eric brighteyes-第43部分

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thou　art；　dare　not　to　speak　other　than　the　truth！　Nay；　look　not　at　the

door：　for；　if　thou　stirrest；　this　spear　shall　find　thee　before　thou

hast　gone　a　pace！〃



Now　Hall　stood　forward；　trembling　with　fear；　for　he　saw　the　eye　of

Skallagrim　watching　him　close；　and　while　Lambstail　watched；　his

fingers　toyed　with　the　handle　of　his　axe。



〃It　is　true；　lord；　that　Swanhild　charged　me　with　that　message　which　I

gave　to　the　Lady　Gudruda。　Also　she　bade　me　give　the　lock　of　hair。〃



〃And　for　this　service　thou　didst　take　money；　Hall？〃



〃Ay；　lord；　she　gave　me　money　for　my　faring。〃



〃And　all　the　while　thou　knewest　the　tidings　false？〃



Hall　made　no　reply。



〃Answer！〃　thundered　Eric〃answer　the　truth；　knave；　or　by　every　God

that　passes　the　hundred　gates　I　will　not　spare　thee　twice！〃



〃It　is　so；　lord；〃　said　Hall。



〃Thou　liest；　fox！〃　cried　Swanhild；　white　with　wrath　and　casting　a

fierce　look　upon　Hall。　But　men　took　no　heed　of　Swanhild's　words；　for

all　eyes　were　bent　on　Eric。



〃Is　it　now　your　pleasure；　comrades；　that　I　should　tell　you　the　truth？〃

said　Brighteyes。



The　most　part　of　the　company　shouted　〃Yea！〃　but　the　men　of　Ospakar

stood　silent。



〃Speak　on；　Eric；〃　quoth　Gudruda。



〃This　is　the　truth；　then：　Swanhild　the　Fatherless；　Atli's　wife；　has

always　sought　my　love；　and　she　has　ever　hated　Gudruda　whom　I　loved。

From　a　child　she　has　striven　to　work　mischief　between　us。　Ay；　and　she

did　this；　though　till　now　it　has　been　hidden：　she　strove　to　murder

Gudruda；　it　was　on　the　day　that　Skallagrim　and　I　overcame　Ospakar　and

his　band　on　Horse…Head　Heights。　She　thrust　Gudruda　from　the　brink　of

Golden　Falls　while　she　sat　looking　on　the　waters；　and　as　she　hung

there　I　dragged　her　back。　Is　it　not　so；　Gudruda？〃



〃It　is　so；〃　said　Gudruda。



Now　men　murmured　and　looked　at　Swanhild。　But　she　shrank　back；　plucking

at　her　purple　cloak。



〃It　was　for　this　cause；〃　said　Eric；　〃that　Asmund；　Swanhild's　father；

gave　her　choice　to　wed　Atli　the　Earl　and　pass　over　sea　or　to　take　her

trial　in　the　Doom…Ring。　She　wedded　Atli　and　went　away。　Afterwards；　by

witchcraft；　she　brought　my　ship　to　wreck　on　Straumey's　Isleay；　she

walked　the　waters　like　a　shape　of　light　and　lured　us　on　to　ruin；　so

that　all　were　drowned　except　Skallagrim　and　myself。　Is　it　not　so；

Skallagrim？〃



〃It　is　so；　lord。　I　saw　her　with　my　eyes。〃



Again　folk　murmured。



〃Then　we　must　sit　in　Atli's　hall；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　there　we　dwelt　last

