the story of the glittering plain-第21节

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his　bedside；　and　at　first　she　seemed　to　him　to　be　an　image　of　the

Hostage。　　But　presently　her　face　changed；　and　her　body　and　her

raiment；　and；　lo！　it　was　the　lovely　woman；　the　King's　daughter　whom

he　had　seen　wasting　her　heart　for　the　love　of　him。　　Then　even　in　his

dream　shame　thereof　overtook　him；　and　because　of　that　shame　he　awoke；

and　lay　awake　a　little；　hearkening　the　wind　going　through　the

woodland　boughs；　and　the　singing　of　the　owl　who　had　her　dwelling　in

the　hollow　oak　nigh　to　his　house。　　Slumber　overcame　him　in　a　little

while；　and　again　the　image　of　the　King's　daughter　came　to　him　in　his

dream；　and　again　when　he　looked　upon　her；　shame　and　pity　rose　so

hotly　in　his　heart　that　he　awoke　weeping；　and　lay　a　while　hearkening

to　the　noises　of　the　night。　　The　third　time　he　slept　and　dreamed；　and

once　more　that　image　came　to　him。　　And　now　he　looked；　and　saw　that

she　had　in　her　hand　a　book　covered　outside　with　gold　and　gems；　even

as　he　saw　it　in　the　orchard…close　aforetime：　　and　he　beheld　her　face

that　it　was　no　longer　the　face　of　one　sick　with　sorrow；　but　glad　and

clear；　and　most　beauteous。



Now　she　opened　the　book　and　held　it　before　Hallblithe　and　turned　the

leaves　so　that　he　might　see　them　clearly；　and　therein　were　woods　and

castles　painted；　and　burning　mountains；　and　the　wall　of　the　world；

and　kings　upon　their　thrones；　and　fair　women　and　warriors；　all　most

lovely　to　behold；　even　as　he　had　seen　it　aforetime　in　the　orchard

when　he　lay　lurking　amidst　the　leaves　of　the　bay…tree。



So　at　last　she　came　to　the　place　in　the　book　wherein　was　painted

Hallblithe's　own　image　over　against　the　image　of　the　Hostage；　and　he

looked　thereon　and　longed。　　But　she　turned　the　leaf；　and；　lo！　on　one

side　the　Hostage　again；　standing　in　a　fair　garden　of　the　spring　with

the　lilies　all　about　her　feet；　and　behind　her　the　walls　of　a　house；

grey；　ancient；　and　lovely：　　and　on　the　other　leaf　over　against　her

was　painted　a　sea　rippled　by　a　little　wind　and　a　boat　thereon　sailing

swiftly；　and　one　man　alone　in　the　boat　sitting　and　steering　with　a

cheerful　countenance；　and　he；　who　but　Hallblithe　himself。　　Hallblithe

looked　thereon　for　a　while　and　then　the　King's　daughter　shut　the

book；　and　the　dream　flowed　into　other　imaginings　of　no　import。



In　the　grey　dawn　Hallblithe　awoke；　and　called　to　mind　his　dream；　and

he　leapt　from　his　bed　and　washed　the　night　from　off　him　in　the

stream；　and　clad　himself　and　went　the　shortest　way　through　the　wood

to　that　House　of　folk　aforesaid：　　and　as　he　went　his　face　was　bright

and　he　sang　the　second　part　of　the　carven　posy；　to　wit：





Along　the　grass　I　lie　forlorn

That　when　a　while　of　time　is　worn；

I　may　be　filled　with　war　and　peace

And　bridge　the　sundering　of　the　seas。





He　came　out　of　the　wood　and　hastened　over　the　flowery　meads　of　the

Glittering　Plain；　and　came　to　that　same　house　when　it　was　yet　very

early。　　At　the　door　he　came　across　a　damsel　bearing　water　from　the

well；　and　she　spake　to　him　and　said：　　〃Welcome；　Wood…lover！　　Seldom

art　thou　seen　in　our　garth；　and　that　is　a　pity　of　thee。　　And　now　I

look　on　thy　face　I　see　that　gladness　hath　come　into　thine　heart；　and

that　thou　art　most　fair　and　lovely。　　Here　then　is　a　token　for　thee　of

the　increase　of　gladness。〃　　Therewith　she　set　her　buckets　on　the

earth；　and　stood　before　him；　and　took　him　by　the　ears；　and　drew　down

his　face　to　hers　and　kissed　him　sweetly。　　He　smiled　on　her　and　said：

〃I　thank　thee；　sister；　for　the　kiss　and　the　greeting；　but　I　come　here

having　a　lack。〃



〃Tell　us；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　may　do　thee　a　pleasure。〃



