the story of the glittering plain-第2章

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were　sore　afraid；　yet　more　for　defilement　at　their　hands　than　for

death；　for　they　were　evil…looking　men　exceeding　foul　of　favour。　　Then

said　one　of　them：　　'Which　of　all　you　maidens　is　the　Hostage　of　the

House　of　the　Rose？'



〃Then　all　we　kept　silence；　for　we　would　not　betray　her。　　But　the　evil

man　spake　again：　　'Choose　ye　then　whether　we　shall　take　one；　or　all

of　you　across　the　waters　in　our　black　ship。'　　Yet　still　we　others

spake　not；　till　arose　thy　beloved；　O　Hallblithe；　and　said：



〃'Let　it　be　one　then；　and　not　all；　for　I　am　the　Hostage。'



〃'How　shalt　thou　make　us　sure　thereof？'　said　the　evil　carle。



〃She　looked　on　him　proudly　and　said：　　'Because　I　say　it。'



〃'Wilt　thou　swear　it？'　said　he。



〃'Yea；'　said　she；　'I　swear　it　by　the　token　of　the　House　wherein　I

shall　wed；　by　the　wings　of　the　Fowl　that　seeketh　the　Field　of

Slaying。'



〃'It　is　enough；'　said　the　man；　'come　thou　with　us。　　And　ye　maidens

sit　ye　there；　and　move　not　till　we　have　made　way　on　our　ship；　unless

ye　would　feel　the　point　of　the　arrow。　　For　ye　are　within　bowshot　of

the　ship；　and　we　have　shot　weapons　aboard。'



