the story of the glittering plain-第5节

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

if　by　any　way　thou　mightest　come　thither　also；　and　we　might　meet

there；　and　we　two　alive；　how　good　it　were！　　Seek　that　land　then；

beloved！　seek　it；　whether　or　no　we　once　more　behold　the　House　of　the

Rose；　or　tread　the　floor　of　the　Raven　dwelling。　　And　now　must　even

this　image　of　me　sunder　from　thee。　　Farewell！〃



Therewith　was　the　dream　done　and　the　vision　departed；　and　Hallblithe

sat　up　full　of　anguish　and　longing；　and　he　looked　about　him　over　the

dreary　land；　and　it　was　somewhat　light　and　the　sky　was　grown　grey　and

cloudy；　and　he　deemed　that　the　dawn　was　come。　　So　he　leapt　to　his

feet　and　stooped　down　over　Fox；　and　took　him　by　the　shoulder；　and

shook　him　and　said：　　〃Faring…fellow；　awake！　the　dawn　is　come；　and　we

have　much　to　do。〃



Fox　sat　up　and　growled　like　a　dog；　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked

about　him　and　said：　　〃Thou　hast　waked　me　for　nought：　　it　is　the　false

dawn　of　the　moon　that　shineth　now　behind　the　clouds　and　casteth　no

shadow；　it　is　but　an　hour　after　midnight。　　Go　to　sleep　again；　and　let

me　be；　else　will　I　not　be　a　guide　to　thee　when　the　day　comes。〃　　And

he　lay　down　and　was　asleep　at　once。　　Then　Hallblithe　went　and　lay

down　again　full　of　sorrow：　　Yet　so　weary　was　he　that　he　presently

fell　asleep；　and　dreamed　no　more。







CHAPTER　VI：　　OF　A　DWELLING　OF　MAN　ON　THE　ISLE　OF　RANSOM







When　he　awoke　again　the　sun　shone　on　him；　and　the　morning　was　calm

and　windless。　　He　sat　up　and　looked　about　him；　but　could　see　no　signs

of　Fox　save　the　lair　wherein　he　had　lain。　　So　he　arose　to　his　feet

and　sought　for　him　about　the　crannies　of　the　rocks；　and　found　him

not；　and　he　shouted　for　him；　and　had　no　answer。　　Then　he　said；

〃Belike　he　has　gone　down　to　the　boat　to　put　a　thing　in；　or　take　a

thing　out。〃　　So　he　went　his　ways　to　the　stair　down　into　the　water…

cave；　and　he　called　on　Fox　from　the　top　of　the　stair；　and　had　no

answer。



So　he　went　down　that　long　stair　with　a　misgiving　in　his　heart；　and

when　he　came　to　the　last　step　there　was　neither　man　nor　boat；　nor

aught　else　save　the　water　and　the　living　rock。　　Then　was　he　exceeding

wroth；　for　he　knew　that　he　had　been　beguiled；　and　he　was　in　an　evil

case；　left　alone　on　an　Isle　that　he　knew　not；　a　waste　and　desolate

land；　where　it　seemed　most　like　he　should　die　of　famine。



He　wasted　no　breath　or　might　now　in　crying　out　for　Fox；　or　seeking

him；　for　he　said　to　himself：　　〃I　might　well　have　known　that　he　was

false　and　a　liar；　whereas　he　could　scarce　refrain　his　joy　at　my　folly

and　his　guile。　　Now　is　it　for　me　to　strive　for　life　against　death。〃



Then　he　turned　and　went　slowly　up　the　stair；　and　came　out　on　to　the

open　face　of　that　Isle；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　waste　indeed；　and

