the story of the glittering plain- 第14部分

Hallblithe　saw　that　the　King　was　angry；　though　he　smiled　upon　him；

yet　so　coldly；　that　the　face　of　him　froze　the　very　marrow　of

Hallblithe's　bones：　　and　he　said　within　himself：　　〃This　King　of　lies

shall　not　slay　me；　though　mine　anguish　be　hard　to　bear：　　for　I　am

alive；　and　it　may　be　that　my　love　is　in　this　land；　and　I　may　find　her

here；　and　how　to　reach　another　land　I　know　not。〃



So　he　turned　from　before　the　face　of　the　King　as　the　sun　was　setting；

and　he　went　down　the　land　southward　betwixt　the　mountains　and　the

sea；　not　heeding　whether　it　were　night　or　day；　and　he　went　on　till　it

was　long　past　midnight；　and　then　for　mere　weariness　laid　him　down

under　a　tree；　not　knowing　where　he　was；　and　fell　asleep。



And　in　the　morning　he　woke　up　to　the　bright　sun；　and　found　folk

standing　round　about　him；　both　men　and　women；　and　their　sheep　were

anigh　them；　for　they　were　shepherd　folk。　　So　when　they　saw　that　he

was　awake；　they　greeted　him；　and　were　blithe　with　him　and　made　much

of　him：　　and　they　took　him　home　to　their　house；　and　gave　him　to　eat

and　to　drink；　and　asked　him　what　he　would　that　they　might　serve　him。

And　they　seemed　to　him　to　be　kind　and　simple　folk；　and　though　he

loathed　to　speak　the　words；　so　sick　at　heart　he　was；　yet　he　told　them

how　he　was　seeking　his　troth…plight　maiden；　his　earthly　love；　and

asked　them　to　say　if　they　had　seen　any　woman　like　her。



They　heard　him　kindly　and　pitied　him；　and　told　him　how　they　had　heard

of　a　woman　in　the　land；　who　sought　her　beloved　even　as　he　sought　his。

And　when　he　heard　that；　his　heart　leapt　up；　and　he　asked　them　to　tell

him　more　concerning　this　woman。　　Then　they　said　that　she　dwelt　in　the

hill…country　in　a　goodly　house；　and　had　set　her　heart　on　a　lovely

man；　whose　image　she　had　seen　in　a　book；　and　that　no　man　but　this　one

would　content　her；　and　this；　they　said；　was　a　sad　and　sorry　matter；

such　as　was　unheard　of　hitherto　in　the　land。



So　when　Hallblithe　heard　this；　as　heavily　as　his　heart　fell　again；　he

changed　not　countenance；　but　thanked　the　kind　folk　and　departed；　and

went　on　down　the　land　betwixt　the　mountains　and　the　sea；　and　before

nightfall　he　had　been　into　three　more　houses　of　folk；　and　asked　there

of　all　comers　concerning　a　woman　who　was　sundered　from　her　beloved；

and　at　none　of　them　gat　he　any　answer　to　make　him　less　sorry　than

yesterday。　　At　the　last　of　the　three　he　slept；　and　on　the　morrow

early　there　was　the　work　to　begin　again；　and　the　next　day　was　the

same　as　the　last；　and　the　day　after　differed　not　from　it。　　Thus　he

went　on　seeking　his　beloved　betwixt　the　mountains　and　the　plain；　till

the　great　rock…wall　came　down　to　the　side　of　the　sea　and　made　an　end

of　the　Glittering　Plain　on　that　side。　　Then　he　turned　about　and　went

back　by　the　way　he　had　come；　and　up　the　country　betwixt　the　mountains

and　the　plain　northward；　until　he　had　been　into　every　house　of　folk

in　those　parts　and　asked　his　question。



Then　he　went　up　into　that　fair　country　of　the　dales；　and　even　anigh

to　where　dwelt　the　King's　Daughter；　and　otherwhere　in　the　land　and

everywhere；　quartering　the　realm　of　the　Glittering　Plain　as　the　heron

quarters　the　flooded　meadow　when　the　waters　draw　aback　into　the

river。　　So　that　now　all　people　knew　him　when　he　came；　and　they

wondered　at　him；　but　when　he　came　to　any　house　for　the　third　or

fourth　time；　they　wearied　of　him；　and　were　glad　when　he　departed。



