eric brighteyes-第33部分

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was　hideous　as　the　face　of　a　troll。



Asmund　grew　white　and　put　his　hand　to　his　head；　as　though　to　think；

then　cried　aloud：



〃Drink　not；　Unna！　the　draught　is　drugged！〃　and　he　struck　at　the　vessel

with　his　hand。



He　smote　it　indeed；　and　so　hard　that　it　flew　from　her　hand　far　down

the　hall。



But　Unna　had　already　drunk　deep。



〃The　draught　is　drugged！〃　Asmund　cried；　and　pointed　to　Groa；　while　all

men　stood　silent；　not　knowing　what　to　do。



〃The　draught　is　drugged！〃　he　cried　a　third　time；　〃and　that　witch　has

drugged　it！〃　And　he　began　to　tear　at　his　breast。



Then　Groa　laughed　so　shrilly　that　men　trembled　to　hear　her。



〃Yes；　lord；〃　she　screamed；　〃the　draught　is　drugged；　and　Groa　the

Witch…wife　hath　drugged　it！　Ay；　tear　thy　heart　out；　Asmund；　and　Unna；

grow　thou　white　as　snowsoon；　if　my　medicine　has　virtue；　thou　shalt

be　whiter　yet！　Hearken　all　men。　Asmund　the　Priest　is　Swanhild's

father；　and　for　many　a　year　I　have　been　Asmund's　mate。　What　did　I　tell

thee；　lord？that　I　would　see　the　two　of　you　dead　ere　Unna　should　take

my　place！ay；　and　on　Gudruda　the　Fair；　thy　daughter；　and　Bj？rn　thy

son；　and　Eric　Brighteyes；　Gudruda's　love；　and　many　another　manon

them　too　shall　my　curse　fall！　Tear　thy　heart　out；　Asmund！　Unna；　grow

thou　white　as　snow！　The　draught　is　drugged　and　Groa；　Ran's　gift！　Groa

the　Witch…Wife！　Groa；　Asmund's　love！　hath　drugged　it！〃




And　ere　ever　a　man　might　lift　a　hand　to　stay　her　Groa　glided　past　the

high　seat　and　was　gone。



For　a　space　all　stood　silent。　Asmund　ceased　clutching　at　his　breast。

Rising　he　spoke　heavily：



〃Now　I　learn　that　sin　is　a　stone　to　smite　him　who　hurled　it。　Gudruda

the　Gentle　spoke　sooth　when　she　warned　me　against　this　woman。　/New

wed；　new　dead！/　Unna；　fare　thee　well！〃



And　straightway　Asmund　fell　down　and　died　there　by　the　high　seat　in

his　own　hall。



Unna　gazed　at　him　with　ashen　face。　Then；　plucking　at　her　bosom　she

sprang　from　the　dais　and　rushed　along　the　hall；　screaming。　Men　made

way　for　her；　and　at　the　door　she　also　fell　dead。







This　then　was　the　end　of　Asmund　Asmundson　the　Priest；　and　Unna；

Thorod's　daughter；　Eric's　cousin；　his　new…made　wife。







For　a　moment　there　was　silence　in　the　hall。　But　before　the　echoes　of

Unna's　screams　had　died　away；　Bj？rn　cried　aloud：



〃The　witch！　where　is　the　witch？〃



Then　with　a　yell　of　rage；　men　leaped　to　their　feet；　seizing　their

weapons；　and　rushed　from　the　stead。　Out　they　ran。　There；　on　the　hill…

side　far　above　them；　a　black　shape　climbed　and　leapt　swiftly。　They

gave　tongue　like　dogs　set　upon　a　wolf　and　sped　up　the　hill。



They　gained　the　crest　of　the　hill；　and　now　they　were　at　Goldfoss

brink。　Lo！　the　witch…wife　had　crossed　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　for

