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haired damsel hung down her head before him and said softly： 〃Nay；
nay； sea…warrior； this one is too lovely to be our mate。 Sweeter
love abides him； and lips more longed for。〃
Then stirred Hallblithe's heart within him and he said： 〃O Eagle of
the Sea； thou hast thy youth again： what then wilt thou do with it？
Wilt thou not weary for the moonlit main； and the washing of waves
and the dashing of spray； and thy fellows all glistening with the
brine？ Where now shall be the alien shores before thee； and the
landing for fame； and departure for the gain of goods？ Wilt thou
forget the ship's black side； and the dripping of the windward oars；
as the squall falleth on when the sun hath arisen； and the sail
tuggeth hard on the sheet； and the ship lieth over and the lads shout
against the whistle of the wind？ Has the spear fallen from thine
hand； and hast thou buried the sword of thy fathers in the grave from
which thy body hath escaped？ What art thou； O Warrior； in the land
of the alien and the King？ Who shall heed thee or tell the tale of
thy glory； which thou hast covered over with the hand of a light
woman； whom thy kindred knoweth not； and who was not born in a house
wherefrom it hath been appointed thee from of old to take the
pleasure of woman？ Whose thrall art thou now； thou lifter of the
spoil； thou scarer of the freeborn？ The bidding of what lord or King
wilt thou do； O Chieftain； that thou mayst eat thy meat in the
morning and lie soft in thy bed in the evening？〃
〃O Warrior of the Ravagers； here stand I； Hallblithe of the Raven；
and I am come into an alien land beset with marvels to seek mine own；
and find that which is dearest to mine heart； to wit； my troth…plight
maiden the Hostage of the Rose； the fair woman who shall lie in my
bed； and bear me children； and stand by me in field and fold； by
thwart and gunwale； before the bow and the spear； by the flickering
of the cooking…fire； and amidst the blaze of the burning hall； and
beside the bale…fire of the warrior of the Raven。 O Sea…eagle； my
guester amongst the foemen； my fellow…farer and shipmate； say now
once for all whether thou wilt help me in my quest； or fall off from
me as a dastard？〃
Again the maidens shrank before his clear and high…raised voice； and
they trembled and grew pale。
But the Sea…eagle laughed from a countenance kind with joy； and said：
〃Child of the Raven； thy words are good and manly： but it availeth
nought in this land； and I wot not how thou wilt fare； or why thou
hast been sent amongst us。 What wilt thou do？ Hadst thou spoken
these words to the Long…hoary； the Grandfather； yesterday； his ears
would have been deaf to them； and now that thou speakest them to the
Sea…eagle； this joyous man on the Glittering Plain； he cannot do
according to them； for there is no other land than this which can
hold him。 Here he is strong and stark； and full of joy and love； but
otherwhere he would be but a gibbering ghost drifting down the wind
of night。 Therefore in whatsoever thou mayst do within this land I
will stand by thee and help thee； but not one inch beyond it may my
foot go； whether it be down into the brine of the sea； or up into the
clefts of the mountains which are the wall of this goodly land。
〃Thou hast been my shipmate and I love thee； I am thy friend； but
here in this land must needs be the love and the friendship。 For no
ghost can love thee； no ghost may help thee。 And as to what thou
sayest concerning the days gone past and our joys upon the tumbling
sea； true it is that those days were good and lovely； but they are
dead and gone like the lads who sat on the thwart beside us； and the
maidens who took our hands in the hall to lead us to the chamber。
Other days have come in their stead； and other friends shall cherish
us。 What then？ Shall we wound the living to pleasure the dead； who
cannot heed it？ Shall we curse the Yuletide； and cast foul water on
the Holy Hearth of the winter feast； because the summer once was fair
and the days flit and the times change？ Now let us be glad！ For
life liveth。〃
Therewith he turned about to his damsel and kissed her on the mouth。
But Hallblithe's face was grown sad and stern； and he spake slowly
and heavily： 〃So is it； shipmate； that whereas thou sayest that the
days flit； for thee they shall flit no more； and the day may come for
thee when thou shalt be weary； and know it； and long for the lost
