the story of the glittering plain-第24节

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ship…warders　behind。



〃Seest　thou；　friend　of　the　Ravens；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃hadst　thou　been

there；　they　might　have　done　with　thee　what　they　would。　　Did　I　not

well　to　bring　thee　into　my　unroofed　house？〃



〃Yea；　verily；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　will　not　some　of　the　ship…wards；

or　some　of　the　others　returning；　come　up　hither　and　find　us？　　I　shall

yet　lay　my　bones　in　this　evil　island。〃



The　Puny　Fox　laughed；　and　said：　　〃It　is　not　so　bad　as　thy　sour　looks

would　have　it；　anyhow　it　is　good　enough　for　a　grave；　and　at　this

present　I　may　call　it　a　casket　of　precious　things。〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　Hallblithe　eagerly。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　the　other；　〃nought　but　what　thou　knowest。　　Art　thou

not　therein；　and　I　myself？　without　reckoning　the　old　carle　in　the

hole　yonder。　　But　I　promise　thee　thou　shalt　not　die　here　this　time；

unless　thou　wilt。　　And　as　to　folk　coming　up　hither；　I　tell　thee　again

they　durst　not；　because　they　fear　my　great…grandsire　over　much。　　Not

that　they　are　far　wrong　therein；　for　now　he　is　dead；　the　worst　of　him

seemeth　to　come　out　of　him；　and　he　is　not　easily　dealt　with；　save　by

one　who　hath　some　share　of　his　wisdom。　　Thou　thyself　couldst　see　by

my　kinsman；　the　Sea…eagle；　how　much　of　ill　blood　and　churlish　malice

there　may　be　in　our　kindred　when　they　wax　old；　and　loneliness　and

dreariness　taketh　hold　of　them。　　For　I　must　tell　thee　that　I　have　oft

heard　my　father　say　that　his　father　the　Sea…eagle　was　in　his　youth

and　his　prime　blithe　and　buxom；　a　great　lover　of　women；　and　a　very

friendly　fellow。　　But　ever；　as　I　say；　as　the　men　of　our　kind　wax　in

years；　they　worsen；　and　thereby　mayst　thou　deem　how　bad　the　old　man

in　yonder　must　be；　since　he　hath　lain　so　long　in　the　grave。　　But　now

we　will　go　to　that　house　of　mine　on　the　other　side　of　the　mead；　over

against　my　kinsman's。〃



Therewith　he　led　Hallblithe　down　from　the　rock　while　Hallblithe　said

to　him：　　〃What！　art　thou　also　dead　that　thou　hast　a　grave　here？〃



〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　Fox；　smiling；　〃am　I　so　evil…conditioned　then？　　I　am

no　older　than　thou　art。〃



〃But　tell　me；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃wilt　thou　also　wax　evil　as　thou

