eric brighteyes-第32部分

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And　all　was　gone　and　all　was　still。







XVII



HOW　ASMUND　THE　PRIEST　WEDDED　UNNA；　THOROD'S　DAUGHTER



Now　the　story　goes　back　to　Iceland。



When　Brighteyes　was　gone；　for　a　while　Gudruda　the　Fair　moved　sadly

about　the　stead；　like　one　new…widowed。　Then　came　tidings。　Men　told　how

Ospakar　Blacktooth　had　waylaid　Eric　on　the　seas　with　two　long　ships；

dragons　of　war；　and　how　Eric　had　given　him　battle　and　sunk　one　dragon

with　great　loss　to　Ospakar。　They　told　also　how　Blacktooth's　other

dragon；　the　Raven；　had　sailed　away　before　the　wind；　and　Eric　had

sailed　after　it　in　a　rising　gale。　But　of　what　befell　these　ships　no

news　came　for　many　a　month；　and　it　was　rumoured　that　this　had　befallen

themthat　both　had　sunk　in　the　gale；　and　that　Eric　was　dead。



But　Gudruda　would　not　believe　this。　When　Asmund　the　Priest；　her

father；　asked　her　why　she　did　not　believe　it；　she　answered　that；　had

Eric　been　dead；　her　heart　would　surely　have　spoken　to　her　of　it。　To

this　Asmund　said　that　it　might　be　so。



Hay…harvest　being　done；　Asmund　made　ready　for　his　wedding　with　Unna；

Thorod's　daughter　and　Eric's　cousin。



Now　it　was　agreed　that　the　marriage…feast　should　be　held　at　Middalhof；

for　Asmund　wished　to　ask　a　great　company　to　the　wedding；　and　there　was

no　place　at　Coldback　to　hold　so　many。　Also　some　of　the　kin　of　Thorod；

Unna's　father；　were　bidden　to　the　feast　from　the　east　and　north。　At

length　all　was　prepared　and　the　guests　came　in　great　companies；　for　no

such　feast　had　been　made　in　this　quarter　for　many　years。



On　the　eve　of　the　marriage　Asmund　spoke　with　Groa。　The　witch…wife　had

borne　herself　humbly　since　she　was　recovered　from　her　sickness。　She

passed　about　the　stead　like　a　rat　at　night；　speaking　few　words　and

with　downcast　eyes。　She　was　busy　also　making　all　things　ready　for　the

feasting。



Now　as　Asmund　went　up　the　hall　seeing　that　everything　was　in　order；

Groa　drew　near　to　him　and　touched　him　gently　on　the　shoulder。



〃Are　things　to　thy　mind；　lord？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　Groa；〃　he　answered；　〃more　to　my　mind　than　to　thine　I　fear。〃



〃Fear　not；　lord；　thy　will　is　my　will。〃



〃Say；　Groa；　is　it　thy　wish　to　bide　here　in　Middalhof　when　Unna　is　my

housewife？〃



〃It　is　my　wish　to　serve　thee　as　aforetime；〃　she　answered　softly；　〃if

so　be　that　Unna　wills　it。〃



〃That　is　her　desire；〃　said　Asmund　and　went　his　ways。



But　Groa　stood　looking　after　him　and　her　face　was　fierce　and　evil。



〃While　bane　has　virtue；　while　runes　have　power；　and　while　hand　has

cunning；　never；　Unna；　shalt　thou　take　my　place　at　Asmund's　side！　Out

of　the　water　I　came　to　thee；　Asmund；　into　the　water　I　go　again。

Unquiet　shall　I　lie　thereunquiet　shall　I　wend　through　Hela's　halls；

but　Unna　shall　rest　at　Asmund's　sidein　Asmund's　cairn！〃



Then　again　she　moved　about　the　hall；　making　all　things　ready　for　the

feast。　But　at　midnight；　when　the　light　was　low　and　folk　slept；　Groa

rose；　and；　veiled　in　a　black　robe；　with　a　basket　in　her　hand；　passed

like　a　shadow　through　the　mists　that　hang　about　the　river's　edge；　and

in　silence；　always　looking　behind　her；　like　one　who　fears　a　hidden

foe；　culled　flowers　of　noisome　plants　that　grow　in　the　marsh。　Her

basket　being　filled；　she　passed　round　the　stead　to　a　hidden　dell　upon

the　mountain　side。　Here　a　man　stood　waiting；　and　near　him　burned　a

fire　of　turf。　In　his　hand　he　held　an　iron…pot。　It　was　Koll　the　Half…

witted；　Groa's　thrall。



〃Are　all　things　ready；　Koll？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　like　not　these　tasks　of　thine；　mistress。

