eric brighteyes-第36部分

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

and　my　brother　Bj？rn；　who　rules　in　his　place；　is　a　hard　man；　and　has

ever　urged　me　on　to　wed　Ospakar；　till　at　last；　having　no　choice；　I

have　consented　to　it。　And　say　to　Eric　that　I　grieve　much　and　sorely；

and　that；　though　we　twain　should　never　meet　more；　yet　I　shall　always

hold　his　memory　dear。'〃



〃It　is　not　like　Gudruda　to　speak　thus；〃　said　Eric：　〃she　had　ever　a

stout　heart　and　these　are　craven　words。　Koll；　I　hold　that　thou　liest；

and；　if　indeed　I　find　it　so；　I'll　wring　the　head　from　off　thee！〃



〃Nay；　Eric；　I　lie　not。　Wherefore　should　I　lie？　Hearken：　thou　hast　not

heard　all　my　tale。　When　the　lady　Gudruda　had　made　an　end　of　speaking

she　drew　something　from　her　breast　and　gave　it　me；　saying：　'Give　this

to　Eric；　in　witness　of　my　words。'〃



〃Show　me　the　token；〃　said　Eric。



Now；　many　years　ago；　when　they　were　yet　boy　and　girl；　it　chanced　that

Eric　had　given　to　Gudruda　the　half　of　an　ancient　gold　piece　that　he

had　found　upon　the　shore。　He　had　given　her　half；　and　half　he　had　kept；

wearing　it　next　his　heart。　But　he　knew　not　this；　for　she　feared　to

tell　him；　that　Gudruda　had　lost　her　half。　Nor　indeed　had　she　lost　it；

for　Swanhild　had　taken　the　love…token　and　hidden　it　away。　Now　she

brought　it　forth　for　Koll　to　build　his　lies　upon。



Then　Koll　drew　out　the　half…piece　from　a　leather　purse　and　passed　it

to　him。　Eric　plunged　his　hand　into　his　breast　and　found　his　half。　He

placed　the　two　side　by　side；　while　Swanhild　watched　him。　Lo！　they

fitted　well。



Then　Eric　laughed　aloud；　a　hard　and　bitter　laugh。　〃There　will　be

slaying；〃　he　cried；　〃before　all　this　tale　is　told。　Take　thy　fee　and

begone；　thou　messenger　of　ill；〃　and　he　cast　the　broken　piece　at　Koll。

〃For　once　thou　hast　spoken　the　truth。〃



Koll　stooped；　found　the　gold　and　went；　leaving　Brighteyes　and　Swanhild

face　to　face。



He　hid　his　brow　in　his　arms　and　groaned　aloud。　Softly　Swanhild　crept

up　to　himsoftly　she　drew　his　hands　away；　holding　them　between　her

own。



〃Heavy　tidings；　Eric；〃　she　said；　〃heavy　tidings　for　thee　and　me！　She

is　a　murderess　who　gave　me　birth　and　she　has　slain　my　own　fathermy

father　and　thy　cousin　Unna　also。　Gudruda　is　a　traitress；　a　traitress

fair　and　false。　I　did　ill　to　be　born　of　such　a　woman；　thou　didst　ill

to　put　thy　faith　in　such　a　woman。　Together　let　us　weep；　for　our　woe　is

equal。〃



〃Ay；　let　us　weep　together；〃　Eric　answered。　〃Nay；　why　should　we　weep？

Together　let　us　be　merry；　for　we　know　the　worst。　All　words　are　said

all　hopes　are　sped！　Let　us　be　merry；　then；　for　now　we　have　no　more

tidings　to　fear。〃



〃Ay；〃　Swanhild　answered；　looking　on　him　darkly；　〃we　will　be　merry　and

laugh　our　sorrows　down。　Ah！　thou　foolish　Eric；　under　what　unlucky　star

wast　thou　born　that　thou　knewest　not　true　from　false？〃　and　she　called

the　serving…women；　bidding　them　bring　food　and　wine。



Now　Eric　sat　alone　with　Swanhild　in　her　bower　and　made　pretence　to

eat。　But　he　could　eat　little；　though　he　drank　deep　of　the　southern

wine。　Close　beside　him　sat　Swanhild；　filling　his　cup。　She　was　wondrous

fair　that　night；　and　it　seemed　to　Eric　that　her　eyes　gleamed　like

stars。　Sweetly　she　spoke　also　and　wisely。　She　told　strange　tales　and

she　sang　strange　songs；　and　ever　her　eyes　shone　more　and　more；　and

