eric brighteyes-第16部分

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〃That　is　a　good　saying；〃　said　Skallagrim；　and　they　fell　asleep　side　by

side　and　Eric　had　no　fear。



Now　they　awoke　and　the　light　was　already　full；　for　they　were　weary　and

their　sleep　had　been　heavy。



Hard　by　the　mouth　of　the　cave　is　a　little　well　of　water　that　gathers

there　from　the　rocks　above　and　in　this　Eric　washed　himself。　Then

Skallagrim　showed　him　the　cave　and　the　goodly　store　of　arms　that　he

had　won　from　those　whom　he　had　slain　and　robbed。



〃A　wondrous　place；　truly；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　well　fitted　to　the　uses　of

such　a　chapman＇*＇　as　thou　art；　but；　say；　how　didst　thou　find　it？〃



＇*＇　Merchant。



〃I　followed　him　who　was　here　before　me　and　gave　him　choiceto　go；　or

to　fight　for　the　stronghold。　But　he　needs　must　fight　and　that　was　his

bane；　for　I　slew　him。〃



〃Who　was　that；　then；〃　asked　Eric；　〃whose　head　lies　yonder？〃



〃A　cave…dweller；　lord；　whom　I　took　to　me　because　of　the　lonesomeness

of　the　winter　tide。　He　was　an　evil　man；　for　though　it　is　good　to　be

Baresark　from　time　to　time；　yet　to　dwell　with　one　who　is　always

Baresark　is　not　good；　and　thou　didst　a　needful　deed　in　smiting　his

head　from　himand　now　let　it　go　to　find　its　trunk；〃　and　he　rolled　it

over　the　edge　of　the　great　rift。



〃Knowest　thou；　Skallagrim；　that　this　head　spoke　to　me　after　it　had

left　the　man's　shoulders；　saying　that　where　its　body　fell　there　I

should　fall；　and　where　it　lay　there　I　should　lie　also？〃



〃Then；　lord；　that　is　likely　to　be　thy　doom；　for　this　man　was

foresighted；　and；　but　the　night　before　last；　as　we　rode　out　to　seek

sheep；　he　felt　his　head；　and　said　that；　before　the　sun　sank　again；　a

hundred　fathoms　of　air　should　link　it　to　his　shoulders。〃



〃It　may　be　so；〃　answered　Eric。　〃I　thought　as　I　lay　in　thy　grip　yonder

that　the　fate　was　near。　And　now　arm　thyself；　and　take　such　goods　as

thou　needest；　and　let　us　hence；　for　that　thrall　of　mine　who　waits　me

yonder　will　think　thou　hast　been　too　mighty　for　me。〃



Skallagrim　went　to　the　edge　of　the　rift　and　searched　the　plain　with

his　hawk　eyes。



〃No　need　to　hasten；　lord；〃　he　said。　〃See　yonder　rides　thy　thrall

across　the　black　sand；　and　with　him　goes　thy　horse。　Surely　he　thought

thou　camest　no　more　down　the　path　by　which　thou　wentest　up；　and　it　is

not　thrall's　work　to　seek　Skallagrim　in　his　lair　and　ask　for　tidings。〃



〃Wolves　take　him　for　a　fool！〃　said　Eric　in　anger。　〃He　will　ride　to

Middalhof　and　sing　my　death…song；　and　that　will　sound　sadly　in　some

ears。〃



〃It　is　pleasant；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃when　good　tidings　dog　the

heels　of　bad；　and　womenfolk　can　spare　some　tears　and　be　little　poorer。

I　have　horses　in　a　secret　dell　that　I　will　show　thee；　and　on　them　we

will　ride　hence　to　Middalhofand　there　thou　must　claim　peace　for　me。〃



〃It　is　well；〃　said　Eric；　〃now　arm　thyself；　for　if　thou　goest　with　me

thou　must　make　an　end　of　thy　Baresark　ways；　or　keep　them　for　the　hour

of　battle。〃



〃I　will　do　thy　bidding；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim。　Then　he　entered　the

