eric brighteyes-第13部分

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

Spring　being　come；　he　wished　to　sail　home；　and；　when　his　ship　was

bound；　he　put　to　sea　full　early　in　the　year。　But　it　chanced　that　bad

weather　came　up　from　the　south…east；　with　mist　and　rain；　so　he　must

needs　beach　his　ship　in　a　creek　under　shelter　of　the　Westman　Islands。



Now　Atli　asked　what　people　dwelt　in　these　parts；　and；　when　he　heard

the　name　of　Asmund　Asmundson　the　Priest；　he　was　glad；　for　in　old　days

he　and　Asmund　had　gone　many　a　viking　cruise　together。



〃We　will　leave　the　ship　here；〃　he　said；　〃till　the　weather　clears；　and

go　up　to　Middalhof　to　stay　with　Asmund。〃



So　they　made　the　ship　snug；　and　left　men　to　watch　her；　but　two　of　the

company；　with　Earl　Atli；　rode　up　to　Middalhof。



It　must　be　told　of　Atli　that　he　was　the　best　of　the　earls　who　lived　in

those　days；　and　he　ruled　the　Orkneys　so　well　that　men　gave　him　a　by…

name　and　called　him　Atli　the　Good。　It　was　said　of　him　that　he　had

never　turned　a　poor　man　away　unsuccoured；　nor　bowed　his　head　before　a

strong　man；　nor　drawn　his　sword　without　cause；　nor　refused　peace　to

him　who　prayed　it。　He　was　sixty　years　old；　but　age　had　left　few　marks

on　him；　except　that　of　his　long　white　beard。　He　was　keen…eyed；　and

well…fashioned　of　form　and　face；　a　great　warrior　and　the　strongest　of

men。　His　wife　was　dead；　leaving　him　no　children；　and　this　was　a　sorrow

to　him；　but　as　yet　he　had　taken　no　other　wife；　for　he　would　say：　〃Love

makes　an　old　man　blind；〃　and　〃When　age　runs　with　youth；　both　shall

fall；〃　and　again；　〃Mix　grey　locks　and　golden　and　spoil　two　heads。〃　For

this　earl　was　a　man　of　many　wise　sayings。



Now　Atli　came　to　Middalhof　just　as　men　sat　down　to　meat　and；　hearing

the　clatter　of　arms；　all　sprang　to　their　feet；　thinking　that　perhaps

Ospakar　had　come　again　as　he　had　promised。　But　when　Asmund　saw　Atli　he

knew　him　at　once；　though　they　had　not　met　for　nearly　thirty　years；　and

he　greeted　him　lovingly；　and　put　him　in　the　high　seat；　and　gave　place

to　his　men　upon　the　cross…benches。　Atli　told　all　his　story；　and　Asmund

bade　him　rest　a　while　at　Middalhof　till　the　weather　grew　clearer。



Now　the　Earl　saw　Swanhild　and　thought　the　maid　wondrous　fair；　and　so

indeed　she　was；　as　she　moved　scornfully　to　and　fro　in　her　kirtle　of

white。　Soft　was　her　curling　hair　and　deep　were　her　dark　blue　eyes；　and

bent　were　her　red　lips　as　is　a　bow　above　her　dimpled　chin；　and　her

teeth　shone　like　pearls。



〃Is　that　fair　maid　thy　daughter；　Asmund；〃　asked　Atli。



〃She　is　named　Swanhild　the　Fatherless；〃　he　answered；　turning　his　face

away。



〃Well；〃　said　Atli；　looking　sharply　on　him；　〃were　the　maid　sprung　from

me；　she　would　not　long　be　called　the　'Fatherless；'　for　few　have　such　a

daughter。〃



〃She　is　fair　enough；〃　said　Asmund；　〃in　all　save　temper；　and　that　is

bad　to　cross。〃



〃In　every　sword　a　flaw；〃　answers　Atli；　〃but　what　has　an　old　man　to　do

with　young　maids　and　their　beauty？〃　and　he　sighed。



〃I　have　known　younger　men　who　would　seem　less　brisk　at　bridals；〃　said

Asmund；　and　for　that　time　they　talked　no　more　of　the　matter。



Now；　Swanhild　heard　something　of　this　speech；　and　she　guessed　more；

and　it　came　into　her　mind　that　it　would　be　the　best　of　sport　to　make

this　old　man　love　her；　and　then　to　mock　him　and　say　him　nay。　So　she

