the story of the glittering plain-第5章

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

who　will　deal　with　thee　concerning　the　ransom。〃



〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃and　I　thank　thee　for　thy　leading：

and　as　for　thy　rough　and　uncomely　words　which　thou　hast　given　me；　I

pardon　thee　for　them：　　for　I　am　none　the　worse　of　them：　　forsooth；　if

I　had　been；　my　sword　would　have　had　a　voice　in　the　matter。〃



〃I　am　well　content　as　it　is；　Son　of　the　Raven；〃　quoth　Fox；　〃I　have

done　my　bidding　and　all　is　well。〃



〃Tell　me　then　who　it　is　hath　bidden　thee　bring　me　hither？〃



〃I　may　not　tell　thee；〃　said　Fox；　〃thou　art　here；　be　content；　as　I

am。〃



And　he　spake　no　more　till　they　had　come　to　the　reef　aforesaid；　which

was　some　two　furlongs　from　the　place　where　they　had　come　from　out　of

the　cave。　　There　then　they　set　forth　their　supper　on　the　stones；　and

ate　what　they　would；　and　drank　of　that　good　strong　wine　while　the

horn　bare　out。　　And　now　was　Fox　of　few　words；　and　when　Hallblithe

asked　him　concerning　that　land；　he　had　little　to　say。　　And　at　last

when　Hallblithe　asked　him　of　that　so　perilous　house　and　those　who

manned　it；　he　said　to　him：



〃Son　of　the　Raven；　it　avails　not　asking　of　these　matters；　for　if　I

tell　thee　aught　concerning　them　I　shall　tell　thee　lies。　　Once　again

let　it　be　enough　for　thee　that　thou　hast　passed　over　the　sea　safely

on　thy　quest；　and　a　more　perilous　sea　it　is　forsooth　than　thou

deemest。　　But　now　let　us　have　an　end　of　vain　words；　and　make　our　bed

amidst　these　stones　as　best　we　may；　for　we　should　be　stirring　betimes

in　the　morning。〃　　Hallblithe　said　little　in　answer；　and　they　arrayed

their　sleeping　places　cunningly；　as　the　hare　doth　her　form；　and　like

men　well　used　to　lying　abroad。



Hallblithe　was　very　weary　and　he　soon　fell　asleep；　and　as　he　lay

there；　he　dreamed　a　dream；　or　maybe　saw　a　vision；　whether　he　were

asleep　when　he　saw　it；　or　between　sleeping　and　waking；　I　know　not。

But　this　was　his　dream　or　his　vision；　that　the　Hostage　was　standing

over　him；　and　she　as　he　had　seen　her　but　yesterday；　bright…haired　and

ruddy…cheeked　and　white…skinned；　kind　of　hand　and　soft　of　voice；　and

she　said　to　him：　　〃Hallblithe；　look　on　me　and　hearken；　for　I　have　a

message　for　thee。〃　　And　he　looked　and　longed　for　her；　and　his　soul

was　ravished　by　the　sweetness　of　his　longing；　and　he　would　have　leapt

up　and　cast　his　arms　about　her；　but　sleep　and　the　dream　bound　him；

and　he　might　not。　　Then　the　image　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃Nay；　my

