eric brighteyes-第47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！



speak　of　love　with　him　who　slew　my　brother？　Listen！〃　she　went　on；

looking　on　him　sidelong；　as　one　who　wished　to　look　and　yet　not　seem　to

see：　〃here　thou　must　hide　an　hour；　and；　since　thou　wilt　not　sit　in

silence；　speak　no　tender　words　to　me；　for　it　is　not　fitting；　but　tell

me　of　those　deeds　thou　didst　in　the　south　lands　over　sea；　before　thou

wentest　to　woo　Swanhild　and　camest　hither　to　kill　my　brother。　For　till

then　thou　wast　minetill　then　I　loved　theewho　now　love　thee　not。

Therefore　I　would　hear　of　the　deeds　of　that　Eric　whom　once　I　loved；

before　he　became　as　one　dead　to　me。〃



〃Heavy　words；　lady；〃　said　Eric〃words　to　make　death　easy。〃



〃Speak　not　so；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　unmanly　thus　to　work　upon　my　fears。

Tell　me　those　tidings　of　which　I　ask。〃



So　Eric　told　her　all　his　deeds；　though　he　showed　small　boastfulness

about　them。　He　told　her　how　he　had　smitten　the　war…dragons　of　Ospakar；

how　he　had　boarded　the　Raven　and　with　Skallagrim　slain　those　who

sailed　in　her。　He　told　her　also　of　his　deeds　in　Ireland；　and　of　how　he

took　the　viking　ships　and　came　to　London　town。



And　as　he　told；　Gudruda　listened　as　one　who　hung　upon　her　lover's

dying　words；　and　there　was　but　one　light　in　the　world　for　her；　the

light　of　Eric's　eyes；　and　there　was　but　one　music；　the　music　of　his

voice。　Now　she　looked　upon　him　sidelong　no　longer；　but　with　open　eyes

and　parted　lips　she　drank　in　his　words；　and　always；　though　she　knew　it

not　herself；　she　crept　closer　to　his　side。



Then　he　told　her　how　he　had　been　greatly　honoured　of　the　King　of

England；　and　of　the　battles　he　had　fought　in　at　his　side。　Lastly；　Eric

told　her　how　the　King　would　have　given　him　a　certain　great　lady　of

royal　blood　in　marriage；　and　how　Edmund　had　been　angered　because　he

would　not　stay　in　England。



〃Tell　me　of　this　lady；〃　said　Gudruda；　quickly。　〃Is　she　fair；　and　how

is　she　named？〃



〃She　is　fair；　and　her　name　is　Elfrida；〃　said　Eric。



〃And　didst　thou　have　speech　with　her　on　this　matter？〃



〃Somewhat。〃



Now　Gudruda　drew　herself　away　from　Eric's　side。



〃What　was　the　purport　of　thy　speech？〃　she　said；　looking　down。　〃Speak

truly；　Eric。〃



〃It　came　to　little；〃　he　answered。　〃I　told　her　that　there　was　one　in

Iceland　to　whom　I　was　betrothed；　and　to　Iceland　I　must　go。〃



〃And　what　said　this　Elfrida；　then？〃



〃She　said　that　I　should　get　little　luck　at　the　hands　of　Gudruda　the

Fair。　Moreover；　she　asked；　should　my　betrothed　be　faithless　to　me；　or

put　me　from　her；　if　I　should　come　again　to　England。〃



Now　Gudruda　looked　him　in　the　face　and　spoke。　〃Say；　Eric；　is　it　in　thy

mind　to　sail　for　England　in　the　spring；　if　thou　canst　escape　thy　foes

so　long？〃



Now　Eric　took　counsel　with　himself；　and　in　his　love　and　doubt　grew

guileful　as　he　had　never　been　before。　For　he　knew　well　that　Gudruda

had　this　weaknessshe　was　a　jealous　woman。



〃Since　thou　dost　put　me　from　thee；　that　is　in　my　mind；　lady；〃　he

answered。



Gudruda　heard。　She　thought　on　the　great　and　beauteous　Lady　Elfrida；

far　away　in　England；　and　of　Eric　walking　at　her　side；　and　sorrow　took

hold　of　her。　She　said　no　word；　but　fixed　her　dark　eyes　on　Brighteyes'

