the story of the glittering plain-第16章

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

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

and　hid　myself　in　the　bay…tree　thicket；　and　there　came　maidens　into

the　blossoming　orchard　and　made　a　resting…place　with　silken　cushions

close　to　where　I　was　lurking；　and　stood　about　as　though　they　were

looking　for　some　one　to　come。　　In　a　little　time　came　two　more

maidens；　and　betwixt　them　one　so　much　fairer　than　any　there；　that　my

heart　sank　within　me：　　whereas　I　deemed　because　of　her　fairness　that

this　would　be　the　fore…doomed　love　whereof　ye　spake；　and　lo；　she　was

in　nought　like　to　my　troth…plight　maiden；　save　that　she　was　exceeding

beauteous：　　nevertheless；　heart…sick　as　I　was；　I　determined　to　abide

the　token　that　ye　told　me　of。　　So　she　lay　down　amidst　those　cushions；

and　I　beheld　her　that　she　was　sad　of　countenance；　and　she　was　so　near

to　me　that　I　could　see　the　tears　welling　into　her　eyes；　and　running

down　her　cheeks；　so　that　I　should　have　grieved　sorely　for　her　had　I

not　been　grieving　so　sorely　for　myself。　　For　presently　she　sat　up　and

said　'O　maiden；　bring　me　hither　the　book　wherein　is　the　image　of　my

beloved；　that　I　may　behold　it　in　this　season　of　sunset　wherein　I

first　beheld　it；　that　I　may　fill　my　heart　with　the　sight　thereof

before　the　sun　is　gone　and　the　dark　night　come。'



〃Then　indeed　my　heart　died　within　me　when　I　wotted　that　this　was　the

love　whereof　the　King　spake；　that　he　would　give　to　me；　and　she　not

mine　own　beloved；　yet　I　could　not　choose　but　abide　and　look　on　a

while；　and　she　being　one　that　any　man　might　love　beyond　measure。　　Now

a　maiden　went　away　into　the　house　and　came　back　again　with　a　book

covered　with　gold　set　with　gems；　and　the　fair　woman　took　it　and

opened　it；　and　I　was　so　near　to　her　that　I　saw　every　leaf　clearly　as

she　turned　the　leaves。　　And　in　that　book　were　pictures　of　many

things；　as　flaming　mountains；　and　castles　of　war；　and　ships　upon　the

sea；　but　chiefly　of　fair　women；　and　queens；　and　warriors　and　kings；

and　it　was　done　in　gold　and　azure　and　cinnabar　and　minium。　　So　she

turned　the　leaves；　till　she　came　to　one　whereon　was　pictured　none

other　than　myself；　and　over　against　me　was　the　image　of　mine　own

beloved；　the　Hostage　of　the　Rose；　as　if　she　were　alive；　so　that　the

heart　within　me　swelled　with　the　sobbing　which　I　must　needs　refrain；

which　grieved　me　like　a　sword…stroke。　　Shame　also　took　hold　of　me　as

the　fair　woman　spoke　to　my　painted　image；　and　I　lying　well…nigh

within　touch　of　her　hand；　but　she　said：　　'O　my　beloved；　why　dost　thou

delay　to　come　to　me？　　For　I　deemed　that　this　eve　at　least　thou

wouldst　come；　so　many　and　strong　as　are　the　meshes　of　love　which　we

have　cast　about　thy　feet。　　Oh　come　to…morrow　at　the　least　and　latest；

or　what　shall　I　do；　and　wherewith　shall　I　quench　the　grief　of　my

heart？　　Or　else　why　am　I　the　daughter　of　the　Undying　King；　the　Lord

of　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea？　　Why　have　they　wrought　new　marvels　for

me；　and　compelled　the　Ravagers　of　the　Coasts　to　serve　me；　and　sent

false　dreams　flitting　on　the　wings　of　the　night？　　Yea；　why　is　the

earth　fair　and　fruitful；　and　the　heavens　kind　above　it；　if　thou

comest　not　to…night；　nor　to…morrow；　nor　the　day　after？　　And　I　the

daughter　of　the　Undying；　on　whom　the　days　shall　grow　and　grow　as　the

grains　of　sand　which　the　wind　heaps　up　above　the　sea…beach。　　And　life

shall　grow　huger　and　more　hideous　round　about　the　lonely　one；　like

the　ling…worm　laid　upon　the　gold；　that　waxeth　thereby；　till　it　lies

all　around　about　the　house　of　the　queen　entrapped；　the　moveless

unending　ring　of　the　years　that　change　not。'



