eric brighteyes-第12部分

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easily　put　to　proof。　If　thou　willest　it；　to…morrow　I　will　come　with

thee　to　a　holmgang；　and　there　we　may　set　the　twigs　and　finish　what　we

have　begun　to…day。〃



〃I　cannot　do　that；　for　thou　hast　my　sword；　and；　till　I　am　suited　with

another　weapon；　I　may　fight　no　holmgang。　Still；　fear　not：　we　shall

soon　meet　with　weapons　aloft　and　byrnie　on　breast。〃



〃Never　too　soon　can　the　hour　come；　Blacktooth；〃　said　Eric；　and　turning

on　his　heel；　he　limped　to　the　hall　to　clothe　himself　afresh。　On　the

threshold　of　the　men's　door　he　met　Groa　the　Witch。



〃Thou　didst　put　grease　upon　my　shoes；　carline　and　witch…hag　that　thou

art；〃　he　said。



〃It　is　not　true；　Brighteyes。〃



〃There　thou　liest；　and　for　all　this　I　will　repay　thee。　Thou　art　not

yet　the　wife　of　Asmund；　nor　shalt　be；　for　a　plan　comes　into　my　head

about　it。〃



Groa　looked　at　him　strangely。　〃If　thou　speakest　so；　take　heed　to　thy

meat　and　drink；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　not　born　among　the　Finns　for

