Part 9 (1/2)

But the King spake and said: ”I hinder not thy departure, nor will any of my folk. No hand will be raised against thee; there is no weapon in all the land, save the deedless sword by my side and the weapons which thou bearest.”

Said Hallblithe: ”Dost thou not owe me a joy in return for my beguiling?”

”Yea,” said the King, ”reach out thine hand to take it.”

”One thing only may I take of thee,” said Hallblithe; ”my troth-plight maiden or else the speeding of my departure.”

Then said the King, and his voice was terrible though yet he smiled: ”I will not hinder; I will not help. Depart in peace!”

Then Hallblithe turned away dizzy and half fainting, and strayed down the field, scarce knowing where he was; and as he went he felt his sleeve plucked at, and turned about, and lo! he was face to face with the Sea- eagle, no less joyous than aforetime. He took Hallblithe in his arms and embraced him and kissed him, and said: ”Well met, faring-fellow! Whither away?”

”Away out of this land of lies,” said Hallblithe.

The Sea-eagle shook his head, and quoth he: ”Art thou still seeking a dream? And thou so fair that thou puttest all other men to shame.”

”I seek no dream,” said Hallblithe, ”but rather the end of dreams.”

”Well,” said the Sea-eagle, ”we will not wrangle about it. But hearken.

Hard by in a pleasant nook of the meadows have I set up my tent; and although it be not as big as the King's pavilion, yet is it fair enough.

Wilt thou not come thither with me and rest thee to-night; and to-morrow we will talk of this matter?”

Now Hallblithe was weary and confused, and downhearted beyond his wont, and the friendly words of the Sea-eagle softened his heart, and he smiled on him and said: ”I give thee thanks; I will come with thee: thou art kind, and hast done nought to me save good from the time when I first saw thee lying in thy bed in the Hall of the Ravagers. Dost thou remember the day?”

The Sea-eagle knitted his brow as one striving with a troublous memory, and said: ”But dimly, friend, as if it had pa.s.sed in an ugly dream: meseemeth my friends.h.i.+p with thee began when I came to thee from out of the wood, and saw thee standing with those three damsels; that I remember full well ye were fair to look on.”

Hallblithe wondered at his words, but said no more about it, and they went together to a flowery nook nigh a stream of clear water where stood a silken tent, green like the gra.s.s which it stood on, and flecked with gold and goodly colours. Nigh it on the gra.s.s lay the Sea-eagle's damsel, ruddy-cheeked and sweet-lipped, as fair as aforetime. She turned about when she heard men coming, and when she saw Hallblithe a smile came into her face like the sun breaking out on a fair but clouded morning, and she went up to him and took him by the hands and kissed his cheek, and said: ”Welcome, Spearman! welcome back! We have heard of thee in many places, and have been sorry that thou wert not glad, and now are we fain of thy returning. Shall not sweet life begin for thee from henceforward?”

Again was Hallblithe moved by her kind welcome; but he shook his head and spake: ”Thou art kind, sister; yet if thou wouldst be kinder thou wilt show me a way whereby I may escape from this land. For abiding here has become irksome to me, and meseemeth that hope is yet alive without the Glittering Plain.”

Her face fell as she answered: ”Yea, and fear also, and worse, if aught be worse. But come, let us eat and drink in this fair place, and gather for thee a little joyance before thou departest, if thou needs must depart.”

He smiled on her as one not ill-content, and laid himself down on the gra.s.s, while the twain busied themselves, and brought forth fair cus.h.i.+ons and a gilded table, and laid dainty victual thereon and good wine.

So they ate and drank together, and the Sea-eagle and his mate became very joyous again, and Hallblithe bestirred himself not to be a mar-feast; for he said within himself: ”I am departing, and after this time I shall see them no more; and they are kind and blithe with me, and have been aforetime; I will not make their merry hearts sore. For when I am gone I shall be remembered of them but a little while.”

CHAPTER XVI: THOSE THREE GO THEIR WAYS TO THE EDGE OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN

So the evening wore merrily; and they made Hallblithe lie in an ingle of the tent on a fair bed, and he was weary, and slept thereon like a child.

But in the morning early they waked him; and while they were breaking their fast they began to speak to him of his departure, and asked him if he had an inkling of the way whereby he should get him gone, and he said: ”If I escape it must needs be by way of the mountains that wall the land about till they come down to the sea. For on the sea is no s.h.i.+p and no haven; and well I wot that no man of the land durst or can ferry me over to the land of my kindred, or otherwhere without the Glittering Plain.

Tell me therefore (and I ask no more of you), is there any rumour or memory of a way that cleaveth yonder mighty wall of rock to other lands?”

Said the damsel: ”There is more than a memory or a rumour: there is a road through the mountains known to all men. For at whiles the earthly pilgrims come into the Glittering Plain thereby; and yet but seldom, so many are the griefs and perils which beset the wayfarers on that road.

Whereof thou hadst far better bethink thee in time, and abide here and be happy with us and others who long sore to make thee happy.”

”Nay,” said Hallblithe, ”there is nought to do but tell me of the way, and I will depart at once, blessing you.”