the story of the glittering plain-第7章

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〃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。



The　elder　laughed；　〃Else　were　I　a　fool；〃　said　he；　〃there　are　few

bigger　liars　or　bigger　rogues　than　the　Puny　Fox！〃



〃Is　he　here　in　this　Isle？〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃may　I　see　him？〃



The　old　man　laughed　again；　and　said：　　〃Nay；　he　is　not　here；　unless　he

hath　turned　fool　since　yesterday：　　why　should　he　abide　thy　sword；

since　he　hath　done　what　he　would　and　brought　thee　hither？〃



Then　he　laughed；　as　a　hen　cackles　a　long　while；　and　then　said：　　〃What

more　wilt　thou　ask　me？〃



But　Hallblithe　was　very　wroth：　　〃It　availeth　nought　to　ask；〃　he　said；

〃and　now　I　am　in　two　minds　whether　I　shall　slay　thee　or　not。〃



〃That　were　a　meet　deed　for　a　Raven；　but　not　for　a　man；〃　said　the

carle；　〃and　thou　that　hast　wished　me　luck！　　Ask；　ask！〃



But　Hallblithe　was　silent　a　long　while。　　Then　the　carle　said；

〃Another　cup　for　the　longer　after　youth！〃



Hallblithe　filled；　and　gave　to　him；　and　the　old　man　drank　and　said：

〃Thou　deemest　us　all　liars　in　the　Isle　of　Ransom　because　of　thy

beguiling　by　the　Puny　Fox：　　but　therein　thou　errest。　　The　Puny　Fox　is

our　chiefest　liar；　and　doth　for　us　the　more　part　of　such　work　as　we

need：　　therefore；　why　should　we　others　lie。　　Ask；　ask！〃



〃Well　then；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃why　did　the　Puny　Fox　bewray　me；　and　at

whose　bidding？〃



Said　the　elder：　　〃I　know；　but　I　will　not　tell　thee。　　Is　this　a　lie？〃



〃Nay；　I　deem　it　not；〃　said　Hallblithe：　　〃But；　tell　me；　is　it　verily

true　that　my　trothplight　is　not　here；　that　I　may　ransom　her？〃



Said　the　Long…hoary：　　〃I　swear　it　by　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea；　that

she　is　not　here：　　the　tale　was　but　a　lie　of　the　Puny　Fox。〃







CHAPTER　VII：　　A　FEAST　IN　THE　ISLE　OF　RANSOM







Hallblithe　pondered　his　answer　awhile　with　downcast　eyes　and　said　at

last：　　〃Have　ye　a　mind　to　ransom　me；　now　that　I　have　walked　into　the

trap？〃



〃There　is　no　need　to　talk　of　ransom；〃　said　the　elder；　〃thou　mayst　go

out　of　this　house　when　thou　wilt；　nor　will　any　meddle　with　thee　if

thou　strayest　about　the　Isle；　when　I　have　set　a　mark　on　thee　and

given　thee　a　token：　　nor　wilt　thou　be　hindered　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to

leave　the　Isle；　if　thou　canst　find　means　thereto；　moreover　as　long　as

thou　art　in　the　Isle；　in　this　house　mayst　thou　abide；　eating　and

drinking　and　resting　with　us。〃



〃How　then　may　I　leave　this　Isle？〃　said　Hallblithe。



The　elder　laughed：　　〃In　a　ship；〃　said　he。



〃And　when；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃shall　I　find　a　ship　that　shall　carry

me？〃



Said　the　old　carle；　〃Whither　wouldest　thou　my　son？〃　　Hallblithe　was

silent　a　while；　thinking　what　answer　he　should　make；　then　he　said：

〃I　would　go　to　the　land　of　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



〃Son；　a　ship　shall　not　be　lacking　thee　for　that　voyage；〃　said　the

elder。　　〃Thou　mayst　go　to…morrow　morn。　　And　I　bid　thee　abide　here　to…

night；　and　thy　cheer　shall　not　be　ill。　　Yet　if　thou　wilt　believe　my

word；　it　will　be　well　for　thee　to　say　as　little　as　thou　mayst　to　any

man　here；　and　that　little　as　little　proud　as　maybe：　　for　our　folk　are

short　of　temper　and　thou　knowest　there　is　no　might　against　many。

Indeed　it　is　not　unlike　that　they　will　not　speak　one　word　to　thee；

and　if　that　be　so；　thou　hast　no　need　to　open　thy　mouth　to　them。　　And

now　I　will　tell　thee　that　it　is　good　that　thou　hast　chosen　to　go　to

the　Glittering　Plain。　　For　if　thou　wert　otherwise　minded；　I　wot　not

how　thou　wouldest　get　thee　a　keel　to　carry　thee；　and　the　wings　have

not　yet　begun　to　sprout　on　thy　shoulders；　raven　though　thou　be。　　Now

I　am　glad　that　thou　art　going　thy　ways　to　the　Glittering　Plain　to…

morrow；　for　thou　wilt　be　good　company　to　me　on　the　way：　　and　I　deem

that　thou　wilt　be　no　churl　when　thou　art　glad。〃



〃What；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃art　thou　wending　thither；　thou　old　man？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃nor　shall　any　other　be　on　the　ship　save　thou　and　I；

