　is　it

with　thee；　O　chieftain？〃



The　old　man　answered　not　a　word；　and　he　seemed　to　be　asleep；　and

Hallblithe　deemed　that　his　cheeks　were　ruddier　and　his　skin　less

wasted　and　wrinkled　than　aforetime。　　Then　spake　one　of　those　women：

〃Fear　not；　young　man；　he　is　well　and　will　soon　be　better。〃　　Her　voice

was　as　sweet　as　a　spring　bird　in　the　morning；　she　was　white…skinned

and　dark…haired；　and　full　sweetly　fashioned；　and　she　laughed　on

Hallblithe；　but　not　mockingly；　and　her　fellows　also　laughed；　as

though　it　was　strange　for　him　to　be　there。　　Then　they　did　on　their

shoon　again；　and　with　the　carle　laid　their　hands　to　the　bed　whereon

the　old　man　lay；　and　lifted　him　up；　and　bore　him　forth　on　to　the

grass；　turning　their　faces　toward　the　flowery　wood　aforesaid；　and

they　went　a　little　way　and　then　laid　him　down　again　and　rested；　and

so　on　little　by　little；　till　they　had　brought　him　to　the　edge　of　the

wood；　and　still　he　seemed　to　be　asleep。　　Then　the　damsel　who　had

spoken　before；　she　with　the　dark　hair；　said　to　Hallblithe；　〃Although

we　have　gazed　on　thee　as　if　with　wonder；　this　is　not　because　we　did

not　look　to　meet　thee；　but　because　thou　art　so　fair　and　goodly　a　man：

so　abide　thou　here　till　we　come　back　to　thee　from　out　of　the　wood。〃



Therewith　she　stroked　his　hand；　and　with　her　fellows　lifted　the　old

man　once　more；　and　they　bore　him　out　of　sight　into　the　thicket。



But　Hallblithe　went　to　and　fro　a　dozen　paces　from　the　wood；　and

looked　across　the　flowery　meads　and　deemed　he　had　never　seen　any　so

fair。　　And　afar　off　toward　the　hills　he　saw　a　great　roof　arising；　and

thought　he　could　see　men　also；　and　nigher　to　him　were　kine　pasturing；

and　horses　also；　whereof　some　drew　anear　him　and　stretched　out　their

necks　and　gazed　at　him；　and　they　were　goodly　after　their　kind；　and　a

fair　stream　of　water　came　round　the　corner　out　of　the　wood　and　down

the　meadows　to　the　sea；　and　Hallblithe　went　thereto　and　could　see

that　there　was　but　little　ebb　and　flow　of　the　tide　on　that　shore；　for

the　water　of　the　stream　was　clear　as　glass；　and　the　grass　and　flowers

grew　right　down　to　its　water；　so　he　put　off　his　helm　and　drank　of　the

stream　and　washed　his　face　and　his　hands　therein；　and　then　did　on　his

helm　again　and　turned　back　again　toward　the　wood；　feeling　very　strong

and　merry；　and　he　looked　out　seaward　and　saw　the　Ship　of　the　Isle　of

Ransom　lessening　fast；　for　a　little　land　wind　had　arisen　and　they　had

spread　their　sails　to　it；　and　he　laid　down　on　the　grass　till　the　four

folk　of　the　country　came　out　of　the　wood　again；　after　they　had　been

gone　somewhat　less　than　an　hour；　but　the　Sea…eagle　was　not　with　them：

and　Hallblithe　rose　up　and　turned　to　them；　and　the　carle　saluted　him

and　departed；　going　straight　toward　that　far…away　roof　he　had　seen；

and　the　women　were　left　with　Hallblithe；　and　they　looked　at　him　and

he　at　them　as　he　stood　leaning　on　his　spear。



Then　said　the　black…haired　damsel：　　〃True　it　is；　O　Spearman；　that　if

we　did　not　know　of　thee；　our　wonder　would　be　great　that　a　man　so

young　and　lucky…looking　should　have　sought　hither。〃



〃I　wot　not　why　thou　shouldest　wonder；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃I　will　tell

thee　presently　wherefore　I　come　hither。　　But　tell　me；　is　this　the

Land　of　the　Glittering　Plain？〃



〃Even　so；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃dost　thou　not　see　how　the　sun　shineth　on

it？　　Just　so　it　shineth　in　the　season　that　other　folks　call　winter。〃



〃Some　such　marvel　I　thought　to　hear　of；〃　said　he；　〃for　I　have　been

told　that　the　land　is　marvellous；　and　fair　though　these　meadows　be；

they　are　not　marvellous　to　look　on　now：　　they　are　like　other　lands；

though　it　maybe；　fairer。〃



〃That　may　be；〃　she　said；　〃we　have　nought　but　hearsay　of　other　lands。

If　we　ever　knew　them　we　have　forgotten　them。〃



Said　Hallblithe；　〃Is　this　land　called　also　the　Acre　of　the　Undying？〃



As　he　spake　the　words　the　smile　faded　from　the　damsel's　face；　she　and

her　fellows　grew　pale；　and　she　said：　　〃Hold　thy　peace　of　such　words！

They　are　not　lawful　for　any　man　to　utter　here。　　Yet　mayst　thou　call

it　the　Land　of　the　Living。〃



He　said：　　〃I　crave　pardon　for　the　rash　word。〃



Then　they　smiled　again；　and　drew　near　to　him；　and　caressed　him　with

their　hands；　and　looked　on　him　lovingly；　but　he　drew　a　little　aback

from　them　and　said：　　〃I　have　come　hither　seeking　something　which　I

have　lost；　the　lack　whereof　grieveth　me。〃



Quoth　the　damsel；　drawing　nearer　to　him　again；　〃Mayst　thou　find　it；

thou　lovely　man；　and　whatsoever　else　thou　desirest。〃



Then　he　said：　　〃Hath　a　woman　named　the　Hostage　been　brought　hither　of

late　days？　　A　fair　woman；　bright…haired　and　grey…eyed；　kind　of

countenance；　soft　of　speech；　yet　outspoken　and　nought　timorous；　tall

according　to　our　stature；　but　very　goodly　of　fashion；　a　woman　of　the

House　of　the　Rose；　and　my　troth…plight　maiden。〃



They　looked　on　each　other　and　shook　their　heads；　and　the　black…haired

damsel　spake：　　〃We　know　of　no　such　a　woman；　nor　of　the　kindred　which

thou　namest。〃



Then　his　countenance　fell；　and　became　piteous　with　desire　and　grief；

and　he　bent　his　brows　upon　them；　for　they　seemed　to　him　light…minded

and　careless；　though　they　were　lovely。



But　they　shrank　from　him　trembling；　and　drew　aback；　for　they　had　all

been　standing　close　to　him；　beholding　him　with　love；　and　she　who　had

spoken　most　had　been　holding　his　left　hand　fondly。　　But　now　she　said：

〃Nay；　look　not　on　us　so　bitterly！　　If　the　woman　be　not　in　the　land；

this　cometh　not　of　our　malice。　　Yet　maybe　she　is　here。　　For　such　as

come　hither　keep　not　their　old　names；　and　soon　forget　them　what　they

were。　　Thou　shalt　go　with　us　to　the　King；　and　he　shall　do　for　thee

what　thou　wilt；　for　he　is　exceeding　mighty。〃



Then　was　Hallblithe　appeased　somewhat；　and　he　said：　　〃Are　there　many

women　in　the　land？〃



〃Yea；　many；〃　said　that　damsel。



〃And　many　that　are　as