eric brighteyes-第34部分

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Whitefire　from　his　side。



For　long　Swanhild　and　Atli　tended　Eric　at　one　fire；　and　the　serving

women　tended　Skallagrim　at　the　other。　Presently　there　came　a　cry　that

Skallagrim　stirred；　and　Atli　with　others　ran　to　see。　At　this　moment

also　the　eyes　of　Eric　were　unsealed；　and　Swanhild　saw　them　looking　at

her　dimly　from　beneath。　Moved　to　it　by　her　passion　and　her　joy　that　he

yet　lived；　Swanhild　let　her　face　fall　till　his　was　hidden　in　her

unbound　hair；　and　kissed　him　upon　the　lips。　Eric　shut　his　eyes　again；

sighing　heavily；　and　presently　he　was　asleep。　They　bore　him　to　a　bed

and　heaped　warm　wrappings　upon　him。　At　daybreak　he　woke；　and　Atli；　who

sat　watching　at　his　side；　gave　him　hot　mead　to　drink。



〃Do　I　dream？〃　said　Eric；　〃or　is　it　Earl　Atli　who　tends　me；　and　did　I

but　now　see　the　face　of　Swanhild　bending　over　me？〃



〃It　is　no　dream；　Eric；　but　the　truth。　Thou　hast　been　cast　away　here　on

my　isle　of　Straumey。〃



〃And　Skallagrimwhere　is　Skallagrim？〃



〃Skallagrim　livesfear　not！〃



〃And　my　comrades；　how　went　it　with　them？〃



〃But　ill；　Eric。　Ran　has　them　all。　Now　sleep！〃



Eric　groaned　aloud。　〃I　had　rather　died　also　than　live　to　hear　such

heavy　tidings；〃　he　said。　〃Witch…work！　witch…work！　and　that　fair　witch…

face　wrought　it。〃　And　once　again　he　slept；　nor　did　he　wake　till　the

sun　was　high。　But　Atli　could　make　nothing　of　his　words。







When　Swanhild　left　the　side　of　Eric　she　met　Hall　of　Lithdale　face　to

face　and　his　looks　were　troubled。



〃Say；　lady；〃　he　asked；　〃will　Brighteyes　live？〃



〃Grieve　not；　Hall；〃　she　answered；　〃Eric　will　surely　live　and　he　will

be　glad　to　find　a　messmate　here　to　greet　him；　having　left　so　many

yonder；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　sea。



〃I　shall　not　be　glad；〃　said　Hall；　letting　his　eyes　fall。



〃Why　not；　Hall？　Fearest　thou　Skallagrim？　or　hast　thou　done　ill　by

Eric？〃



〃Ay；　lady；　I　fear　Skallagrim；　for　he　swore　to　slay　me；　and　that　kind

of　promise　he　ever　keeps。　Also；　if　the　truth　must　out；　I　have　not

dealt　altogether　well　with　Eric；　and　of　all　men　I　least　wish　to　talk

with　him。〃



〃Speak　on；〃　she　said。



Then；　being　forced　to　it；　Hall　told　her　something　of　the　tale　of　the

cutting　of　the　cable；　being　careful　to　put　another　colour　on　it。



〃Now　it　seems　that　thou　art　a　coward；　Hall；〃　Swanhild　said　when　he　had

done；　〃and　I　scarcely　looked　for　that　in　thee；〃　for　she　had　not　been

deceived　by　the　glozing　of　his　speech。　〃It　will　be　bad　for　thee　to

meet　Eric　and　Skallagrim；　and　this　is　my　counsel：　that　thou　goest

hence　before　they　wake；　for　they　will　sit　this　winter　here　in　Atli's

hall。〃



〃And　whither　shall　I　go；　lady？〃



Swanhild　gazed　on　him；　and　as　she　did　so　a　dark　thought　came　into　her

heart：　here　was　a　knave　who　might　serve　her　ends。



〃Hall；〃　she　said；　〃thou　art　an　Icelander；　and　I　have　known　of　thee

from　a　child；　and　therefore　I　wish　to　serve　thee　in　thy　strait；　though

thou　deservest　it　little。　See　now；　Atli　the　Earl　has　a　farm　on　the

mainland　not　two　hours'　ride　from　the　sea。　Thither　thou　shalt　go；　if

thou　art　wise；　and　thou　shalt　sit　there　this　winter　and　be　hidden　from

Eric　and　Skallagrim。　Nay；　thank　me　not；　but　listen：　it　may　chance　that

I　shall　have　a　service　for　thee　to　do　before　spring　is　come。〃



