eric brighteyes-第41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！



〃Ye　are　evil；　the　twain　of　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　ye　have　told　lies　of

Eric；　my　son；　and　ye　have　taken　his　bride　for　lust　and　greed；　playing

on　the　jealous　folly　of　a　maid　like　harpers　on　a　harp。　Now　I　tell　you

this；　Bj？rn　and　Ospakar！　My　blind　eyes　are　opened　and　I　see　this　hall

of　Middalhof；　and　lo！　it　is　but　a　gore　of　blood！　Blood　flows　upon　the

boardblood　streams　along　the　floor；　and　yeye　twain！lie　dead

thereon；　and　about　your　shapes　are　shrouds；　and　on　her　feet　are　Hell…

shoon！　Eric　comes　and　Whitefire　is　aloft；　and　no　more　shall　ye　stand

before　him　whom　ye　have　slandered　than　stands　the　birch　before　the

lightning　stroke！　Eric　comes！　I　see　his　angry　eyesI　see　his　helm

flash　in　the　door…place！　Red　was　that　marriage…feast　at　which　sat

Unna；　my　kinswoman；　and　Asmund；　thy　fatherredder　shall　be　the　feast

where　sit　Gudruda；　thy　sister；　and　Ospakar！　The　wolf　howls　at　thy

door；　Bj？rn！　the　grave…worm　opens　his　mouth！　trolls　run　to　and　fro

upon　thy　threshold；　and　the　ghosts　of　men　speed　Hellwards！　Ill　were

the　deeds　of　Groaworse　shall　be　the　deeds　of　Groa's　daughter！　Red　is

thy　hall　with　blood；　Bj？rn！for　Whitefire　is　aloft　and/I　tell　thee

Eric　comes！/〃and　with　one　great　cry　she　fell　backdead。



Now　they　stood　amazed；　and　trembling　in　their　fear。



〃Saevuna　hath　spoken　strange　words；〃　said　Bj？rn。



〃Shall　we　be　frightened　by　a　dead　hag？〃　quoth　Ospakar；　drawing　his

breath　again。　〃Fellows；　bear　this　carrion　forth；　or　we　fling　it　to　the

dogs。〃



Then　the　men　tied　the　body　of　Saevuna；　Thorgrimur's　widow；　Eric's

mother；　fast　in　the　chair；　and　bore　it　thence。　But　when　at　length　they

came　to　Coldback；　they　found　that　Swanhild　was　there　with　all　her

following；　and　had　driven　Eric's　grieve　and　his　folk　to　the　fells。　But

one　old　carline；　who　had　been　nurse　to　Eric；　was　left　there；　and　she

sat　wailing　in　an　outhouse；　being　too　weak　to　move。



Then　the　men　set　down　the　corpse　of　Saevuna　in　the　outhouse；　and；

having　told　all　their　tale　to　the　carline；　they　fled　also。



That　night　passed；　and　passed　the　morrow；　but　on　the　next　day　at　dawn

Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim　Lambstail　landed　near　Westman　Isles。

They　had　made　a　bad　passage　from　Fareys；　having　been　beat　about　by

contrary　winds；　but　at　length　they　came　safe　and　well　to　land。



Now　this　was　the　day　of　the　marriage…feast　of　Gudruda　the　Fair　and

Ospakar；　but　Eric　knew　nothing　of　these　tidings。



〃Where　to　now；　lord？〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃To　Coldback　first；　to　see　my　mother；　if　she　yet　lives；　and　to　learn

