eric brighteyes-第20部分

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

and　therefore　I　ask　peace　for　him；　comradeseven　from　those　whom　he

has　wronged　or　whose　kin　he　has　slain。　I　know　this；　that　when

thereafter　we　stood　back　to　back　and　met　the　company　of　Ospakar

Blacktooth；　who　came　to　slay　usay；　and　Asmund　also；　and　bear　away

Gudruda　to　be　his　wifehe　warred　right　gallantly；　till　seven　of　their

band　lay　stiff　on　Horse…Head　Heights；　overthrown　of　us；　and　among　them

Mord；　Blacktooth's　son；　and　Ospakar　himself　went　thence　sore　smitten

of　this　Skallagrim。　Therefore；　for　my　sake；　do　no　harm　to　this　man　who

was　Baresark；　but　now　is　my　thrall；　and；　moreover；　I　beg　the　aid　and

friendship　of　all　men　of　this　quarter　in　those　suits　that　will　be　laid

against　me　at　the　Althing　for　these　slayings；　which　I　hereby　give　out

as　done　by　my　hand；　and　by　the　hand　of　Skallagrim　Lambstail；　the

Baresark。〃



At　these　words　all　men　shouted　again；　but　Atli　the　Earl　sprang　from

the　high　seat　where　Asmund　had　placed　him；　and；　coming　to　Eric；　kissed

him；　and；　drawing　a　gold　chain　from　his　neck；　flung　it　about　the　neck

of　Eric；　crying：



〃Thou　art　a　glorious　man；　Eric　Brighteyes。　I　thought　the　world　had　no

more　of　such　a　breed。　Listen　to　my　bidding：　come　thou　to　the　earldom

in　Orkneys　and　be　a　son　to　me；　and　I　will　give　thee　all　good　gifts；

and；　when　I　die；　thou　shalt　sit　in　my　seat　after　me。〃



But　Eric　thought　of　Swanhild；　who　must　go　from　Iceland　as　wife　to

Atli；　and　answered：



〃Thou　doest　me　great　honour；　Earl；　but　this　may　not　be。　Where　the　fir

is　planted；　there　it　must　grow　and　fall。　Iceland　I　love；　and　I　will

stay　here　among　my　own　people　till　I　am　driven　away。〃



〃That　may　well　happen；　then；〃　said　Atli；　〃for　be　sure　Ospakar　and　his

kin　will　not　let　the　matter　of　these　slayings　rest；　and　I　think　that

it　will　not　avail　thee　much　that　thou　smotest　for　thine　own　hand。

Then；　come　thou　and　be　my　man。〃



〃Where　the　Norns　lead　there　I　must　follow；〃　said　Eric；　and　sat　down　to

meat。　Skallagrim　sat　down　also　at　the　side…bench；　but　men　shrank　from

him；　and　he　glowered　on　them　in　answer。



Presently　Gudruda　entered；　and　she　seemed　pale　and　faint。



When　he　had　done　eating；　Eric　drew　Gudruda　on　to　his　knee；　and　she　sat

there；　resting　her　golden　head　upon　his　breast。　But　Swanhild　did　not

come　into　the　hall；　though　ever　Earl　Atli　sought　her　dark　face　and

lovely　eyes　of　blue；　and　he　wondered　greatly　how　his　wooing　had　sped。

Still；　at　this　time　he　spoke　no　more　of　it　to　Asmund。



Now　Skallagrim　drank　much　ale；　and　glared　about　him　fiercely；　for　he

had　this　fault；　that　at　times　he　was　drunken。　In　front　of　him　were　two

thralls　of　Asmund's；　they　were　brothers；　and　large…made　men；　and　they

watched　Asmund's　sheep　upon　the　fells　in　winter。　These　two　also　grew

drunk　and　jeered　at　Skallagrim；　asking　him　what　atonement　he　would

make　for　those　ewes　of　Asmund's　that　he　had　stolen　last　Yule；　and　how

it　came　to　pass　that　he；　a　Baresark；　had　been　overthrown　of　an　unarmed

man。



Skallagrim　bore　their　gibes　for　a　space　as　he　drank　on；　but　suddenly

he　rose　and　rushed　at　them；　and；　seizing　a　man's　throat　in　either

hand；　thrust　them　to　the　ground　beneath　him　and　nearly　choked　them

there。



Then　Eric　ran　down　the　hall；　and；　putting　out　his　strength；　tore　the