〃So　the　Hostage　departed　with　them；　and　she　unweeping；　but　we　wept

sorely。　　And　we　saw　the　small　boat　come　up　to　the　side　of　the　round…

ship；　and　the　Hostage　going　over　the　gunwale　along　with　those　evil

men；　and　we　heard　the　hale　and　how　of　the　mariners　as　they　drew　up

the　anchor　and　sheeted　home；　and　then　the　sweeps　came　out　and　the

ship　began　to　move　over　the　sea。　　And　one　of　those　evil…minded　men

bent　his　bow　and　shot　a　shaft　at　us；　but　it　fell　far　short　of　where

we　sat；　and　the　laugh　of　those　runagates　came　over　the　sands　to　us。

So　we　crept　up　the　beach　trembling；　and　then　rose　to　our　feet　and　got

to　our　horses；　and　rode　hither　speedily；　and　our　hearts　are　broken

for　thy　sorrow。〃



At　that　word　came　Hallblithe's　own　sister　out　from　the　hall；　and　she

bore　weapons　with　her；　to　wit　Hallblithe's　sword　and　shield　and　helm

and　hauberk。　　As　for　him　he　turned　back　silently　to　his　work；　and　set

the　steel　of　the　spear　on　the　new　ashen　shaft；　and　took　the　hammer

and　smote　the　nail　in；　and　laid　the　weapon　on　a　round　pebble　that　was

thereby；　and　clenched　the　nail　on　the　other　side。　　Then　he　looked

about；　and　saw　that　the　other　damsel　had　brought　him　his　coal…black

war…horse　ready　saddled　and　bridled；　then　he　did　on　his　armour；　and

girt　his　sword　to　his　side　and　leapt　into　the　saddle；　and　took　his

new…shafted　spear　in　hand　and　shook　the　rein。　　But　none　of　all　those

damsels　durst　say　a　word　to　him　or　ask　him　whither　he　went；　for　they

feared　his　face；　and　the　sorrow　of　his　heart。　　So　he　got　him　out　of

the　garth　and　turned　toward　the　sea…shore；　and　they　saw　the　glitter

of　his　spear…point　a　minute　over　the　turf…wall；　and　heard　the　clatter

of　his　horse…hoofs　as　he　galloped　over　the　hard　way；　and　thus　he

departed。







CHAPTER　III：　　THE　WARRIORS　OF　THE　RAVEN　SEARCH　THE　SEAS







Then　the　women　bethought　them；　and　they　spake　a　word　or　two　together；

and　then　they　sundered　and　went　one　this　way　and　one　that；　to　gather

together　the　warriors　of　the　Raven　who　were　a…field；　or　on　the　way；

nigh　unto　the　house；　that　they　might　follow　Hallblithe　down　to　the

sea…shore　and　help　him；　after　a　while　they　came　back　again　by　one　and

two　and　three；　bringing　with　them　the　wrathful　young　men；　and　when

there　was　upward　of　a　score　gathered　in　the　garth　armed　and　horsed；

they　rode　their　ways　to　the　sea；　being　minded　to　thrust　a　long…ship

of　the　Ravens　out　over　the　Rollers　into　the　sea；　and　follow　the

strong…thieves　of　the　waters　and　bring　a…back　the　Hostage；　so　that

they　might　end　the　sorrow　at　once；　and　establish　joy　once　more　in　the

House　of　the　Raven　and　the　House　of　the　Rose。　　But　they　had　with　them

three　lads　of　fifteen　winters　or　thereabouts　to　lead　their　horses

back　home　again；　when　they　should　have　gone　up　on　to　the　Horse　of　the

Brine。



Thus　then　they　departed；　and　the　maidens　stood　in　the　garth…gate　till

they　lost　sight　of　them　behind　the　sandhills；　and　then　turned　back

sorrowfully　into　the　house；　and　sat　there　talking　low　of　their

sorrow。　　And　many　a　time　they　had　to　tell　their　tale　anew；　as　folk

came　into　the　hall　one　after　another　from　field　and　fell。　　But　the

young　men　came　down　to　the　sea；　and　found　Hallblithe's　black　horse

straying　about　amongst　the　tamarisk…bushes　above　the　beach；　and　they

looked　thence　over　the　sand；　and　saw　neither　Hallblithe　nor　any　man：

and　they　gazed　out　seaward；　and　saw　neither　ship　nor　sail　on　the

barren　brine。　　Then　they　went　down　on　to　the　sand；　and　sundered　their

fellowship；　and　went　half　one　way；　half　the　other；　betwixt　the

sandhills　and　the　surf；　where　now　the　tide　was　flowing；　till　the

nesses　of　the　east　and　the　west；　the　horns　of　the　bay；　stayed　them。

Then　they　met　together　again　by　the　Rollers；　when　the　sun　was　within

an　hour　of　setting。　　There　and　then　they　laid　hand　to　that　ship　which

is　called　the　Seamew；　and　they　ran　her　down　over　the　Rollers　into　the

waves；　and　leapt　aboard　and　hoisted　sail；　and　ran　out　the　oars　and

put　to　sea；　and　a　little　wind　was　blowing　seaward　from　the　gates　of

the　mountains　behind　them。



So　they　quartered　the　sea…plain；　as　the　kestrel　doth　the　water…

meadows；　till　the　night　fell　on　them；　and　was　cloudy；　though　whiles

the　wading　moon　shone　out；　and　they　had　seen　nothing；　neither　sail

nor　ship；　nor　aught　else　on　the　barren　brine；　save　the　washing　of

waves　and　the　hovering　of　sea…fowl。　　So　they　lay…to　outside　the　horns

of　the　bay　and　awaited　the　dawning。　　And　when　morning　was　come　they

made　way　again；　and　searched　the　sea；　and　sailed　to　the　out…skerries；

and　searched　them　with　care；　then　they　sailed　into　the　main　and　fared

hither　and　thither　and　up　and　down：　　and　this　they　did　for　eight

days；　and　in　all　that　time　they　saw　no　ship　nor　sail；　save　three

barks　of　the　Fish…biters　nigh　to　the　Skerry　which　is　called　Mew…

stone。



So　they　fared　home　to　the　Raven　Bay；　and　laid　their　keel　on　the

Rollers；　and　so　went　their　ways　sadly；　home　to　the　House　of　the

Raven：　　and　they　deemed　that　for　this　time　they　could　do　no　more　in

seeking　their　valiant　kinsman　and　his　fair　damsel。　　And　they　were

very　sorry；　for　these　two　were　well…beloved　of　all　men。　　But　since

they　might　not　amend　it；　they　abode　in　peace；　awaiting　what　the

change　of　days　might　bring　them。







CHAPTER　IV：　　NOW　HALLBLITHE　TAKETH　THE　SEA







Now　must　it　be　told　of　Hallblithe　that　he　rode　fiercely　down　to　the

sea…shore；　and　from　the　top　of　the　beach　he　gazed　about　him；　and

there　below　him　was　the　Ship…stead　and　Rollers　of　his　kindred；

whereon　lay　the　three　long…ships；　the　Seamew；　and　the　Osprey　and　the

Erne。　　Heavy　and　huge　they　seemed　to　him　as　they　lay　there；　black…

sided；　icy…cold　with　the　washing　of　the　March　waves；　their　golden

dragon…heads　looking　seaward　wistfully。　　But　first　had　he　looked　out

into　the　offing；　and　it　was　only　when　he　had　let　his　eyes　come　back

from　where　the　sea　and　sky　met；　and　they　had　beheld　nothing　but　the

waste　of　waters；　that　he　beheld　the　Ship…stead　closely；　and　therewith

he　saw　where　a　little　to　the　west　of　it　lay　a　skiff；　which　the　low

wave　of　the　tide　lifted　and　let　fall　from　time　to　time。　　It　had　a

mast；　and　a　black　sail　hoisted　thereon　and　flapping　with　slackened

sheet。　　A　man　sat　in　the　boat　clad　in　black　raiment；　and　the　sun

smote　a　gleam　from　the　helm　on　his　head。　　Then　Hallblithe　leapt　off

his　horse；　and　strode　down　the　sands　shouldering　his　spear；　and　when

he　came　near　to　the　man　in　the　boat　he　poised　his　spear　and　shook　it

and　cried　out：　　〃Man；　art　thou　friend　or　foe？〃



Said　the　man：　　〃Thou　art　a　fair　young　man：　　but　there　is　grief　in　thy

voice　along　with　wrath。　　Cast　not　till　thou　hast　heard　me；　and　mayst

deem　whether　I　may　do　aught　to　heal　thy　grief。〃



〃What　mayst　thou　do？〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃art　thou　not　a　robber　of　the

sea；　a　harrier　of　the　folks　that　dwell　in　peace？〃



The　man　laughed：　　〃Yea；〃　said　he；