eric brighteyes-第18部分

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

mine　also。〃



〃Things　foredoomed　will　happen；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　if　thou　fearest　a

maid；　the　cure　is　easy：　depart　from　my　company。〃



〃Who　was　the　other？〃　asked　the　Baresark〃she　who　crept　and　peered；

listened；　then　crept　back　again；　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　talked

with　a　grey　wolf　that　came　to　her　like　a　dog？〃



〃That　must　have　been　Swanhild；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　I　did　not　see　her。

Ever　does　she　hide　like　a　rat　in　the　thatch；　and　as　for　the　wolf；　he

must　be　her　Familiar；　for；　like　Groa；　her　mother；　Swanhild　plays　much

with　witchcraft。　Now　I　will　away　back　to　Gudruda；　for　my　heart

misdoubts　me　of　this　matter。　Stay　thou　here　till　I　come；　Lambstail！〃

And　Eric　turns　and　gallops　back　to　the　head　of　Goldfoss。







When　Eric　left　her；　Gudruda　drew　yet　nearer　to　the　edge　of　the　mighty

falls；　and　seated　herself　on　their　very　brink。　Her　breast　was　full　of

joy；　and　there　she　sat　and　let　the　splendour　of　the　night　and　the

greatness　of　the　rushing　sounds　sink　into　her　heart。　Yonder　shone　the

setting　sun；　poised；　as　it　were；　on　Westman's　distant　peaks；　and　here

sped　the　waters；　and　by　that　path　Eric　had　come　back　to　her。　Yea；　and

there　on　Sheep…saddle　was　the　road　that　he　had　trod　down　Goldfoss；　and

but　now　he　had　slain　one　Baresark　and　won　another　to　be　his　thrall；

and　they　two　alone　had　smitten　the　company　of　Ospakar；　and　come　thence

with　honour　and　but　little　harmed。　Surely　no　such　man　as　Eric　had　ever

livednone　so　fair　and　strong　and　tender；　and　she　was　right　happy　in

his　love！　She　stretched　out　her　arms　towards　him　whom　but　an　hour　gone

she　had　thought　dead；　but　who　had　lived　to　come　back　to　her　with

honour；　and　blessed　his　beloved　name；　and　laughed　aloud　in　her

joyousness　of　heart；　calling：



〃/Eric！　Eric！/〃



But　Swanhild；　creeping　behind　her；　did　not　laugh。　She　heard　Gudruda's

voice　and　guessed　Gudruda's　gladness；　and　jealousy　arose　within　her

and　rent　her。　Should　this　fair　rival　like　to　take　her　joy　from　her？



〃/Grey　Wolf；　Grey　Wolf！　what　sayest　thou？/〃



See；　now；　if　Gudruda　were　gone；　if　she　rolled　a　corpse　into　those

boiling　waters；　Eric　might　yet　be　hers；　or；　if　he　was　not　hers；　yet

Gudruda's　he　could　never　be。



〃/Grey　Wolf；　Grey　Wolf！　what　is　thy　counsel？/〃



Right　on　the　brink　of　the　great　gulf　sat　Gudruda。　One　stroke　and　all

would　be　ended。　Eric　had　gone；　there　was　no　eye　to　seenone　save　the

Grey　Wolf's；　there　was　no　tongue　to　tell　the　deed　that　might　be　done。

Who　could　call　her　to　account？　The　Gods！　Who　were　the　Gods？　What　were

the　Gods？　Were　they　not　dreams？　There　were　no　Gods　save　the　Gods　of

Evilthe　Gods　she　knew　and　communed　with。



〃/Grey　Wolf；　Grey　Wolf！　what　is　thy　rede？/〃



There　sat　Gudruda；　laughing　in　the　triumph　of　her　joy；　with　the

sunset…glow　shining　on　her　beauty；　and　there；　behind　her；　Swanhild

creptcrept　like　a　fox　upon　his　sleeping　prey。



Now　she　is　there



〃/I　hear　thee；　Grey　Wolf！　Back　to　my　breast；　Grey　Wolf！/〃



Surely　Gudruda　heard　something？　She　half　turned　her　head；　then　again

fell　to　calling　aloud　to　the　waters：



〃Eric！　beloved　Eric！ah！　is　there　ever　a　light　like　the　light　of

thine　eyesis　there　ever　a　joy　like　the　joy　of　thy　kiss？〃



