the story of the glittering plain-第24章

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to　eat　and　drink；　and　went　up　and　down　the　house；　saying　to　every

one：　　〃Here　is　come　the　Wood…lover；　and　he　is　glad　again；　come　and

see　him。〃



So　the　folk　gathered　about　him；　and　made　much　of　him。　　And　when　they

had　made　an　end　of　breakfast；　the　head　man　of　the　House　said　to　him：

〃The　beasts　are　in　the　wain；　and　the　timber　abideth　thy　choosing；

come　and　see。〃



So　he　brought　Hallblithe　to　the　timber…bower；　where　he　chose　for

himself　all　that　he　needed　of　oak…timber　of　the　best；　and　they　loaded

the　wain　therewith；　and　gave　him　what　he　would　moreover　of　nails　and

treenails　and　other　matters；　and　he　thanked　them；　and　they　said　to

him：　　〃Whither　now　shall　we　lead　thy　timber？〃



〃Down　to　the　sea…side；〃　quoth　he；　〃nighest　to　my　dwelling。〃



So　did　they；　and　more　than　a　score；　men　and　women；　went　with　him；

some　in　the　wain；　and　some　afoot。　　Thus　they　came　down　to　the　sea…

shore；　and　laid　the　timber　on　the　strand　just　above　high…water　mark；

and　straightway　Hallblithe　fell　to　work　shaping　him　a　boat；　for　well

he　knew　the　whole　craft　thereof；　and　the　folk　looked　on　wondering；

till　the　tide　had　ebbed　the　little　it　was　wont　to　ebb；　and　left　the

moist　sand　firm　and　smooth；　then　the　women　left　watching　Hallblithe's

work；　and　fell　to　paddling　barefoot　in　the　clear　water；　for　there　was

scarce　a　ripple　on　the　sea；　and　the　carles　came　and　played　with　them

so　that　Hallblithe　was　left　alone　a　while；　for　this　kind　of　play　was

new　to　that　folk；　since　they　seldom　came　down　to　the　sea…side。

Thereafter　they　needs　must　dance　together；　and　would　have　had

Hallblithe　dance　with　them；　and　when　he　naysaid　them　because　he　was

fain　of　his　work；　in　all　playfulness　they　fell　to　taking　the　adze　out

of　his　hand；　whereat　he　became　somewhat　wroth；　and　they　were　afraid

and　went　and　had　their　dance　out　without　him。



By　this　time　the　sun　was　grown　very　hot；　and　they　came　to　him　again；

and　lay　down　about　him　and　watched　his　work；　for　they　were　weary。

And　one　of　the　women；　still　panting　with　the　dance；　spake　as　she

looked　on　the　loveliness　of　her　limbs；　which　one　of　the　swains　was

caressing：　　〃Brother；〃　said　she；　〃great　strokes　thou　smitest；　when

wilt　thou　have　smitten　the　last　of　them；　and　come　to　our　house

again？〃



〃Not　for　many　days；　fair　sister；〃　said　he；　without　looking　up。



〃Alas　that　thou　shouldst　talk　so；〃　said　a　carle；　rising　up　from　the

warm　sand；　〃what　shall　all　thy　toil　win　thee？〃



Spake　Hallblithe：　　〃Maybe　a　merry　heart；　or　maybe　death。〃



At　that　word　they　all　rose　up　together；　and　stood　huddled　together

like　sheep　that　have　been　driven　to　the　croft…gate；　and　the　shepherd

hath　left　them　for　a　little　and　they　know　not　whither　to　go。　　Little

by　little　they　got　them　to　the　wain　and　harnessed　their　beasts

thereto；　and　departed　silently　by　the　way　that　they　had　come；　but　in

a　little　time　Hallblithe　heard　their　laughter　and　merry　speech　across

the　flowery　meadows。　　He　heeded　their　departure　little；　but　went　on

working；　and　worked　the　sun　down；　and　on　till　the　stars　began　to

twinkle。　　Then　he　went　home　to　his　house　in　the　wood；　and　slept　and

dreamed　not；　and　began　again　on　the　morrow　with　a　good　heart。



To　be　short；　no　day　passed　that　he　wrought　not　his　full　tale　of　work；

and　the　days　wore；　and　his　ship…wright's　work　throve。　　Often　the　folk

of　that　house；　and　from　otherwhere　round　about；　came　down　to　the

strand　to　watch　him　working。　　Nowise　did　they　wilfully　hinder　him；

but　whiles　when　they　could　get　no　talk　from　him；　they　would　speak　of

him　to　each　other；　wondering　that　he　should　so　toil　to　sail　upon　the

sea；　for　they　loved　the　sea　but　little；　and　it　soon　became　clear　to

them　that　he　was　looking　to　nought　else：　　though　it　may　not　be　said

that　they　deemed　he　would　leave　the　land　for　ever。　　On　the　other

hand；　if　they　hindered　him　not；　neither　did　they　help；　saving　when　he

prayed　them　for　somewhat　which　he　needed；　which　they　would　then　give

him　blithely。



Of　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　damsel；　Hallblithe　saw　nought；　whereat　he

