eric brighteyes-第29部分

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〃For　good　or　evil；　he　is　gone；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　now　I　am　worn　out　and

desire　to　sleep。〃







After　this　Eric　and　Skallagrim　rested　three　full　days；　and　they　were

so　weary　that　they　were　awake　for　little　of　this　time。　But　on　the

third　day　they　rose　up；　strong　and　well；　except　for　their　hurts　and

soreness。　Then　they　told　the　men　of　that　which　had　come　to　pass；　and

all　wondered　at　their　might　and　hardihood。　To　them　indeed　Eric　seemed

as　a　God；　for　few　such　deeds　as　his　had　been　told　of　since　the　God…

kind　were　on　earth。



But　Brighteyes　thought　little　of　his　deeds；　and　much　of　Gudruda。　At

times　also　he　thought　of　Swanhild；　and　of　that　witch…dream　she　sent

him：　for　it　was　wonderful　to　him　that　she　should　have　saved　him　thus

from　Ran's　net。



Eric　was　heartily　welcomed　by　the　Earl　of　the　Farey　Isles；　for；　when

he　heard　his　deeds；　he　made　a　feast　in　his　honour；　and　set　him　in　the

high　seat。　It　was　a　great　feast；　but　Skallagrim　became　drunk　at　it　and

ran　down　the　chamber；　axe　aloft；　roaring　for　Hall　of　Lithdale。



This　angered　Eric　much　and　he　would　scarcely　speak　to　Skallagrim　for

many　days；　though　the　great　Baresark　slunk　about　after　him　like　his

shadow；　or　a　whipped　hound　at　its　master's　heel；　and　at　length　humbled

his　pride　so　far　as　to　ask　pardon　for　his　fault。



〃I　grant　it　for　thy　deeds'　sake；〃　said　Eric　shortly；　〃but　this　is　upon

my　mind：　that　thou　wilt　err　thus　again；　and　it　shall　be　my　cause　of

deathay；　and　that　of　many　more。〃



〃First　may　my　bones　be　white；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃They　shall　be　white　thereafter；〃　answered　Eric。