Baresark　from　them。



〃This　then　is　thy　peacefulness；　thou　wolf！〃　Eric　cried。　〃Thou　art

drunk！〃



〃Ay；〃　growled　Skallagrim；　〃ale　is　many　a　man's　doom。〃



〃Have　a　care　that　it　is　not　thine　and　mine；　then！〃　said　Eric。　〃Go；

sleep；　and　know　that；　if　I　see　thee　thus　once　more；　I　see　thee　not

again。〃







But　after　this　men　jeered　no　more　at　Skallagrim　Lambstail；　Eric's

thrall。







XI



HOW　SWANHILD　BID　FAREWELL　TO　ERIC



Now　all　this　while　Asmund　sat　deep　in　thought；　but　when；　at　length；

men　were　sunk　in　sleep；　he　took　a　candle　of　fat　and　passed　to　the　shut

bed　where　Swanhild　slept　alone。　She　lay　on　her　bed；　and　her　curling

hair　was　all　about　her。　She　was　awake；　for　the　light　gleamed　in　her

blue　eyes；　and　on　a　naked　knife　that　was　on　the　bed　beside　her；　half

hidden　by　her　hair。



〃What　wouldst　thou；　foster…father？〃　she　asked；　rising　in　the　couch。

Asmund　closed　the　curtains；　then　looked　at　her　sternly　and　spoke　in　a

low　voice：



〃Thou　art　fair　to　be　so　vile　a　thing；　Swanhild；〃　he　said。　〃Who　now

would　have　dreamed　that　heart　of　thine　could　talk　with　goblins　and

with　were…wolvesthat　those　eyes　of　thine　could　bear　to　look　on

murder　and　those　white　hands　find　strength　to　do　the　sin？〃



She　held　up　her　shapely　arms　and；　looking　on　them；　laughed。　〃Would

that　they　had　been　fashioned　in　a　stronger　mould；〃　she　said。　〃May　they

wither　in　their　woman's　weakness！　else　had　the　deed　been　done

outright。　Now　my　crime　is　as　heavy　upon　me　and　nothing　gained　by　it。

Say　what　fate　for　me；　foster…fatherthe　Stone　of　Doom　and　the　pool

where　faithless　women　lie？　Ah；　then　might　Gudruda　laugh　indeed；　and　I

will　not　live　to　hear　that　laugh。　See；〃　and　she　gripped　the　dagger　at

her　side：　〃along　this　bright　edge　runs　the　path　to　peace　and　freedom；

and；　if　need　be；　I　will　tread　it。〃



〃Be　silent；〃　said　Asmund。　〃This　Gudruda；　my　daughter；　whom　thou

wouldst　have　foully　done　to　death；　is　thine　own　sister；　and　it　is　she

who；　pitying　thee；　hath　pleaded　for　thy　life。〃



〃I　will　naught　of　her　pity　who　have　no　pity；〃　she　answered；　〃and　this

I　say　to　thee　who　art　my　father：　shame　be　on　thee　who　hast　not　dared

to　own　thy　child！〃



〃Hadst　thou　not　been　my　child；　Swanhild；　and　had　I　not　loved　thee

secretly　as　my　child；　be　sure　of　this；　I　had　long　since　driven　thee

hence；　for　my　eyes　have　been　open　to　much　that　I　have　not　seemed　to

see。　But　at　length　thy　wickedness　has　overcome　my　love；　and　I　will　see

thy　face　no　more。　Listen：　none　have　heard　of　this　shameful　deed　of

thine　save　those　who　saw　it；　and　their　tongues　are　sealed。　Now　I　give

thee　choice：　wed　Atli　and　go；　or　stand　in　the　Doom…ring　and　take　thy

fate。〃



〃Have　I　not　said；　father；　while　death　may　be　sought　otherwise；　that　I

will　never　do　this　last？　Nor　will　I　do　the　first。　I　am　not　all　of　the

tame　breed　of　you　Iceland　folkother　and　quicker　blood　runs　in　my

veins；　nor　will　I　be　sold　in　marriage　to　a　dotard　as　a　mare　is　sold　at

a　market。　I　have　answered。〃



〃Fool！　think　again；　for　I　go　not　back　upon　my　word。　Wed　Atli　or　die

by　thy　own　hand；　if　thou　wiltthere　I　will　not　gainsay　thee；　or；　if

thou　fearest　this；　then　anon　in　the　Doom…ring。〃



Now　Swanhild　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hands　and　shook　the　long　hair

