the story of the glittering plain-第3章

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sea；　a　harrier　of　the　folks　that　dwell　in　peace？〃



The　man　laughed：　　〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃my　craft　is　thieving　and　carrying

off　the　daughters　of　folk；　so　that　we　may　have　a　ransom　for　them。

Wilt　thou　come　over　the　waters　with　me？〃



Hallblithe　said　wrathfully：



〃Nay；　rather；　come　thou　ashore　here！　　Thou　seemest　a　big　man；　and

belike　shall　be　good　of　thine　hands。　　Come　and　fight　with　me；　and

then　he　of　us　who　is　vanquished；　if　he　be　unslain；　shall　serve　the

other　for　a　year；　and　then　shalt　thou　do　my　business　in　the

ransoming。〃



The　man　in　the　boat　laughed　again；　and　that　so　scornfully　that　he

angered　Hallblithe　beyond　measure：　　then　he　arose　in　the　boat　and

stood　on　his　feet　swaying　from　side　to　side　as　he　laughed。　　He　was

passing　big；　long…armed　and　big…headed；　and　long　hair　came　from　under

his　helm　like　the　tail　of　a　red　horse；　his　eyes　were　grey　and

gleaming；　and　his　mouth　wide。



In　a　while　he　stayed　his　laughter　and　said：　　〃O　Warrior　of　the　Raven；

this　were　a　simple　game　for　thee　to　play；　though　it　is　not　far　from

my　mind；　for　fighting　when　I　needs　must　win　is　no　dull　work。　　Look

you；　if　I　slay　or　vanquish　thee；　then　all　is　said；　and　if　by　some

chance　stroke　thou　slayest　me；　then　is　thine　only　helper　in　this

matter　gone　from　thee。　　Now　to　be　short；　I　bid　thee　come　aboard　to　me

if　thou　wouldst　ever　hear　another　word　of　thy　damsel　betrothed。　　And

moreover　this　need　not　hinder　thee　to　fight　with　me　if　thou　hast　a

mind　to　it　thereafter；　for　we　shall　soon　come　to　a　land　big　enough

for　two　to　stand　on。　　Or　if　thou　listest　to　fight　in　a　boat　rocking

on　the　waves；　I　see　not　but　there　may　be　manhood　in　that　also。〃



Now　was　the　hot　wrath　somewhat　run　off　Hallblithe；　nor　durst　he　lose

any　chance　to　hear　a　word　of　his　beloved；　so　he　said：　　〃Big　man；　I

will　come　aboard。　　But　look　thou　to　it；　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　bewray

me；　for　the　sons　of　the　Raven　die　hard。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　big　man；　〃I　have　heard　that　their　minstrels　are　of

