the story of the glittering plain-第19章

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

clear　rattling　stream　that　ran　northward；　at　whiles　were　clumps　of

tall　trees；　oak　for　the　most　part；　and　at　whiles　thickets　of　thorn

and　eglantine　and　other　such　trees：　　so　that　they　could　rest　well

shaded　when　they　would。



They　passed　by　no　house　of　men；　nor　came　to　any　such　in　the　even；　but

lay　down　to　sleep　in　a　thicket　of　thorn　and　eglantine；　and　rested

well；　and　on　the　morrow　they　rose　up　betimes　and　went　on　their　ways。



This　second　day　as　they　went；　the　hill…sides　on　either　hand　grew

lower；　till　at　last　they　died　out　into　a　wide　plain；　beyond　which　in

the　southern　offing　the　mountains　rose　huge　and　bare。　　This　plain

also　was　grassy　and　beset　with　trees　and　thickets　here　and　there。

Hereon　they　saw　wild　deer　enough；　as　hart　and　buck；　and　roebuck　and

swine：　　withal　a　lion　came　out　of　a　brake　hard　by　them　as　they　went；

and　stood　gazing　on　them；　so　that　Hallblithe　looked　to　his　weapons；

and　the　Sea…eagle　took　up　a　big　stone　to　fight　with；　being

weaponless；　but　the　damsel　laughed；　and　tripped　on　her　way　lightly

with　girt…up　gown；　and　the　beast　gave　no　more　heed　to　them。



Easy　and　smooth　was　their　way　over　this　pleasant　wilderness；　and

clear　to　see；　though　but　little　used；　and　before　nightfall；　after

they　had　gone　a　long　way；　they　came　to　a　house。　　It　was　not　large　nor

high；　but　was　built　very　strongly　and　fairly　of　good　ashlar：　　its

door　was　shut；　and　on　the　jamb　thereof　hung　a　slug…horn。　　The　damsel；

who　seemed　to　know　what　to　do；　set　her　mouth　to　the　horn；　and　blew　a

blast；　and　in　a　little　while　the　door　was　opened；　and　a　big　man　clad

in　red　scarlet　stood　therein：　　he　had　no　weapons；　but　was　somewhat

surly　of　aspect：　　he　spake　not；　but　stood　abiding　the　word：　　so　the

damsel　took　it　up　and　said：　　〃Art　thou　not　the　Warden　of　the

Uttermost　House？〃



He　said：　　〃I　am。〃



Said　the　damsel：　　〃May　we　guest　here　to…night？〃



He　said：　　〃The　house　lieth　open　to　you　with　all　that　it　hath　of

victual　and　plenishing：　　take　what　ye　will；　and　use　what　ye　will。〃



They　thanked　him；　but　he　heeded　not　their　thanks；　and　withdrew　him

from　them。　　So　they　entered　and　found　the　table　laid　in　a　fair　hall

of　stone　carven　and　painted　very　goodly；　so　they　ate　and　drank

therein；　and　Hallblithe　was　of　good　heart；　and　the　Sea…eagle　and　his

mate　were　merry；　though　they　looked　softly　and　shyly　on　Hallblithe

because　of　the　sundering　anigh；　and　they　saw　no　man　in　the　house　save

the　man　in　scarlet；　who　went　and　came　about　his　business；　paying　no

heed　to　them。　　So　when　the　night　was　deep　they　lay　down　in　the　shut…

bed　off　the　hall；　and　slept；　and　the　hours　were　tidingless　to　them

until　they　woke　in　the　morning。



On　the　morrow　they　arose　and　broke　their　fast；　and　thereafter　the

damsel　spake　to　the　man　in　scarlet　and　said：　　〃May　we　fill　our

wallets　with　victual　for　the　way？〃



Said　the　Warden：　　〃There　lieth　the　meat。〃



So　they　filled　their　wallets；　while　the　man　looked　on；　and　they　came

to　the　door　when　they　were　ready；　and　he　unlocked　it　to　them；　saying

no　word。　　But　when　they　turned　their　faces　towards　the　mountains　he

spake　at　last；　and　stayed　them　at　the　first　step。　　Quoth　he：

〃Whither　away？　　Ye　take　the　wrong　road！〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Nay；　for　we　go　toward　the　mountains　and　the　edge

of　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



〃Ye　shall　do　ill　to　go　thither；〃　said　the　Warden；　〃and　I　bid　you

forbear。〃



〃O　Warden　of　the　Uttermost　House；　wherefore　should　we　forbear？〃　said

the　Sea…eagle。



Said　the　scarlet　man：　　〃Because　my　charge　is　to　further　those　who

would　go　inward　to　the　King；　and　to　stay　those　who　would　go　outward

from　the　King。〃



〃How　then　if　we　go　outward　despite　thy　bidding？〃　said　the　Sea…eagle；

〃wilt　thou　then　hinder　us　perforce？〃



〃How　may　I；〃　said　the　man；　〃since　thy　fellow　hath　weapons？〃



〃Go　we　forth；　then；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。



〃Yea；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃we　will　go　forth。　　And　know；　O　Warden；　that

