the story of the glittering plain-第28章
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amidst it unhurt; and laid many strokes on his foeman; and did all so
lightly and easily; that it seemed as if he were dancing rather than
fighting; and the folk held their peace and began to doubt if their
huge champion would prevail。 Now the red…haired fetched a mighty
stroke at the alien; who leapt aside lightly and gat his sword in his
left hand and dealt a great stroke on the other's head; and the red…
haired staggered; for he had over…reached himself; and again the
alien smote him a left…handed stroke so that he fell full length on
the floor with a mighty clatter; and the sword flew out of his hand:
and the folk were dumb…founded。
Then the alien threw himself on the sea…champion; and knelt upon him;
and shortened his sword as if to slay him with a thrust。 But thereon
the man overthrown cried out: 〃Hold thine hand; for I am vanquished!
Now give me peace according to the bargain struck between us; that I
shall serve thee year…long; and follow thee wheresoever thou goest。〃
Therewith the alien champion arose and stood off from him; and the
man of the sea gat to his feet; and did off his helm; so that all men
could see that he was the Puny Fox。
Then the victorious champion unhelmed himself; and lo; it was
Hallblithe! And a shout arose in the hall; part of wonder; part of
wrath。
Then cried out the Puny Fox: 〃I call on all men here to bear witness
that by reason of this battle; Hallblithe of the Ravens is free to
come and go as he will in the Isle of Ransom; and to take help of any
man that will help him; and to depart from the isle when he will and
how he will; taking me with him if so he will。〃
Said the chieftain: 〃Yea; this is right and due; and so shall it be。
But now; since no freeman; who is not a foe of the passing hour; may
abide in our hall without eating of our meat; come up here;
Hallblithe; and sit by me; and eat and drink of the best we have;
since the Norns would not give us thine head for a gable…knop。 But
what wilt thou do with thy thrall the Puny Fox; and whereto in the
hall wilt thou have him shown? Or wilt thou that he sit fasting in
the darkness to…night; laid in gyves and fetters? Or shall he have
the cheer of whipping and stripes; as befitteth a thrall to whom the
master oweth a grudge? What is thy will with him?〃
Said Hallblithe: 〃My will is that thou give him a seat next to me;
whether that be high or low; or the bench of thy prison…house。 That
he eat of my dish; and drink of my cup; whatsoever the meat and drink
may be。 For to…morrow I mean that we twain shall go under the earth…
collar together; and that our blood shall run together and that we
shall be brothers in arms henceforward。〃 Then Hallblithe did on his
helm again and drew his sword; and looked aside to the Puny Fox to
bid him do the like; and he did so; and Hallblithe said: 〃Chieftain;
thou hast bidden me to table; and I thank thee; but I will not set my
teeth in meat; out of our own house and land; which hath not been
truly given to me by one who wotteth of me; unless I have conquered
it as a prey of battle; neither will I cast a lie into the loving…cup
which shall pass from thy lips to mine: therefore I will tell thee;
that though I laid a stroke or two on the Puny Fox; and those no
light ones; yet was this battle nought true and real; but a mere
beguiling; even as that which I saw foughten in this hall aforetime;
when meseemeth the slain men rose up in time to drink the good…night
cup。 Therefore; O men of the Ravagers; and thou; O Puny Fox; there
is nought to bind your hands and refrain your hearts; and ye may slay
me if ye will without murder or dishonour; and may make the head of
Hallblithe a knop for your feast…hall。 Yet shall one or two fall to
earth before I fall。〃
Therewith he shook his sword aloft; and a great roar arose; and
weapons came down from the wall; and the candles shone on naked
steel。 But the Puny Fox came and stood by Hallblithe; and spake in
his ear amidst the uproar: 〃Well now; brother…in…arms; I have been
trying to learn thee the lore of lies; and surely thou art the worst
scholar who was ever smitten by master。 And the outcome of it is
that I; who have lied so long and well; must now pay for all; and die
for a barren truth。〃
Said Hallblithe: 〃Let all be as it will! I love thee; lies and all;
but as for me I cannot handle them。 Lo you! great and grim shall be
the slaying; and we shall not fall unavenged。〃
Said the Puny Fox: 〃Hearken! for still they hang back。 Belike it is
I that have drawn this death on thee and me。 My last lie was a
fool's lie and we die for it: for what wouldst thou have done hadst
thou wotted that thy beloved; the Hostage of the Rose〃 He broke
off perforce; for Hallblithe was looking to right and left and
handling his sword; and heard not that last word of his; and from
both sides of the hall the throng was drawing round about those
twain; weapon in hand。 Then Hallblithe set his eyes on a big man in
front who was heaving up a heavy short…sword and thought that he
would at least slay this one。 But or ever he might smite; the great
horn blared out over the tumult; and men forbore a while and fell
somewhat silent。
Then came down to them the voice of the chieftain; a loud voice; but
clear and with mirth mingled with anger in it; and he said: 〃What do
these fools of the Ravagers cumbering the floor of the feast…hall;
and shaking weapons when there is no foeman anigh? Are they
dreaming…drunk before the wine is poured? Why do they not sit down
in their places; and abide the bringing in of the meat? And ye
women; where are ye; why do ye delay our meat; when ye may well wot
that our hearts are drooping for hunger; and all hath been duly done;
the battle of the champions fought and won; and the prize of war
given forth and taken? How long; O folk; shall your chieftains sit
fasting?〃
Then there arose great laughter in the hall; and men withdrew them
from those twain and went and sat them down in their places。
Then the chieftain said: 〃Come up hither; I say; O Hallblithe; and
bring thy war…thrall with thee if thou wilt。 But delay not; unless
it be so that thou art neither hungry nor thirsty; and good sooth
thou shouldst be both; for men say that the ravens are hard to
satisfy。 Come then and make good cheer with us!〃
So Hallblithe thrust his sword into the sheath; and the Puny Fox did
the like; and they went both together up the hall to the high…seat。
And Hallblithe sat down on the chieftain's right hand; and the Puny
Fox next to him; and the chieftain; the Erne; said: 〃O Hallblithe;
dost thou need thine armour at table; or dost thou find it handy to
take thy meat clad in thy byrny and girt with a sword?〃
Then laughed Hallblithe and said: 〃Nay; meseemeth to…night I shall
need war…gear no more。〃 And he stood up and did off all his armour
and gave it; sword and all; into the hands of a woman; who bore it
off; he knew not whither。 And the Erne looked on him and said:
〃Well is that! and now I see that thou art a fair young man; and it
is no marvel though maidens desire thee。〃
As he spake came in the damsels with the victual and the cheer was
exceeding good; and Hallblithe grew light…hearted。
But when the healths had been drunk as aforetime; and men had drunk a
cup or two thereafter; there rose a warrior from one of the endlong
benches; a big young man; black…haired and black…bearded; ruddy of
visage; and he said in a voice that was rough and fat: 〃O Erne; and
ye other chieftains; we have been talking here at our table
concerning this guest of thine who hath beguiled us; and we are not
wholly at one with thee as to thy dealings with him。 True it is; now
that the man hath our meat in his belly; that he must depart from
amongst us with a whole skin; unless of his own will he stand up to
fight some man of us here。 Yet some of us think that he is not so
muc