eric brighteyes-第35部分

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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；　〃before　spring　rains　fall　I　again

will　cause　thee　to　break　this　oath；　Eric。　Ay；　I　will　cut　a　lock　of

that　bright　hair　of　thine　and　send　it　for　a　love…token　to　Gudruda。〃



But　Eric　still　sat　upon　the　rock　thinking。　Swanhild　had　set　an　evil

seed　of　doubt　in　his　heart；　and　already　it　put　forth　roots。　What　if

the　tale　were　true？　What　if　Gudruda　had　given　herself　to　Ospakar？

Well；　if　soshe　should　soon　be　a　widow；　that　he　swore。



Then　he　rose；　and　stalked　grimly　towards　the　hall。







XIX



HOW　KOLL　THE　HALF…WITTED　BROUGHT　TIDINGS　FROM　ICELAND



Presently　as　Eric　walked　he　met　Atli　the　Earl　seeking　him。　Atli

greeted　him。



〃I　have　seen　strange　things；　Eric；〃　he　said；　〃but　none　more　strange

than　this　coming　of　thine　and　the　manner　of　it。　Swanhild　is

foresighted；　and　that　was　a　doom…dream　of　hers。〃



〃I　think　her　foresighted　also；〃　said　Eric。　〃And　now；　Earl；　knowest

thou　this：　that　little　good　can　come　to　thee　at　the　hands　of　one　whom

thou　hast　saved　from　the　sea。〃



〃I　set　no　faith　in　such　old　wives'　tales；〃　answered　Atli。　〃Here　thou

art　come；　and　it　is　my　will　that　thou　shouldest　sit　here。　At　the

least；　I　will　give　thee　no　help　to　go　hence。〃



〃Then　we　must　bide　in　Straumey；　it　seems；〃　said　Eric：　〃for　of　all　my

goods　and　gear　this　alone　is　left　me；〃　and　he　looked　at　Whitefire。



〃Thou　hast　still　a　gold　ring　or　two　upon　thy　arm；〃　answered　the　Earl；

laughing。　〃But　surely；　Eric；　thou　wouldst　not　begone？〃



〃I　know　not；　Earl。　Listen：　it　is　well　that　I　should　be　plain　with

thee。　Once；　before　thou　didst　wed　Swanhild；　she　had　another　mind。〃



〃I　have　heard　something　of　that；　and　I　have　guessed　more；　Brighteyes；

but　methinks　Swanhild　is　little　given　to　gadding　now。　She　is　as　cold

as　ice；　and　no　good　wife　for　any　man；〃　and　Atli　sighed；　〃'Snow　melts

not　if　sun　shines　not；'　so　runs　the　saw。　Thou　art　an　honest　man；　Eric；

and　no　whisperer　in　the　ears　of　others'　wives。〃



〃I　am　not　minded　indeed　to　do　thee　such　harm；　Earl；　but　this　thou

knowest：　that　woman's　guile　and　beauty　are　swords　few　shields　can

brook。　Now　I　have　spokenand　they　are　hard　words　to　speakbe　it　as

thou　wilt。〃



〃It　is　my　will　that　thou　shouldest　sit　here　this　winter；　Eric。　Had　I

my　way；　indeed；　never　wouldest　thou　sit　elsewhere。　Listen：　things　have

not　gone　well　with　me　of　late。　Age　hath　a　grip　of　me；　and　foes　rise　up

against　one　who　has　no　sons。　That　was　an　ill　marriage；　too；　which　I

made　with　Swanhild　yonder：　for　she　loves　me　not；　and　I　have　found　no

luck　since　first　I　saw　her　face。　Moreover；　it　is　in　my　mind　that　my

days　are　almost　sped。　Swanhild　has　already　foretold　my　death；　and；　as

thou　knowest　well；　she　is　foresighted。　So　I　pray　thee；　Eric；　bide　thou

here　while　thou　mayest；　for　I　would　have　thee　at　my　side。〃



〃It　shall　be　as　thou　wilt；　Earl；〃　said　Eric。







So　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim　Lambstail　sat　that　winter　in　the

