eric brighteyes-第44部分

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he　came；　Swanhild　whispered　an　eager　word　into　the　ear　of　Bj？rn。　By

Bj？rn's　foot　lay　that　half　of　Eric's　shield　which　had　been　shorn　away

by　the　sword　of　Ospakar。　Gudruda；　watching；　saw　Bj？rn　push　it　with　his

shoe　so　that　it　slid　before　the　feet　of　Brighteyes。　His　right　foot

caught　on　it；　he　stumbled　heavilystumbled　again；　then　fell　prone　on

his　face；　and；　as　he　fell；　stretched　out　his　sword　hand　to　save

himself；　so　that　Whitefire　flew　from　his　grasp。　The　blade　struck　its

hilt　against　the　ground；　then　circled　in　the　air　and　fixed　itself；

point　downwards；　in　the　clay　of　the　flooring。　The　hand　of　Ospakar

rising　from　the　ground　smote　against　the　hilt　of　Whitefire。　He　saw　it；

with　a　shout　he　cast　his　own　sword　away　and　clasped　Whitefire。



Away　circled　the　sword　of　Ospakar；　and　of　that　cast　this　strange　thing

is　told；　false　or　true。　Far　in　the　corner　of　the　hall　lurked　Thorunna；

she　who　had　betrayed　Skallagrim　when　he　was　named　Ounound。　She　had

come　with　a　heavy　heart　to　Middalhof　in　the　company　of　Ospakar；　but

when　she　saw　Skallagrim；　her　husbandwhom　she　had　betrayed；　and　who

had　turned　Baresark　because　of　her　wickednessshame　smote　her；　and

she　crept　away　and　hid　herself　behind　the　hangings　of　the　hall。　The

sword　sped　along　point　first；　it　rushed　like　a　spear　through　the　air。

It　fell　on　the　hangings；　piercing　them；　piercing　the　heart　of

Thorunna；　who　cowered　behind　them；　so　that　with　one　cry　she　sank　dead

to　earth；　slain　by　her　lover's　hand。







Now　when　men　saw　that　Ospakar　once　more　held　Whitefire　in　his　hand

Whitefire　that　Brighteyes　had　won　from　himthey　called　aloud　that　it

was　an　omen。　The　sword　of　Blacktooth　had　come　back　to　Blacktooth　and

now　Eric　would　surely　be　slain　of　it！



Eric　sprang　from　the　ground。　He　heard　the　shouts　and　saw　Whitefire

blazing　in　Ospakar's　hand。



〃Now　thou　art　weaponless；　fly！　Brighteyes；　fly！〃　cried　some。



Gudruda's　cheek　grew　white　with　fear；　and　for　a　moment　Eric's　heart

failed　him。



〃Fly　not！〃　roared　Skallagrim。　〃Bj？rn　tripped　thee。　Yet　hast　thou　half

a　shield！〃



Ospakar　rushed　on；　and　Whitefire　flickered　over　Eric's　helm。　Down　it

came　and　shore　one　wing　from　the　helm。　Again　it　shone　and　fell；　but

Brighteyes　caught　the　blow　on　his　broken　shield。



Then；　while　men　waited　to　see　him　slain；　Eric　gave　a　great　war…shout

and　sprang　forward。



〃Thou　art　mad！〃　shouted　the　folk。



〃Ye　shall　see！　Ye　shall　see！〃　screamed　Skallagrim。



Again　Ospakar　smote　and　again　Eric　caught　the　blow；　and　behold！　he

struck　back；　thrusting　with　the　point　of　the　shorn　shield　straight　at

the　face　of　Ospakar。



〃/Peck！　Eagle；　peck！/〃　cried　Skallagrim。



Once　more　Whitefire　shone　above　him。　Eric　rushed　in　beneath　the　sword；

and　with　all　his　mighty　strength　thrust　the　buckler…point　at

Blacktooth's　face。　It　struck　fair　and　full；　and　lo！　the　helm　of

Ospakar　burst　asunder。　He　threw　wide　his　giant　arms；　then　fell　as　a

pine　falls　upon　the　mountain　edge。　He　fell　back；　and　he　lay　still。



