eric brighteyes-第30部分

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



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



Then　the　King　was　wroth；　and　bade　him　begone　when　it　pleased　him；　and

Eric　bowed　before　him　and　went　out。



Two　days　afterwards；　while　Eric　was　walking　in　the　Palace　gardens　he

met　the　Lady　Elfrida　face　to　face。　She　held　white　flowers　in　her　hand；

and　she　was　fair　to　see　and　pale　as　the　flowers　she　bore。



He　greeted　her；　and；　after　a　while；　she　spoke　to　him　in　a　gentle

voice：　〃They　say　that　thou　goest　from　England；　Brighteyes？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　lady；　I　go；〃　he　answered。



She　looked　on　him　once　and　twice　and　then　burst　out　weeping。　〃Why

goest　thou　hence　to　that　cold　land　of　thine？〃　she　sobbed〃that

hateful　land　of　snow　and　ice！　Is　not　England　good　enough　for　thee？〃



〃I　am　at　home　there；　lady；　and　there　my　mother　waits　me。〃



〃'There　thy　mother　waits　thee；'　Eric？say；　does　a　maid　called　Gudruda

the　Fair　wait　thee　there　also？〃



〃There　is　such　a　maid　in　Iceland；〃　said　Eric。



〃Yes；　I　know　itI　know　it　all；〃　she　answered；　drying　her　tears；　and

of　a　sudden　growing　cold　and　proud；　〃Eric；　thou　art　betrothed　to　this

Gudruda；　and；　for　thy　welfare；　somewhat　overfaithful　to　thy　troth。　For

hearken；　Eric　Brighteyes。　I　know　this：　that　little　luck　shall　come　to

thee　from　the　maid　Gudruda。　It　would　become　me　ill　to　say　more；

nevertheless；　this　is　truethat　here；　in　England；　good　fortune　waits

thy　hand；　and　there　in　Iceland　such　fortune　as　men　mete　to　their　foes。

Knowest　thou　this？〃



Eric　looked　at　her　and　answered：　〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃men　are　not　born　of

