eric brighteyes-第25部分

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

with　a　cable　and　yet　they　must　go　betwixt　them。



Eric　ran　forward　to　the　prow；　and　with　him　Skallagrim；　and　called

aloud　to　a　great　man　who　stood　upon　the　ship　to　starboard；　wearing　a

black　helm　with　raven's　wings：



〃Who　art　thou　that　bars　the　sea　against　me？〃



〃I　am　named　Ospakar　Blacktooth；〃　answered　the　great　man。



〃And　what　must　we　lose　at　thy　hands；　Ospakar？〃



〃But　one　thingyour　lives！〃　answered　Blacktooth。



〃Thrice　have　we　stood　face　to　face；　Ospakar；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　it　seems

that　hitherto　thou　hast　won　no　great　glory。　Now　it　shall　be　proved　if

thy　luck　has　bettered。〃



〃Art　yet　healed；　lord；　of　that　prick　in　the　shoulder　which　thou　camest

by　on　Horse…Head　Heights？〃　roared　Skallagrim。



For　answer；　Ospakar　seized　a　spear　and　hurled　it　straight　at　Eric；　and

it　had　been　his　death　had　he　not　caught　it　in　his　hand　as　it　flew。

Then　he　cast　it　back；　and　that　so　mightily　that　it　sped　right　through

the　shield　of　Ospakar　and　was　the　bane　of　a　man　who　stood　beside　him。



〃A　gift　for　a　gift！〃　laughed　Eric。　On　rushed　the　Gudruda；　but　now　the

cable　was　strained　six　fathoms　from　her　bow　that　held　together　the

ships　of　Ospakar　and　it　was　too　strong　for　breaking。　Eric　looked　and

saw。　Then　he　drew　Whitefire；　and　while　all　men　wondered；　leaped　over

the　prow　of　the　ship　and；　clasping　the　golden　dragon's　head　with　his

arm；　set　his　feet　upon　its　claws　and　waited。　On　sped　the　ship　and

spears　flew　thick　and　fast　about　him；　but　there　Brighteyes　hung。　Now

the　Gudruda's　bow　caught　the　great　rope　and　strained　it　taut　and；　as

it　rose　beneath　her　weight；　Eric　smote　swift　and　strong　with　Whitefire

and　clove　it　in　two；　so　that　the　severed　ends　fell　with　a　splash　into

the　quiet　water。



Eric　sprang　back　to　deck　while　stones　and　spears　hissed　about　him。



〃That　was　well　done；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃now　we　shall　be　snugly