He　said：　　〃I　would　ask　the　folk　to　give　me　timber；　both　beams　and

battens　and　boards；　for　if　I　hew　in　the　wood　it　will　take　long　to

season。〃



〃All　this　is　free　for　thee　to　take　from　our　wood…store　when　thou　hast

broken　thy　fast　with　us；〃　said　the　damsel。　　〃Come　thou　in　and　rest

thee。〃



She　took　him　by　the　hand　and　they　went　in　together；　and　she　gave　him

to　eat　and　drink；　and　went　up　and　down　the　house；　saying　to　every

one：　　〃Here　is　come　the　Wood…lover；　and　he　is　glad　again；　come　and

see　him。〃



So　the　folk　gathered　about　him；　and　made　much　of　him。　　And　when　they

had　made　an　end　of　breakfast；　the　head　man　of　the　House　said　to　him：

〃The　beasts　are　in　the　wain；　and　the　timber　abideth　thy　choosing；

come　and　see。〃



So　he　brought　Hallblithe　to　the　timber…bower；　where　he　chose　for

himself　all　that　he　needed　of　oak…timber　of　the　best；　and　they　loaded

the　wain　therewith；　and　gave　him　what　he　would　moreover　of　nails　and

treenails　and　other　matters；　and　he　thanked　them；　and　they　said　to

him：　　〃Whither　now　shall　we　lead　thy　timber？〃



〃Down　to　the　sea…side；〃　quoth　he；　〃nighest　to　my　dwelling。〃



So　did　they；　and　more　than　a　score；　men　and　women；　went　with　him；

some　in　the　wain；　and　some　afoot。　　Thus　they　came　down　to　the　sea…

shore；　and　laid　the　timber　on　the　strand　just　above　high…water　mark；

and　straightway　Hallblithe　fell　to　work　shaping　him　a　boat；　for　well

he　knew　the　whole　craft　thereof；　and　the　folk　looked　on　wondering；

till　the　tide　had　ebbed　the　little　it　was　wont　to　ebb；　and　left　the

moist　sand　firm　and　smooth；　then　the　women　left　watching　Hallblithe's

work；　and　fell　to　paddling　barefoot　in　the　clear　water；　for　there　was

scarce　a　ripple　on　the　sea；　and　the　carles　came　and　played　with　them

so　that　Hallblithe　was　left　alone　a　while；　for　this　kind　of　play　was

new　to　that　folk；　since　they　seldom　came　down　to　the　sea…side。

Thereafter　they　needs　must　dance　together；　and　would　have　had

Hallblithe　dance　with　them；　and　when　he　naysaid　them　because　he　was

fain　of　his　work；　in　all　playfulness　they　fell　to　taking　the　adze　out

of　his　hand；　whereat　he　became　somewhat　wroth；　and　they　were　afraid

and　went　and　had　their　dance　out　without　him。



By　this　time　the　sun　was　grown　very　hot；　and　they　came　to　him　again；

and　lay　down　about　him　and　watched　his　work；　for　they　were　weary。

And　one　of　the　women；　still　panting　with　the　dance；　spake　as　she

looked　on　the　loveliness　of　her　limbs；　which　one　of　the　swains　was

caressing：　　〃Brother；〃　said　she；　〃great　strokes　thou　smitest；　when

wilt　thou　have　smitten　the　last　of　them；　and　come　to　our　house

again？〃



〃Not　for　many　days；　fair　sister；〃　said　he；　without　looking　up。



〃Alas　that　thou　shouldst　talk　so；〃　said　a　carle；　rising　up　from　the

warm　sand；　〃what　shall　all　thy　toil　win　thee？〃



Spake　Hallblithe：　　〃Maybe　a　merry　heart；　or　maybe　death。〃



At　that　word　they　all　rose　up　together；　and　stood　huddled　together

like　sheep　that　have　been　driven　to　the　croft…gate；　and　the　shepherd

hath　left　them　for　a　little　and　they　know　not　whither　to　go。　　Little

by　little　they　got　them　to　the　wain　and　harnessed　their　beasts

thereto；　and　departed　silently　by　the　way　that　they　had　come；　but　in

a　little　time　Hallblithe　heard　their　laughter　and　merry　speech　across

the　flowery　meadows。　　He　heeded　their　departure　little；　but　went　on

working；　and　worked　the　sun　down；　and　on　till　the　stars　began　to

twinkle。　　Then　he　went　home　to　his　house　in　the　wood；　and　slept　and

dreamed　not；　and　began　again　on　the　morrow　with　a　good　heart。



To　be　short；　no　day　passed　that　he　wrought　not　his　full　tale　of　work；

and　the　days　wore；　and　his　ship…wright's　work　throve。　　Often　the　folk

of　that　house；　and　from　otherwhere　round　about；　came　down　to　the

strand　to　watch　him　working。　　Nowise　did　they　wilfully　hinder　him；

but　whiles　when　they　could　get　no　talk　from　him；　they　would　speak　of

him　to　each　other；　wondering　that　he　should　so　toil　to　sail　upon　the

sea；　for　they　loved　the　sea　but　little；　and　it　soon　became　clear　to

them　that　he　was　looking　to　nought　else：　　though　it　may　not　be　said

that　they　deemed　he　would　leave　the　land　for　ever。　　On　the　other

hand；　if　they　hindered　him　not；　neither　did　they　help；　saving　when　he

prayed　them　for　somewhat　which　he　needed；　which　they　would　then　give

him　blithely。



Of　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　damsel；　Hallblithe　saw　nought；　whereat　he

was　well　content；　for　he　deemed　it　of　no　avail　to　make　a　second

sundering　of　it。



So　he　worked　and　kept　his　heart　up；　and　at　last　all　was　ready；　he　had

made　him　a　mast　and　a　sail；　and　oars；　and　whatso…other　gear　there　was

need　of。　　So　then　he　thrust　his　skiff　into　the　sea　on　an　evening

whenas　there　were　but　two　carles　standing　by；　for　there　would　often

be　a　score　or　two　of　folk。　　These　two　smiled　on　him　and　bespake　him

kindly；　but　would　not　help　him　when　he　bade　them　set　shoulder　to　her

bows　and　shove。　　Albeit　he　got　the　skiff　into　the　water　without　much

ado；　and　got　into　her；　and　brought　her　to　where　a　stream　running　from

out　of　his　wood　made　a　little　haven　for　her　up　from　the　sea。　　There

he　tied　her　to　a　tree…hole；　and　busied　himself　that　even　with　getting

the　gear　into　her；　and　victual　and　water　withal；　as　much　as　he　deemed

he　should　need：　　and　so；　being　weary；　he　went　to　his　house　to　sleep；

thinking　that　he　should　awake　in　the　grey　of　the　morning　and　thrust

out