growest　old？〃



〃Maybe　not；〃　said　Fox；　looking　hard　at　him；　〃for　in　my　mind　it　is

that　I　may　be　taken　into　another　house；　and　another　kindred；　and

amongst　them　I　shall　be　healed　of　much　that　might　turn　to　ill。〃



Therewith　were　they　come　across　the　little　meadow　to　a　place　where

was　a　cave　in　the　rock　closed　with　a　door；　and　a　wicket　window

therein。　　Fox　led　Hallblithe　into　it；　and　within　it　was　no　ill

dwelling；　for　it　was　dry　and　clean；　and　there　were　stools　therein　and

a　table；　and　shelves　and　lockers　in　the　wall。　　When　they　had　sat　them

down　Fox　said：　　〃Here　mightest　thou　dwell　safely　as　long　as　thou

wouldst；　if　thou　wouldst　risk　dealings　with　the　old　carle。　　But；　as　I

wot　well　that　thou　art　in　haste　to　be　gone　and　get　home　to　thy

kindred；　I　must　bring　thee　at　dusk　to…day　close　up　to　our　feast…hall；

so　that　thou　mayst　be　at　hand　to　do　what　hath　to　be　done　to…night；　so

that　we　may　get　us　gone　to…morrow。　　Also　thou　must　do　off　thy　Raven

gear　lest　we　meet　any　in　the　twilight　as　we　go　up　to　the　house；　and

here　have　I　to　hand　home…spun　raiment　such　as　our　war…taken　thralls

wear；　which　shall　serve　thy　turn　well　enough；　but　this　thou　needst

not　do　on　till　the　time　is　at　hand　for　our　departure；　and　then　I　will

bring　thee　away；　and　bestow　thee　in　a　bower　hard　by　the　hall；　and

when　thou　art　within；　I　may　so　look　to　it　that　none　shall　go　in

there；　or　if　they　do；　they　shall　see　nought　in　thee　save　a　carle

known　to　them　by　name。　　My　kinsman　hath　learned　me　to　do　harder

things　than　this。　　But　now　it　is　time　to　eat　and　drink。〃



Therewith　he　drew　victual　from　out　a　locker　and　they　fell　to。　　But

when　they　had　eaten；　Fox　taught　Hallblithe　what　he　should　do　in　the

hall　that　night；　as　shall　be　told　hereafter。　　And　then；　with　much

talk　about　many　things；　they　wore　away　the　day　in　that　ancient　cup　of

the　seething　rock；　and　a　little　before　dusk　set　out　for　the　hall；

bearing　with　them　Hallblithe's　gear　bundled　up　together；　as　though　it

had　been　wares　from　over　sea。　　So　they　came　to　the　house　before　the

tables　were　set；　and　the　Puny　Fox　bestowed　Hallblithe　in　a　bower

which　gave　into　the　buttery；　so　that　it　was　easy　to　go　straight　into

the　mid…most　of　the　hall。　　There　was　Hallblithe　clad　and　armed　in　his

Raven　gear；　but　Fox　gave　him　a　vizard　to　go　over　his　face；　so　that

none　might　know　him　when　he　entered　therein。







CHAPTER　XXI：　　OF　THE　FIGHT　OF　THE　CHAMPIONS　IN　THE　HALL　OF　THE

RAVAGERS







Now　it　is　to　be　told　that　the　chieftains　came　into　the　hall　that

night　and　sat　down　at　the　board　on　the　dais；　even　as　Hallblithe　had

seen　them　do　aforetime。　　And　the　chieftain　of　all；　who　was　called　the

Erne　of　the　Sea…eagles；　rose　up　according　to　custom　and　said：

〃Hearken；　folk！　this　is　a　night　of　the　champions；　whereon　we　may　not

eat　till　the　pale　blades　have　clashed　together；　and　one　hath

vanquished　and　another　been　overcome。　　Now　let　them　stand　forth　and

give　out　the　prize　of　victory　which　the　vanquished　shall　pay　to　the

vanquisher。　　And　let　it　be　known；　that；　whosoever　may　be　the　champion

that　winneth　the　battle；　whether　he　be　a　kinsman；　or　an　alien；　or　a

foeman　declared；　yea；　though　he　have　left　the　head　of　my　brother　at

the　hall…door；　he　shall　pass　this　night　with　us　safe　from　sword；　safe

from　axe；　safe　from　hand：　　he　shall　eat　as　we　eat；　drink　as　we　drink；

sleep　as　we　sleep；　and　depart　safe　from　any　hand　or　weapon；　and　shall

sail　the　sea　at　his　pleasure　in　his　own　keel　or　in　ours；　as　to　him

and　us　may　be　meet。　　Blow　up　horns　for　the　champions！〃



So　the　horns　blew　a　cheerful　strain；　and　when　they　were　done；　there

came　into　the　hall　a　tall　man　clad　in　black；　and　with　black　armour

and　weapons　saving　the　white　blade　of　his　sword。　　He　had　a　vizard

over　his　face；　but　his　hair　came　down　from　under　his　helm　like　the

tail　of　a　red　horse。



So　he　stood　amidst　the　floor　and　cried　out：　　〃I　am　the　champion　of

the　Ravagers。　　But　I　swear　by　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea　that　I　will

