eric brighteyes-第22部分

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〃Fair　words　from　Atli's　bride；〃　mocked　Gudruda。



〃Ay；　Atli's　bride；　but　never　Atli's　love！〃　said　Swanhild；　and　swept

on。



A　while　after　Eric　rode　up。　He　was　shamefaced　and　vexed　at　heart；

because　he　had　yielded　thus　to　Swanhild's　beauty；　and　been　melted　by

her　tender　words　and　kissed　her。　Then　he　saw　Gudruda；　and　at　the　sight

of　her　all　thought　of　Swanhild　passed　from　him；　for　he　loved　Gudruda

and　her　alone。　He　leapt　down　from　his　horse　and　ran　to　her。　But；　drawn

to　her　full　height；　she　stood　with　dark　flashing　eyes　and　fair　face

set　in　anger。



Still；　he　would　have　greeted　her　loverwise；　but　she　lifted　her　hand

and　waved　him　back；　and　fear　took　hold　of　him。



〃What　now；　Gudruda？〃　he　asked；　faltering。



〃What　now；　Eric？〃　she　answered；　faltering　not。　〃Hast　seen　Swanhild？〃



〃Yea；　I　have　seen　Swanhild。　She　came　to　bid　farewell　to　me。　What　of

it？〃



〃What　of　it？　Why　'/thus！　and　thus！　and　thus！/'　didst　thou　bid　farewell

to　Atli's　bride。　Ay；　'thus　and　thus；'　with　clinging　lips　and　twined

arms。　Warm　and　soft　was　thy　farewell　kiss　to　her　who　would　have　slain

me；　Brighteyes！〃



〃Gudruda；　thou　speakest　truth；　though　how　thou　sawest　I　know　not。

Think　no　ill　of　it；　and　scourge　me　not　with　words；　for；　sooth　to　say；

I　was　melted　by　her　grief　and　the　music　of　her　talk。〃



〃It　is　shame　to　thee　so　to　speak　of　her　whom　but　now　thou　heldest　in

thine　arms。　By　the　grief　and　the　music　of　the　talk　of　her　who　would

have　murdered　me　thou　wast　melted　into　kisses；　Eric！for　I　saw　it

with　these　eyes。　Knowest　thou　what　I　am　minded　to　say　to　thee？　It　is

this：　'Go　hence　and　see　me　no　more；'　for　I　have　little　wish　to　cleave

to　such　a　feather…man；　to　one　so　blown　about　by　the　first　breath　of

woman's　tempting。〃



〃Yet；　methinks；　Gudruda；　I　have　withstood　some　such　winds。　I　tell　thee

that；　hadst　thou　been　in　my　place；　thyself　hadst　yielded　to　Swanhild

and　kissed　her　in　farewell；　for　she　was　more　than　woman　in　that　hour。〃



〃Nay；　Eric；　I　am　no　weak　man　to　be　led　astray　thus。　Yet　she　is　more

than　womantroll　is　she　also；　that　I　know；　but　less　than　man　art

thou；　Eric；　thus　to　fall　before　her　who　hates　me。　Time　may　come　when

she　shall　woo　thee　after　a　stronger　sort；　and　what　wilt　thou　say　to

her　then；　thou　who　art　so　ready　with　thy　kisses？〃



〃I　will　withstand　her；　Gudruda；　for　I　love　thee　only；　and　this　is　well

known　to　thee。〃



〃Truly　I　know　thou　lovest　me；　Eric；　but　tell　me　of　what　worth　is　this

love　of　man　that　eyes　of　beauty　and　tongue　of　craft　may　so　readily

bewray？　I　doubt　me　of　thee；　Eric！〃



〃Nay；　doubt　me　not；　Gudruda。　I　love　thee　alone；　but　I　grew　soft　as　wax

beneath　her　pleading。　My　heart　consented　not；　yet　I　did　consent。　I

have　no　more　to　say。〃



Now　Gudruda　looked　on　him　long　and　steadfastly。　〃Thy　plight　is　sorry；

Eric；〃　she　said；　〃and　this　once　I　forgive　thee。　Look　to　it　that　thou

givest　me　no　more　cause　to　doubt　thee；　for　then　I　shall　remember　how

thou　didst　bid　farewell　to　Swanhild。〃



〃I　will　give　none；〃　he　answered；　and　would　have　embraced　her；　but　this

she　would　not　suffer　then；　nor　for　many　days　after；　for　she　was　angry

with　him。　But　with　Swanhild　she　was　still　more　angry；　though　she　said

nothing　of　it。　That　Swanhild　had　tried　to　murder　her；　Gudruda　could

forgive；　for　there　she　had　failed；　but　not　that　she　had　won　Eric　to