face；　and　lo！　they　filled　with　tears。



Eric　might　not　bear　this　sight；　for　his　heart　beat　within　him　as

though　it　would　burst　the　byrnie　over　it。　Suddenly　he　stretched　out

his　arms　and　swept　her　to　his　breast。　Soft　and　sweet　he　kissed　her；

again　and　yet　again；　and　she　struggled　not；　though　she　wept　a　little。



〃It　is　small　blame　to　me；〃　she　whispered；　〃if　thou　dost　hold　me　on　thy

breast　and　kiss　me；　for　thou　art　more　strong　than　I。　Bj？rn　must　know

this　if　his　dead　eyes　see　aught。　Yet　for　thee；　Eric；　it　is　the

greatest　shame　of　all　thy　shames。〃



〃Talk　not；　my　sweet；　talk　not；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　kiss　thou　me：　for　thou

knowest　well　that　thou　lovest　me　yet　as　I　love　thee。〃



Now　the　end　of　it　was　that　Gudruda　yielded　and　kissed　him　whom　she　had

not　kissed　for　many　years。



〃Loose　me；　Eric；〃　she　said；　〃I　would　speak　with　thee；〃　and　he　loosed

her；　though　unwillingly。



〃Hearken；〃　she　went　on；　hiding　her　fair　face　in　her　hands：　〃it　is　true

that　for　life　and　death　I　love　thee　now　as　everhow　much　thou　mayest

never　know。　Though　Bj？rn　be　dead　at　thy　hands；　yet　I　love　thee；　but

how　I　may　wed　thee　and　not　win　the　greatest　shame；　that　I　know　not。　I

am　sure　of　one　thing；　that　we　may　not　bide　here　in　Iceland。　Now　if；

indeed；　thou　lovest　me；　listen　to　my　rede。　Get　thee　back　to　Mosfell；

Eric；　and　sit　there　in　safety　through　this　winter；　for　they　may　not

come　at　thee　yonder　on　Mosfell。　Then；　if　thou　art　willing；　in　the

spring　I　will　make　ready　a　ship；　for　I　have　no　ship　now；　and；

moreover；　it　is　too　late　to　sail。　Then；　perchance；　leaving　all　my

lands　and　goods；　I　will　take　thy　hand；　Eric；　and　we　will　fare　together

to　England；　seeking　such　fortune　as　the　Norns　may　give　us。　What　sayest

thou？〃



〃I　say　it　is　a　good　rede；　and　would　that　the　spring　were　come。〃



〃Ay；　Eric；　would　that　the　spring　were　come。　Our　lot　has　been　hard；　and

I　doubt　much　if　things　will　go　well　with　us　at　the　last。　And　now　thou

must　hence；　for　presently　the　serving…women　will　come　to　seek　me。

Guard　thyself；　Eric；　as　thou　lovest　meguard　thyself；　and　beware　of

Swanhild！〃　Then　once　more　they　kissed　soft　and　long；　and　Eric　went。



But　Gudruda　sat　a　while　behind　the　screen　of　reeds；　and　was　very　happy

for　a　space。　For　it　was　as　though　the　winter　were　past　and　summer

shone　upon　her　heart　again。







XXVII



HOW　GUDRUDA　WENT　UP　TO　MOSFELL



Eric　walked　warily　till　he　came　to　the　dell　where　he　had　left

Skallagrim　and　the　horses。　It　was　the　same　dell　in　which　Groa　had

brewed　the　poison…draught　for　Asmund　the　Priest　and　Unna；　Thorod's

daughter。



〃What　news；　lord？〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃Thou　wast　gone　so　long　that　I

thought　of　seeking　thee。　Hast　thou　seen　Gudruda？〃



〃Ay；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　this　is　the　upshot　of　it；　that　in　the　spring　we

sail　for　England　and　bid　farewell　to　Iceland　and　our　ill　luck。〃



〃Would；　then；　that　it　were　spring；〃　said　Skallagrim；　speaking

Brighteyes'　own　words。　〃Why　not　sail　now　and　make　an　end？〃



〃Gudruda　has　no　ship　and　it　is　late　to　take　the　sea。　Also　I　think　that

she　would　let　a　time　go　by　because　of　the　blood…feud　which　she　has

against　me　for　the　death　of　Bj？rn。〃



〃I　would　rather　risk　these　things　than　stay　the　winter　through　in

Iceland；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃it　is　long　from　now　to　spring；　and　yon