about　her　face；　and　she　seemed　wondrous　fair　to　Asmund　the　Priest　who

watched。　And　as　she　sat　thus；　it　came　into　her　mind　that　marriage　is

not　the　end　of　a　young　maid's　lifethat　old　husbands　have　been　known

to　die；　and　that　she　might　rule　this　Atli　and　his　earldom　and　become　a

rich　and　honoured　woman；　setting　her　sails　in　such　fashion　that　when

the　wind　turned　it　would　fill　them。　Otherwise　she　must　dieay；　die

shamed　and　leave　Gudruda　with　her　love。



Suddenly　she　slipped　from　the　bed　to　the　floor　of　the　chamber；　and；

clasping　the　knees　of　Asmund；　looked　up　through　the　meshes　of　her

hair；　while　tears　streamed　from　her　beautiful　eyes：



〃I　have　sinned；〃　she　sobbed〃I　have　sinned　greatly　against　thee　and

my　sister。　Hearken：　I　was　mad　with　love　of　Eric；　whom　from　a　child　I

have　turned　to；　and　Gudruda　is　fairer　than　I　and　she　took　him　from　me。

Most　of　all　was　I　mad　this　night　when　I　wrought　the　deed　of　shame；　for

ill　things　counselled　methings　that　I　did　not　call；　and　oh；　I　thank

the　Godsif　there　are　Godsthat　Gudruda　died　not　at　my　hand。　See

now；　father；　I　put　this　evil　from　me　and　tear　Eric　from　my　heart；〃　and

she　made　as　though　she　rent　her　bosom〃I　will　wed　Atli；　and　be　a　good

housewife　to　him；　and　I　crave　but　this　of　Gudruda：　that　she　forgive　me

her　wrong；　for　it　was　not　done　of　my　will；　but　of　my　madness；　and　of

the　driving　of　those　whom　my　mother　taught　me　to　know。〃



Asmund　listened　and　the　springs　of　his　love　thawed　within　him。　〃Now

thou　dost　take　good　counsel；〃　he　said；　〃and　of　this　be　sure；　that　so

long　as　thou　art　in　that　mood　none　shall　harm　thee；　and　for　Gudruda；

she　is　the　most　gentle　of　women；　and　it　may　well　be　that　she　will　put

away　thy　sin。　So　weep　no　more；　and　have　no　more　dealings　with　thy

Finnish　witchcraft；　but　sleep；　and　to…morrow　I　will　bear　thy　word　to

Atli；　for　his　ship　is　bound　and　thou　must　swiftly　be　made　a　wife。〃



He　went　out；　bearing　the　light　with　him；　but　Swanhild　rose　from　the

ground　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　staring　into　the　darkness　and

shuddering　from　time　to　time。



〃I　shall　soon　be　made　his　wife；〃　she　murmured；　〃who　would　be　but　one

man's　wifeand　methinks　I　shall　soon　be　made　a　widow　also。　Thou　wilt

have　me；　dotardtake　me　and　thy　fate！　Well；　well；　better　to　wed　an

Earl　than　to　be　shamed　and　stretched　across　the　Doom…stone。　Oh；　weak

arms　that　failed　me　at　my　need；　no　more　will　I　put　trust　in　you！　When

next　I　wound；　it　shall　be　with　the　tongue；　when　next　I　strive　to　slay；

it　shall　be　by　another's　hand。　Curses　on　thee；　thou　ill　counseller　of

darkness；　who　didst　betray　me　at　the　last！　Is　it　for　this　that　I

worshipped　thee　and　swore　the　oath？〃







The　morning　came；　and　at　the　first　light　Asmund　sought　the　Earl。　His

heart　was　heavy　because　of　the　guile　that　his　tongue　must　practise；

and　his　face　was　dark　as　a　winter　dawn。



〃What　news；　Asmund？〃　asked　Atli。　〃/Early　tidings　are　bad　tidings/；　so

runs　the　saw；　and　thy　looks　give　weight　to　it。〃



〃Not　altogether　bad；　Earl。　Swanhild　gives　herself　to　thee。〃



〃Of　her　own　will；　Asmund？〃



〃Ay；　of　her　own　will。　But　I　have　warned　thee　of　her　temper。〃



〃Her　temper！　Little　hangs　to　a　maid's　temper。　Once　a　wife　and　it　will

melt　in　softness　like　the　snow　when　summer　comes。　These　are　glad

tidings；　comrade；　and　methinks　I　grow　young　again　beneath　the　breath

of　them。　Why　art　thou　so　glum　then？〃



〃There　is