eric brighteyes-第45部分

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〃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

tidings　were　true。〃



〃It　is　true；　Jon；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　first　give　us　food；　if　ye　have　it；

for　we　are　hungered　and　spent。　When　we　have　eaten　we　will　speak。〃



So　they　led　up　a　pack…horse　and　from　it　took　stockfish　and　smoked

meat；　of　which　Eric　and　Skallagrim　ate　heartily；　till　their　strength

came　back　to　them。



Then　Eric　spoke。　〃Comrades；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　an　outlawed　man；　and；

though　I　have　not　sought　it；　much　blood　is　on　my　head。　Atli　is　dead　at

my　hand；　Ospakar　is　dead　at　my　hand；　Bj？rn　the　Priest；　Asmund's　son；

is　dead　at　my　hand；　and　with　them　many　another　man。　Nor　may　the　matter

stay　here；　for　Gizur；　Blacktooth's　son；　yet　lives；　and　Bj？rn　has　kin

in　the　south；　and　Swanhild　will　buy　friends　with　gold；　and　all　of

these　will　set　on　me　to　slay　me；　so　that　at　the　last　I　die　by　the

sword。〃



〃No　need　for　that；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃Our　vengeance　is　wrought；　and

now；　as　before；　the　sea　is　open；　and　I　think　that　a　welcome　awaits　us

in　London。〃



〃Now　Gudruda　is　widowed　before　she　was　fully　wed；〃　said　Eric；

〃therefore　I　bide　an　outlawed　man　here　in　Iceland。　I　go　hence　no　more；

though　it　be　death　to　stay；　unless　indeed　Gudruda　the　Fair　goes　with

me。〃



〃It　will　be　death；　then；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　the　swords　are　forged

that　we　shall　feel。　The　odds　are　too　heavy；　lord。〃



〃Mayhap；〃　answered　Eric。　〃No　man　may　flee　his　fate；　and　I　shall　not

altogether　grieve　when　mine　finds　me。　Hearken；　comrades：　I　go　up　to

Mosfell　height；　and　there　I　stay；　till　those　be　found　who　can　drag　me

from　my　hole。　But　this　is　my　counsel　to　you：　that　ye　leave　me　to　my

doom；　for　I　am　an　unlucky　man　who　always　chooses　the　wrong　road。〃



〃That　will　not　I；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Nor　we；〃　said　Eric's　folk；　〃Swanhild　holds　Coldback；　and　we　are

