eric brighteyes-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



be　rich　in　friends　and　money　who　gets　her　to　wife；　and　in　this　matter

the　mind　of　Bj？rn　is　as　the　mind　of　his　father。　Now　we　will　watch；

and；　when　a　good　time　chances；　we　will　bear　tales　of　Gudruda　to　Asmund

and　to　her　brother　Bj？rn；　and　swear　that　she　oversteps　her　modesty

with　Eric。　Then　shall　Asmund　be　wroth　and　drive　Eric　from　Gudruda's

side。　Meanwhile；　I　will　do　this：　In　the　north　there　dwells　a　man

mighty　in　all　things　and　blown　up　with　pride。　He　is　named　Ospakar

Blacktooth。　His　wife　is　but　lately　dead；　and　he　has　given　out　that　he

will　wed　the　fairest　maid　in　Iceland。　Now；　it　is　in　my　mind　to　send

Koll　the　Half…witted；　my　thrall；　whom　Asmund　gave　to　me；　to　Ospakar　as

though　by　chance。　He　is　a　great　talker　and　very　clever；　for　in　his

half…wits　is　more　cunning　than　in　the　brains　of　most；　and　he　shall　so

bepraise　Gudruda's　beauty　that　Ospakar　will　come　hither　to　ask　her　in

marriage；　and　in　this　fashion；　if　things　go　well；　thou　shalt　be　rid　of

thy　rival；　and　I　of　one　who　looks　scornfully　upon　me。　But；　if　this

fail；　then　there　are　two　roads　left　on　which　strong　feet　may　travel　to

their　end；　and　of　these；　one　is　that　thou　shouldest　win　Eric　away　with

thine　own　beauty；　and　that　is　not　little。　All　men　are　frail；　and　I

have　a　draught　that　will　make　the　heart　as　wax；　but　yet　the　other　path

is　surer。〃



〃And　what　is　that　path；　my　mother？〃



〃It　runs　through　blood　to　blackness。　By　thy　side　is　a　knife　and　in

Gudruda's　bosom　beats　a　heart。　Dead　women　are　unmeet　for　love！〃



Swanhild　tossed　her　head　and　looked　upon　the　dark　face　of　Groa　her

mother。



〃Methinks；　with　such　an　end　to　win；　I　should　not　fear　to　tread　that

path；　if　there　be　need；　my　mother。〃



〃Now　I　see　thou　art　indeed　my　daughter。　Happiness　is　to　the　bold。　To

each　it　comes　in　uncertain　shape。　Some　love　power；　some　wealth；　and

somea　man。　Take　that　which　thou　lovestI　say；　cut　thy　path　to　it

and　take　it；　else　shall　thy　life　be　but　a　weariness：　for　what　does　it

serve　to　win　the　wealth　and　power　when　thou　lovest　a　man　alone；　or　the

man　when　thou　dost　desire　gold　and　the　pride　of　place？　This　is　wisdom：

to　satisfy　the　longing　of　thy　youth；　for　age　creeps　on　apace　and

beyond　is　darkness。　Therefore；　if　thou　seekest　this　man；　and　Gudruda

blocks　thy　path；　slay　her；　girlby　witchcraft　or　by　steeland　take

him；　and　in　his　arms　forget　that　thine　own　are　red。　But　first　let　us

try　the　easier　plan。　Daughter；　I　too　hate　this　proud　girl；　who　scorns

me　as　her　father's　light…of…love。　I　too　long　to　see　that　bright　head

of　hers　dull　with　the　dust　of　death；　or；　at　the　least；　those　proud

eyes　weeping　tears　of　shame　as　the　man　she　hates　leads　her　hence　as　a

bride。　Were　it　not　for　her　I　should　be　Asmund's　wife；　and；　when　she　is

gone；　with　thy　helpfor　he　loves　thee　much　and　has　cause　to　love　thee

this　I　may　be　yet。　So　in　this　matter；　if　in　no　other；　let　us　go　hand

in　hand　and　match　our　wits　against　her　innocence。〃







Now；　Koll　the　Half…witted　went　upon　his　errand；　and　the　time　passed

till　it　lacked　but　a　month　to　Yule；　and　men　sat　indoors；　for　the

season　was　dark　and　much　snow　fell。　At　length　came　frost；　and　with　it

a　clear　sky；　and　Gudruda；　ceasing　from　her　spinning　in　the　hall；　went

to　the　woman's　porch；　and；　looking　out；　saw　that　the　snow　was　hard；

