eric brighteyes-第48部分

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

lights　or　in　the　white　beams　of　the　stars。



It　chanced　that　Eric　had　bidden　the　men　who　stayed　with　him　to　build　a

stone　hut　upon　the　flat　space　of　rock　before　the　cave；　and　to　roof　it

with　turves。　He　had　done　this　that　work　might　keep　them　in　heart；　also

that　they　might　have　a　place　to　store　such　goods　as　they　had　gathered。

Now　there　was　one　stone　lying　near　that　no　two　men　of　their　number

could　move；　except　Skallagrim　and　one　other。　One　day；　while　it　was

light；　Eric　watched　these　two　rolling　the　stone　along　to　where　it　must

stand；　and　it　was　slow　work。　Presently　they　stayed　to　rest。　Then　Eric

came　and　putting　his　hands　beneath　the　stone；　lifted；　and　while　men

wondered；　he　rolled　the　mass　alone；　to　where　it　should　be　set　as　the

corner　stone　of　the　hut。



〃Ye　are　all　children；〃　he　said；　and　laughed　merrily。



〃Ay；　when　we　set　our　strength　against　thine；　lord；〃　answered

Skallagrim；　〃but　look：　the　blood　runs　from　thy　neckthe　spear…wound

has　broken　out　afresh。〃



〃So　it　is；　surely；〃　said　Eric。　Then　he　washed　the　wound　and　bound　it

up；　thinking　little　of　the　matter。



But　that　night；　according　to　his　custom；　Eric　sat　on　the　edge　of　the

gulf　and　looked　at　the　winter　lights　as　they　played　over　Hecla's

snows。　He　was　sad　and　heavy　at　heart；　for　he　thought　of　Gudruda　and

wondered　much　if　they　should　live　to　wed。　Remembering　Atli's　words；　he

had　little　faith　in　his　good　luck。　Now　as　Eric　sat　and　thought；　the

bandage　on　his　neck　slipped；　so　that　the　hurt　bled；　and　the　frost　got

hold　of　the　wound　and　froze　it；　and　froze　his　long　hair　to　it　also；　in

such　fashion　that　when　he　went　to　the　cave　where　all　men　slept；　he

could　not　loose　his　hair　from　the　sore；　but　lay　down　with　it　frozen　to

him。　On　the　morrow　the　hair　was　caked　so　fast　about　his　neck　that　it

could　only　be　freed　by　shearing　it。　But　this　Eric　would　not　suffer。

None；　he　said；　should　shear　his　hair；　except　Gudruda。　Thus　he　had

sworn；　and　when　he　broke　the　oath　misfortune　had　come　of　it。　He　would

break　that　vow　no　more；　if　it　cost　him　his　life。　For　sorrow　and　his

ill　luck　had　taken　so　great　a　hold　of　Eric's　mind　that　in　some　ways　he

was　scarcely　himself。



So　it　came　to　pass　that　he　fell　more　and　more　sick；　till　at　length　he

could　not　rise　from　his　bed　in　the　cave；　but　lay　there　all　day　and

night；　staring　at　the　little　light　which　pierced　the　gloom。　Still；　he

would　not　suffer　that　anyone　should　touch　his　hair。　And　when　one　stole

upon　him　sleeping；　thinking　so　to　cut　it　before　he　woke；　and　come　at

the　wound；　suddenly　he　sat　up　and　dealt　the　man　such　a　buffet　on　the

head　that　he　went　near　to　death　from　it。



Then　Skallagrim　spoke。



〃On　this　matter；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems　that　Brighteyes　is　mad。　He　will

not　suffer　that　any　touch　his　hair；　except　Gudruda；　and　yet；　if　his

hair　is　not　shorn；　he　must　die；　for　the　wound　will　fester　under　it。

Nor　may　we　cut　it　by　strength；　for　then　he　will　kill　himself　in

struggling。　It　is　come　to　this　then：　either　Gudruda　must　be　brought

hither　or　Eric　will　shortly　die。〃



〃That　may　not　be；〃　they　answered。　〃How　can　the　lady　Gudruda　come　here

across　the　snows；　even　if　she　will　come？〃



〃Come　she　can；　if　she　has　the　heart；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃though　I　put

