the story of the glittering plain-第4节

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that　grim　land。　　The　sun　grew　low；　and　sank　red　under　the　sea；　and

that　world　of　stone　swallowed　up　half　the　heavens　before　them；　for

they　were　now　come　very　nigh　thereto；　nor　could　Hallblithe　see　aught

for　it；　but　that　they　must　be　dashed　against　the　cliff　and　perish　in

a　moment　of　time。



Still　the　boat　flew　on；　but　now　when　the　twilight　was　come；　and　they

had　just　opened　up　along　reach　of　the　cliff　that　lay　beyond　a　high

ness；　Hallblithe　thought　he　saw　down　by　the　edge　of　the　sea　something

darker　than　the　face　of　the　rock…wall；　and　he　deemed　it　was　a　cave：

they　came　a　little　nearer　and　he　saw　it　was　a　great　cave　high　enough

to　let　a　round…ship　go　in　with　all　her　sails　set。



〃Son　of　the　Raven；〃　quoth　Fox；　〃hearken；　for　thy　heart　is　not　little。

Yonder　is　the　gate　into　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　and　if　thou　wilt；　thou

mayst　go　through　it。　　Yet　it　may　be　that　if　thou　goest　ashore　on　to

the　Isle　something　grievous　shall　befall　thee；　a　trouble　more　than

thou　canst　bear：　　a　shame　it　may　be。　　Now　there　are　two　choices　for

thee：　　either　to　go　up　on　to　the　Isle　and　face　all；　or　to　die　here　by

my　hand　having　done　nothing　unmanly　or　shameful：　　What　sayest　thou？〃



〃Thou　art　of　many　words　when　time　so　presses；　Fox；〃　said　Hallblithe。

〃Why　should　I　not　choose　to　go　up　on　to　the　Island　to　deliver　my

trothplight　maiden？　　For　the　rest；　slay　me　if　thou　canst；　if　we　come

alive　out　of　this　cauldron　of　waters。〃



Said　the　big　red　man：　　〃Look　on　then；　and　note　Fox　how　he　steereth；

as　it　were　through　a　needle's　eye。〃



Now　were　they　underneath　the　black　shadow　of　the　black　cliff　and

amidst　the　twilight　the　surf　was　tossed　about　like　white　fire。　　In

the　lower　heavens　the　stars　were　beginning　to　twinkle　and　the　moon

was　bright　and　yellow；　and　aloft　all　was　peaceful；　for　no　cloud

sullied　the　sky。　　One　moment　Hallblithe　saw　all　this　hanging　above

the　turmoil　of　thundering　water　and　dripping　rock　and　the　next　he　was

in　the　darkness　of　the　cave；　the　roaring　wind　and　the　waves　still

making　thunder　about　him；　though　of　a　different　voice　from　the　harsh

hubbub　without。　　Then　he　heard　Fox　say：　　〃Sit　down　now　and　take　the

oars；　for　presently　shall　we　be　at　home　at　the　landing　place。〃



So　Hallblithe　took　the　oars　and　rowed；　and　as　they　went　up　the　cave

the　sea　fell；　and　the　wind　died　out　into　the　aimless　gustiness　of

hollow　places；　and　for　a　little　while　was　all　as　dark　as　dark　might

be。　　Then　Hallblithe　saw　that　the　darkness　grew　a　little　greyer；　and

he　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　a　star　of　light　before　the　bows

