eric brighteyes-第39部分

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her　words　weighty。　For　Swanhild　had　this　art；　that　she　could　make　the

false　sound　true　in　the　ears　of　men　and　the　true　sound　false。



Still；　being　mindful　of　their　oath；　they　hunted　for　Koll　and　found

him。　And　when　the　thrall　knew　that　they　would　slay　him　he　ran　thence

screaming。　Nor　did　Swanhild　lift　a　hand　to　save　his　life；　for　she

desired　that　Koll　should　die；　lest　he　should　bear　witness　against　her。

Away　he　ran　towards　the　cliffs；　and　after　him　sped　Atli's　house…

carles；　till　he　came　to　the　great　cliffs　that　edge　in　the　sea。　Now

they　were　close　upon　him　and　their　swords　were　aloft。　Then；　sooner

than　know　the　kiss　of　steel；　the　liar　leapt　from　the　cliffs　and　was

crushed；　dying　miserably　on　the　rocks　below。　This　was　the　end　of　Koll

the　Half…witted；　Groa's　thrall。



Swanhild　sat　in　Straumey　for　a　while；　and　took　all　Atli's　heritage

into　her　keeping；　for　he　had　no　male　kin；　nor　did　any　say　her　nay。

Also　she　called　in　the　moneys　that　he　had　out　at　interest；　and　that

was　a　great　sum；　for　Atli　was　a　careful　and　a　wealthy　man。　Then

Swanhild　made　ready　to　go　to　Iceland。　Atli　had　a　great　dragon　of　war；

and　she　manned　that　ship　and　filled　it　with　stores　and　all　things

needful。　This　done；　she　set　stewards　and　grieves　over　the　Orkney　lands

and　farms；　and；　when　the　Earl　was　six　weeks　dead；　she　sailed　for

Iceland；　giving　out　that　she　went　thither　to　set　a　blood…suit　on　foot

against　Eric　for　the　death　of　Atli；　her　lord。　There　she　came　in　safety

just　as　folk　rode　to　the　Thing。







Now　Hall　of　Lithdale　came　to　Iceland　and　told　his　tale　of　the　doings

of　Eric　and　the　death　of　Atli。　Oft　and　loud　he　told　it；　and　soon

people　gossiped　of　it　in　field　and　fair　and　stead。　Bj？rn；　Asmund's

son；　heard　this　talk　and　sent　for　Hall。　To　him　also　Hall　told　the

tale。



〃Now；〃　said　Bj？rn；　〃we　will　go　to　my　sister　Gudruda　the　Fair；　and

learn　how　she　takes　these　tidings。〃



So　they　went　in　to　where　Gudruda　sat　spinning　in　the　hall；　singing　as

she　span。



〃Greeting；　Gudruda；〃　said　Bj？rn；　〃say；　hast　thou　tidings　of　Eric

Brighteyes；　thy　betrothed？〃



〃I　have　no　tidings；〃　said　Gudruda。



〃Then　here　is　one　who　brings　them。〃



Now　for　the　first　time　Gudruda　the　Fair　saw　Hall　of　Lithdale。　Up　she

sprang。　〃Thou　hast　tidings　of　Eric；　Hall？　Ah！　thou　art　welcome；　for　no

tidings　have　come　of　him　for　many　a　month。　Speak　on；〃　and　she　pressed

her　hand　against　her　heart　and　leaned　towards　him。



〃My　tidings　are　ill；　lady。〃



〃Is　Eric　dead？　Say　not　that　my　love　is　dead！〃



〃He　is　worse　than　dead；〃　said　Hall。　〃He　is　shamed。〃



〃There　thou　liest；　Hall；〃　she　answered。　〃Shame　and　Eric　are　things

apart。〃



〃Mayst　thou　think　so　when　thou　hast　heard　my　tale；　lady；〃　said　Hall；

〃for　I　am　sad　at　heart　to　speak　it　of　one　who　was　my　mate。〃



〃Speak　on；　I　say；〃　answered　Gudruda；　in　such　a　voice　that　Hall　shrank

from　her。　〃Speak　on；　but　of　this　I　warn　thee：　that　if　in　one　word　thou

liest；　that　shall　be　thy　death　when　Eric　comes。〃



Now　Hall　was　afraid；　thinking　of　the　axe　of　Skallagrim。　Still；　he

might　not　go　back　upon　his　word。　So　he　began　at　the　beginning；　telling

the　story　of　how　he　was　wounded　in　the　fight　with　Ospakar's　ships　and

left　Farey　isles；　and　how　he　came　thence　to　Scotland　and　sat　in　Atli's