love；　lie　still；　for　thou　mayst　not　touch　me：　　here　is　but　the　image

of　the　body　which　thou　desirest。　　Hearken　then。　　I　am　in　evil　plight；

in　the　hands　of　strong…thieves　of　the　sea；　nor　know　I　what　they　will

do　with　me；　and　I　have　no　will　to　be　shamed；　to　be　sold　for　a　price

from　one　hand　to　another；　yet　to　be　bedded　without　a　price；　and　to

lie　beside　some　foe…man　of　our　folk；　and　he　to　cast　his　arms　about

me；　will　I；　will　I　not：　　this　is　a　hard　case。　　Therefore　to…morrow

morning　at　daybreak　while　men　sleep；　I　think　to　steal　forth　to　the

gunwale　of　the　black　ship　and　give　myself　to　the　gods；　that　they　and

not　these　runagates　may　be　masters　of　my　life　and　my　soul；　and　may　do

with　me　as　they　will：　　for　indeed　they　know　that　I　may　not　bear　the

strange　kinless　house；　and　the　love　and　caressing　of　the　alien　house…

master；　and　the　mocking　and　stripes　of　the　alien　house…mistress。

Therefore　let　the　Hoary　One　of　the　sea　take　me　and　look　to　my

matters；　and　carry　me　to　life　or　death；　which…so　he　will。　　Thin　now

grows　the　night；　but　lie　still　a　little　yet；　while　I　speak　another

word。



〃Maybe　we　shall　meet　alive　again；　and　maybe　not：　　and　if　not；　though

we　have　never　yet　lain　in　one　bed　together；　yet　I　would　have　thee

remember　me：　　yet　not　so　that　my　image　shall　come　between　thee　and

thy　speech…friend　and　bed…fellow　of　the　kindred；　that　shall　lie　where

I　was　to　have　lain。　　Yet　again；　if　I　live　and　thou　livest；　I　have

been　told　and　have　heard　that　by　one　way　or　other　I　am　like　to　come

to　the　Glittering　Plain；　and　the　Land　of　Living　Men。　　O　my　beloved；

if　by　any　way　thou　mightest　come　thither　also；　and　we　might　meet

there；　and　we　two　alive；　how　good　it　were！　　Seek　that　land　then；

beloved！　seek　it；　whether　or　no　we　once　more　behold　the　House　of　the

Rose；　or　tread　the　floor　of　the　Raven　dwelling。　　And　now　must　even

this　image　of　me　sunder　from　thee。　　Farewell！〃



Therewith　was　the　dream　done　and　the　vision　departed；　and　Hallblithe

sat　up　full　of　anguish　and　longing；　and　he　looked　about　him　over　the

dreary　land；　and　it　was　somewhat　light　and　the　sky　was　grown　grey　and

cloudy；　and　he　deemed　that　the　dawn　was　come。　　So　he　leapt　to　his

feet　and　stooped　down　over　Fox；　and　took　him　by　the　shoulder；　and

shook　him　and　said：　　〃Faring…fellow；　awake！　the　dawn　is　come；　and　we

have　much　to　do。〃



Fox　sat　up　and　growled　like　a　dog；　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked

about　him　and　said：　　〃Thou　hast　waked　me　for　nought：　　it　is　the　false

dawn　of　the　moon　that　shineth　now　behind　the　clouds　and　casteth　no

shadow；　it　is　but　an　hour　after　midnight。　　Go　to　sleep　again；　and　let

me　be；　else　will　I　not　be　a　guide　to　thee　when　the　day　comes。〃　　And

he　lay　down　and　was　asleep　at　once。　　Then　Hallblithe　went　and　lay

down　again　full　of　sorrow：　　Yet　so　weary　was　he　that　he　presently

fell　asleep；　and　dreamed　no　more。







CHAPTER　VI：　　OF　A　DWELLING　OF　MAN　ON　THE　ISLE　OF　RANSOM







When　he　awoke　again　the　sun　shone　on　him；　and　the　morning　was　calm

and　windless。　　He　sat　up　and　looked　about　him；　but　could　see　no　signs

of　Fox　save　the　lair　wherein　he　had　lain。　　So　he　arose　to　his　feet

and　sought　for　him　about　the　crannies　of　the　rocks；　and　found　him

not；　and　he　shouted　for　him；　and　had　no　answer。　　Then　he　said；

〃Belike　he　has　gone　down　to　the　boat　to　put　a　thing　in；　or　take　a

thing　out。〃　　So　he　went　his　ways　to　the　stair　down　into　the　water…

cave；　and　he　called　on　Fox　from　the　top　of　the　stair；　and　had　no

answer。



So　he　went　down　that　long　stair　with　a　misgiving　in　his　heart；　and

when　he　came　to　the　last　step　there　was　neither　man　nor　boat；　nor

aught　else　save　the　water　and　the　living　rock。　　Then　was　he　exceeding

wroth；　for　he　knew　that　he　had　been　beguiled；　and　he　was　in　an　evil

case；　left　alone　on　an　Isle　that　he　knew　not；　a　waste　and　desolate

land；　where　it　seemed　most　like　he　should　die　of　famine。



He　wasted　no　breath　or　might　now　in　crying　out　for　Fox；　or　seeking

him；　for　he　said　to　himself：　　〃I　might　well　have　known　that　he　was

false　and　a　liar；　whereas　he　could　scarce　refrain　his　joy　at　my　folly

and　his　guile。　　Now　is　it　for　me　to　strive　for　life　against　death。〃



Then　he　turned　and　went　slowly　up　the　stair；　and　came　out　on　to　the

open　face　of　that　Isle；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　waste　indeed；　and

dreadful：　　a　wilderness　of　black　sand　and　stones　and　ice…borne　rocks；

with　here　and　there　a　little　grass　growing　in　the　hollows；　and　here

and　there　a　dreary　mire　where　the　white…tufted　rushes　shook　in　the

wind；　and　here　and　there　stretches　of　moss　blended　with　red…blossomed

sengreen；　and　otherwhere　nought　but　the　wind…bitten　creeping　willow

clinging　to　the　black　sand；　with　a　white　bleached　stick　and　a　leaf　or

two；　and　again　a　stick　and　a　leaf。　　In　the　offing　looking　landward

were　great　mountains；　some　very　great　and　snow…capped；　some　bare　to

the　tops；　and　all　that　was　far　away；　save　the　snow；　was　deep…blue　in

the　sunny　morning。　　But　about　him　on　the　heath　were　scattered　rocks

like　the　reef　beneath　which　he　had　slept　the　last　night；　and　peaks；

and　hammers；　and　knolls　of　uncouth　shapes。



Then　he　went　to　the　edge　of　the　cliffs　and　looked　down　on　the　sea

which　lay　wrinkled　and　rippling　on　toward　the　shore　far　below　him；

and　long　he　gazed　thereon　and　all　about；　but　could　see　neither　ship

nor　sail；　nor　aught　else　save　the　washing　of　waves　and　the　hovering

of　sea　fowl。



Then　he　said：　　〃Were　it　not　well　if　I　were　to　seek　that　house…master

of　whom　Fox　spake？　　Might　he　not　flit　me　at　least　to