the story of the glittering plain-第30章

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meant。　　But　the　Erne　cried　out：　　〃Bring　in　now　the　sitter；　who　shall

fill　the　empty　throne！〃



Then　again　the　screen…doors　opened；　and　there　came　in　two　weaponed

men；　leading　between　them　a　woman　clad　in　gold　and　garlanded　with

roses。　　So　fair　was　the　fashion　of　her　face　and　all　her　body；　that

her　coming　seemed　to　make　a　change　in　the　hall；　as　though　the　sun　had

shone　into　it　suddenly。　　She　trod　the　hall…floor　with　firm　feet；　and

sat　down　on　the　ivory　chair。　　But　even　before　she　was　seated　therein

Hallblithe　knew　that　the　Hostage　was　under　that　roof　and　coming

toward　him。　　And　the　heart　rose　in　his　breast　and　fluttered　therein；

so　sore　he　yearned　toward　the　Daughter　of　the　Rose；　and　his　very

speech…friend。　　Then　he　heard　the　Erne　saying；　〃How　now；　Raven…son；

wilt　thou　have　the　throne　and　the　sitter　therein；　or　wilt　thou

gainsay　me　once　more？〃



Thereafter　he　himself　spake；　and　the　sound　of　his　voice　was　strange

to　him　and　as　if　he　knew　it　not：　　〃Chieftain；　I　will　not　gainsay

thee；　but　will　take　thy　gift；　and　thy　friendship　therewith；

whatsoever　hath　betided。　　Yet　would　I　say　a　word　or　two　unto　the

woman　that　sitteth　yonder。　　For　I　have　been　straying　amongst　wiles

and　images；　and　mayhappen　I　shall　yet　find　this　to　be　but　a　dream　of

the　night；　or　a　beguilement　of　the　day。〃　　Therewith　he　arose　from　the

table；　and　walked　slowly　down　the　hall；　but　it　was　a　near　thing　that

he　did　not　fall　a…weeping　before　all　those　aliens；　so　full　his　heart

was。



He　came　and　stood　before　the　Hostage；　and　their　eyes　were　upon　each

other；　and　for　a　little　while　they　had　no　words。　　Then　Hallblithe

began；　wondering　at　his　voice　as　he　spake：　　〃Art　thou　a　woman　and　my

speech…friend？　　For　many　images　have　mocked　me；　and　I　have　been

encompassed　with　lies；　and　led　astray　by　behests　that　have　not　been

fulfilled。　　And　the　world　hath　become　strange　to　me；　and　empty　of

friends。〃



Then　she　said：　　〃Art　thou　verily　Hallblithe？　　For　I　also　have　been

encompassed　by　lies；　and　beset　by　images　of　things　unhelpful。〃



〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　Hallblithe　of　the　Ravens；　wearied　with　desire