dreadful：　　a　wilderness　of　black　sand　and　stones　and　ice…borne　rocks；

with　here　and　there　a　little　grass　growing　in　the　hollows；　and　here

and　there　a　dreary　mire　where　the　white…tufted　rushes　shook　in　the

wind；　and　here　and　there　stretches　of　moss　blended　with　red…blossomed

sengreen；　and　otherwhere　nought　but　the　wind…bitten　creeping　willow

clinging　to　the　black　sand；　with　a　white　bleached　stick　and　a　leaf　or

two；　and　again　a　stick　and　a　leaf。　　In　the　offing　looking　landward

were　great　mountains；　some　very　great　and　snow…capped；　some　bare　to

the　tops；　and　all　that　was　far　away；　save　the　snow；　was　deep…blue　in

the　sunny　morning。　　But　about　him　on　the　heath　were　scattered　rocks

like　the　reef　beneath　which　he　had　slept　the　last　night；　and　peaks；

and　hammers；　and　knolls　of　uncouth　shapes。



Then　he　went　to　the　edge　of　the　cliffs　and　looked　down　on　the　sea

which　lay　wrinkled　and　rippling　on　toward　the　shore　far　below　him；

and　long　he　gazed　thereon　and　all　about；　but　could　see　neither　ship

nor　sail；　nor　aught　else　save　the　washing　of　waves　and　the　hovering

of　sea　fowl。



Then　he　said：　　〃Were　it　not　well　if　I　were　to　seek　that　house…master

of　whom　Fox　spake？　　Might　he　not　flit　me　at　least　to　the　Land　of　the

Glittering　Plain？　　Woe　is　me！　now　am　I　of　that　woful　company；　and　I

also　must　needs　cry　out；　Where　is　the　land？　　Where　is　the　land？〃



Therewith　he　turned　toward　the　reef　above　their　lair；　but　as　he　went

he　thought　and　said：　　〃Nay；　but　was　not　this　Stead　a　lie　like　the

rest　of　Fox's　tale？　and　am　I　not　alone　in　this　sea…girt　wilderness？

Yea；　and　even　that　image　of　my　Beloved　which　I　saw　in　the　dream；

perchance　that　also　was　a　mere　beguiling；　for　now　I　see　that　the　Puny

Fox　was　in　all　ways　wiser　than　is　meet　and　comely。〃　　Yet　again　he

said：　　〃At　least　I　will　seek　on；　and　find　out　whether　there　be

another　man　dwelling　on　this　hapless　Isle；　and　then　the　worst　of　it

will　be　battle　with　him；　and　death　by　point　and　edge　rather　than　by

hunger；　or　at　the　best　we　may　become　friends　and　fellows　and　deliver

each　other。〃　　Therewith　he　came　to　the　reef；　and　with　much　ado

climbed　to　the　topmost　of　its　rocks　and　looked　down　thence　landward：

and　betwixt　him　and　the　mountains；　and　by　seeming　not　very　far　off；

he　saw　smoke　arising：　　but　no　house　he　saw；　nor　any　other　token　of　a

dwelling。　　So　he　came　down　from　the　stone　and　turned　his　back　upon

the　sea　and　went　toward　that　smoke　with　his　sword　in　its　sheath；　and

his　spear　over　his　shoulder。　　Rough　and　toilsome　was　the　way：　　three

little　dales　he　crossed　amidst　the　mountain　necks；　each　one　narrow

and　bare；　with　a　stream　of　water　amidst；　running　seaward；　and　whether

in　dale　or　on　ridge；　he　went　ever　amidst　sand　and　stones；　and　the

weeds　of　the　wilderness；　and　saw　no　man；　or　man…tended　beast。



At　last；　after　he　had　been　four　hours　on　the　way；　but　had　not　gone

very　far；　he　topped　a　stony　bent；　and　from　the　brow　thereof　beheld　a

wide　valley　grass…grown　for　the　more　part；　with　a　river　running

through　it；　and　sheep　and　kine　and　horses　feeding　up　and　down　it。

