the story of the glittering plain-第22章

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down　the　hillside　he　came　upon　a　place　where　a　spring　came　gushing　up

out　of　the　earth　and　ran　down　toward　the　plain；　and　about　it　was

green　grass　growing　plentifully；　and　a　little　thicket　of　bramble　and

wilding　fruit…trees。　　So　he　drank　of　the　water；　and　plucked　him　a　few

wilding　apples　somewhat　better　than　crabs；　and　then　went　up　the　hill

again　and　fetched　the　seekers　to　that　mountain　hostelry；　and　while

they　drank　of　the　stream　he　plucked　them　apples　and　bramble…berries。

For　indeed　they　were　as　men　out　of　their　wits；　and　were　dazed　by　the

extremity　of　their　jog；　and　as　men　long　shut　up　in　prison；　to　whom

the　world　of　men…folk　hath　become　strange。　　Simple　as　the　victual

was；　they　were　somewhat　strengthened　by　it　and　by　the　plentiful

water；　and　as　night　was　now　upon　them；　it　was　of　no　avail　for　them　to

go　further：　　so　they　slept　beneath　the　boughs　of　the　thorn…bushes。







CHAPTER　XVIII：　　HALLBLITHE　DWELLETH　IN　THE　WOOD　ALONE







But　on　the　morrow　they　arose　betimes；　and　broke　their　fast　on　that

woodland　victual；　and　then　went　speedily　down　the　mountain…side；　and

Hallblithe　saw　by　the　clear　morning　light　that　it　was　indeed　the

Uttermost　House　which　he　had　seen　across　the　green　waste。　　So　he　told

the　seekers；　but　they　were　silent　and　heeded　nought；　because　of　a

fear　that　had　come　upon　them；　lest　they　should　die　before　they　came

into　that　good　land。　　At　the　foot　of　the　mountain　they　came　upon　a

river；　deep　but　not　wide；　with　low　grassy　banks；　and　Hallblithe；　who

was　an　exceeding　strong　swimmer；　helped　the　seekers　over　without　much

ado；　and　there　they　stood　upon　the　grass　of　that　goodly　waste。



Hallblithe　looked　on　them　to　note　if　any　change　should　come　over

them；　and　he　deemed　that　already　they　were　become　stronger　and　of

more　avail。　　But　he　spake　nought　thereof；　and　strode　on　toward　the

Uttermost　House；　even　as　that　other　day　he　had　stridden　away　from　it。



Such　diligence　they　made；　that　it　was　but　little　after　noon　when　they

came　to　the　door　thereof。　　Then　Hallblithe　took　the　horn　and　blew

upon　it；　while　his　fellows　stood　by　murmuring；　〃It　is　the　Land！　　It

is　the　Land！〃



So　came　the　Warden　to　the　door；　clad　in　red　scarlet；　and　the　elder

went　up　to　him　and　said：　　〃Is　this　the　Land？〃



〃What　land？〃　said　the　Warden。



〃Is　it　the　Glittering　Plain？〃　said　the　second　of　the　seekers。



〃Yea；　forsooth；〃　said　the　Warden。　　Said　the　sad　man：　　〃Will　ye　lead

us　to　the　King？



〃Ye　shall　come　to　the　King；〃　said　the　Warden。



〃When；　oh　when？〃　cried　they　out　all　three。



〃The　morrow　of　to…morrow；　maybe；〃　said　the　Warden。



〃Oh！　if　to…morrow　were　but　come！〃　they　cried。



〃It　will　come；〃　said　the　red　man；　〃enter　ye　the　house；　and　eat　and

drink　and　rest　you。〃



So　they　entered；　and　the　Warden　heeded　Hallblithe　nothing。　　They　ate

and　drank　and　then　went　to　their　rest；　and　Hallblithe　lay　in　a　shut…

bed　off　from　the　hall；　but　the　Warden　brought　the　seekers　otherwhere；

so　that　Hallblithe　saw　them　not　after　he　had　gone　to　bed；　but　as　for

him　he　slept　and　forgot　that　aught　was。



In　the　morning　when　he　awoke　he　felt　very　strong　and　well…liking；　and

he　beheld　his　limbs　that　they　were　clear　of　skin　and　sleek　and　fair；

and　he　heard　one　hard　by　in　the　hall　carolling　and　singing　joyously。

So　he　sprang　from　his　bed　with　the　wonder　of　sleep　yet　in　him；　and

drew　the　curtains　of　the　shut…bed　and　looked　forth　into　the　hall；　and

lo　on　the　high…seat　a　man　of　thirty　winters　by　seeming；　tall；　fair　of

fashion；　with　golden　hair　and　eyes　as　grey　as　glass；　proud　and　noble

of　aspect；　and　anigh　him　sat　another　man　of　like　age　to　look　on；　a

man　strong　and　burly；　with　short　curling　brown　hair　and　a　red　beard；

and　ruddy　countenance；　and　the　mien　of　a　warrior。　　Also；　up　and　down

the　hall；　paced　a　man　younger　of　aspect　than　these　two；　tall　and

slender；　black…haired　and　dark…eyed；　amorous　of　countenance；　he　it

was　who　was　singing　a　snatch　of　song　as　he　went　lightly　on　the　hall