winter。　For　a　while　Swanhild　did　no　harm；　till　I　feared　her　no　more。

But　some　three　months　ago；　I　was　left　with　her：　and　a　man　called　Koll；

Groa's　thrall；　of　whom　ye　know；　came　out　from　Iceland；　bringing　news

of　the　death　of　Asmund　the　priest；　of　Unna　my　cousin；　and　of　Groa　the

witch。　To　these　ill…tidings　Swanhild　bribed　him　to　add　something。　She

bribed　him　to　add　this：　that　thou；　Gudruda；　wast　betrothed　to　Ospakar；

and　wouldst　wed　him　on　last　Yule　Day。　Moreover；　he　gave　me　a　certain

message　from　thee；　Gudruda；　and；　in　token　of　its　truth；　the　half　of

that　coin　which　I　broke　with　thee　long　years　ago。　Say　now；　lady；　didst

thou　send　the　coin？〃



〃Nay；　never！〃　cried　Gudruda；　〃many　years　ago　I　lost　the　half　thou

gavest　me；　though　I　feared　to　tell　thee。〃



〃Perchance　one　stands　there　who　found　it；〃　said　Eric；　pointing　with

his　spear　at　Swanhild。　〃At　the　least　I　was　deceived　by　it。　Now　the

tale　is　short。　Swanhild　mourned　with　me；　and　in　my　sorrow　I　mourned

bitterly。　Then　it　was　she　asked　a　boon；　that　lock　of　mine；　Gudruda；

and；　thinking　thee　faithless；　I　gave　it；　holding　all　oaths　broken。

Then　too；　when　I　would　have　left　her；　she　drugged　me　with　a　witch…

draughtay；　she　drugged　me；　and　I　woke　to　find　myself　false　to　my

oath；　false　to　Atli；　and　false　to　thee；　Gudruda。　I　cursed　her　and　I

left　her；　waiting　for　the　Earl；　to　tell　him　all。　But　Swanhild

outwitted　me。　She　told　him　that　other　tale　of　shame　that　ye　have

heard；　and　brought　Koll　to　him　as　witness　of　the　tale。　Atli　was

deceived　by　her；　and　not　until　I　had　cut　him　down　in　anger　at　the

bitter　words　he　spoke；　calling　me　coward　and　niddering；　did　he　know

the　truth。　But　before　he　died　he　knew　it；　and　he　died；　holding　my　hand

and　bidding　those　about　him　find　Koll　and　slay　him。　Is　it　not　so；　ye

who　were　Atli's　men？〃



〃It　is　so；　Eric！〃　they　cried；　〃we　heard　it　with　our　own　ears；　and　we

slew　Koll。　But　afterwards　Swanhild　brought　is　to　believe　that　Earl

Atli　was　distraught　when　he　spoke　thus；　and　that　things　were　indeed　as

she　had　said。〃



Again　men　murmured；　and　a　strange　light　shone　in　Gudruda's　eyes。



〃Now；　Gudruda；　thou　hast　heard　all　my　story；〃　said　Eric。　〃Say；　dost

thou　believe　me？〃



〃I　believe　thee；　Eric。〃



〃Say　then；　wilt　thou　still　wed　yon　Ospakar？〃



Gudruda　looked　on　Blacktooth；　then　she　looked　at　golden　Eric　and

opened　her　lips　to　speak。　But　before　a　word　could　pass　them　Ospakar

rose　in　wrath；　laying　his　hand　upon　his　sword。



〃Thinkest　thou　thus　to　lure　away　my　dove；　outlaw？　First　I　will　see

thee　food　for　crows。〃



〃Well　spoken；　Blacktooth；〃　laughed　Eric。　〃I　waited　for　such　words　from

thee。　Thrice　have　we　striven　togetheronce　out　yonder　in　the　snow；

once　on　Horse…Head　Heights；　and　once　by　Westman　Islesand　still　we

live　to　tell　the　tale。　Come　down；　Ospakar：　come　down　from　that　soft

seat　of　thine　and　here　and　now　let　us　put　it　to　the　proof　who　is　the

better　man。　When　we　met　before；　the　stake　was　Whitefire　set　against　my

eye。　Now　the　stake　is　our　lives　and　fair　Gudruda's　hand。　Talk　no　more；

Ospakar；　but　fall　to　it。〃



〃Gudruda　shall　never　wed　thee；　while　I　live！〃　said　Bj？rn；　〃thou　art　a

landless　loon；　a　brawler；　and　an　outlaw。　Get　thee　gone；　Eric；　with　thy

wolf…hound！〃



〃Squeak　not　so　loud；　ratsqueak　not　so　loud；　lest　hound's　fang　worry

thee！〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Whether　I　wed　Gudruda　or　whether　I　wed　her　not　is　a　matter　that　shall