〃So　she　spake　till　the　weeping　ended　her　words；　and　I　was　all　abashed

with　shame　and　pale　with　anguish。　　I　stole　quietly　from　my　lair

unheeded　of　any；　save　that　one　damsel　said　that　a　rabbit　ran　in　the

hedge；　and　another　that　a　blackbird　stirred　in　the　thicket。　　Behold

me；　then；　that　my　quest　beginneth　again　amidst　the　tangle　of　lies

whereinto　I　have　been　entrapped。〃







CHAPTER　XIV：　　HALLBLITHE　HAS　SPEECH　WITH　THE　KING　AGAIN







He　stood　up　when　he　had　made　an　end；　as　a　man　ready　for　the　road；　but

they　lay　there　downcast　and　abashed；　and　had　no　words　to　answer　him。

For　the　Sea…eagle　was　sorry　that　his　faring…fellow　was　hapless；　and

was　sorry　that　he　was　sorry；　and　as　for　the　damsel；　she　had　not　known

but　that　she　was　leading　the　goodly　Spearman　to　the　fulfilment　of　his

heart's　desire。　　Albeit　after　a　while　she　spake　again　and　said：



〃Dear　friends；　day　is　gone　and　night　is　at　hand；　now　to…night　it　were

ill　lodging　at　yonder　house；　and　the　next　house　on　our　backward　road

is　over　far　for　wayworn　folk。　　But　hard　by　through　the　thicket　is　a

fair　little　wood…lawn；　by　the　lip　of　a　pool　in　the　stream　wherein　we

may　bathe　us　to…morrow　morning；　and　it　is　grassy　and　flowery　and

sheltered　from　all　winds　that　blow；　and　I　have　victual　enough　in　my

wallet。　　Let　us　sup　and　rest　there　under　the　bare　heaven；　as　oft　is

the　wont　of　us　in　this　land；　and　on　the　morrow　early　we　will　arise

and　get　us　back　again　to　Wood…end；　where　yet　the　King　abideth；　and

there　shalt　thou　talk　to　him　again；　O　Spearman。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Take　me　whither　ye　will；　but　now　nought　availeth。

I　am　a　captive　in　a　land　of　lies；　and　here　most　like　shall　I　live

betrayed　and　die　hapless。〃



〃Hold　thy　peace；　dear　friend；　of　such　words　as　those　last；〃　said　she；

〃or　I　must　needs　flee　from　thee；　for　they　hurt　me　sorely。　　Come　now

to　this　pleasant　place。〃



She　took　him　by　the　hand　and　looked　kindly　on　him；　and　the　Sea…eagle

followed　him；　murmuring　an　old　song　of　the　harvest…field；　and　they

went　together　by　a　path　through　a　thicket　of　white…thorn　till　they

came　unto　a　grassy　place。　　There　then　they　sat　them　down；　and　ate　and

drank　what　they　would；　sitting　by　the　lip　of　the　pool　till　a　waning

moon　was　bright　over　their　heads。　　And　Hallblithe　made　no　semblance

of　content；　but　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　damsel　were　grown　merry　again；

and　talked　and　sang　together　like　autumn　stares；　with　the　kissing　and

caressing　of　lovers。



So　at　last　those　twain　lay　down　amongst　the　flowers；　and　slept　in

each　other's　arms；　but　Hallblithe　betook　him　to　the　brake　a　little

aloof；　and　lay　down；　but　slept　not　till　morning　was　at　hand；　when

slumber　and　confused　dreams　overtook　him。



He　was　awaked　from　his　sleep　by　the　damsel；　who　came　pushing　through

the　thicket　all　fresh　and　rosy　from　the　river；　and　roused　him；　and

said：



〃Awake　now；　Spearman；　that　we　may　take　our　pleasure　in　the　sun；　for

he　is　high　in　the　heavens　now；　and　all　the　land　laughs　beneath　him。〃



Her　eyes　glittered　as　she　spoke；　and　her　limbs　moved　under　her

raiment　as　though　she　would　presently　fall　to　dancing　for　very　joy。

But　Hallblithe　arose　wearily；　and　gave　her　back　no　smile　in　answer；

but　thrust　through　the　thicket　to　the　water；　and　washed　the　night

from　off　him；　and　so　came　back　to　the　twain　as　they　sat　dallying

together　over　their　breakfast。　　He　would　not　sit　down　by　them；　but

ate　a　morsel　of　bread　as　he　stood；　and　said：　　〃Tell　me　how　I　can

soonest　find　the　King：　　I　bid　you　not　lead　me　thither；　but　let　me　go

my　ways　alone。　　For　with　me　time　presses；　and　with　you　meseemeth　time

is　nought。　　Neither　am　I　a　meet　fellow　for　the　happy。〃



But　the　Sea…eagle　sprang　up；　and　swore　with　a　great　oath　that　he

would　nowise　leave　his　shipmate　in　the　lurch。　　And　the　damsel　said：

〃Fair　man；　I　had　best　go　with　thee；　I　shall　not　hinder　thee；　but

further　thee　rather；　so　that　thou　shalt　make　one　day's　journey　of

two。〃



And　she　put　forth　her　hand　to　him；　and　caressed　him　smiling；　and

fawned　upon　him；　and　he　heeded　it　little；　but　hung　not　aback　from

them　since　they　were　ready　for　the　road：　　so　they　set　forth　all　three

together。



They　made　such　diligence　on　the　backward　road　that　the　sun　was　not

set　by　then　they　came　to　Wood…end；　and　there　was　the　King　sitting　in

the　door　of　his　pavilion。　　Thither　went　Hallblithe　straight；　a