eric brighteyes-第26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！



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



Then　Eric　called　for　men　to　follow　him；　and　many　answered；　creeping　as

best　they　might　to　where　he　stood。



〃Thou　art　mad；　Eric；〃　said　Hall　the　mate；　〃cut　loose　and　let　us　drive；

else　we　shall　both　founder；　and　that　is　a　poor　tale　to　tell。〃



Eric　took　no　heed；　but；　watching　his　chance；　leapt　on　to　the　bows　of

the　Raven；　and　after　him　leapt　Skallagrim。　Even　as　he　did　so；　a　great

sea　came　and　swept　past　and　over　them；　so　that　half　the　ship　was　hid

for　foam。　Now；　Hall　the　mate　stood　near　to　the　grapnel　cable；　and；

fearing　lest　they　should　sink；　out　of　the　cowardice　of　his　heart；　he

let　his　axe　fall　upon　the　chain；　and　severed　it　so　swiftly　that　no　man

saw　him；　except　Skallagrim　only。　Forward　sprang　the　Gudruda；　freed

from　her　burden；　and　rushed　away　before　the　wind；　leaving　Eric　and

Skallagrim　alone　upon　the　Raven's　prow。



〃Now　we　are　in　an　evil　plight；〃　said　Eric；　〃the　cable　has　parted！〃



〃Ay；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃and　that　losel　Hall　hath　parted　it！　I　saw

his　axe　fall。〃







XIV



HOW　ERIC　DREAMED　A　DREAM



Now；　when　the　men　of　Ospakar；　who　were　gathered　on　the　poop　of　the

Raven；　saw　what　had　come　about；　they　shouted　aloud　and　made　ready　to

slay　the　pair。　But　Eric　and　Skallagrim　clambered　to　the　mast　and　got

their　backs　against　it；　and　swiftly　made　themselves　fast　with　a　rope；

so　that　they　might　not　fall　with　the　rolling　of　the　ship。　Then　the

people　of　Ospakar　came　on　to　cut　them　down。



But　this　was　no　easy　task；　for　they　might　scarcely　stand；　and　they

could　not　shoot　with　the　bow。　Moreover；　Eric　and　Skallagrim；　being

bound　to　the　mast；　had　the　use　of　both　hands　and　were　minded　to　die

hard。　Therefore　Ospakar's　folks　got　but　one　thing　by　their　onslaught；

and　that　was　death；　for　three　of　their　number　fell　beneath　the　long

sweep　of　Whitefire；　and　one　bowed　before　the　axe　of　Skallagrim。　Then

they　drew　back　and　strove　to　throw　spears　at　these　two；　but　they　flew

wide　because　of　the　rolling　of　the　vessel。　One　spear　struck　the　mast

near　the　head　of　Skallagrim。　He　drew　it　out；　and；　waiting　till　the

ship　steadied　herself　in　the　trough　of　the　sea；　hurled　it　at　a　knot　of

Ospakar's　thralls；　and　a　man　got　his　death　from　it。　After　that　they

threw　no　more　spears。



Thence　once　more　the　crew　came　on　with　swords　and　axes；　but　faint…

heartedly；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　they　lost　some　more　men　dead　and

wounded　and　fell　back　again。



Skallagrim　mocked　at　them　with　bitter　words；　and　one　of　them；　made　mad

by　his　scoffing；　cast　a　heavy　ballast…stone　at　him。　It　fell　upon　his

shoulder　and　numbed　him。



〃Now　I　am　unmeet　for　fight；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃for　my　right　arm

is　dead　and　I　can　scarcely　hold　my　axe。〃



〃That　is　ill；　then；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　we　have　little　help；　except　from

each　other；　and　I；　too；　am　well…nigh　spent。　Well；　we　have　done　a　great

deed　and　now　it　is　time　to　rest。〃



〃My　left　arm　is　yet　whole；　lord；　and　I　can　make　shift　for　a　while　with

it。　Cut　loose　the　cord　before　they　bait　us　to　death；　and　let　us　rush

upon　these　wolves　and　fall　fighting。〃



〃A　good　counsel；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　a　quick　end；　but　stay　a　while：　what