this　weaponed　man　only　is　of　mind　to　fare　over　the　edge　of　the

Glittering　Plain；　but　we　twain　shall　come　back　hither　again；　and　fare

inwards。〃



Said　the　Warden：　　〃Nought　is　it　to　me　what　ye　will　do　when　you　are

past　this　house。　　Nor　shall　any　man　who　goeth　out　of　this　garth

toward　the　mountains　ever　come　back　inwards　save　he　cometh　in　the

company　of　new…corners　to　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



〃Who　shall　hinder　him？〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。



〃The　KING；〃　said　the　Warden。



Then　there　was　silence　awhile；　and　the　man　said：



〃Now　do　as　ye　will。〃　　And　therewith　he　turned　back　into　the　house　and

shut　the　door。



But　the　Sea…eagle　and　the　damsel　stood　gazing　on　one　another；　and　at

Hallblithe；　and　the　damsel　was　downcast　and　pale；　but　the　Sea…eagle

cried　out：



〃Forward　now；　O　Hallblithe；　since　thou　willest　it；　and　we　will　go

with　thee　and　share　whatever　may　befall　thee；　yea；　right　up　to　the

very　edge　of　the　Glittering　Plain。　　And　thou；　O　beloved；　why　dost

thou　delay？　　Why　dost　thou　stand　as　if　thy　fair　feet　were　grown　to

the　grass？〃



But　the　damsel　gave　a　lamentable　cry；　and　cast　herself　down　on　the

ground；　and　knelt　before　the　Sea…eagle；　and　took　him　by　the　knees；

and　said　betwixt　sobbing　and　weeping：　　〃O　my　lord　and　love；　I　pray

thee　to　forbear；　and　the　Spearman；　our　friend；　shall　pardon　us。　　For

if　thou　goest；　I　shall　never　see　thee　more；　since　my　heart　will　not

serve　me　to　go　with　thee。　　O　forbear！　　I　pray　thee！〃



And　she　grovelled　on　the　earth　before　him；　and　the　Sea…eagle　waxed

red；　and　would　have　spoken　but　Hallblithe　cut　his　speech　across；　and

said　〃Friends；　be　at　peace！　　For　this　is　the　minute　that　sunders　us。

Get　ye　back　at　once　to　the　heart　of　the　Glittering　Plain；　and　live

there　and　be　happy；　and　take　my　blessing　and　thanks　for　the　love　and

help　that　ye　have　given　me。　　For　your　going　forward　with　me　should

destroy　you　and　profit　me　nothing。　　It　would　be　but　as　the　host

bringing　his　guests　one　field　beyond　his　garth；　when　their　goal　is

the　ends　of　the　earth；　and　if　there　were　a　lion　in　the　path；　why

should　he　perish　for　courtesy's　sake？〃



Therewith　he　stooped　down　to　the　damsel；　and　lifted　her　up　and　kissed

her　face；　and　he　cast　his　arms　about　the　Sea…eagle　and　said　to　him：

〃Farewell；　shipmate！〃



Then　the　damsel　gave　him　the　wallet　of　victual；　and　bade　him

farewell；　weeping　sorely；　and　he　looked　kindly　on　them　for　a　moment

of　time；　and　then　turned　away　from　them　and　fared　on　toward　the

mountains；　striding　with　great　strides；　holding　his　head　aloft。　　But

they　looked　no　more　on　him；　having　no　will　to　eke　their　sorrow；　but

went　their　ways　back　again　without　delay。







CHAPTER　XVII：　　HALLBLITHE　AMONGST　THE　MOUNTAINS







So　strode　on　Hallblithe；　but　when　he　had　gone　but　a　little　way　his

head　turned；　and　the　earth　and　heavens　wavered　before　him；　so　that　he

must　needs　sit　down　on　a　stone　by　the　wayside；　wondering　what　ailed

him。　　Then　he　looked　up　at　the　mountains；　which　now　seemed　quite　near

to　him　at　the　plain's　ending；　and　his　weakness　increased　on　him；　and

lo！　as　he　looked；　it　was　to　him　as　if　the　crags　rose　up　in　the　sky　to

meet　him　and　overhang　him；　and　as　if　the　earth　heaved　up　beneath　him；

and　therewith　he　fell　aback　and　lost　all　sense；　so　that　he　knew　not

what　was　become　of　the　earth　and　the　heavens　and　the　passing　of　the

minutes　of　his　life。



When　he　came　to　himself　he　knew　not　whether　he　had　lain　so　a　great

while　or　a　little；　he　felt　feeble；　and　for　a　while　he　lay　scarce

moving；　and　beholding　nought；　not　even　the　sky　above　him。　　Presently

he　turned　about　and　saw　hard　stone　on　either　side；　so　he　rose　wearily

and　stood　upon　his　feet；　and　knew　that　he　was　faint　with　hunger　and

thirst。　　Then　he　looked　around　him；　and　saw　that　he　was　in　a　narrow

valley　or　cleft　of　the　mountains　amidst　wan　rocks；　bare　and

waterless；　where　grew　no　blade　of　green；　but　he　could　see　no　further

than　the　sides　of　that　cleft；　and　he　longed　to　be　out　of　it　that　he

mi