CHAPTER XV: YET HALLBLITHE SPEAKETH WITH THE KING
So wore the days and the moons; and now were some six moons worn sincefirst 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 hispavilion 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, thoughhe turn me into stone."
And he went up toward the pavilion; and on the way it came into his mindwhat the men of the kindred were doing that morning; and he had a visionof them as it were, and saw them yoking the oxen to the plough, andslowly going down the acres, as the shining iron drew the long furrowdown the stubble-land, and the light haze hung about the elm-trees in thecalm morning, and the smoke rose straight into the air from the roof ofthe kindred. And he said: "What is this? am I death-doomed this morningthat this sight cometh so clearly upon me amidst the falseness of thisunchanging land?"
Thus he came to the pavilion, and folk fell back before him to the rightand the left, and he stood before the King, and said to him: "I cannotfind her; she is not in thy land."
Then spake the King, smiling upon him, as erst: "What wilt thou then? Isit not time to rest?"
He said: "Yea, O King; but not in this land."
Said the King: "Where else than in this land wilt thou find rest? Withoutis battle and famine, longing unsatisfied, and heart-burning and fear;within it is plenty and peace and good will and pleasure without cease.Thy word hath no meaning to me."
Said Hallblithe: "Give me leave to depart, and I will bless thee."
"Is there nought else to do?" said the King.
"Nought else," said Hallblithe.
Therewith he felt that the King's face changed though he still smiled onhim, and again he felt his heart grow cold before the King.
But the King spake and said: "I hinder not thy departure, nor will any ofmy folk. No hand will be raised against thee; there is no weapon in allthe land, save the deedless sword by my side and the weapons which thoubearest."
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-plightmaiden or else the speeding of my departure."
Then said the King, and his voice was terrible though yet he smiled: "Iwill not hinder; I will not help. Depart in peace!"
Then Hallblithe turned away dizzy and half fainting, and strayed down thefield, scarce knowing where he was; and as he went he felt his sleeveplucked 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 andembraced him and kissed him, and said: "Well met, faring-fellow! Whitheraway?"
"Away out of this land of lies," said Hallblithe.
The Sea-eagle shook his head, and quoth he: "Art thou still seeking adream? 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; andalthough 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-morrowwe 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 smiledon him and said: "I give thee thanks; I will come with thee: thou artkind, and hast done nought to me save good from the time when I first sawthee lying in thy bed in the Hall of the Ravagers. Dost thou rememberthe day?"
The Sea-eagle knitted his brow as one striving with a troublous memory,and said: "But dimly, friend, as if it had passed in an ugly dream:meseemeth my friendship with thee began when I came to thee from out ofthe wood, and saw thee standing with those three damsels; that I rememberfull well ye were fair to look on."
Hallblithe wondered at his words, but said no more about it, and theywent together to a flowery nook nigh a stream of clear water where stooda silken tent, green like the grass which it stood on, and flecked withgold and goodly colours. Nigh it on the grass lay the Sea-eagle'sdamsel, ruddy-cheeked and sweet-lipped, as fair as aforetime. She turnedabout when she heard men coming, and when she saw Hallblithe a smile cameinto 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 inmany places, and have been sorry that thou wert not glad, and now are wefain of thy returning. Shall not sweet life begin for thee fromhenceforward?"
Again was Hallblithe moved by her kind welcome; but he shook his head andspake: "Thou art kind, sister; yet if thou wouldst be kinder thou wiltshow me a way whereby I may escape from this land. For abiding here hasbecome irksome to me, and meseemeth that hope is yet alive without theGlittering Plain."
Her face fell as she answered: "Yea, and fear also, and worse, if aughtbe worse. But come, let us eat and drink in this fair place, and gatherfor thee a little joyance before thou departest, if thou needs mustdepart."
He smiled on her as one not ill-content, and laid himself down on thegrass, while the twain busied themselves, and brought forth fair cushionsand a gilded table, and laid dainty victual thereon and good wine.
So they ate and drank together, and the Sea-eagle and his mate becamevery joyous again, and Hallblithe bestirred himself not to be amar-feast; for he said within himself: "I am departing, and after thistime I shall see them no more; and they are kind and blithe with me, andhave been aforetime; I will not make their merry hearts sore. For when Iam gone I shall be remembered of them but a little while."