their　own　will；　they　live　and　do　little　that　they　will；　they　do　and

go；　perchance；　whither　they　would　not。　Yet　it　may　happen　to　a　man　that

one　meets　him　whose　hand　he　fain　would　hold；　if　it　be　but　for　an

hour's　travel　over　icy　ways；　and　it　is　better　to　hold　that　hand　for

this　short　hour　than　to　wend　his　life　through　at　a　stranger's　side。〃



〃Perhaps　there　is　wisdom　in　thy　folly；〃　said　the　Lady　Elfrida。　〃Still；

I　tell　thee　this：　that　no　good　luck　waits　thee　there　in　Iceland。〃



〃It　well　may　be；〃　said　Eric：　〃my　days　have　been　stormy；　and　the　gale

is　still　brewing。　But　it　is　a　poor　heart　that　fears　the　storm。　Better

to　sink；　for；　coward　or　hero；　all　must　sink　at　last。〃



〃Say；　Eric；〃　said　the　lady；　〃if　that　hand　thou　dost　desire　to　hold　is

lost　to　thee；　what　then？〃



〃If　that　hand　is　cold　in　death；　then　henceforth　I　wend　my　ways　alone。〃



〃And　if　it　be　held　of　another　hand　than　thine？〃



〃Then　I　will　journey　back　to　England；　lady；　and　here　in　this　fair

garden　I　may　crave　speech　of　thee　again。〃



They　looked　one　on　another。　〃Fare　thee　well；　Eric！〃　said　the　Lady

Elfrida。　〃Here　in　this　garden　we　may　talk　again；　and；　if　we　talk　no

morewhy；　fare　thee　well！　Days　come　and　go；　the　swallow　takes　flight

at　winter；　and　lo！　at　spring　it　twitters　round　the　eaves。　And　if　it

come　not　again；　then　farewell　to　that　swallow。　The　world　is　a　great

house；　Eric；　and　there　is　room　for　many　swallows。　But　alas！　for　her

who　is　left　desolatealas；　alas！〃　And　she　turned　and　went。



It　is　told　of　this　lady　Elfrida　that　she　became　very　wealthy　and　was

much　honoured　for　her　gentleness　and　wisdom；　and　that；　when　she　was

old；　she　built　a　great　church　and　named　it　Ericskirk。　It　is　also　told

that；　though　many　sought　her　in　marriage；　she　wedded　none。







XVI



HOW　SWANHILD　WALKED　THE　SEAS



Within　two　days　afterwards；　the　Gudruda　being　bound　for　sea；　Eric　went

up　to　bid　farewell　to　the　King。　But　Edmund　was　so　angry　with　him

because　of　his　going　that　he　would　not　see　him。　Thereon　Eric　took

horse　and　rode　down　sadly　from　the　Palace　to　the　river…bank　where　the

Gudruda　lay。　But　when　he　was　about　to　give　the　word　to　get　out　the

oars；　the　King　himself　rode　up；　and　with　him　men　bearing　costly　gifts。

Eric　went　ashore　to　speak　with　him。



〃I　am　angry　with　thee；　Brighteyes；〃　said　Edmund；　〃yet　it　is　not　in　my

heart　to　let　thee　go　without　words　and　gifts　of　farewell。　This　only　I

ask　of　thee　now；　that；　if　things　go　not　well　with　thee　there；　out　in

Iceland；　thou　wilt　come　back　to　me。〃



〃I　willthat　I　promise　thee；　King；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　I　shall　never

find　a　better　lord。〃



〃Nor　I　a　braver　servant；〃　said　the　King。　Then　he　gave　him　the　gifts

and　kissed　him　before　all　men。　To　Skallagrim　also　he　gave　a　good

byrnie　of　Welsh　steel　coloured　black。



Then　Eric　went　aboard　again　and　dropped　down　the　river　with　the　tide。



For　five　days　all　went　well　with　them；　the　sea　being　calm　and　the

winds　light　and　favourable。　But　on　the　fifth　night；　as　they　sailed

slowly　along　the　coasts　of　East　Anglia　over　against　Yarmouth　sands；

the　moon　rose　red　and　ringed　and　the　sea　fell　dead　calm。



〃Yonder　hangs　a　storm…lamp；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　pointing　to　the

angry　moon。　〃We　shall　soon　be　bailing；　for　the　autumn　gales　draw

near。〃



〃Wait　till　they　come；　then　speak；〃　said　Eric。　〃Thou　croakest　ever　like

a　raven。〃



〃And　ravens　croak　before　foul　weather；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　and　just

as　he　spoke　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　came　up　from　the　south…east　and　laid

the　Gudruda　over。　After　this　it　came　on　to　blow；　and　so　fiercely　that

for　whole　days　and　nights　their　clothes　were　scarcely　dry。　They　ran

northwards　before　the　storm　and　still　northward；　sighting　no　land　and

seeing　no　stars。　And　ever　as　they　scudded　on　the　gale　grew　fiercer；

till　at　length　the　men　were　worn　out　with　bailing　and　starved　with　wet

and　cold。　Three　of　their　number　also　were　washed　away　by　the　seas；　and

all　were　in　sorry　plight。



It　was　the　fourth　night　of　the　gale。　Eric　stood　at　the　helm；　and　by

him　Skallagrim。　They　were　alone；　for　their　comrades　were　spent　and　lay

beneath　decks；　waiting　for　death。　The　ship　was　half　full　of　water；　but

they　had　no　more　strength　to　bail。　Eric　seemed　grim　and　gaunt　in　the

white　light　of　the　moon；　and　his　long　hair　streamed　about　him　wildly。

Grimmer　yet　was　Skallagrim　as　he　clung　to　the　shield…rail　and　stared

across　the　deep。



〃She　rolls　heavily；　lord；〃　he　shouted；　〃and　the　water　gains　fast。〃



〃Can　the　men　bail　no　more？〃　asked　Eric。



〃Nay；　they　are　outworn　and　wait　for　death。〃



〃They　need　not　wait　long；〃　said　Eric。　〃What　do　they　say　of　me？〃



〃Nothing。〃



Then　Eric　groaned　aloud。　〃It　was　my　stubbornness　that　brought　us　to

this　pass；〃　he　said；　〃I　care　little　for　myself；　but　it　is　ill　that　all

should　die　for　one　man's　folly。〃



〃Grieve　not；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim；　〃that　is　the　world's　way；　and

there　are　worse　things　than　to　drown。　Listen！　methinks　I　hear　the　roar

of　breakers　yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　left。



〃Breakers　they　surely　are；〃　said　Eric。　〃Now　the　end　is　near。　But　see；

is　not　that　land　looming　up　on　the　right；　or　is　it　cloud？〃



〃It　is　land；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　I　am　sure　of　this；　that　we　run

