the story of the glittering plain-第14章

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

thy　proud　and　haughty　race；　but　for　me　nothing　is　hard　any　longer；

neither　thy　scorn　nor　thy　forebodings　of　evil。　　Be　thou　my　friend　as

much　as　thou　canst；　and　I　will　be　thine　wholly。　　Now　ye　women；

whither　will　ye　lead　us？　　For　I　am　ready　to　see　any　new　thing　ye　will

show　us。〃



Said　his　damsel：　　〃We　will　take　you　to　the　King；　that　your　hearts　may

be　the　more　gladdened。　　And　as　for　thy　friend　the　Spearman；　O　Sea…

warrior；　let　not　his　heart　be　downcast。　　Who　wotteth　but　that　these

two　desires；　the　desire　of　his　heart；　and　the　desire　of　a　heart　for

him；　may　not　be　one　and　the　same　desire；　so　that　he　shall　be　fully

satisfied？〃　　As　she　spoke　she　looked　sidelong　at　Hallblithe；　with　shy

and　wheedling　eyes；　and　he　wondered　at　her　word；　and　a　new　hope

sprang　up　in　his　heart　that　he　was　presently　to　be　brought　face　to

face　with　the　Hostage；　and　that　this　was　that　love；　sweeter　than

their　love；　which　abode　in　him；　and　his　heart　became　lighter；　and　his

visage　cleared。







CHAPTER　XII：　　THEY　LOOK　ON　THE　KING　OF　THE　GLITTERING　PLAIN







So　now　the　women　led　them　along　up　the　stream；　and　Hallblithe　went

side　by　side　by　the　Sea…eagle；　but　the　women　had　become　altogether

merry　again；　and　played　and　ran　about　them　as　gamesome　as　young

goats；　and　they　waded　the　shallows　of　the　clear　bright　stream

barefoot　to　wash　their　limbs　of　the　sea…brine；　and　strayed　about　the

meadows；　plucking　the　flowers　and　making　them　wreaths　and　chaplets；

which　they　did　upon　themselves　and　the　Sea…eagle；　but　Hallblithe　they

touched　not；　for　still　they　feared　him。　　They　went　on　as　the　stream

led　them　up　toward　the　hills；　and　ever　were　the　meads　about　them　as

fair　and　flowery　as　might　be。　　Folk　they　saw　afar　off；　but　fell　in

with　none　for　a　good　while；　saving　a　man　and　a　maid　clad　lightly　as

for　mid…summer　days；　who　were　wandering　together　lovingly　and　happily

by　the　stream…side；　and　who　gazed　wonderingly　on　the　stark　Sea…eagle；

and　on　Hallblithe　with　his　glittering　spear。　　The　black…haired　damsel

greeted　these　twain　and　spake　something　to　them；　and　they　laughed

merrily；　and　the　man　stooped　down　amongst　the　grasses　and　blossoms　of

the　bank；　and　drew　forth　a　basket；　and　spread　dainty　victuals　on　the

grass　under　a　willow…tree；　and　bade　them　be　his　guests　that　fair

afternoon。　　So　they　sat　down　there　above　the　glistering　stream　and

ate　and　drank　and　were　merry。　　Thereafter　the　new…comers　and　their

way…leaders　departed　with　kind　words；　and　still　set　their　faces

towards　the　hills。



At　last　they　saw　before　them　a　little　wooded　hill；　and　underneath　it

something　red　and　shining；　and　other　coloured　things　gleaming　in　the

sun　about　it。　　Then　said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃What　have　we　yonder？〃



Said　his　damsel：　　〃That　is　the　pavilion　of　the　King；　and　about　it　are

the　tents　and　tilts　of　our　folk　who　are　of　his　fellowship：　　for　oft

he　abideth　in　the　fields　with　them；　though　he　hath　houses　and　halls

as　fair　as　the　heart　of　man　can　conceive。〃



〃Hath　he　no　foemen　to　fear？〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。



〃How　should　that　be？〃　said　the　damsel。　　〃If　perchance　any　came　into

this　land　to　bring　war　upon　him；　their　battle…anger　should　depart

when　once　the　bliss　of　the　Glittering　Plain　had　entered　into　their

souls；　and　they　would　ask　for　nought　but　leave　to　abide　here　and　be

happy。　　Yet　I　trow　that　if　he　had　foemen　he　could　crush　them　as

easily　as　I　set　my　foot　on　this　daisy。〃



So　as　they　went　on　they　fell　in　with　many　folk；　men　and　women；

sporting　and　playing　in　the　fields；　and　there　was　no　semblance　of　eld

on　any　of　them；　and　no　scar　or　blemish　or　feebleness　of　body　or

sadness　of　countenance；　nor　did　any　bear　a　weapon　or　any　piece　of

armour。　　Now　some　of　them　gathered　about　the　new…corners；　and

wondered　at　Hallblithe　and　his　long　spear　and　shining　helm　and　dark

grey　byrny；　but　none　asked　concerning　them；　for　all　knew　that　they

were　folk　new　come　to　the　bliss　of　the　Glittering　Plain。　　So　they

passed　amidst　these　fair　folk　little　hindered　by　them；　and　into

Hallblithe's　thoughts　it　came　how　joyous　the　fellowship　of　such

should　be　and　how　his　heart　should　be　raised　by　the　sight　of　them；　if

only　his　troth…plight　maiden　were　by　his　side。



Thus　then　they　came　to　the　King's　pavilion；　where　it　stood　in　a　bight

of　the　meadow…land　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　with　the　wood　about　it　on

