eric brighteyes-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



me　for　that　in　which　I　have　no　blame。〃



Bj？rn　grew　wroth　at　these　words。　〃Prate　not　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃Thou　art

an　upstart　who　wouldst　teach　their　duty　to　thy　bettersay；　puffed　up

with　light…won　fame；　like　a　feather　on　the　breeze。　But　I　say　this：　the

breeze　shall　fail；　and　thou　shalt　fall　upon　the　goose's　back　once

more。　And　I　say　this　also；　that；　had　I　my　will；　Gudruda　should　wed

Ospakar：　for　he　is　a　mighty　chief；　and　not　a　long…legged　carle；

outlawed　for　man…slaying。〃



Now　Eric　sprang　from　his　seat　and　laid　hand　upon　the　hilt　of

Whitefire；　while　men　murmured　in　the　hall；　for　they　held　this　an　ill

speech　of　Bj？rn's。



〃In　thee；　it　seems；　I　have　no　friend；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　hadst　thou　been

any　other　man　than　Gudruda's　brother；　forsooth　thou　shouldst　answer

for　thy　mocking　words。　This　I　tell　thee；　Bj？rn；　that；　wert　thou　twice

her　brother；　if　thou　plottest　with　Ospakar　when　I　am　gone；　thou　shalt

pay　dearly　for　it　when　I　come　back　again。　I　know　thy　heart　well：　it　is

cunning　and　greedy　of　gain；　and　filled　with　envy　as　a　cask　with　ale；

yet；　if　thou　lovest　to　feel　it　beating　in　thy　breast；　strive　not　to

work　me　mischief　and　to　put　Gudruda　from　me。〃



Now　Bj？rn　sprang　up　also　and　drew　his　sword；　for　he　was　white　with

rage；　but　Asmund　his　father　cried；　〃Peace！〃　in　a　great　voice。



〃Peace！〃　he　said。　〃Be　seated；　Eric；　and　take　no　heed　of　this　foolish

talk。　And　for　thee；　Bj？rn；　art　thou　the　Priest　of　Middalhof；　and

Gudruda's　father；　or　am　I？　It　has　pleased　me　to　betroth　Brighteyes　to

Gudruda；　and　it　pleased　me　not　to　betroth　her　to　Ospakar；　and　that　is

enough　for　thee。　For　the　rest；　Ospakar　would　have　slain　Eric；　not　he

Ospakar；　therefore　Eric's　hands　are　clean。　Though　thou　art　my　son；　I

say　this；　that；　if　thou　workest　ill　to　Eric　when　he　is　over　sea；　thou

shalt　rightly　learn　the　weight　of　Whitefire：　it　is　a　niddering　deed　to

plot　against　an　absent　man。〃



Eric　sat　down；　but　Bj？rn　strode　scowling　from　the　hall；　and；　taking

horse；　rode　south；　nor　did　he　and　Eric　meet　again　till　three　years　had

come　and　gone；　and　then　they　met　but　once。



〃Maggots　shall　be　bred　of　that　fly；　nor　shall　they　lack　flesh　to　feed

on；〃　said　Skallagrim　in　Eric's　ears　as　he　watched　Bj？rn　pass。　But　Eric

bade　him　be　silent；　and　turned　to　Gudruda。



〃Look　not　so　sad；　sweet；〃　he　said；　〃for　hasty　words　rise　like　the　foam

on　mead　and　pass　as　soon。　It　vexes　Bj？rn　that　thy　father　has　given　me

the　good　ship：　but　his　anger　will　soon　pass；　or；　at　the　very　worst；　I

fear　him　not　while　thou　art　true　to　me。〃



〃Then　thou　hast　little　to　fear；　Eric；〃　she　answered。　〃Look　now　on　thy

hair：　it　grows　long　as　a　woman's；　and　that　is　ill；　for　at　sea　the　salt

will　hang　to　it。　Say；　shall　I　cut　it　for　thee？〃



〃Yes；　Gudruda。〃



So　she　cut　his　yellow　locks；　and　one　of　them　lay　upon　her　heart　for

many　a　day。



〃Now　thou　shalt　swear　to　me；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃that　no　other

man　or　woman　shall　cut　thy　hair　till　thou　comest　back　to　me　and　I　clip

it　again。〃



〃That　I　swear；　and　readily；〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　go　long…haired　like