and　a　great　longing　came　upon　her　to　breathe　the　fresh　air；　for　there

was　still　an　hour　of　daylight。　So　she　threw　a　cloak　about　her　and

walked　forth；　taking　the　road　towards　Coldback　in　the　Marsh　that　is　by

Ran　River。　But　Swanhild　watched　her　till　she　was　over　the　hill。　Then

she　also　took　a　cloak　and　followed　on　that　path；　for　she　always

watched　Gudruda。



Gudruda　walked　on　for　the　half　of　an　hour　or　so；　when　she　became　aware

that　the　clouds　gathered　in　the　sky；　and　that　the　air　was　heavy　with

snow　to　come。　Seeing　this　she　turned　homewards；　and　Swanhild　hid

herself　to　let　her　pass。　Now　flakes　floated　down　as　big　and　soft　as

fifa　flowers。　Quicker　and　more　quick　they　came　till　all　the　plain　was

one　white　maze　of　mist；　but　through　it　Gudruda　walked　on；　and　after

her　crept　Swanhild；　like　a　shadow。　And　now　the　darkness　gathered　and

the　snow　fell　thick　and　fast；　covering　up　the　track　of　her　footsteps

and　she　wandered　from　the　path；　and　after　her　wandered　Swanhild；　being

loath　to　show　herself。　For　an　hour　or　more　Gudruda　wandered　and　then

she　called　aloud　and　her　voice　fell　heavily　against　the　cloak　of　snow。

At　the　last　she　grew　weary　and　frightened；　and　sat　down　upon　a

shelving　rock　whence　the　snow　had　slipped　away。　Now；　a　little　way

behind　was　another　rock　and　there　Swanhild　sat；　for　she　wished　to　be

unseen　of　Gudruda。　So　some　time　passed；　and　Swanhild　grew　heavy　as

though　with　sleep；　when　of　a　sudden　a　moving　thing　loomed　upon　the

snowy　darkness。　Then　Gudruda　leapt　to　her　feet　and　called。　A　man's

voice　answered：



〃Who　passes　there？〃



〃I；　Gudruda；　Asmund's　daughter。〃



The　form　came　nearer；　now　Swanhild　could　hear　the　snorting　of　a　horse；

and　now　a　man　leapt　from　it；　and　that　man　was　Eric　Brighteyes。



〃Is　it　thou　indeed；　Gudruda！〃　he　said　with　a　laugh；　and　his　great

shape　showed　darkly　on　the　snow　mist。



〃Oh；　is　it　thou；　Eric？〃　she　answered。　〃I　was　never　more　joyed　to　see

thee；　for　of　a　truth　thou　dost　come　in　a　good　hour。　A　little　while　and

I　had　seen　thee　no　more；　for　my　eyes　grow　heavy　with　the　death…sleep。〃



〃Nay；　say　not　so。　Art　lost；　then？　Why；　so　am　I。　I　came　out　to　seek

three　horses　that　are　strayed；　and　was　overtaken　by　the　snow。　May　they

dwell　in　Odin's　stables；　for　they　have　led　me　to　thee。　Art　thou　cold；

Gudruda？〃



〃But　a　little；　Eric。　Yea；　there　is　place　for　thee　here　on　the　rock。〃



So　he　sat　down　by　her　on　the　stone；　and　Swanhild　crept　nearer；　for　now

all　weariness　had　left　her。　But　still　the　snow　fell　thick。



〃It　comes　into　my　mind　that　we　two　shall　die　here；〃　said　Gudruda

presently。



〃Thinkest　thou　so？〃　he　answered。　〃Well；　I　will　say　this；　that　I　ask　no

better　end。〃



〃It　is　a　bad　end　for　thee；　Eric：　to　be　choked　in　snow；　and　with　all

thy　deeds　to　do。〃



〃It　is　a　good　end；　Gudruda；　to　die　at　thy　side；　for　so　I　shall　die

happy；　but　I　grieve　for　thee。〃



〃Grieve　not　for　me；　Brighteyes；　worse　things　might　befall。〃



He　drew　nearer　to　her；　and　now　he　put　his　arms　about　her　and　clasped

her　to　his　bosom；　nor　did　she　say　him　nay。　Swanhild　saw　and　lifted

herself　up　behind　them；　but　for　a　while　she　heard　nothing　but　the

beating　of　her　heart。



〃Listen；　Gudruda；〃　Eric　said　at　last。　〃Death　draws　near　to　us；　and

before　it　comes　I　would　speak　to　thee；　if　speak　I　may。〃



〃Speak　on；〃　she　whispers　from　his　breast。