ever　she　crept　closer　to　him。　Eric's　brain　was　afire；　though　his　heart

was　cold　and　dead。　He　laughed　loud　and　mightily；　he　told　great　tales

of　deeds　that　he　had　done；　growing　boastful　in　his　folly；　and　still

Swanhild's　eyes　shone　more　and　more；　and　still　she　crept　closer；

wooing　him　in　many　ways。



Now　of　a　sudden　Eric　thought　of　his　friend；　Earl　Atli；　and　his　mind

grew　clear。



〃This　may　not　be；　Swanhild；〃　he　said。　〃Yet　I　would　that　I　had　loved

thee　from　the　first；　and　not　the　false　Gudruda：　for；　with　all　thy　dark

ways；　at　least　thou　art　better　than　she。〃



〃Thou　speakest　wisely；　Eric；〃　Swanhild　answered；　though　she　meant　not

that　he　should　go。　〃The　Norns　have　appointed　us　an　evil　fate；　giving

me　as　wife　to　an　old　man　whom　I　do　not　love；　and　thee　for　a　lover　to　a

woman　who　has　betrayed　thee。　Ah；　Eric　Brighteyes；　thou　foolish　Eric！

why　knewest　thou　not　the　false　from　the　true　while　yet　there　was　time？

Now　are　all　words　said　and　all　things　donenor　can　they　be　undone。　Go

hence；　Eric；　ere　ill　come　of　it；　but；　before　thou　goest；　drink　one　cup

of　parting；　and　then　farewell。〃



And　she　slipped　from　him　and　filled　the　cup；　mixing　in　it　a　certain

love…portion　that　she　had　made　ready。



〃Give　it　me　that　I　may　swear　an　oath　on　it；〃　said　Eric。



Swanhild　gave　him　the　cup　and　stood　before　him；　watching　him。



〃Hearken；〃　he　said：　〃I　swear　this；　that　before　snow　falls　again　in

Iceland　I　will　see　Ospakar　dead　at　my　feet　or　lie　dead　at　the　feet　of

Ospakar。〃



〃Well　spoken；　Eric；〃　Swanhild　answered。　〃Now；　before　thou　drinkest；

grant　me　one　little　boon。　It　is　but　a　woman's　fancy；　and　thou　canst

scarce　deny　me。　The　years　will　be　long　when　thou　art　gone；　for　from

this　night　it　is　best　that　we　should　meet　no　more；　and　I　would　keep

something　of　thee　to　call　back　thy　memory　and　the　memories　of　our

youth　when　thou　hast　passed　away　and　I　grow　old。〃



〃What　wouldst　have　then；　Swanhild？　I　have　nothing　left　to　give；　except

Whitefire　alone。〃



〃I　do　not　ask　Whitefire；　Eric；　though　Whitefire　shall　kiss　the　gift。　I

ask　nothing　but　one　tress　of　that　golden　hair　of　thine。〃



〃Once　I　swore　that　none　should　touch　my　hair　again　except　Gudruda's

self。〃



〃It　will　grow　long；　then；　Eric；　for　now　Gudruda　tends　black　locks　and

thinks　little　on　golden。　Broken　are　all　oaths。〃



Eric　groaned。　〃All　oaths　are　broken　in　sooth；〃　he　said。　〃Have　then　thy

will；〃　and；　loosing　the　peace…strings；　he　drew　Whitefire　from　its

sheath　and　gave　her　the　great　war…sword。



Swanhild　took　it　by　the　hilt；　and；　lifting　a　tress　of　Eric's　yellow

hair；　she　shore　through　it　deftly　with　Whitefire's　razor…edge；　smiling

as　she　shore。　With　the　same　war…blade　on　which　Eric　and　Gudruda　had

pledged　their　troth；　did　Swanhild　cut　the　locks　that　Eric　had　sworn　no

hand　should　clip　except　Gudruda's。



He　took　back　the　sword　and　sheathed　it；　and；　knotting　the　long　tress；

Swanhild　hid　it　in　her　bosom。



〃Now　drink　the　cup；　Eric；〃　she　said〃pledge　me　and　go。〃



Eric　drank　to　the　dregs　and　cast　the　cup　down；　and　lo！　all　things

changed　to　him；　for　his　blood　was　afire；　and　seas　seemed　to　roll

within　his　brain。　Only　before　him　stood　Swanhild　like　a　shape　of　light

and　glory；　and　he　thought　that　she　sang　softly　over　him；　always

drawing　nearer；　and　that　with　her　came　a　scent　of　flowers　like　the

