the story of the glittering plain-第6章

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

Glittering　Plain？　　Woe　is　me！　now　am　I　of　that　woful　company；　and　I

also　must　needs　cry　out；　Where　is　the　land？　　Where　is　the　land？〃



Therewith　he　turned　toward　the　reef　above　their　lair；　but　as　he　went

he　thought　and　said：　　〃Nay；　but　was　not　this　Stead　a　lie　like　the

rest　of　Fox's　tale？　and　am　I　not　alone　in　this　sea…girt　wilderness？

Yea；　and　even　that　image　of　my　Beloved　which　I　saw　in　the　dream；

perchance　that　also　was　a　mere　beguiling；　for　now　I　see　that　the　Puny

Fox　was　in　all　ways　wiser　than　is　meet　and　comely。〃　　Yet　again　he

said：　　〃At　least　I　will　seek　on；　and　find　out　whether　there　be

another　man　dwelling　on　this　hapless　Isle；　and　then　the　worst　of　it

will　be　battle　with　him；　and　death　by　point　and　edge　rather　than　by

hunger；　or　at　the　best　we　may　become　friends　and　fellows　and　deliver

each　other。〃　　Therewith　he　came　to　the　reef；　and　with　much　ado

climbed　to　the　topmost　of　its　rocks　and　looked　down　thence　landward：

and　betwixt　him　and　the　mountains；　and　by　seeming　not　very　far　off；

he　saw　smoke　arising：　　but　no　house　he　saw；　nor　any　other　token　of　a

dwelling。　　So　he　came　down　from　the　stone　and　turned　his　back　upon

the　sea　and　went　toward　that　smoke　with　his　sword　in　its　sheath；　and

his　spear　over　his　shoulder。　　Rough　and　toilsome　was　the　way：　　three

little　dales　he　crossed　amidst　the　mountain　necks；　each　one　narrow

and　bare；　with　a　stream　of　water　amidst；　running　seaward；　and　whether

in　dale　or　on　ridge；　he　went　ever　amidst　sand　and　stones；　and　the

weeds　of　the　wilderness；　and　saw　no　man；　or　man…tended　beast。



At　last；　after　he　had　been　four　hours　on　the　way；　but　had　not　gone

very　far；　he　topped　a　stony　bent；　and　from　the　brow　thereof　beheld　a

wide　valley　grass…grown　for　the　more　part；　with　a　river　running

through　it；　and　sheep　and　kine　and　horses　feeding　up　and　down　it。

And　amidst　this　dale　by　the　stream…side；　was　a　dwelling　of　men；　a

long　hall　and　other　houses　about　it　builded　of　stone。



Then　was　Hallblithe　glad；　and　he　strode　down　the　bent　speedily；　his

war…gear　clashing　upon　him：　　and　as　he　came　to　the　foot　thereof　and

on　to　the　grass　of　the　dale；　he　got　amongst　the　pasturing　horses；　and

passed　close　by　the　horse…herd　and　a　woman　that　was　with　him。　　They

scowled　at　him　as　he　went　by；　but　meddled　not　with　him　in　any　way。

Although　they　were　giant…like　of　stature　and　fierce　of　face；　they

were　not　ill…favoured：　　they　were　red…haired；　and　the　woman　as　white

as　cream　where　the　sun　had　not　burned　her　skin；　they　had　no　weapons

that　Hallblithe　might　see　save　the　goad　in　the　hand　of　the　carle。



So　Hallblithe　passed　on　and　came　to　the　biggest　house；　the　hall

aforesaid：　　it　was　very　long；　and　low　as　for　its　length；　not　over

shapely　of　fashion；　a　mere　gabled　heap　of　stones。　　Low　and　strait　was

the　door　thereinto；　and　as　Hallblithe　entered　stooping　lowly；　and　the

fire　of　the　steel　of　his　spear　that　he　held　before　him　was　quenched

in　the　mirk　of　the　hall；　he　smiled　and　said　to　himself：　　〃Now　if

there　were　one　anigh　who　would　not　have　me　enter　alive；　and　he　with　a

weapon　in　his　hand；　soon　were　all　the　tale　told。〃　　But　he　got　into

the　hall　unsmitten；　and　stood　on　the　floor　thereof；　and　spake：　　〃The

sele　of　the　day　to　whomsoever　is　herein！　　Will　any　man　speak　to　the

new　comer？〃



But　none　answered　or　gave　him　greeting；　and　as　his　eyes　got　used　to

the　dusk　of　the　hall；　he　looked　about　him；　and　neither　on　the　floor

or　the　high　seat　nor　in　any　ingle　could　he　see　a　man；　and　there　was

silence　there；　save　for　the　crackling　of　the　flickering　flame　on　the

hearth　amidmost；　and　the　running　of　the　rats　behind　the　panelling　of

the　walls。



On　one　side　of　the　hall　was　a　row　of　shut…beds；　and　Hallblithe　deemed

that　there　might　be　men　therein；　but　since　none　had　greeted　him　he

refrained　him　from　searching　them　for　fear　of　a　trap；　and　he　thought；

〃I　will　abide　amidst　the　floor；　and　if　there　be　any　that　would　deal

with　me；　friend　or　foe；　let　him　come　hither　to　me。〃



