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the story of the glittering plain-第7章

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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 endlong tables; and

took away the boards and trestles; and cleared the floor and stood

against the wall; then the big chieftain beside Hallblithe arose and

cried out:  〃Now let man dance with maid; and be we merry!  Music;

strike up!〃  Then flew the fiddle…bows and twanged the harps; and the

carles and queens stood forth on the floor; and all the women were

clad in black raiment; albeit embroidered with knots and wreaths of

flowers。  A while they danced and then suddenly the music fell; and

they all went back to their places。  Then the chieftain in the high…

seat arose and took a horn from his side; and blew a great blast on

it that filled the hall; then he cried in a loud voice:  〃Be we

merry!  Let the champions come forth!〃



Men shouted gleefully thereat; and straightway ran into the hall from

out the screens three tall men clad all in black armour with naked

swords in their hands; and stood amidst the hall…floor; somewhat on

one side; and clashed their swords on their shields and cried out:

〃Come forth ye Champions of the Raven!〃



Then leapt Hallblithe from his seat and set his hand to his left

side; but no sword was there; so he sat down again; remembering the

warning of the Elder; and none heeded him。



Then there came into the hall slowly and mournfully three men…at…

arms; clad and weaponed like the warriors of his folk; with the image

of the Raven on their helms and shields。  So Hallblithe refrained

him; for besides that this seemed like to be a fair battle of three

against three; he doubted some snare; and he determined to look on

and abide。



So the champions fell to laying on strokes that were no child's play;

though Hallblithe doubted if the edges bit; and it was but a little

while before the Champions of the Raven fell one after another before

the Wild Men; and folk drew them by the heels out into the buttery。

Then arose great laughter and jeering; and exceeding wroth was

Hallblithe; howbeit he refrained him because he remembered all he had

to do。  But the three Champions of the Sea strode round the hall;

tossing up their swords and catching them as they fell; while the

horns blew up behind them。



After a while the hall grew hushed; and the chieftain arose and

cried:  〃Bring in now some sheaves of the harvest we win; we lads of

the oar and the arrow!〃  Then was there a stir at the screen doors;

and folk pressed forward to see; and; lo; there came forward a string

of women; led in by two weaponed carles; and the women were a score

in number; and they were barefoot and their hair hung loose and their

gowns were ungirt; and they were chained together wrist to wrist; yet

had they gold at arm and neck:  there was silence in the hall when

they stood amidst of the floor。



Then indeed Hallblithe could not refrain himself; and he leapt from

his seat and on to the board; and over it; and ran down the hall; and

came to those women and looked them in the face one by one; w
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