eric brighteyes-第27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！



Gudruda　done　as　much；　thinkest　thou？〃



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

brow；　sighed　and　vanished；　bearing　the　rat　in　her　bosom。







Eric　awoke　suddenly；　just　as　though　he　had　never　slept；　and　looked

around。　He　knew　by　the　lowness　of　the　sun　that　it　was　far　into　the

night；　and　that　he　had　slept　for　many　hours。　They　were　alone　beneath

the　deck；　and　far　aft；　beyond　the　mast；　as　the　vessel　rose　upon　the

wavesfor　the　sea　was　still　rough；　though　the　wind　had　fallenEric

saw　the　mate　of　the　Raven　talking　earnestly　with　some　men　of　his　crew。

Skallagrim　snored　beside　him。



〃Awake！〃　Eric　said　in　his　ear；　〃awake　and　listen！〃



He　yawned　and　roused　himself。　〃What　now；　lord？〃　he　said。



〃This；〃　said　Eric；　and　he　told　him　the　dream　that　he　had　dreamed。



〃That　was　a　fey　dream；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　now　we　must　do　as　the

wraith　bade　thee。〃



〃Easy　to　say；　but　hard　to　do；〃　quoth　Eric；　〃this　is　a　great　rope　that

holds　us；　and　a　strong。〃



〃Yes；　it　is　great　and　strong；　still；　we　must　burst　it。〃



Now　Eric　and　Skallagrim　were　made　fast　in　this　fashion：　their　hands

were　bound　behind　them；　and　their　legs　were　lashed　above　the　feet　and

above　the　knee。　Moreover；　a　thick　cord　was　fixed　about　the　waist　of

each；　and　this　cord　was　passed　through　the　iron　ring　and　knotted

there。　But　it　chanced　that　beneath　the　hollows　of　their　knees　ran　an

oaken　beam；　which　held　the　forepart　of　the　dragon　together。



〃We　may　try　this；〃　said　Eric：　〃to　set　our　feet　against　the　beam　and

strain　with　all　our　strength　upon　the　rope；　though　I　think　that　no　two

men　can　part　it。〃



〃We　shall　know　that　presently；〃　said　Skallagrim；　gathering　up　his

legs。



Then　they　set　their　feet　against　the　beam　and　pulled　till　it　groaned；

but；　though　the　rope　gave　somewhat；　it　would　not　break。　They　rested　a

while；　then　strained　again　till　the　sweat　burst　out　upon　them　and　the

rope　cut　into　their　flesh；　but　still　it　would　not　part。



〃We　have　found　our　match；〃　said　Eric。



〃That　is　not　altogether　proved　yet；〃　answered　the　Baresark。　〃Many　a

shield　is　riven　at　the　third　stroke。〃



So　once　again　they　set　their　feet　against　the　beam；　and　put　out　all

their　strength。



〃The　ring　bends；〃　gasped　Eric。　〃Now；　when　the　roll　of　the　ship　throws

our　weight　to　leeward；　in　the　name　of　Thor　pull！〃



They　waited；　then　put　out　their　might；　and　lo！　though　the　rope　did　not

break；　the　iron　ring　burst　asunder　and　they　rolled　upon　the　deck。



〃Well　pulled；　truly；〃　said　Skallagrim　as　he　struggled　to　his　haunches：

〃I　am　marked　about　the　middle　with　rope…twists　for　many　a　day　to　come；

that　I　will　swear。　What　next；　lord？〃



〃Whitefire；〃　answered　Eric。



Now；　their　arms　were　piled　a　fathom　or　more　from　where　they　sat；　and

right　in　the　prow　of　the　ship。　Hither；　then；　they　must　crawl　upon

