eric brighteyes-第17部分

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

he　charges　after　them；　screaming　as　he　comes。　There　is　one　man；　the

same　whom　he　had　wounded。　He　cannot　mount　easily；　and　when　the

Baresark　comes　he　still　lies　on　the　neck　of　his　horse。　The　great　axe

wheels　on　high　and　falls；　and　it　is　told　of　this　stroke　that　it　was　so

mighty　that　man　and　horse　sank　dead　beneath　it；　cloven　through　and

through。　Then　the　fit　leaves　Skallagrim　and　he　walks　back；　and　they

are　alone　with　the　dead　and　dying。



Eric　leans　on　Whitefire　and　speaks：



〃Get　thee　gone；　Skallagrim　Lambstail！〃　he　said；　〃get　thee　gone！〃



〃It　shall　be　as　thou　wilt；　lord；〃　answered　the　Baresark；　〃but　I　have

not　befriended　thee　so　ill　that　thou　shouldst　fear　for　blows　to　come。〃



〃I　will　keep　no　man　with　me　who　puts　my　word　aside；　Skallagrim。　What

did　I　bid　thee？　Was　it　not　that　thou　shouldst　have　done　with　the

Baresark　ways；　and　where　thou　stoodest　there　thou　shouldst　bide？　and

see：　thou　didst　forget　my　word　swiftly！　Now　get　thee　gone！〃



〃It　is　true；　lord；〃　he　said。　〃He　who　serves　must　serve　wholly；〃　and

Skallagrim　turned　to　seek　his　horse。



〃Stay；〃　said　Eric；　〃thou　art　a　gallant　man　and　I　forgive　thee：　but

cross　my　will　no　more。　We　have　slain　several　men　and　Ospakar　goes

hence　wounded。　We　have　got　honour；　and　they　loss　and　the　greatest

shame。　Nevertheless；　ill　shall　come　of　this　to　me；　for　Ospakar　has

many　friends　and　will　set　a　law…suit　on　foot　against　me　at　the

Althing；＇*＇　and　thou　didst　draw　the　first　blood。〃



＇*＇　The　annual　assembly　of　free　men　which；　in　Iceland；　performed　the

　　　　functions　of　a　Parliament　and　Supreme　Court　of　Law。



〃Would　that　the　spear　had　gone　more　home；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Ospakar's　time　is　not　yet；〃　answered　Eric；　〃still；　he　has　something