plan　have　they　now？〃



Now　the　men　of　Ospakar；　having　little　heart　left　in　them　for　such　work

as　this；　had　taken　thought　together。



〃We　have　got　great　hurt；　and　little　honour；〃　said　the　mate。　〃There　are

but　nineteen　of　us　left　alive；　and　that　is　scarcely　enough　to　work　the

ship；　and　it　seems　that　we　shall　be　fewer　before　Eric　Brighteyes　and

Skallagrim　Lambstail　lie　quiet　by　yonder　mast。　They　are　mighty　men；

indeed；　and　it　would　be　better；　methinks；　to　deal　with　them　by　craft；

rather　than　by　force。〃



The　sailors　said　that　this　was　a　good　word；　for　they　were　weary　of　the

sight　of　Whitefire　as　he　flamed　on　high　and　the　sound　of　the　axe　of

Skallagrim　as　it　crashed　through　helm　and　byrnie；　and　as　fear　crept　in

valour　fled　out。



〃This　is　my　rede；　then；〃　said　the　mate：　〃that　we　go　to　them　and　give

them　peace；　and　lay　them　in　bonds；　swearing　that　we　will　put　them

ashore　when　we　are　come　back　to　Iceland。　But　when　we　have　them　fast；

as　they　sleep　at　night；　we　will　creep　on　them　and　hurl　them　into　the

sea；　and　afterwards　we　will　say　that　we　slew　them　fighting。〃



〃A　shameful　deed！〃　said　a　man。



〃Then　go　thou　up　against　them；〃　answered　the　mate。　〃If　we　slay　them

not；　then　shall　this　tale　be　told　against　us　throughout　Iceland：　that

a　ship's　company　were　worsted　by　two　men；　and　we　may　not　live　beneath

that　dishonour。〃



The　man　held　his　peace；　and　the　mate；　laying　down　his　arms；　crept

forward　alone；　towards　the　mast；　just　as　Eric　and　Skallagrim　were

about　to　cut　themselves　loose　and　rush　on　them。



〃What　wouldest　thou？〃　shouted　Eric。　〃Has　it　gone　so　well　with　you　with

arms　that　ye　are　minded　to　come　up　against　us　bearing　none？〃



〃It　has　gone　ill；　Eric；〃　said　the　mate；　〃for　ye　twain　are　too　mighty

for　us。　We　have　lost　many　men；　and　we　shall　lose　more　ere　ye　are　laid

low。　Therefore　we　make　you　this　offer：　that　you　lay　down　your　weapons

and　suffer　yourselves　to　be　bound　till　such　time　as　we　touch　land；

where　we　will　set　you　ashore；　and　give　you　your　arms　again。　Meanwhile；

we　will　deal　with　you　in　friendly　fashion；　giving　you　of　the　best　we

have；　nor　will　we　set　foot　any　suit　against　you　for　those　of　our

number　whom　ye　two　have　slain。〃



〃Wherefore　then　should　we　be　bound？〃　said　Eric。



〃For　this　reason　only：　that　we　dare　not　leave　you　free　within　our

ship。　Now　choose；　and；　if　ye　will；　take　peace；　which　we　swear　by　all

the　Gods　we　will　keep　towards　you；　and；　if　ye　will　not；　then　we　will

bear　you　down　with　beams　and　sails　and　stones；　and　slay　you。〃



〃What　thinkest　thou；　Skallagrim？〃　said　Eric　beneath　his　breath。



〃I　think　that　I　find　little　faith　in　yon　carle's　face；〃　answered

Skallagrim。　〃Still；　I　am　unfit　to　fight；　and　thy　strength　is　spent；　so

it　seems　that　we　must　lie　low　if　we　would　rise　again。　They　can

scarcely　be　so　base　as　to　do　murder　having　handselled　peace　to　us。〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　said　Eric；　〃still；　starving　beggars　must

eat　bones。　Hearken　thou：　we　take　the　terms；　trusting　to　your　honour；

and　I　say　this：　that　ye　shall　get　shame　and　death　if　ye　depart　from

them　to　harm　us。〃



〃Have　no　fear；　lord；〃　said　the　mate；　〃we　are　true　men。〃



〃That　we　shall　look　to　your　deeds　to　learn；〃　said　Eric；　laying　down

his　sword　and　shield。



Skallagrim　did　likewise；　though　with　no　good　grace。　Then　men　came　with

strong　cords　and　bound　them　fast　hand　and　foot；　handling　them

fearsomely　as　men　handle　a　live　bear　in　a　net。　Then　they　led　them

forward　to　the　prow。



As　they　went　Eric　looked　up。　Yonder；　twenty　furlongs　and　more　away；

sailed　the　Gudruda。



〃This　is　good　fellowship；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃thus　to　leave　us　in　the

