the story of the glittering plain-第25章

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

watched　the　gleaming　hills　and　valleys　of　the　restless　deep；　and　he

said　to　himself　that　he　was　going　home　to　his　Kindred　and　the　Roof　of

his　Fathers　of　old　time。



He　stood　as　near　due　north　as　he　might；　but　as　the　day　wore；　the　wind

headed　him；　and　he　deemed　it　not　well　to　beat；　lest　he　should　make

his　voyage　overlong；　so　he　ran　on　with　the　wind　abeam；　and　his　little

craft　leapt　merrily　over　the　sea…hills　under　the　freshening　breeze。

The　sun　set　and　the　moon　and　stars　shone　out；　and　he　still　sailed　on；

and　durst　not　sleep；　save　as　a　dog　does；　with　one　eye。　　At　last　came

dawn；　and　as　the　light　grew　it　was　a　fair　day　with　a　falling　wind；

and　a　bright　sky；　but　it　clouded　over　before　sunset；　and　the　wind

freshened　from　the　north　by　east；　and；　would　he；　would　he　not；

Hallblithe　must　run　before　it　night…long；　till　at　sunrise　it　fell

again；　and　all　day　was　too　light　for　him　to　make　much　way　beating　to

northward；　nor　did　it　freshen　till　after　the　moon　was　risen　some

while　after　sunset。　　And　now　he　was　so　weary　that　he　must　needs

sleep；　so　he　lashed　the　helm；　and　took　a　reef　in　the　sail；　and　ran

before　the　wind；　he　sleeping　in　the　stern。



But　past　the　middle　of　the　night；　towards　the　dawning；　he　awoke　with

the　sound　of　a　great　shout　in　his　ears。　　So　he　looked　over　the　dark

waters；　and　saw　nought；　for　the　night　was　cloudy　again。　　Then　he

trimmed　his　craft；　and　went　to　sleep　again；　for　he　was　over…burdened

with　slumber。



When　he　awoke　it　was　broad　daylight；　so　he　looked　to　the　tiller　and

got　the　boat's　head　a　little　up　to　the　wind；　and　then　gazed　about　him

with　the　sleep　still　in　his　eyes。　　And　as　his　eyes　took　in　the

picture　before　him　he　could　not　refrain　a　cry；　for　lo！　there　arose　up

great　and　grim　right　ahead　the　black　cliffs　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom。

