the story of the glittering plain-第18章

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Without　is　battle　and　famine；　longing　unsatisfied；　and　heart…burning

and　fear；　within　it　is　plenty　and　peace　and　good　will　and　pleasure

without　cease。　　Thy　word　hath　no　meaning　to　me。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Give　me　leave　to　depart；　and　I　will　bless　thee。〃



〃Is　there　nought　else　to　do？〃　said　the　King。



〃Nought　else；〃　said　Hallblithe。



Therewith　he　felt　that　the　King's　face　changed　though　he　still　smiled

on　him；　and　again　he　felt　his　heart　grow　cold　before　the　King。



But　the　King　spake　and　said：　　〃I　hinder　not　thy　departure；　nor　will

any　of　my　folk。　　No　hand　will　be　raised　against　thee；　there　is　no

weapon　in　all　the　land；　save　the　deedless　sword　by　my　side　and　the

weapons　which　thou　bearest。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Dost　thou　not　owe　me　a　joy　in　return　for　my

beguiling？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　the　King；　〃reach　out　thine　hand　to　take　it。〃



〃One　thing　only　may　I　take　of　thee；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃my　troth…

plight　maiden　or　else　the　speeding　of　my　departure。〃



Then　said　the　King；　and　his　voice　was　terrible　though　yet　he　smiled：

〃I　will　not　hinder；　I　will　not　help。　　Depart　in　peace！〃



Then　Hallblithe　turned　away　dizzy　and　half　fainting；　and　strayed　down

the　field；　scarce　knowing　where　he　was；　and　as　he　went　he　felt　his

sleeve　plucked　at；　and　turned　about；　and　lo！　he　was　face　to　face　with

the　Sea…eagle；　no　less　joyous　than　aforetime。　　He　took　Hallblithe　in

his　arms　and　embraced　him　and　kissed　him；　and　said：　　〃Well　met；

faring…fellow！　　Whither　away？〃



〃Away　out　of　this　land　of　lies；〃　said　Hallblithe。



The　Sea…eagle　shook　his　head；　and　quoth　he：　　〃Art　thou　still　seeking

a　dream？　　And　thou　so　fair　that　thou　puttest　all　other　men　to　shame。〃



〃I　seek　no　dream；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　rather　the　end　of　dreams。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle；　〃we　will　not　wrangle　about　it。　　But

hearken。　　Hard　by　in　a　pleasant　nook　of　the　meadows　have　I　set　up　my

tent；　and　although　it　be　not　as　big　as　the　King's　pavilion；　yet　is　it

fair　enough。　　Wilt　thou　not　come　thither　with　me　and　rest　thee　to…

night；　and　to…morrow　we　will　talk　of　this　matter？〃



Now　Hallblithe　was　weary　and　confused；　and　downhearted　beyond　his

wont；　and　the　friendly　words　of　the　Sea…eagle　softened　his　heart；　and

he　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃I　give　thee　thanks；　I　will　come　with

thee：　　thou　art　kind；　and　hast　done　nought　to　me　save　good　from　the

time　when　I　first　saw　thee　lying　in　thy　bed　in　the　Hall　of　the

Ravagers。　　Dost　thou　remember　the　day？〃



The　Sea…eagle　knitted　his　brow　as　one　striving　with　a　troublous

memory；　and　said：　　〃But　dimly；　friend；　as　if　it　had　passed　in　an　ugly

dream：　　meseemeth　my　friendship　with　thee　began　when　I　came　to　thee

from　out　of　the　wood；　and　saw　thee　standing　with　those　three　damsels；

that　I　remember　full　well　ye　were　fair　to　look　on。〃



Hallblithe　wondered　at　his　words；　but　said　no　more　about　it；　and　they

went　together　to　a　flowery　nook　nigh　a　stream　of　clear　water　where

stood　a　silken　tent；　green　like　the　grass　which　it　stood　on；　and

flecked　with　gold　and　goodly　colours。　　Nigh　it　on　the　grass　lay　the

Sea…eagle's　damsel；　ruddy…cheeked　and　sweet…lipped；　as　fair　as

aforetime。　　She　turned　about　when　she　heard　men　coming；　and　when　she

saw　Hallblithe　a　smile　came　into　her　face　like　the　sun　breaking　out

on　a　fair　but　clouded　morning；　and　she　went　up　to　him　and　took　him　by

the　hands　and　kissed　his　cheek；　and　said：　　〃Welcome；　Spearman！

welcome　back！　　We　have　heard　of　thee　in　many　places；　and　have　been

sorry　that　thou　wert　not　glad；　and　now　are　we　fain　of　thy　returning。

Shall　not　sweet　life　begin　for　thee　from　henceforward？〃



Again　was　Hallblithe　moved　by　her　kind　welcome；　but　he　shook　his　head

and　spake：　　〃Thou　art　kind；　sister；　yet　if　thou　wouldst　be　kinder

thou　wilt　show　me　a　way　whereby　I　may　escape　from　this　land。　　For

abiding　here　has　become　irksome　to　me；　and　meseemeth　that　hope　is　yet

alive　without　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



Her　face　fell　as　she　answered：　　〃Yea；　and　fear　also；　and　worse；　if

aught　be　worse。　　But　come；　let　us　eat　and　drink　in　this　fair　place；

and　gather　for　thee　a　little　joyance　before　thou　departest；　if　thou

needs　must　depart。〃



He　smiled　on　her　as　one　not　ill…content；　and　laid　himself　down　on　the

grass；　while　the　twain　busied　themselves；　and　brought　forth　fair

cushions　and　a　gilded　table；　and　laid　dainty　victual　thereon　and　good

wine。



So　they　ate　and　drank　together；　and　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　mate　became