hall　on　Orkneys。　Then　he　told　how　the　Gudruda　was　wrecked　on　Straumey；

and；　of　all　aboard；　Eric　and　Skallagrim　alone　were　saved　because　of

Swanhild's　dream。



〃Herein　I　see　witch…work；〃　said　Gudruda。



Then　Hall　told　that　Eric　became　Swanhild's　love；　but　of　the　other　tale

which　Swanhild　had　whispered　to　Atli　he　said　nothing。　For　he　knew　that

Gudruda　would　not　believe　this；　and；　moreover；　if　it　were　so；　Swanhild

had　not　sent　the　token　which　he　should　give。



〃It　may　well　be；〃　said　Gudruda；　proudly；　〃Swanhild　is　fair　and　light

of　mind。　Perchance　she　led　Brighteyes　into　this　snare。〃　But；　though

she　spoke　thus；　bitter　jealousy　and　anger　burned　in　her　breast　and　she

remembered　the　sight　which　she　had　seen　when　Eric　and　Swanhild　met　on

the　morn　of　Atli's　wedding。



Then　Hall　told　of　the　slaying　of　Atli　the　Good　by　Eric；　but　he　said

nothing　of　the　Earl's　dying　words；　nor　of　how　he　goaded　Brighteyes

with　his　bitter　words。



〃It　was　an　ill　deed　in　sooth；〃　said　Gudruda；　〃for　Eric　to　slay　an　old

man　whom　he　had　wronged。　Still；　it　may　chance　that　he　was　driven　to　it

for　his　own　life's　sake。〃



Then　Hall　said　that　he　had　seen　Swanhild　after　Atli's　slaying；　and

that　she　had　told　him　that　she　and　Eric　should　wed　shortly；　and　that

Eric　would　rule　in　Orkneys　by　her　side。



Gudruda　asked　if　that　was　all　his　tale。



〃Yes；　lady；〃　answered　Hall；　〃that　is　all　my　tale；　for　after　that　I

sailed　and　know　not　what　happened。　But　I　am　charged　to　give　something

to　thee；　and　that　by　the　Lady　Swanhild。　She　bade　me　say　this　also：

that；　when　thou　lookest　on　the　gift；　thou　shouldst　think　on　a　certain

oath　which　Eric　took　as　to　the　cutting　of　his　hair。〃　And　he　drew　a

linen　packet　from　his　breast　and　gave　it　to　her。



Thrice　Gudruda　looked　on　it；　fearing　to　open　it。　Then；　seeing　the

smile　of　mockery　on　Bj？rn's　cold　face；　she　took　the　shears　that　hung

at　her　side　and　cut　the　thread　with　them。　And　as　she　cut；　a　lock　of

golden　hair　rose　from　the　packet；　untwisting　itself　like　a　living

snake。　The　lock　was　long；　and　its　end　was　caked　with　gore。



〃Whose　hair　is　this？〃　said　Gudruda；　though　she　knew　the　hair　well。



〃Eric's　hair；〃　said　Hall；　〃that　Swanhild　cut　from　his　head　with　Eric's

sword。〃



Now　Gudruda　put　her　hand　to　her　bosom。　She　drew　out　a　satchel；　and

from　the　satchel　a　lock　of　yellow　hair。　Side　by　side　she　placed　the

locks；　looking　first　at　one　and　then　at　the　other。



〃This　is　Eric's　hair　in　sooth；〃　she　said〃Eric's　hair　that　he　swore

none　but　I　should　cut！　Eric's　hair　that　Swanhild　shore　with　Whitefire

from　Eric's　headWhitefire　whereon　we　plighted　troth！　Say　now；　whose

blood　is　this　that　stains　the　hair　of　Eric？〃



〃It　is　Atli's　blood；　whom　Eric　first　dishonoured　and　then　slew　with

his　own　hand；〃　answered　Hall。



Now　there　burned　a　fire　on　the　hearth；　for　the　day　was　cold。　Gudruda

the　Fair　stood　over　the　fire　and　with　either　hand　she　let　the　two

locks　of　Eric's　hair　fall　upon　the　embers。　Slowly　they　twisted　up　and

burned。　She　watched　them　burn；　then　she　threw　up　her　hands　and　with　a

great　cry　fled　from　the　hall。



Bj？rn　and　Hall　of　Lithdale　looked　on　each　other。



〃Thou　hadst　best　go　hence！〃　said　Bj？rn；　〃and　of　this　I　warn　thee；

Hall；　though　I　hold　thy　tidings　good；　that；　if　thou　hast　spoken　one

false　word；　that　will　be　thy　death。　For　then　it　would　be　better　for