a　girl　for　thy　sake；　Gudruda。〃



He　spoke　low；　but　Koll　the　Half…witted；　Groa's　thrall；　heard　this　oath

and　kept　it　in　his　mind。







Very　early　on　the　morrow　all　men　rose；　and；　taking　horse；　rode　once

more　to　the　seaside；　till　they　came　to　that　shed　where　the　Gudruda

lay。



Then；　when　the　tide　was　high；　Eric's　company　took　hold　of　the　black

ship's　thwarts；　and　at　his　word　dragged　her　with　might　and　main。　She

ran　down　the　greased　blocks　and　sped　on　quivering　to　the　sea；　and　as

her　dragon…prow　dipped　in　the　water　people　cheered　aloud。



Now　Eric　must　bid　farewell　to　all；　and　this　he　did　with　a　brave　heart

till　at　the　last　he　came　to　Saevuna；　his　mother；　and　Gudruda；　his　dear

love。



〃Farewell；　son；〃　said　the　old　dame；　〃I　have　little　hope　that　these

eyes　shall　look　again　upon　that　bonny　face　of　thine；　yet　I　am　well

paid　for　my　birth…pains；　for　few　have　borne　such　a　man　as　thou。　Think

of　me　at　times；　for　without　me　thou　hadst　never　been。　Be　not　led

astray　of　women；　nor　lead　them　astray；　or　ill　shall　overtake　thee。　Be

not　quarrelsome　because　of　thy　great　might；　for　there　is　a　stronger

than　the　strongest。　Spare　a　fallen　foe；　and　take　not　a　poor　man's

goods　or　a　brave　man's　sword；　but；　when　thou　smitest；　smite　home。　So

shalt　thou　win　honour；　and；　at　the　last；　peace；　that　is　more　than

honour。〃



Eric　thanked　her　for　her　counsel；　and　kissed　her；　then　turned　to

Gudruda；　who　stood；　white　and　still；　plucking　at　her　golden　girdle。



〃What　can　I　say　to　thee？〃　he　asked。



〃Say　nothing；　but　go；〃　she　answered：　〃go　before　I　weep。〃



〃Weep　not；　Gudruda；　or　thou　wilt　unman　me。　Say；　thou　wilt　think　on

me？〃



〃Ay；　Eric；　by　day　and　by　night。〃



〃And　thou　wilt　be　true　to　me？〃



〃Ay；　till　death　and　after；　for　so　long　as　thou　cleavest　to　me　I　will

cleave　to　thee。　I　will　first　die　rather　than　betray　thee。　But　of　thee

I　am　not　so　sure。　Perchance　thou　mayest　find　Swanhild　in　thy

journeyings　and　crave　more　kisses　of　her？〃



〃Anger　me　not；　Gudruda！　thou　knowest　well　that　I　hate　Swanhild　more

than　any　other　woman。　When　I　kiss　her　again；　then　thou　mayst　wed

Ospakar。〃



〃Speak　not　so　rashly；　Eric；〃　she　said；　and　as　she　spoke　Skallagrim

drew　near。



〃If　thou　lingerest　here；　lord；　the　tide　will　serve　us　little　round

Westmans；〃　he　said；　eyeing　Gudruda　as　it　were　with　jealousy。



〃I　come；〃　said　Eric。　〃Gudruda；　fare　thee　well！〃



She　kissed　him　and　clung　to　him；　but　did　not　answer；　for　she　could　not

speak。







XIII



HOW　HALL　THE　MATE　CUT　THE　GRAPNEL　CHAIN



Gudruda　bent　her　head　like　a　drooping　flower；　and　presently　sank　to

earth；　for　her　knees　would　bear　her　weight　no　more；　but　Eric　marched

to　the　lip　of　the　sea；　his　head　held　high　and　laughing　merrily　to　hide

his　pain　of　heart。　Here　stood　Asmund；　who　gripped　him　by　both　hands；

and　kissed　him　on　the　brow；　bidding　him　good　luck。



〃I　know　not　whether　we　shall　meet　again；〃　he　said；　〃but；　if　my　hours

be　sped　before　thou　returnest；　this　I　charge　thee：　that　thou　mindest

Gudruda　well；　for　she　is　the　sweetest　of　all　women　that　I　have　known；

and　I　hold　her　the　most　dear。〃



〃Fear　not　for　that；　lord；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　I　pray　thee　this；　that；　if