At　Fareys　Eric　shipped　twelve　good　men　and　true；　to　take　the　seats　of

those　who　had　been　slain　by　Ospakar's　folk。　Afterwards；　when　the

wounded　were　well　of　their　hurts　（except　one　man　who　died）；　and　the

Gudruda　was　made　fit　to　take　the　sea　again；　Brighteyes　bade　farewell

to　the　Earl　of　those　Isles；　who　gave　him　a　good　cloak　and　a　gold　ring

at　parting；　and　sailed　away。







Now　it　were　too　long　to　tell　of　all　the　deeds　that　Eric　and　his　men

did。　Never；　so　scalds　sing；　was　there　a　viking　like　him　for　strength

and　skill　and　hardihood；　and；　in　those　days；　no　such　war…dragon　as　the

Gudruda　had　been　known　upon　the　sea。　Wherever　Eric　joined　battle；　and

that　was　in　many　places；　he　conquered；　for　none　prevailed　against　him；

till　at　last　foes　would　fly　before　the　terror　of　his　name；　and　earls

and　kings　would　send　from　far　craving　the　aid　of　his　hands。　Withal　he

was　the　best　and　gentlest　of　men。　It　is　said　of　Eric　that　in　all　his

days　he　did　no　base　deed；　nor　hurt　the　weak；　nor　refused　peace　to　him

who　prayed　it；　nor　lifted　sword　against　prisoner　or　wounded　foe。　From

traders　he　would　take　a　toll　of　their　merchandise　only　and　let　them

go；　and　whatever　gains　he　won　he　would　share　equally；　asking　no　larger

part　than　the　meanest　of　his　band。　All　men　loved　Eric；　and　even　his

foes　gave　him　honour　and　spoke　well　of　him。　Now　that　Hall　of　Lithdale

was　gone；　there　was　no　man　among　his　mates　who　would　not　have　passed

to　death　for　him；　for　they　held　him　dearer　than　their　lives。　Women；

too；　loved　him　much；　but　his　heart　was　set　upon　Gudruda；　and　he　seldom

turned　to　look　on　them。



The　first　summer　of　his　outlawry　Eric　warred　along　the　coast　of

Ireland；　but　in　the　winter　he　came　to　Dublin；　and　for　a　while　served

in　the　body…guard　of　the　king　of　that　town；　who　held　him　in　honour；

and　would　have　had　him　stay　there。　But　Eric　would　not　bide　there；　and

next　spring；　the　Gudruda　being　ready　for　sea；　he　sailed　for　the　shores

of　England。　There　he　gave　battle　to　two　vikings'　ships　of　war；　and

took　them　after　a　hard　fight。　It　was　in　this　fight　that　Skallagrim

Lambstail　was　wounded　almost　to　death。　For　when；　having　taken　one

ship；　Eric　boarded　the　other　with　but　few　men；　he　was　driven　back　and

fell　over　a　beam；　and　would　have　been　slain；　had　not　Skallagrim　thrown

himself　across　his　body；　taking　on　his　own　back　that　blow　of　a　battle…

axe　which　was　aimed　at　Eric's　head。　This　was　a　great　wound；　for　the

axe　shore　through　the　steel　of　the　byrnie　and　sank　into　the　flesh。　But

when　Eric's　men　saw　their　lord　down；　and　Skallagrim；　as　they　deemed；

dead　athwart　him；　they　made　so　fierce　a　rush　that　the　foemen　fell

before　them　like　leaves　before　a　winter　gale；　and　the　end　of　it　was

that　the　vikings　prayed　peace　of　Eric。　Skallagrim　lay　sick　for　many

days；　but　he　was　hard　to　kill；　and　Eric　nursed　him　back　to　life。　After

this　these　two　loved　each　other　as　brother　loves　twin　brother；　and

they　could　scarcely　bear　to　be　apart。　But　other　people　did　not　love

Skallagrim；　nor　he　them。



Eric　sailed　on　up　the　Thames　to　London；　bringing　the　viking　ships　with

him；　and　he　delivered　their　captains　bound　to　Edmund；　Edward's　son；

the　king　who　was　called　Edmund　the　Magnificent。　These　captains　the

King　hung；　for　they　had　wrought　damage　to　his　ships。



Eric　found　much　favour　with　the　King；　and；　indeed；　his　fame　had　gone

before　him。　So　when　he　came　into　the　court；　bravely　clad；　with

Skallagrim　at　his　back；　who　was　now　almost　recovered　of　his　wound；　the

King　called　out　to　him　to　draw　near；　saying　that　he　desired　to　look　on

the　bravest　viking　and　most　beauteous　man　who　sailed　the　seas；　and　on

that　fierce　Baresark　whom　men　called　〃Eric's　Death…shadow。〃



So　Eric　came　forward　up　the　long　hall　that　was　adorned　with　things

more　splendid　than　ever　his　eyes　had　seen；　and　stood　before　the　King。

With　him　came　Skallagrim；　driving　the　two　captive　viking　chiefs　before

him　with　his　axe；　as　a　flesher　drives　lambs。　Now；　during　these　many

months　Brighteyes　had　grown　yet　more　great　in　girth　and　glorious　to

look　on　than　he　was　before。　Moreover；　his　hair　was　now　so　long　that　it

flowed　like　a　flood　of　gold　down　towards　his　girdle；　for　since　Gudruda

trimmed　it　no　shears　had　come　near　his　head；　and　his　locks　grew　fast

