按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
woman： is it not so？〃
Then Hallblithe reddened at first； as though he were angry； then he
said： 〃Yea； it is so。〃
Said the Grandfather in a musing way： 〃I wonder if before long I
shall think of it as thou dost。〃
Then Hallblithe gazed at him marvelling； and studied to see wherein
lay the gibe against himself； and the Grandfather beheld him； and
laughed as well as he might； and said： 〃Son； son； didst thou not
wish me youth？〃
〃Yea；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃but what ails thee to laugh so？ What is it
I have said or done？〃
〃Nought； nought；〃 said the elder； laughing still more； 〃only thou
lookest so mazed。 And who knoweth what thy wish may bring forth？〃
Thereat was Hallblithe sore puzzled； but while he set himself to
consider what the old carle might mean； uprose the hale and how of
the mariners； they cast off the hawsers from the shore； ran out the
sweeps； and drave the ship through the haven…gates。 It was a bright
sunny day； within； the green water was oily…smooth； without the
rippling waves danced merrily under a light breeze； and Hallblithe
deemed the wind to be fair； for the mariners shouted joyously and
made all sail on the ship； and she lay over and sped through the
waves； casting off the seas from her black bows。 Soon were they
clear of those swart cliffs； and it was but a little afterwards that
the Isle of Ransom was grown deep blue behind them and far away。
CHAPTER IX： THEY COME TO THE LAND OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
As in the hall； so in the ship； Hallblithe noted that the folk were
merry and of many words one with another； while to him no man cast a
word save the Grandfather。 As to Hallblithe； though he wondered much
what all this betokened； and what the land was whereto he was
wending； he was no man to fear an unboded peril； and he said to
himself that whatever else betid； he should meet the Hostage on the
Glittering Plain； so his heart rose and he was of good cheer； and as
the Grandfather had foretold； he was a merry faring…fellow to him。
Many a gibe the old man cast at him； and whiles Hallblithe gave him
back as good as he took； and whiles he laughed as the stroke went
home and silenced him； and whiles he understood nought of what the
elder said。 So wore the day and still the wind held fair； though it
was light； and the sun set in a sky nigh cloudless； and there was
nowhere any forecast of peril。 But when night was come； Hallblithe
lay down on a fair bed； which was dight for him in the poop； and he
soon fell asleep and dreamed not save such dreams as are but made up
of bygone memories； and betoken nought； and are not remembered。
When he awoke； day lay broad on the sea； and the waves were little；
the sky had but few clouds； the sun shone bright； and the air was
warm and sweet…breathed。
He looked aside and saw the old man sitting up in his bed； as ghastly
as a dead man dug up again： his bushy eyebrows were wrinkled over
his bleared old eyes； the long white hair dangled forlorn from his
gaunt head： yet was his face smiling and he looked as happy as the
soul within him could make the half…dead body。 He turned now to
Hallblithe and said：
〃Thou art late awake： hadst thou been waking earlier； the sooner had
thine heart been gladdened。 Go forward now； and gaze thy fill and
come and tell me thereof。〃
〃Thou art happy； Grandfather；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃what good tidings
hath morn brought us？〃
〃The Land！ the Land！〃 said the Long…hoary； 〃there are no longer tears
in this old body； else should I be weeping for joy。〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃Art thou going to meet some one who shall make
thee glad before thou diest； old man？〃
〃Some one？〃 said the elder； 〃what one？ Are they not all gone？
burned； and drowned； and slain and died abed？ Some one； young man？
Yea； forsooth some one indeed！ Yea； the great warrior of the Wasters
of the Shore； the Sea…eagle who bore the sword and the torch and the
terror of the Ravagers over the coal…blue sea。 It is myself； MYSELF
that I shall find on the Land of the Glittering Plain； O young
lover！〃
Hallblithe looked on him wondering as he raised his wasted arms
towards the bows of the ship pitching down the slope of the sunlit
sea； or climbing up it。 Then again the old man fell back on his bed
and muttered： 〃What fool's work is this！ that thou wilt draw me on
to talk loud； and waste my body with lack of patience。 I will talk
with thee no more； lest my heart swell and break； and quench the
little spark of life within me。〃
Then Hallblithe arose to his feet； and stood looking at him；
wondering so much at his words； that for a while he forgat the land
which they were nearing； though he had caught glimpses of it； as the
bows of the round…ship fell downward into the hollow of the sea。 The
wind was but light； as hath been said； and the waves little under it；
but there was still a smooth swell of the sea which came of breezes
now dead； and the ship wallowed thereon and sailed but slowly。
In a while the old man opened his eyes again； and said in a low
peevish voice： 〃Why standest thou staring at me？ why hast thou not
gone forward to look upon the land？ True it is that ye Ravens are
short of wits。〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃Be not wrath； chieftain； I was wondering at thy
words； which are exceeding marvellous； tell me more of this land of
the Glittering Plain。〃
Said the Grandfather： 〃Why should I tell it thee？ ask of the
mariners。 They all know more than thou dost。〃
〃Thou knowest；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃that these men speak not to me； and
take no more heed of me than if I were an image which they were
carrying to sell to the next mighty man they may hap on。 Or tell me；
thou old man；〃 said he fiercely； 〃is it perchance a thrall…market
whereto they are bringing me？ Have they sold her there； and will
they sell me also in the same place； but into other hands。〃
〃Tush！〃 said the Grandfather somewhat feebly； 〃this last word of
thine is folly； there is no buying or selling in the land whereto we
are bound。 As to thine other word； that these men have no fellowship
with thee； it is true： thou art my fellow and the fellow of none
else aboard。 Therefore if I feel might in me； maybe I will tell thee
somewhat。〃
Then he raised his head a little and said： 〃The sun grows hot； the
wind faileth us； and slow and slow are we sailing。〃
Even as he spoke there was a stir amidships； and Hallblithe looked
and beheld the mariners handling the sweeps； and settling themselves
on the rowing…benches。 Said the elder： 〃There is noise amidships；
what are they doing？〃
The old man raised himself a little again； and cried out in his
shrill voice： 〃Good lads！ brave lads！ Thus would we do in the old
time when we drew anear some shore； and the beacons were sending up
smoke by day； and flame benights； and the shore…abiders did on their
helms and trembled。 Thrust her through； lads！ Thrust her along！〃
Then he fell back again； and said in a weak voice： 〃Make no more
delay； guest； but go forward and look upon the land； and come back
and tell me thereof； and then the tale may flow from me。 Haste；
haste！〃 So Hallblithe went down from the poop； and in to the waist；
where now the rowers were bending to their oars； and crying out
fiercely as they tugged at the quivering ash； and he clomb on to the
forecastle and went forward right to the dragon…head； and gazed long
upon the land； while the dashing of the oar…blades made the semblance
of a gale about the ship's black sides。 Then he came back again to
the Sea…eagle； who said to him： 〃Son； what hast thou seen？〃
〃Right ahead lieth the land； and it is still a good way off。 High
rise the mountains there； but by seeming there is no snow on them；
and though they be blue they are not blue like the mountains of the
Isle of Ransom。 Also it seemed to me as if fair slopes of woodland
and meadow come down to the edge of the sea