Ever　it　was　one　of　two　answers　that　he　had：　　either　folk　said　to　him；

〃There　is　no　such　woman；　this　land　is　happy；　and　nought　but　happy

people　dwell　herein；〃　or　else　they　told　him　of　the　woman　who　lived　in

sorrow；　and　was　ever　looking　on　a　book；　that　she　might　bring　to　her

the　man　whom　she　desired。



Whiles　he　wearied　and　longed　for　death；　but　would　not　die　until　there

was　no　corner　of　the　land　unsearched。　　Whiles　he　shook　off　weariness；

and　went　about　his　quest　as　a　craftsman　sets　about　his　work　in　the

morning。　　Whiles　it　irked　him　to　see　the　soft　and　merry　folk　of　the

land；　who　had　no　skill　to　help　him；　and　he　longed　for　the　house　of

his　fathers　and　the　men　of　the　spear　and　the　plough；　and　thought；

〃Oh；　if　I　might　but　get　me　back；　if　it　were　but　for　an　hour　and　to

die　there；　to　the　meadows　of　the　Raven；　and　the　acres　beneath　the

mountains　of　Cleveland　by　the　Sea。　　Then　at　least　should　I　learn　some

tale　of　what　is　or　what　hath　been；　howsoever　evil　the　tidings　were；

and　not　be　bandied　about　by　lies　for　ever。〃







CHAPTER　XV：　　YET　HALLBLITHE　SPEAKETH　WITH　THE　KING







So　wore　the　days　and　the　moons；　and　now　were　some　six　moons　worn

since　first　he　came　to　the　Glittering　Plain；　and　he　was　come　to　Wood…

end　again；　and　heard　and　knew　that　the　King　was　sitting　once　more　in

the　door　of　his　pavilion　to　hearken　to　the　words　of　his　people；　and

he　said　to　himself：　　〃I　will　speak　yet　again　to　this　man；　if　indeed

he　be　a　man；　yea；　though　he　turn　me　into　stone。〃



And　he　went　up　toward　the　pavilion；　and　on　the　way　it　came　into　his

mind　what　the　men　of　the　kindred　were　doing　that　morning；　and　he　had

a　vision　of　them　as　it　were；　and　saw　them　yoking　the　oxen　to　the

plough；　and　slowly　going　down　the　acres；　as　the　shining　iron　drew　the

long　furrow　down　the　stubble…land；　and　the　light　haze　hung　about　the

elm…trees　in　the　calm　morning；　and　the　smoke　rose　straight　into　the

air　from　the　roof　of　the　kindred。　　And　he　said：　　〃What　is　this？　am　I

death…doomed　this　morning　that　this　sight　cometh　so　clearly　upon　me

amidst　the　falseness　of　this　unchanging　land？〃



Thus　he　came　to　the　pavilion；　and　folk　fell　back　before　him　to　the

right　and　the　left；　and　he　stood　before　the　King；　and　said　to　him：

〃I　cannot　find　her；　she　is　not　in　thy　land。〃



Then　spake　the　King；　smiling　upon　him；　as　erst：　　〃What　wilt　thou

then？　　Is　it　not　time　to　rest？〃



He　said：　　〃Yea；　O　King；　but　not　in　this　land。〃



Said　the　King：　　〃Where　else　than　in　this　land　wilt　thou　find　rest？

Without　is　battle　and　famine；　longing　unsatisfied；　and　heart…burning

and　fear；　within　it　is　plenty　and　peace　and　good　will　and　pleasure

without　cease。　　Thy　word　hath　no　meaning　to　me。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Give　me　leave　to　depart；　and　I　will　bless　thee。〃



〃Is　there　nought　else　to　do？〃　said　the　King。



〃Nought　else；〃　said　Hallblithe。



Therewith　he　felt　that　the　King's　face　changed　though　he　still　smiled

on　him；　and　again　he　felt　his　heart　grow　cold　before　the　King。



But　the　King　spake　and　said：　　〃I　hinder　not　thy　departure；　nor　will

any　of　my　folk。　　No　hand　will　be　raised　against　thee；　there　is　no

weapon　in　all　the　land；　save　the　deedless　sword　by　my　side　and　the

weapons　which　thou　bearest。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Dost　thou　not　owe　me　a　joy　in　return　for　my

beguiling？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　the　King；　〃reach　out　thine　hand　to　take　it。〃



