the story of the glittering plain-第13章

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women　in　the　land？〃



〃Yea；　many；〃　said　that　damsel。



〃And　many　that　are　as　fair　as　ye　be？〃　said　he。　　Then　they　laughed　and

were　glad；　and　drew　near　to　him　again　and　took　his　hands　and　kissed

them；　and　the　black…haired　damsel　said：　　〃Yea；　yea；　there　be　many　as

fair　as　we　be；　and　some　fairer；〃　and　she　laughed。



〃And　that　King　of　yours；〃　said　he；　〃how　do　ye　name　him？〃



〃He　is　the　King；〃　said　the　damsel。



〃Hath　he　no　other　name？〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃We　may　not　utter　it；〃　she　said；　〃but　thou　shalt　see　him　soon；　that

there　is　nought　but　good　in　him　and　mightiness。〃







CHAPTER　XI：　　THE　SEA…EAGLE　RENEWETH　HIS　LIFE







But　while　they　spake　together　thus；　came　a　man　from　out　of　the　wood

very　tall　of　stature；　red…bearded　and　black…haired；　ruddy…cheeked；

full…limbed；　most　joyous　of　aspect；　a　man　by　seeming　of　five　and

thirty　winters。　　He　strode　straight　up　to　Hallblithe；　and　cast　his

arms　about　him；　and　kissed　his　cheek；　as　if　he　had　been　an　old　and

dear　friend　newly　come　from　over　seas。



Hallblithe　wondered　and　laughed；　and　said：　　〃Who　art　thou　that

deemest　me　so　dear？〃



Said　the　man：　　〃Short　is　thy　memory；　Son　of　the　Raven；　that　thou　in

so　little　space　hast　forgotten　thy　shipmate　and　thy　faring…fellow；

who　gave　thee　meat　and　drink　and　good　rede　in　the　Hall　of　the

Ravagers。〃　　Therewith　he　laughed　joyously　and　turned　about　to　the

three　maidens　and　took　them　by　the　hands　and　kissed　their　lips；　while

they　fawned　upon　him　lovingly。



Then　said　Hallblithe：　　〃Hast　thou　verily　gotten　thy　youth　again；

which　thou　badest　me　wish　thee？〃



〃Yea；　in　good　sooth；〃　said　the　red…bearded　man；　〃I　am　the　Sea…eagle

of　old　days；　and　I　have　gotten　my　youth；　and　love　therewithal；　and

somewhat　to　love　moreover。〃



Therewith　he　turned　to　the　fairest　of　the　damsels；　and　she　was　white…

skinned　and　fragrant　as　the　lily；　rose…cheeked　and　slender；　and　the

wind　played　with　the　long　locks　of　her　golden　hair；　which　hung　down

below　her　knees；　so　he　cast　his　arms　about　her　and　strained　her　to

his　bosom；　and　kissed　her　face　many　times；　and　she　nothing　loth；　but

caressing　him　with　lips　and　hand。　　But　the　other　two　damsels　stood　by

smiling　and　joyous：　　and　they　clapped　their　hands　together　and　kissed

each　other　for　joy　of　the　new　lover；　and　at　last　fell　to　dancing　and

skipping　about　them　like　young　lambs　in　the　meadows　of　Spring…tide。

But　amongst　them　all；　stood　up　Hallblithe　leaning　on　his　spear　with

smiling　lips　and　knitted　brow；　for　he　was　pondering　in　his　mind　in

what　wise　he　might　further　his　quest。



But　after　they　had　danced　a　while　the　Sea…eagle　left　his　love　that　he

had　chosen　and　took　a　hand　of　either　of　the　two　damsels；　and　led　them

tripping　up　to　Hallblithe；　and　cried　out：　　〃Choose　thou；　Raven's

baby；　which　of　these　twain　thou　wilt　have　to　thy　mate；　for　scarcely

shalt　thou　see　better　or　fairer。〃



But　Hallblithe　looked　on　them　proudly　and　sternly；　and　the　black…

haired　damsel　hung　down　her　head　before　him　and　said　softly：　　〃Nay；

nay；　sea…warrior；　this　one　is　too　lovely　to　be　our　mate。　　Sweeter

love　abides　him；　and　lips　more　longed　for。〃



Then　stirred　Hallblithe's　heart　within　him　and　he　said：　　〃O　Eagle　of

the　Sea；　thou　hast　thy　youth　again：　　what　then　wilt　thou　do　with　it？

Wilt　thou　not　weary　for　the　moonlit　main；　and　the　washing　of　waves

and　the　dashing　of　spray；　and　thy　fellows　all　glistening　with　the

brine？　　Where　now　shall　be　the　alien　shores　before　thee；　and　the

landing　for　fame；　and　departure　for　the　gain　of　goods？　　Wilt　thou

forget　the　ship's　black　side；　and　the　dripping　of　the　windward　oars；

as　the　squall　falleth　on　when　the　sun　hath　arisen；　and　the　sail

tuggeth　hard　on　the　sheet；　and　the　ship　lieth　over　and　the　lads　shout

against　the　whistle　of　the　wind？　　Has　the　spear　fallen　from　thine

hand；　and　hast　thou　buried　the　sword　of　thy　fathers　in　the　grave　from

which　thy　body　hath　escaped？　　What　art　thou；　O　Warrior；　in　the　land