wolf's　den　is　cold…lying　in　the　dark　months；　as　I　know　well。〃



〃There　is　light　beyond　the　darkness；〃　said　Eric；　and　they　rode　away。

Everything　went　well　with　them　till　late　at　night　they　came　to　the

slopes　of　Mosfell。　They　were　half　asleep　on　their　horses；　being　weary

with　much　riding；　and　the　horses　were　weary　also。　Suddenly；

Skallagrim；　looking　up；　caught　the　faint　gleam　of　light　from　swords

hidden　behind　some　stones。



〃Awake；　lord！〃　he　cried；　〃here　are　foes　ahead。〃



Gizur's　folk　behind　the　stones　heard　his　voice　and　came　out　from　their

ambush。　There　were　six　of　them；　and　they　formed　in　line　before　the

pair。　They　were　watching　the　mountain；　for　a　rumour　had　reached　them

that　Eric　was　abroad；　and；　seeing　him；　they　had　hidden　hastily　behind

the　stones。



〃Now　what　counsel　shall　we　take？〃　said　Eric；　drawing　Whitefire。



〃We　have　often　stood　against　men　more　than　six；　and　sometimes　we　have

left　more　men　than　six　to　mark　where　we　stood；〃　answered　Skallagrim。

〃It　is　my　counsel　that　we　ride　at　them！〃



〃So　be　it；〃　said　Eric；　and　he　spurred　his　weary　horse　with　his　heels。

Now　when　the　six　saw　Eric　and　Skallagrim　charge　on　them　boldly；　they

wavered；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　they　broke　and　fled　to　either　side

before　a　blow　was　struck。　For　it　had　come　to　this　pass；　so　great　was

the　terror　of　the　names　of　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim　Lambstail；

that　no　six　men　dared　to　stand　before　them　in　open　fight。



So　the　path　being　clear　they　rode　on　up　the　slope。　But　when　they　had

gone　a　little　way；　Skallagrim　turned　his　horse；　and　mocked　those　who

had　lain　in　ambush；　saying：



〃Ye　fight　well；　ye　carles　of　Gizur；　Ospakar's　son！　Ye　are　heroes；

surely！　Say　now；　mighty　men；　will　ye　stand　there　if　I　come　down　alone

against　you？〃



At　these　words　the　men　grew　mad　with　wrath；　and　flung　their　spears。

Skallagrim　caught　one　on　his　shield　and　it　fell　to　the　earth；　but

another　passed　over　his　head　and　struck　Eric　on　the　left　shoulder；

near　the　neck；　making　a　deep　wound。　Feeling　the　spear　fast　in　him；

Eric　grasped　it　with　his　right　hand；　drew　it　forth；　and　turning；

hurled　it　so　hard；　that　the　man　before　it　got　his　death　from　the　blow；

for　his　shield　did　not　serve　to　stay　it。　Then　the　rest　fled。



Skallagrim　bound　up　Eric's　wound　as　well　as　he　could；　and　they　went　on

to　the　cave。　But　when　Eric's　folk；　watching　above；　saw　the　fight　they

ran　down　and　met　him。　Now　the　hurt　was　bad　and　Eric　bled　much；　still；

within　ten　days　it　healed　up　for　the　time。



But　a　little　while　after　Eric's　wound　was　skinned　over；　the　snows　set

in　on　Mosfell；　and　the　days　grew　short　and　the　nights　long。　Once

Gizur's　men　to　the　number　of　fifty　came　half　way　up　the　mountain　to

take　it；　but；　when　they　saw　how　strong　the　place　was；　they　feared；　and

went　back；　and　after　that　returned　no　more；　though　they　always　watched

the　fell。



It　was　very　dark　and　lonesome　there　upon　the　fell。　For　a　while　Eric

kept　in　good　heart；　but　as　the　days　went　by　he　grew　troubled。　For

since　he　was　wounded　this　had　come　upon　him；　that　he　feared　the　dark；

and　the　death　of　Atli　at　his　hand　and　Atli's　words　weighed　more　and

more　upon　his　mind。　They　had　no　candles　on　the　fell；　yet；　rather　than

stay　in　the　blackness　of　the　cave；　Eric　would　wrap　sheepskins　about

him　and　sit　by　the　edge　of　that　gulf　down　which　the　head　of　the

Baresark　had　foretold　his　fall；　and　look　out　at　the　wide　plains　and

fells　and　ice…mountains；　gleaming　in　the　silver　shine　of　the　Northern

lights　or