into　a　firth。　Look；　the　seas　boil　like　a　hot　spring。　Hold　on　thy

course；　lord；　perchance　we　may　yet　steer　between　rocks　and　land。

Already　the　wind　falls　and　the　current　lessens　the　seas。〃



〃Ay；〃　said　Eric；　〃already　the　fog　and　rain　come　up；〃　and　he　pointed

ahead　where　dense　clouds　gathered　in　the　shape　of　a　giant；　whose　head

reached　to　the　skies　and　moved　towards　them；　hiding　the　moon。



Skallagrim　looked；　then　spoke：　〃Now　here；　it　seems；　is　witchwork。　Say；

lord；　hast　thou　ever　seen　mist　travel　against　wind　as　it　travels　now？〃



〃Never　before；〃　said　Eric；　and　as　he　spoke　the　light　of　the　moon　went

out。







Swanhild；　Atli's　wife；　sat　in　beauty　in　her　bower　on　Straumey　Isle　and

looked　with　wide　eyes　towards　the　sea。　It　was　midnight。　None　stirred

in　Atli's　hall；　but　still　Swanhild　looked　out　towards　the　sea。



Now　she　turned　and　spoke　into　the　darkness；　for　there　was　no　light　in

the　bower　save　the　light　of　her　great　eyes。



〃Art　thou　there？〃　she　said。　〃I　have　summoned　thee　thrice　in　the　words

thou　knowest。　Say；　Toad；　art　there？〃



〃Ay；　Swanhild　the　Fatherless！　Swanhild；　Groa's　daughter！　Witch…

mother's　witch…child！　I　am　here。　What　is　thy　will　with　me？〃　piped　a

thin　voice　like　the　voice　of　a　dying　babe。



Swanhild　shuddered　a　little　and　her　eyes　grew　brighteras　bright　as

the　eyes　of　a　cat。



〃This　first；〃　she　said：　〃that　thou　show　thyself。　Hideous　as　thou　art；

I　had　rather　see　thee；　than　speak　with　thee　seeing　thee　not。〃



〃Mock　not　my　form；　lady；〃　answered　the　thin　voice；　〃for　it　is　as　thou

dost　fashion　it　in　thy　thought。　To　the　good　I　am　fair　as　day；　to　the

evil；　foul　as　their　heart。　/Toad/　thou　didst　call　me：　look；　now　I　come

as　a　toad！〃



Swanhild　looked；　and　behold！　a　ring　of　the　darkness　grew　white　with

light；　and　in　it　crouched　a　thing　hideous　to　see。　It　was　shaped　as　a

great　spotted　toad；　and　on　it　was　set　a　hag's　face；　with　white　locks

hanging　down　on　either　side。　Its　eyes　were　blood…red　and　sunken；　black

were　its　fangs；　and　its　skin　was　dead　yellow。　It　grinned　horribly　as

Swanhild　shrank　from　it；　then　spoke　again：



〃/Grey　Wolf/　thou　didst　call　me　once；　Swanhild；　when　thou　wouldst　have

thrust　Gudruda　down　Goldfoss　gulf；　and　as　a　grey　wolf　I　came；　and　gave

thee　counsel　that　thou　tookest　but　ill。　/Rat/　didst　thou　call　me　once；

when　thou　wouldst　save　Brighteyes　from　the　carles　of　Ospakar；　and　as　a

rat　I　came　and　in　thy　shape　I　walked　the　seas。　/Toad/　thou　callest　me

now；　and　as　a　toad　I　creep　about　thy　feet。　Name　thy　will；　Swanhild；

and　I　will　name　my　price。　But　be　swift；　for　there　are　other　fair

ladies　whose　wish　I　must　do　ere　dawn。〃



〃Thou　art　hideous　to　look　on！〃　said　Swanhild；　placing　her　hand　before

her　eyes。



〃Say　not　so；　lady；　say　not　so。　Look　at　this　face　of　mine。　Knowest　thou

it　not？　It　is　thy　mother'sdead　Groa　lent　it　me。　I　took　it　from　where

she　lies；　and　my　toad's　skin　I　drew　from　thy　spotted　heart；　Swanhild；

and　more　hideous　than　I　am　shalt　thou　be　in　a　day　to　come；　as　once　I

was　more　fair　than　thou　art　to…day。〃



Swanhild　opened　her　lips　to　shriek；　but　no　sound　c