the story of the glittering plain-第4章

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mountains　rising　beyond　it。〃



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

drawest　thereto；　for　it　is　not　because　we　are　far　away　that　thou

canst　see　no　beach　or　strand；　or　sloping　of　the　land　seaward；　but

because　there　is　nought　of　all　these　things。　　Yet　fear　not！　am　I　not

with　thee？　thou　shalt　come　ashore　on　the　Isle　of　Ransom。〃



Then　Hallblithe　held　his　peace；　and　the　other　spake　not　for　a　while；

but　gave　a　short　laugh　once　or　twice；　and　said　at　last　in　a　big

voice；　〃Little　Carrion…biter；　why　dost　thou　not　ask　me　of　my　name？〃



Now　Hallblithe　was　a　tall　man　and　a　fell　fighter；　but　he　said：

〃Because　I　was　thinking　of　other　things　and　not　of　thee。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　big　man；　in　a　voice　still　louder；　〃when　I　am　at　home

men　call　me　the　Puny　Fox。〃



Then　Hallblithe　said：　　〃Art　thou　a　Fox？　　It　may　well　be　that　thou

shalt　beguile　me　as　such　beasts　will　but　look　to　it；　that　if　thou

dost　I　shall　know　how　to　avenge　me。〃



Then　rose　up　the　big　man　from　the　helm；　and　straddled　wide　in　the

boat；　and　cried　out　in　a　great　roaring　voice：　　〃Crag…nester；　I　am　one

of　seven　brethren；　and　the　smallest　and　weakest　of　them。　　Art　thou

not　afraid？〃



〃No；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃for　the　six　others　are　not　here。　　Wilt　thou

fight　here　in　boat；　O　Fox？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Fox；　〃rather　we　will　drink　a　cup　of　wine　together。〃



So　he　opened　the　locker　again　and　drew　out　thence　a　great　horn　of

some　huge　neat　of　the　outlands；　which　was　girthed　and　stopped　with

silver；　and　also　a　golden　cup；　and　he　filled　the　cup　from　the　horn

and　gave　it　into　Hallblithe's　hand　and　said：　　〃Drink；　O　black…fledged

nestling！　　But　call　a　health　over　the　cup　if　thou　wilt。〃　　So

Hallblithe　raised　the　cup　aloft　and　cried：　　〃Health　to　the　House　of

the　Raven　and　to　them　that　love　it！　an　ill　day　to　its　foemen！〃　　Then

he　set　his　lips　to　the　cup　and　drank；　and　that　wine　seemed　to　him

better　and　stronger　than　any　he　had　ever　tasted。　　But　when　he　had

given　the　cup　back　again　to　Fox；　that　red　one　filled　it　again；　and

cried　over　it；　〃The　Treasure　of　the　Sea！　and　the　King　that　dieth

not！〃　　Then　he　drank；　and　filled　again　for　Hallblithe；　and　steered

with　his　knees　meanwhile；　and　thus　they　drank　three　cups　each；　and

Fox　smiled　and　was　peaceful　and　said　but　little；　but　Hallblithe　sat

wondering　how　the　world　was　changed　for　him　since　yesterday。



But　now　was　the　sky　blown　all　clear　of　clouds　and　the　wind　piped

shrill　behind　them；　and　the　great　waves　rose　and　fell　about　them；　and

the　sun　glittered　on　them　in　many　colours。　　Fast　flew　the　boat　before

the　wind　as　though　it　would　never　stop；　and　the　day　was　waning；　and

the　wind　still　rising；　and　now　the　Isle　of　Ransom　uphove　huge　before

them；　and　coal…black；　and　no　beach　and　no　haven　was　to　be　seen

therein；　and　still　they　ran　before　the　wind　towards　that　black　cliff…

wall；　against　which　the　sea　washed　for　ever；　and　no　keel　ever　built

by　man　might　live　for　one　moment　'twixt　the　surf　and　the　cliff　of

that　grim　land。　　The　sun　grew　low；　and　sank　red　under　the　sea；　and

that　world　of　stone　swallowed　up　half　the　heavens　before　them；　for

they　were　now　come　very　nigh　thereto；　nor　could　Hallblithe　see　aught

for　it；　but　that　they　must　be　dashed　against　the　cliff　and　perish　in

a　moment　of　time。



Still　the　boat　flew　on；　but　now　when　the　twilight　was　come；　and　they

had　just　opened　up　along　reach　of　the　cliff　that　lay　beyond　a　high

ness；　Hallblithe　thought　he　saw　down　by　the　edge　of　the　sea　something

darker　than　the　face　of　the　rock…wall；　and　he　deemed　it　was　a　cave：

they　came　a　little　nearer　and　he　saw　it　was　a　great　cave　high　enough

to　let　a　round…ship　go　in　with　all　her　sails　set。



〃Son　of　the　Raven；〃　quoth　Fox；　〃hearken；　for　thy　heart　is　not　little。

Yonder　is　the　gate　into　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　and　if　thou　wilt；　thou

