The Story of the Glittering Plain by William Morris

Author:William Morris [Morris, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy fiction, English
Publisher: MOST Publishing
Published: 2001-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

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 morning; and he had a vision of them as it were, and saw them yoking the oxen to the plough, and slowly going down the acres, as the shining iron drew the long furrow down the stubble-land, and the light haze hung about the elm-trees in the calm morning, and the smoke rose straight into the air from the roof of the kindred. And he said: “What is this? am I death-doomed this morning that this sight cometh so clearly upon me amidst the falseness of this unchanging land?”

Thus he came to the pavilion, and folk fell back before him to the right and the left, and he stood before the King, and said to him: “I cannot find her; she is not in thy land.”

Then spake the King, smiling upon him, as erst: “What wilt thou then? Is it 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? Without is 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 on him, 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 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.

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