the story of the glittering plain-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

the　Gifts　of　the　land？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　came　hither　seeking　no　gifts；　but　to　have　mine

own　again；　and　that　is　the　bodily　love　of　my　troth…plight　maiden。

They　stole　her　from　me；　and　me　from　her；　for　she　loved　me。　　I　went

down　to　the　sea…side　and　found　her　not；　nor　the　ship　which　had　borne

her　away。　　I　sailed　from　thence　to　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　for　they　told

me　that　there　I　should　buy　her　for　a　price；　neither　was　her　body

there。　　But　her　image　came　to　me　in　a　dream　of　the　night；　and　bade　me

seek　to　her　hither。　　Therefore；　O　King；　if　she　be　here　in　the　land；

show　me　how　I　shall　find　her；　and　if　she　be　not　here；　show　me　how　I

may　depart　to　seek　her　otherwhere。　　This　is　all　my　asking。〃



Said　the　King：　　〃Thy　desire　shall　be　satisfied；　thou　shalt　have　the

woman　who　would　have　thee；　and　whom　thou　shouldst　have。〃



Hallblithe　was　gladdened　beyond　measure　by　that　word；　and　now　did　the

King　seem　to　him　a　comfort　and　a　solace　to　every　heart；　even　as　he

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

thanked　him；　and　blessed　him。



But　the　King　bade　him　abide　by　him　that　night；　and　feast　with　him。

〃And　on　the　morrow；〃　said　he；　〃thou　shalt　go　thy　ways　to　look　on　her

whom　thou　oughtest　to　love。〃



Therewith　was　come　the　eventide　and　beginning　of　night；　warm　and

fragrant　and　bright　with　the　twinkling　of　stars；　and　they　went　into

the　King's　pavilion；　and　there　was　the　feast　as　fair　and　dainty　as

might　be；　and　Hallblithe　had　meat　from　the　King's　own　dish；　and　drink

from　his　cup；　but　the　meat　had　no　savour　to　him　and　the　drink　no

delight；　because　of　the　longing　that　possessed　him。



And　when　the　feast　was　done；　the　damsels　led　Hallblithe　to　his　bed　in

a　fair　tent　strewn　with　gold　about　his　head　like　the　starry　night；

and　he　lay　down　and　slept　for　sheer　weariness　of　body。







CHAPTER　XIII：　　HALLBLITHE　BEHOLDETH　THE　WOMAN　WHO　LOVETH　HIM







But　on　the　morrow　the　men　arose；　and　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　damsel

came　to　Hallblithe；　for　the　other　two　damsels　were　departed；　and　the

Sea…eagle　said　to　him：



〃Here　am　I　well　honoured　and　measurelessly　happy；　and　I　have　a

message　for　thee　from　the　King。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　said　Hallblithe；　but　he　deemed　that　he　knew　what　it

would　be；　and　he　reddened　for　the　joy　of　his　assured　hope。



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Joy　to　thee；　O　shipmate！　　I　am　to　take　thee　to

the　place　where　thy　beloved　abideth；　and　there　shalt　thou　see　her；

but　not　so　as　she　can　see　thee；　and　thereafter　shalt　thou　go　to　the

King；　that　thou　mayst　tell　him　if　she　shall　accomplish　thy　desire。〃



Then　was　Hallblithe　glad　beyond　measure；　and　his　heart　danced　within

him；　and　he　deemed　it　but　meet　that　the　others　should　be　so　joyous

and　blithe　with　him；　for　they　led　him　along　without　any　delay；　and

were　glad　at　his　rejoicing；　and　words　failed　him　to　tell　of　his

gladness。



But　as　he　went；　the　thoughts　of　his　coming　converse　with　his　beloved

curled　sweetly　round　his　heart；　so　that　scarce　anything　had　seemed　so

sweet　to　him　before；　and　he　fell　a…pondering　what　they　twain；　he　and

the　Hostage；　should　do　when　they　came　together　again；　whether　they

should　abide　on　the　Glittering　Plain；　or　go　back　again　to　Cleveland

by　the　Sea　and　dwell　in　the　House　of　the　Kindred；　and　for　his　part　he

yearned　to　behold　the　roof　of　his　fathers　and　to　tread　the　meadow

which　his　scythe　had　swept；　and　the　acres　where　his　hook　had　smitten

the　wheat。　　But　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　will　wait　till　I　hear　her