Say　now；　what　wouldst　thou　do　with　the　fire　and　the　pot？〃



〃This；　then；　Koll。　I　would　brew　a　love…potion　for　Asmund　the　Priest　as

he　has　bidden　me　to　do。〃



〃I　have　done　many　an　ill　deed　for　thee；　mistress；　but　of　all　of　them　I

love　this　the　least；〃　said　the　thrall；　doubtfully。



〃I　have　done　many　a　good　deed　for　thee；　Koll。　It　was　I　who　saved　thee

from　the　Doom…stone；　seeming　to　prove　thee　innocentay；　even　when　thy

back　was　stretched　on　it；　because　thou　hadst　slain　a　man　in　his　sleep。

Is　it　not　so？〃



〃Yea；　mistress。〃



〃And　yet　thou　wast　guilty；　Koll。　And　I　have　given　thee　many　good

gifts；　is　it　not　so？〃



〃Yes；　it　is　so。〃



〃Listen　then：　serve　me　this　once　and　I　will　give　thee　one　last　gift

thy　freedom；　and　with　it　two　hundred　in　silver。〃



Koll's　eyes　glistened。　〃What　must　I　do；　mistress？〃



〃To…day　at　the　wedding…feast　it　will　be　thy　part　to　pour　the　cups

while　Asmund　calls　the　toasts。　Last　of　all；　when　men　are　merry；　thou

wilt　mix　that　cup　in　which　Asmund　shall　pledge　Unna　his　wife　and　Unna

must　pledge　Asmund。　Now；　when　thou　hast　poured；　thou　shalt　pass　the

cup　to　me；　as　I　stand　at　the　foot　of　the　high　seat；　waiting　to　give

the　bride　greeting　on　behalf　of　the　serving…women　of　the　household。

Thou　shalt　hand　the　cup　to　me　as　though　in　error；　and　that　is　but　a

little　thing　to　ask　of　thee。〃



〃A　little　thing　indeed；〃　said　Koll；　staring　at　her；　and　pulling　with

his　hand　at　his　red　hair；　〃yet　I　like　it　not。　What　if　I　say　no；

mistress？〃



〃Say　no　or　speak　of　this　and　I　will　promise　thee　one　thing　only；　thou

knave；　and　it　is；　before　winter　comes；　that　the　crows　shall　pick　thy

bones！　Now；　brave　me；　if　thou　darest；〃　and　straightway　Groa　began　to

mutter　some　witch…words。



〃Nay；〃　said　Koll；　holding　up　his　hand　as　though　to　ward　away　a　blow。

〃Curse　me　not：　I　will　do　as　thou　wilt。　But　when　shall　I　touch　the　two

hundred　in　silver？〃



〃I　will　give　thee　half　before　the　feast　begins；　and　half　when　it　is

ended；　and　with　it　freedom　to　go　where　thou　wilt。　And　now　leave　me；

and　on　thy　life　see　that　thou　fail　me　not。〃



〃I　have　never　failed　thee　yet；〃　said　Koll；　and　went　his　ways。



Now　Groa　set　the　pot　upon　the　fire；　and；　placing　in　it　the　herbs　that

she　had　gathered；　poured　water　on　them。　Presently　they　began　to　boil

and　as　they　boiled　she　stirred　them　with　a　peeled　stick　and　muttered

spells　over　them。　For　long　she　sat　in　that　dim　and　lonely　place

stirring　the　pot　and　muttering　spells；　till　at　length　the　brew　was

done。



She　lifted　the　pot　from　the　fire　and　smelt　at　it。　Then　drawing　a　phial

from　her　robe　she　poured　out　the　liquor　and　held　it　to　the　sky。　The

witch…water　was　white　as　milk；　but　presently　it　grew　clear。　She　looked

at　it；　then　smiled　evilly。



〃Here　is　a　love…draught　for　a　queenah；　a　love…draught　for　a　queen！〃

she　said；　and；　still　smiling；　she　placed　the　phial　in　her　breast。



Then；　having　scattered　the　fire　with　her　foot；　Groa　took　the　pot　and

threw　it　into　a　deep　pool　of　water；　where　it　could　not　be　found

readily；　and　crept　back　to　the　stead　before　men　were　awake。







Now　the　day　wore　on　and　all　the　company　were　gathered　at　the　marriage…

feast　to　the　number　of　nearly　two　hundred。　Unna　sat　in　the　high　seat；

