the story of the glittering plain-第6部分

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trap？〃



〃There　is　no　need　to　talk　of　ransom；〃　said　the　elder；　〃thou　mayst　go

out　of　this　house　when　thou　wilt；　nor　will　any　meddle　with　thee　if

thou　strayest　about　the　Isle；　when　I　have　set　a　mark　on　thee　and

given　thee　a　token：　　nor　wilt　thou　be　hindered　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to

leave　the　Isle；　if　thou　canst　find　means　thereto；　moreover　as　long　as

thou　art　in　the　Isle；　in　this　house　mayst　thou　abide；　eating　and

drinking　and　resting　with　us。〃



〃How　then　may　I　leave　this　Isle？〃　said　Hallblithe。



The　elder　laughed：　　〃In　a　ship；〃　said　he。



〃And　when；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃shall　I　find　a　ship　that　shall　carry

me？〃



Said　the　old　carle；　〃Whither　wouldest　thou　my　son？〃　　Hallblithe　was

silent　a　while；　thinking　what　answer　he　should　make；　then　he　said：

〃I　would　go　to　the　land　of　the　Glittering　Plain。〃



〃Son；　a　ship　shall　not　be　lacking　thee　for　that　voyage；〃　said　the

elder。　　〃Thou　mayst　go　to…morrow　morn。　　And　I　bid　thee　abide　here　to…

night；　and　thy　cheer　shall　not　be　ill。　　Yet　if　thou　wilt　believe　my

word；　it　will　be　well　for　thee　to　say　as　little　as　thou　mayst　to　any

man　here；　and　that　little　as　little　proud　as　maybe：　　for　our　folk　are

short　of　temper　and　thou　knowest　there　is　no　might　against　many。

Indeed　it　is　not　unlike　that　they　will　not　speak　one　word　to　thee；

and　if　that　be　so；　thou　hast　no　need　to　open　thy　mouth　to　them。　　And

now　I　will　tell　thee　that　it　is　good　that　thou　hast　chosen　to　go　to

the　Glittering　Plain。　　For　if　thou　wert　otherwise　minded；　I　wot　not

how　thou　wouldest　get　thee　a　keel　to　carry　thee；　and　the　wings　have

not　yet　begun　to　sprout　on　thy　shoulders；　raven　though　thou　be。　　Now

I　am　glad　that　thou　art　going　thy　ways　to　the　Glittering　Plain　to…

morrow；　for　thou　wilt　be　good　company　to　me　on　the　way：　　and　I　deem

that　thou　wilt　be　no　churl　when　thou　art　glad。〃



〃What；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃art　thou　wending　thither；　thou　old　man？〃



〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃nor　shall　any　other　be　on　the　ship　save　thou　and　I；

and　the　mariners　that　waft　us；　and　they　forsooth　shall　not　go　aland

there。　　Why　should　not　I　go；　since　there　are　men　to　bear　me　aboard？〃



Said　Hallblithe；　〃And　when　thou　art　come　aland　there；　what　wilt　thou

do？〃



〃Thou　shalt　see；　my　son；〃　said　the　Long…hoary。　　〃It　may　be　that　thy

good　wishes　shall　be　of　avail　to　me。　　But　now　since　all　this　may　only

be　if　I　live　through　this　night；　and　since　my　heart　hath　been　warmed

by　the　good　mead；　and　thy　fellowship；　and　whereas　I　am　somewhat

sleepy；　and　it　is　long　past　noon；　go　forth　into　the　hall；　and　leave

me　to　sleep；　that　I　may　be　as　sound　as　eld　will　let　me　to…morrow。

And　as　for　thee；　folk；　both　men　and　women；　shall　presently　come　into

the　hall；　and　I　deem　not　that　any　shall　meddle　with　thee；　but　if　so

be　that　any　challenge　thee；　whatsoever　may　be　his　words；　answer　thou

to　him；　'THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　UNDYING；'　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　it。

