eric brighteyes-第14部分

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of　her；　and　that　is　beyond　my　sight。〃



〃I　have　seen　as　much；〃　said　Eric。　〃It　will　be　well　for　us　if　he　should

wed　her。〃



〃Ay；　and　ill　for　him；　but　it　is　to　be　doubted　if　that　is　in　her　mind。〃



Now　Eric　kissed　her　soft　and　sweet；　and　went　away；　bidding　her　look

for　his　return　on　the　day　after　the　morrow。



Gudruda　bore　up　bravely　against　her　fears　till　he　was　gone；　but　then

she　wept　a　little。







Now　it　is　to　be　told　that　Eric　and　his　thrall　Jon　rode　hard　up

Stonefell　and　across　the　mountains　and　over　the　black　sand；　till；　two

hours　before　sunset；　they　came　to　the　foot　of　Mosfell；　having　Hecla　on

their　right。　It　is　a　grim　mountain；　grey　with　moss；　standing　alone　in

the　desert　plain；　but　between　it　and　Hecla　there　is　good　grassland。



〃Here　is　the　fox's　earth。　Now　to　start　him；〃　said　Eric。



He　knows　something　of　the　path　by　which　this　fortress　can　be　climbed

from　the　south；　and　horses　may　be　ridden　up　it　for　a　space。　So　on　they

go；　till　at　length　they　come　to　a　flat　place　where　water　runs　down　the

black　rocks；　and　here　Eric　drank　of　the　water；　ate　food；　and　washed

his　face　and　hands。　This　done；　he　bid　Jon　tend　the　horsesfor

hereabouts　there　is　a　little　grassand　be　watchful　till　he　returned；

since　he　must　go　up　against　Skallagrim　alone。　And　there　with　a

doubtful　heart　Jon　stayed　all　that　night。　For　of　all　that　came　to　pass

he　saw　but　one　thing；　and　that　was　the　light　of　Whitefire　as　it

flashed　out　high　above　him　on　the　brow　of　the　mountain　when　first

Brighteyes　smote　at　foe。



Eric　went　warily　up　the　Baresark　path；　for　he　would　keep　his　breath　in

him；　and　the　light　shone　redly　on　his　golden　helm。　High　he　went；　till

at　length　he　came　to　a　pass　narrow　and　dark　and　hedged　on　either　side

with　sheer　cliffs；　such　as　two　armed　men　might　hold　against　a　score。

He　peered　down　this　path；　but　he　saw　no　Baresark；　though　it　was　worn

by　Baresark　feet。　He　crept　along　its　length；　moving　like　a　sunbeam

through　the　darkness　of　the　pass；　for　the　light　gathered　on　his　helm

and　sword；　till　suddenly　the　path　turned　and　he　was　on　the　brink　of　a

gulf　that　seemed　to　have　no　bottom；　and；　looking　across　and　down；　he

could　see　Jon　and　the　horses　more　than　a　hundred　fathoms　beneath。　Now

Eric　must　stop；　for　this　path　leads　but　into　the　black　gulf。　Also　he

was　perplexed　to　know　where　Skallagrim　had　his　lair。　He　crept　to　the

brink　and　gazed。　Then　he　saw　that　a　point　of　rock　jutted　from　the

sheer　face　of　the　cliff　and　that　the　point　was　worn　with　the　mark　of

feet。



〃Where　Baresark　passes；　there　may　yeoman　follow；〃　said　Eric　and；

sheathing　Whitefire；　without　more　ado；　though　he　liked　the　task

little；　he　grasped　the　overhanging　rock　and　stepped　down　on　to　the

point　below。　Now　he　was　perched　like　an　eagle　over　the　dizzy　gulf　and

his　brain　swam。　Backward　he　feared　to　go；　and　forward　he　might　not；

for　there　was　nothing　but　air。　Beside　him；　growing　from　the　face　of

the　cliff；　was　a　birch…bush。　He　grasped　it　to　steady　himself。　It　bent

beneath　his　clutch；　and　then　he　saw；　behind　it；　a　hole　in　the　rock

through　which　a　man　could　creep；　and　down　this　hole　ran　footmarks。



〃First　through　air　like　a　bird；　now　through　earth　like　a　fox；〃　said

Eric　and　entered　the　hole。　Doubling　his　body　till　his　helm　almost

touched　his　knee　he　took　three　paces　and　lo！　he　stood　on　a　great

platform　of　rock；　so　large　that　a　hall　might　be　built　on　it；　which；

curving　inwards；　cannot　be　seen　from　the　narrow　pass。　This　platform；

that　is　backed　by　the　sheer　cliff；　looks　straight　to　the　south；　and

from　it　he　could　search　the　plain　and　the　path　that　he　had　travelled；

and　there　once　more　he　saw　Jon　and　the　horses　far　below　him。



〃A　strong　place；　truly；　and　well　chosen；〃　said　Eric　and　looked　around。

On　the　floor　of　the　rock　and　some　paces　from　him　a　turf　fire　still

smouldered；　and　by　it　were　sheep's　bones；　and　beyond；　in　the　face　of

the　overhanging　precipice；　was　the　mouth　of　a　cave。



〃The　wolf　is　at　home；　or　was　but　lately；〃　said　Eric；　〃now　for　his

lair；〃　and　with　that　he　walked　warily　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and