and　men　thought　her　a　bonny　bride；　and　by　her　side　sat　Asmund　the

Priest。　He　was　a　hale；　strong　man　to　look　on；　though　he　had　seen　some

three…score　winters；　but　his　mien　was　sad；　and　his　heart　heavy。　He

drank　cup　after　cup　to　cheer　him；　but　all　without　avail。　For　his

thought　sped　back　across　the　years　and　once　more　he　seemed　to　see　the

face　of　Gudruda　the　Gentle　as　she　lay　dying；　and　to　hear　her　voice

when　she　foretold　evil　to　him　if　he　had　aught　to　do　with　Groa　the

Witch…wife。　And　now　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　evil　was　at　hand；　though

whence　it　should　come　he　knew　not。　He　looked　up。　There　Groa　moved

along　the　hall；　ministering　to　the　guests；　but　he　saw　as　she　moved

that　her　eyes　were　always　fixed；　now　on　him　and　now　on　Unna。　He

remembered　that　curse　also　which　Groa　had　called　down　upon　him　when　he

had　told　her　that　he　was　betrothed　to　Unna；　and　his　heart　grew　cold

with　fear。　〃Now　I　will　change　my　counsel；〃　Asmund　said　to　himself：

〃Groa　shall　not　stay　here　in　this　stead；　for　I　will　look　no　longer　on

that　dark　face　of　hers。　She　goes　hence　to…morrow。〃



Not　far　from　Asmund　sat　Bj？rn；　his　son。　As　Gudruda　the　Fair；　his

sister；　brought　him　mead　he　caught　her　by　the　sleeve；　whispering　in

her　ear。　〃Methinks　our　father　is　sad。　What　weighs　upon　his　heart？〃



〃I　know　not；〃　said　Gudruda；　but　as　she　spoke　she　looked　first　on

Asmund；　then　at　Groa。



〃It　is　ill　that　Groa　should　stop　here；〃　whispered　Bj？rn　again。



〃It　is　ill；〃　answered　Gudruda；　and　glided　away。



Asmund　saw　their　talk　and　guessed　its　purport。　Rousing　himself　he

laughed　aloud　and　called　to　Koll　the　Half…witted　to　pour　the　cups　that

he　might　name　the　toasts。



Koll　filled；　and；　as　Asmund　called　the　toasts　one　by　one；　Koll　handed

the　cups　to　him。　Asmund　drank　deep　of　each；　till　at　length　his　sorrow

passed　from　him；　and；　together　with　all　who　sat　there；　he　grew　merry。



Last　of　all　came　the　toast　of　the　bride's　cup。　But　before　Asmund

called　it；　the　women　of　the　household　drew　near　the　high　seat　to

welcome　Unna；　when　she　should　have　drunk。　Gudruda　stood　foremost；　and

Groa　was　next　to　her。



Now　Koll　filled　as　before；　and　it　was　a　great　cup　of　gold　that　he

filled。



Asmund　rose　to　call　the　toast；　and　with　him　all　who　were　in　the　hall。

Koll　brought　up　the　cup；　and　handed　it；　not　to　Asmund；　but　to　Groa；

but　there　were　few　who　noted　this；　for　all　were　listening　to　Asmund's

toast　and　most　of　the　guests　were　somewhat　drunken。



〃The　cup；〃　cried　Asmund〃give　me　the　cup　that　I　may　drink。〃



Then　Groa　started　forward；　and　as　she　did　so　she　seemed　to　stumble；　so

that　for　a　moment　her　robe　covered　up　the　great　bride…cup。　Then　she

gathered　herself　together　slowly；　and；　smiling；　passed　up　the　cup。



Asmund　lifted　it　to　his　lips　and　drank　deep。　Then　he　turned　and　gave

it　to　Unna　his　wife；　but　before　she　drank　he　kissed　her　on　the　lips。



Now　while　all　men　shouted　such　a　welcome　that　the　hall　shook；　and　as

Unna；　smiling；　drank　from　the　cup；　the　eyes　of　Asmund　fell　upon　Groa

who　stood　beneath　him；　and　lo！　her　eyes　seemed　to　flame　and　her　face

was　hideous　as　the　face　of　a　troll。



Asmund　grew　white　and　put　his　hand　to