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the story of the glittering plain-第25部分

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amidst it unhurt; and laid many strokes on his foeman; and did all so

lightly and easily; that it seemed as if he were dancing rather than

fighting; and the folk held their peace and began to doubt if their

huge champion would prevail。  Now the red…haired fetched a mighty

stroke at the alien; who leapt aside lightly and gat his sword in his

left hand and dealt a great stroke on the other's head; and the red…

haired staggered; for he had over…reached himself; and again the

alien smote him a left…handed stroke so that he fell full length on

the floor with a mighty clatter; and the sword flew out of his hand:

and the folk were dumb…founded。



Then the alien threw himself on the sea…champion; and knelt upon him;

and shortened his sword as if to slay him with a thrust。  But thereon

the man overthrown cried out:  〃Hold thine hand; for I am vanquished!

Now give me peace according to the bargain struck between us; that I

shall serve thee year…long; and follow thee wheresoever thou goest。〃



Therewith the alien champion arose and stood off from him; and the

man of the sea gat to his feet; and did off his helm; so that all men

could see that he was the Puny Fox。



Then the victorious champion unhelmed himself; and lo; it was

Hallblithe!  And a shout arose in the hall; part of wonder; part of

wrath。



Then cried out the Puny Fox:  〃I call on all men here to bear witness

that by reason of this battle; Hallblithe of the Ravens is free to

come and go as he will in the Isle of Ransom; and to take help of any

man that will help him; and to depart from the isle when he will and

how he will; taking me with him if so he will。〃



Said the chieftain:  〃Yea; this is right and due; and so shall it be。

But now; since no freeman; who is not a foe of the passing hour; may

abide in our hall without eating of our meat; come up here;

Hallblithe; and sit by me; and eat and drink of the best we have;

since the Norns would not give us thine head for a gable…knop。  But

what wilt thou do with thy thrall the Puny Fox; and whereto in the

hall wilt thou have him shown?  Or wilt thou that he sit fasting in

the darkness to…night; laid in gyves and fetters?  Or shall he have

the cheer of whipping and stripes; as befitteth a thrall to whom the

master oweth a grudge?  What is thy will with him?〃



Said Hallblithe:  〃My will is that thou give him a seat next to me;

whether that be high or low; or the bench of thy prison…house。  That

he eat of my dish; and drink of my cup; whatsoever the meat and drink

may be。  For to…morrow I mean that we twain shall go under the earth…

collar together; and that our blood shall run together and that we

shall be brothers in arms henceforward。〃  Then Hallblithe did on his

helm again and drew his sword; and looked aside to the Puny Fox to

bid him do the like; and he did so; and Hallblithe said:  〃Chieftain;

thou hast bidden me to table; and I thank thee; but I will not set my

teeth in meat; out of our own house and land; which hath not been

truly given to me by one who wotteth of me; unless I have conquered

it as a prey of battle; neither will I cast a lie into the loving…cup

which shall pass from thy lips to mine:  therefore I will tell thee;

that though I laid a stroke or two on the Puny Fox; and those no

light ones; yet was this battle nought true and real; but a mere

beguiling; even as that which I saw foughten in this hall aforetime;

when meseemeth the slain men rose up in time to drink the good…night

cup。  Therefore; O men of the Ravagers; and thou; O Puny Fox; there

is nought to bind your hands and refrain your hearts; and ye may slay

me if ye will without murder or dishonour; and may make the head of

Hallblithe a knop for your feast…hall。  Yet shall one or two fall to

earth before I fall。〃



Therewith he shook his sword aloft; and a great roar arose; and

weapons came down from the wall; and the candles shone on naked

steel。  But the Puny Fox came and stood by Hallblithe; and spake in

his ear amidst the uproar:  〃Well now; brother…in…arms; I have been

trying to learn thee the lore of lies; and surely thou art the worst

scholar who was ever smitten by master。  And the outcome of it is

that I; who have lied so long and well; must now pay for all; and die

for a barren truth。〃



Said Hallblithe:  〃Let all be as it will!  I love thee; lies and all;