their　knees；　and　this　was　weary　work；　for　ever　as　the　ship　rolled　they

fell；　and　could　in　no　wise　save　themselves　from　hurt。　Eric　was

bleeding　at　the　brow；　and　bloody　was　the　hooked　nose　of　Skallagrim；

before　they　came　to　where　Whitefire　was。　At　length　they　reached　the

sword；　and　pushed　aside　the　bucklers　that　were　over　it　with　their

heads。　The　great　war…blade　was　sheathed；　and　Eric　must　needs　lie　upon

his　breast　and　draw　the　weapon　somewhat　with　his　teeth。



〃This　is　an　ill　razor　to　shave　with；〃　he　said；　rising；　for　the　keen

blade　had　cut　his　chin。



〃So　some　have　thought　and　perchance　more　shall　think；〃　answered

Skallagrim。　〃Now　set　the　rope　on　the　edge　and　rub。〃



This　they　did；　and　presently　the　thick　cord　that　bound　them　was　in

two。　Then　Eric　knelt　upon　the　deck　and　pressed　the　bonds　that　bound

his　legs　upon　the　blade；　and　after　him　Skallagrim。　They　were　free　now；

except　for　their　hands；　and　it　was　no　easy　thing　to　cut　away　the　bonds

upon　their　wrists。　It　was　done　thus：　Skallagrim　sat　upon　the　deck；　and

Eric　pushed　the　sword　between　his　fingers　with　his　feet。　Then　the

Baresark　rose；　holding　the　sword；　and　Eric；　turning　back　to　back　with

him；　fretted　the　cords　upon　his　wrists　against　the　blade。　Twice　he　cut

himself；　but　the　third　time　the　cord　parted　and　he　was　free。　He

stretched　his　arms；　for　they　were　stiff；　then　took　Whitefire　and　cut

away　the　bonds　of　Skallagrim。



〃How　goes　it　with　that　hurt　of　thine？〃　he　asked。



〃Better　than　I　had　thought；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃the　soreness　has

come　out　with　the　bruise。〃



〃That　is　good　news；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　methinks；　unless　Swanhild　walked

the　seas　for　nothing；　thou　wilt　soon　need　thine　arms。〃



〃They　have　never　failed　me　yet；〃　said　Skallagrim　and　took　his　axe　and

shield。　〃What　counsel　now？〃



〃This；　Skallagrim：　that　we　lie　down　as　we　were；　and　put　the　cloaks

about　us　as　though　we　were　yet　in　bonds。　Then；　if　these　knaves　come；

we　can　take　them　unawares　as　they　think　to　take　us。〃



So　they　went　again　to　where　they　had　been　bound；　and　lay　down　upon

their　shields　and　weapons；　drawing　cloaks　over　them。　Scarcely　had　they

done　this　and　rested　a　while；　when　they　saw　the　mate　and　all　the　crew

coming　along　both　boards　towards　them。　They　bore　no　weapons　in　their

hands。



〃None　too　soon　did　Swanhild　walk；〃　said　Eric；　〃now　we　shall　learn

their　purpose。　Be　thou　ready　to　leap　forth　when　I　give　the　word。〃



〃Ay；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim　as　he　worked　his　stiff　arms　to　and

fro。　〃In　such　matters　few　have　thought　me　backward。〃



〃What　news；　friends？〃　cried　Eric　as　the　men　drew　near。



〃Bad　news　for　thee；　Brighteyes；〃　answered　the　mate；　〃and　that　Baresark

thrall　of　thine；　for　we　must　loose　your　bands。〃



〃That　is　good　news；　then；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　our　limbs　are　numb　and　dead