〃This　I　would　say；　then：　that　I　love　thee；　and　that　I　ask　no　better

fate　than　to　die　in　thy　arms。〃



〃First　shalt　thou　see　me　die　in　thine；　Eric。〃



〃Be　sure；　if　that　is　so；　I　shall　not　tarry　for　long。　Oh！　Gudruda；

since　I　was　a　child　I　have　loved　thee　with　a　mighty　love；　and　now　thou

art　all　to　me。　Better　to　die　thus　than　to　live　without　thee。　Speak；

then；　while　there　is　time。〃



〃I　will　not　hide　from　thee；　Eric；　that　thy　words　are　sweet　in　my

ears。〃



And　now　Gudruda　sobs　and　the　tears　fall　fast　from　her　dark　eyes。



〃Nay；　weep　not。　Dost　thou；　then；　love　me？〃



〃Ay；　sure　enough；　Eric。〃



〃Then　kiss　me　before　we　pass。　A　man　should　not　die　thus；　and　yet　men

have　died　worse。〃



And　so　these　two　kissed；　for　the　first　time；　out　in　the　snow　on

Coldback；　and　that　first　kiss　was　long　and　sweet。



Swanhild　heard　and　her　blood　seethed　within　her　as　water　seethes　in　a

boiling　spring　when　the　fires　wake　beneath。　She　put　her　hand　to　her

kirtle　and　gripped　the　knife　at　her　side。　She　half　drew　it；　then　drove

it　back。



〃Cold　kills　as　sure　as　steel；〃　she　said　in　her　heart。　〃If　I　slay　her　I

cannot　save　myself　or　him。　Let　us　die　in　peace；　and　let　the　snow　cover

up　our　troubling。〃　And　once　more　she　listened。



〃Ah；　sweet；〃　said　Eric；　〃even　in　the　midst　of　death　there　is　hope　of

life。　Swear　to　me；　then；　that　if　by　chance　we　live　thou　wilt　love　me

always　as　thou　lovest　me　now。〃



〃Ay；　Eric；　I　swear　that　and　readily。〃



〃And　swear；　come　what　may；　that　thou　wilt　wed　no　man　but　me。〃



〃I　swear；　if　thou　dost　remain　true　to　me；　that　I　will　wed　none　but

thee；　Eric。〃



〃Then　I　am　sure　of　thee。〃



〃Boast　not　overmuch；　Eric：　if　thou　dost　live　thy　days　are　all　before

thee；　and　with　times　come　trials。〃



Now　the　snow　whirled　down　faster　and　more　thick；　till　these　two；

clasped　heart　to　heart；　were　but　a　heap　of　white；　and　all　white　was

the　horse；　and　Swanhild　was　nearly　buried。



〃Where　go　we　when　we　die；　Eric？〃　said　Gudruda；　〃in　Odin's　house　there

is　no　place　for　maids；　and　how　shall　my　feet　fare　without　thee？〃



〃Nay；　sweet；　my　May；　Valhalla　shuts　its　gates　to　me；　a　deedless　man；

up　Bifrost's　rainbow　bridge　I　may　not　travel；　for　I　do　not　die　with

byrnie　on　breast　and　sword　aloft。　To　Hela　shall　we　go；　and　hand　in

hand。〃



〃Art　thou　sure；　Eric；　that　men　find　these　abodes？　To　say　sooth；　at

times　I　misdoubt　me　of　them。〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure　but　that　I　also　doubt。　Still；　I　know　this：　that

where　thou　goest　there　I　shall　be；　Gudruda。〃



〃Then　things　are　well；　and　well　work　the　Norns。＇*＇　Still；　Eric；　of　a

sudden　I　grow　fey：　for　it　comes　upon　me　that　I　shall　not　die　to…night；

but　that；　nevertheless；　I　shall　die　with　thy　arms　about　me；　and　at　thy

side。　There；　I　see　it　on　the　snow！　I　lie　by　thee；　sleeping；　and　one

comes　with　hands　outstretched　and　sleep　falls　from　them　like　a　mist

by　Freya；　it　is　Swanhild's　self！　Oh！　it　is　gone。〃



＇*＇　The　Northern　Fates。



〃It　was　nothing；　Gudruda；　but　a　vision　of　the　snowan　untimely　dream

that　comes　before　the　sleep。　I　grow　cold　and　my　eyes　are　heavy；　kiss

me　once　again。〃



〃It　was　no　dream；　Eric；　and　ever　I　doubt　me　of　Swanhild；　for　I　think

she　loves　thee　also；　and　she　is　fair　and　my　enemy；〃　says　Gudruda；

laying　her　snow…cold　lips　on　his　lips。　〃Oh；　Eric；　awake！　awake！　Se