for　my　troth…plight　maiden。〃



Then　came　the　rosy　colour　into　the　fairness　of　her　face；　as　the

rising　sun　lighteth　the　garden　of　flowers　in　the　June　morning；　and

she　said：　　〃If　thou　art　Hallblithe；　tell　me　what　befell　to　the

finger…gold…ring　that　my　mother　gave　me　when　we　were　both　but

little。〃



Then　his　face　grew　happy；　and　he　smiled；　and　he　said：　　〃I　put　it　for

thee　one　autumntide　in　the　snake's　hole　in　the　bank　above　the　river；

amidst　the　roots　of　the　old　thorn…tree；　that　the　snake　might　brood

it；　and　make　the　gold　grow　greater；　but　when　winter　was　over　and　we

came　to　look　for　it；　lo！　there　was　neither　ring　nor　snake；　nor　thorn…

tree：　　for　the　flood　had　washed　it　all　away。〃



Thereat　she　smiled　most　sweetly；　and　whereas　she　had　been　looking　on

him　hitherto　with　strained　and　anxious　eyes；　she　now　beheld　him

simply　and　friendly；　and　she　said：　　〃O　Hallblithe；　I　am　a　woman

indeed；　and　thy　speech…friend。　　This　is　the　flesh　that　desireth　thee；

and　the　life　that　is　thine；　and　the　heart　which　thou　rejoicest。　　But

now　tell　me；　who　are　these　huge　images　around　us；　amongst　whom　I　have

sat　thus；　once　in　every　moon　this　year　past；　and　afterwards　I　was

taken　back　to　the　women's　bower？　　Are　they　men　or　mountain…giants？

Will　they　slay　us；　or　shut　us　up　from　the　light　and　air？　　Or　hast

thou　made　peace　with　them？　　Wilt　thou　then　dwell　with　me　here；　or

shall　we　go　back　again　to　Cleveland　by　the　Sea？　　And　when；　oh　when；

shall　we　depart？〃



He　smiled　and　said：　　〃Quick　come　thy　questions；　beloved。　　These　are

the　folks　of　the　Ravagers　and　the　Sea…eagles：　　they　be　men；　though

fierce　and　wild　they　be。　　Our　foes　they　have　been；　and　have　sundered

us；　but　now　are　they　our　friends；　and　have　brought　us　together。　　And

to…morrow；　O　friend；　shall　we　depart　across　the　waters　to　Cleveland

by　the　Sea。〃



She　leaned　forward；　and　was　about　to　speak　softly　to　him；　but

suddenly　started　back；　and　said：　　〃There　is　a　big；　red…haired　man；　as

big　as　any　here；　behind　thy　shoulder。　　Is　he　also　a　friend？　　What

would　he　with　us？〃



So　Hallblithe　turned　about；　and　beheld　the　Puny　Fox　beside　him；　who

took　up　the　word　and　spoke；　smiling　as　a　man　in　great　glee：　　〃O

maiden　of　the　Rose；　I　am　Hallblithe's　thrall；　and　his　scholar；　to

unlearn　the　craft　of　lying；　whereby　I　have　done　amiss　towards　both

him　and　thee。　　Whereof　I　will　tell　thee　all　the　tale　soon。　　But　now　I

will　say　that　it　is　true　that　we　depart　to…morrow　for　Cleveland　by

the　Sea；　thou　and　he；　and　I　in　company。　　Now　I　would　ask　thee；

Hallblithe；　if　thou　wouldst　have　me　bestow　this　gift　of　thine　in

safe…keeping　to…night；　since　there　is　an　end　of　her　sitting　in　the

hall　like　a　graven　image：　　and　to…morrow　the　way　will　be　long　and

wearisome；　What　sayest　thou？〃



Said　the　Hostage：　　〃Shall　I　trust　this　man　and　go　with　him？〃



〃Yea；　thou　shalt　trust　him；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃for　he　is　trusty。　　And

even　were　he　not；　it　is　meet　for　us　of　the　Raven　and　the　Rose　to　do

as　our　worth　biddeth　us；　and　not　to　fear　this　folk。　　And　it　behoveth

us　to　do　after　their　customs　since　we　are　in　their　house。〃



〃That　is　sooth；〃　she　said；　〃big　man；　lead　me　out　of　the　hall　to　my

place。　　Farewell；　Hallblithe；　for　a　little　while；　and　then　shall

there　be　no　more　sundering　for　us。〃



Therewith　she　departed　with　the　Puny　Fox；　and　Hallblithe　went　back　to

the　high…seat　and　sat　down　by　the　Erne；　who　laughed　on　him　and　said：

〃Thou　hast　taken　my　gift；　and　that　is　well：　　yet　shall　I　tell　thee

that　I　would　not　have　given　it　to　thee　if　I　could　have　kept　it　for

myself　in　such　plight　as　thou　wilt　have　it。　　But　all　I　could　do；　and

the　Puny　Fox　to　help　withal；　availed　me　nought。　　So　good　luck　go　with

thine　hands。　　Now　will　we　to　bed；　and　to…morrow　I　will　lead　thee　out

on　thy　way；　for　to　say　sooth；　there　be　some　here　who　are　not　well

pleased　with　either　thee　or　me；　and　thou　knowest　that　words　are

wasted　on　wilful　men；　but　that　deeds　may　avail　somewhat。〃



Therewith　he　cried　out　for　the　cup　of　good…night；　and　when　it　was

drunken；　Hallblithe　was　shown　to　a　fair　shut…bed；　even　that　wherein

he　had　lain　aforetime；　and　there　he　went　to　sleep　in　joy；　and　in　good

liking　with　all　men。







CHAPTER　XXII：　　THEY　GO　FROM　THE　ISLE　OF　RANSOM　AND　COME　TO　CLEVELAND

BY　THE　SEA







In　the　morning　early　Hallblithe　arose　from　his　bed；　and　when　he　came

into　the　mid…hall；　there　was　the　Puny　Fox　and　the　Hostage　with　him；

Hallblithe　kissed　her　and　embraced　her；　and　she　him；　yet　not　like

lovers　long　sundered；　but　as　a　man　and　maid　betrothed　are　wont　to　do；

for　there　were　folk　coming　and　going　about　the　hall。　　Then　spake　the

Puny　Fox：　　〃The　Erne　is　abiding　us　out　in　the　meadow　yonder；　for　now

nought　will　serve　him　but　he　must　needs　go　under　the　earth…collar

with　us。　　How　sayest　thou；　is　he　enough　thy　friend？〃



Said　Hallblithe；　smiling　on　the　Hostage：　　〃What　hast　thou　to　say　to

it；　beloved？〃



〃Nought　at　all；〃　she　said；　〃if　thou　art　friend　to　any　of　these　men。

I　may　deem　that　I　have　somewhat　against　the　chieftain；　whereof　belike

this　big　man　may　tell　thee　hereafter；　but　even　so　much　meseemeth　I

have　against　this　man　himself；　who　is　now　become　thy　friend　and

scholar；　for　he　also　strove　for　my　beguilement；　and　that　not　for

himself；　but　for　another。〃



〃True　it　is；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃that　I　did　it　for　another；　even　as

yesterday　I　took　thy　mate　Hallblithe　out　of　the　trap　whereinto　he　had

strayed；　and　compassed　his　deliverance　by　means　of　the　unfaithful

battle；　and　even　as　I　would　have　stolen　thee　for　him；　O　Rose…maiden；

if　need　had　been；　yea；　even　if　I　must　have　smitten　into　ruin　the

roof…tree　of　the　Ravagers。　　And　how　could　I　tell　that　the　Erne　would

give　thee　up　unstolen？　　Yea；　thou　sayeth　sooth；　O　noble　and　spotless

maiden；　all　my　deeds；　both　good　and　ill；　have　I　done　for　others；　and

so　I　deem　it　shall　be　while　my　life　lasteth。〃