the story of the glittering plain-第26章

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

go　the　old　carle's　treasures　again！　　It　is　as　well　maybe；　since　he

might　be　wrath　beyond　his　wont　if　he　were　to　wake　and　miss　them；　and

already　this　cold　cup　of　the　once…boiling　rock　is　not　wholly　safe

because　of　him。〃



So　he　crept　into　the　hole　once　more；　and　out　of　it　presently；　and

stood　smiting　his　palms　one　against　the　other　to　dust　them；　like　a

man　who　has　been　handling　parchments　long　laid　by；　and　Hallblithe

stood　looking　at　him；　still　wrathful；　but　silent。



Then　said　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃This　at　least　was　a　wise　word　of　thine；

that　thou　wouldst　not　fight　me。　　For　the　end　of　fighting　is　slaying；

and　it　is　stark　folly　to　fight　without　slaying；　and　now　I　see　that

thou　desirest　not　to　slay　me：　　for　if　thou　didst；　why　didst　thou

refuse　to　fall　on　me　armed　with　the　ghosts　of　weapons　that　I　borrowed

from　a　ghost？　　Nay；　why　didst　thou　not　slay　me　as　I　crept　out　of

yonder　hole？　　Thou　wouldst　have　had　a　cheap　bargain　of　me　either　way。

It　would　be　rank　folly　to　fight　me。〃



Said　Hallblithe　hoarsely：　　〃Why　didst　thou　bewray　me；　and　lie　to　me；

and　lure　me　away　from　the　quest　of　my　beloved；　and　waste　a　whole　year

of　my　life？〃



〃It　is　a　long　story；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃which　I　may　tell　thee　some

day。　　Meantime　I　may　tell　thee　this；　that　I　was　compelled　thereto　by

one　far　mightier　than　I；　to　wit　the　Undying　King。〃



At　that　word　the　smouldering　wrath　blazed　up　in　Hallblithe；　and　he

drew　his　sword　hastily　and　hewed　at　the　Puny　Fox：　　but　he　leapt　aside

nimbly　and　ran　in　on　Hallblithe；　and　caught　his　sword…arm　by　the

wrist；　and　tore　the　weapon　out　of　his　hand；　and　overbore　him　by　sheer

weight　and　stature；　and　drave　him　to　the　earth。　　Then　he　rose　up；　and

let　Hallblithe　rise　also；　and　took　his　sword　and　gave　it　into　his

hand　again　and　said：　　〃Crag…nester；　thou　art　wrathful；　but　little。

Now　thou　hast　thy　sword　again　and　mayst　slay　me　if　thou　wilt。　　Yet

not　until　I　have　spoken　a　word　to　thee：　　so　hearken！　or　else　by　the

Treasure　of　the　Sea　I　will　slay　thee　with　my　bare　hands。　　For　I　am

strong　indeed　in　this　place　with　my　old　kinsman　beside　me。　　Wilt　thou

hearken？〃



〃Speak；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃I　hearken。〃



Said　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃True　it　is　that　I　lured　thee　away　from　thy

quest；　and　wore　away　a　year　of　thy　life。　　Yet　true　it　is　also　that　I

repent　me　thereof；　and　ask　thy　pardon。　　What　sayest　thou？〃



Hallblithe　spake　not；　but　the　heat　died　out　of　his　face　and　he　was

become　somewhat　pale。　　Said　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃Dost　thou　not　remember；　O

Raven；　how　thou　badest　me　battle　last　year　on　the　sea…shore　by　the

side　of　the　Rollers　of　the　Raven？　and　how　this　was　to　be　the　prize　of

battle；　that　the　vanquished　should　serve　the　vanquisher　year…long；

and　do　all　his　will？　　And　now　this　prize　and　more　thou　hast　won

without　battle；　for　I　swear　by　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea；　and　by　the

bones　of　the　great　Sea…mew　yonder；　that　I　will　serve　thee　not　year…

long　but　life…long；　and　that　I　will　help　thee　in　thy　quest　for　thy

beloved。　　What　sayest　thou？〃



Hallblithe　stood　speechless　a　moment；　looking　past　the　Puny　Fox；

rather　than　at　him。　　Then　the　sword　tumbled　out　of　his　hand　on　to　the


grass；　and　great　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks　and　fell　on　to　his

raiment；　and　he　reached　out　his　hand　to　the　Puny　Fox　and　said：　　〃O

friend；　wilt　thou　not　bring　me　to　her？　for　the　days　wear；　and　the

trees　are　growing　old　round　about　the　Acres　of　the　Raven。〃



Then　the　Puny　Fox　took　his　hand；　and　laughed　merrily　in　his　face；　and

said：　　〃Great　is　thine　heart；　O　Carrion…biter！　　But　now　that　thou　art

my　friend　I　will　tell　thee　that　I　have　a　deeming　of　the　whereabouts

of　thy　beloved。　　Or　where　deemest　thou　was　the　garden　wherein　thou

sawest　her　standing　on　the　page　of　the　book　in　that　dream　of　the

night？　　So　it　is；　O　Raven…son；　that　it　is　not　for　nothing　that　my

grandsire's　father　lieth　in　yonder　hole　of　the　rocks；　for　of　late　he

hath　made　me　wise　in　mighty　lore。　　Thanks　have　thou；　O　kinsman！〃　　And

he　turned　him　toward　the　rock　wherein　was　the　grave。



But　Hallblithe　said：　　〃What　is　to　do　now？　　Am　I　not　in　a　land　of

foemen？〃



〃Yea；　forsooth；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃and　even　if　thou　knewest　where