peered　in。　He　could　see　nothing　yet　a　while；　but　surely　he　heard　a

sound　of　snoring？



Then　he　crept　in；　and；　presently；　by　the　red　light　of　the　burning

embers；　he　saw　a　great　black…bearded　man　stretched　at　length　upon　a

rug　of　sheepskins；　and　by　his　side　an　axe。



〃Now　it　would　be　easy　to　make　an　end　of　this　cave…dweller；〃　thought

Eric；　〃but　that　is　a　deed　I　will　not　dono；　not　even　to　a　Baresark

to　slay　him　in　his　sleep；〃　and　therewith　he　stepped　lightly　to　the

side　of　Skallagrim；　and　was　about　to　prick　him　with　the　point　of

Whitefire；　when！　as　he　did　so；　another　man　sat　up　behind　Skallagrim。



〃By　Thor！　for　two　I　did　not　bargain；〃　said　Eric；　and　sprang　from　the

cave。



Then；　with　a　grunt　of　rage；　that　Baresark　who　was　behind　Skallagrim

came　out　like　a　she…bear　robbed　of　her　whelps；　and　ran　straight　at

Eric；　sword　aloft。　Eric　gives　before　him　right　to　the　edge　of　the

cliff。　Then　the　Baresark　smites　at　him　and　Brighteyes　catches　the　blow

on　his　shield；　and　smites　at　him　in　turn　so　well　and　truly；　that　the

head　of　the　Baresark　flies　from　his　shoulders　and　spins　along　the

ground；　but　his　body；　with　outstretched　arms　yet　gripping　at　the　air；

falls　over　the　edge　of　the　gulf　sheer　into　the　water；　a　hundred

fathoms　down。　It　was　the　flash　that　Whitefire　made　as　it　circled　ere

it　smote　that　Jon　saw　while　he　waited　in　the　dell　upon　the　mountain

side。　But　of　the　Baresark　he　saw　nothing；　for　he　passed　down　into　the

great　fire…riven　cleft　and　was　never　seen　more；　save　once　only；　in　a

strange　fashion　that　shall　be　told。　This　was　the　first　man　whom

Brighteyes　slew。



Now　the　old　tale　tells　that　Eric　cried　aloud：　〃Little　chance　had　this

one；〃　and　that　then　a　wonderful　thing　came　to　pass。　For　the　head　on

the　rock　opened　its　eyes　and　answered：



〃Little　chance　indeed　against　thee；　Eric　Brighteyes。　Still；　I　tell

thee　this：　that　where　my　body　fell　there　thou　shalt　fall；　and　where　it

lies　there　thou　shalt　lie　also。〃



Now　Eric　was　afraid；　for　he　thought　it　a　strange　thing　that　a　severed

head　should　speak　to　him。



〃Here　it　seems　I　have　to　deal　with　trolls；〃　he　said；　〃but　at　the

least；　though　he　speak；　this　one　shall　strike　no　more；〃　and　he　looked

at　the　head；　but　it　answered　nothing。



Now　Skallagrim　slept　through　it　all　and　the　light　grew　so　dim　that

Eric　thought　it　time　to　make　an　end　this　way　or　that。　Therefore；　he

took　the　head　of　the　slain　man；　though　he　feared　to　touch　it；　and

rolled　it　swiftly　into　the　cave；　saying；　〃Now；　being　so　glib　of

speech；　go　tell　thy　mate　that　Eric　Brighteyes　knocks　at　his　door。〃



Then　came　sounds　as　of　a　man　rising；　and　presently　Skallagrim　rushed

forth　with　axe　aloft　and　his　fellow's　head　in　his　left　hand。　He　was

clothed　in　nothing　but　a　shirt　and　the　skin　of　Eric's　lamb　was　bound

to　his　chest。



〃Where　now　is　my　mate？〃　he　said。　Then　he　saw　Eric　leaning　on

Whitefire；　his　golden　helm　ablaze　with　the　glory　of　the　passing　sun。



