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of content； but the Sea…eagle and his damsel were grown merry again；
and talked and sang together like autumn stares； with the kissing and
caressing of lovers。
So at last those twain lay down amongst the flowers； and slept in
each other's arms； but Hallblithe betook him to the brake a little
aloof； and lay down； but slept not till morning was at hand； when
slumber and confused dreams overtook him。
He was awaked from his sleep by the damsel； who came pushing through
the thicket all fresh and rosy from the river； and roused him； and
said：
〃Awake now； Spearman； that we may take our pleasure in the sun； for
he is high in the heavens now； and all the land laughs beneath him。〃
Her eyes glittered as she spoke； and her limbs moved under her
raiment as though she would presently fall to dancing for very joy。
But Hallblithe arose wearily； and gave her back no smile in answer；
but thrust through the thicket to the water； and washed the night
from off him； and so came back to the twain as they sat dallying
together over their breakfast。 He would not sit down by them； but
ate a morsel of bread as he stood； and said： 〃Tell me how I can
soonest find the King： I bid you not lead me thither； but let me go
my ways alone。 For with me time presses； and with you meseemeth time
is nought。 Neither am I a meet fellow for the happy。〃
But the Sea…eagle sprang up； and swore with a great oath that he
would nowise leave his shipmate in the lurch。 And the damsel said：
〃Fair man； I had best go with thee； I shall not hinder thee； but
further thee rather； so that thou shalt make one day's journey of
two。〃
And she put forth her hand to him； and caressed him smiling； and
fawned upon him； and he heeded it little； but hung not aback from
them since they were ready for the road： so they set forth all three
together。
They made such diligence on the backward road that the sun was not
set by then they came to Wood…end； and there was the King sitting in
the door of his pavilion。 Thither went Hallblithe straight； and
thrust through the throng； and stood before the King； who greeted him
kindly； and was no less sweet of face than on that other day。
Hallblithe hailed him not； but said： 〃King； look on my anguish； and
if thou art other than a king of dreams and lies； play no longer with
me； but tell me straight out if thou knowest of my troth…plight
maiden； whether she is in this land or not。〃
Then the King smiled on him and said： 〃True it is that I know of
her； yet know I not whether she is in this land or not。〃
〃King；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃wilt thou bring us together and stay my
heart's bleeding？〃
Said the King： 〃I cannot； since I know not where she is。〃
〃Why didst thou lie to me the other day？〃 said Hallblithe。
〃I lied not；〃 said the King； 〃I bade bring thee to the woman that
loved thee； and whom thou shouldst love； and that is my daughter。
And look thou！ Even as I may not bring thee to thine earthly love；
so couldst thou not make thyself manifest before my daughter； and
become her deathless love。 Is it not enough？〃
He spake sternly for all that he smiled； and Hallblithe said： 〃O
King； have pity on me！〃
〃Yea；〃 said the King； 〃pity thee I do： but I will live despite thy
sorrow； my pity of thee shall not slay me； or make thee happy。 Even
in such wise didst thou pity my daughter。〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃Thou art mighty； O King； and maybe the mightiest。
Wilt thou not help me？〃
〃How can I help thee？〃 said the King； 〃thou who wilt not help
thyself。 Thou hast seen what thou shouldst do： do it then and be
holpen。〃
Then said Hallblithe： 〃Wilt thou not slay me； O King； since thou
wilt not do aught else？〃
〃Nay；〃 said the King； 〃thy slaying wilt not serve me nor mine： I
will neither help nor hinder。 Thou art free to seek thy love
wheresoever thou wilt in this my realm。 Depart in peace！〃
Hallblithe saw that the King was angry； though he smiled upon him；
yet so coldly； that the face of him froze the very marrow of
Hallblithe's bones： and he said within himself： 〃This King of lies
shall not slay me； though mine anguish be hard to bear： for I am
alive； and it may be that my love is in this land； and I may find her
here； and how to reach another land I know not。〃
So he turned from before the face of the King as the sun was setting；
and he went down the land southward betwixt the mountains and the
sea； not heeding whether it were night or day； and he went on till it
was long past midnight； and then for mere weariness laid him down
under a tree； not knowing where he was； and fell asleep。
And in the morning he woke up to the bright sun； and found folk
standing round about him； both men and women； and their sheep were
anigh them； for they were shepherd folk。 So when they saw that he
was awake； they greeted him； and were blithe with him and made much
of him： and they took him home to their house； and gave him to eat
and to drink； and asked him what he would that they might serve him。
And they seemed to him to be kind and simple folk； and though he
loathed to speak the words； so sick at heart he was； yet he told them
how he was seeking his troth…plight maiden； his earthly love； and
asked them to say if they had seen any woman like her。
They heard him kindly and pitied him； and told him how they had heard
of a woman in the land； who sought her beloved even as he sought his。
And when he heard that； his heart leapt up； and he asked them to tell
him more concerning this woman。 Then they said that she dwelt in the
hill…country in a goodly house； and had set her heart on a lovely
man； whose image she had seen in a book； and that no man but this one
would content her； and this； they said； was a sad and sorry matter；
such as was unheard of hitherto in the land。
So when Hallblithe heard this； as heavily as his heart fell again； he
changed not countenance； but thanked the kind folk and departed； and
went on down the land betwixt the mountains and the sea； and before
nightfall he had been into three more houses of folk； and asked there
of all comers concerning a woman who was sundered from her beloved；
and at none of them gat he any answer to make him less sorry than
yesterday。 At the last of the three he slept； and on the morrow
early there was the work to begin again； and the next day was the
same as the last； and the day after differed not from it。 Thus he
went on seeking his beloved betwixt the mountains and the plain； till
the great rock…wall came down to the side of the sea and made an end
of the Glittering Plain on that side。 Then he turned about and went
back by the way he had come； and up the country betwixt the mountains
and the plain northward； until he had been into every house of folk
in those parts and asked his question。
Then he went up into that fair country of the dales； and even anigh
to where dwelt the King's Daughter； and otherwhere in the land and
everywhere； quartering the realm of the Glittering Plain as the heron
quarters the flooded meadow when the waters draw aback into the
river。 So that now all people knew him when he came； and they
wondered at him； but when he came to any house for the third or
fourth time； they wearied of him； and were glad when he departed。
Ever it was one of two answers that he had： either folk said to him；
〃There is no such woman； this land is happy； and nought but happy
people dwell herein；〃 or else they told him of the woman who lived in
sorrow； and was ever looking on a book； that she might bring to her
the man whom she desired。
Whiles he wearied and longed for death； but would not die until there
was no corner of the land unsearched。 Whiles he shook off weariness；
and went about his quest as a craftsman sets about his work in the
morning。 Whiles it irked him to see the soft and merry folk of the
land； who had no skill to help him； and he longed for the house of
his fathers and the men of the spear and the plough； and thought；
〃Oh； if I might but get me back； if it were but for an hour and to
die there； to the meadows of the Raven； and the acres beneath the
mountains of Cleveland by the Sea。 Then at least should I learn some
tale of what is or what hath been； howsoever evil the tidings were；
and not be bandied about by lies for ever。〃
CHAPTER XV： YET HALLBLITHE SPEAKETH WITH THE KING
So wore the days and the moons； and now were some six moons worn
since first he came to the Glittering Plain； and he was come to Wood…
end again； and heard and knew that the King was sitting once more in
the door of his pavilion to hearken to the words of his people； and
he said to himself： 〃I will speak yet again to this man； if indeed
he be a man； yea； though he turn me into stone。〃
And he went up toward the pavilion； and on the way it came into his
mind what the men of the kindred were doing that morn