of　the　boat；　and　Fox　cried　out：　　〃Yea；　it　is　like　day；　bright　will

the　moon　be　for　such　as　needs　must　be　wayfaring　to…night！　　Cease

rowing；　O　Son　of　the　coal…blue　fowl；　for　there　is　way　enough　on　her。〃



Then　Hallblithe　lay　on　his　oars；　and　in　a　minute　the　bows　smote　the

land；　then　he　turned　about　and　saw　a　steep　stair　of　stone；　and　up　the

sloping　shaft　thereof　the　moonlit　sky　and　the　bright　stars。　　Then　Fox

arose　and　came　forward　and　leapt　out　of　the　boat　and　moored　her　to　a

big　stone：　　then　he　leapt　back　again　and　said：　　〃Bear　a　hand　with　the

victuals；　we　must　bring　them　out　of　the　boat　unless　thou　wilt　sleep

supperless；　as　I　will　not。　　For　to…night　must　we　be　guests　to

ourselves；　since　it　is　far　to　the　dwelling　of　my　people；　and　the　old

man　is　said　to　be　a　skin…changer；　a　flit…by…night。　　And　as　to　this

cave；　it　is　deemed　to　be　nowise　safe　to　sleep　therein；　unless　the

sleeper　have　a　double　share　of　luck。　　And　thy　luck；　meseemeth；　O　Son

of　the　Raven；　is　as　now　somewhat　less　than　a　single　share。　　So　to…

night　we　shall　sleep　under　the　naked　heaven。〃



Hallblithe　yea…said　this；　and　they　took　the　meat　and　drink；　such　as

they　needed；　from　out　the　boat；　and　climbed　the　steep　stair　no　little

way；　and　so　came　out　on　to　a　plain　place；　which　seemed　to　Hallblithe

bare　and　waste　so　far　as　he　saw　it　by　the　moonlight；　for　the　twilight

was　gone　now；　and　nought　was　left　of　the　light　of　day　save　a　glimmer

in　the　west。



This　Hallblithe　deemed　wonderful；　that　no　less　out　on　the　open　heath

and　brow　of　the　land　than　in　the　shut…in　cave；　all　that　tumult　of　the

wind　had　fallen；　and　the　cloudless　night　was　calm；　and　with　a　little

air　blowing　from　the　south　and　the　landward。



Therewithal　was　Fox　done　with　his　loud…voiced　braggart　mood；　and

spoke　gently　and　peaceably　like　to　a　wayfarer；　who　hath　business　of

his　to　look　to　as　other　men。　　Now　he　pointed　to　certain　rocks　or　low

crags　that　a　little　way　off　rose　like　a　reef　out　of　the　treeless

plain；　then　said　he：　　〃Shipmate；　underneath　yonder　rocks　is　our

resting…place　for　to…night；　and　I　pray　thee　not　to　deem　me　churlish

that　I　give　thee　no　better　harbour。　　But　I　have　a　charge　over　thee　to

bring　thee　safe　thus　far　on　thy　quest；　and　thou　wouldst　find　it　hard

to　live　among　such　housemates　as　thou　wouldst　find　up　yonder　amongst

our　folks　to…night。　　But　tomorrow　shalt　thou　come　to　speech　with　him

who　will　deal　with　thee　concerning　the　ransom。〃



〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃and　I　thank　thee　for　thy　leading：

