the story of the glittering plain-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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



Then　Hallblithe　laughed　and　said：　　〃Art　thou　nettled；　fellow…in…arms；

at　the　word　of　a　woman　who　knoweth　thee　not？　　She　shall　yet　be　thy

friend；　O　Fox。　　But　tell　me；　beloved；　I　deemed　that　thou　hadst　not

seen　Fox　before；　how　then　can　he　have　helped　the　Erne　against　thee？〃



〃Yet　she　sayeth　sooth；〃　said　Fox；　〃this　was　of　my　sleight：　　for　when

I　had　to　come　before　her；　I　changed　my　skin；　as　I　well　know　how；

there　are　others　in　this　land　who　can　do　so　much　as　that。　　But　what

sayest　thou　concerning　the　brotherhood　with　the　Erne？〃



〃Let　it　be　so；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃he　is　manly　and　true；　though

masterful；　and　is　meet　for　this　land　of　his。　　I　shall　not　fall　out

with　him；　for　seldom　meseemeth　shall　I　see　the　Isle　of　Ransom。〃



〃And　I　never　again；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox。



〃Dost　thou　loathe　it；　then；〃　said　the　Hostage；　〃because　of　the　evil

thou　hast　done　therein？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　he；　〃what　is　the　evil；　when　henceforth　I　shall　do　but

good？　　Nay；　I　love　the　land。　　Belike　thou　deemest　it　but　dreary　with

its　black　rocks　and　black　sand；　and　treeless　wind…swept　dales；　but　I

know　it　in　summer　and　winter；　and　sun　and　shade；　in　storm　and　calm。

And　I　know　where　the　fathers　dwelt　and　the　sons　of　their　sons'　sons

have　long　lain　in　the　earth。　　I　have　sailed　its　windiest　firths；　and

climbed　its　steepest　crags；　and　ye　may　well　wot　that　it　hath　a

friendly　face　to　me；　and　the　land…wights　of　the　mountains　will　be

sorry　for　my　departure。〃



So　he　spake；　and　Hallblithe　would　have　answered　him；　but　by　now　were

they　come　to　a　grassy　hollow　amidst　the　dale；　where　the　Erne　had

already　made　the　earth…yoke　ready。　　To　wit；　he　had　loosened　a　strip

of　turf　all　save　the　two　ends；　and　had　propped　it　up　with　two　ancient

dwarf…wrought　spears；　so　that　amidmost　there　was　a　lintel　to　go

under。



So　when　he　saw　those　others　coming；　he　gave　them　the　sele　of　the　day；

and　said　to　Hallblithe：　　〃What　is　it　to　be？　shall　I　be　less　than　thy

brother…in…arms　henceforward？〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Not　a　whit　less。　　It　is　good　to　have　brothers　in

other　lands　than　one。〃



So　they　made　no　delay；　but　clad　in　all　their　war…gear；　they　went

under　the　earth…yoke　one　after　the　other；　thereafter　they　stood

together；　and　each　let　blood　in　his　arm；　so　that　the　blood　of　all

three　mingled　together　fell　down　on　the　grass　of　the　ancient　earth；

and　they　swore　friendship　and　brotherhood　each　to　each。



But　when　all　was　done　the　Erne　spake：　　〃Brother　Hallblithe；　as　I　lay

awake　in　bed　this　morning　I　deemed　that　I　would　take　ship　with　thee

to　Cleveland　by　the　Sea；　that　I　might　dwell　there　a　while。　　But　when

I　came　out　of　the　hall；　and　saw　the　dale　lying　green　betwixt　hill…

side　and　hill…side；　and　the　glittering　river　running　down　amidmost；

and　the　sheep　and　kine　and　horses　feeding　up　and　down　on　either　side

the　water：　　and　I　looked　up　at　the　fells　and　saw　how　deep　blue　they

stood　up　against　the　snowy　peaks；　and　I　thought　of　all　our　deeds　on

the　deep　sea；　and　the　merry　nights；　in　yonder　abode　of　men：　　then　I

thought　that　I　would　not　leave　the　kindred；　were　it　but　for　a　while；

unless　war　and　lifting　called　me。　　So　now　I　will　ride　with　thee　to

the　ship；　and　then　farewell　to　thee。〃



〃It　is　good；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃though　not　as　good　as　it　might　be。