set　herself　to　the　task；　as　it　ever　was　her　wont；　and　she　found　it

easy。　For　all　day　long；　with　downcast　eyes　and　gentle　looks；　she

waited　upon　the　Earl；　and　now；　at　his　bidding；　she　sang　to　him　in　a

voice　soft　and　low；　and　now　she　talked　so　wisely　well　that　Atli

thought　no　such　maid　had　trod　the　earth　before。　But　he　checked　himself

with　many　learned　saws；　and　on　a　day　when　the　weather　had　grown　fair；

and　they　sat　alone；　he　told　her　that　his　ship　was　bound　for　Orkney

Isles。



Then；　as　though　by　chance；　Swanhild　laid　her　white　hand　in　his；　and　on

a　sudden　looked　deep　into　his　eyes；　and　said　with　trembling　lips；　〃Ah；

go　not　yet；　lord！I　pray　thee；　go　not　yet！〃and；　turning；　she　fled

away。



But　Atli　was　much　moved；　and　he　said　to　himself：　〃Now　a　strange　thing

is　come　to　pass：　a　fair　maid　loves　an　old　man；　and　yet；　methinks；　he

who　looks　into　those　eyes　sees　deep　waters；〃　and　he　beat　his　brow　and

thought。



But　Swanhild　in　her　chamber　laughed　till　the　tears　ran　from　those　same

eyes；　for　she　saw　that　the　great　fish　was　hooked　and　now　the　time　had

come　to　play　him。



For　she　did　not　know　that　it　was　otherwise　fated。



Gudruda；　too；　saw　all　these　things　and　knew　not　how　to　read　them；　for

she　was　of　an　honest　mind；　and　could　not　understand　how　a　woman　may

love　a　man　as　Swanhild　loved　Eric　and　yet　make　such　play　with　other

men；　and　that　of　her　free　will。　For　she　guessed　little　of　Swanhild's

guilefulness；　nor　of　the　coldness　of　her　heart　to　all　save　Eric；　nor

of　how　this　was　the　only　joy　left　to　her：　to　make　a　sport　of　men　and

put　them　to　grief　and　shame。　Atli　said　to　himself　that　he　would　watch

this　maid　well　before　he　uttered　a　word　to　Asmund；　and　he　deemed

himself　very　cunning；　for　he　was　wondrous　cautious　after　the　fashion

of　those　about　to　fall。　So　he　set　himself　to　watching；　and　Swanhild

set　herself　to　smiling；　and　he　told　her　tales　of　warfare　and　of

daring；　and　she　clasped　her　hands　and　said：



〃Was　there　ever　such　a　man　since　Odin　trod　the　earth？〃　And　so　it　went

on；　till　the　serving…women　laughed　at　the　old　man　in　love　and　the　wit

of　her　that　mocked　him。







Now　upon　a　day；　Eric　having　made　an　end　of　sowing　his　corn；　bethought

himself　of　his　vow　to　go　up　alone　against　Skallagrim　the　Baresark　in

his　den　on　Mosfell　over　by　Hecla。　Now；　this　was　a　heavy　task：　for

Skallagrim　was　held　so　mighty　among　men　that　none　went　up　against　him

any　more；　and　at　times　Eric　thought　of　Gudruda；　and　sighed；　for　it　was

likely　that　she　would　be　a　widow　before　she　was　made　a　wife。　Still；

his　oath　must　be　fulfilled；　and；　moreover；　of　late　Skallagrim　having

heard　that　a　youngling　named　Eric　Brighteyes　had　vowed　to　slay　him

single…handed；　had　made　of　a　mock　of　him　in　this　fashion。　For

Skallagrim　rode　down　to　Coldback　on　Ran　River　and　at　night…time　took　a

lamb　from　the　fold。　Holding　the　lamb　beneath　his　arm；　he　drew　near　to

the　house　and　smote　thrice　on　the　door　with　his　battle…axe；　and　they

were　thundering　knocks。　Then　he　leapt　on　to　his　horse　and　rode　off　a

space　and　waited。　Presently　Eric　came　out；　but　half　clad；　a　shield　in

one　hand　and　Whitefire　in　the　other；　and；　looking；　by　the　bright

moonlight　he　saw　a　huge　black…bearded　man　seated　on　a　horse；　having　a

great　axe　in　one　hand　and　the　lamb　beneath　his　arm。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　roared　Eric。