be　known　in　its　season；〃　said　Eric。　〃For　thy　words；　I　say　this：　that

it　is　risky　to　hurl　names　at　such　as　I　am；　Bj？rn；　lest　perchance　I

answer　them　with　spear…thrusts。　Thy　answer；　Ospakar！　What　need　to

wait？　Thy　answer！〃



Now　Ospakar　looked　at　Brighteyes　and　grew　afraid。　He　was　a　mighty　man；

but　he　knew　the　weight　of　Eric's　arm。



〃I　will　not　fight　with　thee；　carle；〃　he　said；　〃who　hast　naught　to

lose。〃



〃Then　thou　art　coward　and　niddering！〃　said　Eric。　〃Ospakar　/Niddering/

I　name　thee　here　before　all　men！　What！　thou　couldst　plot　against　me

thou　couldst　waylay　me；　ten　to　one　and　two　ships　to　one；　but　face　to

face　with　me　alone　thou　dost　not　dare　to　stand？　Comrades；　look　on　your

lord！look　at　Ospakar　the　/Niddering！/〃



Now　the　swarthy　brow　of　Blacktooth　grew　red　with　rage；　and　his　breath

came　in　great　gasps。　〃Ho；　men！〃　he　cried；　〃drive　this　knave　away。

Strip　his　harness　off　him　and　whip　him　hence　with　rods。〃



〃Let　but　a　man　stir　towards　me　and　this　spear　flies　through　thy　heart；

Niddering；〃　cried　Eric。　〃Gudruda；　what　thinkest　thou　of　thy　lord？〃



〃I　know　this；〃　said　Gudruda；　〃that　I　will　not　wed　a　man　who　is　named

'Niddering'　in　the　face　of　all　and　lifts　no　sword。〃



Gudruda　spoke　thus；　because　she　was　mad　with　love　and　fear　and　shame；

and　she　desired　that　Eric　should　stand　face　to　face　with　Ospakar

Blacktooth；　for　thus；　alone；　she　might　perhaps　be　rid　of　Ospakar。



〃Such　words　do　not　come　well　from　gentle　lips；〃　said　Bj？rn。



〃Is　it　to　be　borne；　brother；〃　answered　Gudruda；　〃that　the　man　who

would　call　me　wife　should　be　named　Ospakar　the　Niddering？　When　that

shame　is　washed　away；　and　then　only；　can　I　think　on　marriage。　I　will

never　be　Niddering's　bride！〃



〃Thou　hearest；　Ospakar　Niddering？〃　said　Eric。　Then　he　gave　the　spear

in　his　hand　to　Skallagrim；　and；　gripping　Whitefire's　hilt；　he　burst

the　peace…strings；　and　tore　it　from　the　scabbard。



Now　the　great　sword　shone　on　high　like　lightning　leaping　from　a　cloud；

and　as　it　shone　men　shouted；　〃/Ospakar！　Ospakar　Niddering！/　Come；　win

back　Whitefire　from　Eric's　hand；　or　be　for　ever　shamed！〃



Blacktooth　could　endure　this　no　more。　He　snatched　sword　and　shield；

and；　like　a　bear　from　a　cave；　like　a　wolf　from　his　lair；　rushed

roaring　from　his　seat。　On　he　came；　and　the　ground　shook　beneath　his

bulk。



〃At　last；　Niddering！〃　cried　Eric；　and　sprang　to　meet　him。



〃Back！　all　men；　back！〃　shouted　Skallagrim；　〃now　we　shall　see　blows。〃



As　he　spoke　the　great　swords　flashed　aloft　and　clanged　upon　the　iron

shields。　So　heavy　were　the　blows　that　fire　leapt　out　from　them。

Ospakar　reeled　back　beneath　the　shock；　and　Eric　was　beaten　to　his

knee。　Now　he　was　up；　but　as　he　rushed；　Ospakar　struck　again　and　swept

away　half　of　Brighteyen's　pointed　shield　so　that　it　fell　upon　the

floor。　Eric　smote　also；　but　Ospakar　dropped　his　knee　to　earth　and　the

sword　hissed　over　him。　Blacktooth　cut　at　Eric's　legs；　but　Brighteyes

sprang　from　the　ground　and　took　no　harm。



Now　some　cried；　〃/Eric！　Eric！/〃　and　some　cried　〃/Ospakar！　Ospakar！/〃

for　no　one　knew　how　the　fight　would　go。



Gudruda　sat　watching　in　the　high　seat；　and　as　blows　fell　her　colour

came　and　went。



Swanhild　drew　near；　watching　also；　and　she　desired　in　her　fierce　heart

to　see　Eric　brought　to　shame　and　death；　for；　should　he　win；　then

Gudruda　would　be　rid　of　Ospakar。　Now　by　her　side　stood　Gizur；

Ospakar's　son；　and　near　to　her　was　Bj？rn。　These　two　held　their　breath；

for；　if　Eric　conquered；　all　their　plans　were　brought　to　nothing。



Even　as　he　sprang　into　the　air；　Eric　smote　down　with　all　his　strength。

The　blow　fell　on　Ospakar's　shield。　It　shore　through　the　shield　and

struck　on　the　shoulder　beneath。　But　Blacktooth's　byrnie　was　good；　nor

did　the　sword　bite　into　it。　Still　the　stroke　was　so　heavy　that　Ospakar

staggered　back　four　paces　beneath　it；　then　fell　upon　the　ground。



Now　folk　raised　a　shout　of　〃/Eric！　Eric！/〃　for　it　seemed　that　Ospakar

was　sped。　Brighteyes；　too；　cried　aloud；　then　rushed　forward。　Now；　as

he　came；　Swanhild　whispered　an　eager　word　into　the　ea