eric brighteyes-第49部分

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

Gudruda；　who　am　come　to　thee。〃



He　turned　his　head　and　looked　upon　her　strangely。



〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　not　Gudruda　the　Fair。　She　will　have　little

to　do　with　outlaws；　and　this　is　too　rough　a　place　for　her　to　come　to。

It　is　dark　also　and　Atli　speaks　in　the　darkness。　If　thou　art　Gudruda；

give　me　a　sign。　Why　comest　thou　here　and　where　is　Skallagrim？　Ah！　that

was　a　good　fight



　〃Down　among　the　ballast　tumbling

　　Ospakar's　shield…carles　were　rolled。



〃But　he　should　never　have　slain　the　steersman。　The　axe　goes　first　and

Skallagrim　follows　after。　Ha；　ha！　Ay；　Swanhild；　we'll　mingle　tears。

Give　me　the　cup。　Why；　what　is　this？　Thou　art　afire；　a　glory　glows

about　thee；　and　from　thee　floats　a　scent　like　the　scent　of　the　Iceland

meads　in　May。〃



〃Eric！　Eric！〃　cried　Gudruda；　〃I　am　come　to　shear　thy　hair；　as　thou

didst　swear　that　I　alone　should　do。〃



〃Now　I　know　that　thou　art　Gudruda；〃　said　the　crazed　man。　〃Cut；　cut；

but　let　not　those　knaves　touch　my　head；　lest　I　should　slay　them。〃



Then　Gudruda　drew　out　her　shears；　and　without　more　ado　shore　off

Brighteyes'　golden　locks。　It　was　no　easy　task；　for　they　were　thick　as

a　horse's　mane；　and　glued　to　the　wound。　Yet　when　she　had　cut　them；　she

loosened　the　hair　from　the　flesh　with　water　which　she　heated　upon　the

fire。　The　wound　was　in　a　bad　state　and　blue；　still　Eric　never　winced

while　she　dragged　the　hair　from　it。　Then　she　washed　the　sore　clean；

and　put　sweet　ointment　on　it　and　covered　it　with　napkins。



This　done；　she　gave　Eric　broth　and　he　drank。　Then；　laying　her　hand

upon　his　head；　she　looked　into　his　eyes　and　bade　him　sleep。　And

presently　he　sleptwhich　he　had　scarcely　done　for　many　daysslept

like　a　little　child。



Eric　slept　for　a　day　and　a　night。　But　at　that　same　hour　of　the

evening；　when　he　had　fallen　asleep；　Gudruda；　watching　him　by　the　light

of　a　taper　that　was　set　upon　a　rock；　saw　him　smile　in　his　dreams。

Presently　he　opened　his　eyes　and　stared　at　the　fire　which　glowed　in

the　mouth　of　the　cave；　and　the　great　shadows　that　fell　upon　the　rocks。



〃Strange！〃　she　heard　him　murmur；　〃it　is　very　strange！　but　I　dreamed　I

slept；　and　that　Gudruda　the　Fair　leaned　over　me　as　I　slept。　Where；

then；　is　Skallagrim？　Perhaps　I　am　dead　and　that　is　Hela's　fire；〃　and

he　tried　to　lift　himself　upon　his　arm；　but　fell　back　from　faintness；

for　he　was　very　weak。　Then　Gudruda　took　his　hand；　and；　leaning　over

him；　spoke：



〃Hush；　Eric！〃　she　said；　〃that　was　no　dream；　for　I　am　here。　Thou　hast

been　sick　to　death；　Eric；　but　now；　if　thou　wilt　rest；　things　shall　go

well　with　thee。〃



〃/Thou/　art　here？〃　said　Eric；　turning　his　white　face　towards　her。　〃Do

I　still　dream；　or　how　comest　thou　here　to　Mosfell；　Gudruda？〃



〃I　came　through　the　snows；　Eric；　to　cut　thy　hair；　which　clung　to　the

festering　wound；　for　in　thy　madness　thou　wouldst　not　suffer　anyone　to

touch　it。〃



〃Thou　camest　through　the　snowsover　the　snowsto　nurse　me；　Gudruda？

Thou　must　love　me　much　then；〃　and　he　was　so　weak　that；　as　he　spoke；

the　tears　rolled　down　Eric's　cheeks。



Then　Gudruda　kissed　him；　weeping　also；　and；　laying　her　face　by　his；

bade　him　be　at　peace；　for　she　was　there　to　watch　him。







XXVIII



HOW　SWANHILD　WON　TIDINGS　OF　ERIC