berthed。〃



〃In　oars　and　out　grappling…irons；〃　shouted　Eric。



Up　rose　the　rowers；　and　their　war…gear　rattled　as　they　rose。　They　drew

in　the　long　oars；　and　not　before　it　was　time；　for　now　the　Gudruda

forced　her　way　between　the　two　dragons　of　Ospakar　and　lay　with　her　bow

to　their　sterns。　Then　with　a　shout　Eric's　men　cast　the　irons　and　soon

the　ships　were　locked　fast　and　the　fight　began。　The　spears　flew　thick；

and　on　either　side　some　got　their　death　before　them。　Then　the　men　of

that　vessel；　named　the　Raven；　which　was　to　larboard　of　the　Gudruda；

made　ready　to　board。　On　they　came　with　a　rush；　and　were　driven　back；

though　hardly；　for　they　were　many；　and　those　who　stood　against　them

few。　Again　they　came；　scrambling　over　the　bulwarks；　and　this　time　a

score　of　them　leapt　aboard。　Eric　turned　from　the　fight　against　the

dragon　of　Ospakar　and　saw　it。　Then；　with　Skallagrim；　he　rushed　to　meet

the　boarders　as　they　swarmed　along　the　hold；　and　naught　might　they

withstand　the　axe　and　sword。



Through　and　through　them　swept　the　mighty　pair；　now　Whitefire　flashed；

and　now　the　great　axe　fell；　and　at　every　stroke　a　man　lay　dead　or

wounded。　Six　of　the　boarders　turned　to　fly；　but　just　then　the

grappling…iron　broke　and　their　ship　drifted　out　with　the　tide　towards

the　open　sea；　and　presently　no　man　of　that　twenty　was　left　alive。



Now　the　men　of　the　ship　of　Ospakar　and　of　the　Gudruda　pressed　each

other　hard。　Thrice　did　Ospakar　strive　to　come　aboard　and　thrice　he　was

pushed　back。　Eric　was　ever　where　he　was　most　needed；　and　with　him

Skallagrim；　for　these　two　threw　themselves　from　side　to　side；　and　were

now　here　and　now　there；　so　that　it　seemed　as　though　there　were　not　one

golden　helm　and　one　black；　but　rather　four　on　board　the　Gudruda。



Eric　looked　and　saw　that　the　other　ship　was　drawing　round；　though

somewhat　slowly；　to　come　alongside　of　them　once　more。



〃Now　we　must　make　an　end　of　Ospakar；　else　our　hands　will　be　overfull；〃

he　said；　and　therewith　sprang　up　upon　the　bulwarks　and　after　him　many

men。　Once　they　were　driven　back；　but　came　on　again；　and　now　they

thrust　all　Ospakar's　men　before　them　and　passed　up　his　ship　on　both

boards。　By　the　mast　stood　Ospakar　and　with　him　Gizur　his　son；　and　Eric

strove　to　come　to　him。　But　many　men　were　between　them；　and　he　could

not　do　this。



Presently；　while　the　fight　yet　went　on　hotly　and　men　fell　fast；

Brighteyes　felt　the　dragon　of　Ospakar　strike；　and；　looking；　saw　that

they　had　drifted　with　the　send　of　the　tide　on　to　the　rocks　of　the

island。　There　was　a　great　hole　in　the　hull　amidships　and　the　water

rushed　in　fast。



〃Back！　men；　back！〃　he　cried；　and　all　his　folk　that　were　unhurt；　ran；

and　leapt　on　board　the　Gudruda；　but　Ospakar　and　his　men　sprang　into

the　sea　and　swam　for　the　shore。　Then　Skallagrim　cut　loose　the

grappling…irons　with　his　axe；　and　that　not　too　soon；　for；　scarcely　had

they　pushed　clear　with　great　toil　when　the　long　warship　slipped　from

the　rock　and　foundered；　taking　many　dead　and　wounded　men　with　her。



Now　Ospakar　and　some　of　his　people　stood　safe　upon　the　rocks；　and　Eric

called　to　him　in　mockery；　bidding　him　come　aboard　the　Gudruda。



Ospakar　made　no　answer；　but　stood　gnawing　his　hand；　while　the　water

ran　from　him。　Only　Gizur　his　son　cursed　them　aloud。



Eric　was　greatly　minded　to　follow　them；　and　land　and　fight　them　there；

but　he　might　not　do　this；　because　of　the　rocks　and　of　the　other

dragon；　that　hung　about　them；　fearing　to　come　on　and　yet　not　willing

to　go　back。



〃We　will　have　her；　at　the　least；〃　said　Eric；　and　bade　the　rowers　get

out　their　oars。



Now；　when　the　men　on　board　the　other　ship　saw　the　Gudruda　drawing　on；

they　took　to　their　oars　at　once　and　rowed　swiftly　for　the　sea；　and　at

this　a　great　roar　of　laughter　went　down　Eric's　ship。



〃They　shall　not　slip　from　us　so　easily；〃　said　Eric；　〃give　way；

comrades；　and　after　them。〃



But　the　men　were　much　wearied　with　fighting；　and　the　decks　were　all

cumbered　with　dead　and　wounded；　so　that　by　the　time　that　the　Gudruda

had　put　about；　and　come　to　the　mouth　of　the　waterway；　Ospakar's　vessel

had　shaken　out　her　sails　and　caught　the　wind；　that　now　blew　strong　off

shore；　and　sped　away　six　furlongs　or　more　from　Eric's　prow。



〃Now　we　shall　see　how　the　Gudruda　sails；〃　said　Eric；　and　they　spread

their　canvas　and　gave　chase。



Then　Eric　bade　men　clear　the　decks　of　the　dead；　and　tend　the　wounded。

He　had　lost　seven　men　slain　outright；　and　three　were　wounded；　one　to

death。　But　on　board　the　ship　there　lay　of　Ospakar's　force　twenty　and

three　dead　men。



When　all　were　cast　into　the　sea；　men　ate　and　rested。



〃We　have　not　done　so　badly；〃　said　Eric　to　Skallagrim。



〃We　shall　do　better　yet；〃　said　Skallagrim　to　Eric；　〃rather　had　I　seen

Ospakar's　head　lying　in　the　scuppers　than　those　of　all　his　carles；　for

he　may　get　more　men；　but　never　another　head！〃



Now　the　wind　freshened　till　by　midnight　it　blew　strongly。　The　mate

Hall　came　to　Eric　and　said：



〃The　Gudruda　dips　her　nose　deep　in　Ran's　cup。　Say；　Eric；　shall　we

shorten　sail？〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Eric；　〃keep　her　full　and　bail。　Where　yonder　Raven