thy　love　is；　thou　shouldst　hardly　escape　from　this　isle　unslain；　save

for　me。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Is　there　not　my　bark；　that　I　might　depart　at　once？

for　I　deem　not　that　the　Hostage　is　on　the　Isle　of　Ransom。〃



The　Puny　Fox　laughed　boisterously　and　said：　　〃Nay；　she　is　not。　　But

as　to　thy　boat；　there　is　so　strong　a　set　of　the　flood…tide　toward

this　end　of　the　isle；　that　with　the　wind　blowing　as　now；　from　the

north…north…east；　thou　mayst　not　get　off　the　shore　for　four　hours　at

least；　and　I　misdoubt　me　that　within　that　time　we　shall　have　tidings

of　a　ship　of　ours　coming　into　the　haven。　　Thy　bark　they　shall　take；

and　thee　also　if　thou　art　therein；　and　then　soon　were　the　story　told；

for　they　know　thee　for　a　rebel　of　the　Undying　King。　　Hearken！　　Dost

thou　not　hear　the　horn's　voice？　　Come　up　hither　and　we　shall　see　what

is　towards。〃



So　saying；　he　led　hastily　up　a　kind　of　stair　in　the　rock…wall；　until

they　reached　a　cranny；　whence　through　a　hole　in　the　cliff；　they　could

see　all　over　the　haven。　　And　lo！　as　they　looked；　in　the　very　gate　and

entry　of　it　came　a　great　ship　heaving　up　her　bows　on　the　last　swell

of　the　outer　sea　（where　the　wind　had　risen　somewhat）；　and　rolling

into　the　smooth；　land…locked　water。　　Black　was　her　sail；　and　the

image　of　the　Sea…eagle　enwrought　thereon　spread　wide　over　it；　and　the

banner　of　the　Flaming　Sword　streamed　out　from　the　stern。　　Many　men

all…weaponed　were　on　the　decks；　and　the　minstrels　high　up　on　the　poop

were　blowing　a　merry　song　of　return　on　their　battle…horns。



〃Lo；　you；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃thy　luck　or　mine　hath　served　thee　this

time；　in　that　the　Flaming　Sword　did　not　overhaul　thee　ere　thou　madest

the　haven。　　We　are　well　here　at　least。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃But　may　not　some　of　them　come　up　hither

perchance？〃



〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃they　fear　the　old　man　in　the　cleft

yonder；　for　he　is　not　over　guest…fain。　　This　mead　is　mine　own；　as　for

other　living　men；　it　is　my　unroofed　house；　and　I　have　here　a　house

with　a　roof　also；　which　I　will　show　thee　presently。　　For　now　since

the　Flaming　Sword　hath　come；　there　is　no　need　for　haste；　nay；　we

cannot　depart　till　they　have　gone　up…country。　　So　I　will　show　thee

presently　what　we　shall　do　to…night。〃



So　there　they　sat　and　watched　those　men　bring　their　ship　to　the　shore

and　moor　her　hard　by　Hallblithe's　boat。　　They　cried　out　when　they　saw

her；　and　when　they　were　aland　they　gathered　about　her　to　note　her

build；　and　the　fashion　of　the　spear　whereto　she　was　tied。　　Then　in　a

while　the　more　part　of　them；　some　fourscore　in　number；　departed　up

the　valley　toward　the　great　house　and　left　none　but　a　half　dozen

ship…warders　behind。



〃Seest　thou；　friend　of　the　Ravens；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃hadst　thou　been

there；　they　might　have　done　with　thee　what　they　would。　　Did　I　not

well　to　bring　thee　into　my　unroofed　house？〃



〃Yea；　verily；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　will　not　some　of　the　ship…wards；

or　some　of　the　others　returning；　come　up　hither　and　find　us？　　I　shall

yet　lay　my　bones　in　this　evil　island。〃



The　Puny　Fox　laughed；　and　said：　　〃It　is　not　so　bad　as　thy　sour　looks

would　have　it；　anyhow　it　is　good　enough　for　a　grave；　and　at　this

present　I　may　call　it　a　casket　of　precious　things。〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　Hallblithe　eagerly。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　the　other；　〃nought　but　what　thou　knowest。　　Art　thou

not　therein；　and　I　myself？　without　reckoning　the　old　carle　in　the

hole　yonder。　　But　I　promise　thee　thou　shalt　not　die　here　this　time；

unless　thou　wilt。　　And　as　to　folk　coming　up　hither；　I　tell　thee　again

they　durst　not；　because　they　fear　my　great…grandsire　over　much。　　Not

that　they　are　far　wrong　therein；　for　now　he　is　dead；　the　worst　of　him

seemeth　to　come　out　of　him；　and　he　is　not