hall　of　Atli　the　Earl　at　Straumey。　For　many　weeks　all　things　went　well

and　Eric　forgot　his　fears。　Swanhild　was　gentle　to　him　and　kindly。　She

loved　much　to　talk　with　him；　even　of　Gudruda　her　rival；　but　no　word　of

love　passed　her　lips。　Nevertheless；　she　did　but　bide　her　time；　for

when　she　struck　she　determined　to　strike　home。　Atli　and　Eric　were　ever

side　by　side；　and　Eric　gave　the　Earl　much　good　counsel。　He　promised　to

do　this　also；　for　now；　being　simple…minded；　his　doubts　had　passed　and

he　had　no　more　fear　of　Swanhild。　On　the　mainland　lived　a　certain　chief

who　had　seized　large　lands　of　Atli's；　and　held　them　for　a　year　or

more。　Now　Eric　gave　his　word　that；　before　he　sailed　for　Iceland　in　the

early　summer；　he　would　go　up　against　this　man　and　drive　him　from　the

lands；　if　he　could。　For　Brighteyes　might　not　come　to　Iceland　till　hard

upon　midsummer；　when　his　three　years　of　outlawry　were　spent。



The　winter　wore　away　and　the　spring　came。　Then　Atli　gathered　his　men

and　went　with　Eric　in　boats　to　where　the　chief　dwelt　who　held　his

lands。　There　they　fell　on　him　and　there　was　a　fierce　fight。　But　in　the

end　the　man　was　slain　by　Skallagrim；　and　Eric　did　great　deeds；　as　was

his　wont。　Now　in　this　fray　Eric　was　wounded　in　the　foot　by　a　spear；　so

that　he　must　be　borne　back　to　Straumey；　and　he　lay　there　in　the　hall

for　many　days。　Swanhild　nursed　him；　and　most　days　he　sat　talking　with

her　in　her　bower。



When　Eric　was　nearly　healed　of　his　hurt；　the　Earl　went　with　all　his

people　to　a　certain　island　of　the　Orkneys　to　gather　scat＇*＇　that　was

unpaid；　and　Skallagrim　went　with　him。　But　Eric　did　not　go；　because　of

his　hurt；　fearing　lest　the　wound　should　open　if　he　walked　overmuch。

Thus　it　came　to　pass　that；　except　for　some　women；　he　was　left　almost

alone　with　Swanhild。



＇*＇　Tribute。



Now；　when　Atli　had　been　gone　three　days；　it　chanced　on　an　afternoon

that　Swanhild　heard　how　a　man　from　Iceland　sought　speech　with　her。　She

bade　them　bring　him　in　to　where　she　was　alone　in　her　bower；　for　Eric

was　not　there；　having　gone　down　to　the　sea　to　fish。



The　man　came　and　she　knew　him　at　once　for　Koll　the　Half…witted；　who

had　been　her　mother　Groa's　thrall。　On　his　shoulders　was　the　cloak　that

Ospakar　Blacktooth　had　given　him；　it　was　much　torn　now；　and　he　had　a

worn　and　hungry　look。



〃Whence　comest　thou；　Koll？〃　she　asked；　〃and　what　are　thy　tidings？〃



〃From　Scotland　last；　lady；　where　I　sat　this　winter；　before　that；　from

Iceland。　As　for　my　tidings；　they　are　heavy；　if　thou　hast　not　heard

them。　Asmund　the　Priest　is　dead；　and　dead　is　Unna　his　wife；　poisoned

by　thy　mother；　Groa；　at　their　marriage…feast。　Dead；　too；　is　thy

mother；　Groa。　Bj？rn；　Asmund's　son；　shot　her　with　an　arrow；　and　she

lies　in　Goldfoss　pool。〃



Now　Swanhild　hid　her　face　for　a　while　in　her　hands。　Then　she　lifted　it

and　it　was　white　to　see。　〃Speakest　thou　truth；　fox？　If　thou　liest；

this　I　swear　to　theethy　tongue　shall　be　dragged　from　thee　by　the

roots！〃



〃I　speak　the　truth；　lady；〃　he　answered。　But　still　he　spoke　not　all　the

truth；　for　he　said　nothing　of　the　part　which　he　had　played　in　the

deaths　of　Asmund　and　Unna。　Then　he　told　her　of　the　manner　of　their

end。



Swanhild　listened　silentlythen　said：



〃What　news　of　Gudruda；　Asmund's　daughter？　Is　she　wed？〃



〃Nay；　lady。　Folk　spoke　of　her　and　Ospakar；　that　was　all。〃



〃Hearken；　Koll；〃　said　Swanhild；　〃bearing　such　heavy　tidings；　canst

thou　not　weight　the　ship　a　little　more？　Eric　Brighteyes　is　here。　Canst