〃Lady；　I　shall　wait　upon　thy　word；〃　said　Hall。



〃Good。　Now；　so　soon　as　it　is　light；　I　will　find　a　man　to　sail　with

thee　across　the　Firth；　for　the　sea　falls；　and　bear　my　message　to　the

steward　at　Atli's　farm。　Also　if　thou　needest　faring…money　thou　shalt

have　it。　Farewell。〃



Thus　then　did　Hall　fly　before　Eric　and　Skallagrim。







On　the　morrow　Eric　and　Skallagrim　arose；　sick　and　bruised　indeed；　but

not　at　all　harmed；　and　went　down　to　the　shore。　There　they　found　many

dead　men　of　their　company；　but　never　a　one　in　whom　the　breath　of　life

remained。



Skallagrim　looked　at　Eric　and　spoke：　〃Last　night　the　mist　came　up

against　the　wind：　last　night　we　saw　Swanhild's　wraith　upon　the　waves；

and　there　is　the　path　it　showed；　and　there〃and　he　pointed　to　the

dead　men〃is　the　witch…seed's　flower。　Now　to…day　we　sit　in　Atli's

hall　and　here　we　must　stay　this　winter　at　Swanhild's　side；　and　in　all

this　there　lies　a　riddle　that　I　cannot　read。〃



But　Eric　shook　his　head；　making　no　answer。　Then；　leaving　Skallagrim

with　the　dead；　he　turned；　and　striding　back　alone　towards　the　hall；

sat　down　on　a　rock　in　the　home　meadows　and；　covering　his　face　with　his

hands；　wept　for　his　comrades。



As　he　wept　Swanhild　came　to　him；　for　she　had　seen　him　from　afar；　and

touched　him　gently　on　the　arm。



〃Why　weepest　thou；　Eric？〃　she　said。



〃I　weep　for　the　dead；　Swanhild；〃　he　answered。



〃Weep　not　for　the　deadthey　are　at　peace；　if　thou　must　weep；　weep　for

the　living。　Nay；　weep　not　at　all；　rejoice　rather　that　thou　art　here　to

mourn。　Hast　thou　no　word　of　greeting　for　me　who　have　not　heard　thy

voice　these　many　months？〃



〃How　shall　I　greet　thee；　Swanhild；　who　would　never　have　seen　thy　face

again　if　I　might　have　had　my　will？　Knowest　thou　that　yesternight；　as

we　laboured　in　yonder　Firth；　we　saw　a　shape　walking　the　waters　to　lead

us　to　our　doom？　How　shall　I　greet　thee；　Swanhild；　who　art　a　witch　and

evil？〃



〃And　knowest　thou；　Eric；　that　yesternight　I　woke　from　sleep；　having

dreamed　that　thou　didst　lie　upon　the　shore；　and　thus　I　saved　thee

alive；　as　perchance　I　have　saved　thee　aforetime？　If　thou　didst　see　a

shape　walking　the　waters　it　was　that　shape　which　led　thee　here。　Hadst

thou　sailed　on；　not　only　those　thou　mournest；　but　Skallagrim　and　thou

thyself　had　now　been　numbered　with　the　lost。〃



〃Better　so　than　thus；〃　said　Brighteyes。　〃Knowest　thou　also；　Swanhild；

that　when　last　night　my　life　came　back　again　in　Atli's　hall；　methought

that　Atli's　wife　leaned　over　me　and　kissed　me　on　the　lips？　That　was　an

ill　dream；　Swanhild。〃



〃Some　had　found　it　none　so　ill；　Eric；〃　she　made　answer；　looking　on　him

strangely。　〃Still；　it　was　but　a　dream。　Thou　didst　dream　that　Atli's

wife　breathed　back　the　breath　of　life　into　thy　pale　lipsbe　sure　of

it　thou　didst　but　dream。　Ah；　Eric；　fear　me　no　more；　forget　the　evil

that　I　have　wrought　in　the　blindness　and　folly　of　my　youth。　Now　things

are　otherwise　with　me。　Now　I　am　a　wedded　wife　and　faithful　hearted　to

my　lord。　Now；　if　I　still　love　thee；　it　is　with　a　sister's　love。

Therefore　forget　my　sins；　remember　only　that　as　children　we　played

upon　the　Iceland　fells。　Remember　that；　as　boy　and　girl；　we　rode　along

the　marshes；　while　the　sea…mews　clamoured　round　our　heads。　The　world

is　cold；　Eric；　and　few　are　the　friends　we　find　in　it；　many　are　already