and　as　for　thy　rough　and　uncomely　words　which　thou　hast　given　me；　I

pardon　thee　for　them：　　for　I　am　none　the　worse　of　them：　　forsooth；　if

I　had　been；　my　sword　would　have　had　a　voice　in　the　matter。〃



〃I　am　well　content　as　it　is；　Son　of　the　Raven；〃　quoth　Fox；　〃I　have

done　my　bidding　and　all　is　well。〃



〃Tell　me　then　who　it　is　hath　bidden　thee　bring　me　hither？〃



〃I　may　not　tell　thee；〃　said　Fox；　〃thou　art　here；　be　content；　as　I

am。〃



And　he　spake　no　more　till　they　had　come　to　the　reef　aforesaid；　which

was　some　two　furlongs　from　the　place　where　they　had　come　from　out　of

the　cave。　　There　then　they　set　forth　their　supper　on　the　stones；　and

ate　what　they　would；　and　drank　of　that　good　strong　wine　while　the

horn　bare　out。　　And　now　was　Fox　of　few　words；　and　when　Hallblithe

asked　him　concerning　that　land；　he　had　little　to　say。　　And　at　last

when　Hallblithe　asked　him　of　that　so　perilous　house　and　those　who

manned　it；　he　said　to　him：



〃Son　of　the　Raven；　it　avails　not　asking　of　these　matters；　for　if　I

tell　thee　aught　concerning　them　I　shall　tell　thee　lies。　　Once　again

let　it　be　enough　for　thee　that　thou　hast　passed　over　the　sea　safely

on　thy　quest；　and　a　more　perilous　sea　it　is　forsooth　than　thou

deemest。　　But　now　let　us　have　an　end　of　vain　words；　and　make　our　bed

amidst　these　stones　as　best　we　may；　for　we　should　be　stirring　betimes

in　the　morning。〃　　Hallblithe　said　little　in　answer；　and　they　arrayed

their　sleeping　places　cunningly；　as　the　hare　doth　her　form；　and　like

men　well　used　to　lying　abroad。



Hallblithe　was　very　weary　and　he　soon　fell　asleep；　and　as　he　lay

there；　he　dreamed　a　dream；　or　maybe　saw　a　vision；　whether　he　were

asleep　when　he　saw　it；　or　between　sleeping　and　waking；　I　know　not。

But　this　was　his　dream　or　his　vision；　that　the　Hostage　was　standing

over　him；　and　she　as　he　had　seen　her　but　yesterday；　bright…haired　and

ruddy…cheeked　and　white…skinned；　kind　of　hand　and　soft　of　voice；　and

she　said　to　him：　　〃Hallblithe；　look　on　me　and　hearken；　for　I　have　a

message　for　thee。〃　　And　he　looked　and　longed　for　her；　and　his　soul

was　ravished　by　the　sweetness　of　his　longing；　and　he　would　have　leapt

up　and　cast　his　arms　about　her；　but　sleep　and　the　dream　bound　him；

and　he　might　not。　　Then　the　image　smiled　on　him　and　said：　　〃Nay；　my

love；　lie　still；　for　thou　mayst　not　touch　me：　　here　is　but　the　image

of　the　body　which　thou　desirest。　　Hearken　then。　　I　am　in　evil　plight；

in　the　hands　of　strong…thieves　of　the　sea；　nor　know　I　what　they　will

do　with　me；　and　I　have　no　will　to　be　shamed；　to　be　sold　for　a　price

from　one　hand　to　another；　yet　to　be　bedded　without　a　price；　and　to

lie　beside　some　foe…man　of　our　folk；　and　he　to　cast　his　arms　about

me；　will　I；　will　I　not：　　this　is　a　hard　case。　　Therefore　to…morrow

morning　at　daybreak　while　men　sleep；　I　think　to　steal　forth　to　the

gunwale　of　the　black　ship　and　give　myself　to　the　gods；　that　they　and

not　these　runagates　may　be　masters　of　my　life　and　my　soul；　and　may　do

with　me　as　they　will：　　for　indeed　they　know　that　I　may　not　bear　the

strange　kinless　house；　and　the　love　and　caressing　of　the　alien　house…

master；　and　the　mocking　and　stripes　of　the　alien　house…mistress。

Therefore　let　the　Hoary　One　of　the　sea　take　me　and　look　to　my

matters；　and　carry　me　to　life　or　death；　which…so　he　will。　　Thin　now

grows　the　night；　but　lie　still　a　little　yet；　while　I　speak　another

word。



〃Maybe　we　shall　meet　alive　again；　and　maybe　not：　　and　if　not；　though

we　have　never　yet　lain　in　one　bed　together；　yet　I　would　have　thee

remember　me：　　yet　not　so　that　my　image　shall　come　between　thee　and

thy　speech…friend　and　bed…fellow　of　the　kindred；　that　shall　lie　where

I　was　to　have　lain。　　Yet　again；　if　I　live　and　thou　livest；　I　have

been　told　and　have　heard　that　by　one　way　or　other　I　am　like　to　come

to　the　Glittering　Plain；　and　the　Land　of　Living　Men。　　O　my　beloved；

if　by　any　way　thou　mightest　come　thither