because　of　the　nipping　of　the　cords。　Is　land　in　sight？〃



〃Nay；　nor　will　be　for　thee；　Eric。〃



〃How　now；　friend？　how　now？　Sure；　having　handselled　peace　to　us；　ye

mean　no　harm　towards　two　unarmed　men？〃



〃We　swore　to　do　you　no　harm；　nor　will　we；　Eric；　this　only　will　we　do：

deliver　you；　bound；　to　Ran；　and　leave　her　to　deal　with　you　as　she

may。〃



〃Bethink　you；　sirs；〃　said　Eric：　〃this　is　a　cruel　deed　and　most

unmanly。　We　yielded　to　you　in　faithwill　ye　break　your　troth？〃



〃War　has　no　troth；〃　he　answered；　〃ye　are　too　great　to　let　slip　between

our　fingers。　Shall　it　be　said　of　us　that　two　men　overcame　us　all？〃



〃Mayhap！〃　murmured　Skallagrim　beneath　his　breath。



〃Oh；　sirs；　I　beseech　you；〃　said　Eric；　〃I　am　young；　and　there　is　a　maid

who　waits　me　out　in　Iceland；　and　it　is　hard　to　die；〃　and　he　made　as

though　he　wept；　while　Skallagrim　laughed　within　his　sleeve；　for　it　was

strange　to　see　Eric　feigning　fear。



But　the　men　mocked　aloud。



〃This　is　the　great　man；〃　they　cried；　〃this　is　that　Eric　of　whose　deeds

folk　sing！　Look！　he　weeps　like　a　child　when　he　sees　the　water。　Drag

him　forth　and　away　with　him　into　the　sea！〃



〃Little　need　for　that；〃　cried　Eric；　and　lo！　the　cloaks　about　him　and

Skallagrim　flew　aside。　Out　they　came　with　a　roar；　they　came　out　as　a

she…bear　from　her　cave；　and　high　above　Brighteyes'　golden　curls

Whitefire　shone　in　the　pale　light；　and　nigh　to　it　shone　the　axe　of

Skallagrim。　Whitefire　flared　aloft；　then　down　he　fell　and　sought　the

false　heart　of　the　mate。　The　great　axe　of　Skallagrim　shone　and　was

lost　in　the　breast　of　the　carle　who　stood　before　him。



〃Trolls！〃　shrieked　one。　〃Here　are　trolls！〃　and　turned　to　fly。　But

again　Whitefire　was　up　and　that　man　flew　not　farone　pace；　and　no

more。　Then　they　fled　screaming　and　after　them　came　axe　and　sword。　They

fled；　they　fell；　they　leaped　into　the　sea；　till　none　were　left　to　fall

and　leap；　for　they　had　no　time　or　heart　to　find　or　draw　their　weapons；

and　presently　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim　Lambstail　stood　alone

upon　the　deckalone　with　the　dead。



〃Swanhild　is　a　wise　witch；〃　gasped　Eric；　〃and；　whatever　ill　she　has

done；　I　will　remember　this　to　her　honour。〃



〃Little　good　comes　of　witchcraft；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　wiping　his

brow：　〃to…day　it　works　for　our　hands；　to…morrow　it　shall　work　against

them。〃



〃To　the　helm；〃　said　Eric；　〃the　ship　yaws　and　comes　side　on　to　the

seas。〃



Skallagrim　sprang　to　the　tiller　and　put　his　strength　on　it；　and　but

just　in　time；　for　one　big　sea　came　aboard　them　and　left　much　water　in

the　hold。



〃We　owe　this　to　thy　Baresark　ways；〃　said　Eric。　〃Hadst　thou　not　slain

the　steersman　we　had　not　filled　with　water。〃



〃True；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃but　when　once　my　axe　is　aloft；　it

seems　to　fly　of　itself；　till　nothing　is　left　before　it。　What　course

now？〃



〃The　same　on　which　the　Gudruda　was　laid。　Perhaps；　if　we　may　endure

till　we　come　to　the　Farey　Isles；＇*＇　we　shall　find　her　in　harbour

there。〃



＇*＇　The　Faroes。



〃There　is　not　much　chance　of　that；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃still；　the　wind

is　fair；　and　we　fly　fast　before　it。〃



Then　they　lashed　the　tiller　and　set　to　bailing。　They　bailed　long；　and

it　was　heavy　work；　but　they　rid　the　ship　of　much　water。　After　that

they　ate　food；　for　it　was　now　morning；　and　it　came　on　to　blow　yet　more

strongly。



For　three　days　and　three　nights　it　blew　thus；　and　the　Raven　sped　along

before　the　gale。　All　this　time；　turn　and　turn　about；　Eric　and

Skallagrim　stood　at　the　helm　and　tended　the　sails。　They　had　little

time　to　eat；　and　none　to　sleep。　They　were　so　hard　pressed　also；　and

must　harbour　their　strength　so　closely；　that　the　bodies　of　the　dead

men　yet　cumbered　the　hold。　Thus　they　grew　very　weary　and　like　to　fall

from　faintness；　but　still　they　held　the　Raven　on　her　course。　In　the

beginning　of　the　fourth　night　a　great　sea　struck　the　good　ship　so　that

she　quivered　from　stem　to　stern。



〃Methinks　I　hear　water　bubbling　up；〃　said　Skallagrim　in　a　hoarse

voice。



Eric　climbed　down　into　the　well　and　lifted　the　bottom　planks；　and

there　beneath　them　was　a　leak　through　which　the　water　spouted　in　a

thin　stream。　He　stopped　up　the　rent　as　best　he　might　with　garments

from　the　dead　men；　and　placed　ballast　stones　upon　them；　then　clamber