Straightway　he　got　to　the　sheet；　and　strove　to　wear　the　boat；　but　for

all　that　he　could　do　she　drifted　toward　the　land；　for　she　was　gotten

into　a　strong　current　of　the　sea　that　set　shoreward。　　So　he　struck

sail；　and　took　the　oars　and　rowed　mightily　so　that　he　might　bear　her

off　shore；　but　it　availed　nothing；　and　still　he　drifted　landward。　　So

he　stood　up　from　the　oars；　and　turned　about　and　looked；　and　saw　that

he　was　but　some　three　furlongs　from　the　shore；　and　that　he　was　come

to　the　very　haven…mouth　whence　he　had　set　sail　with　the　Sea…eagle　a

twelvemonth　ago：　　and　he　knew　that　into　that　haven　he　needs　must　get

him；　or　be　dashed　to　pieces　against　the　high　cliffs　of　the　land：　　and

he　saw　how　the　waves　ran　on　to　the　cliffs；　and　whiles　one　higher　than

the　others　smote　the　rock…wall　and　ran　up　it；　as　if　it　could　climb

over　on　to　the　grassy　lip　beyond；　and　then　fell　back　again；　leaving　a

river　of　brine　running　down　the　steep。



Then　he　said　that　he　would　take　what　might　befall　him　inside　the

haven。　　So　he　hoisted　sail　again；　and　took　the　tiller；　and　steered

right　for　the　midmost　of　the　gate　between　the　rocks；　wondering　what

should　await　him　there。　　Then　it　was　but　a　few　minutes　ere　his　bark

shot　into　the　smoothness　of　the　haven；　and　presently　began　to　lose

way；　for　all　the　wind　was　dead　within　that　land…locked　water。

Hallblithe　looked　steadily　round　about　seeking　his　foe；　but　the　haven

was　empty　of　ship　or　boat；　so　he　ran　his　eye　along　the　shore　to　see

where　he　should　best　lay　his　keel　and　as　aforesaid　there　was　no　beach

there；　and　the　water　was　deep　right　up　to　the　grassy　lip　of　the　land；

though　the　tides　ran　somewhat　high；　and　at　low　water　would　a　little

steep　undercliff　go　up　from　the　face　of　the　sea。　　But　now　it　was　near

the　top　of　the　tide；　and　there　was　scarce　two　feet　betwixt　the　grass

and　the　dark…green　sea。



Now　Hallblithe　steered　toward　an　ingle　of　the　haven；　and　beyond　it；　a

little　way　off；　rose　a　reef　of　rocks　out　of　the　green　grass；　and

thereby　was　a　flock　of　sheep　feeding；　and　a　big　man　lying　down

amongst　them；　who　seemed　to　be　unarmed；　as　Hallblithe　could　not　see

any　glint　of　steel　about　him。　　Hallblithe　drew　nigh　the　shore；　and

the　big　man　stirred　not；　nor　did　he　any　the　more　when　the　keel　ran

along　the　shore；　and　Hallblithe　leapt　out　and　moored　his　craft　to　his

spear　stuck　deep　in　the　earth。　　And　now　Hallblithe　deems　that　the　man

must　be　either　dead　or　asleep：　　so　he　drew　his　sword　and　had　it　in

his　right　hand；　and　in　his　left　a　sharp　knife；　and　went　straight　up

to　the　man　betwixt　the　sheep；　and　found　him　so　lying　on　his　side　that

he　could　not　see　his　face；　so　he　stirred　him　with　his　foot；　and　cried

out：　　〃Awake；　O　Shepherd！　for　dawn　is　long　past　and　day　is　come；　and

therewithal　a　guest　for　thee！〃



The　man　turned　over　and　slowly　sat　up；　and；　lo！　who　should　it　be　but

the　Puny　Fox？　　Hallblithe　started　back　at　the　sight　of　him；　and　cried

out　at　him；　and　said：　　〃Have　I　found　thee；　O　mine　enemy？〃



The　Puny　Fox　sat　up　a　little　straighter；　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and

said：　　〃Yea；　thou　hast　found　me　sure　enough。　　But　as　to　my　being

thine　enemy；　a　word　or　two　may　be　said　about　that　presently。〃



〃What！〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃dost　thou　deem　that　aught　save　my　sword

will　speak　to　thee？〃



〃I　wot　not；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　〃but　I

suppose　thou　wilt　not　slay　me　unarmed；　and　thou　seest　that　I　have　no

weapons。〃



〃Get　thee　weapons；　then；〃　quoth　Hallblithe；　〃and　delay　not；　for　the

sight　of　thee　alive　sickens　me。〃



〃Ill　is　that；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃but　come　thou　with　me　at　once；

where　I　shall　find　both　the　weapons　and　a　good　fighting…stead。

Hasten！　time　presseth；　now　thou　art　come　at　last。〃



〃And　my　boat？〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃Wilt　thou　carry　her　in　thy　pouch？〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃thou　wilt　not

need　her　again；　whether　thou　slay　me；　or　I　thee。〃



Hallblithe　knit　his　brows　on　him　in　his　wrath；　for　he　deemed　that

Fox's　meaning　was　to　threaten　him　with　the　vengeance　of　the　kindred。

Howbeit；　he　said　nought；　for　he　deemed　it　ill　to　wrangle　in　words

with　one　whom　he　was　presently　to　meet　in　battle；　so　he　followed　as

the　Puny　Fox　led。　　Fox　brought　him　past　the　reef　of　rock　aforesaid；

and　up　a　narrow　cleft　of　the　cliffs　overlooking　the　sea；　whereby　they

came　into　a　little　grass…grown　meadow　well　nigh　round　in　shape；　as

smooth　and　level　as　a　hall…floor；　and　fenced　about　by　a　wall　of　rock：

a　place　which　had　once　been　the　mouth　of　an　earth…fire；　and　a

cauldron　of　molten　stone。



When　they　stood　on　the　smooth　grass　Fox　said：　　〃Hold　thee　there　a

little；　while　I　go　to　my　weapon…chest；　and　then　shall　we　see　what　is

to　be　done。〃



Therewith　he　turned　aside　to　a　cranny　of　the　rock；　and　going　down　on

his　hands　and　knees；　fell　to　creeping　like　a　worm　up　a　hole　therein；

which　belike　led　to　a　cavern；　for　after　his　voice　had　come　forth　from

the　earth；　grunting　and　groaning；　and　cursing　this　thing；　and　that；

out　he　comes　again　feet　first；　and　casts　down　an　old　rusty　sword

without　a　sheath；　a　helm　no　less　rusty；　and　battered　withal；　and　a

round　target；　curled　up　and　outworn　as　if　it　would　fall　to　pieces　of

itself。　　Then　he　stands　up　and　stretches　himself；　and　smiles

pleasantly　on　Hallblithe　and　says：　　〃Now；　mine　enemy；　when　I　have

donned　helm　and　shield　and　got　my　sword　in　hand；　we　may　begin　the

play：　　as　to　a　hauberk　I　must　needs　go　lack；　for　I　could　not　come　by

it；　I　think　the　old　man　must　have　chaffered　it　away：　　he　was　ever　too

money…fain。〃



But　Hallblithe　looked　on　him　angrily　and　said：　　〃Hast　thou　brought　me

hither　to　mock　me？　　Hast　thou　no　better　weapons　wherewith　to　meet　a

warrior　of　the　Raven　than　these　rusty　shards；　which　look　as　if　thou

hadst　robbed　a　grave　of　the　dead？　　I　will　not　fight　thee　so　armed。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃and　from　out　of　a　grave　come　they　verily：

for　in　that　little　hole　lieth　my　father's　grandsire；　the　great　Sea…

mew　of　the　Ravagers；　the　father　of　that　Sea…eagle　whom　thou　knowest。

But　since　thou　thinkest　scorn　of　these　weapons　of　a　dead　warrior；　in

go　the　old　carle's　treasures　again！　　It　is　as　well