gone；　and　soon　the　friendless　dark　draws　near。　So　put　me　not　away；　my

brother　and　my　friend；　but；　for　a　little　space；　whilst　thou　art　here

in　Atli's　hall；　let　us　walk　hand　in　hand　as　we　walked　long　years　ago

in　Iceland；　gathering　up　the　fifa…bloom；　and　watching　the　midnight

shadows　creep　up　the　icy　j？kul's　crest。〃



Thus　Swanhild　spoke　to　him　most　sweetly；　in　a　low　voice　of　music；

while　the　tears　gathered　in　her　eyes；　talking　ever　of　Iceland　that　he

loved；　and　of　days　long　dead；　till　Eric's　heart　softened　in　him。



〃Almost　do　I　believe　thee；　Swanhild；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　his

hand；　〃but　I　know　thus：　that　thou　art　never　twice　in　the　same　mood；

and　that　is　beyond　my　measuring。　Thou　hast　done　much　evil　and　thou

hast　striven　to　do　more；　also　I　love　not　those　who　seem　to　walk　the

seas　o'　nights。　Still；　hold　thou　to　this　last　saying　of　thine　and

there　shall　be　peace　between　us　while　I　bide　here。〃



She　touched　his　hand　humbly　and　turned　to　go。　But　as　she　went　Eric

spoke　again：　〃Say；　Swanhild；　hast　thou　tidings　from　Iceland　yonder？　I

have　heard　no　word　of　Asmund　or　of　Gudruda　for　two　long　years　and

more。〃



She　stood　still；　and　a　dark　shadow　that　he　could　not　see　flitted

across　her　face。



〃I　have　few　tidings；　Eric；〃　she　said；　turning；　〃and　those　few；　if　I

may　trust　them；　bad　enough。　For　this　is　the　rumour　that　I　have　heard：

that　Asmund　the　Priest；　my　father；　is　dead；　that　Groa；　my　mother；　is

deadhow；　I　know　not；　and；　lastly；　that　Gudruda　the　Fair；　thy　love；

is　betrothed　to　Ospakar　Blacktooth　and　weds　him　in　the　spring。〃



Now　Eric　sprang　up　with　an　oath　and　grasped　the　hilt　of　Whitefire。

Then　he　sat　down　again　upon　the　stone　and　covered　his　face　with　his

hands。



〃Grieve　not；　Eric；〃　she　said　gently；　〃I　put　no　faith　in　this　news；　for

rumour；　like　the　black…backed　gull；　often　changes　colour　in　its　flight

across　the　seas。　Also　I　had　it　but　at　fifth　hand。　I　am　sure　of　this；

at　least；　that　Gudruda　will　never　forsake　thee　without　a　cause。〃



〃It　shall　go　ill　with　Ospakar　if　this　be　true；〃　said　Eric；　smiling

grimly；　〃for　Whitefire　is　yet　left　me　and　with　it　one　true　friend。〃



〃Run　not　to　meet　the　evil；　Eric。　Thou　shalt　come　to　Iceland　with　the

summer　flowers　and　find　Gudruda　faithful　and　yet　fairer　than　of　yore。

Knowest　thou　that　Hall　of　Lithdale；　who　was　thy　mate；　has　sat　here

these　two　months？　He　is　gone　but　this　morning；　I　know　not　whither；

leaving　a　message　that　he　returns　no　more。〃



〃He　did　well　to　go；〃　said　Eric；　and　he　told　her　how　Hall　had　cut　the

cable。



〃Ay；　well　indeed；〃　answered　Swanhild。　〃Had　Atli　known　this　he　would

have　scourged　Hall　hence　with　rods　of　seaweed。　And　now；　Eric；　I　desire

to　ask　thee　one　more　thing：　why　wearest　thou　thy　hair　long　like　a

woman's？　Indeed；　few　women　have　such　hair　as　thine　is　now。〃



〃For　this　cause；　Swanhild：　I　swore　to　Gudruda　that　none　should　cut　my

hair　till　she　cut　it　once　more。　It　is　a　great　burden　to　me　surely；　for

never　did　hair　grow　so　fast　and　strong　as　mine；　and　once　in　a　fray　I

was　held　fast　by　it　and　went　near　to　the　losing　of　my　life。　Still；　I

will　keep　the　oath　even　if　it　grows　on　to　my　feet；〃　and　he　laughed　a

little　and　shook　back　his　golden　locks。



Swanhild　smiled　also　and；　turning；　went。　But　when　her　face　was　hidden

from　him　she　smiled　no　more。



〃As　I　live；〃　she　said　in　her　heart；　〃be