driven　to　the　fells。　To　the　fells　then　we　will　go　with　thee；　Eric

Brighteyes；　and　become　cave…dwellers　and　outlaws　for　thy　sake。　Fear

not；　thou　shalt　still　find　many　friends。〃



〃I　did　not　look　for　such　a　thing　at　your　hands；〃　said　Eric；　〃but

stormy　waters　show　how　the　boat　is　built。　May　no　bad　luck　come　to　you

from　your　good　fellowship。　And　now　let　us　to　our　nest。〃



Then　they　caught　the　horses；　and　rode　with　Brighteyes　up　the　steep

side　of　Mosfell；　till　at　length　they　came　to　that　secret　dell　which

Skallagrim　had　once　shown　to　Eric。　Here　they　turned　the　horses　loose

to　feed；　and；　going　forward　on　foot；　reached　the　dark　and　narrow　pass

that　Brighteyes　had　trod　when　he　sought　for　the　Baresark　foe。

Skallagrim　led　the　way　along　it；　then　came　Eric　and　the　rest。　One　by

one　they　stepped　on　to　the　giddy　point　of　rock；　and；　catching　at　the

birch…bush；　entered　the　hole。　So　they　gained　the　platform　and　the

great　cave　beyond；　and　they　found　that　no　man　had　set　foot　there　since

the　day　when　Eric　had　striven　with　Skallagrim。　For　there　on　the　rock；

rotten　with　the　weather；　lay　that　haft　of　wood　which　Brighteyes　had

hewed　from　the　axe　of　Skallagrim；　and　in　the　cave　were　many　things

beside　as　the　Baresark　had　left　them。



So　they　took　up　their　dwelling　in　the　cave；　Eric；　Skallagrim；　and　the

six　Coldback　men；　and　there　they　dwelt　many　months。　But　Eric　sent　out

his　men；　one　at　a　time；　and　got　together　food　and　a　store　of

sheepskins；　and　other　needful　things。　For　he　knew　this　well：　that

Gizur　and　Swanhild　would　before　long　come　up　against　them；　and；　if

they　could　not　take　them　by　force；　would　set　themselves　to　watch　the

mountain…path　and　starve　them　out。







When　Eric　and　Skallagrim　rode　away　from　Middalhof　the　fight　still

raged　fiercely　in　the　hall；　and　nothing　but　death　might　stay　it。　The

minds　of　men　were　mad；　and　they　smote　one　another；　and　slew　each

other；　till　at　length　of　all　that　marriage　company　few　were　left

unharmed；　except　Gizur；　Swanhild；　and　Gudruda。　For　the　serving　thralls

and　womenfolk　had　fled　the　hall；　and　with　them　some　peaceful　men。



Then　Gudruda　spoke　as　one　in　a　dream。



〃Saevuna's　prophecy　was　true；〃　she　said；　〃red　was　the　marriage…feast

of　Asmund　my　father；　redder　has　been　the　marriage…feast　of　Ospakar！

She　saw　the　hall　of　Middalhof　one　gore　of　blood；　and　lo！　it　is　so。

look　upon　thy　work；　Swanhild；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　piled…up　dead