little　trust　in　women's　hearts。　Still；　I　ride　down　to　Middalhof；　and

thou；　Jon；　shalt　go　with　me。　For　the　rest；　I　charge　you　watch　your

lord；　for；　if　I　come　back　and　find　anything　amiss；　that　shall　be　the

death　of　some；　and　if　I　do　not　come　back　but　perish　on　the　road；　yet　I

will　haunt　you。〃



Now　Jon　liked　not　this　task；　still；　for　love　of　Eric　and　fear　of

Skallagrim；　he　set　out　with　the　Baresark。　They　had　a　hard　journey

through　the　snow…drifts　and　the　dark；　but　on　the　third　day　they　came

to　Middalhof；　knocked　upon　the　door　and　entered。



Now　it　was　supper…time；　and　people；　sitting　at　meat；　saw　a　great　black

man；　covered　with　snow　and　rime；　stalk　up　the　hall；　and　after　him

another　smaller　man；　who　groaned　with　the　cold；　and　they　wondered　at

the　sight。　Gudruda　sat　on　the　high　seat　and　the　firelight　beat　upon

her　face。



〃Who　comes　here？〃　she　said。



〃One　who　would　speak　with　thee；　lady；〃　answered　Skallagrim。



〃Here　is　Skallagrim　the　Baresark；〃　said　a　man。　〃He　is　an　outlaw；　let

us　kill　him！〃



〃Ay；　it　is　Skallagrim；〃　he　answered；　〃and　if　there　is　killing　to　be

done；　why　here's　that　which　shall　do　it；〃　and　he　drew　out　his　axe　and

smiled　grimly。



Then　all　held　their　peace；　for　they　feared　the　axe　of　Skallagrim。



〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　come　for　slaying　or　such　child's　play；　I

