So did they, and sailed on pleasantly enough, for the weather kept on mending, and the wind fell till it was but a light breeze, yet still foul2 for Langton.
So wore three days, and on the eve of the third, the man from the topmast cried out that he saw land ahead; and so did they all before the sun was quite set, though it were but a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand.
When night fell they struck not sail, but went forth3 toward the land fair and softly; for it was early summer, so that the nights were neither long nor dark.
But when it was broad daylight, they opened a land, a long shore of rocks and mountains, and nought4 else that they could see at first. Nevertheless as day wore and they drew nigher, first they saw how the mountains fell away from the sea, and were behind a long wall of sheer cliff; and coming nigher yet, they beheld6 a green plain going up after a little in green bents and slopes to the feet of the said cliff-wall.
No city nor haven7 did they see there, not even when they were far nigher to the land; nevertheless, whereas they hankered for the peace of the green earth after all the tossing and unrest of the sea, and whereas also they doubted not to find at the least good and fresh water, and belike other bait in the plain under the mountains, they still sailed on not unmerrily; so that by nightfall they cast anchor in five-fathom water hard by the shore.
Next morning they found that they were lying a little way off the mouth of a river not right great; so they put out their boats and towed the ship up into the said river, and when they had gone up it for a mile or thereabouts they found the sea water failed, for little was the ebb8 and flow of the tide on that coast. Then was the river deep and clear, running between smooth grassy9 land like to meadows. Also on their left board they saw presently three head of neat cattle going, as if in a meadow of a homestead in their own land, and a few sheep; and thereafter, about a bow-draught from the river, they saw a little house of wood and straw-thatch under a wooded mound10, and with orchard11 trees about it. They wondered little thereat, for they knew no cause why that land should not be builded, though it were in the far outlands. However, they drew their ship up to the bank, thinking that they would at least abide12 awhile and ask tidings and have some refreshing13 of the green plain, which was so lovely and pleasant.
But while they were busied herein they saw a man come out of the house, and down to the river to meet them; and they soon saw that he was tall and old, long-hoary of hair and beard, and clad mostly in the skins of beasts.
He drew nigh without any fear or mistrust, and coming close to them gave them the sele of the day in a kindly14 and pleasant voice. The shipmaster greeted him in his turn, and said withal: “Old man, art thou the king of this country?”
The elder laughed; “It hath had none other a long while,” said he; “and at least there is no other son of Adam here to gainsay15.”
“Thou art alone here then?” said the master.
“Yea,” said the old man; “save for the beasts of the field and the wood, and the creeping things, and fowl16. Wherefore it is sweet to me to hear your voices.”
Said the master: “Where be the other houses of the town?”
The old man laughed. Said he: “When I said that I was alone, I meant that I was alone in the land and not only alone in this stead. There is no house save this betwixt the sea and the dwellings17 of the Bears, over the cliff-wall yonder, yea and a long way over it.”
“Yea,” quoth the shipmaster grinning, “and be the bears of thy country so manlike, that they dwell in builded houses?”
The old man shook his head. “Sir,” said he, “as to their bodily fashion, it is altogether manlike, save that they be one and all higher and bigger than most. For they be bears only in name; they be a nation of half wild men; for I have been told by them that there be many more than that tribe whose folk I have seen, and that they spread wide about behind these mountains from east to west. Now, sir, as to their souls and understandings I warrant them not; for miscreants19 they be, trowing neither in God nor his hallows.”
Said the master: “Trow they in Mahound then?”
“Nay20,” said the elder, “I wot not for sure that they have so much as a false God; though I have it from them that they worship a certain woman with mickle worship.”
Then spake Walter: “Yea, good sir, and how knowest thou that? dost thou deal with them at all?”
Said the old man: “Whiles some of that folk come hither and have of me what I can spare; a calf21 or two, or a half-dozen of lambs or hoggets; or a skin of wine or cyder of mine own making: and they give me in return such things as I can use, as skins of hart and bear and other peltries; for now I am old, I can but little of the hunting hereabout. Whiles, also, they bring little lumps of pure copper22, and would give me gold also, but it is of little use in this lonely land. Sooth to say, to me they are not masterful or rough-handed; but glad am I that they have been here but of late, and are not like to come again this while; for terrible they are of aspect, and whereas ye be aliens, belike they would not hold their hands from off you; and moreover ye have weapons and other matters which they would covet23 sorely.”
Quoth the master: “Since thou dealest with these wild men, will ye not deal with us in chaffer? For whereas we are come from long travel, we hanker after fresh victual, and here aboard are many things which were for thine avail.”
Said the old man: “All that I have is yours, so that ye do but leave me enough till my next ingathering: of wine and cyder, such as it is, I have plenty for your service; ye may drink it till it is all gone, if ye will: a little corn and meal I have, but not much; yet are ye welcome thereto, since the standing18 corn in my garth is done blossoming, and I have other meat. Cheeses have I and dried fish; take what ye will thereof. But as to my neat and sheep, if ye have sore need of any, and will have them, I may not say you nay: but I pray you if ye may do without them, not to take my milch-beasts or their engenderers; for, as ye have heard me say, the Bear-folk have been here but of late, and they have had of me all I might spare: but now let me tell you, if ye long after flesh-meat, that there is venison of hart and hind5, yea, and of buck24 and doe, to be had on this plain, and about the little woods at the feet of the rock-wall yonder: neither are they exceeding wild; for since I may not take them, I scare them not, and no other man do they see to hurt them; for the Bear-folk come straight to my house, and fare straight home thence. But I will lead you the nighest way to where the venison is easiest to be gotten. As to the wares25 in your ship, if ye will give me aught I will take it with a good will; and chiefly if ye have a fair knife or two and a roll of linen26 cloth, that were a good refreshment27 to me. But in any case what I have to give is free to you and welcome.”
The shipmaster laughed: “Friend,” said he, “we can thee mickle thanks for all that thou biddest us. And wot well that we be no lifters or sea-thieves to take thy livelihood28 from thee. So to-morrow, if thou wilt29, we will go with thee and upraise the hunt, and meanwhile we will come aland, and walk on the green grass, and water our ship with thy good fresh water.”
So the old carle went back to his house to make them ready what cheer he might, and the shipmen, who were twenty and one, all told, what with the mariners30 and Arnold and Walter’s servants, went ashore31, all but two who watched the ship and abode32 their turn. They went well-weaponed, for both the master and Walter deemed wariness33 wisdom, lest all might not be so good as it seemed. They took of their sail-cloths ashore and tilted34 them in on the meadow betwixt the house and the ship, and the carle brought them what he had for their avail, of fresh fruits, and cheeses, and milk, and wine, and cyder, and honey, and there they feasted nowise ill, and were right fain.
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1
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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2
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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3
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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4
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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5
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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6
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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7
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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8
ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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9
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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10
mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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11
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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12
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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13
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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14
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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15
gainsay
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| v.否认，反驳 | |
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16
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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17
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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18
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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19
miscreants
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| n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 ) | |
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20
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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21
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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22
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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23
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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24
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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25
wares
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| n. 货物, 商品 | |
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26
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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27
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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28
livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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29
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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30
mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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31
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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32
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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33
wariness
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| n. 注意,小心 | |
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34
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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