kiss　her；　for　in　this　she　had　succeeded　well。







XII



HOW　ERIC　WAS　OUTLAWED　AND　SAILED　A…VIKING



Now　the　marriage…feast　went　on；　and　Swanhild；　draped　in　white　and　girt

about　with　gold；　sat　by　Atli's　side　upon　the　high　seat。　He　was　fain　of

her　and　drew　her　to　him；　but　she　looked　at　him　with　cold　calm　eyes　in

which　hate　lurked。　The　feast　was　done；　and　all　the　company　rode　to　the

sea　strand；　where　the　Earl's　ship　lay　at　anchor。　They　came　there；　and

Swanhild　kissed　Asmund；　and　talked　a　while　with　Groa；　her　mother；　and

bade　farewell　to　all　men。　But　she　bade　no　farewell　to　Eric　and　to

Gudruda。



〃Why　sayest　thou　no　word　to　these　two？〃　asked　Atli；　her　husband。



〃For　this　reason；　Earl；〃　she　answered；　〃because　ere　long　we　three

shall　meet　again；　but　I　shall　see　Asmund；　my　father；　and　Groa；　my

mother；　no　more。〃



〃That　is　an　ill　saying；　wife；〃　said　Atli。　〃Methinks　thou　dost　foretell

their　doom。〃



〃Mayhap！　And　now　I　will　add　to　my　redes；　for　I　foretell　/thy/　doom

also：　it　is　not　yet；　but　it　draws　on。〃



Then　Atli　bethought　him　of　many　wise　saws；　but　spoke　no　more；　for　it

seemed　to　him　this　was　a　strange　bride　that　he　had　wed。



They　hauled　the　anchor　home；　shook　out　the　great　sail；　and　passed　away

into　the　evening　night。　But　while　land　could　still　be　seen；　Swanhild

stood　near　the　helm；　gazing　with　her　blue　eyes　upon　the　lessening

coast。　Then　she　passed　to　the　hold；　and　shut　herself　in　alone；　and

there　she　stayed；　saying　that　she　was　sick；　till　at　length；　after　a

fair　voyage　of　twenty　days；　they　made　the　Orkney　Islands。



But　all　this　pleased　Atli　wondrous　ill；　yet　he　dared　not　cross　her

mood。







Now；　in　Iceland　the　time　drew　on　when　men　must　ride　to　the　Althing；

and　notice　was　given　to　Eric　Brighteyes　of　many　suits　that　were　laid

against　him；　in　that　he　had　brought　Mord；　Ospakar's　son；　to　his　death；

dealing　him　a　brain　or　a　body　or　a　marrow　wound；　and　others　of　that

company。　But　no　suits　were　laid　against　Skallagrim；　for　he　was　already

outlaw。　Therefore　he　must　go　in　hiding；　for　men　were　out　to　slay　him；

and　this　he　did　unwillingly；　at　Eric's　bidding。　Asmund　took　up　Eric's

case；　for　he　was　the　most　famous　of　all　lawmen　in　that　day；　and　when

thirteen　full　weeks　of　summer　were　done；　they　two　rode　to　the　Thing；

and　with　them　a　great　company　of　men　of　their　quarter。



Now；　men　go　up　to　the　L？gberg；　and　there　came　Ospakar；　though　he　was

not　yet　healed　of　his　wound；　and　all　his　company；　and　laid　their　suits

against　Eric　by　the　mouth　of　Gizur　the　Lawman；　Ospakar's　son。　The

pleadings　were　long　and　cunning　on　either　side；　but　the　end　of　it　was

that　Ospakar　brought　it　about；　by　the　help　of　his　friendsand　of

these　had　manythat　Eric　must　go　into　outlawry　for　three　years。　But

no　weregild　was　to　be　paid　to　Ospakar　and　his　men　for　those　who　had

been　killed；　and　no　atonement　for　the　great　wound　that　Skallagrim

Lambstail　gave　him；　or　for　the　death　of　Mord；　his　son；　inasmuch　as

Eric　fought　for　his　own　hand　to　save　his　life。



The　party　of　Ospakar　were　ill　pleased　at　this　finding；　and　Eric　was

not　over　glad；　for　it　was　little　to　his　mind　that　he　should　sail　a…

warring　across　the　seas；　while　Gudruda　sat　at　home　in　Iceland。　Still；

there　was　no　help　for　the　matter。



Now　Ospakar　spoke　with　his　company；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　he