three　sides。　　So　fair　a　house　Hallblithe　deemed　he　had　never　seen；

for　it　was　wrought　all　over　with　histories　and　flowers；　and　with　hems

sewn　with　gold；　and　with　orphreys　of　gold　and　pearl　and　gems。



There　in　the　door　of　it　sat　the　King　of　the　Land　in　an　ivory　chair；

he　was　clad　in　golden　gown；　girt　with　a　girdle　of　gems；　and　had　his

crown　on　his　head　and　his　sword　by　his　side。　　For　this　was　the　hour

wherein　he　heard　what　any　of　his　folk　would　say　to　him；　and　for　that

very　end　he　sat　there　in　the　door　of　his　tent；　and　folk　were　standing

before　him；　and　sitting　and　lying　on　the　grass　round　about；　and　now

one；　now　another；　came　up　to　him　and　spoke　before　him。



His　face　shone　like　a　star；　it　was　exceeding　beauteous；　and　as　kind

as　the　even　of　May　in　the　gardens　of　the　happy；　when　the　scent　of　the

eglantine　fills　all　the　air。　　When　he　spoke　his　voice　was　so　sweet

that　all　hearts　were　ravished；　and　none　might　gainsay　him。



But　when　Hallblithe　set　eyes　on　him；　he　knew　at　once　that　this　was　he

whose　carven　image　he　had　seen　in　the　Hall　of　the　Ravagers；　and　his

heart　beat　fast；　and　he　said　to　himself：　　〃Hold　up　thine　head　now；　O

Son　of　the　Raven；　strengthen　thine　heart；　and　let　no　man　or　god　cow

thee。　　For　how　can　thine　heart　change；　which　bade　thee　go　to　the

house　wherefrom　it　was　due　to　thee　to　take　the　pleasure　of　woman；　and

there　to　pledge　thy　faith　and　troth　to　her　that　loveth　thee　most；　and

hankereth　for　thee　day　by　day　and　hour　by　hour；　so　that　great　is　the

love　that　we　twain　have　builded　up。〃



Now　they　drew　nigh；　for　folk　fell　back　before　them　to　the　right　and

left；　as　before　men　who　are　new　come　and　have　much　to　do；　so　that

there　was　nought　between　them　and　the　face　of　the　King。　　But　he

smiled　upon　them　so　that　he　cheered　their　hearts　with　the　hope　of

fulfilment　of　their　desires；　and　he　said：　　〃Welcome；　children！　　Who

be　these　whom　ye　have　brought　hither　for　the　increase　of　our　joy？

Who　is　this　tall；　ruddy…faced；　joyous　man　so　meet　for　the　bliss　of

the　Glittering　Plain？　　And　who　is　this　goodly　and　lovely　young　man；

who　beareth　weapons　amidst　our　peace；　and　whose　face　is　sad　and　stern

beneath　the　gleaming　of　his　helm？



Said　the　dark…haired　damsel：　　〃O　King！　　O　Gift…giver　and　assurer　of

joy！　this　tall　one　is　he　who　was　once　oppressed　by　eld；　and　who　hath

come　hither　to　thee　from　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　according　to　the　custom

of　the　land。〃



Said　the　King：　　〃Tall　man；　it　is　well　that　thou　art　come。　　Now　are

thy　days　changed　and　thou　yet　alive。　　For　thee　battle　is　ended；　and

therewith　the　reward　of　battle；　which　the　warrior　remembereth　not

amidst　the　hard　hand…play：　　peace　hath　begun；　and　thou　needest　not　be

careful　for　the　endurance　thereof：　　for　in　this　land　no　man　hath　a

lack　which　he　may　not　satisfy　without　taking　aught　from　any　other。　　I

deem　not　that　thine　heart　may　conceive　a　desire　which　I　shall　not

fulfil　for　thee；　or　crave　a　gift　which　I　shall　not　give　thee。〃



Then　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　for　joy；　and　turned　his　head　this　way　and

that；　so　that　he　might　the　better　take　to　him　the　smiles　of　all　those

that　stood　around。



Then　the　King　said　to　Hallblithe：　　〃Thou　also　art　welcome；　I　know

thee　who　thou　art：　　meseemeth　great　joy　awaiteth　thee；　and　I　will

fulfil　thy　desire　to　the　uttermost。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃O　great　King　of　a　happy　land；　I　ask　of　thee　nought

save　that　which　none　shall　withhold　from　me　uncursed。〃



〃I　will　give　it　to　thee；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　thou　shalt　bless　me。

But　what　is　it　which　thou　wouldst？　　What　more　canst　thou　have　than

the　Gifts　of　th