eric brighteyes-第37部分

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

thy　ears；　may　dumbness　seize　it；　and　may　it　wither　to　the　root！〃



Swanhild　heard　and　sank　upon　the　ground　before　him；　her　head　bowed

almost　to　her　feet。



〃Now；　Swanhild；　fare　thee　well；〃　said　Eric。　〃Living　or　dead；　may　I

never　see　thy　face　again！〃



She　gazed　up　through　her　falling　hair；　her　face　was　wild　and　white；

and　her　eyes　glowed　in　it　as　live　embers　glow　in　the　ashes　of　burnt

wood。



〃We　are　not　so　easily　parted；　Eric；〃　she　said。　〃Not　for　this　came　I　to

witchcraft　and　to　sin。　Thou　fool！　hast　thou　never　heard　that；　of　all

the　foes　a　man　may　have；　none　is　so　terrible　as　the　woman　he　has

scorned？　Thou　shalt　learn　this　lesson；　Eric　Brighteyes；　Thorgrimur's

son：　for　here　we　have　but　the　beginning　of　the　tale。　For　its　end；　I

will　write　it　in　runes　of　blood。〃



〃Write　on；〃　said　Eric。　〃Thou　canst　do　no　worse　than　thou　hast　done；〃

and　he　passed　thence。



For　a　while　Swanhild　crouched　upon　the　ground；　brooding　in　silence。

Then　she　rose；　and；　throwing　up　her　arms；　wept　aloud。



〃Is　it　for　this　that　I　have　sold　my　soul　to　the　Hell…hag？〃　she　cried。

〃Is　it　for　this　that　I　have　become　a　witch；　and　sunk　so　low　as　I　sank

last　nightto　be　scorned；　to　be　hated；　to　be　betrayed？　Now　Eric　will

go　to　Atli　and　tell　this　tale。　Nay；　there　I　will　be　beforehand　with

him；　and　with　another　storyan　ancient　wile　of　women　truly；　but　one

that　never　yet　has　failed　them；　nor　ever　will。　And　then　for　vengeance！

I　will　see　thee　dead；　Eric；　and　dead　will　I　see　Gudruda　at　thy　side！

Afterwards　let　darkness　comeay；　though　the　horror　rides　it！　Swift！

I　must　be　swift！〃







Eric　passed　into　Swanhild's　bower；　and；　finding　Whitefire；　bore　it

thence。　On　the　table　was　food。　He　took　it。　Then；　going　to　the　place

where　he　was　wont　to　sleep；　he　armed　himself；　girding　his　byrnie　on

his　breast　and　his　golden　helm　upon　his　head；　and　taking　shield　and

spear　in　his　hand。　Then　he　passed　out。　By　the　men's　door　he　found　some

women　spreading　fish　in　the　sun。　Eric　greeted　them；　saying　that　when

the　Earl　came　back；　for　he　was　to　come　on　that　morning；　he　would　find

him　on　the　south…western　rocks　nigh　to　where　the　Gudruda　sank。　This　he

begged　of　them　to　tell　Atli；　for　he　desired　speech　with　him。



The　women　wondered　that　Brighteyes　should　go　forth　thus　and　fully

armed；　but；　holding　that　he　had　some　deed　to　do；　they　said　nothing。



Eric　came　to　the　rocks；　and　there　he　sat　all　day　long　looking　on　the

sea；　and　grieving　so　bitterly　that　he　thought　his　heart　would　burst

within　him。　For　of　all　the　days　of　Eric's　life　this　was　the　heaviest；

except　one　other　only。



But　Swanhild；　going　to　her　bower；　caused　Koll　the　Half…witted　to　be

summoned。　To　him　she　spoke　long　and　earnestly；　and　they　made　a

shameful　plot　together。　Then　she　bade　Koll　watch　for　Atli's　coming

and；　when　he　saw　the　Earl　leave　his　boats；　to　run　to　him　and　say　that

she　would　speak　with　him。



After　this　Swanhild　sent　a　man　across　the　firth　to　the　stead　where

Hall　of　Lithdale　sat；　bidding　him　to　come　to　her　at　speed。



When　the　afternoon　grew　towards　the　evening；　Koll；　watching；　saw　the

boats　of　Atli　draw　to　the　landing…place。　Then　he　went　down；　and；　going

to　the　Earl；　bowed　before　him：



〃What　wouldst　thou；　fellow；　and　who　art　thou？〃　asked　Atli。