〃It　seems　that　thou　holdest　somewhat　of　him　in　thine　hand；　Skallagrim；

and　for　the　rest；　go　seek　it　in　yonder　rift。〃



〃Who　art　thou？〃　roared　Skallagrim。



〃Thou　mayest　know　me　by　this　token；〃　said　Eric；　and　he　threw　towards

him　the　skin　of　that　lamb's　tail　which　Skallagrim　had　lifted　from

Coldback。



Now　Skallagrim　knew　him　and　the　Baresark　fit　came　on。　His　eyes　rolled；

foam　flew　to　his　lips；　his　mouth　grinned；　and　he　was　awesome　to　see。

He　let　fall　the　head；　and；　swinging　the　great　axe　aloft；　rushed　at

Eric。　But　Brighteyes　is　too　swift　for　him。　It　would　not　be　well　to　let

that　stroke　fall；　and　it　must　go　hard　with　aught　it　struck。　He　springs

forward；　he　louts　low　and　sweeps　upwards　with　Whitefire。　Skallagrim

sees　the　sword　flare　and　drops　almost　to　his　knee；　guarding　his　head

with　the　axe；　but　Whitefire　strikes　on　the　iron　half　of　the　axe　and

shears　it　in　two；　so　that　the　axe…head　falls　to　earth。　Now　the

Baresark　is　weaponless　but　unharmed；　and　it　would　be　an　easy　task　to

slay　him　as　he　rushes　by。　But　it　came　into　Eric's　mind　that　it　is　an

unworthy　deed　to　slay　a　swordless　man；　and　this　came　into　his　mind

also；　that　he　desired　to　match　his　naked　might　against　a　Baresark　in

his　rage。　So；　in　the　hardihood　of　his　youth　and　strength；　he　cast

Whitefire　aside；　and　crying　〃Come；　try　a　fall　with　me；　Baresark；〃

rushed　on　Skallagrim。



〃Thou　art　mad；〃　yells　the　Baresark；　and　they　are　at　it　hard。　Now　they

grip　and　rend　and　tear。　Ospakar　was　strong；　but　the　Baresark　strength

of　Skallagrim　is　more　than　the　strength　of　Ospakar；　and　soon

Brighteyes　thinks　longingly　on　Whitefire　that　he　has　cast　aside。　Eric

is　mighty　beyond　the　might　of　men；　but　he　can　scarcely　hold　his　own

against　this　mad　man；　and　very　soon　he　knows　that　only　one　chance　is

left　to　him；　and　that　is　to　cling　to　Skallagrim　till　the　Baresark　fit

be　passed　and　he　is　once　more　like　other　men。　But　this　is　easier　to

tell　of　than　to　do；　and　presently；　strive　as　he　will；　Eric　is　on　his

back；　and　Skallagrim　on　him。　But　still　he　holds　the　Baresark　as　with

bands　of　iron；　and　Skallagrim　may　not　free　his　arms；　though　he　strive

furiously。　Now　they　roll　over　and　over　on　the　rock；　and　the　gloom

gathers　fast　about　them　till　presently　Eric　sees　that　they　draw　near

to　the　brink　of　that　mighty　rift　down　which　the　severed　head　of　the

cave…dweller　has　foretold　his　fall。



〃Then　we　go　together；〃　says　Eric；　but　the　Baresark　does　not　heed。　Now

they　are　on　the　very　brink；　and　here　as　it　chances；　or　as　the　Norns

decree；　a　little　rock　juts　up　and　this　keeps　them　from　falling。　Eric

is　uppermost；　and；　strive　as　he　will；　Skallagrim　may　not　turn　him　on

his　back　again。　Still；　Brighteyes'　strength　may　not　endure　very　long；

for　he　grows　faint；　and　his　legs　slip　slowly　over　the　side　of　the　rift

till　now　he　clings；　as　it　were；　by　his　ribs　and　shoulder…blades　alone；

that　rub　against　the　little　rock。　The　light　dies　away；　and　Eric　th