tidings　of　Gudruda。　Then　as　it　may　chance。〃



Near　to　the　beach　was　a　yeoman's　house。　Thither　they　went　to　hire

horses；　but　none　were　in　the　house；　for　all　had　gone　to　Gudruda's

marriage…feast。　In　the　home　meadow　ran　two　good　horses；　and　in　the

outhouses　were　saddles　and　bridles。　They　caught　the　horses；　saddled

them　and　rode　for　Coldback。　When　they　had　ridden　for　something　over　an

hour　they　came　to　the　crest　of　a　height　whence　they　could　see　Coldback

in　the　Marsh。



Eric　drew　rein　and　looked；　and　his　heart　swelled　within　him　at　the

sight　of　the　place　where　he　was　born。　But　as　he　looked　he　saw　a　great

train　of　people　ride　away　from　Coldback　towards　Middalhofand　in　the

company　a　woman　wearing　a　purple　cloak。



〃Now　what　may　this　mean？〃　said　Eric。



〃Ride　on　and　we　shall　learn；〃　answered　Skallagrim。



So　they　rode　on；　and　as　they　rode　Eric's　breast　grew　heavy　with　fear。

Now　they　passed　up　the　banked　way　through　the　home　meadows　of　the

house；　but　they　could　see　no　one；　and　now　they　were　at　the　door。　Down

sprang　Eric　and　walked　into　the　hall。　But　none　were　there　to　greet

him；　though　a　fire　yet　burned　upon　the　earth。　Only　a　gaunt　hound

wandered　about　the　hall；　and；　seeing　him；　sprang　towards　him；

growling。　Eric　knew　him　for　his　old　wolf…hound；　and　called　him　by　his

name。　The　dog　listened；　then　ran　up　and　smelt　his　hands；　and

straightway　howled　with　joy　and　leapt　upon　him。　For　a　while　he　leapt

thus；　while　Eric　stared　around　him　wondering　and　sad　at　heart。　Then

the　dog　ran　to　the　door　and　stopped；　whining。　Eric　followed　after　him。

The　hound　passed　through　the　entrance；　and　across　the　yard　till　he

came　to　an　outhouse。　Here　the　dog　stopped　and　scratched　at　the　door；

still　whining。　Eric　thrust　it　open。　Lo！　there　before　him　sat　Saevuna；

his　mother；　dead　in　a　chair；　and　at　her　feet　crouched　the　carlineshe

who　had　been　Eric's　nurse。



Now　he　grasped　the　door…posts　to　steady　himself；　and　his　shadow　fell

upon　the　white　face　of　his　mother　and　the　old　carline　at　her　feet。







XXIII



　　　　HOW　ERIC　WAS　A　GUEST　AT　THE　WEDDING…FEAST　OF　GUDRUDA　THE　FAIR



Eric　looked；　but　said　nothing。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　whined　the　carline；　gazing　up　at　him　with　tear…blinded

eyes。　But　Eric's　face　was　in　the　shadow；　and　she　only　saw　the　glint　of

his　golden　hair　and　the　flash　of　the　golden　helm。　For　Eric　could　not

speak　yet　a　while。



〃Art　thou　one　of　the　Swanhild's　folk；　come　to　drive　me　hence　with　the

rest？　Good　sir；　I　cannot　go　to　the　fells；　my　limbs　are　too　weak。　Slay

me；　if　thou　wilt；　but　drive　me　not　from　this；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the

corpse。　〃Say　now；　will　thou　not　help　me　to　give　it　burial？　It　is

unmeet　that　she　who　in　her　time　had　husband；　and　goods；　and　son；

should　lie　unburied　like　a　dead　cow　on　the　fells。　I　have　still　a

hundred　in　silver；　if　I　might　but　come　at　it。　It　is　hidden；　sir；　and　I

will　pay　thee　if　thou　wilt　help　me　to　bury　her。　These　old　hands　are

too　feeble　to　dig　a　grave；　nor　could　I　bear　her　there　alone　if　it　were

dug。　Thou　wilt　not　help　me？then　may　thine　own　mother's　bones　lie

uncovered；　and　be　picked　of　gulls　and　ravens。　Oh；　that　Eric　Brighteyes

would　come　home　again！　Oh；　that　Eric　was　here！　there　is　work　to　do　and

never　a　man　to　do　it。〃



Now　Eric　gave　a　great　sob　and　cried；　〃Nurse；　nurse！　knowest　thou　me

not！　/I/　am　Eric　Brighteyes。〃



She　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and；　clasping　him　by　the　knees；　looked　up　into