And　amidst　this　dale　by　the　stream…side；　was　a　dwelling　of　men；　a

long　hall　and　other　houses　about　it　builded　of　stone。



Then　was　Hallblithe　glad；　and　he　strode　down　the　bent　speedily；　his

war…gear　clashing　upon　him：　　and　as　he　came　to　the　foot　thereof　and

on　to　the　grass　of　the　dale；　he　got　amongst　the　pasturing　horses；　and

passed　close　by　the　horse…herd　and　a　woman　that　was　with　him。　　They

scowled　at　him　as　he　went　by；　but　meddled　not　with　him　in　any　way。

Although　they　were　giant…like　of　stature　and　fierce　of　face；　they

were　not　ill…favoured：　　they　were　red…haired；　and　the　woman　as　white

as　cream　where　the　sun　had　not　burned　her　skin；　they　had　no　weapons

that　Hallblithe　might　see　save　the　goad　in　the　hand　of　the　carle。



So　Hallblithe　passed　on　and　came　to　the　biggest　house；　the　hall

aforesaid：　　it　was　very　long；　and　low　as　for　its　length；　not　over

shapely　of　fashion；　a　mere　gabled　heap　of　stones。　　Low　and　strait　was

the　door　thereinto；　and　as　Hallblithe　entered　stooping　lowly；　and　the

fire　of　the　steel　of　his　spear　that　he　held　before　him　was　quenched

in　the　mirk　of　the　hall；　he　smiled　and　said　to　himself：　　〃Now　if

there　were　one　anigh　who　would　not　have　me　enter　alive；　and　he　with　a

weapon　in　his　hand；　soon　were　all　the　tale　told。〃　　But　he　got　into

the　hall　unsmitten；　and　stood　on　the　floor　thereof；　and　spake：　　〃The

sele　of　the　day　to　whomsoever　is　herein！　　Will　any　man　speak　to　the

new　comer？〃



But　none　answered　or　gave　him　greeting；　and　as　his　eyes　got　used　to

the　dusk　of　the　hall；　he　looked　about　him；　and　neither　on　the　floor

or　the　high　seat　nor　in　any　ingle　could　he　see　a　man；　and　there　was

silence　there；　save　for　the　crackling　of　the　flickering　flame　on　the

hearth　amidmost；　and　the　running　of　the　rats　behind　the　panelling　of

the　walls。



On　one　side　of　the　hall　was　a　row　of　shut…beds；　and　Hallblithe　deemed

that　there　might　be　men　therein；　but　since　none　had　greeted　him　he

refrained　him　from　searching　them　for　fear　of　a　trap；　and　he　thought；

〃I　will　abide　amidst　the　floor；　and　if　there　be　any　that　would　deal

with　me；　friend　or　foe；　let　him　come　hither　to　me。〃



So　he　fell　to　walking　up　and　down　the　hall　from　buttery　to　dais；　and

his　war…gear　rattled　upon　him。　　At　last　as　he　walked　he　thought　he

heard　a　small　thin　peevish　voice；　which　yet　was　too　husky　for　the

squeak　of　a　rat。　　So　he　stayed　his　walk　and　stood　still；　and　said：

〃Will　any　man　speak　to　Hallblithe；　a　newcomer；　and　a　stranger　in　this

Stead？〃



Then　that　small　voice　made　a　word　and　said：　　〃Why　paceth　the　fool　up

and　down　our　hall；　doing　nothing；　even　as　the　Ravens　flap　croaking

about　the　crags；　abiding　the　war…mote　and　the　clash　of　the　fallow

blades？〃



Said　Hallblithe；　and　his　voice　sounded　big　in　the　hall：　　〃Who　calleth

Hallblithe　a　fool　and　mocketh　at　the　sons　of　the　Raven？〃



Spake　the　voice：　　〃Why　cometh　not　the　fool　to　the　man　that　may　not　go

to　him？〃



Then　Hallblithe　bent　forward　to　hearken；　and　he　deemed　that　the　voice

came　from　one　of　the　shut…beds；　so　he　leaned　his　spear　against　a

pillar；　and　went　into　the　shut…bed　he　had　noted；　and　saw　where　there