Only　look　thou　to　it　that　no　naked　steel　cometh　out　of　thy　scabbard。

Go　now；　and　if　thou　wilt；　go　out　of　doors；　yet　art　thou　safer　within

doors　and　nigher　unto　me。〃



So　Hallblithe　went　back　into　the　main　hall；　and　the　sun　had　gotten

round　now；　and　was　shining　into　the　hall；　through　the　clerestory

windows；　so　that　he　saw　clearly　all　that　was　therein。　　And　he　deemed

the　hall　fairer　within　than　without；　and　especially　over　the　shut…

beds　were　many　stories　carven　in　the　panelling；　and　Hallblithe　beheld

them　gladly。　　But　of　one　thing　he　marvelled；　that　whereas　he　was　in

an　island　of　the　strong…thieves　of　the　waters；　and　in　their　very　home

and　chiefest　habitation；　there　were　no　ships　or　seas　pictured　in　that

imagery；　but　fair　groves　and　gardens；　with　flowery　grass　and　fruited

trees　all　about。　　And　there　were　fair　women　abiding　therein；　and

lovely　young　men；　and　warriors；　and　strange　beasts　and　many　marvels；

and　the　ending　of　wrath　and　beginning　of　pleasure　and　the　crowning　of

love。　　And　amidst　these　was　pictured　oft　and　again　a　mighty　king　with

a　sword　by　his　side　and　a　crown　on　his　head；　and　ever　was　he　smiling

and　joyous；　so　that　Hallblithe；　when　he　looked　on　him；　felt　of　better

heart　and　smiled　back　on　the　carven　image。



So　while　Hallblithe　looked　on　these　things；　and　pondered　his　case

carefully；　all　alone　as　he　was　in　that　alien　hall；　he　heard　a　noise

without　of　talking　and　laughter；　and　presently　the　pattering　of　feet

therewith；　and　then　women　came　into　the　hall；　a　score　or　more；　some

young；　some　old；　some　fair　enough；　and　some　hard…featured　and

uncomely；　but　all　above　the　stature　of　the　women　whom　he　had　seen　in

his　own　land。



So　he　stood　amidst　the　hall…floor　and　abided　them；　and　they　saw　him

and　his　shining　war…gear；　and　ceased　their　talking　and　laughter；　and

drew　round　about　him；　and　gazed　at　him；　but　none　said　aught　till　an

old　crone　came　forth　from　the　ring；　and　said　〃Who　art　thou；　standing

under　weapons　in　our　hall？〃



He　knew　not　what　to　answer；　and　held　his　peace；　and　she　spake　again：

〃Whither　wouldest　thou；　what　seekest　thou？〃



Then　answered　Hallblithe：　　〃THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　UNDYING。〃



None　answered；　and　the　other　women　all　fell　away　from　him　at　once；

and　went　about　their　business　hither　and　thither　through　the　hall。

But　the　old　crone　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　up　to　the　dais；