of　the　alien　and　the　King？　　Who　shall　heed　thee　or　tell　the　tale　of

thy　glory；　which　thou　hast　covered　over　with　the　hand　of　a　light

woman；　whom　thy　kindred　knoweth　not；　and　who　was　not　born　in　a　house

wherefrom　it　hath　been　appointed　thee　from　of　old　to　take　the

pleasure　of　woman？　　Whose　thrall　art　thou　now；　thou　lifter　of　the

spoil；　thou　scarer　of　the　freeborn？　　The　bidding　of　what　lord　or　King

wilt　thou　do；　O　Chieftain；　that　thou　mayst　eat　thy　meat　in　the

morning　and　lie　soft　in　thy　bed　in　the　evening？〃



〃O　Warrior　of　the　Ravagers；　here　stand　I；　Hallblithe　of　the　Raven；

and　I　am　come　into　an　alien　land　beset　with　marvels　to　seek　mine　own；

and　find　that　which　is　dearest　to　mine　heart；　to　wit；　my　troth…plight

maiden　the　Hostage　of　the　Rose；　the　fair　woman　who　shall　lie　in　my

bed；　and　bear　me　children；　and　stand　by　me　in　field　and　fold；　by

thwart　and　gunwale；　before　the　bow　and　the　spear；　by　the　flickering

of　the　cooking…fire；　and　amidst　the　blaze　of　the　burning　hall；　and

beside　the　bale…fire　of　the　warrior　of　the　Raven。　　O　Sea…eagle；　my

guester　amongst　the　foemen；　my　fellow…farer　and　shipmate；　say　now

once　for　all　whether　thou　wilt　help　me　in　my　quest；　or　fall　off　from

me　as　a　dastard？〃



Again　the　maidens　shrank　before　his　clear　and　high…raised　voice；　and

they　trembled　and　grew　pale。



But　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　from　a　countenance　kind　with　joy；　and　said：

〃Child　of　the　Raven；　thy　words　are　good　and　manly：　　but　it　availeth

nought　in　this　land；　and　I　wot　not　how　thou　wilt　fare；　or　why　thou

hast　been　sent　amongst　us。　　What　wilt　thou　do？　　Hadst　thou　spoken

these　words　to　the　Long…hoary；　the　Grandfather；　yesterday；　his　ears

would　have　been　deaf　to　them；　and　now　that　thou　speakest　them　to　the

Sea…eagle；　this　joyous　man　on　the　Glittering　Plain；　he　cannot　do

according　to　them；　for　there　is　no　other　land　than　this　which　can

hold　him。　　Here　he　is　strong　and　stark；　and　full　of　joy　and　love；　but

otherwhere　he　would　be　but　a　gibbering　ghost　drifting　down　the　wind

of　night。　　Therefore　in　whatsoever　thou　mayst　do　within　this　land　I

will　stand　by　thee　and　help　thee；　but　not　one　inch　beyond　it　may　my

foot　go；　whether　it　be　down　into　the　brine　of　the　sea；　or　up　into　the

clefts　of　the　mountains　which　are　the　wall　of　this　goodly　land。



〃Thou　hast　been　my　shipmate　and　I　love　thee；　I　am　thy　friend；　but

here　in　this　land　must　needs　be　the　love　and　the　friendship。　　For　no

ghost　can　love　thee；　no　ghost　may　help　thee。　　And　as　to　what　thou

sayest　concerning　the　days　gone　past　and　our　joys　upon　the　tumbling

sea；　true　it　is　that　those　days　were　good　and　lovely；　but　they　are

dead　and　gone　like　the　lads　who　sat　on　the　thwart　beside　us；　and　the

maidens　who　took　our　hands　in　the　hall　to　lead　us　to　the　chamber。

Other　days　have　come　in　their　stead；　and　other　friends　shall　cherish

us。　　What　then？　　Shall　we　wound　the　living　to　pleasure　the　dead；　who

cannot　heed　it？　　Shall　we　curse　the　Yuletide；　and　cast　foul　water　on

the　Holy　Hearth　of　the　winter　feast；　because　the　summer　once　was　fair

and　the　days　flit　and　the　times　change？　　Now　let　us　be　glad！　　For

life　liveth。〃



Therewith　he　turned　about　to　his　damsel　and　kissed　her　on　the　mouth。

But　Hallblithe's　face　was　grown　sad　and　stern；　and　he　spake　slowly

and　heavily：　　〃So　is　it；　shipmate；　that　whereas　thou　sayest　that　the

days　flit；　for　thee　they　shall　flit　no　more；　and　the　day　may　come　for

thee　when　thou　shalt　be　weary；　and　know　it；　and　long　for　the　lost

which　thou　hast　forgotten。　　But　hereof　it　availeth　nought　for　me　to

speak　any　longer；　for　thine　ears　are　deaf　to　these　words；　and　thou

wilt　not　hear　them。　　Therefore　I　say　no　more　save　that　I　thank　thee

for　thy　help　whatsoever　it　may　be；　and　I　will　take　it；　for　the　day's

work　lieth　before　me；　and　I　begin　to　think　that　it　may　be　heavy

enough。〃



The　women　yet　looked　downcast；　and　as　if　they　would　be　gone　out　of

earshot；　but　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　as　one　who　is　well　content；　and

said：　　〃Thou　thyself　wilt　make　it　hard　for　thyself　after　the　wont　of

th