cave　and　set　a　plain　black　steel　helm　upon　his　black　locks；　and　a

black　chain　byrnie　about　his　breast。　He　took　the　great　axe…head　also

and　fitted　to　it　the　half　of　another　axe　that　lay　among　the　weapons。

Then　he　drew　out　a　purse　of　money　and　a　store　of　golden　rings；　and　set

them　in　a　bag　of　otter　skin；　and　buckled　it　about　him。　But　the　other

goods　he　wrapped　up　in　skins　and　hid　behind　some　stones　which　were　at

the　bottom　of　the　cavepurposing　to　come　another　time　and　fetch　them。



Then　they　went　forth　by　that　same　perilous　path　which　Eric　had　trod；

and　Skallagrim　showed　him　how　he　might　pass　the　rock　in　safety。



〃A　rough　road　this；〃　said　Eric　as　he　gained　the　deep　cleft。



〃Yea；　lord；　and；　till　thou　camest；　one　that　none　but　wood…folk　have

trodden。〃



〃I　would　tread　it　no　more；〃　said　Eric　again；　〃and　yet　that　fellow

thief　of　thine　said　that　I　should　die　here；〃　and　for　a　while　his　heart

was　heavy。



Now　Skallagrim　Lambstail　led　him　by　secret　paths　to　a　dell　rich　in

grass；　that　is　hid　in　the　round　of　the　mountain；　and　here　three　good

horses　were　at　feed。　Then；　going　to　a　certain　rock；　he　brought　out

bits　and　saddles；　and　they　caught　the　horses；　and；　mounting　them；　rode

away　from　Mosfell。







Now　Eric　and　his　henchman　Skallagrim　the　Baresark　rode　four　hours　and

saw　nobody；　till　at　length　they　came　to　the　brow　of　a　hill　that　is

named　Horse…Head　Heights；　and；　crossing　it；　found　themselves　almost　in

the　midst　of　a　score　of　armed　men　who　were　about　to　mount　their

horses。



〃Now　we　have　company；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Yes；　and　bad　company；〃　answered　Eric；　〃for　yonder　I　spy　Ospakar

Blacktooth；　and　Gizur　and　Mord　his　sons；　ay　and　others。　Down；　and　back

to　back；　for　they　will　show　us　little　gentleness。〃



Then　they　sprang　to　earth　and　took　their　stand　upon　a　mound　of　rising

groundand　the　men　rode　towards　them。



〃I　shall　soon　know　what　thy　fellowship　is　worth；〃　said　Eric。



〃Fear　not；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim。　〃Hold　thou　thy　head　and　I　will