Now　Eric's　strength　came　back　to　him　and　his　heart　opened　in　the　light

of　Gudruda's　eyes　like　a　flower　in　the　sunshine。　For　all　day　long　she

sat　at　his　side；　holding　his　hand　and　talking　to　him；　and　they　found

much　to　say。



But　on　the　fifth　day　from　the　day　of　his　awakening　she　spoke　thus：



〃Eric；　now　I　must　go　back　to　Middalhof。　Thou　art　safe　and　it　is　not

well　that　I　should　stay　here。〃



〃Not　yet；　Gudruda；〃　he　said；　〃leave　me　not　yet。〃



〃Yes；　love；　I　must　leave　thee。　The　moon　is　bright；　the　sky　has

cleared；　and　the　snow　is　hard　with　frost　and　fit　for　the　hoofs　of

horses。　I　must　go　before　more　storms　come。　Listen　now：　in　the　second

week　of　spring；　if　all　is　well；　I　will　send　thee　a　messenger　with

words　of　token；　then　shalt　thou　come　down　secretly　to　Middalhof；　and

there；　Eric；　we　will　be　wed。　Then；　on　the　next　day；　we　will　sail　for

England　in　a　trading…ship　that　I　shall　get　ready；　to　seek　our　fortune

there。〃



〃It　will　be　a　good　fortune　if　thou　art　by　my　side；〃　said　Eric；　〃so

good　that　I　doubt　greatly　if　I　may　find　it；　for　I　am　Eric　the　Unlucky。

Swanhild　must　yet　be　reckoned　with；　Gudruda。　Yes；　thou　art　right：　thou

must　go　hence；　Gudruda；　and　swiftly；　though　it　grieves　me　much　to　part

with　thee。〃



Then　Eric　called　Skallagrim　and　bade　him　make　things　ready　to　ride

down　to　Middalhof　with　the　Lady　Gudruda。



This　Skallagrim　did　swiftly；　and　afterwards　Eric　and　Gudruda　kissed

and　parted；　and　they　were　sad　at　heart　to　part。



Now　on　the　fifth　day　after　the　going　of　Gudruda；　Skallagrim　came　back

to　Mosfell　somewhat　cold　and　weary。　And　he　told　Eric；　who　could　now

walk　and　grew　strong　again；　that　he　and　Jon　had　ridden　with　Gudruda

the　Fair　to　Horse…Head　Heights；　seeing　no　man；　and　had　left　her　there

to　go　on　with　her　thralls。　He　had　come　back　also　seeing　no　one；　for

the　weather　was　too　cold　for　the　men　of　Gizur　to　watch　the　fell　in　the

snows。







Now　Gudruda　came　safely　to　Middalhof；　having　been　eleven　days　gone；

and　found　that　few　had　visited　the　house；　and　that　these　had　been　told

that　she　lay　sick　abed。　Her　secret　had　been　well　kept；　and；　though

Swanhild　had　no　lack　of　spies；　many　days　went　by　before　she　learned

that　Gudruda　had　gone　up　to　Mosfell　to　nurse　Eric。



After　this　Gudruda　began　to　make　ready　for　her　flight　from　Iceland。

She　called　in　the　moneys　that　she　had　out　at　interest；　and　with　them

bought　from　a　certain　chapman　a　good　trading…ship　which　lay　in　its

shed　under　the　shelter　of　Westman　Isles。　This　ship　she　began　to　make

ready　for　sea　so　soon　as　the　heart　of　the　winter　was　broken；　putting

it　about　that　she　intended　to　send　her　on　a　trading　voyage　to　Scotland

in　the　spring。　And　also　to　give　colour　to　this　tale　she　bought　many

pelts　and　other　goods；　such　as　chapmen　deal　in。



Thus　the　days　passed　onnot　so　badly　for　Gudruda；　who　strove　to　fill

their　emptiness　in　making　ready　for　the　full　and　happy　time；　but　for

Eric　in　his　cave　they　were　very　heavy；　for　he　could　find　nothing　to　do

except　to　sleep　and　eat；　and　think　of　Gudruda；　whom　he　might　not　see。



For　Swanhild　also；　sitting　at　Coldback；　the　days　did　not　go　well。　She

was　weary　of　the　courting　of　Gizur；　whom　she　played　with　as　a　cat

plays　with　a　rat；　and　her　heart　was　sick　with　love；　hate；　and

jealousy。　For　she　well　knew　that　Gudruda　and　Eric　still　clung　to　each

