eric brighteyes-第19部分

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hairs。〃



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

as　the　light　faded。



Now　Asmund　went　out　seeking　Swanhild；　and　presently　he　met　her　near

the　stead。　He　could　not　see　her　face；　and　that　was　well；　for　it　was

not　good　to　look　on；　but　her　mien　was　wondrous　wild。



〃Where　hast　thou　been；　Swanhild？〃　he　asked。



〃Mourning　Eric　Brighteyes；〃　she　made　answer。



〃It　is　meeter　for　Gudruda　to　mourn　over　Eric　than　for　thee；　for　her

loss　is　heavy；〃　Asmund　said　sternly。　〃What　hast　thou　to　do　with　Eric？〃



〃Little；　or　much；　or　allread　it　as　thou　wilt；　foster…father。　Still；

all　wept　for　are　not　lost；　nor　all　who　are　lost　wept　for。〃



〃Little　do　I　know　of　thy　dark　redes；〃　said　Asmund。　〃Where　is　Gudruda

now？〃



〃High　is　she　or　low；　sleeping　or　perchance　awakened：　naught　reck　I。

She　also　mourned　for　Eric；　and　we　went　nigh　to　mingling　tearsnear

together　were　brown　curls　and　golden；〃　and　she　laughed　aloud。



〃Thou　art　surely　fey；　thou　evil　girl！〃　said　Asmund。



〃Ay；　foster…father；　fey：　yet　is　this　but　the　first　of　my　feydom。　Here

starts　the　road　that　I　must　travel；　and　my　feet　shall　be　red　ere　the

journey's　done。〃



〃Leave　thy　dark　talk；〃　said　Asmund；　〃for　to　me　it　is　as　the　wind's

song；　and　listen：　a　good　thing　has　befallen　theeay；　good　beyond　thy

deserving。〃



〃Is　it　so？　Well；　I　stand　greatly　in　need　of　good。　What　is　thy　tidings；

foster…father？〃



〃This：　Atli　the　Earl　asks　thee　in　marriage；　and　he　is　a　mighty　man；

well　honoured　in　his　own　land；　and　set　higher；　moreover；　than　I　had

looked　for　thee。〃



〃Ay；〃　answered　Swanhild；　〃set　like　the　snow　above　the　fells；　set　in

the　years　that　long　are　dead。　Nay；　foster…father；　this　white…bearded

dotard　is　no　mate　for　me。　What！　shall　I　mix　my　fire　with　his　frost；　my

breathing　youth　with　the　creeping　palsy　of　his　age？　Never！　If　Swanhild

weds　she　weds　not　so；　for　it　is　better　to　go　maiden　to　the　grave　than

thus　to　shrink　and　wither　at　the　touch　of　eld。　Now　is　Atli's　wooing

sped；　and　there's　an　end。〃



Asmund　heard　and　grew　wroth；　for　the　matter　seemed　strange　to　him；　nor

are　maidens　wont　thus　to　put　aside　the　word　of　those　set　over　them。



〃There　is　no　end；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　not　be　answered　thus　by　a　girl　who