〃I　am　a　man　from　Iceland；　perchance；　lord；　thou　sawest　me　in　Asmund's

hall　at　Middalhof。　I　am　sent　here　by　the　Lady　Swanhild　to　say　that　she

desires　speech　with　thee；　and　that　at　once。〃　Then；　seeing　Skallagrim；

Koll　fled　back　to　the　house；　for　he　feared　Skallagrim。



Now　Atli　was　uneasy　in　his　mind；　and；　saying　nothing；　he　hurried　up　to

the　hall；　and　through　it　into　Swanhild's　bower。



There　she　sat　on　a　couch；　her　eyes　red　with　weeping；　and　her　curling

hair　unbound。



〃What　now；　Swanhild？〃　he　asked。　〃Why　lookest　thou　thus？〃



〃Why　look　I　thus；　my　lord？〃　she　answered　heavily。　〃Because　I　have　to

tell　thee　that　which　I　cannot　find　words　to　fit；〃　and　she　ceased。



〃Speak　on；〃　he　said。　〃Is　aught　wrong　with　Eric？〃



Then　Swanhild　drew　near　and　told　him　a　false　tale。



When　it　was　done　for　a　moment　or　so　Atli　stood　still；　and　grew　white

beneath　his　ruddy　skin；　white　as　his　beard。　Then　he　staggered　back

against　the　wainscoting　of　the　bower。



〃Woman；　thou　liest！〃　he　said。　〃Never　will　I　believe　so　vile　a　thing　of

Eric　Brighteyes；　whom　I　have　loved。〃



〃Would　that　I　could　not　believe　it！〃　she　answered。　〃Would　that　I　could

think　it　was　but　an　evil　dream！　But　alas！　Nay；　I　will　prove　it。　Suffer

that　I　summon　Koll；　the　Icelander；　who　was　my　mother's　thrallGroa

who　now　is　dead；　for　I　have　that　tidings　also。　He　saw　something　of

this　thing；　and　he　will　bear　me　witness。〃



〃Call　the　man；〃　said　Atli　sternly。



So　Koll　was　summoned；　and　told　his　lies　with　a　bold　face。　He　was　so

well　taught；　and　so　closely　did　his　story　tally　with　that　of　Swanhild；

that　Atli　could　find　no　flaw　in　it。



〃Now　I　am　sure；　Swanhild；　that　thou　speakest　truth；〃　said　the　Earl

when　Koll　had　gone。　〃And　now　also　I　have　somewhat　to　say　to　this　Eric。

For　thee；　rest　thyself；　that　which　cannot　be　mended　must　be　borne；〃

and　he　went　out。







Now；　when　Skallagrim　came　to　the　house　he　asked　for　Eric。　The　women

told　him　that　Brighteyes　had　gone　down　to　the　sea；　fully　armed；　in　the

morning；　and　had　not　returned。



〃Then　there　must　be　fighting　toward；　and　that　I　am　loth　to　miss；〃　said

Skallagrim；　and；　axe　aloft；　he　started　for　the　south…western　rocks　at

a　run。　Skallagrim　came　to　the　rocks。　There　he　found　Eric；　sitting　in

his　harness；　looking　out　across　the　sea。　The　evening　was　wet　and

windy；　the　rain　beat　upon　him　as　he　sat；　but　Eric　took　no　heed。



〃What　seekest　thou；　lord？〃　asked　the　Baresark。



〃Rest；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　I　find　none。〃



〃Thou　seekest　rest　helm　on　head　and　sword　in　hand？　This　is　a　strange

thing；　truly！〃



〃Stranger　things　have　been　Skallagrim。　Wouldst　thou　hear　a　tale？〃　and

he　told　him　all。



〃What　said　I？〃　asked　Skallagrim。　〃We　had　fared　better　in　London　town。

Flying　from　the　dove　thou　hast　found　the　falcon。〃



〃I　have　found　the　falcon；　comrade；　and　she　has　pecked　out　my　eyes。　Now

I　would　speak　with　Atli；　and　then　I　go　hence。〃



〃Hence　go　the　twain　of　us；　lord。　The　Earl　will　be　here　presently　and

rough　words　will　fly　in　this　rough　weather。　Is　Whitefire　sharp；

Brighteyes？〃



〃Whitefire　was　sharp　enough　to　shear　my　hair；　Skallagrim；　but　if　Atli

would　strike　let　him　lay　on。　Whitefire　will　not　be　aloft　for　him。〃



〃That　we　shall　see；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃At　least；　if　thou　art　harmed