flies；　my　Sea…stag　must　follow；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　warship　that

rode　the　waves　before　them。



After　midnight　clouds　came　up；　with　rain；　and　hid　the　face　of　the

night…sun　and　the　ship　they　sought。　The　wind　blew　ever　harder；　till　at

length；　when　the　rain　had　passed　and　the　clouds　lifted；　there　was　much

water　in　the　hold　and　the　bailers　could　hardly　stand　at　their　work。



Men　murmured；　and　Hall　the　mate　murmured　most　of　all；　but　still　Eric

held　on；　for　there；　not　two　furlongs　ahead　of　them；　rode　the　dragon　of

Ospakar。　But　now；　being　afraid　of　the　wind　and　sea；　she　had　lowered

her　sail　somewhat；　and　made　as　though　she　would　put　about　and　run　for

Iceland。



〃That　she　may　not　do；〃　called　Eric　to　Skallagrim；　〃if　once　she　rolls

side　on　to　those　seas　Ran　has　her；　for　she　must　fill　and　sink。〃



〃So　they　hold；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃see；　once　more　she　runs！〃



〃Ay；　but　we　run　fastershe　is　outsailed。　Up；　men；　up：　for　presently

the　fight　begins。〃



〃It　is　bad　to　join　battle　in　such　a　sea；〃　quoth　Hall。



〃Good　or　bad；〃　growled　Skallagrim；　〃do　thou　thy　lord's　bidding；〃　and

he　half　lifted　up　his　axe。



The　mate　said　no　more；　for　he　misdoubted　him　of　Skallagrim　Lambstail

and　his　axe。



Then　men　made　ready　for　the　fray　as　best　they　might；　and　stood；　sword

in　hand　and　drenched　with　foam；　clinging　to　the　bulwarks　of　the

Gudruda　as　she　wallowed　through　the　seas。



Eric　went　aft　to　the　helm　and　seized　it。　Now　but　a　length　ahead

Ospakar's　ship　laboured　on　beneath　her　small　sail；　but　the　Gudruda

rushed　towards　her　with　all　canvas　set　and　at　every　leap　plunged　her

golden　dragon　beneath　the　surf　and　shook　the　water　from　her　foredeck。



〃Make　ready　the　grapnel！〃　shouted　Eric　through　the　storm。　Skallagrim

seized　the　iron　and　stood　by。　Now　the　Gudruda　rushed　alongside　the

Raven；　and　Eric　steered　so　skilfully　that　there　was　a　fathom　space；

and　no　more；　between　the　ships。



Skallagrim　cast　the　iron　well　and　truly；　so　that　it　hooked　and　held。

On　sped　the　Gudruda　and　the　cable　tautenednow　her　stern　kissed　the

bow　of　Ospakar's　ship；　as　though　she　was　towing　her；　and　thus　for　a

space　they　travelled　through　the　seas。



Eric's　folk　shouted　and　strove　to　cast　spears；　but　they　did　this　but

ill；　because　of　the　rocking　of　the　vessel。　As　for　Ospakar's　men；　they

clung　to　their　bulwarks　and　did　nothing；　for　all　the　heart　was　out　of

them　between　fear　of　Eric　and　terror　of　the　sea。　Eric　called　to　a　man

to　hold　the　helm；　and　Skallagrim　crept　aft　to　where　he　stood。



〃What　counsel　shall　we　take　now？〃　said　Eric；　and　as　he　spoke　a　sea

broke　over　themfor　the　gale　was　strong。



〃Board　them　and　make　an　end；〃　answered　Skallagrim。



〃Rough　work；　still；　we　will　try　it；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　we　may　not　lie

thus　for　long；　and　I　am　loath　to　leave　them。〃



Then　Eric　called　for　men　to　follow　him；　and　many　answer