So　he　fell　to　walking　up　and　down　the　hall　from　buttery　to　dais；　and

his　war…gear　rattled　upon　him。　　At　last　as　he　walked　he　thought　he

heard　a　small　thin　peevish　voice；　which　yet　was　too　husky　for　the

squeak　of　a　rat。　　So　he　stayed　his　walk　and　stood　still；　and　said：

〃Will　any　man　speak　to　Hallblithe；　a　newcomer；　and　a　stranger　in　this

Stead？〃



Then　that　small　voice　made　a　word　and　said：　　〃Why　paceth　the　fool　up

and　down　our　hall；　doing　nothing；　even　as　the　Ravens　flap　croaking

about　the　crags；　abiding　the　war…mote　and　the　clash　of　the　fallow

blades？〃



Said　Hallblithe；　and　his　voice　sounded　big　in　the　hall：　　〃Who　calleth

Hallblithe　a　fool　and　mocketh　at　the　sons　of　the　Raven？〃



Spake　the　voice：　　〃Why　cometh　not　the　fool　to　the　man　that　may　not　go

to　him？〃



Then　Hallblithe　bent　forward　to　hearken；　and　he　deemed　that　the　voice

came　from　one　of　the　shut…beds；　so　he　leaned　his　spear　against　a

pillar；　and　went　into　the　shut…bed　he　had　noted；　and　saw　where　there

lay　along　in　it　a　man　exceeding　old　by　seeming；　sore　wasted；　with

long　hair　as　white　as　snow　lying　over　the　bed…clothes。



When　the　elder　saw　Hallblithe；　he　laughed　a　thin　cracked　laugh　as　if

in　mockery　and　said：　　〃Hail　newcomer！　wilt　thou　eat？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃Go　thou　into　the　buttery　then；〃　said　the　old　carle；　〃and　there　shalt

thou　find　on　the　cupboard　cakes　and　curds　and　cheese：　　eat　thy　fill；

and　when　thou　hast　done；　look　in　the　ingle；　and　thou　shalt　see　a　cask

of　mead　exceeding　good；　and　a　stoup　thereby；　and　two　silver　cups；

fill　the　stoup　and　bring　it　hither　with　the　cups；　and　then　may　we

talk　amidst　of　drinking；　which　is　good　for　an　old　carle。　　Hasten

thou！　or　I　shall　deem　thee　a　double　fool　who　will　not　fare　to　fetch

his　meat；　though　he　be　hungry。〃



Then　Hallblithe　laughed；　and　went　down　the　hall　into　the　buttery　and

found　the　meat；　and　ate　his　fill；　and　came　away　with　the　drink　back

to　the　Long…hoary　man；　who　chuckled　as　he　came　and　said：　　〃Fill　up

now　for　thee　and　for　me；　and　call　a　health　to　me　and　wish　me

somewhat。〃



〃I　wish　thee　luck；〃　said　Hallblithe；　and　drank。　　Said　the　elder：

〃And　I　wish　thee　more　wits；　is　luck　all　that　thou　mayst　wish　me？

What　luck　may　an　outworn　elder　have？〃



〃Well　then；〃　quoth　Hallblithe；　〃what　shall　I　wish　thee？　　Wouldst　thou

have　me　wish　thee　youth？〃



〃Yea；　certes；〃　said　the　Long…hoary；　〃that　and　nought　else。〃



〃Youth　then　I　wish　thee；　if　it　may　avail　thee　aught；〃　said

Hallblithe；　and　he　drank　again　therewith。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　the　old　carle　peevishly；　〃take　a　third　cup；　and　wish

me　youth　with　no　idle　words　tacked　thereto。〃



Said　Hallblithe　raising　the　cup：　　〃Herewith　I　wish　thee　youth！〃　and

he　drank。



〃Good　is　the　wish；〃　said　the　elder；　〃now　ask　thou　the　old　carle

whatso　thou　wilt。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃What　is　this　land　called？〃



〃Son；〃　said　the　other；　〃hast　thou　heard　it　called　the　Isle　of

Ransom？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　what　wilt　thou　call　it？〃



〃By　no　other　name；〃　said　the　hoary　carle。



〃It　is　far　from　other　lands？〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃Yea；〃　said　the　carle；　〃when　the　light　winds　blow；　and　the　ships　sail

slow。〃



〃What　do　ye　who　live　here？〃　said　Hallblithe。　　〃How　do　ye　live；　what

work　win　ye？〃



〃We　win　diverse　work；〃　said　the　elder；　〃but　the　gainfullest　is

robbing　men　by　the　high　hand。〃



〃Is　it　ye　who　have　stolen　from　me　the　Hostage　of　the　Rose？〃　said

Hallblithe。



Said　the　Long…hoary；　〃Maybe；　I　wot　not；　in　diverse　ways　my　kinsmen

traffic；　and　they　visit　many　lands。　　Why　should　they　not　have　come　to

Cleveland　also？〃



〃Is　she　in　this　Isle；　thou　old　runagate？〃　said　Hallblithe。



〃She　is　not；　thou　young　fool；〃　said　the　elder。　　Then　Hallblithe

flushed　red　and　spake：　　〃Knowest　thou　the　Puny　Fox？〃



〃How　should　I　not？〃　said　the　carle；　〃since　he　is　the　son　of　one　of　my

sons。〃



〃Dost　thou　call　him　a　liar　and　a　rogue？〃　said　Hallblithe