But　Eric；　stooping　over　him；　took　Whitefire　from　his　hand。







XXV



HOW　THE　FEAST　ENDED



For　a　moment　there　was　silence　in　the　hall；　for　men　had　known　no　such

fight　as　this。



〃Why；　then；　do　ye　gape？〃　laughed　Skallagrim；　pointing　with　the　spear。

〃Dead　is　Ospakar！slain　by　the　swordless　man！　Eric　Brighteyes　hath

slain　Ospakar　Blacktooth！〃



Then　there　went　up　such　a　shout　as　never　was　heard　in　the　hall　of

Middalhof。



Now　when　Gudruda　knew　that　Ospakar　was　sped；　she　looked　at　Eric　as　he

rested；　leaning　on　his　sword；　and　her　heart　was　filled　with　awe　and

love。　She　sprang　from　her　seat；　and；　coming　to　where　Brighteyes　stood；

she　greeted　him。



〃Welcome　to　Iceland；　Eric！〃　she　said。　〃Welcome；　thou　glory　of　the

south！〃



Now　Swanhild　grew　wild；　for　she　saw　that　Eric　was　about　to　take

Gudruda　in　his　arms　and　kiss　her　before　all　men。



〃Say；　Bj？rn；〃　she　cried；　〃wilt　thou　suffer　that　this　outlaw；　having

slain　Ospakar；　should　lead　Gudruda　hence　as　wife？〃



〃He　shall　never　do　so　while　I　live；〃　cried　Bj？rn；　nearly　mad　with

rage。　〃This　is　my　command；　sister：　that　thou　dost　see　Eric　no　more。〃



〃Say；　Bj？rn；〃　answered　Gudruda；　〃did　I　dream；　or　did　I　indeed　see　thee

thrust　the　broken　buckler　before　Eric's　feet；　so　that　he　stumbled　on

it　and　fell？〃



〃That　thou　sawest；　lady；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃for　I　saw　it　also。〃



Now　Bj？rn　grew　white　in　his　anger。　He　did　not　answer　Gudruda；　but

called　aloud　to　his　men　to　slay　Eric　and　Skallagrim。　Gizur　called　also

to　the　folk　of　Ospakar；　and　Swanhild　to　those　who　came　with　her。



Then　Gudruda　fled　back　to　her　seat。



But　Eric　cried　aloud　also：　〃Ye　who　love　me；　cleave　to　me。　Suffer　it

not　that　Brighteyes　be　cut　down　of　northerners　and　outland　men。　Hear

me；　Atli's　folk；　hear　me；　carles　of　Coldback　and　of　Middalhof！〃



And　so　greatly　did　many　love　Eric　that　half　of　the　thralls　of　Bj？rn；

and　almost　all　of　the　company　of　Swanhild　who　had　been　Atli's　shield…

men　and　Brighteyes'　comrades；　drew　swords；　shouting　〃Eric！　Eric！〃　But

the　carles　of　Ospakar　came　on　to　make　an　end　of　him。



Bj？rn　saw；　and；　drawing　sword；　smote　at　Brighteyes；　taking　him

unawares。　But　Skallagrim　caught　the　blow　upon　his　axe；　and　before

Bj？rn　could　smite　again　Whitefire　was　aloft　and　down　fell　Bj？rn；　dead！



That　was　the　end　of　Bj？rn；　Asmund's　son。



〃Thou　hast　squeaked　thy　last；　rat！　What　did　I　tell　thee？〃　cried

Skallagrim。　〃Take　Bj？rn's　shield　and　back　to　back；　lord；　for　here　come

foes。〃



〃There　goes　one；〃　answered　Eric；　pointing　to　the　door。



Now　Hall　of　Lithdale　slunk　through　the　doorwayHall；　the　liar；　who

cut　the　grapnel…chainfor　he　wished　to　see　the　last　of　Skallagrim。

But　the　Baresark　still　held　Eric's　spear　in　his　hand。　He　whirled　it

aloft；　and　it　hissed　through　the　air。　The　aim　was　good；　for；　as　he

crept　away；　the　spear　struck　Hall　between　neck　and　shoulder；　pinning

him　to　the　doorpost；　and　there　the　liar　died。



〃Now　the　weasel　is　nailed　to　the　beam；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃Hall　of

Lithdale；　what　did　I　promise　thee？〃



〃Guard　thy　head　and　my　back；〃　quoth　Eric；　〃blows　fall！〃



Now　men　smote　at　Eric　and　Skallagrim；　nor　did　they　spare　to　smite　in

turn。　And　as　foes　fell　before　him；　Eric　stepped　one　pace　forward

towards　the　door；　and　Skallagrim；　who；　back　to　back　with　him；　held　off

those　who　pressed　behind；　took　one　step　rearwards。　Thus；　a　foe　for

every　step；　they　won　their　way　down　the　long　hall。　Fierce　raged　the

fray　around　them；　for；　made　with　hate　and　drink　and　the　lust　of　fight；

Swanhild's　folkEric's　friendsremembering　the　words　of　Atli；　fell

on　Ospakar's；　and　the　people　of　Bj？rn　fell　on　each　other；　brother　on

brother；　and　father　on　sonnor　might　the　fray　be　stayed。　The　boards

were　overthrown；　dead　men　lay　among　the　meats　and　mead；　and　the　blood

of　freeman；　lord　and　thrall　ran　adown　the　floor。　Everywhere　through

the　dusky　hall　glittered　the　sheen　of　flashing　swords　and　rose　the

clang　of　war。　Darts　clove　the　air　like　tongues　of　flame；　and　the

clamour　of　battle　beat　against　the　roof。



Blinded　of　the　Norns　who　brought　these　things　to　pass；　men　sought　no

mercy　and　they　gave　none；　but　smote　and　slew　till　few　were　left　to

slay。



And　still　Gudruda　sat　in　her　bride…seat；　and；　with　eyes　fixed　in

horror；　watched　the　waxing　of　the　war。　Near　to　her　stood　Swanhild；

marking　all　things　with　a　fierce…set　face；　and　calling　down　curses　on

her　folk；　who　one　and　all　cried　〃Eric！　Eric！〃　and　swept　the　thralls　of

Ospakar　as　corn　is　swept　of　the　sickle。



And　there；　nigh　to　the　door；　pale　of　face　and　beautiful　to　see；　golden

Eric　clove　his　way；　and　with　him　went　black　Skallagrim。　Terrible　was

the　flare　of　Whitefire　as　he　flicked　aloft　like　the　levin　in　the

cloud。　Terrible　was　the　flare　of　Whitefire；　but　more　terrible　was　the

light　of　Eric's　eyes；　for　they　seemed　to　flame　in　his　head；　and

wherever　that　fire　fell　it　lighted　men　the　way　to　death。　Whitefire

sung　and　flickered；　and　crashed　the　axe　of　Skallagrim；　and　still

through　the　press　of　war　they　won　their　way。　Now　Gizur　stands　before

them；　spear　aloft；　and　Whitefire　leaps　up　to　meet　him。　Lo！　he　turns

and　flies。　The　coward　son　of　Ospakar　does　not　seek　the　fate　of

Ospakar！



The　door　is　won。　They　stand　without　but　little　harmed；　while　women

wail　aloud。



〃To　horse！〃　cried　Skallagrim；　〃to　horse；　ere　our　luck　fail　us！〃



〃There　is　no　luck　in　this；〃　gasped　Eric；　〃for　I　have　slain　many　men；

and　among　them　is　Bj？rn；　the　brother　of　her　whom　I　would　make　my

bride。〃



〃Better　one　such　fight　than　many　brides；〃　said　Skallagrim；　shaking　his

red　axe。　〃We　have　won　great　glory　this　day；　Brighteyes；　and　Ospakar　is

deadslain　by　a　swordless　man！〃







Now　Eric　and　Skallagrim　ran　to　their　horses；　none　hindering　them；　and；

mounting；　rode　towards　Mosfell。



All　that　evening　and　all　the　night　they　rode；　and　at　morning　they　came

across　the　black　sand　to　Mosfell　slopes　that　are　by　the　Hecla。　Here

they　rested；　and；　taking　off　their　armour；　washed　themselves　in　the

stream：　for　they　were　very　weary　and　foul　with　blood　and　wounds。　When

they　had　finished　washing　and　had　buckled　on　their　harness　again；

Skallagrim；　peering　across　the　plain　with　his　hawk's　eyes；　saw　men

riding　fast　towards　them。



〃Foes　are　soon　afoot；　lord；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　we　had　stayed　their

hunger　for　a　while。〃



〃Would　that　I　might　stay　mine；〃　quoth　Eric。　〃I　am　weary；　and　unfit　for

fight。〃



〃I　have　still　strength　for　one　or　two；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　then

good…night！　But　these　are　no　foes。　They　are　of　the　Coldback　folk。　The

carline　has　kept　her　word。〃



Then　Eric　was　glad；　and　presently　six　men；　headed　by　Jon　his　thrall；

the　same　man　who　had　watched　on　Mosfell　when　Eric　went　up　to　slay　the

Baresark；　rode　to　them　and　greeted　them。　〃Beggar　women；〃　said　Jon；

〃whom　they　met　at　Ran　River；　had　told　them　of　the　death　of　Ospakar；

and　of　the　great　slaying　at　Middalhof；　and　they　would　know　if　the

ti