many　words；　and　think　that　they　have　tales　to　tell。　　Come　aboard　and

loiter　not。〃　　Then　Hallblithe　waded　the　surf　and　lightly　strode　over

the　gunwale　of　the　skiff　and　sat　him　down。　　The　big　man　thrust　out

into　the　deep　and　haled　home　the　sheet；　but　there　was　but　little

wind。



Then　said　Hallblithe：　　〃Wilt　thou　have　me　row；　for　I　wot　not

whitherward　to　steer？〃



Said　the　red　carle：　　〃Maybe　thou　art　not　in　a　hurry；　I　am　not：　　do　as

thou　wilt。〃　　So　Hallblithe　took　the　oars　and　rowed　mightily；　while

the　alien　steered；　and　they　went　swiftly　and　lightly　over　the　sea；

and　the　waves　were　little。







CHAPTER　V：　　THEY　COME　UNTO　THE　ISLE　OF　RANSOM







So　the　sun　grew　low；　and　it　set；　the　stars　and　the　moon　shone　a　while

and　then　it　clouded　over。　　Hallblithe　still　rowed　and　rested　not；

though　he　was　weary；　and　the　big　man　sat　and　steered；　and　held　his

peace。　　But　when　the　night　was　grown　old　and　it　was　not　far　from　the

dawn；　the　alien　said：　　〃Youngling　of　the　Ravens；　now　shalt　thou　sleep

and　I　will　row。〃



Hallblithe　was　exceeding　weary；　so　he　gave　the　oars　to　the　alien　and

lay　down　in　the　stern　and　slept。　　And　in　his　sleep　he　dreamed　that　he

was　lying　in　the　House　of　the　Raven；　and　his　sisters　came　to　him　and

said；　〃Rise　up　now；　Hallblithe！　wilt　thou　be　a　sluggard　on　the　day　of

thy　wedding？　　Come　thou　with　us　to　the　House　of　the　Rose　that　we　may

bear　away　the　Hostage。〃　　Then　he　dreamed　that　they　departed；　and　he

arose　and　clad　himself：　　but　when　he　would　have　gone　out　of　the　hall；

then　was　it　no　longer　daylight；　but　moonlight；　and　he　dreamed　that　he

had　dreamed：　　nevertheless　he　would　have　gone　abroad；　but　might　not

find　the　door；　so　he　said　he　would　go　out　by　a　window；　but　the　wall

was　high　and　smooth　（quite　other　than　in　the　House　of　the　Raven；

where　were　low　windows　all　along　one　aisle）；　nor　was　there　any　way　to

come　at　them。　　But　he　dreamed　that　he　was　so　abashed　thereat；　and　had

such　a　weakness　on　him；　that　he　wept　for　pity　of　himself：　　and　he

went　to　his　bed　to　lie　down；　and　lo！　there　was　no　bed　and　no　hall；

nought　but　a　heath；　wild　and　wide；　and　empty　under　the　moon。　　And

still　he　wept　in　his　dream；　and　his　manhood　seemed　departed　from　him；

and　he　heard　a　voice　crying　out；　〃Is　this　the　Land？　　Is　this　the

Land？〃



Therewithal　he　awoke；　and　as　his　eyes　cleared　he　beheld　the　big　man

rowing　and　the　black　sail　flapping　against　the　mast；　for　the　wind　had

fallen　dead　and　they　were　faring　on　over　a　long　smooth　swell　of　the

sea。　　It　was　broad　daylight；　but　round　about　them　was　a　thick　mist；

which　seemed　none　the　less　as　if　the　sun　were　ready　to　shine　through

it。



As　Hallblithe　caught　the　red　man's　eye；　he　smiled　and　nodded　on　him

and　said：　　〃Now　has　the　time　come　for　thee　first　to　eat　and　then　to

row。　　But　tell　me　what　is　that　upon　thy　cheeks？〃



Hallblithe；　reddening　somewhat；　said：　　〃The　night　dew　hath　fallen　on

me。〃



Quoth　the　sea…rover；　〃It　is　no　shame　for　thee　a　youngling　to　remember

thy　betrothed　in　thy　sleep；　and　to　weep　because　thou　lackest　her。

But　now　bestir　thee；　for　it　is　later　than　thou　mayest　deem。〃



Therewith　the　big　man　drew　in　the　oars　and　came　to　the　afterpart　of

the　boat；　and　drew　meat　and　drink　out　of　a　locker　thereby；　and　they

ate　and　drank　together；　and　Hallblithe　grew　strong　and　somewhat　less

downcast；　and　he　went　forward　and　gat　the　oars　into　his　hands。



Then　the　big　red　man　stood　up　and　looked　over　his　left　shoulder　and

said：　　〃Soon　shall　we　have　a　breeze　and　bright　weather。〃



Then　he　looked　into　the　midmost　of　the　sail　and　fell　a…whistling　such

a　tune　as　the　fiddles　play　to　dancing　men　and　maids　at　Yule…tide；　and

his　eyes　gleamed　and　glittered　therewithal；　and　exceeding　big　he

looked。　　Then　Hallblithe　felt　a　little　air　on　his　cheek；　and　the　mist

grew　thinner；　and　the　sail　began　to　fill　with　wind　till　the　sheet

tightened：　　then；　lo！　the　mist　rising　from　the　face　of　the　sea；　and

the　sea's　face　rippling　gaily　under　a　bright　sun。　　Then　the　wind

increased；　and　the　wall　of　mist　departed　and　a　few　light　clouds　sped

over　the　sky；　and　the　sail　swelled　and　the　boat　heeled　over；　and　the

seas　fell　white　from　the　prow；　and　they　sped　fast　over　the　face　of

the　waters。



Then　laughed　the　red…haired　man；　and　said：　　〃O　croaker　on　the　dead

branch；　now　is　the　wind　such　that　no　rowing　of　thine　may　catch　up

with　it：　　so　in　with　the　oars　now；　and　turn　about；　and　thou　shalt　see

whitherward　we　are　going。〃



Then　Hallblithe　turned　about　on　the　thwart　and　looked　across　the　sea；

and　lo！　before　them　the　high　cliffs　and　crags　and　mountains　of　a　new

land　which　seemed　to　be　an　isle；　and　they　were　deep　blue　under　the

sun；　which　now　shone　aloft　in　the　mid　heaven。　　He　said　nought　at　all；

but　sat　looking　and　wondering　what　land　it　might　be；　but　the　big　man

said：　　〃O　tomb　of　warriors；　is　it　not　as　if　the　blueness　of　the　deep

sea　had　heaved　itself　up　aloft；　and　turned　from　coloured　air　into

rock　and　stone；　so　wondrous　blue　it　is？　　But　that　is　because　those

crags　and　mountains　are　so　far　away；　and　as　we　draw　nigher　to　them；

thou　shalt　see　them　as　they　verily　are；　that　they　are　coal…black；　and

yonder　land　is　an　isle；　and　is　called　the　Isle　of　Ransom。　　Therein

shall　be　the　market　for　thee　where　thou　mayst　cheapen　thy　betrothed。

There　mayst　thou　take　her　by　the　hand　and　lead　her　away　thence；　when

thou　hast　dealt　with　the　chapman　of　maidens　and　hast　pledged　thee　by

the　fowl　of　battle；　and　the　edge　of　the　fallow　blade　to　pay　that

which　he　will　have　of　thee。〃



As　the　big　man　spoke　there　was　a　mocking　in　his　voice　and　his　face

and　in　his　whole　huge　body；　which　made　the　sword　of　Hallblithe　uneasy

in　his　scabbard；　but　he　refrained　his　wrath；　and　said：　　〃Big　man；　the

longer　I　look；　the　less　I　can　think　how　we　are　to　come　up　on　to

yonder　island；　for　I　can　see　nought　but　a　huge　cliff；　and　great

mountains　rising　beyond　it。〃



〃Thou　shalt　the　more　wonder；〃　said　the　alien；　〃the　nigher　thou

drawest　thereto；　for　it　is　no