and　the　mariners　that　waft　us；　and　they　forsooth　shall　not　go　aland

there。　　Why　should　not　I　go；　since　there　are　men　to　bear　me　aboard？〃



Said　Hallblithe；　〃And　when　thou　art　come　aland　there；　what　wilt　thou

do？〃



〃Thou　shalt　see；　my　son；〃　said　the　Long…hoary。　　〃It　may　be　that　thy

good　wishes　shall　be　of　avail　to　me。　　But　now　since　all　this　may　only

be　if　I　live　through　this　night；　and　since　my　heart　hath　been　warmed

by　the　good　mead；　and　thy　fellowship；　and　whereas　I　am　somewhat

sleepy；　and　it　is　long　past　noon；　go　forth　into　the　hall；　and　leave

me　to　sleep；　that　I　may　be　as　sound　as　eld　will　let　me　to…morrow。

And　as　for　thee；　folk；　both　men　and　women；　shall　presently　come　into

the　hall；　and　I　deem　not　that　any　shall　meddle　with　thee；　but　if　so

be　that　any　challenge　thee；　whatsoever　may　be　his　words；　answer　thou

to　him；　'THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　UNDYING；'　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　it。

Only　look　thou　to　it　that　no　naked　steel　cometh　out　of　thy　scabbard。

Go　now；　and　if　thou　wilt；　go　out　of　doors；　yet　art　thou　safer　within

doors　and　nigher　unto　me。〃



So　Hallblithe　went　back　into　the　main　hall；　and　the　sun　had　gotten

round　now；　and　was　shining　into　the　hall；　through　the　clerestory

windows；　so　that　he　saw　clearly　all　that　was　therein。　　And　he　deemed

the　hall　fairer　within　than　without；　and　especially　over　the　shut…

beds　were　many　stories　carven　in　the　panelling；　and　Hallblithe　beheld

them　gladly。　　But　of　one　thing　he　marvelled；　that　whereas　he　was　in

an　island　of　the　strong…thieves　of　the　waters；　and　in　their　very　home

and　chiefest　habitation；　there　were　no　ships　or　seas　pictured　in　that

imagery；　but　fair　groves　and　gardens；　with　flowery　grass　and　fruited

trees　all　about。　　And　there　were　fair　women　abiding　therein；　and

lovely　young　men；　and　warriors；　and　strange　beasts　and　many　marvels；

and　the　ending　of　wrath　and　beginning　of　pleasure　and　the　crowning　of

love。　　And　amidst　these　was　pictured　oft　and　again　a　mighty　king　with

a　sword　by　his　side　and　a　crown　on　his　head；　and　ever　was　he　smiling

and　joyous；　so　that　Hallblithe；　when　he　looked　on　him；　felt　of　better

heart　and　smiled　back　on　the　carven　image。



So　while　Hallblithe　looked　on　these　things；　and　pondered　his　case

carefully；　all　alone　as　he　was　in　that　alien　hall；　he　heard　a　noise

without　of　talking　and　laughter；　and　presently　the　pattering　of　feet

therewith；　and　then　women　came　into　the　hall；　a　score　or　more；　some

young；　some　old；　some　fair　enough；　and　some　hard…featured　and

uncomely；　but　all　above　the　stature　of　the　women　whom　he　had　seen　in

his　own　land。



So　he　stood　amidst　the　hall…floor　and　abided　them；　and　they　saw　him

and　his　shining　war…gear；　and　ceased　their　talking　and　laughter；　and

drew　round　about　him；　and　gazed　at　him；　but　none　said　aught　till　an

old　crone　came　forth　from　the　ring；　and　said　〃Who　art　thou；　standing

under　weapons　in　our　hall？〃



He　knew　not　what　to　answer；　and　held　his　peace；　and　she　spake　again：

〃Whither　wouldest　thou；　what　seekest　thou？〃



Then　answered　Hallblithe：　　〃THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　UNDYING。〃



None　answered；　and　the　other　women　all　fell　away　from　him　at　once；

and　went　about　their　business　hither　and　thither　through　the　hall。

But　the　old　crone　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　up　to　the　dais；

and　set　him　next　to　the　midmost　high…seat。　　Then　she　made　as　if　she

would　do　off　his　war…gear；　and　he　would　not　gainsay　her；　though　he

deemed　that　foes　might　be　anear；　for　in　sooth　he　trusted　in　the　old

carle　that　he　would　not　bewray　him；　and　moreover　he　deemed　it　would

be　unmanly　not　to　take　the　risks　of　the　guesting；　according　to　the

custom　of　that　country。



So　she　took　his　armour　and　his　weapons　and　bore　them　off　to　a　shut…

bed　next　to　that　wherein　lay　the　ancient　man；　and　she　laid　the　gear

within　it；　all　save　the　spear；　which　she　laid　on　the　wall…pins　above；

and　she　made　signs　to　him　that　therein　he　was　to　lie；　but　she　spake

no　word　to　him。　　Then　she　brought　him　the　hand…washing　water　in　a

basin　of　latten；　and　a　goodly　towel　therewith；