〃One　thing　only　may　I　take　of　thee；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃my　troth…

plight　maiden　or　else　the　speeding　of　my　departure。〃



Then　said　the　King；　and　his　voice　was　terrible　though　yet　he　smiled：

〃I　will　not　hinder；　I　will　not　help。　　Depart　in　peace！〃



Then　Hallblithe　turned　away　dizzy　and　half　fainting；　and　strayed　down

the　field；　scarce　knowing　where　he　was；　and　as　he　went　he　felt　his

sleeve　plucked　at；　and　turned　about；　and　lo！　he　was　face　to　face　with

the　Sea…eagle；　no　less　joyous　than　aforetime。　　He　took　Hallblithe　in

his　arms　and　embraced　him　and　kissed　him；　and　said：　　〃Well　met；

faring…fellow！　　Whither　away？〃



〃Away　out　of　this　land　of　lies；〃　said　Hallblithe。



The　Sea…eagle　shook　his　head；　and　quoth　he：　　〃Art　thou　still　seeking

a　dream？　　And　thou　so　fair　that　thou　puttest　all　other　men　to　shame。〃



〃I　seek　no　dream；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　rather　the　end　of　dreams。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Sea…eagle；　〃we　will　not　wrangle　about　it。　　But

hearken。　　Hard　by　in　a　pleasant　nook　of　the　meadows　have　I　set　up　my

tent；　and　although　it　be　not　as　big　as　the　King's　pavilion；　yet　is　it

fair　enough。　　Wilt　thou　not　come　thither　with　me　and　rest　thee　to…

night；　and　to…morrow　we　will　talk　of　this　matter？〃



Now　Hallblithe　was　weary　and　confused；　and　downhearted　beyond　his

wont；　and　the　friendly　words　of　the　Sea…eagle　softened　his　heart；　and

he　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃I　give　thee　thanks；　I　will　come　with

thee：　　thou　art　kind；　and　hast　done　nought　to　me　save　good　from　the

time　when　I　first　saw　thee　lying　in　thy　bed　in　the　Hall　of　the

Ravagers。　　Dost　thou　remember　the　day？〃



The　Sea…eagle　knitted　his　brow　as　one　striving　with　a　troublous

memory；　and　said：　　〃But　dimly；　friend；　as　if　it　had　passed　in　an　ugly

dream：　　meseemeth　my　friendship　with　thee　began　when　I　came　to　thee

from　out　of　the　wood；　and　saw　thee　standing　with　those　three　damsels；

that　I　remember　full　well　ye　were　fair　to　look　on。〃



Hallblithe　wondered　at　his　words；　but　said　no　more　about　it；　and　they

went　together　to　a　flowery　nook　nigh　a　stream　of　clear　water　where

stood　a　silken　tent；　green　like　the　grass　which　it　stood　on；　and

flecked　with　gold　and　goodly　colours。　　Nigh　it　on　the　grass　lay　the

Sea…eagle's　damsel；　ruddy…cheeked　and　sweet…lipped；　as　fair　as

aforetime。　　She　turned　about　when　she　heard　men　coming；　and　when　she

saw　Hallblithe　a　smile　came　into　her　face　like　the　sun　breaking　out

on　a　fair　but　clouded　morning；　and　she　went　up　to　him　and　took　him　by

the　hands　and　kissed　his　cheek；　and　said：　　〃Welcome；　Spearman！

welcome　back！　　We　have　heard　of　thee　in　many　places；　and　have　been

sorry　that　thou　wert　not　glad；　and　now　are　we　fain　of　thy　returning。

Shall　not　sweet　life　begin　for　thee　from　henceforward？〃



Again　was　Hallblithe　moved　by　her　kind　welcome；　but　he　shook　his　head

and　spake：　　〃Thou　art　kind；　sister；　yet　if　thou　wouldst　be　kinder

thou　wilt　show　me　a　way　whereby　I　may　escape　from　this　land。　　For

abiding　here　has　become　irksome　to　me；　and　meseemeth　that　hope　is　yet

alive　without　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



Her　face　fell　as　she　answered：　　〃Yea；　and　fear　also；　and　worse；　if

aught　be　worse。　　But　come；　let　us　eat　and