〃I　am　called　Skallagrim；　youngling；〃　answered　the　man　on　the　horse。

〃Many　men　have　seen　me　once；　none　have　wished　to　see　me　twice；　and

some　few　have　never　seen　aught　again。　Now；　it　has　been　echoed　in　my

ears　that　thou　hast　vowed　a　vow　to　go　up　Mosfell　against　Skallagrim

the　Baresark；　and　I　am　come　hither　to　say　that　I　will　make　thee　right

welcome。　See；〃　and　with　his　axe　he　cut　off　the　lamb's　tail　on　the

pommel　of　his　saddle：　〃of　the　flesh　of　this　lamb　of　thine　I　will　brew

broth　and　of　his　skin　I　will　make　me　a　vest。　Take　thou　this　tail；　and

when　thou　fittest　it　on　to　the　skin　again；　Skallagrim　will　own　a

lord；〃　and　he　hurled　the　tail　towards　him。



〃Bide　thou　there　till　I　can　come　to　thee；〃　shouted　Eric；　〃it　will

spare　me　a　ride　to　Mosfell。〃



〃Nay；　nay。　It　is　good　for　lads　to　take　the　mountain　air；〃　and

Skallagrim　turned　his　horse　away；　laughing。



Eric　watched　Skallagrim　vanish　over　the　knoll；　and　then；　though　he　was

very　angry；　laughed　also　and　went　in。　But　first　he　picked　up　the　tail；

and　on　the　morrow　he　skinned　it。



Now　the　time　was　come　when　the　matter　must　be　tried；　and　Eric　bade

farewell　to　Saevuna　his　mother；　and　Unna　his　cousin；　and　girt

Whitefire　round　him　and　set　upon　his　head　a　golden　helm　with　wings　on

it。　Then　he　found　the　byrnie　which　his　father　Thorgrimur　had　stripped；

together　with　the　helm；　from　that　Baresark　who　cut　off　his　legand

this　was　a　good　piece；　forged　of　the　Welshmenand　he　put　it　on　his

breast；　and　taking　a　stout　shield　of　bull's　hide　studded　with　nails；

rode　away　with　one　thrall；　the　strong　carle　named　Jon。



But　the　women　misdoubted　them　much　of　this　venture；　nevertheless　Eric

might　not　be　gainsayed。



Now；　the　road　to　Mosfell　runs　past　Middalhof　and　thither　he　came。

Atli；　standing　at　the　men's　door；　saw　him　and　cried　aloud：　〃Ho！　a

mighty　man　comes　here。〃



Swanhild　looked　out　and　saw　Eric；　and　he　was　a　goodly　sight　in　his

war…gear。　For　now；　week　by　week；　he　seemed　to　grow　more　fair　and

great；　as　the　full　strength　of　his　manhood　rose　in　him；　like　sap　in

the　spring　grass；　and　Gudruda　was　very　proud　of　her　lover。　That　night

Eric　stayed　at　Middalhof；　and　sat　hand　in　hand　with　Gudruda　and　talked

with　Earl　Atli。　Now　the　heart　of　the　old　viking　went　out　to　Eric；　and

he　took　great　delight　in　him　and　in　his　strength　and　deeds；　and　he

longed　much　that　the　Gods　had　given　him　such　a　son。



〃I　prophesy　this　of　thee；　Brighteyes；〃　he　cried：　〃that　it　shall　go　ill

with　this　Baresark　thou　seekestyes；　and　with　all　men　who　come　within

sweep　of　that　great　sword　of　thine。　But　remember　this；　lad：　guard　thy

head　with　thy　buckler；　cut　low　beneath　his　shield；　if　he　carries　one；

and　mow　the　legs　from　him：　for　ever　a　Baresark　rushes　on；　shield　up。〃



Eric　thanked　him　for　his　good　words　and　went　to　rest。　But；　before　it

was　light；　he　rose；　and　Gudruda　rose　also　and　came　into　the　hall；　and

buckled　his　harness　on　him　with　her　own　hands。



〃This　is　a　sad　task　for　me；　Eric！〃　she　sighed；　〃for　how　do　I　know　that

Baresark's　hands　shall　not　loose　this　helm　of　thine？〃



〃That　is　as　it　may　be；　sweet；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　fear　not　the　Baresark

or　any　man。　How　goes　it　with　Swanhild　now？〃



〃I　know　not。　She　makes　herself　sweet　to　that　old　Earl　and　he　is　fain

of　her；　and　that　is　beyond　my　sight。〃



〃I　hav