his　face。



〃Thanks　be　to　Odin！　Thou　art　EricEric　come　home　again！　But　alas；

thou　hast　come　too　late！〃



〃What　has　happened；　then？〃　said　Eric。



〃What　has　happened？　All　evil　things。　Thou　art　outlawed；　Eric；　at　the

suit　of　Swanhild　for　the　slaying　of　Atli　the　Earl。　Swanhild　sits　here

in　Coldback；　for　she　hath　seized　thy　lands。　Saevuna；　thy　mother；　died

two　days　ago　in　the　hall　of　Middalhof；　whither　she　went　to　speak　with

Gudruda。〃



〃Gudruda！　what　of　Gudruda？〃　cried　Eric。



〃This；　Brighteyes：　to…day　she　weds　Ospakar　Blacktooth。〃



Eric　covered　his　face　with　his　hand。　Presently　he　lifted　it。



〃Thou　art　rich　in　evil　tidings；　nurse；　though；　it　would　seem；　poor　in

all　besides。　Tell　me　at　what　hour　is　the　wedding…feast？〃



〃An　hour　after　noon；　Eric；　but　now　Swanhild　has　ridden　thither　with

her　company。〃



〃Then　room　must　be　found　at　Middalhof　for　one　more　guest；〃　said　Eric；

and　laughed　aloud。　〃Go　on！pour　out　thy　evil　news　and　spare　me　not！

for　nothing　has　any　more　power　to　harm　me　now！　Come　hither；

Skallagrim；　and　see　and　hearken。〃



Skallagrim　came　and　looked　on　the　face　of　dead　Saevuna。



〃I　am　outlawed　at　Swanhild's　suit；　Lambstail。　My　life　lies　in　thy

hand；　if　so　be　thou　wouldst　take　it！　Hew　off　my　head；　if　thou　wilt；

and　bear　it　to　Gudruda　the　Fairshe　will　thank　thee　for　the　gift。　Lay

on；　Lambstail；　lay　on　with　that　axe　of　thine。〃



〃Child's　talk！〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Child's　talk；　but　man's　work！　Thou　hast　not　heard　the　tale　out。

Swanhild　hath　seized　my　lands　and　sits　here　at　Coldback！　Andwhat

thinkest　thou；　Skallagrim？but　now　she　has　ridden　a…guesting　to　the

marriage…feast　of　Ospakar　Blacktooth　with　Gudruda　the　Fair！　Swanhild

at　Gudruda's　wedding！the　eagle　in　the　wild　swan's　nest！　But　there

will　be　another　guest；〃　and　again　he　laughed　aloud。



〃/Two/　other　guests；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃More　of　thy　tale；　old　nurse！more　of　thy　tale！〃　quoth　Eric。　〃No

better　didst　thou　ever　tell　me　when；　as　a　lad；　I　sat　by　thee；　in　the

ingle　o'　winter　nightsand　the　company　is　fitting　to　the　tale！〃　and

he　pointed　to　dead　Saevuna。



Then　the　carline　told　on。　She　told　how　Hall　of　Lithdale　had　come　out

to　Iceland；　and　of　the　story　that　he　bore　to　Gudruda；　and　of　the

giving　of　the　lock　of　hair。



〃What　did　I　say；　lord？〃　broke　in　Skallagrim〃that　in　Hall　thou　hadst

let　a　weasel　go　who　would　live　to　nip　thee？〃



〃Him　I　will　surely　live　to　shorten　by　a　head；〃　quoth　Eric。



〃Nay；　lord；　this　one　for　meOspakar　for　thee；　Hall　for　me！〃



〃As　thou　wilt；　Baresark。　Among　so　many　there　is　room　to　pick　and

choose。　Tell　on；　nurse！〃



Then　she　told　how　Swanhild　came　out　to　Iceland；　and；　having　won

Ospakar　Blacktooth　and　Gizur　to　her　side；　had　laid　a　suit　against　Eric

at　the　Thing；　and　there　bore　false　witness　against　him；　so　that

Brighteyes　was　declared　outlaw；　being　absent。　She　told；　too；　how

Gudruda　had　betrothed　herself　to　Ospakar；　and　how　Swanhild　had　moved

down　to　Coldback　and　seized　the　lands。　Lastly　she　told　of　the　rising

of　Saevuna　from　her　deathbed；　of　her　going　to　Middalhof；　of　the　words

she　spoke　to　Bj？rn　and　Ospakar；　and　of　her　death　in　the　hall　at

Middalhof。



When　all　was　told；　Eric　stooped　and　kissed　the　cold　brow　of　his

mother。



〃There　is　little　time　to　bury　thee　now；　my　mother；〃　he　said；　〃and

perchance　before　six　hours　are　sped　there　will　be　one　to　bury　at　thy

side。　Nevertheless；　thou　shalt　sit　in　a　better　place　than　this。〃



Then　he　cut　loose　the　cords　that　bound　the　body　of　Saevuna　to　the

chair；　and；　lifting　it　in　his　arms；　bore　it　to　the　hall。　There　he　set

the　corpse　in　the　high　seat　of　the　hall。



〃We　need　not　start　yet　a　while；　Skallagrim；〃　said　Eric；　〃if　indeed

thou　wouldst　go　a…guesting　with　me　to　Middalhof。　Therefore　let　us　eat

and　drink；　for　there　are　deeds　to　do　this　day。〃



So　they　found　meat　and　mead　and　ate　and　drank。　Then　Eric　washed

himself；　combed　out　his　golden　locks；　and　looked　well　to　his　harness

and　to　Whitefire's　edge。　Skallagrim　also　ground　his　g