called　on　them　to　take　their　weapons　and　avenge　themselves　by　their

own　might。　Asmund　and　Eric；　seeing　this；　mustered　their　army　of　free…

men　and　thralls。　There　were　one　hundred　and　five　of　them；　all　stout

men；　but　Ospakar　Blacktooth's　band　numbered　a　hundred　and　thirty…

three；　and　they　stood　with　their　backs　to　the　Raven's　Rift。



〃Now　I　would　that　Skallagrim　was　here　to　guard　my　back；〃　said　Eric；

〃for　before　this　fight　is　done　few　will　left　standing　to　tell　its

tale。〃



〃It　is　a　sad　thing；〃　said　Asmund；　〃that　so　many　men　must　die　because

some　men　are　now　dead。〃



〃A　very　sad　thing；〃　said　Eric；　and　took　this　counsel。　He　stalked　alone

towards　the　ranks　of　Ospakar　and　called　in　a　loud　voice；　saying：



〃It　would　be　grievous　that　so　many　warriors　should　fall　in　such　a

matter。　Now　hearken；　you　company　of　Ospakar　Blacktooth！　If　there　be

any　two　among　you　who　will　dare　to　match　their　might　against　my　single

sword　in　holmgang；　here　I；　Eric　Brighteyes；　stand　and　wait　them。　It　is

better　that　one　man；　or　perchance　three　men；　should　fall；　than　that

anon　so　many　should　roll　in　the　dust。　What　say　ye？〃



Now　all　those　who　watched　called　out　that　this　was　a　good　offer　and　a

manly　one；　though　it　might　turn　out　ill　for　Eric；　but　Ospakar

answered：



〃Were　I　but　well　of　my　wound　I　alone　would　cut　that　golden　comb　of

thine；　thou　braggart；　as　it　is；　be　sure　that　two　shall　be　found。〃



〃Who　is　the　braggart？〃　answered　Eric。　〃He　who　twice　has　learned　the

weight　of　this　arm　and　yet　boasts　his　strength；　or　I　who　stand　craving

that　two　should　come　against　me？　Get　thee　hence；　Ospakar；　get　thee

home　and　bid　Thorunna；　thy　leman；　whom　thou　didst　beguile　from　that

Ounound　who　now　is　named　Skallagrim　Lambstail　the　Baresark；　nurse　thee

whole　of　the　wound　her　husband　gave　thee。　Be　sure　we　shall　yet　stand

face　to　face；　and　that　combs　shall　be　cut　then；　combs　black　or　golden。

Nurse　thee！　nurse　thee！　cease　thy　pratingget　thee　home；　and　bid

Thorunna　nurse　thee；　but　first　name　thou　the　two　who　shall　stand

against　me　in　holmgang　in　Oxarà's　stream。〃



Folk　laughed　aloud　while　Eric　mocked；　but　Ospakar　gnashed　his　teeth

with　rage。　Still；　he　named　the　two　mightiest　men　in　his　company；

bidding　them　take　up　their　swords　against　Brighteyes。　This；　indeed；

they　were　loth　to　do；　still；　because　of　the　shame　that　they　must　get

if　they　hung　back；　and　for　fear　of　the　wrath　of　Ospakar；　they　made

ready　to　obey　his　bidding。



Then　all　men　passed　down　to　the　bank　of　Oxarà；　and；　on　the　other　side；

people　came　from　their　booths　and　sat　upon　the　slope　of　All　Man's

Raft；　for　it　was　a　new　thing　that　one　man　should　fight　two　in

holmgang。



Now　Eric　crossed　to　the　island　where　holmgangs　are　fought　to　this　day；

and　after　him　came　the　two　chosen；　flourishing　their　swords　bravely；

and　taking　counsel　how　one　should　rush　at　his　face；　while　the　other

passed　behind　his　back　and　spitted　him；　as　woodfolk　spit　a　lamb。　Eric

drew　Whitefire　and　leaned　on　it；　waiting　for　the　word；　and　all　the

women　held　him　to　be　wondrous　fair　as；　clad　in　his　byrnie　and　his

golden　helm；　he　leaned　thus　on　Whitefire。　Presently　the　word　was

given；　and　Eric；　standing　not　to　defend　himself　as　they　deemed　he

surely　would；　whirled　Whitefire　round　his　helm　and　rushed　headlon