Swanhild　heard；　and　her　springs　of　mercy　froze。　Hate　and　fury　entered

into　her。　She　rose　upon　her　knees　and　gathered　up　her　strength：



〃Seek；　then；　thy　joy　in　Goldfoss；〃　she　cried　aloud；　and　with　all　her

force　she　thrust。



Gudruda　fell　a　fathom　or　more；　then；　with　a　cry；　she　clutched　wildly

at　a　little　ledge　of　rock；　and　hung　there；　her　feet　resting　on　the

shelving　bank。　Thirty　fathoms　down　swirled　and　poured　and　rolled　the

waters　of　the　Golden　Falls。　A　fathom　above；　red　in　the　red　light　of

evening；　lowered　the　pitiless　face　of　Swanhild。　Gudruda　looked　beneath

her　and　saw。　Pale　with　agony　she　looked　up　and　saw；　but　she　said

naught。



〃Let　go；　my　rival；　let　go！〃　cried　Swanhild：　〃there　is　none　to　help

thee；　and　none　to　tell　thy　tale。　Let　go；　I　say；　and　seek　thy　marriage…

bed　in　Goldfoss！〃



But　Gudruda　clung　on　and　gazed　upwards　with　white　face　and　piteous

eyes。



〃What！　art　thou　so　fain　of　a　moment's　life？〃　said　Swanhild。　〃Then　I

will　save　thee　from　thyself；　for　it　must　be　ill　to　suffer　thus！〃　and

she　ran　to　seek　a　rock。　Now　she　finds　one　and；　staggering　beneath　its

weight　to　the　brink　of　the　gulf；　peers　over。　Still　Gudruda　hangs。

Space　yawns　beneath　her；　the　waters　roar　in　her　ears；　the　red　sky

glows　above。　She　sees　Swanhild　come　and　shrieks　aloud。



Eric　is　there；　though　Swanhild　hears　him　not；　for　the　sound　of　his

horse's　galloping　feet　is　lost　in　the　roar　of　waters。　But　that　cry

comes　to　his　ears；　he　sees　the　poised　rock；　and　all　grows　clear　to

him。　He　leaps　from　his　horse；　and　even　as　she　looses　the　stone；

clutches　Swanhild's　kirtle　and　hurls　her　back。　The　rock　bounds

sideways　and　presently　is　lost　in　the　waters。



Eric　looks　over。　He　sees　Gudruda's　white　face　gleaming　in　the　gloom。

Down　he　leaps　upon　the　ledge；　though　this　is　no　easy　thing。



〃Hold　fast！　I　come；　hold　fast！〃　he　cries。



〃I　can　no　more；〃　gasps　Gudruda；　and　one　hand　slips。



Eric　grasps　the　rock　and；　stretching　downward；　grips　her　wrist；　just

as　her　hold　loosens　he　grips　it；　and　she　swings　loose；　her　weight

hanging　on　his　arm。



Now　he　must　needs　lift　her　up　and　that　with　one　hand；　for　the　ledge　is

narrow　and　he　dare　not　loose　his　hold　of　the　rock　above。　She　swings

over　the　great　gulf　and　she　is　senseless　as　one　dead。　He　gathers　all

his　mighty　strength　and　lifts。　His　feet　slip　a　little；　then　catch；　and

once　more　Gudruda　swings。　The　sweat　bursts　out　upon　his　forehead　and

his　blood　drums　through　him。　Now　it　must　be；　or　not　at　all。　Again　he

lifts　and　his　muscles　strain　and　crack；　and　she　lies　beside　him　on　the

narrow　ledge！



All　is　not　yet　done。　The　brink　of　the　cleft　is　the　height　of　a　man

above　him。　There　he　must　lay　her；　for　he　may　not　leave　her　to　find

aid；　lest　she　should　wake　and　roll　into　the　chasm。　Loosing　his　hold　of

the　cliff；　he　turns；　facing　the　rock；　and；　bending　over　Gudruda；

twists　his　hands　in　her　kirtle　below　the　breast　and　above　the　knee。

Then　once　more　Eric　puts　out　his　might　and　draws　her　up　to　the　level

of　his　breast；　and　rests。　Again　with　all　his　force　he　lifts　her　above

the　crest　of　his　helm　and　throws　her　forward；　so　that　now　she　lies

upon　the　brink　of　the　great　cliff。　He　almost　falls　backward　at　the

effort；　but；　clutching　the　rock；　he　saves　himself；　and　with　a　struggle

gains　her　side；　and　lies　there；　panting　like　a　wearied　hound　of　chase。