little　rain　had　fallen　and　the　river　was　low。　She　stood　on　Sheep…

saddle；　the　water　running　from　her　robes。　On　Sheep…saddle　she　stood

and　cursed　them。



Bj？rn　took　a　bow　and　set　a　shaft　upon　the　string。　He　drew　it　and　the

arrow　sung　through　the　air　and　smote　her；　speeding　through　her　heart。

With　a　cry　Groa　threw　up　her　arms。



Then　down　she　plunged。　She　fell　on　Wolf's　Fang；　where　Eric　once　had

stood　and；　bouncing　thence；　rushed　to　the　boiling　deeps　below　and　was

no　more　seen　for　ever。



Thus；　then；　did　Asmund　the　Priest　wed　Unna；　Thorod's　daughter；　and

this　was　the　end　of　the　feasting。



Thereafter　Bj？rn；　Asmund's　son；　ruled　at　Middalhof；　and　was　Priest　in

his　place。　He　sought　for　Koll　the　Half…witted　to　kill　him；　but　Koll

took　the　fells；　and　after　many　months　he　found　passage　in　a　ship　that

was　bound　for　Scotland。



Now　Bj？rn　was　a　hard　man　and　a　greedy。　He　was　no　friend　to　Eric

Brighteyes；　and　always　pressed　it　on　Gudruda　that　she　should　wed

Ospakar　Blacktooth。　But　to　this　counsel　Gudruda　would　not　listen；　for

day　and　night　she　thought　upon　her　love。　Next　summer　there　came

tidings　that　Eric　was　safe　in　Ireland；　and　men　spoke　of　his　deeds；　and

of　how　he　and　Skallagrim　had　swept　the　ship　of　Ospakar　single…handed。

Now　after　these　tidings；　for　a　while　Gudruda　walked　singing　through

the　meads；　and　no　flower　that　grew　in　them　was　half　so　fair　as　she。



That　summer　also　Ospakar　Blacktooth　met　Bj？rn；　Asmund's　son；　at　the

Thing；　and　they　talked　much　together　in　secret。







XVIII



HOW　EARL　ATLI　FOUND　ERIC　AND　SKALLAGRIM　ON　THE

SOUTHERN　ROCKS　OF　STRAUMEY　ISLE



Swanhild；　robed　in　white；　as　though　new　risen　from　sleep；　stood；

candle　in　hand；　by　the　bed　of　Atli　the　Earl；　her　lord；　crying　〃Awake！〃



〃What　passes　now？〃　said　Atli；　lifting　himself　upon　his　arm。　〃What

passes；　Swanhild；　and　why　dost　thou　ever　wander　alone　at　nights；

looking　so　strangely？　I　love　not　thy　dark　witch…ways；　Swanhild；　and　I

was　wed　to　thee　in　an　ill　hour；　wife　who　art　no　wife。〃



〃In　an　ill　hour　indeed；　Earl　Atli；〃　she　answered；　〃an　ill　hour　for

thee　and　me；　for；　as　thou　hast　said；　eld　and　youth　are　strange

yokefellows　and　pull　different　paths。　Arise　now；　Earl；　for　I　have

dreamed　a　dream。〃



〃Tell　it　to　me　on　the　morrow；　then；〃　quoth　Atli；　〃there　is　small

joyousness　in　thy　dreams；　that　always　point　to　evil；　and　I　must　bear

enough　evil　of　late。〃



〃Nay；　lord；　my　rede　may　not　be　put　aside　so。　Listen　now：　I　have

dreamed　that　a　great　dragon　of　war　has　been　cast　away　upon　Straumey's

south…western　rocks。　The　cries　of　those　who　drowned　rang　in　my　ears。

But　I　thought　that　some　came　living　to　the　shore；　and　lie　there

senseless；　to　perish　of　the　cold。　Arise；　therefore；　take　men　and　go

down　to　the　rocks。〃



〃I　will　go　at　daybreak；〃　said　Atli；　letting　his　head　fall　upon　the

pillow。　〃I　have　little　faith　in　such　visions；　and　it　is　too　late　for

ships　of　war　to　try　the　passage　of　the　Firth。〃



〃Arise；　I　say；〃　answered　Swanhild　sternly；　〃and　do　my　bidding；　else　I

will　myself　go　to　search　the　rocks。〃



Then　Atli　rose　grumbling；　and　shook　the　heavy　sleep　from　his　eyes：　for

of　all　living　folk　he　most　feared　Swanhild　his　wife。　He　donned　his

garments；　threw　a　thick　cloak　about　him；　and；　going　to　the　hall　where

men　snored　around　the　dying　fires；　for　the　night　was　bitter；　he　awoke

some　of　them。　Now　among　those　men　whom　he　called　was　Hall　of　Lithdale；

Hall　the　mate　who　had　cut　the　grapnel…chain。　For　this　Hall；　fearing　to

return　to　Iceland；　had　come　hither　saying　that　he　had　been　wounded　off

Fareys；　in　the　great　fight　between　Eric　and　Ospakar's　men；　and　left