come　to　speak　a　word　in　thine　earbut　first　I　ask　a　cup　of　mead　and　a

morsel　of　food；　for　we　have　spent　three　days　in　the　snows。〃



So　they　ate　and　drank。　Then　Gudruda　bade　the　Baresark　draw　near　and

tell　her　his　tale。



〃Lady；〃　said　he；　〃Eric；　my　lord；　lies　dying　on　Mosfell。〃



Gudruda　turned　white　as　the　snow。



〃Dying？Eric　lies　dying？〃　she　said。　〃Why；　then；　art　thou　here？〃



〃For　this　cause；　lady：　I　think　that　thou　canst　save　him；　if　he　is　not

already　sped。〃　And　he　told　her　all　the　tale。



Now　Gudruda　thought　a　while。



〃This　is　a　hard　journey；〃　she　said；　'and　it　does　not　become　a　maid　to

visit　outlaws　in　their　caves。　Yet　I　am　come　to　this；　that　I　will　die

before　I　shrink　from　anything　that　may　save　the　life　of　Eric。　When

must　we　ride；　Skallagrim？〃



〃This　night；〃　said　the　Baresark。　〃This　night　while　the　men　sleep；　for

now　night　and　day　are　almost　the　same。　The　snow　is　deep　and　we　have　no

time　to　lose　if　we　would　find　Brighteyes　living。〃



〃Then　we　will　ride　to…night；〃　answered　Gudruda。



Afterwards；　when　people　slept；　Gudruda　the　Fair　summoned　her　women；

and　bade　them　say　to　all　who　asked　for　her　that　she　lay　sick　in　bed。

But　she　called　three　trusty　thralls；　bidding　them　bring　two　pack…

horses　laden　with　hay；　food；　drugs；　candles　made　of　sheep's　fat；　and

other　goods；　and　ride　with　her。　Then；　all　being　ready；　they　rode　away

secretly　up　Stonefell；　Gudruda　on　her　horse　Blackmane；　and　the　others

on　good　geldings　that　had　been　hay…fed　in　the　yard；　and　by　daylight

they　passed　up　Horse…Head　Heights。　They　slept　two　nights　in　the　snow；

and　on　the　second　night　almost　perished　there；　for　much　soft　snow

fell。　But　afterwards　came　frost　and　a　bitter　northerly　wind　and　they

passed　on。　Gudruda　was　a　strong　woman　and　great　of　heart　and　will；　and

so　it　came　about　that　on　the　third　day　she　reached　Mosfell；　weary　but

little　harmed；　though　the　fingers　of　her　left　hand　were　frostbitten。

They　climbed　the　mountain；　and　when　they　came　to　the　dell　where　the

horses　were　kept；　certain　of　Eric's　men　met　them　and　their　faces　were

sad。



〃How　goes　it　now　with　Brighteyes？〃　said　Skallagrim；　for　Gudruda　could

scarcely　speak　because　of　doubt　and　cold。　〃Is　he　dead；　then？〃



〃Nay；〃　they　answered；　〃but　like　to　die；　for　he　is　beside　himself　and

raves　wildly。〃



〃Push　on；〃　quoth　Gudruda；　〃push　on；　lest　it　be　too　late。〃



So　they　climbed　the　mountain　on　foot；　won　the　pass　and　came　to　that

giddy　point　of　rock　where　he　must　tread　who　would　reach　the　platform

that　is　before　the　cave。　Now　since　she　had　hung　by　her　hands　over

Goldfoss　gulf；　Gudruda　had　feared　to　tread　upon　a　height　with　nothing

to　hold　to。　Skallagrim　went　first；　then　called　to　her　to　follow。

Thrice　she　looked；　and　turned　away；　trembling；　for　the　place　was　awful

and　the　fall　bottomless。　Then　she　spoke　aloud　to　herself：



〃Eric　did　not　fear　to　risk　his　life　to　save　me　when　I　hung　over　Golden

Falls；　less；　then；　should　I　fear　to　risk　mine　to　save　him；〃　and　she

stepped　boldly　down　upon　the　point。　But　when　she　stood　there；　over　the

giddy　height；　shivers　ran　along　her　body；　and　her　mind　grew　dark。　She

clutched　at　the　rock；　gave　one　low　cry　and　began　to　fall。　Indeed　she

would　have　fallen　and　been　lost；　had　not　Skallagrim；　lying　on　his

breast　in　the　narrow　hole；　stretched　out　his　arms；　caught　her　by　the

cloak　and　kirtle　and　dragged　her　to　him。　Presently　her　senses　came

back。



〃I　am　safe！〃　she　gasped；　〃but　by　a　very　little。　Methinks　that　here　in

this　place　I　must　live　and　die；　for　I　can　never　tread　yonder　rock

again。〃



〃Thou　shalt　pass　it　safe　enough；　lady；　with　a　rope　round　thee；〃　said

Skallagrim；　and　led　the　way　to　the　cave。



Gudruda　entered；　forgetting　all　things　in　her　love　of　Eric。　A　great

fire　of　turf　burned　in　the　mouth　of　the　cave　to　temper　the　bitter　wind

and　frost；　and　by　its　light　Gudruda　saw　her　love　through　the　smoke…

reek。　He　lay　upon　a　bed　of　skins　at　the　far　end　of　the　cave　and　his

bright　grey　eyes　were　wild；　his　wan　face　was　white；　and　now　of　a

sudden　it　grew　red　with　fever；　and　then　was　white　again。　He　had　thrown

the　sheepskins　from　his　mighty　chest；　the　bones　of　which　stood　out

grimly。　His　long　arms　were　thrust　through　the　locks　of　his　golden

hair；　and　on　one　side　of　his　neck　the　hair　clung　to　him　and　it　was　but

a　black　mass。



He　raved　loudly　in　his　madness。　〃Touch　me　not；　carles；　touch　me　not；

ye　think　me　spent　and　weak；　but；　by　Thor！　if　ye　touch　my　hair；　I　will

loosen　the　knees　of　some。　Gudruda　alone　shall　shear　my　hair：　I　have

sworn　and　I　will　keep　the　oath　that　I　once　broke。　Give　me　snow！　snow！

my　throat　burns！　Heap　snow　on　my　head；　I　bid　you。　Ye　will　not？　Ye　mock

me；　thinking　me　weak！　Where；　then；　is　Whitefire？I　have　yet　a　deed　to

do！　Who　comes　yonder？　Is　it　a　woman's　shape　or　is　it　but　a　smoke…

wraith？　'Tis　Swanhild　the　Fatherless　who　walks　the　waters。　Begone；

Swanhild；　thou　witch！　thou　hast　worked　evil　enough　upon　me。　Nay；　it　is

not　Swanhild；　it　is　Elfrida；　lady；　here　in　England　I　may　not　stay。　In

Iceland　I　am　at　home。　Yea；　yea；　things　go　crossly；　perchance　in　this

garden　we　may　speak　again！〃



Now　Gudruda　could　bear　his　words　no　longer；　bur　ran　to　him　and　knelt

beside　him。



〃Peace；　Eric！〃　she　whispered。　〃Peace！　It　is　I；　thy　love。　It　is

Gudruda；　who　am　come　to　thee。〃



He　turned　his　h