scent　of　the　Iceland　meads　in　May。



〃All　oaths　are　broken；　Eric；〃　she　murmured；　〃all　oaths　are　broken

indeed；　and　now　must　new　oaths　be　sworn。　For　cut　is　thy　golden　hair；

Brighteyes；　and　not　by　Gudruda's　hand！〃







XX



HOW　ERIC　WAS　NAMED　ANEW



Eric　dreamed。　He　dreamed　that　Gudruda　stood　by　him　looking　at　him　with

soft；　sad　eyes；　while　with　her　hand　she　pointed　to　his　hair；　and

spake。



〃Thou　hast　done　ill；　Eric；〃　she　seemed　to　say。　〃Thou　hast　done　ill　to

doubt　me；　and　now　thou　art　for　ever　shamed；　for　thou　hast　betrayed

Atli；　thy　friend。　Thou　hast　broken　thy　oath；　and　therefore　hast　thou

fallen　into　this　pit；　for　when　Swanhild　shore　that　lock　of　thine；　my

watching　Spirit　passed；　leaving　thee　to　Swanhild　and　thy　fate。　Now；　I

tell　thee　this：　that　shame　shall　lead　to　shame；　and　many　lives　shall

pay　forfeit　for　thy　sin；　Eric。〃



Eric　awoke；　thinking　that　this　was　indeed　an　evil　dream　which　he　had

dreamed。　He　woke；　and　lo！　by　him　was　Swanhild；　Atli's　wife。　He　looked

upon　her　beauty；　and　fear　and　shame　crept　into　his　heart；　for　now　he

knew　that　it　was　no　dream；　but　he　was　lost　indeed。　He　looked　again　at

Swanhild；　and　hatred　and　loathing　of　her　shook　him。　She　had　overcome

him　by　her　arts；　that　cup　was　drugged　which　he　had　drunk；　and　he　was

mad　with　grief。　Yes；　she　had　played　upon　his　woe　like　a　harper　on　a

harp；　and　now　he　was　ashamednow　he　had　betrayed　his　friend　who　loved

him！　Had　Whitefire　been　to　his　hand　at　that　moment；　Eric　had　surely

slain　himself。　But　the　great　sword　was　not　there；　for　it　hung　in

Swanhild's　bower。　Eric　groaned　aloud；　and　Swanhild　turned　at　the

sound。　But　he　sprang　away　and　stood　over　her；　cursing　her。



〃Thou　witch！〃　he　cried；　〃what　hast　thou　done？　What　didst　thou　mix　in

that　cup　yestre'en？　Thou　hast　brought　me　to　this　that　I　have　betrayed

Atli；　my　friendAtli；　thy　lord；　who　left　thee　in　my　keeping！〃



He　seemed　so　terrible　in　his　woe　and　rage　that　Swanhild　shrank　from

him；　and；　throwing　her　hair　about　her　face；　peeped　at　him　through　its

meshes　as　once　she　had　peeped　at　Asmund。



〃It　is　like　a　man；〃　she　said；　gathering　up　her　courage　and　her　wit；

〃'tis　like　a　man；　having　won　my　love；　now　to　turn　upon　me　and　upbraid

me。　Fie　upon　thee；　Eric！　thou　hast　dealt　ill　with　me　to　bring　me　to

this。〃



Now　Eric　ceased　his　raving；　and　spoke　more　calmly。



〃Well　thou　knowest　the　truth；　Swanhild；〃　he　said。



〃Hearken；　Eric；〃　she　answered。　〃Let　this　be　secret　between　us。　Atli　is

old；　and　methinks　that　not　for　long　shall　he　bide　here　in　Straumey。

Soon　he　will　die；　it　is　upon　my　mind　that　he　soon　will　die；　and；　being

childless；　his　lands　and　goods　pass　to　me。　Then；　Eric；　thou　shalt　sit

in　Atli's　hall；　and　in　all　honour　shall　Atli's　wife　become　thy　bride。〃



Eric　listened　coldly。　〃I　can　well　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　thou　hast

it　in　mind　to　slay　thy　lord；　for　all　evil　is　in　thy　heart；　Swanhild。

Now　know　this：　that　if　in　honour　or　dishonour　my　lips　touch　that　fair

face　of　thine　again；　may　the　limbs　rot　from　thy　trunk；　and　may　I　lie　a

log　for　ever　in　the　halls　of　Hela！　If　ever　my　eyes　of　their　own　will

look　again　upon　thy　beauty；　may　I　go　blind　and　beg　my　meat　from

homestead　to　homestead！　If　ever　my　tongue　whisper　word　of　love　into

thy　ears；　may　dumbness　seize　it；　and　may　it　wither