thee　to　face　all　the　wolves　in　Iceland　than　to　stand　before　Eric　in

his　rage。〃



Again　Hall　bethought　himself　of　the　axe　of　Skallagrim；　and　he　went　out

heavily。







That　day　a　messenger　came　from　Gudruda　to　Bj？rn；　saying　that　she　would

speak　with　him。　He　went　to　where　she　sat　alone　upon　her　bed。　Her　face

was　white　as　death；　and　her　dark　eyes　glowed。



〃Eric　has　dealt　badly　with　thee；　sister；　to　bring　thee　to　this

sorrow；〃　said　Bj？rn。



〃Speak　no　evil　of　Eric　to　me；〃　Gudruda　answered。　〃The　evil　that　he　has

done　will　be　paid　back　to　him；　there　is　little　need　for　thee　to　heap

words　upon　his　head。　Hearken；　Bj？rn　my　brother：　is　it　yet　thy　will

that　I　should　wed　Ospakar　Blacktooth？〃



〃That　is　my　will；　surely。　There　is　no　match　in　Iceland　as　this

Ospakar；　and　I　should　win　many　friends　by　it。〃



〃Do　this　then；　Bj？rn。　Send　messengers　to　Swinefell　and　say　to　Ospakar

that　if　he　would　still　wed　Gudruda　the　Fair；　Asmund's　daughter；　let

him　come　to　Middalhof　when　folk　ride　from　the　Thing　and　he　shall　not

go　hence　alone。　Nay；　I　have　done。　Now；　I　pray　thee　speak　no　more　to　me

of　Eric　or　of　Ospakar。　Of　the　one　I　have　seen　and　heard　enough；　and　of

the　other　I　shall　hear　and　see　enough　in　the　years　that　are　to　come。〃







XXII



HOW　ERIC　CAME　HOME　AGAIN



Swanhild　made　a　good　passage　from　the　Orkneys；　and　was　in　Iceland

thirty…five　days　before　Eric　and　Skallagrim　set　foot　there。　But　she

did　not　land　by　Westman　Isles；　for　she　had　no　wish　to　face　Gudruda　at

that　time；　but　by　Reyjaness。　Now　she　rode　thence　with　her　company　to

Thingvalla；　for　here　all　men　were　gathered　for　the　Thing。　At　first

people　hung　aloof　from　her；　notwithstanding　her　wealth　and　beauty；　but

Swanhild　knew　well　how　to　win　the　hearts　of　men。　For　now　she　told　the

same　story　of　Eric　that　she　had　told　to　Atli；　and　there　were　none　to

say　her　nay。　So　it　came　to　pass　that　she　was　believed；　and　Eric

Brighteyes　held　to　be　shamed　indeed。　Now；　too；　she　set　a　suit　on　foot

against　Eric　for　the　death　of　Atli　at　his　hand；　claiming　that　sentence

of　the　greater　outlawry　should　be　passed　against　him；　and　that　his

lands　at　Coldback　in　the　Marsh　on　Ran　River　should　be　given；　half　to

her　in　atonement　for　the　Earl's　death；　and　half　to　the　men　of　Eric's

quarter。



On　the　day　of　the　opening　of　the　Thing　Ospakar　Blacktooth　came　from

the　north；　and　with　him　his　son　Gizur　and　a　great　company　of　men。

Ospakar　was　blithe；　for　from　the　Thing　he　should　ride　to　Middalhof；

there　to　wed　Gudruda　the　Fair。　Then　Swanhild　clad　herself　in　beautiful

attire；　and；　taking　men　with　her；　went　to　the　booth　of　Ospakar。



Blacktooth　sat　in　his　booth　and　by　him　sat　Gizur　his　son　the　Lawman。

When　he　saw　a　beauteous　lady；　very　richly　clad；　enter　the　booth　he　did

not　know　who　it　might　be。　But　Gizur　knew　her　well；　for　he　could　never

put　Swanhild　from　his　mind。



〃Lo！　here　comes　Swanhild　the　Fatherless；　Atli's　widow；〃　said　Gizur；

flushing　red　with　joy　at　the　sight　of　her。



Then　Ospakar　greeted　her　heartily；　and　made　place　for　her　by　him　at

the　top　of　the　booth。



〃Ospakar　Blacktooth；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　come　to　ask　this　of　thee：　that

thou　shalt　befriend　me　in　the　suit　which　I　have　against　Eric

Brighteyes　for　the　slaying　of　Earl　Atli；　my　husband。〃



〃Thou　couldst　have　come　to　no　man　who　is　more　wil