but as for me I cannot handle them。  Lo you! great and grim shall be

the slaying; and we shall not fall unavenged。〃



Said the Puny Fox:  〃Hearken! for still they hang back。  Belike it is

I that have drawn this death on thee and me。  My last lie was a

fool's lie and we die for it:  for what wouldst thou have done hadst

thou wotted that thy beloved; the Hostage of the Rose〃  He broke

off perforce; for Hallblithe was looking to right and left and

handling his sword; and heard not that last word of his; and from

both sides of the hall the throng was drawing round about those

twain; weapon in hand。  Then Hallblithe set his eyes on a big man in

front who was heaving up a heavy short…sword and thought that he

would at least slay this one。  But or ever he might smite; the great

horn blared out over the tumult; and men forbore a while and fell

somewhat silent。



Then came down to them the voice of the chieftain; a loud voice; but

clear and with mirth mingled with anger in it; and he said:  〃What do

these fools of the Ravagers cumbering the floor of the feast…hall;

and shaking weapons when there is no foeman anigh?  Are they

dreaming…drunk before the wine is poured?  Why do they not sit down

in their places; and abide the bringing in of the meat?  And ye

women; where are ye; why do ye delay our meat; when ye may well wot

that our hearts are drooping for hunger; and all hath been duly done;

the battle of the champions fought and won; and the prize of war

given forth and taken?  How long; O folk; shall your chieftains sit

fasting?〃



Then there arose great laughter in the hall; and men withdrew them

from those twain and went and sat them down in their places。



Then the chieftain said:  〃Come up hither; I say; O Hallblithe; and

bring thy war…thrall with thee if thou wilt。  But delay not; unless

it be so that thou art neither hungry nor thirsty; and good sooth

thou shouldst be both; for men say that the ravens are hard to

satisfy。  Come then and make good cheer with us!〃



So Hallblithe thrust his sword into the sheath; and the Puny Fox did

the like; and they went both together up the hall to the high…seat。

And Hallblithe sat down on the chieftain's right hand; and the Puny

Fox next to him; and the chieftain; the Erne; said:  〃O Hallblithe;

dost thou need thine armour at table; or dost thou find it handy to

take thy meat clad in thy byrny and girt with a sword?〃



Then laughed Hallblithe and said:  〃Nay; meseemeth to…night I shall

need war…gear no more。〃  And he stood up and did off all his armour

and gave it; sword and all; into the hands of a woman; who bore it

off; he knew not whither。  And the Erne looked on him and said:

〃Well is that! and now I see that thou art a fair young man; and it

is no marvel though maidens desire thee。〃



As he spake came in the damsels with the victual and the cheer was

exceeding good; and Hallblithe grew light…hearted。



But when the healths had been drunk as aforetime; and men had drunk a

cup or two thereafter; there rose a warrior from one of the endlong

benches; a big young man; black…haired and black…bearded; ruddy of

visage; and he said in a voice that was rough and fat:  〃O Erne; and

ye other chieftains; we have been talking here at our table

concerning this guest of thine who hath beguiled us; and we are not

wholly at one with thee as to thy dealings with him。  True it is; now

that the man hath our meat in his belly; that he must depart from

amongst us with a whole skin; unless of his own will he stand up to

fight some man of us here。  Yet some of us think that he is not so

much our friend that we should help him to a keel whereon to fare

home to those that hate us:  and we say that it would not be unlawful

to let the man abide in the isle; and proclaim him a wolf's…head

within a half…moon of today。  Or what sayest thou?〃



Said the Erne:  〃Wait for my word a while; and hearken to another!

Is the Grey…goose of the Ravagers in the hall?  Let him give out his

word on this matter。〃



Then arose a white…headed carle from a table nigh to the dais; whose

black raiment was well adorned with gold。  Despite his years his face

was fair and little wrinkled; a man with a straight nose and a well…

fashioned mouth; and with eyes still bright and grey。  He spake:  〃O

folk; I find that the Erne hath done well in cherishing this guest。

For first; if he hath beguiled us; he did it not save by the

furtherance and sleight of our own kinsman; therefore if any one is

to die for beguiling us; let it be the Puny Fox。  Secondly; we may

well wot that heavy ne
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