which thou hast forgotten。 But hereof it availeth nought for me to
speak any longer； for thine ears are deaf to these words； and thou
wilt not hear them。 Therefore I say no more save that I thank thee
for thy help whatsoever it may be； and I will take it； for the day's
work lieth before me； and I begin to think that it may be heavy
enough。〃
The women yet looked downcast； and as if they would be gone out of
earshot； but the Sea…eagle laughed as one who is well content； and
said： 〃Thou thyself wilt make it hard for thyself after the wont of
thy proud and haughty race； but for me nothing is hard any longer；
neither thy scorn nor thy forebodings of evil。 Be thou my friend as
much as thou canst； and I will be thine wholly。 Now ye women；
whither will ye lead us？ For I am ready to see any new thing ye will
show us。〃
Said his damsel： 〃We will take you to the King； that your hearts may
be the more gladdened。 And as for thy friend the Spearman； O Sea…
warrior； let not his heart be downcast。 Who wotteth but that these
two desires； the desire of his heart； and the desire of a heart for
him； may not be one and the same desire； so that he shall be fully
satisfied？〃 As she spoke she looked sidelong at Hallblithe； with shy
and wheedling eyes； and he wondered at her word； and a new hope
sprang up in his heart that he was presently to be brought face to
face with the Hostage； and that this was that love； sweeter than
their love； which abode in him； and his heart became lighter； and his
visage cleared。
CHAPTER XII： THEY LOOK ON THE KING OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
So now the women led them along up the stream； and Hallblithe went
side by side by the Sea…eagle； but the women had become altogether
merry again； and played and ran about them as gamesome as young
goats； and they waded the shallows of the clear bright stream
barefoot to wash their limbs of the sea…brine； and strayed about the
meadows； plucking the flowers and making them wreaths and chaplets；
which they did upon themselves and the Sea…eagle； but Hallblithe they
touched not； for still they feared him。 They went on as the stream
led them up toward the hills； and ever were the meads about them as
fair and flowery as might be。 Folk they saw afar off； but fell in
with none for a good while； saving a man and a maid clad lightly as
for mid…summer days； who were wandering together lovingly and happily
by the stream…side； and who gazed wonderingly on the stark Sea…eagle；
and on Hallblithe with his glittering spear。 The black…haired damsel
greeted these twain and spake something to them； and they laughed
merrily； and the man stooped down amongst the grasses and blossoms of
the bank； and drew forth a basket； and spread dainty victuals on the
grass under a willow…tree； and bade them be his guests that fair
afternoon。 So they sat down there above the glistering stream and
ate and drank and were merry。 Thereafter the new…comers and their
way…leaders departed with kind words； and still set their faces
towards the hills。
At last they saw before them a little wooded hill； and underneath it
something red and shining； and other coloured things gleaming in the
sun about it。 Then said the Sea…eagle： 〃What have we yonder？〃
Said his damsel： 〃That is the pavilion of the King； and about it are
the tents and tilts of our folk who are of his fellowship： for oft
he abideth in the fields with them； though he hath houses and halls
as fair as the heart of man can conceive。〃
〃Hath he no foemen to fear？〃 said the Sea…eagle。
〃How should that be？〃 said the damsel。 〃If perchance any came into
this land to bring war upon him； their battle…anger should depart
when once the bliss of the Glittering Plain had entered into their
souls； and they would ask for nought but leave to abide here and be
happy。 Yet I trow that if he had foemen he could crush them as
easily as I set my foot on this daisy。〃
So as they went on they fell in with many folk； men and women；
sporting and playing in the fields； and there was no semblance of eld
on any of them； and no scar or blemish or feebleness of body or
sadness of countenance； nor did any bear a weapon or any piece of
armour。 Now some of them gathered about the new…corners； and
wondered at Hallblithe and his long spear and shining helm and dark
grey byrny； but none asked concerning them； for all knew that they
were folk new come to the bliss of the Glittering Plain。 So they
pass