cross　no　blade　to…night　save　with　an　alien；　a　foeman　of　the　kindred。

Hearest　thou；　O　chieftain；　O　Erne　of　the　Sea…eagles？〃



〃Hear　it　I　do；〃　said　the　chieftain；　〃and　I　deem　that　thy　meaning　is

that　we　should　go　supperless　to　bed；　and　this　cometh　of　thy

perversity：　　for　we　know　thee　despite　thy　vizard。　　Belike　thou

deemest　that　thou　shalt　not　be　met　this　even；　and　that　there　is　no

free　alien　in　the　island　to　draw　sword　against　thee。　　But　beware！

For　when　we　came　aland　this　morning　we　found　a　skiff　of　the　aliens

tied　to　a　great　spear　stuck　in　the　bank　of　the　haven；　so　that　there

will　be　one　foeman　at　least　abroad　in　the　island。　　But　we　said　if　we

should　come　on　the　man；　we　would　set　his　head　on　the　gable　of　the

hall　with　the　mouth　open　toward　the　North　for　a　token　of　reproach　to

the　dwellers　in　the　land　over　sea。　　But　now　give　out　the　prize　of

victory；　and　I　swear　by　the　Treasure　of　the　Sea　that　we　will　abide　by

thy　word。〃



Said　the　champion：　　〃These　are　the　terms　and　conditions　of　the

battle；　that　whichso　of　us　is　vanquished；　he　shall　either　die；　or

serve　the　vanquisher　for　twelve　moons；　to　fare　with　him　at　his　will；

to　go　his　errands；　and　do　according　to　his　commandment　in　all　wise。

Hearest　thou；　chieftain？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃and　by　the　Undying　King；　both　thou　and　we　shall

abide　by　this　bargain。　　So　look　to　it　that　thou　smite　great　strokes；

lest　our　hall　lack　a　gable…knop。　　Horns；　blow　up　for　the　alien

champion！〃



So　again　the　horns　were　winded；　and　ere　their　voice　had　died；　in　from

the　buttery　screens　came　a　glittering　image　of　war；　and　there　stood

the　alien　champion　over　against　the　warrior　of　the　sea；　and　he　too

had　a　vizard　over　his　face。



Now　when　the　folk　saw　him；　and　how　slim　and　light　and　small　he　looked

beside　their　champion；　and　they　beheld　the　Raven　painted　on　his　white

shield；　they　hooted　and　laughed　for　scorn　of　him　and　his　littleness。

But　he　tossed　his　sword　up　lightly　and　caught　it　by　the　hilts　as　it

fell；　and　drew　nigher　to　the　champion　of　the　sea　and　stood　facing　him

within　reach　of　his　sword。　　Then　the　chieftain　on　the　high…seat　put

his　two　hands　to　his　mouth　and　roared　out：　　〃Fall　on；　ye　champions；

fall　on！〃



But　the　folk　in　the　hall　were　so　eager　that　they　stood　on　the　benches

and　the　boards；　and　craned　over　each　other's　shoulders；　so　that　they

might　lose　no　whit　of　the　hand…play。　　Now　flashed　the　blades　in　the

candle…lit　hall；　and　the　red…haired　champion　hove　up　his　sword　and

smote　two　great　strokes　to　right　and　to　left；　but　the　alien　gave　way

before　him；　and　the　folk　cried　out　at　him　in　scorn　and　in　joy　of

their　champion；　who　fell　to　raining　down　great　strokes　like　the　hail

amidst　the　lightning。　　But　so　deft　was　the　alien；　that　he　stood

amidst　it　unhurt；　and　laid　many　strokes　on　his　foeman；　and　did　all　so

lightly　and　easily；　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　we