desire　hereon。〃



Now　they　went　into　the　wood　at　the　back　of　the　King's　pavilion　and

through　it；　and　so　over　the　hill；　and　beyond　it　came　into　a　land　of

hills　and　dales　exceeding　fair　and　lovely；　and　a　river　wound　about

the　dales；　lapping　in　turn　the　feet　of　one　hill…side　or　the　other；

and　in　each　dale　（for　they　passed　through　two）　was　a　goodly　house　of

men；　and　tillage　about　it；　and　vineyards　and　orchards。　　They　went　all

day　till　the　sun　was　near　setting；　and　were　not　weary；　for　they

turned　into　the　houses　by　the　way　when　they　would；　and　had　good

welcome　and　meat　and　drink　and　what　they　would　of　the　folk　that　dwelt

there。　　Thus　anigh　sunset　they　came　into　a　dale　fairer　than　either　of

the　others；　and　nigh　to　the　end　where　they　had　entered　it　was　an

exceeding　goodly　house。　　Then　said　the　damsel：



〃We　are　nigh…hand　to　our　journey's　end；　let　us　sit　down　on　the　grass

by　this　river…side　whilst　I　tell　thee　the　tale　which　the　King　would

have　thee　know。〃



So　they　sat　down　on　the　grass　beside　the　brimming　river；　scant　two

bowshots　from　that　fair　house；　and　the　damsel　said；　reading　from　a

scroll　which　she　drew　from　her　bosom：



〃O　Spearman；　in　yonder　house　dwelleth　the　woman　foredoomed　to　love

thee：　　if　thou　wouldst　see　her；　go　thitherward；　following　the　path

which　turneth　from　the　river…side　by　yonder　oak…tree；　and　thou　shalt

presently　come　to　a　thicket　of　bay…trees　at　the　edge　of　an　apple…

orchard；　whose　trees　are　blossoming；　abide　thou　hidden　by　the　bay…

leaves；　and　thou　shalt　see　maidens　come　into　the　orchard；　and　at　last

one　fairer　than　all　the　others。　　This　shall　be　thy　love　fore…doomed；

and　none　other；　and　thou　shalt　know　her　by　this　token；　that　when　she

hath　set　her　down　on　the　grass　beside　the　bay…tree；　she　shall　say　to

her　maidens　'Bring　me　now　the　book　wherein　is　the　image　of　my

beloved；　that　I　may　solace　myself　with　beholding　it　before　the　sun

goes　down　and　the　night　cometh。'〃



Now　Hallblithe　was　troubled　when　she　read　out　these　words；　and　he

said：　　〃What　is　this　tale　about　a　book？　　I　know　not　of　any　book　that

lieth　betwixt　me　and　my　beloved。〃



〃O　Spearman；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃I　may　tell　thee　no　more；　because　I

know　no　more。　　But　keep　up　thine　heart！　　For　dost　thou　know　any　more

than　I　do　what　hath　befallen　thy　beloved　since　thou　wert　sundered

from　her？　and　why　should　not　this　matter　of　the　book　be　one　of　the

things　that　hath　befallen　her？　　Go　now　with　joy；　and　come　again

blessing　us。〃



〃Yea；　go；　faring…fellow；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle；　〃and　come　back　joyful；

that　we　may　all　be　merry　together。　　And　we　will　abide　thee　here。〃



Hallblithe　foreboded　evil；　but　he　held　his　peace　and　went　his　ways

down　the　path　by　the　oak…tree；　and　they　abode　there　by　the　water…

side；　and　were　very　merry　talking　of　this　and　that　（but　no　whit　of

Hallblithe）；　and　kissing　and　caressing　each　other；　so　that　it　seemed

but　a　little　while　to　them　ere　they　saw　Hallblithe　coming　back　by　the

oak…tree。　　He　went　slowly；　hanging　his　head　like　a　man　sore…burdened

with　grief：　　thus　he　came　up　to　them；　and　stood　there　above　them　as

they　lay　on　the　fragrant　grass；　and　he　saying　no　word　and　looking　so

sad　and　sorry；　and　withal　so　fell；　that　they　feared　his　grief　and　his

anger；　and　would　fain　have　been　away　from　him；　so　that　they　durst　not

ask　him　a　question　for　a　long　while；　and　the　sun　sank　below　the　hill

while　they　abided　thus。



Then　all　trembling　the　damsel　spake　to　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Speak　to　him；

dear　friend；　else　must　I　flee　away；　for　I　fear　his　silence。〃



Quoth　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Shipmate　and　friend；　what　hath　betided？　　How

art　thou？　　May　we　hearken；　and　mayhappen　amend　it？〃



Then　Hallblithe　cast　himself　adown　on　the　grass　and　said：　　〃I　am

accursed　and　beguiled；　and　I　wander　round　and　round　in　a　tangle　that

I　may　not　escape　from。　　I　am　not　far　from　deeming　that　this　is　a　land

of　dreams　made　for　my　beguiling。　　Or　has　the　earth　become　so　full　of

lies；　that　there　is　no　room　amidst　them　for　a　true　man　to　stand　upon

his　feet　and　go　his　ways？〃



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Thou　shalt　tell　us　of　what　hath　betid；　and　so

ease　the　sorrow　of　thy　soul　if　thou　wilt。　　Or　if　thou　wilt；　thou

shalt　nurse　thy　sorrow　in　thine　heart　and　tell　no　man。　　Do　what　thou

wilt；　am　I　not　become　thy　friend？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　will　tell　you　twain　the　tidings；　and　thereafter

ask　me　no　more　concerning　them。　　Hearken。　　I　went　whereas　ye　bade　me