nothing；　and　know；　I　am　still　minded　to　wed　Asmund。　For　thy　shoes；　I

would　to　the　Gods　that　they　were　Hell…shoon；　and　that　I　was　now

binding　them　on　thy　dead　feet。〃



〃Oh！　the　cat　begins　to　spit；〃　said　Eric。　〃But　know　this：　thou　mayest

grease　my　shoesfit　work　for　a　carline！but　thou　mayest　never　bind

them　on。　Thou　art　a　witch；　and　wilt　come　to　the　end　of　witches；　and

what　thy　daughter　is；　that　I　will　not　say；〃　and　he　pushed　past　her　and

entered　the　hall。



Presently　Asmund　came　to　seek　Eric　there；　and　prayed　him　to　be　gone　to

his　stead　on　Ran　River。　The　horses　of　Ospakar　had　strayed；　and　he　must

stop　at　Middalhof　till　they　were　found；　but；　if　these　two　should　abide

under　the　same　roof；　bloodshed　would　come　of　it；　and　that　Asmund　knew。



Eric　said　yea　to　this；　and；　when　he　had　rested　a　while；　he　kissed

Gudruda；　and；　taking　a　horse；　rode　away　to　Coldback；　bearing　the　sword

Whitefire　with　him；　and　for　a　time　he　saw　no　more　of　Ospakar。



When　he　came　there；　his　mother　Saevuna　greeted　him　as　one　risen　from

the　dead；　and　hung　about　his　neck。　Then　he　told　her　all　that　had　come

to　pass；　and　she　thought　it　a　marvellous　story；　and　sorrowed　that

Thorgrimur；　her　husband；　was　not　alive　to　know　it。　But　Eric　mused　a

while；　and　spoke。



〃Mother；〃　he　said；　〃now　my　uncle　Thorod　of　Greenfell　is　dead；　and　his

daughter；　my　cousin　Unna；　has　no　home。　She　is　a　fair　woman　and　skilled

in　all　things。　It　comes　into　my　mind　that　we　should　bid　her　here　to

dwell　with　us。〃



〃Why；　I　thought　thou　wast　betrothed　to　Gudruda　the　Fair；〃　said

Saevuna。　〃Wherefore；　then；　wouldst　thou　bring　Unna　hither？〃



〃For　this　cause；〃　said　Eric；　〃because　it　seems　that　Asmund　the　Priest

wearies　of　Groa　the　Witch；　and　would　take　another　wife；　and　I　wish　to

draw　the　bands　between　us　tighter；　if　it　may　befall　so。〃



〃Groa　will　take　it　ill；〃　said　Saevuna。



〃Things　cannot　be　worse　between　us　than　they　are　now；　therefore　I　do

not　fear　Groa；〃　he　answered。



〃It　shall　be　as　thou　wilt；　son；　to…morrow　we　will　send　to　Unna　and　bid

her　here；　if　it　pleases　her　to　come。〃



Now　Ospakar　stayed　three　more　days　at　Middalhof；　till　his　horses　were

found；　and　he　was　fit　to　travel；　for　Eric　had　shaken　him　sorely。　But

he　had　no　words　with　Gudruda　and　few　with　Asmund。　Still；　he　saw

Swanhild；　and　she　bid　him　to　be　of　good　cheer；　for　he　should　yet　have

Gudruda。　For　now　that　the　maid　had　passed　from　him　the　mind　of　Ospakar

was　set　in　winning　her。　Bj？rn　also；　Asmund's　son；　spoke　words　of　good

comfort　to　him；　for　he　envied　Eric　his　great　fame；　and　he　thought　the

match　with　Blacktooth　would　be　good。　And　so　at　length　Ospakar　rode

away　to　Swinefell　with　all　his　company；　but　Gizur；　his　son；　left　his

heart　behind。



For　Swanhild　had　not　been　idle　this　while。　Her　heart　was　sore；　but　she

must　follow　her　ill…nature；　and　so　she　had　put　out　her　woman's

strength　and　beguiled　Gizur　into　loving　her。　But　she　did　not　love　him

at　all；　and　the　temper　of　Asmund　the　Priest　was　so　angry　that　Gizur

dared　not　ask　her　in　marriage。　So　nothing　was　said　of　the　matter。







Now　Unna　came　to　Coldback；　to　dwell　with　Saevuna；　Eric's　mother；　and

she　was　a　fair　and　buxom　woman。　She　had　been　once　wedded；　but　within　a

month　of　her　marriage　her　husband　was　lost　at　sea；　this　two　years

gone。　At　first　Gudruda　was　somewhat　jealous　of　this　coming　of　Unna　to

Coldback；　but　Eric　showed　her　what　was　in　his　mind；　and　she　fell　into

the　plan；　for　she　hated　and　feared　Groa　greatly；　and　desired　to　be　rid

of　her。



Since　this　matter　of　the　greasing　of　Eric's　wrestling…shoes　great

loathing　of　Groa　had　come　into　Asmund's　mind；　and　he　bethought　him

often　of　those　words　that　his　wife　Gudruda　the　Gentle　spoke　as　she　lay

dying；　and　grieved　that　the　oath　which　he　swore　then　had　in　part　been

broken。　He　would　have　no　more　to　do　with　Groa　now；　but　he　could　not　be

rid　of　her；　and；　notwithstanding　her　evil　doings；　he　still　loved

Swanhild。　But　Groa　grew　thin　with　spite　and　rage；　and　wandered　about

the　place　glaring　with　her　great　black　eyes；　and　people　hated　her　more

and　more。



Now　Asmund　went　to　visit　at　Coldback；　and　there　he　saw　Unna；　and　was

pleased　with　her；　for　she　was　a　blithe　woman　and　a　bonny。　The　end　of

it　was　that　he　asked　her　in　marriage　of　Eric；　at　which　Brighteyes　was

glad；　but　said　that　he　must　know　Unna's　mind。　Unna　hearkened；　and　did

not　say　no；　for　though　Asmund　was　somewhat　gone　in　years；　still　he　was

an　upstanding　man；　wealthy　in　lands；　goods；　and　moneys　out　at