Glad　had　we　been　with　thee　in　the　hall　of　the　Ravens。〃



As　he　spoke　drew　anigh　the　carles　leading　the　horses；　and　with　them

came　six　of　those　damsels　whom　the　Erne　had　given　to　Hallblithe　the

night　before；　two　of　whom　asked　to　be　brought　to　their　kindred　over

sea；　but　the　other　four　were　fain　to　go　with　Hallblithe　and　the

Hostage；　and　become　their　sisters　at　Cleveland　by　the　Sea。



So　then　they　got　to　horse　and　rode　down　the　dale　toward　the　haven；

and　the　carles　rode　with　them；　so　that　of　weaponed　men　they　were　a

score　in　company。　　But　when　they　were　half…way　to　the　haven　they　saw

where　hard　by　three　knolls　on　the　way…side　were　men　standing　with

their　weapons　and　war…gear　glittering　in　the　sun。　　So　the　Erne

laughed　and　said：　　〃Shall　we　have　a　word　with　War…brand　then？〃



But　they　rode　steadily　on　their　way；　and　when　they　came　up　to　the

knolls　they　saw　that　it　was　War…brand　indeed　with　a　score　of　men　at

his　back；　but　they　stirred　not　when　they　saw　Erne's　company　that　it

was　great。　　Then　Erne　laughed　aloud　and　cried　out　in　a　big　voice；

〃What；　lads！　ye　ride　early　this　morning；　are　there　foemen　abroad　in

the　Isle？〃



They　shrank　back　before　him；　but　a　carle　of　those　who　was　hindermost

cried　out：　　〃Art　thou　coming　back　to　us；　Erne；　or　have　thy　new

friends　bought　thee　to　lead　them　in　battle？〃



〃Fear　it　nought；〃　quoth　Erne；　〃I　shall　be　back　before　the　shepherd's

noon。〃



So　they　went　their　ways　and　came　to　the　haven；　and　there　lay　the

Flaming　Sword；　and　beside　her　a　trim　bark；　not　right　great；　all　ready

for　sea：　　and　Hallblithe's　skiff　was　made　fast　to　her　for　an　after…

boat。



Then　the　Hostage　and　Hallblithe　and　the　six　damsels　went　aboard　her；

and　when　the　Erne　had　bidden　them　farewell；　they　cast　off　the　hawsers

and　thrust　her　out　through　the　haven…mouth；　but　ere　they　had　got

midmost　of　the　haven；　they　saw　the　Erne；　that　he　had　turned　about；

and　was　riding　up　the　dale　with　his　house…carles；　and　each　man's

weapon　was　shining　in　his　hand：　　and　they　wondered　if　he　were　riding

to　battle　with　War…brand；　and　Fox　said：　　〃Meseemeth　our　brother…in…

arms　hath　in　his　mind　to　give　those　waylayers　an　evil　minute；　and

verily　he　is　the　man　to　do　the　same。〃



So　they　gat　them　out　of　the　haven；　and　the　ebb…tide　drave　out　seaward

strongly；　and　the　wind　was　fair　for　Cleveland　by　the　Sea；　and　they

ran　speedily　past　the　black　cliffs　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　and　soon

were　they　hull　down　behind　them。　　But　on　the　afternoon　of　the　next

day　they　hove　up　the　land　of　the　kindreds；　and　by　sunset　they　beached

their　ship　on　the　sand　by　the　Rollers　of　the　Raven；　and　went　ashore

without　more　ado。　　And　the　strand　was　empty　of　all　men；　even　as　on

the　day　when　Hallblithe　first　met　the　Puny　Fox。　　So　then　in　the　cool

of　the　evening　they　went　up　toward　the　House　of　the　Raven。　　Those

damsels　went　together　hand　in　hand　two　by　two；　and　Hallblithe　held

the　Hostage　by　the　hand；　but　the　Puny　Fox　went　along　beside　them；

gleeful　and　of　many　words；　telling　them　tales　of　his　wiles　and　his

craft；　and　his　skin…changing。



〃But　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　have　left　all　that　behind　me　in　the　Isle　of

Ransom；　and　have　but　one　shape；　and　I　would　for　your　behoof　that　it

were　a　goodlier　one：　　and　but　one　wisdom　have　I；　even　that　which

dwelleth　in　mine　own　head…bone。　　Yet　it　may　be　that　this　may　avail

you　one　time　or　other。　　But　lo　you！　though　I　am　thy　thrall；　have　I

not　the　look　of　a　thrall…huckster　from　over　sea　leading　up　my　wares

to　the　cheaping…stead？〃　　They　laughed　at　his　words　and　were　merry；

and　much　love　there　was　amongst　them　as　they　went　up　to　the　House　of

the　Raven。



But　when　they　came　thither　they　went　into　the　garth；　and　there　was　no

man　therein；　for　it　was　now　dusk；　and　the　windows　of　the　long　hall

were　yellow　with　candle…light。　　Then　said　Fox：　　〃Abide　ye　here　a

little；　for　I　would　go　into　the　hall　alone　and　see　the　conditions　of

thy　people；　O　Hallblithe。〃



〃Go　thou；　then；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　be　not　rash。　　I　counsel　thee；

for　our　folk　are　not　over…patient　when　they　deem　they　have　a　foe

before　them。〃



The　Puny　Fox　laughed；　and　said：　　〃So　it　is　then　the　world　over；　that

happy　men　are　wilful　and　masterful。〃



Then　he　drew　his　sword　and　smote　on　the　door　with　the　pommel；　and　the

door　opened　to　him　and　in　he　went：　　and　he　found　that　fair　hall　full

of　folk　and　bright　with　candles；　and　he　stood　amidst　the　floor；　all

men　looked　on　him；　and　many　knew　him　at　once　to　be　a　man　of　the

Ravagers；　and　silence　fell　upon　the　hall；　but　no　man　stirred　hand

against　him。　　Then　he　said：　　〃Will　ye　hearken　to　the　word　of　an　evil

man；　a　robber　of　the　folks？〃



Spake　the　chiefta