I　come　back　no　more；　as　well　may　happen；　do　not　force　Gudruda　into

marriage；　if　she　wills　it　not；　and　I　think　she　will　have　little

leaning　that　way。　And　I　say　this　also：　do　not　count　overmuch　on　Bj？rn

thy　son；　for　he　has　no　loyal　heart；　and　beware　of　Groa；　who　was　thy

housekeeper；　for　she　loves　not　that　Unna　should　take　her　place　and

more。　And　now　I　thank　thee　for　many　good　things；　and　farewell。〃



〃Farewell；　my　son；〃　said　Asmund；　〃for　in　this　hour　thou　seemest　as　a

son　to　me。〃



Eric　turned　to　enter　the　sea　and　wade　to　the　vessel；　but　Skallagrim

caught　him　in　his　arms　as　though　he　were　but　a　child；　and；　wading　into

the　surf　till　the　water　covered　his　waistbelt；　bore　him　to　the　vessel

and　lifted　him　up　so　that　Eric　reached　the　bulwarks　with　his　hands。



Then　they　loosed　the　cable　and　got　out　the　oars　and　soon　were　dancing

over　the　sea。　Presently　the　breeze　caught　them；　and　they　set　the　great

sail　and　sped　away　like　a　gull　towards　the　Westman　Isles。　But　Gudruda

sat　on　the　shore　watching　till；　at　length；　the　light　faded　from　Eric's

golden　helm　as　he　stood　upon　the　poop；　and　the　world　grew　dark　to　her。







Now　Ospakar　Blacktooth　had　news　of　this　sailing　and　took　counsel　of

Gizur　his　son；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　they　made　ready　two　great

ships；　dragons　of　war；　and；　placing　sixty　fighting　men　in　each　of

them；　sailed　round　the　Iceland　coast　to　the　Westmans　and　waited　there

to　waylay　Eric。　They　had　spies　on　the　land；　and　from　them　they　learned

of　Brighteyes'　coming；　and　sailed　out　to　meet　him　in　the　channel

between　the　greater　and　the　lesser　islands；　where　they　knew　that　he

must　pass。



Now　it　drew　towards　evening　when　Eric　rowed　down　this　channel；　for　the

wind　had　fallen　and　he　desired　to　be　clear　at　sea。　Presently；　as　the

Gudruda　came　near　to　the　mouth　of　the　channel；　that　had　high　cliffs　on

either　hand；　Eric　saw　two　long　dragons　of　warfor　their　bulwarks　were

shield…hungglide　from　the　cover　of　the　island　and　take　their　station

side　by　side　between　him　and　the　open　sea。



〃Now　here　are　vikings；〃　said　Eric　to　Skallagrim。



〃Now　here　is　Ospakar　Blacktooth；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃for　well　I

know　that　raven　banner　of　his。　This　is　a　good　voyage；　for　we　must　seek

but　a　little　while　before　we　come　to　fighting。〃



Eric　bade　the　men　lay　on　their　oars；　and　spoke：



〃Before　us　is　Ospakar　Blacktooth　in　two　great　dragons；　and　he　is　here

to　cut　us　off。　Now　two　choices　are　left　to　us：　one　is　to　bout　ship　and

run　before　him；　and　the　other　to　row　on　and　give　him　battle。　What　say

ye；　comrades？〃



Hall　of　Lithdale；　the　mate；　answered；　saying：



〃Let　us　go　back；　lest　we　die。　The　odds　are　too　great；　Eric。〃



But　a　man　among　the　crew　cried　out；　〃When　thou　didst　go　on　holmgang　at

Thingvalla；　Eric；　Ospakar's　two　chosen　champions　stood　before　thee；

yet　at　Whitefire's　flash　they　skurried　through　the　water　like　startled

ducks。　It　was　an　omen；　for　so　shall　his　great　ships　fly　when　we　swoop

on　them。〃　Then　the　others　shouted：



〃Ay；　ay！　Never　let　it　be　said　that　we　fled　from　Ospakarfie　on　thy

woman's　talk；　Hall！〃



〃Then　we　are　all　of　one　mind；　save　Hall　only；〃　said　Eric。　〃Let　us　put

Ospakar　to　the　proof。〃　And　while　men　shouted　〃Yea！〃　he　turned　to　speak

with　Skallagrim。　The　Baresark　was　gone；　for；　wasting　no　breath　in

words；　already　he　was　fixing　the　long　shields　on　the　bulwark　rail。



The　men　busked　on　their　harness　and　made　them　fit　for　fight；　and；　when

all　was　ready；　Eric　mounted　the　poop；　and　with　him　Skallagrim；　and

bade　the　rowers　give　way。　The　Gudruda　leapt　forward　and　rushed　on

towards　Ospakar's　ships。　Now　they　saw　that　these　were　bound　together

with　a　cable　and　y