there　to　grow　well　of　his　hurt　or　die。　Then　Atli；　not　knowing　that　the

carle　lied；　had　bid　him　welcome　for　Eric's　sake；　for　he　still　loved

Eric　above　all　men。



But　Hall　loved　not　labour　and　nightfarings　to　search　for　shipwrecked

men　of　whom　the　Lady　Swanhild　had　chanced　to　dream。　So　he　turned

himself　upon　his　side　and　slept　again。　Still；　certain　of　Atli's　folk

rose　at　his　bidding；　and　they　went　together　down　to　the　south…western

rocks。



But　Swanhild；　a　cloak　thrown　over　her　night…gear；　sat　herself　in　the

high　seat　of　the　hall　and　fixing　her　eyes；　now　upon　the　dying　fires

and　now　upon　the　blood…marks　in　her　arm；　waited　in　silence。　The　night

was　cold　and　windy；　but　the　moon　shone　bright；　and　by　its　light　Atli

and　his　people　made　their　way　to　the　south…western　rocks；　on　which　the

sea　beat　madly。



〃What　lies　yonder？〃　said　Atli；　pointing　to　some　black　things　that　lay

beneath　them　upon　the　rock；　cast　there　by　the　waves。　A　man　climbed

down　the　cliff's　side　that　is　here　as　though　it　were　cut　in　steps；　and

then　cried　aloud：



〃A　ship's　mast；　new　broken；　lord。〃



〃It　seems　that　Swanhild　dreams　true；〃　muttered　Atli；　〃but　I　am　sure　of

this：　that　none　have　come　ashore　alive　in　such　a　sea。〃



Presently　the　man　who　searched　the　rocks　below　cried　aloud　again：



〃Here　lie　two　great　men；　locked　in　each　other's　arms。　They　seem　to　be

dead。〃



Now　all　the　men　climb　down　the　slippery　rocks　as　best　they　may；　though

the　spray　wets　them；　and　with　them　goes　Atli。　The　Earl　is　a　brisk　man；

though　old　in　years；　and　he　comes　first　to　where　the　two　lie。　He　who

was　undermost　lay　upon　his　back；　but　his　face　is　hid　by　the　thick

golden　hair　that　flowed　across　it。



〃Man's　body　indeed；　but　woman's　locks；〃　said　Atli　as　he　put　out　his

hand　and　drew　the　hair　away；　so　that　the　light　of　the　moon　fell　on　the

face　beneath。



He　looked；　then　staggered　back　against　the　rock。



〃By　Thor！〃　he　cried；　〃here　lies　the　corpse　of　Eric　Brighteyes！〃　and

Atli　wrung　his　hands　and　wept；　for　he　loved　Eric　much。



〃Be　not　so　sure　that　the　men　are　dead；　Earl；〃　said　one；　〃I　thought　I

saw　yon　great　carle　move　but　now。〃



〃He　is　Skallagrim　Lambstail；　Eric's　Death…shadow；〃　said　Atli　again。

〃Up　with　them；　ladssee；　yonder　lies　a　plankand　away　to　the　hall。　I

will　give　twenty　in　silver　to　each　of　you　if　Eric　lives；〃　and　he

unclasped　his　cloak　and　threw　it　over　both　of　them。



Then　with　much　labour　they　loosed　the　grip　of　the　two　men　one　from　the

other；　and　they　set　Skallagrim　on　the　plank。　But　eight　men　bore　Eric

up　the　cliff　between　them；　and　the　task　was　not　light；　though　the　Earl

held　his　head；　from　which　the　golden　hair　hung　like　seaweed　from　a

rock。



At　length　they　came　to　the　hall　and　carried　them　in。　Swanhild；　seeing

them　come；　moved　down　from　the　high　seat。



〃Bring　lamps；　and　pile　up　the　fires；〃　cried　Atli。　〃A　strange　thing　has

come　to　pass；　Swanhild；　and　thou　dost　dream　wisely；　indeed；　for　here

we　have　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim　Lambstail。　They　were　locked

like　lovers　in　each　other's　arms；　but　I　know　not　if　they　are　dead　or

living。〃



Now　Swanhild　started　and　came　on　swiftly。　Had　the　Familiar　tricked　her

and　had　she　paid　the　price　for　nothing？　Was　Eric　taken　from　Gudruda

and　given　to　her　indeedbut　given　dead？　She　bent　over　him；　gazing

keenly　on　his　face。　Then　she　spoke。



〃He　is　not　dead　but　senseless。　Bring　dry　clothes；　and　make　water　hot；〃

and；　kneeling　down；　she　loosed　Eric's　helm　and　harness　and　ungirded

Whitefire　from　his　side。



For　long　Swanhild　and　Atli　tend