other　and　found　means　of　greeting；　if　not　of　speech。　At　that　time　she

wished　to　kill　Eric　if　she　could；　though　she　would　rather　kill　Gudruda

if　she　dared。　Still；　she　could　not　come　at　Eric；　for　her　men　feared　to

try　the　narrow　way　of　Mosfell；　and　when　they　met　him　in　the　open　they

fled　before　him。



Presently　it　came　to　her　ears　that　Gudruda　made　a　ship　ready　to　sail

to　Scotland　on　a　trading　voyage；　and　she　was　perplexed　by　this　tale；

for　she　knew　that　Gudruda　had　no　love　of　trading　and　never　thought　of

gain。　So　she　set　spies　to　watch　the　ship。　Still；　the　slow　days　drew

on；　and　at　length　the　air　grew　soft　with　spring；　and　flowers　showed

through　the　snow。



Eric　sat　in　his　mountain　nest　waiting　for　tidings；　and　watched　the

nesting　eagles　wheel　about　the　cliffs。　At　length　news　came。　For　one

morning；　as　he　rose；　Skallagrim　told　him　that　a　man　wanted　to　speak

with　him。　He　had　come　to　the　mountain　in　the　darkness；　and　had　lain　in

a　dell　till　the　breaking　of　the　light；　for；　now　that　the　snows　were

melting；　the　men　of　Gizur　and　Swanhild　watched　the　ways。



Eric　bade　them　bring　the　man　to　him。　When　he　saw　him　he　knew　that　he

was　a　thrall　of　Gudruda's　and　welcomed　him　heartily。



〃What　tidings？〃　he　asked。



〃This；　lord；〃　said　the　thrall：　〃Gudruda　the　Fair　bids　me　say　that　she

is　well　and　that　the　snows　melt　on　the　roof　of　Middalhof。〃



Now　this　was　the　signal　word　that　had　been　agreed　upon　between　Eric

and　Gudruda；　that　she　should　send　him　when　all　was　ready。



〃Good；〃　said　Eric；　〃ride　back　to　Gudruda　the　Fair　and　say　that　Eric

Brighteyes　is　well；　but　on　Hecla　the　snows　melt　not。〃



By　this　answer　he　meant　that　he　would　be　with　her　presently；　though

the　thrall　could　make　nothing　of　it。　Then　Skallagrim　asked　tidings　of

the　man；　and　learned　that　Swanhild　was　still　at　Middalhof；　and　with

her　Gizur；　and　that　they　gave　out　that　they　wished　to　make　an　end　of

waiting　and　slay　Eric。



〃First　snare　your　bird；　then　wring　his　neck；〃　laughed　Skallagrim。



Then　Eric　did　this：　among　his　men　were　some　who　he　knew　were　not

willing　to　sail　from　Iceland；　and　Jon；　his　thrall；　was　of　them；　for

Jon　did　not　love　the　angry　sea。　He　bade　these　bide　a　while　on　Mosfell

and　make　fires　nightly　on　the　platform　of　rock　which　is　in　front　of

the　cave；　that　the　spies　of　Gizur　and　Swanhild　might　be　deceived　by

them；　and　think　that　Eric　was　still　on　the　fell。　Then；　when　they　heard

that　he　had　sailed；　they　were　to　come　down　and　hide　themselves　with

friends　till　Gizur　and　his　following　rode　north。　But　he　told　two　of

the　men　who　would　sail　with　him　to　make　ready。



That　night　before　the　moon　rose　Eric　said　farewell　to　Jon　and　the

others　who　stayed　on　Mosfell；　and　rode　away　with　Skallagrim　and　the

two　who　went　with　him。　They　passed　the　plain　of　black　sand　in　safety；

and　so　on　to　Horse…Head　Heights。　Now　at　length；　as　the　afternoon　drew

on　to　evening；　from　Stonefell's　crest　they　saw　the　Hall　of　Middalhof

before　them；　and　Eric's　heart　swelled　in　his　breast。　Yet　they　must

wait　till　darkness　fell　before　they　dared　enter　the　place；　lest　they

should　be　seen　and　notice　of　their　coming　should　be　carried　to　Gizur

and　Swanhild。　And　this　came　into　the　mind　of　Eric；　that　of　all　the

hours　of　his　life　that　hour　of　waiting　was　the　longest。　Scarcely；

in