lives　upon　my　bounty。　It　is　my　rede　that　thou　weddest　Atli；　or　else

thou　goest　hence。　I　have　loved　thee；　and　for　that　love's　sake　I　have

borne　thy　wickedness；　thy　dark　secret　ways；　and　evil　words；　but　I　will

be　crossed　no　more　by　thee；　Swanhild。〃



〃Thou　wouldst　drive　me　hence　with　Groa　my　mother；　though　perchance

thou　hast　yet　more　reason　to　hold　me　dear；　foster…father。　Fear　not：　I

will　goperhaps　further　than　thou　thinkest；〃　and　once　more　Swanhild

laughed；　and　passed　from　him　into　the　darkness。



But　Asmund　stood　looking　after　her。　〃Truly；〃　he　said　in　his　heart；

〃ill　deeds　are　arrows　that　pierce　him　who　shot　them。　I　have　sowed

evilly；　and　now　I　reap　the　harvest。　What　means　she　with　her　talk　of

Gudruda　and　the　rest？〃



Now　as　he　thought；　he　saw　men　and　horses　draw　near；　and　one　man；　whose

helm　gleamed　in　the　moonlight；　bore　something　in　his　arms。



〃Who　passes？〃　he　called。



〃Eric　Brighteyes；　Skallagrim　Lambstail；　and　Gudruda；　Asmund's

daughter；〃　answered　a　voice；　〃who　art　thou？〃



Then　Asmund　the　Priest　sprang　forward；　most　glad　at　heart；　for　he

never　thought　to　see　Eric　again。



〃Welcome；　and　thrice　welcome　art　thou；　Eric；〃　he　cried；　〃for；　know；　we

deemed　thee　dead。〃



〃I　have　lately　gone　near　to　death；　lord；〃　said　Eric；　for　he　knew　the

voice；　〃but　I　am　hale　and　whole；　though　somewhat　weary。〃



〃What　has　come　to　pass；　then？〃　asked　Asmund；　〃and　why　holdest　thou

Gudruda　in　thy　arms？　Is　the　maid　dead？〃



〃Nay；　she　does　but　swoon。　See；　even　now　she　stirs；〃　and　as　he　spake

Gudruda　awoke；　shuddering；　and　with　a　little　cry　threw　her　arms　about

the　neck　of　Eric。



He　set　her　down　and　comforted　her；　then　once　more　turned　to　Asmund：



〃Three　things　have　come　about；〃　he　said。　〃First；　I　have　slain　one

Baresark；　and　won　another　to　be　my　thrall；　and　for　him　I　crave　thy

peace；　for　he　has　served　me　well。　Next；　we　two　were　set　upon　by

Ospakar　Blacktooth　and　his　fellowship；　and；　fighting　for　our　hands；

have　wounded　Ospakar；　slain　Mord　his　son；　and　six　other　men　of　his

following。〃



〃That　is　good　news　and　bad；〃　said　Asmund；　〃since　Ospakar　will　ask　a

great　weregild＇*＇　for　these　men；　and　thou　wilt　be　outlawed；　Eric。〃



＇*＇　The　penalty　for　manslaying。



〃That　may　happen；　lord。　There　is　time　enough　to　think　of　it。　Now　there

are　other　tidings　to　tell。　Coming　to　the　head　of　Goldfoss　I　found

Gudruda；　my　betrothed；　mourning　my　death；　and　spoke　with　her。

Afterwards　I　left　her；　and　presently　returned　again；　to　see　her

hanging　over　the　gulf；　and　Swanhild　hurling　rocks　upon　her　to　crush

her。〃



〃These　are　tidings　in　truth；〃　said　Asmund〃such　tidings　as　my　heart

feared！　Is　this　true；　Gudruda？〃



〃It　is　true；　my　father；〃　answered　Gudruda；　trembling。　〃As　I　sat　on　the

brink　of　Goldfoss；　Swanhild　crept　behind　me　and　thrust　me　into　the

gulf。　There　I　clung　above　the　waters；　and　she　brought　a　rock　to　hurl

upon　me；　when　suddenly　I　saw　Eric's　face；　and　after　that　my　mind　left

me　and　I　can　tell　no　more。〃



Now　Asmund　grew　as　one　mad。　He　plucked　at　his　beard　and　stamped　on　the

ground。　〃Maid　though　she　be；〃　he　cried；　〃yet　shall　Swanhild's　back　be

broken　on　the　Stone　of　Doom　for　a　witch　and　a　murderess；　and　her　body

hurled　into　the　pool　of　faithless　women；　and　the　earth　will　be　well

rid　of　her！〃



Now　Gudruda　looked　up　and　smiled：　〃It　would　be　ill　to　wreak　such　a

vengeance　on　her；　father；〃　she　said；　〃and　this　would　also　bring　the

greatest　shame　on　thee；　and　all　our　house。　I　am　saved；　by　the　mercy　of

the　Gods　and　the　might　of　Eric's　arm；　and　this　is　my　counsel：　that

nothing　be　told　of　this　tale；　but　that　Swanhild　be　sent　away　where　she

can　harm　us　no　more。〃



〃She　must　be　sent　to　the　grave；　then；〃　said　Asmund；　and　fell　to

thinking。　Presently　he　spoke　again：　〃Bid　yon　man　fall　back；　I　would

speak　with　you　twain；〃　and　Skallagrim　went　grumbling。