trap。〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Eric。　〃They　cannot　put　about　in　such　a　sea；　and

doubtless　also　they　think　us　dead。　Nevertheless；　if　ever　it　comes

about　that　Hall　and　I　stand　face　to　face　again；　there　will　be　need　for

me　to　think　of　gentleness。〃



〃I　shall　think　little　thereon；〃　growled　Skallagrim。



Now　they　were　come　to　the　prow；　and　there　was　a　half　deck　under　which

they　were　set；　out　of　reach　of　the　wind　and　water。　In　the　deck　was　a

stout　iron　ring；　and　the　men　made　them　fast　with　ropes　to　it；　so　that

they　might　move　but　little；　and　they　set　their　helms　and　weapons

behind　them　in　such　fashion　that　they　could　not　come　at　them。　Then

they　flung　cloaks　about　them；　and　brought　them　food　and　drink；　of

which　they　stood　much　in　need；　and　treated　them　well　in　every　way。　But

for　all　this　Skallagrim　trusted　them　no　more。



〃We　are　new…hooked；　lord；〃　he　said；　〃and　they　give　us　line。　Presently

they　will　haul　us　in。〃



〃Evil　comes　soon　enough；〃　answered　Eric；　〃no　need　to　run　to　greet　it；〃

and　he　fell　to　thinking　of　Gudruda；　and　of　the　day's　deeds；　till

presently　he　dropped　asleep；　for　he　was　very　weary。







Now　it　chanced　that　as　Eric　slept　he　dreamed　a　dream　so　strong　and

strange　that　it　seemed　to　live　within　him。　He　dreamed　that　he　slept

there　beneath　the　Raven's　deck；　and　that　a　rat　came　and　whispered

spells　into　his　ear。　Then　he　dreamed　that　Swanhild　glided　towards　him；

walking　on　the　stormy　seas。　He　saw　her　afar；　and　she　came　swiftly；　and

ever　the　sea　grew　smooth　before　her　feet；　nor　did　the　wind　so　much　as

stir　her　hair。　Presently　she　stood　by　him　in　the　ship；　and；　bending

over　him；　touched　him　on　the　shoulder；　saying：



〃Awake；　Eric　Brighteyes！　Awake！　awake！〃



It　seemed　to　him　that　he　awoke　and　said　〃What　tidings；　Swanhild？〃　and

that　she　answered：



〃Ill　tidings；　Ericso　ill　that　I　am　come　hither　from　Straumey＇*＇　to

tell　of　themay；　come　walking　on　the　seas。　Had　Gudruda　done　so　much；

thinkest　thou？〃



＇*＇　Stroma；　the　southernmost　of　the　Orkneys。



〃Gudruda　is　no　witch；〃　he　said　in　his　dream。



〃Nay；　but　I　am　a　witch；　and　it　is　well　for　thee；　Eric。　Ay；　I　am　a

witch。　Now　do　I　seem　to　sleep　at　Atli's　side；　and　lo！　here　I　stand　by

thine；　and　I　must　journey　back　again　many　a　league　before　another　day

be　bornay；　many　a　league；　and　all　for　love　of　thee；　Eric！　Hearken；

for　not　long　may　the　spell　endure。　I　have　seen　this　by　my　magic：　that

these　men　who　bound　thee　come　even　now　to　take　thee；　sleeping；　and

cast　thee　and　thy　thrall　into　the　deep；　there　to　drown。〃



〃If　it　is　fated　it　will　befall；〃　he　said　in　his　dream。



〃Nay；　it　shall　not　befall。　Put　forth　all　thy　might　and　burst　thy

bonds。　Then　fetch　Whitefire；　cut　away　the　bonds　of　Skallagrim；　and

give　him　his　axe　and　shield。　This　done；　cover　yourselves　with　your

cloaks；　and　wait　till　ye　hear　the　murderers　come。　Then　rise　and　rush

upon　them；　the　two　of　you；　and　they　shall　melt　before　your　might。　I

have　journeyed　over　the　great　deep　to　tell　thee　this；　Eric！　Had

Gudruda　done　as　much；　thinkest　thou？〃



And　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　wraith　of　Swanhild　kissed　him　on　the

b