interest；　and　having　many　friends。　So　they　plighted　troth；　and　the

wedding…feast　was　to　be　in　the　autumn　after　hay…harvest。　Now　Asmund

rode　back　to　Middalhof　somewhat　troubled　at　heart；　for　these　tidings

must　be　told　to　Groa；　and　he　feared　her　and　her　witchcraft。　In　the

hall　he　found　her；　standing　alone。



〃Where　hast　thou　been；　lord？〃　she　asked。



〃At　Coldback；〃　he　answered。



〃To　see　Unna；　Eric's　cousin；　perchance？〃



〃That　is　so。〃



〃What　is　Unna　to　thee；　then；　lord？〃



〃This　much；　that　after　hay…harvest　she　will　be　my　wife；　and　that　is

ill　news　for　thee；　Groa。〃



Now　Groa　turned　and　grasped　fiercely　at　the　air　with　her　thin　hands。

Her　eyes　started　out；　foam　was　on　her　lips；　and　she　shook　in　her　fury

like　a　birch…tree　in　the　wind；　looking　so　evil　that　Asmund　drew　back　a

little　way；　saying：



〃Now　a　veil　is　lifted　from　thee　and　I　see　thee　as　thou　art。　Thou　hast

cast　a　glamour　over　me　these　many　years；　Groa；　and　it　is　gone。〃



〃Mayhap；　Asmund　Asmundsonmayhap；　thou　knowest　me；　but　I　tell　thee

that　thou　shalt　see　me　in　a　worse　guise　before　thou　weddest　Unna。

What！　have　I　borne　the　greatest　shame；　lying　by　thy　side　these　many

years；　and　shall　I　live　to　see　a　rival；　young　and　fair；　creep　into　my

place　with　honour？　That　I　will　not　while　runes　have　power　and　spells

can　conjure　the　evil　thing　upon　thee。　I　call　down　ruin　on　thee　and

thineyea　and　on　Brighteyes　also；　for　he　has　brought　this　thing　to

pass。　Death　take　ye　all！　May　thy　blood　no　longer　run　in　mortal　veins

anywhere　on　the　earth！　Go　down　to　Hela；　Asmund；　and　be　forgotten！〃　and

she　began　to　mutter　runes　swiftly。



Now　Asmund　turned　white　with　wrath。　〃Cease　thy　evil　talk；〃　he　said；

〃or　thou　shalt　be　hurled　as　a　witch　into　Goldfoss　pool。〃



〃Into　Goldfoss　pool？yea；　there　I　may　lie。　I　see　it！I　seem　to　see

this　shape　of　mine　rolling　where　the　waters　boil　fiercestbut　thine

eyes　shall　never　see　it！　/Thy/　eyes　are　shut；　and　shut　are　the　eyes　of

Unna；　for　ye　have　gone　before！I　do　but　follow　after；〃　and　thrice

Groa　shrieked　aloud；　throwing　up　her　arms；　then　fell　foaming　on　the

sanded　floor。



〃An　evil　woman　and　a　fey！〃　said　Asmund　as　he　called　people　to　her。　〃It

had　been　better　for　me　if　I　had　never　seen　her　dark　face。〃



Now　it　is　to　be　told　that　Groa　lay　beside　herself　for　ten　full　days；

and　Swanhild　nursed　her。　Then　she　found　her　sense　again；　and　craved　to

see　Asmund；　and　spoke　thus　to　him：



〃It　seems　to　me；　lord；　if　indeed　it　be　aught　but　a　vision　of　my

dreams；　that　before　this　sickness　struck　me　I　spoke　mad　and　angry

words　against　thee；　because　thou　hast　plighted　troth　to　Unna；　Thorod's

daughter。〃



〃That　is　so；　in　truth；〃　said　Asmund。



〃I　have　to　say　this；　then；　lord：　that　most　humbly　I　crave　thy　pardon

for　my　ill　words；　and　ask　thee　to　put　them　away　from　thy　mind。　Sore

heart　makes　sour　speech；　and　thou　knowest　well　that；　howsoever　great

my　faults；　at　least　I　have　always　loved　thee　and　laboured　for　thee；

and　methinks　that　in　some　fashion　thy　fortunes　are　the　debtor　to　my

wisdom。　Therefore　when　my　ears　heard　that　thou　hadst　of　a　truth　put　me

away；　and　that　another　woman　comes　an　honoured　wife　to　rule　in

Middalhof；　my　tongue　forgot　its　courtesy；　and　I　spoke　words　that　are

of　all　words　the　farthest　from　my　mind。　For　I　know　well　that　I　grow

old；　and　have　put　off　that　beauty　with　which　I　was　adorned　of　yore；

and　that　held　thee　to　me。　'/Carline/'　Eric　Brighteyes　named　me；　and

'carline'　I　aman　old　hag；　no　more！　Now；　forgive　me；　and；　in　memory

of　all　that　has　been　between　us；　let　me　creep　to　my　place　in　the　ingle

and　still　watch　and　serve　thee　and　thine　till　my　service　is　outworn。

Out　of　Ran's　net　I　came　to　thee；　and；　if　thou　drivest　me　hence；　I　tell

thee　that　I　will　lie　down　and　die　upon　thy　threshold；　and　when　thou

sinkest　into　eld　surely　the　memory　of　it　shall　grieve　thee。〃



Thus　she　spoke　and　wept　much；　till　Asmund's　heart　softened　in　him；

and；　though　with　a　doubting　mind；　he　said　it　should　be　as　she　willed。



So　Groa　stayed　on　at　Middalhof；　and　was　lowly　in　her　bearing　and　soft

of　speech。







VII



HOW　ERIC　WENT　UP　MOSFELL　AGAINST　SKALLAGRIM　THE　BARESARK



Now　Atli　the　Good；　earl　of　the　Orkneys；　comes　into　the　story。



It　chanced　that　Atli　had　sailed　to　Iceland　in　the　autumn　on　a　business

about　certain　lands　that　had　fallen　to　him　in　right　of　his　mother

Helga；　who　was　an　Icelander；　and　he　had　wintered　west　of　Reyjanes。

Spring　being　come；　he　wished　to　sail　home；　and