〃Hearken　now；　Eric　and　Gudruda：　only　an　hour　ago　hath　Atli　the　Good

asked　Swanhild　of　me　in　marriage。　But　now　I　met　Swanhild　here；　and　her

mien　was　wild。　Still；　I　spoke　of　the　matter　to　her；　and　she　would　have

none　of　it。　Now；　this　is　my　counsel：　that　choice　be　given　to　Swanhild；

either　that　she　go　hence　Atli's　wife；　or　take　her　trial　in　the　Doom…

ring。〃



〃That　will　be　bad　for　the　Earl　then；〃　said　Eric。　〃Methinks　he　is　too

good　a　man　to　be　played　on　thus。〃



〃/Bairn　first；　then　friend/；〃　answered　Asmund。



〃Now　I　will　tell　thee　something　that；　till　this　hour；　I　have　hidden

from　all；　for　it　is　my　shame。　This　Swanhild　is　my　daughter；　and

therefore　I　have　loved　her　and　put　away　her　evil　deeds；　and　she　is

half…sister　to　thee；　Gudruda。　See；　then；　how　sore　is　my　straight；　who

must　avenge　daughter　upon　daughter。〃



〃Knows　thy　son　Bj？rn　of　this？〃　asked　Eric。



〃None　knew　it　till　this　hour；　except　Groa　and　I。〃



〃Yet　I　have　feared　it　long；　father；〃　said　Gudruda；　〃and　therefore　I

have　also　borne　with　Swanhild；　though　she　hates　me　much　and　has

striven　hard　to　draw　my　betrothed　from　me。　Now　thou　canst　only　take

one　counsel；　and　it　is：　to　give　choice　to　Swanhild　of　these　two

things；　though　it　is　unworthy　that　Atli　should　be　deceived；　and　at　the

best　little　good　can　come　of　it。〃



〃Yet　it　must　be　done；　for　honour　is　often　slain　of　heavy　need；〃　said

Asmund。　〃But　we　must　first　swear　this　Baresark　thrall　of　thine；　though

little　faith　lives　in　Baresark's　breast。〃



Now　Eric　called　to　Skallagrim　and　charged　him　strictly　that　he　should

tell　nothing　of　Swanhild；　and　of　the　wolf　that　he　saw　by　her；　and　of

how　Gudruda　was　found　hanging　over　the　gulf。



〃Fear　not；〃　growled　the　Baresark；　〃my　tongue　is　now　my　master's。　What

is　it　to　me　if　women　do　their　wickedness　one　on　another？　Let　them　work

magic；　hate　and　slay　by　stealth；　so　shall　evil　be　lessened　in　the

world。〃



〃Peace！〃　said　Eric；　〃if　anything　of　this　passes　thy　lips　thou　art　no

longer　a　thrall　of　mine；　and　I　give　thee　up　to　the　men　of　thy

quarter。〃



〃And　I　cleave　that　wolf's　head　of　thine　down　to　thy　hawk's　eyes；　but；

otherwise；　I　give　thee　peace；　and　will　hold　thee　from　harm；　wood…

dweller　as　thou　art；〃　said　Asmund。



The　Baresark　laughed：　〃My　hands　will　hold　my　head　against　ten　such

mannikins　as　thou　art；　Priest。　There　was　never　but　one　man　who　might

overcome　me　in　fair　fight　and　there　he　stands；　and　his　bidding　is　my

law。　So　waste　no　words　and　make　not　niddering　threats　against　greater

folk；〃　and　he　slouched　back　to　his　horse。



〃A　mighty　man　and　a　rough；〃　said　Asmund；　looking　after　him；　〃I　like

his　looks　little。〃



〃Natheless　a　strong　in　battle；〃　quoth　Eric；　〃had　he　not　been　at　my

back　some　six　hours　gone；　by　now　the　ravens　had　torn　out　these　eyes　of

mine。　Therefore；　for　my　sake；　bear　with　him。〃



Asmund　said　it　should　be　so；　and　then　they　passed　on　to　the　stead。



Here　Eric　stripped　off　his　harness；　washed；　and　bound　up　his　wounds。

Then；　followed　by　Skallagrim；　axe　in　hand；　he　came　into　the　hall　as

men　made　ready　to　sit　at　meat。　Now　the　tale　of　the　mighty　deeds　that

he　had　done；　except　that　of　the　saving　of　Gudruda；　had　gone　abroad；

and　as　Brighteyes　came　all　men　rose　and　with　one　voice　shouted　till

the　roof　of　the　great　hall　rocked：



〃/Welcome；　Eric　Brighteyes；　thou　glory　of　the　south！/〃



Only　Bj？rn；　Asmund's　son；　bit　his　hand；　and　did　not　shout；　for　he

hated　Eric　because　of　the　fame　that　he　had　won。



Brighteyes　stood　still　till　the　clamour　died；　then　said：



〃Much　noise　for　little　deeds；　brethren。　It　is　true　that　I　overthrew

the　Mosfell　Baresarks。　See；　here　is　one；〃　and　he　turned　to　Skallagrim；

〃I　strangled　him　in　my　arms　on　Mosfell's　brink；　and　that　was　something

of　a　deed。　Then　he　swore　fealty　to　me；　and　we　are　blood…brethren　now；

and　therefor