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There without more ado the carles took the elder from the litter and
bore him aboard； and Hallblithe followed him as if he had been so
appointed。 They laid the old man adown on the poop under a tilt of
precious web； and so went aback by the way that they had come； and
Hallblithe went and sat down beside the Long…hoary； who spake to him
and said： 〃Seest thou； son； how easy it is for us twain to be
shipped for the land whither we would go？ But as easy as it is for
thee to go thither whereas we are going； just so hard had it been for
thee to go elsewhere。 Moreover I must tell thee that though many an
one of the Isle of Ransom desireth to go this voyage； there shall
none else go； till the world is a year older； and he who shall go
then shall be likest to me in all ways； both in eld and in
feebleness； and in gibing speech； and all else； and now that I am
gone； his name shall be the same as that whereby ye may call me to…
day； and that is Grandfather。 Art thou glad or sorry； Hallblithe？〃
〃Grandfather；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃I can scarce tell thee： I move as
one who hath no will to wend one way or other。 Meseems I am drawn to
go thither whereas we are going； therefore I deem that I shall find
my beloved on the Glittering Plain： and whatever befalleth
afterward； let it be as it will！〃
〃Tell me； my son；〃 said the Grandfather； 〃how many women are there in
the world？〃
〃How may I tell thee？〃 said Hallblithe。
〃Well； then；〃 said the elder； 〃how many exceeding fair women are
there？〃
Said Hallblithe； 〃Indeed I wot not。〃
〃How many of such hast thou seen？〃 said the Grandfather。
〃Many；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃the daughters of my folk are fair； and
there will be many other such amongst the aliens。〃
Then laughed the elder； and said： 〃Yet； my son； he who had been thy
fellow since thy sundering from thy beloved； would have said that in
thy deeming there is but one woman in the world； or at least one fair
woman： is it not so？〃
Then Hallblithe reddened at first； as though he were angry； then he
said： 〃Yea； it is so。〃
Said the Grandfather in a musing way： 〃I wonder if before long I
shall think of it as thou dost。〃
Then Hallblithe gazed at him marvelling； and studied to see wherein
lay the gibe against himself； and the Grandfather beheld him； and
laughed as well as he might； and said： 〃Son； son； didst thou not
wish me youth？〃
〃Yea；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃but what ails thee to laugh so？ What is it
I have said or done？〃
〃Nought； nought；〃 said the elder； laughing still more； 〃only thou
lookest so mazed。 And who knoweth what thy wish may bring forth？〃
Thereat was Hallblithe sore puzzled； but while he set himself to
consider what the old carle might mean； uprose the hale and how of
the mariners； they cast off the hawsers from the shore； ran out the
sweeps； and drave the ship through the haven…gates。 It was a bright
sunny day； within； the green water was oily…smooth； without the
rippling waves danced merrily under a light breeze； and Hallblithe
deemed the wind to be fair； for the mariners shouted joyously and
made all sail on the ship； and she lay over and sped through the
waves； casting off the seas from her black bows。 Soon were they
clear of those swart cliffs； and it was but a little afterwards that
the Isle of Ransom was grown deep blue behind them and far away。
CHAPTER IX： THEY COME TO THE LAND OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
As in the hall； so in the ship； Hallblithe noted that the folk were
merry and of many words one with another； while to him no man cast a
word save the Grandfather。 As to Hallblithe； though he wondered much
what all this betokened； and what the land was whereto he was
wending； he was no man to fear an unboded peril； and he said to
himself that whatever else betid； he should meet the Hostage on the
Glittering Plain； so his heart rose and he was of good cheer； and as
the Grandfather had foretold； he was a merry faring…fellow to him。
Many a gibe the old man cast at him； and whiles Hallblithe gave him
back as good as he took； and whiles he laughed as the stroke went
home and silenced him； and whiles he understood nought of what the
elder said。 So wore the day and still the wind held fair； though it
was light； and the sun set in a sky nigh cloudless； and there was
nowhere any forecast of peril。 But when night was come； Hallblithe
lay down on a fair bed； which was dight for him in the poop； and he
soon fell asleep and dreamed not save such dreams as are but made up
of bygone memories； and betoken nought； and are not remembered。
When he awoke； day lay broad on the sea； and the waves were little；
the sky had but few clouds； the sun shone bright； and the air was
warm and sweet…breathed。
He looked aside and saw the old man sitting up in his bed； as ghastly
as a dead man dug up again： his bushy eyebrows were wrinkled over
his bleared old eyes； the long white hair dangled forlorn from his
gaunt head： yet was his face smiling and he looked as happy as the
soul within him could make the half…dead body。 He turned now to
Hallblithe and said：
〃Thou art late awake： hadst thou been waking earlier； the sooner had
thine heart been gladdened。 Go forward now； and gaze thy fill and
come and tell me thereof。〃
〃Thou art happy； Grandfather；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃what good tidings
hath morn brought us？〃
〃The Land！ the Land！〃 said the Long…hoary； 〃there are no longer tears
in this old body； else should I be weeping for joy。〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃Art thou going to meet some one who shall make
thee glad before thou diest； old man？〃
〃Some one？〃 said the elder； 〃what one？ Are they not all gone？
burned； and drowned； and slain and died abed？ Some one； young man？
Yea； forsooth some one indeed！ Yea； the great warrior of the Wasters
of the Shore； the Sea…eagle who bore the sword and the torch and the
terror of the Ravagers over the coal…blue sea。 It is myself； MYSELF
that I shall find on the Land of the Glittering Plain； O young
lover！〃
Hallblithe looked on him wondering as he raised his wasted arms
towards the bows of the ship pitching down the slope of the sunlit
sea； or climbing up it。 Then again the old man fell back on his bed
and muttered： 〃What fool's work is this！ that thou wilt draw me on
to talk loud； and waste my body with lack of patience。 I will talk
with thee no more； lest my heart swell and break； and quench the
little spark of life within me。〃
Then Hallblithe arose to his feet； and stood looking at him；
wondering so much at his words； that for a while he forgat the land
which they were nearing； though he had caught glimpses of it； as the
bows of the round…ship fell downward into the hollow of the sea。 The
wind was but light； as hath been said； and the waves little under it；
but there was still a smooth swell of the sea which came of breezes
now dead； and the ship wallowed thereon and sailed but slowly