mayst　go　through　it。　　Yet　it　may　be　that　if　thou　goest　ashore　on　to

the　Isle　something　grievous　shall　befall　thee；　a　trouble　more　than

thou　canst　bear：　　a　shame　it　may　be。　　Now　there　are　two　choices　for

thee：　　either　to　go　up　on　to　the　Isle　and　face　all；　or　to　die　here　by

my　hand　having　done　nothing　unmanly　or　shameful：　　What　sayest　thou？〃



〃Thou　art　of　many　words　when　time　so　presses；　Fox；〃　said　Hallblithe。

〃Why　should　I　not　choose　to　go　up　on　to　the　Island　to　deliver　my

trothplight　maiden？　　For　the　rest；　slay　me　if　thou　canst；　if　we　come

alive　out　of　this　cauldron　of　waters。〃



Said　the　big　red　man：　　〃Look　on　then；　and　note　Fox　how　he　steereth；

as　it　were　through　a　needle's　eye。〃



Now　were　they　underneath　the　black　shadow　of　the　black　cliff　and

amidst　the　twilight　the　surf　was　tossed　about　like　white　fire。　　In

the　lower　heavens　the　stars　were　beginning　to　twinkle　and　the　moon

was　bright　and　yellow；　and　aloft　all　was　peaceful；　for　no　cloud

sullied　the　sky。　　One　moment　Hallblithe　saw　all　this　hanging　above

the　turmoil　of　thundering　water　and　dripping　rock　and　the　next　he　was

in　the　darkness　of　the　cave；　the　roaring　wind　and　the　waves　still

making　thunder　about　him；　though　of　a　different　voice　from　the　harsh

hubbub　without。　　Then　he　heard　Fox　say：　　〃Sit　down　now　and　take　the

oars；　for　presently　shall　we　be　at　home　at　the　landing　place。〃



So　Hallblithe　took　the　oars　and　rowed；　and　as　they　went　up　the　cave

the　sea　fell；　and　the　wind　died　out　into　the　aimless　gustiness　of

hollow　places；　and　for　a　little　while　was　all　as　dark　as　dark　might

be。　　Then　Hallblithe　saw　that　the　darkness　grew　a　little　greyer；　and

he　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　a　star　of　light　before　the　bows

of　the　boat；　and　Fox　cried　out：　　〃Yea；　it　is　like　day；　bright　will

the　moon　be　for　such　as　needs　must　be　wayfaring　to…night！　　Cease

rowing；　O　Son　of　the　coal…blue　fowl；　for　there　is　way　enough　on　her。〃



Then　Hallblithe　lay　on　his　oars；　and　in　a　minute　the　bows　smote　the

land；　then　he　turned　about　and　saw　a　steep　stair　of　stone；　and　up　the

sloping　shaft　thereof　the　moonlit　sky　and　the　bright　stars。　　Then　Fox

arose　and　came　forward　and　leapt　out　of　the　boat　and　moored　her　to　a

big　stone：　　then　he　leapt　back　again　and　said：　　〃Bear　a　hand　with　the

victuals；　we　must　bring　them　out　of　the　boat　unless　thou　wilt　sleep

supperless；　as　I　will　not。　　For　to…night　must　we　be　guests　to

ourselves；　since　it　is　far　to　the　dwelling　of　my　people；　and　the　old

man　is　said　to　be　a　skin…changer；　a　flit…by…night。　　And　as　to　this

cave；　it　is　deemed　to　be　nowise　safe　to　sleep　therein；　unless　the

sleeper　have　a　double　share　of　luck。　　And　thy　luck；　meseemeth；　O　Son

of　the　Raven；　is　as　now　somewhat　less　than　a　single　share。　　So　to…

night　we　shall　sleep　under　the　naked　heaven。〃



Hallblithe　yea…said　this；　and　they　took　the　meat　and　drink；　such　as

they　needed；　from　out　the　boat；　and　climbed　the　steep　stair　no　little

way；　and　so　came　out　on　to　a　plain　place；　which　seemed　to　Hallblithe

bare　and　waste　so　far　as　he　saw　it　by　the　moonlight；　for　the　twilight

was　gone　now；　and　nought　was　left　of　the　light　of　day　save　a　glimmer

in　the　west。



This　Hallblithe　deemed　wonderful；　that　no　less　out　on　the　open　heath

and　brow　of　the　land　than　in　the　shut…in　cave；　all　that　tumult　of　the

wind　had　fallen；　and　the　cloudless　night　was　calm；　and　with　a　little

air　blowing　from　the　south　and　the　landward。



Therewithal　was　Fox　done　with　his　loud…voiced　braggart　mood；　and

spoke　gently　and　peaceably　like　to　a　wayfarer；　who　hath　business　of

his　to　look　to　as　other　men。　　Now　he　pointed　to　certain　rocks　or　low

crags　that　a　little　way　off　rose　like　a　reef　out　of　the　treeless

plain；　then　said　he：　　〃Shipmate；　underneath　yonder　rocks　is　our

resting…place　for　to…night；　and　I　pray　thee　not　to　deem　me　churlish

that　I　give　thee　no　better　harbour。　　But　I　have　a　charge　over　thee　to

bring　thee　safe　thus　far　on　thy　quest；　and　thou　wouldst　find　it　hard

to　live　among　such　housemates　as　thou　wouldst　find　up　yonder　amongst

our　folks　to…night。　　But　tomorrow　shalt　thou　come　to　speech　with　him

who　will　deal　with　thee　concerning　the　ransom。〃



〃It　is