thou　not　swear　to　him　that；　when　thou　didst　leave　Iceland　it　was　said

without　question　that　Gudruda　had　betrothed　herself　to　Ospakar；　and

that　the　wedding…feast　was　set　for　this　last　Yule？　Thou　hast　a　hungry

look；　Koll；　and　methinks　that　things　have　not　gone　altogether　well

with　thee　of　late。　Now；　if　thou　canst　so　charge　thy　memory；　thou　shalt

lose　little　by　it。　But；　if　thou　canst　not；　then　thou　goest　hence　from

Straumey　with　never　a　luck…penny　in　thy　purse；　and　never　a　sup　to　stay

thy　stomach　with。〃



Now　of　all　things　Koll　least　desired　to　be　sent　from　Straumey；　for；

though　Swanhild　did　not　know　it；　he　was　sought　for　on　the　mainland　as

a　thief。



〃That　I　may　do；　lady；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　cunningly。　〃Now　I

remember　that　Gudruda　the　Fair　charged　me　with　a　certain　message　for

Eric　Brighteyes；　if　I　should　chance　to　see　him　as　I　journeyed。〃



Then　Swanhild；　Atli's　wife；　and　Koll　the　Half…witted　talked　long　and

earnestly　together。







At　nightfall　Eric　came　in　from　his　fishing。　His　heart　was　light；　for

the　time　drew　near　when　he　should　sail　for　home；　and　he　did　not　think

on　evil。　For　now　he　feared　Swanhild　no　longer；　and；　no　fresh　tidings

having　come　from　Iceland　about　Ospakar　and　Gudruda；　he　had　almost　put

the　matter　from　his　mind。　On　he　walked　to　the　hall；　limping　somewhat

from　his　wound；　but　singing　as　he　came；　and　bearing　his　fish　slung

upon　a　pole。



At　the　men's　door　of　the　hall　a　woman　stood　waiting。　She　told　Eric

that　the　lady　Swanhild　would　speak　with　him　in　her　bower。　Thither　he

went　and　knocked。　Getting　no　answer　he　knocked　again；　then　entered。



Swanhild　sat　on　a　couch。　She　was　weeping；　and　her　hair　fell　about　her

face。



〃What　now；　Swanhild？〃　he　said。



She　looked　up　heavily。　〃Ill　news　for　thee　and　me；　Eric。　Koll；　who　was

my　mother's　thrall；　has　come　hither　from　Iceland；　and　these　are　his

tidings：　that　Asmund　is　dead；　and　Unna；　thy　cousin；　Thorod　of

Greenfell's　daughter；　is　dead；　and　my　mother　Groa　is　dead　also。〃



〃Heavy　tidings；　truly！〃　said　Eric；　〃and　what　of　Gudruda；　is　she　also

dead？〃



〃Nay；　Eric　she　is　wedwed　to　Ospakar。〃



Now　Eric　reeled　against　the　wall；　clutching　it；　and　for　a　space　all

things　swam　round　him。　〃Where　is　this　Koll？〃　he　gasped。　〃Send　me　Koll

hither。〃



Presently　he　came；　and　Eric　questioned　him　coldly　and　calmly。　But　Koll

could　lie　full　well。　It　is　said　that　in　his　day　there　was　no　one　in

Iceland　who　could　lie　so　well　as　Koll　the　Half…witted。　He　told　Eric

how　it　was　said　that　Gudruda　was　plighted　to　Ospakar；　and　how　the

match　had　been　agreed　on　at　the　Althing　in　the　summer　that　was　gone

（and　indeed　there　had　been　some　such　talk）；　and　how　that　the　feast　was

to　be　at　Middalhof　on　last　Yule　Day。



〃Is　that　all　thy　tidings？〃　said　Eric。　〃If　so；　I　give　no　heed　to　them：

for　ever；　Koll；　I　have　known　thee　for　a　liar！〃



〃Nay；　Eric；　it　is　not　all；〃　answered　Koll。　〃As　it　chanced；　two　days

before　the　ship　in　which　I　sailed　was　bound；　I　saw　Gudruda　the　Fair。

Then　she　asked　me　whither　I　was　going；　and　I　told　her　that　I　would

journey　to　London；　where　men　said　thou　wert；　and　asked　her　if　she

would　send　a　message。　Then　she　alighted　from　her　horse；　Blackmane；　and

spoke　with　me　apart。　'Koll；'　she　said；　'it　well　may　happen　that　thou

wilt　see　Eric　Brighteyes　in　London　town。　Now；　if　thou　seest　him；　I

charge　thee　straightly　tell　him　this。　Tell　him　that　my　father　is　dead；