was　well　content；　for　he　deemed　it　of　no　avail　to　make　a　second

sundering　of　it。



So　he　worked　and　kept　his　heart　up；　and　at　last　all　was　ready；　he　had

made　him　a　mast　and　a　sail；　and　oars；　and　whatso…other　gear　there　was

need　of。　　So　then　he　thrust　his　skiff　into　the　sea　on　an　evening

whenas　there　were　but　two　carles　standing　by；　for　there　would　often

be　a　score　or　two　of　folk。　　These　two　smiled　on　him　and　bespake　him

kindly；　but　would　not　help　him　when　he　bade　them　set　shoulder　to　her

bows　and　shove。　　Albeit　he　got　the　skiff　into　the　water　without　much

ado；　and　got　into　her；　and　brought　her　to　where　a　stream　running　from

out　of　his　wood　made　a　little　haven　for　her　up　from　the　sea。　　There

he　tied　her　to　a　tree…hole；　and　busied　himself　that　even　with　getting

the　gear　into　her；　and　victual　and　water　withal；　as　much　as　he　deemed

he　should　need：　　and　so；　being　weary；　he　went　to　his　house　to　sleep；

thinking　that　he　should　awake　in　the　grey　of　the　morning　and　thrust

out　into　the　deep　sea。　　And　he　was　the　more　content　to　abide；　because

on　that　eve；　as　oftenest　betid；　the　wind　blew　landward　from　the　sea；

whereas　in　the　morning　it　oftenest　blew　seaward　from　the　land。　　In

any　case　he　thought　to　be　astir　so　timely　that　he　should　come　alone

to　his　keel；　and　depart　with　no　leave…takings。　　But；　as　it　fell　out；

he　overslept　himself；　so　that　when　he　came　out　into　the　wood　clad　in

all　his　armour；　with　his　sword　girt　to　his　side；　and　his　spear　over

his　shoulder；　he　heard　the　voices　of　folk；　and　presently　found　so

many　gathered　about　his　boat　that　he　had　some　ado　to　get　aboard。



The　folk　had　brought　many　gifts　for　him　of　such　things　as　they　deemed

he　might　need　for　a　short　voyage；　as　fruit　and　wine；　and　woollen

cloths　to　keep　the　cold　night　from　him；　he　thanked　them　kindly　as　he

stepped　over　the　gunwale；　and　some　of　the　women　kissed　him：　　and　one

said　（she　it　was；　who　had　met　him　at　the　stead　that　morning　when　he

went　to　fetch　timber）：　　〃Thou　wilt　be　back　this　even；　wilt　thou　not；

brother？　　It　is　yet　but　early；　and　thou　shalt　have　time　enough　to

take　all　thy　pleasure　on　the　sea；　and　then　come　back　to　us　to　eat　thy

meat　in　our　house　at　nightfall。〃



She　spake；　knitting　her　brows　in　longing　for　his　return；　but　he　knew

that　all　those　deemed　he　would　come　back　again　soon；　else　had　they

deemed　him　a　rebel　of　the　King；　and　might；　as　he　thought；　have　stayed

him。　　So　he　changed　not　countenance　in　any　wise；　but　said　only：

〃farewell；　sister；　for　this　day；　and　farewell　to　all　you　till　I　come

back。〃



Therewith　he　unmoored　his　boat；　and　sat　down　and　took　the　oars；　and

rowed　till　he　was　out　of　the　little　haven；　and　on　the　green　sea；　and

the　keel　rose　and　fell　on　the　waves。　　Then　he　stepped　the　mast　and

hoisted　sail；　and　sheeted　home；　for　the　morning　wind　was　blowing

gently　from　the　mountains　over　the　meadows　of　the　Glittering　Plain；

so　the　sail　filled；　and　the　keel　leapt　forward　and　sped　over　the　face

of　the　cold　sea。　　And　it　is　to　be　said　that　whether　he　wotted　or　not；

it　was　the　very　day　twelve　months　since　he　had　come　to　that　shore

along　with　the　Sea…eagle。　　So　that　folk　stood　and　watched　the　skiff

growing　less　and　less　upon　the　deep　till　they　could　scarce　see　her。

Then　they　turned　about　and　went　into　the　wood　to　disport　them；　for

the　sun　was　growing　hot。　　Nevertheless；　there　were　some　of　them　（and

that　damsel　was　one）；　who　came　back　to　the　sea…shore　from　time　to

time　all　day　long；　and　even　when　the　sun　was　down　they　looked　seaward

under　the　rising　moon；　expecting　to　see　Hallblithe's　bark　come　into

the　shining　path　which　she　drew　across　the　waters　round　about　the

Glittering　Land。







CHAPTER　XX：　　SO　NOW　SAILETH　HALLBLITHE　AWAY　FROM　THE　GLITTERING　PLAIN







But　as　to　Hallblithe；　he　soon　lost　sight　of　the　Glittering　Plain　and

the　mountains　thereof；　and　there　was　nought　but　sea　all　round　about

him；　and　his　heart　swelled　with　joy　as　he　sniffed　the　brine　and

watched　the