pavement：　　a　snatch　like　to　this





Fair　is　the　world；　now　autumn's　wearing；

And　the　sluggard　sun　lies　long　abed；

Sweet　are　the　days；　now　winter's　nearing；

And　all　winds　feign　that　the　wind　is　dead。



Dumb　is　the　hedge　where　the　crabs　hang　yellow；

Bright　as　the　blossoms　of　the　spring；

Dumb　is　the　close　where　the　pears　grow　mellow；

And　none　but　the　dauntless　redbreasts　sing。



Fair　was　the　spring；　but　amidst　his　greening

Grey　were　the　days　of　the　hidden　sun；

Fair　was　the　summer；　but　overweening；

So　soon　his　o'er…sweet　days　were　done。



Come　then；　love；　for　peace　is　upon　us；

Far　off　is　failing；　and　far　is　fear；

Here　where　the　rest　in　the　end　hath　won　us；

In　the　garnering　tide　of　the　happy　year。



Come　from　the　grey　old　house　by　the　water；

Where；　far　from　the　lips　of　the　hungry　sea；

Green　groweth　the　grass　o'er　the　field　of　the　slaughter；

And　all　is　a　tale　for　thee　and　me。





So　Hallblithe　did　on　his　raiment　and　went　into　the　hall；　and　when

those　three　saw　him　they　smiled　upon　him　kindly　and　greeted　him；　and

the　noble　man　at　the　board　said：　　〃Thanks　have　thou；　O　Warrior　of　the

Raven；　for　thy　help　in　our　need：　　thy　reward　from　us　shall　not　be

lacking。〃



Then　the　brown…haired　man　came　up　to　him；　and　clapped　him　on　the　back

and　said　to　him：　　〃Brisk　man　of　the　Raven；　good　is　thy　help　at　need；

even　so　shall　be　mine　to　thee　henceforward。〃



But　the　young　man　stepped　up　to　him　lightly；　and　cast　his　arms　about

him；　and　kissed　him；　and　said：　　〃O　friend　and　fellow；　who　knoweth　but

I　may　one　day　help　thee　as　thou　hast　holpen　me？　though　thou　art　one

who　by　seeming　mayst　well　help　thyself。　　And　now　mayst　thou　be　as

merry　as　I　am　to…day！〃



Then　they　all　three　cried　out　joyously：　　〃It　is　the　Land！　　It　is　the

Land！〃



So　Hallblithe　knew　that　these　men　were　the　two　elders　and　the　sad　man

of　yesterday；　and　that　they　had　renewed　their　youth。



Joyously　now　did　those　men　break　their　fast：　　nor　did　Hallblithe　make

any　grim　countenance；　for　he　thought：　　〃That　which　these　dotards　and

drivellers　have　been　mighty　enough　to　find；　shall　I　not　be　mighty

enough　to　flee　from？〃　　Breakfast　done；　the　seekers　made　little　delay；

so　eager　as　they　were　to　behold　the　King；　and　to　have　handsel　of

their　new　sweet　life。　　So　they　got　them　ready　to　depart；　and　the

once…captain　said：　　〃Art　thou　able　to　lead　us　to　the　King；　O　Raven…

son；　or　must　we　seek　another　man　to　do　so　much　for　us？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　am　able　to　lead　you　so　nigh　unto　Wood…end

（where；　as　I　deem；　the　King　abideth）　that　ye　shall　not　miss　him。〃



Therewith　they　went　to　the　door；　and　the　Warden　unlocked　to　them；　and

spake　no　word　to　them　when　they　departed；　though　they　thanked　him

kindly　for　the　guesting。



When　they　were　without　the　garth；　the　young　man　fell　to　running　about

the　meadow　plucking　great　handfuls　of　the　rich　flowers　that　grew

about；　singing　and　carolling　the　while。　　But　he　who　had　been　king

looked　up　and　down　and　round　about；　and　said　at　last：　　〃Where　be　the

horses　and　the　men？〃



But　his　fellow　with　the　red　beard　said：　　〃Raven…son；　in　this　land

when　they　journey；　what　do　they　as　to　riding　or　going　afoot？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Fair　fellows；　ye　shall　wot　that　in　this　land　folk

go　afoot　for　the　most　part；　both　men　and　women；　whereas　they　weary

but　little；　and　are　in　no　haste。〃



Then　the　once…captain　clapped　the　once…king　on　the　shoulder；　and

said：　　〃Hearken；　lord；　and　delay　no　longer；　but　gird　up　thy　gown；

since　here　is　no　mare's　son　to　help　thee：　　for　fair　is　to…day　that

lies　before　us；　with　many　a　new　fair　day　beyond　it。〃



So　Hallblithe　led　the　way　inward；　thinking　of　many　things；　yet　but

little　of　his　fellows。　　Albeit　they；　and　the　younger　man　especially；

were　of　many　words；　for　this　black…haired　man　had　many　questions　to

ask；　chiefly　concerning　the　women；　what　they　were　like　to　look　on；

and　of　what　mood　they　were。　　Hallblithe　answered　thereto　as　long　as

he　might；　but　at　last　he　laughed　and　said：