very　joyous　again；　and　Hallblithe　bestirred　himself　not　to　be　a　mar…

feast；　for　he　said　within　himself：　　〃I　am　departing；　and　after　this

time　I　shall　see　them　no　more；　and　they　are　kind　and　blithe　with　me；

and　have　been　aforetime；　I　will　not　make　their　merry　hearts　sore。

For　when　I　am　gone　I　shall　be　remembered　of　them　but　a　little　while。〃







CHAPTER　XVI：　　THOSE　THREE　GO　THEIR　WAYS　TO　THE　EDGE　OF　THE　GLITTERING

PLAIN







So　the　evening　wore　merrily；　and　they　made　Hallblithe　lie　in　an　ingle

of　the　tent　on　a　fair　bed；　and　he　was　weary；　and　slept　thereon　like　a

child。　　But　in　the　morning　early　they　waked　him；　and　while　they　were

breaking　their　fast　they　began　to　speak　to　him　of　his　departure；　and

asked　him　if　he　had　an　inkling　of　the　way　whereby　he　should　get　him

gone；　and　he　said：　　〃If　I　escape　it　must　needs　be　by　way　of　the

mountains　that　wall　the　land　about　till　they　come　down　to　the　sea。

For　on　the　sea　is　no　ship　and　no　haven；　and　well　I　wot　that　no　man　of

the　land　durst　or　can　ferry　me　over　to　the　land　of　my　kindred；　or

otherwhere　without　the　Glittering　Plain。　　Tell　me　therefore　（and　I

ask　no　more　of　you）；　is　there　any　rumour　or　memory　of　a　way　that

cleaveth　yonder　mighty　wall　of　rock　to　other　lands？〃



Said　the　damsel：　　〃There　is　more　than　a　memory　or　a　rumour：　　there　is

a　road　through　the　mountains　known　to　all　men。　　For　at　whiles　the

earthly　pilgrims　come　into　the　Glittering　Plain　thereby；　and　yet　but

seldom；　so　many　are　the　griefs　and　perils　which　beset　the　wayfarers

on　that　road。　　Whereof　thou　hadst　far　better　bethink　thee　in　time；

and　abide　here　and　be　happy　with　us　and　others　who　long　sore　to　make

thee　happy。〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃there　is　nought　to　do　but　tell　me　of　the

way；　and　I　will　depart　at　once；　blessing　you。〃



Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃More　than　that　at　least　will　we　do。　　May　I　lose

the　bliss　whereto　I　have　attained；　if　I　go　not　with　thee　to　the　very

edge　of　the　land　of　the　Glittering　Plain。　　Shall　it　not　be　so；

sweetheart？〃



〃Yea；　at　least　we　may　do　that；〃　said　the　damsel；　and　she　hung　her

head　as　if　she　were　ashamed；　and　said：　　〃And　that　is　all　that　thou

wilt　get　from　us　at　most。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃It　is　enough；　and　I　asked　not　so　much。〃



Then　the　damsel　busied　herself；　and　set　meat　and　drink　in　two

wallets；　and　took　one　herself　and　gave　the　other　to　the　Sea…eagle；

and　said：　　〃We　will　be　thy　porters；　O　Spearman；　and　will　give　thee　a

full　wallet　from　the　last　house　by　the　Desert　of　Dread；　for　when　thou

hast　entered　therein；　thou　mayst　well　find　victual　hard　to　come　by：

and　now　let　us　linger　no　more　since　the　road　is　dear　to　thee。〃



So　they　set　forth　on　foot；　for　in　that　land　men　were　slow　to　feel

weariness；　and　turning　about　the　hill　of　Wood…end；　they　passed　by

some　broken　country；　and　came　at　even　to　a　house　at　the　entrance　of　a

long　valley；　with　high　and　steeply…sloping　sides；　which　seemed；　as　it

were；　to　cleave　the　dale　country　wherein　they　had　fared　aforetime。

At　that　house　they　slept　well…guested　by　its　folk；　and　the　next

morning　took　their　way　down　the　valley；　and　the　folk　of　the　house

stood　at　the　door　to　watch　their　departure；　for　they　had　told　the

wayfarers　that　they　had　fared　but　a　little　way　thitherward　and　knew

of　no　folk　who　had　used　that　road。



So　those　three　fared　down　the　valley　southward　all　day；　ever　mounting

higher　as　they　went。　　The　way　was　pleasant　and　easy；　for　they　went

over　fair；　smooth；　grassy　lawns　betwixt　the　hill…sides；　beside　a

clear　rattling　stream　that