hold　thy　back。　We　are　met　in　a　good　hour。〃



〃Good　or　ill；　it　is　likely　to　be　a　short　one。　Hearken　thou：　if　thou

must　turn　Baresark　when　swords　begin　to　flash；　at　the　least　stand　and

be　Baresark　where　thou　art；　for　if　thou　rushest　on　the　foe；　my　back

will　be　naked　and　I　must　soon　be　sped。〃



〃It　shall　be　as　thou　sayest；　lord。〃



Now　men　rode　round　them；　but　at　first　they　did　not　know　Eric；　because

of　the　golden　helm　that　hid　his　face　in　shadow。



〃Who　are　ye？〃　called　Ospakar。



〃I　think　that　thou　shouldst　know　me；　Blacktooth；〃　Eric　answered；　〃for

I　set　thee　heels　up　in　the　snow　but　latelyor；　at　the　least；　thou

wilt　know　this；〃　and　he　drew　great　Whitefire。



〃Thou　mayest　know　me　also；　Ospakar；〃　cried　the　Baresark。　〃Skallagrim；

men　called　me；　Lambstail；　Eric　Brighteyes　calls　me；　but　once　thou

didst　call　me　Ounound。　Say；　lord；　what　tidings　of　Thorunna？〃



Now　Ospakar　shook　his　sword；　laughing。　〃I　came　out　to　seek　one　foe；

and　I　have　found　two；〃　he　cried。　〃Hearken；　Eric：　when　thou　art　slain　I

go　hence　to　burn　and　kill　at　Middalhof。　Shall　I　bear　thy　head　as

keepsake　from　thee　to　Gudruda？　For　thee；　Ounound；　I　thought　thee　dead；

but；　being　yet　alive；　Thorunna；　my　sweet　love；　sends　thee　this；〃　and

he　hurled　a　spear　at　him　with　all　his　might。



But　Skallagrim　catches　the　spear　as　it　flies　and　hurls　it　back。　It

strikes　right　on　the　shield　of　Ospakar　and　pierces　it；　ay　and　the

byrnie；　and　the　shoulder　that　is　beneath　the　byrnie；　so　that

Blacktooth　was　made　unmeet　for　fight；　and　howled　with　pain　and　rage。



〃Go；　bid　Thorunna　draw　that　splinter　forth；〃　says　Skallagrim；　〃and

heal　the　hole　with　kisses。〃



Now　Ospakar；　writhing　with　his　hurt；　shouts　to　his　men　to　slay　the　two

of　them；　and　then　the　fight　begins。



One　rushes　at　Eric　and　smites　at　him　with　an　axe。　The　blow　falls　on

his　shield；　and　shears　off　the　side　of　it；　then　strikes　the　byrnie

beneath；　but　lightly。　In　answer　Eric　sweeps　low　at　him　with　Whitefire；

and　cuts　his　leg　from　under　him　between　knee　and　thigh；　and　he　falls

and　dies。



Another　rushes　in。　Down　flashes　Whitefire　before　he　can　smite；　and　the

carle's　shield　is　cloven　through。　Then　he　chooses　to　draw　back　and

fights　no　more　that　day。



Skallagrim　slays　a　man；　and　wounds　another　sore。　A　tall　chief　with　a

red　scar　on　his　face　comes　at　Brighteyes。　Twice　he　feints　at　the　head

while　Eric　watches；　then　lowers　the　sword　beneath　the　cover　of　his

shield；　and　sweeps　suddenly　at　Eric's　legs。　Brighteyes　leaps　high　into

the　air；　smiting　downward　with　Whitefire　as　he　leaps；　and　presently

that　chief　is　dead；　shorn　through　shoulder　to　breast。



Now　Skallagrim　slays　another　man；　and　grows　Baresark。　He　looks　so

fierce　that　men　fall　back　from　him。



Two　rush　on　Eric；　one　from　either　side。　The　sword　of　him　on　the　right

falls　on　his　shield　and　sinks　in；　but　Brighteyes　twists　the　shorn

shield　so　strongly　that　the　sword　is　wrenched　from　the　smiter's　hand。

Now　the　other　sword　is　aloft　above　him；　and　that　had　been　Eric's　bane；

but　Skallagrim　glances　round　and　sees　it　about　to　fall。　He　has　no　time

to　turn；　but　dashes　the　hammer　of　his　axe　backward。　It　falls　full　on

the　swordsman's　head；　and　the　head　is　shattered。



〃That　was　well　done；〃　says　Eric　as　the　sword　goes　down。



〃Not　so　ill　but　it　might　be　worse；〃　growls　Skallagrim。



Presently　all　men　drew　back　from　those　two；　for　they　have　had　enough

of　Whitefire　and　the　Baresark's　axe。



Ospakar　sits　on　his　horse；　his　shield　pinned　to　his　shoulder　and

curses　aloud。



〃Close　in；　you　cowards！〃　he　yells；　〃close　in　and　cut　them　down！〃　but

no　man　stirs。



Then　Eric　mocks　them。　〃There　are　but　two　of　us；〃　he　says；　〃will　no　man

try　a　game　with　me？　Let　it　not　be　sung　that　twenty　were　overcome　of

two。〃



Now　Ospakar's　son　Mord　hears；　and　he　grows　mad　with　rage。　He　holds　his

shield　aloft　and　rushes　on。　But　Gizur　the　Lawman　does　not　come；　for

Gizur　was　a　coward。



Skallagrim　turns　to　meet　Mord；　but　Eric　says：



〃This　one　for　me；　comrade；〃　and　steps　forward。



Mord　strikes　a　mighty　blow。　Eric's　shield　is　all　shattered　and　cannot

stay　it。　It　crashes　through　and　falls　full　on　the　golden　helm；　beating

Brighteyes　to　his　knee。　Now　he　is　up　again　and　blows　fall　thick　and

fast。　Mord　is　a　strong　man；　unwearied；　and　skilled　in　war；　and　Eric's

arms　grow　faint　and　his　strength　sinks　low。　Mord　smites　again　and

wounds　him　somewhat　on　the　shoulder。



Eric　throws　aside　his　cloven　shield　and；　shouting；　plies　Whitefire

with　both　arms。　Mord　gives　before　him；　then　rushes　and　smites；　Eric

leaps　aside。　Again　he　rushes　and　lo！　Brighteyes　has　dropped　his　point；

and　it　stands　a　full　span　through　the　back　of　Mord；　and　instantly　that

was　his　bane。



Now　men　rush　to　their　horses；　mount　in　hot　haste　and　ride　away；　crying

that　these　are　trolls　whom　they　have　to　do　with　here；　not　men。

Skallagrim　sees；　and　the　Baresark　fit　takes　him　sore。　With　axe　aloft

he　charges　after