Of　all　trials　of　strength　that　ever　were　put　upon　his　might；　Eric　was

wont　to　say；　this　lifting　of　Gudruda　was　the　greatest；　for　she　was　no

light　woman；　and　there　was　little　to　stand　on　and　almost　nothing　to

cling　to。



Presently　Brighteyes　rose　and　peered　at　Gudruda　through　the　gloom。　She

still　swooned。　Then　he　gazed　about　himbut　Swanhild；　the　witchgirl；

was　gone。



Then　he　took　Gudruda　in　his　arms；　and；　leading　the　horse；　stumbled

through　the　darkness；　calling　on　Skallagrim。　The　Baresark　answered；

and　presently　his　large　form　was　seen　looming　in　the　gloom。



Eric　told　his　tale　in　few　words。



〃The　ways　of　womankind　are　evil；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃but　of　all　the

deeds　that　I　have　known　done　at　their　hands；　this　is　the　worst。　It　had

been　well　to　hurl　the　wolf…witch　from　the　cliff。〃



〃Ay；　well；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　that　song　must　yet　be　sung。〃



Now　dimly　lighted　of　the　rising　moon　by　turns　they　bore　Gudruda　down

the　mountain　side；　till　at　length；　utterly　fordone；　they　saw　the　fires

of　Middalhof。







X



HOW　ASMUND　SPOKE　WITH　SWANHILD



Now　as　the　days　went；　though　Atli's　ship　was　bound　for　sea；　she　did

not　sail；　and　it　came　about　that　the　Earl　sank　ever　deeper　in　the

toils　of　Swanhild。　He　called　to　mind　many　wise　saws；　but　these　availed

him　little：　for　when　Love　rises　like　the　sun；　wisdom　melts　like　the

mists。　So　at　length　it　came　to　this；　that　on　the　day　of　Eric's　coming

back；　Atli　went　to　Asmund　the　Priest；　and　asked　him　for　the　hand　of

Swanhild　the　Fatherless　in　marriage。　Asmund　heard　and　was　glad；　for　he

knew　well　that　things　went　badly　between　Swanhild　and　Gudruda；　and　it

seemed　good　to　him　that　seas　should　be　set　between　them。　Nevertheless；

he　thought　it　honest　to　warn　the　Earl　that　Swanhild　was　apart　from

other　women。



〃Thou　dost　great　honour；　earl；　to　my　foster…daughter　and　my　house；〃　he

said。　〃Still；　it　behoves　me　to　move　gently　in　this　matter。　Swanhild　is

fair；　and　she　shall　not　go　hence　a　wife　undowered。　But　I　must　tell

thee　this：　that　her　ways　are　dark　and　secret；　and　strange　and　fiery

are　her　moods；　and　I　think　that　she　will　bring　evil　on　the　man　who

weds　her。　Now；　I　love　thee；　Atli；　were　it　only　for　our　youth's　sake；

and　thou　art　not　altogether　fit　to　mate　with　such　a　maid；　for　age　has

met　thee　on　thy　way。　For；　as　thou　wouldst　say；　youth　draws　to　youth　as

the　tide　to　the　shore；　and　falls　away　from　eld　as　the　wave　from　the

rock。　Think；　then：　is　it　well　that　thou　shouldst　take　her；　Atli？〃



〃I　have　thought　much　and　overmuch；〃　answered　the　Earl；　stroking　his

grey　beard；　〃but　ships　old　and　new　drive　before　a　gale。〃



〃Ay；　Atli；　and　the　new　ship　rides；　where　the　old　one　founders。〃



〃A　true　rede；　a　heavy　rede；　Asmund；　yet　I　am　minded　to　sail　this　sea；

and；　if　it　sink　mewell；　I　have　known　fair　weather！　Great　longing　has

got　hold　of　me；　and　I　think　the　maid　looks　gently　on　me；　and　that

things　may　yet　go　well　between　us。　I　have　many　things　to　give　such　as

women　love。　At　the　least；　if　thou　givest　me　thy　good　word；　I　will　risk

it；　Asmund：　for　the　bold　thrower　sometimes　wins　the　stake。　Only　I　say

this；　that；　if　Swanhild　is　unwilling；　let　there　be　an　end　of　my

wooing；　for　I　do　not　wish　to　take　a　bride　who　turns　from　my　grey

hairs。〃



Asmund　said　that　it　should　be　so；　and　they　made　an　end　of　talking　just

as　the　l