by　which　to　bear　us　in　mind。〃







IX



HOW　SWANHILD　DEALT　WITH　GUDRUDA



Now　Jon；　Eric's　thrall；　watched　all　night　on　Mosfell；　but　saw　nothing

except　the　light　of　Whitefire　as　it　smote　the　Baresark's　head　from　his

shoulders。　He　stayed　there　till　daylight；　much　afraid；　then；　making

sure　that　Eric　was　slain；　Jon　rode　hard　and　fast　for　Middalhof；

whither　he　came　at　evening。



Gudruda　was　watching　by　the　women's　door。　She　strained　her　eyes

towards　Mosfell　to　catch　the　light　gleaming　on　Eric's　golden　helm；　and

presently　it　gleamed　indeed；　white　not　red。



〃See；〃　said　Swanhild　at　her　side；　〃Eric　comes！〃



〃Not　Eric；　but　his　thrall；〃　answered　Gudruda；　〃to　tell　us　that　Eric　is

sped。〃



They　waited　in　silence　while　Jon　galloped　towards　them。



〃What　news　of　Brighteyes？〃　cried　Swanhild。



〃Little　need　to　ask；〃　said　Gudruda；　〃look　at　his　face。〃



Now　Jon　told　his　tale　and　Gudruda　listened；　clinging　to　the　door　post。

But　Swanhild　cursed　him　for　a　coward；　so　that　he　shrank　before　her

eyes。



Gudruda　turned　and　walked　into　the　hall　and　her　face　was　like　the　face

of　death。　Men　saw　her；　and　Asmund　asked　why　she　wore　so　strange　a

mien。　Then　Gudruda　sang　this　song：



　〃Up　to　Mosfell；　battle　eager；

　　Rode　helmed　Brighteyen　to　the　fray。

　　Back　from　Mosfell；　battle　shunning。

　　Slunk　yon　coward　thrall　I　ween。

　　Now　shall　maid　Gudruda　never

　　Know　a　husband's　dear　embrace；

　　Widowed　is　shesunk　in　sorrow；

　　Eric　treads　Valhalla's　halls！〃



And　with　this　she　walked　from　the　stead；　looking　neither　to　the　right

nor　to　the　left。



〃Let　the　maid　be；〃　said　Atli　the　Earl。　〃Grief　fares　best　alone。　But　my

heart　is　sore　for　Eric。　It　should　go　ill　with　that　Baresark　if　I　might

get　a　grip　of　him。〃



〃That　I　will　have　before　summer　is　gone；〃　said　Asmund；　for　the　death

of　Eric　seemed　to　him　the　worst　of　sorrows。



Gudruda　walked　far；　and；　crossing　Laxà　by　the　stepping　stones；　climbed

Stonefell　till　she　came　to　the　head　of　Golden　Falls；　for；　like　a

stricken　thing；　she　desired　to　be　alone　in　her　grief。　But　Swanhild　saw

her　and　followed；　coming　on　her　as　she　sat　watching　the　water　thunder

down　the　mighty　cleft。　Presently　Swanhild's　shadow　fell　athwart　her；

and　Gudruda　looked　up。



〃What　wouldst　thou　with　me；　Swanhild？〃　she　asked。　〃Art　thou　come　to

mock　my　grief？〃



〃Nay；　foster…sister；　for　then　I　must　mock　my　own。　I　come　to　mix　my

tears　with　thine。　See；　we　loved　Eric；　thou　and　I；　and　Eric　is　dead。

Let　our　hate　be　buried　in　his　grave；　whence　neither　may　draw　him

back。〃



Gudruda　looked　upon　her　coldly；　for　nothing　could　stir　her　now。



〃Get　thee　gone；〃　she　said。　〃Weep　thine　own　tears　and　leave　me　to　weep

mine。　Not　with　thee　will　I　mourn　Eric。〃



Swanhild　frowned　and　bit　her　lip。　〃I　will　not　come　to　thee　with　words

of　peace　a　second　time；　my　rival；〃　she　said。　〃Eric　is　dead；　but　my

hate　that　was　born　of　Eric's　love　for　thee　lives　on　and　grows；　and　its

flower　shall　be　thy　death；　Gudruda！〃



〃Now　that　Brighteyes　is　dead；　I　would　fain　follow　on　his　path：　so；　if

thou　listest；　throw　the　gates　wide；〃　Gudruda　answered；　and　heeded　her

no　more。



Swanhild　went；　but　not　far。　On　the　further　side　of　a　knoll　of　grass

she　flung　herself　to　earth　and　grieved　as　her　fierce　heart　might。　She

shed　no　tears；　but　sat　silently；　looking　with　empty　eyes　adown　the

past；　and　onward　to　the　future；　and　finding　no　good　therein。



But　Gudruda　wept　as　the　weight　of　her　loss　pressed　in　upon　herwept

heavy　silent　tears　and　cried　in　her　heart　to　Eric　who　was　gonecried

to　death　to　come　upon　her　and　bring　her　sleep　or　Eric。



So　she　sat　and　so　she　grieved　till；　quite　outworn　with　sorrow；　sleep

stole　upon　her　and　she　dreamed。　Gudruda　dreamed　that　she　was　dead　and

that　she　sat　nigh　to　the　golden　door　that　is　in　Odin's　house　at

Valhalla；　by　which　the　warriors　pass　and　repass　for　ever。　There　she

sat　from　age　to　age；　listening　to　the　thunder　of　ten　thousand　thousand

tramping　feet；　and　watching　the　fierce　faces　of　the　chosen　as　they

marched　out　in　armies　to　do　battle　in　the　meads。　And　as　she　sat；　at

length　a　one…eyed　man；　clad　in　gleaming　garments；　drew　near　and　spoke