〃look　upon　thy　work；　witch…sister；　and　grow　fearful：　for　all　this

death　is　on　thy　head！〃



Swanhild　laughed　aloud。　〃I　think　it　a　merry　sight；〃　she　cried。　〃The

marriage…feast　of　Asmund　our　father　was　red；　and　thy　marriage…feast；

Gudruda；　has　been　redder。　Would　that　thy　blood　and　the　blood　of　Eric

ran　with　the　blood　of　Bj？rn　and　Ospakar！　That　tale　must　yet　be　told；

Gudruda。　There　shall　be　binding　on　of　Hell…shoes　at　Middalhof；　but　I

bind　them　not。　My　task　is　still　to　come：　for　I　will　live　to　fasten　the

Hell…shoes　on　the　feet　of　Eric；　and　on　thy　feet；　Gudruda！　At　the

least；　I　have　brought　about　this　much；　that　thou　canst　scarcely　wed

Eric　the　outlaw：　for　with　his　own　hand　he　slew　Bj？rn　our　brother；　and

because　of　this　I　count　all　that　death　as　nothing。　Thou　canst　not　mate

with　Brighteyes；　lest　the　wide　wounds　of　Bj？rn　thy　brother　should　take

tongues　and　cry　thy　shame　from　sea　to　sea！〃



Gudruda　made　no　answer；　but　sat　as　one　carved　in　stone。　Then　Swanhild

spoke　again：



〃Let　us　away　to　the　north；　Gizur；　there　to　gather　strength　to　make　an

end　of　Eric。　Say；　wilt　thou　help　us；　Gudruda？　The　blood…feud　for　the

death　of　Bj？rn　is　thine。〃



〃Ye　are　enough　to　bring　about　the　fall　of　one　unfriended　man；〃　Gudruda

said。　〃Go；　and　leave　me　with　my　sorrow　and　the　dead。　Nay！　before　thou

goest；　listen；　Swanhild；　for　there　is　that　in　my　heart　which　tells　me

I　shall　never　look　again　upon　thy　face。　From　evil　to　evil　thou　hast

ever　gone；　Swanhild；　and　from　evil　to　evil　thou　wilt　go。　It　may　well

chance　that　thy　wickedness　will　win。　It　may　well　chance　that　thou　wilt

crown　thy　crimes　with　my　slaying　and　the　slaying　of　the　man　who　loves

me。　But　I　tell　thee　this；　traitressmurderess；　as　thou　artthat　here

the　tale　ends　not。　Not　by　death；　Swanhild；　shalt　thou　escape　the　deeds

of　life！　/There/　they　shall　rise　up　against　thee；　and　/there/　every

shame　that　thou　hast　worked；　every　sin　that　thou　hast　sinned；　and

every　soul　that　thou　hast　brought　to　Hela's　halls；　shall　come　to　haunt

thee　and　to　drive　thee　on　from　age　to　age！　That　witchcraft　which　thou

lovest　shall　mesh　thee。　Shadows　shall　bewilder　thee；　from　the　bowl　of

empty　longings　thou　shalt　drink　and　drink；　and　not　be　satisfied。　Yea！

lusts　shall　mock　and　madden　thee。　Thou　shalt　ride　the　winds；　thou

shalt　sail　the　seas；　but　thou　shalt　find　no　harbour；　and　never　shalt

thou　set　foot　upon　a　shore　of　peace。



〃Go　on；　Swanhilddye　those　hands　in　bloodwade　through　the　river　of

shame！　Seek　thy　desire；　and　finding；　lose！　Work　thy　evil；　and　winning；

fail！　I　yet　shall　triumphI　yet　shall　trample　thee；　and；　in　a　place

to　come；　with　Eric　at　my　side；　I　shall　make　a　mock　of　Swanhild　the

murderess！　Swanhild　the　liar；　and　the　wanton；　and　the　witch！　Now　get

thee　gone！〃



Swanhild　heard。　She　looked　up　at　Gudruda's　face　and　it　was　alight　as

with　a　fire。　She　strove　to　answer；　but　no　words　came。　Then　Groa's

daughter　turned　and　went；　and　with　her　went　Gizur。







Now　women　and　thralls　came　in　and　drew　out　the　wounded　and　those　who

still　breathed　from　among　the　dead；　taking　them　to　the　temple。　They

bore　away　the　body　of　Ospakar　also；　but　they　left　the　rest。







All　night　long　Gudruda　sat　in　the　bride's　seat。　There　she　sat　in　the

silver　summer　midnight；　looking　on　the　slain　who　were　strewn　about　the

great　hall。　All　night　she　sat　alone　in　the　bride's　seat　thinkingever

thinking。



How；　then；　would　it　end？　There　her　brother　Bj？rn　lay　a…coldBj？rn　the

justly　slain　of　Brighteyes；　yet　how　could　she　wed　the　man　who　slew　her

brother？　From　Ospakar　she　was　divorced　by　death；　from　Eric　she　was

divorced　by　the　blood　of　Bj？rn　her　brother！　How　might　she　unravel　this

tangled　skein　and　float　to　weal　upon　this　sea　of　death？　All　things

went　amiss！　The　doom　was　on　her！　She　had　lived　to　an　ill　purposeher

love　had　wrought　evil！　What　availed　it　to　have　been　born　to　be　fair

among　women　and　to　have　desired　that　which　might　not　be？　And　she

herself　had　brought　these　things　to　passshe　had　loosed　the　rock

which　crushed　her！　Why　had　she　hearkened　to　that　false　tale？



Gudruda　sat　on　high　in　the　bride's　seat；　asking　wisdom　of　the　piled…up

dead；　while　the　cold　blue　shadows　of　the　nightless　night　gathered　over

her　and　themgathered；　and　waned；　and　grew　at　last　to　the　glare　of

day。







XXVI



HOW　ERIC　VENTURED　DOWN　TO　MIDDALHOF　AND　WHAT　HE　FOUND



Gizur　went　north　to　Swinefell；　and　Swanhild　went　with　him。　For　now

that　Ospakar　was　dead　at　Eric's　hand；　Gizur　ruled　in　his　place　at

Swinefell；　and　was　the　greatest　lord　in　all　the　north。　He　loved

Swanhild；　and　desired　to　make　her　his　wife；　but　she　played　with　him；

talking　darkly　of　what　might　be。　Swanhild　was　not　minded　to　be　the

wife　of　any　man；　except　of　Eric；　to　all　others　she　was　cold　as　the

winter　earth。　Still；　she　fooled　Gizur　as　she　had　fooled　Atli　the　Good；

and　he　grew　blind　with　love　of　her。　For　still　the　beauty　of　Swanhild

waxed　as　the　moon　waxes　in　the　sky；　and　her　wicked　eyes　shone　as　the

stars　shine　when　the　moon　has　set。



Now　they　came　to　Swinefell；　and　there　Gizur　buried　Ospakar　Blacktooth；

his　father；　with　much　state。　He　set　him　in　a　chamber　of　rock　and

timbers　on　a　mountain…top；　whence　he　might　see　all　the　lands　that　once

were　his；　and　built　up　a　great　mound　of　earth　above　him。　To　this　day

people　tell　that　here　on　Yule　night　black　Ospakar　bursts　out；　and

golden　Eric　rides　down　the　blast　to　meet　him。　Then　come　the　clang　of

swords；　and　groans；　and　the　sound　of　riven　helms；　till　presently

Brighteyes　passes　southward　on　the　wind；　bearing　in　his　hand　the　half

of　a　cloven　shield。



So　Gizur　bound　the　Hell…shoes　on