as　a　woman's。　The　King　looked　at　him　and　was　astonished。



〃Of　a　truth；〃　he　said；　〃men　have　not　lied　about　thee；　Icelander；　nor

concerning　that　great　wolf…hound　of　thine；〃　and　he　pointed　at

Skallagrim　with　his　sword　of　state。　〃Never　saw　I　such　a　man；〃　and　he

bade　all　the　mightiest　men　of　his　body…guard　stand　forward　that　he

might　measure　them　against　Eric。　But　Brighteyes　was　an　inch　taller

than　the　tallest；　and　measured　half　a　span　more　round　the　chest　than

the　biggest。



〃What　wouldest　thou　of　me；　Icelander？〃　asked　the　King。



〃This；　lord；〃　said　Eric：　〃to　serve　thee　a　while；　and　all　my　men　with

me。〃



〃That　is　an　offer　that　few　would　turn　from；〃　answered　the　King。　〃Thou

shalt　go　into　my　body…guard；　and；　if　I　have　my　will；　thou　shalt　be

near　me　in　battle；　and　thy　wolf…dog　also。〃



Eric　said　that　he　asked　no　better；　and　thereafter　he　went　up　with

Edmund　the　King　to　make　war　on　the　Danes　of　Mercia；　and　he　and

Skallagrim　did　great　deeds　before　the　eyes　of　the　Englishmen。



That　winter　Eric　and　his　company　came　back　to　London；　and　abode　with

the　King　in　much　state　and　honour。　Now；　there　was　a　certain　lady　of

the　court　named　Elfrida。　She　was　both　fair　and　wealthy；　the　sweetest

of　women；　and　of　royal　blood　by　her　mother's　side。　So　soon　as　her　eyes

fell　on　Eric　she　loved　him；　and　no　one　thing　did　she　desire　more　than

to　be　his　wife。　But　Brighteyes　kept　aloof　from　her；　for　he　loved

Gudruda　alone；　and　so　the　winter　wore　away；　and　in　the　spring　he　went

away　warring；　nor　did　he　come　back　till　autumn　was　at　hand。



The　Lady　Elfrida　sat　at　a　window　when　Eric　rode　through　London　Town　in

the　King's　following；　and　as　he　passed　she　threw　him　a　wreath　of

flowers。　The　King　saw　it　and　laughed。



〃My　cold　kinswoman　seems　to　melt　before　those　bright　eyes　of　thine；

Icelander；〃　he　said；　〃as　my　foes　melt　before　Whitefire's　flame。　Well；

I　could　wish　her　a　worse　mate；〃　and　he　looked　on　him　strangely。



Eric　bowed；　but　made　no　answer。



That　night；　as　they　sat　at　meat　in　the　palace；　the　Lady　Elfrida；　being

bidden　in　jest　of　Edmund　the　King　to　fill　the　cup　of　the　bravest；

passed　down　the　board；　and；　before　all　men；　poured　wine　into　Eric's

cup；　and；　as　she　did　so；　welcomed　him　back　with　short　sweet　words。



Eric　grew　red　as　dawn；　and　thanked　her　graciously；　but　after　the　feast

he　spoke　with　Skallagrim；　asking　him　of　the　Gudruda；　and　when　she

could　be　ready　to　take　the　sea。



〃In　ten　days；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃but　stay　we　not　here　with　the

King　this　winter？　It　is　late　to　sail。〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Eric；　〃we　bide　not　here。　I　would　winter　this　year　in

Fareys；　for　they　are　the　nighest　place　to　Iceland　that　I　may　reach。

Next　summer　my　three　years　of　outlawry　are　over；　and　I　would　fare　back

homewards。〃



〃Now；　I　see　the　shadow　of　a　woman's　hand；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃It　is

very　late　to　face　the　northern　seas；　and　we　may　sail　to　Iceland　from

London　in　the　spring。〃



〃It　is　my　will　that　we　should　sail；〃　answered　Eric。



〃Past　Orkneys　runs　the　road　to　Fareys；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　in

Orkneys　sits　a　hawk　to　whom　the　Lady　Elfrida　is　but　a　dove。　In　faring

from　ill　we　may　hap　on　worse。〃



〃It　is　my　will　that　we　sail；〃　said　Eric　stubbornly。



〃As　thou　wilt；　and　as　the　King　wills；〃　answered　Skallagrim。



On　the　morrow　Eric　went　in　before　the　King；　and　craved　a　boon。



〃There　is　little　that　thou　canst　ask；　Brighteyes；〃　said　the　King；

〃that　I　will　not　give　thee；　for；　by　my　troth；　I　hold　thee　dear。〃



〃I　am　come　back　to　seek　no　great　thing；　lord；〃　answered　Eric；　〃but

this　only：　leave　to　bid　thee　farewell。　I　would　wend　homeward。〃



〃Say；　Eric；〃　said　the　King；　〃have　I　not　dealt　well　with　thee？〃



〃Well；　and　overwell；　lord。〃



〃Why；　then；　wouldst　thou　leave　me？　I　have　this　in　my　mindto　bring

thee　to　great　honour。　See；　now；　there　is　a　fair　lady　in　this　court；

and　in　her　veins　runs　blood　that　even　an　Iceland　viking　might　be　proud

to　mate　with。　She　has　great　lands；　and；　mayhap；　she　shall　have　more。

Canst　thou　not　find　a　home　on　them；　thinkest　thou；　Brighteyes？〃



〃In　Iceland　only　I　am　at　home；　lord；〃　said