to　her。　He　was　glorious　to　look　on；　and　old；　and　she　knew　him　for　Odin

the　Allfather。



〃Whom　seekest　thou；　maid　Gudruda？〃　he　asked；　and　the　voice　he　spoke

with　was　the　voice　of　waters。



〃I　seek　Eric　Brighteyes；〃　she　answered；　〃who　passed　hither　a　thousand

years　ago；　and　for　love　of　whom　I　am　heart…broken。〃



〃Eric　Brighteyes；　Thorgrimur's　son？〃　quoth　Odin。　〃I　know　him　well；　no

brisker　warrior　enters　at　Valhalla's　doors；　and　none　shall　do　more

service　at　the　coming　of　grey　wolf　Fenrir。＇*＇　Pass　on　and　leave　him　to

his　glory　and　his　God。〃



＇*＇　The　foe　destined　to　bring　destruction　on　the　Norse　gods。



Then；　in　her　dream；　she　wept　sore；　and　prayed　of　Odin　by　the　name　of

Freya　that　he　would　give　Eric　to　her　for　a　little　space。



〃What　wilt　thou　pay；　then；　maid　Gudruda？〃　said　Odin。



〃My　life；〃　she　answered。



〃Good；〃　he　said；　〃for　a　night　Eric　shall　be　thine。　Then　die；　and　let

thy　death　be　his　cause　of　death。〃　And　Odin　sang　this　song：



　〃Now；　corse…choosing　Daughters；　hearken

　　To　the　dread　Allfather's　word：

　　When　the　gale　of　spears'　breath　gathers

　　Count　not　Eric　midst　the　slain；

　　Till　Brighteyen　once　hath　slumbered；

　　Wedded；　at　Gudruda's　side

　　Then；　Maidens；　scream　your　battle　call；

　　Whelmed　with　foes；　let　Eric　fall！〃



And　Gudruda　awoke；　but　in　her　ears　the　mighty　waters　still　seemed　to

speak　with　Odin's　voice；　saying：



　〃Then；　Maidens；　scream　your　battle　call；

　　Whelmed　with　foes；　let　Eric　fall！〃



She　awoke　from　that　fey　sleep；　and　looked　upwards；　and　lo！　before　her；

with　shattered　shield　and　all　besmeared　with　war's　red　rain；　stood

gold…helmed　Eric。　There　he　stood；　great　and　beautiful　to　see；　and　she

looked　on　him　trembling　and　amazed。



〃Is　it　indeed　thou；　Eric；　or　is　it　yet　my　dream？〃　she　said。



〃I　am　no　dream；　surely；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　why　lookest　thou　thus　on　me；

Gudruda？〃



She　rose　slowly。　〃Methought；〃　she　said；　〃methought　that　thou　wast　dead

at　the　hand　of　Skallagrim。〃　And　with　a　great　cry　she　fell　into　his

arms　and　lay　there　sobbing。



It　was　a　sweet　sight　thus　to　see　Gudruda　the　Fair；　her　head　of　gold

pillowed　on　Eric's　war…stained　byrnie；　her　dark　eyes　afloat　with　tears

of　joy；　but　not　so　thought　Swanhild；　watching。　She　shook　in　jealous

rage；　then　crept　away；　and　hid　herself　where　she　could　see　no　more；

lest　she　should　be　smitten　with　madness。



〃Whence　camest　thou？　ah！　whence　camest　thou？〃　said　Gudruda。　〃I　thought

thee　dead；　my　love；　but　now　I　dreamed　that　I　prayed　Odin；　and　he

spared　thee　to　me　for　a　little。〃



〃Well；　and　that　he　hath；　though　hardly；〃　and　he　told　her　all　that　had

happened；　and　how；　as　he　rode　with　Skallagrim；　who　yet　sat　yonder　on

his　horse；　he　caught　sight　of　a　woman　seated　on　the　grass　and　knew　the

colour　of　the　cloak。



Then　Gudruda　kissed　him　for　very　joy；　and　they　were　happy　each　with

eachfor　of　all　things　that　are　sweet　on　earth；　there　is　nothing　more

sweet　that　this：　to　find　him　we　loved；　and　thought　dead　and　cold；

alive　and　at　our　side。



And　so　they　talked　and　were　very　glad　with　the　gladness　of　youth　and

love；　till　Eric　said　he　must　on　to　Middalhof　before　the　light　failed；

for　he　could　not　come　on　horseback　the　way　that　Gudruda　took；　but　must

ride　round　the　shoulder　of　the　hill；　and；　moreover；　he　was　spent　with

toil　and　hunger；　and　Skallagrim　grew　weary　of　waiting。



〃Go！〃　said　Gudruda；　〃I　will　be　there　presently！〃



So　he　kissed　her　and　went；　and　Swanhild　saw　the　kiss　and　saw　him　go。







〃Well；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃hast　thou　had　thy　fill　of　kissing？〃



〃Not　altogether；〃　answered　Eric。



They　rode　a　while　in　silence。



〃I　thought　the　maid　seemed　very　fair！〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃There　are　women　less　favoured；　Skallagrim。〃



〃Rich　bait　for　mighty　fish！〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃This　I　tell　thee：　that；

strive　as　thou　mayest　against　thy　fate；　that　maid　will　be　thy　bane　and

mine　also。〃



〃Things　foredoomed　will　happen；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　if　th