because　of　this　loose　quean；　my　axe　will　be　aloft。〃



〃Keep　thou　thine　axe　in　its　place；〃　said　Eric；　and　as　he　spoke　Atli

came；　and　with　him　many　men。



Eric　rose　and　turned　to　meet　the　Earl；　looking　on　him　with　sad　eyes。

For　Atli；　his　face　was　as　the　face　of　a　trapped　wolf；　for　he　was　mad

with　rage　at　the　shame　that　had　been　put　upon　him　and　the　ill　tale

that　Swanhild　had　told　of　Eric's　dealings　with　her。



〃It　seems　that　the　Earl　has　heard　of　these　tidings；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Then　I　shall　be　spared　the　telling　of　them；〃　answered　Eric。



Now　they　stood　face　to　face；　Atli　leaned　upon　his　drawn　sword；　and　his

wrath　was　so　fierce　that　for　a　while　he　could　not　speak。　At　length　he

found　words。



〃See　ye　that　man；　comrades？〃　he　said；　pointing　at　Eric　with　the　sword。

〃He　has　been　my　guest　these　many　months。　He　has　sat　in　my　hall　and

eaten　of　my　bread；　and　I　have　loved　him　as　a　son。　And　wot　ye　how　he

has　repaid　me？　He　has　put　me　to　the　greatest　shame；　me　and　my　wife　the

Lady　Swanhild；　whom　I　left　in　his　guardto　such　shame；　indeed；　that　I

cannot　speak　it。〃



〃True　words；　Earl；〃　said　Eric；　while　folk　murmured　and　handled　their

swords。



〃True；　but　not　all　the　truth；〃　growled　Skallagrim。　〃Methinks　the　Earl

has　heard　a　garbled　tale。〃



〃True　words；　thyself　thou　sayest　it；〃　went　on　Atli　〃thou　hound　that　I

saved　from　the　sea！　'Ran's　gift；　Hela's　gift；'　so　runs　the　saw；　and

now　from　Ran　to　Hela　thou　shalt　go；　thou　mishandler　of　defenceless

women！〃



〃Here　is　somewhat　of　which　I　know　nothing；〃　said　Eric。



〃And　here　is　something　of　which　thou　shalt　know；〃　answered　Atli；　and

he　shook　his　sword　before　Eric's　eyes。　〃Guard　thyself！〃



〃Nay；　Earl；　thou　art　old；　and　I　have　done　the　wrongI　may　not　fight

with　thee。〃



〃Art　thou　a　coward　also？〃　said　the　Earl。



〃Some　have　deemed　otherwise；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　it　is　true　that　heavy

heart　makes　weak　hand。　Nevertheless　this　is　my　rede。　With　thee　are　ten

men。　Stand　thou　aside　and　let　them　fall　on　me　till　I　am　slain。〃



〃The　odds　are　too　heavy　even　for　thee；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃Back　to

back；　lord；　as　we　have　stood　aforetime；　and　let　us　play　this　game

together。〃



〃Not　so；〃　cried　Atli；　〃this　shame　is　mine；　and　I　have　sworn　to

Swanhild　that　I　will　wipe　it　out　in　Eric's　blood。　Stand　thou　before　me

and　draw！〃



Then　Eric　drew　Whitefire　and　raised　his　shield。　Atli　the　Earl　rushed

at　him　and　smote　a　great　two…handed　blow。　Eric　caught　it　on　his　shield

and　suffered　no　harm；　but　he　would　not　smite　back。



Atli　dropped　his　point。　〃Niddering　art　thou；　and　coward　to　the　last！〃

he　cried。　〃See；　men；　Eric　Brighteyes　fears　to　fight。　I　am　not　come　to

this　that　I　will　cut　down　a　man　who　is　too　faint…hearted　to　give　blow

for　blow。　This　is　my　word：　take　ye　your　spear…shafts　and　push　this

coward　to　the　shore。　Then　put　him　in　a　boat　and　drive　him　hence。〃



Now　Eric　grew　red　as　the　red　light　of　sunset；　for　his　manhood　might

not　bear　this。



〃Take　shield；〃　he　said；　〃and；　Earl；　on　thine　own　head　be　thy　blood；

for　none　shall　live　to　call　Eric　niddering　and　coward。〃



Atli　laughed　in　his　folly　and　his　rage。　He　took　a　shield；　and；　once

more　springing　on　Brighteyes；　struck　a　great　blow。



Eric　parried；　then　whirled　Whitefire　on　high　and　smoteonce　and　once

only！　Down　rushed　the　bright　blade　like