and　set　him　next　to　the　midmost　high…seat。　　Then　she　made　as　if　she

would　do　off　his　war…gear；　and　he　would　not　gainsay　her；　though　he

deemed　that　foes　might　be　anear；　for　in　sooth　he　trusted　in　the　old

carle　that　he　would　not　bewray　him；　and　moreover　he　deemed　it　would

be　unmanly　not　to　take　the　risks　of　the　guesting；　according　to　the

custom　of　that　country。



So　she　took　his　armour　and　his　weapons　and　bore　them　off　to　a　shut…

bed　next　to　that　wherein　lay　the　ancient　man；　and　she　laid　the　gear

within　it；　all　save　the　spear；　which　she　laid　on　the　wall…pins　above；

and　she　made　signs　to　him　that　therein　he　was　to　lie；　but　she　spake

no　word　to　him。　　Then　she　brought　him　the　hand…washing　water　in　a

basin　of　latten；　and　a　goodly　towel　therewith；　and　when　he　had　washed

she　went　away　from　him；　but　not　far。



This　while　the　other　women　were　busy　about　the　hall；　some　swept　the

floor　down；　and　when　it　was　swept　strawed　thereon　rushes　and　handfuls

of　wild　thyme：　　some　went　into　the　buttery　and　bore　forth　the　boards

and　the　trestles：　　some　went　to　the　chests　and　brought　out　the　rich

hangings；　the　goodly　bankers　and　dorsars；　and　did　them　on　the　walls：

some　bore　in　the　stoups　and　horns　and　beakers；　and　some　went　their

ways　and　came　not　back　a　while；　for　they　were　busied　about　the

cooking。　　But　whatever　they　did；　none　hailed　him；　or　heeded　him　more

than　if　he　had　been　an　image；　as　he　sat　there　looking　on。　　None　save

the　old　woman　who　brought　him　the　fore…supper；　to　wit　a　great　horn　of

mead；　and　cakes　and　dried　fish。



So　was　the　hall　arrayed　for　the　feast　very　fairly；　and　Hallblithe　sat

there　while　the　sun　westered　and　the　house　grew　dim；　and　dark　at

last；　and　they　lighted　the　candles　up　and　down　the　hall。　　But　a

little　after　these　were　lit；　a　great　horn　was　winded　close　without；

and　thereafter　came　the　clatter　of　arms　about　the　door；　and　exceeding

tall　weaponed　men　came　in；　one　score　and　five；　and　strode　two　by　two

up　to　the　foot　of　the　dais；　and　stood　there　in　a　row。　　And　Hallblithe

deemed　their　war…gear　exceeding　good；　they　were　all　clad　in　ring…

locked　byrnies；　and　had　steel　helms　on　their　heads　with　garlands　of

gold　wrought　about　them　and　they　bore　spears　in　their　hands；　and

white　shields　hung　at　their　backs。　　Now　came　the　women　to　them　and

unarmed　them；　and　under　their　armour　their　raiment　was　black；　but

they　had　gold　rings　on　their　arms；　and　golden　collars　about　their

necks。　　So　they　strode　up　to　the　dais　and　took　their　places　on　the

high…seat；　not　heeding　Hallblithe　any　more　than　if　he　were　an　image

of　wood。　　Nevertheless　that　man　sat　next　to　him　who　was　the　chieftain

of　all　and　sat　in　the　midmost　high…seat；　and　he　bore　his　sheathed

sword　in　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　board　before　him；　and　he　was　the

only　man　of　those　chieftains　who　had　a　weapon。



But　when　these　were　set　down　there　was　again　a　noise　without；　and

there　came　in　a　throng　of　men　armed　and　unarmed　who　took　their　places

on　the　end…long　benches　up　and　down　the　hall；　with　these　came　women

also；　who　most　of　them　sat　amongst　the　men；　but　some　busied　them　with

the　serving：　　all　these　men　were　great　of　stature；　but　none　so　big　as

the　chieftains　on　the　high…seat。



Now　came　the　women　in　from　the　kitchen　bearing　the　meat；　whereof　no

little　was　flesh…meat；　and　all　was　of　the　best。　　Hallblithe　was　duly

served　like　the　others；　but　still　none　spake　to　him　or　even　looked　on

him；　though　amongst　themselves　they　spoke　in　big；　rough　voices　so

that　the　rafters　of　the　hall　rang　again。



When　they　had　eaten　their　fill　the　women　filled　round　the　cups　and

the　horns　to　them；　and　those　vessels　were　both　great　and　goodly。　　But

ere　they　fell　to　drinking　uprose　the　chieftain　who　sat　furthest　from

the　midmost　high…seat　on　the　right　and　cried　a　health：　　〃THE　TREASURE

OF　THE　SEA！〃　　Then　they　all　stood　up　and　shouted；　women　as　well　as

men；　and　emptied　their　horns　and　cups　to　that　health。　　Then　stood　up

the　man　furthest　on　the　left　and　cried　out；　〃Drink　a　health　to　the

Undying　King！〃　　And　again　all　men　rose　up　and　shouted　ere　they　drank。

Other　healths　they　drank；　as　the　〃Cold　Keel；〃　the　〃Windworn　Sail；〃

the　〃Quivering　Ash〃　and　the　〃Furrowed　Beach。〃　　And　the　wine　and　mead

flowed　like　rivers　in　that　hall　of　the　Wild　Men。　　As　for　Hallblithe；

he　drank　what　he　would　but　stood　not　up；　nor　raised　his　cup　to　his

lips　when　a　health　was　drunk；　for　he　knew　not　whether　these　men　were

his　friends　or　his　foes；　and　he　deemed　it　would　be　little…minded　to

drink　to　their　healths；　lest　he　might　be　drinking　death　and　confusion

to　his　own　kindred。



But　when　men　had　drunk　a　while；　again　a　horn　blew　at　the　nether　end

of　the　hall；　and　straightway　folk　arose　from　the　e