eric brighteyes-第50部分

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

indeed；　could　Skallagrim　hold　him　back　from　going　down　the　mountain

side；　he　was　so　set　on　coming　to　Gudruda　whom　he　should　wed　that

night。



At　length　the　darkness　fell；　and　they　went　on。　Eric　rode　swiftly　down

the　rough　mountain　path；　while　Skallagrim　and　the　two　men　followed

grumbling；　for　they　feared　that　their　horses　would　fall。　At　length

they　came　to　the　place；　and　riding　into　the　yard；　Eric　sprang　from　his

horse　and　strode　to　the　women's　door。　Now　Gudruda　stood　in　the　porch；

listening；　and　while　he　was　yet　some　way　off；　she　heard　the　clang　of

Brighteyen's　harness；　and　the　colour　came　and　went　upon　her　cheek。

Then　she　turned　and　fled　to　the　high　seat　of　the　hall；　and　sat　down

there。　Only　two　women　were　left　in　Middalhof　with　her；　and　some

thralls　who　tended　the　kine　and　horses。　But　these　slept；　not　in　the

hall；　but　in　an　outhouse。　Gudruda　had　sent　the　rest　of　her　people　down

to　the　ship　to　help　in　the　lading；　for　it　was　given　out　that　the

vessel　sailed　on　the　morrow。　She　had　done　this　that　there　might　be　no

talk　of　the　coming　of　Eric　to　Middalhof。



Now　Brighteyes　came　to　the　porch；　and；　finding　the　door　wide；　walked

in。　But　Skallagrim　and　the　men　stayed　without　a　while；　and　tended　the

horses。　A　fire　burned　upon　the　centre　hearth　in　the　hall；　and　threw

shadows　on　the　panelling。　Eric　walked　on　by　its　light；　looking　to　left

and　right；　but　seeing　neither　man　nor　woman。　Then　a　great　fear　took

him　lest　Gudruda　should　be　gone；　or　perhaps　slain　of　Swanhild；　Groa's

daughter；　and　he　trembled　at　the　thought。　He　stood　by　the　fire；　and

Gudruda；　watching　from　the　shadow　of　the　high　seat；　saw　the　dull　light

glow　upon　his　golden　helm；　and　a　sigh　of　joy　broke　from　her　lips。　Eric

heard　the　sigh　and　looked；　and　as　he　looked　a　stick　of　pitchy

driftwood　fell　into　the　fire　and　flared　up　fiercely。　Then　he　saw。

There；　in　the　carved　high　seat；　robed　all　in　bridal　white；　sat　Gudruda

the　Fair；　his　love。　Her　golden　hair　flowed　about　her　breast；　her　white

arms　were　stretched　towards　him；　and　on　her　sweet　face　shone　such　a

look　of　love　as　he　had　never　seen。



〃/Eric！/〃　she　whispered　softly；　and　the　breath　of　her　voice　ran　down

the　empty　panelled　hall；　that　from　all　sides　seemed　to　answer；

〃/Eric。/〃



Slowly　he　drew　near　to　her。　He　saw　nothing　but　the　glory　of　Gudruda's

face　and　the　light　shining　on　Gudruda's　hair；　he　heard　nothing　save

the　sighing　of　her　breath；　he　knew　nothing　except　that　before　him　sat

his　fair　bride；　won　after　many　years。



Now　he　had　climbed　the　high　seat；　and　now；　wrapped　in　each　other's

arms；　they　sat　and　gazed　into　each　other's　eyes；　and　lo！　the　air　of

the　great　hall　rolled　round　them　a　sea　of　glory；　and　sweet　voices

whispered　in　their　ears。　Now　Freya　smiled　upon　them　and　led　them

through　her　gates　of　love；　and　they　were　glad　that　they　had　been　born。



Thus　then　they　were　wed。







Now　the　story　tells　that　Swanhild　spoke　with　Gizur；　Ospakar's　son；　in

the　house　at　Coldback。



〃I　tire　of　this　slow　play；〃　she　said。　〃We　have　tarried　here　for　many

weeks；　and　Atli's　blood　yet　cries　out　for　vengeance；　and　cries　for

vengeance　the　blood　of　black　Ospakar；　thy　father；　and　the　blood　of

many　another；　dead　at　great　Eric's　hand。〃



〃I　tire　also；〃　said　Gizur；　〃and　I　am　much　needed　in　the　north。　I　say

this　to　thee；　Swanhild；　that；　hadst　thou　not　so　strictly　laid　it　on　me

that　Eric　must　die　ere　thou　weddest　me；　I　had　flitted　back　to

Swinefell　before　now；　and　there　bided　my　time　to　bring　Brighteyes　to

his　end。〃



〃I　will　never　wed　thee；　Gizur；　till　Eric　is　dead；〃　said　Swanhild

fiercely。



〃How　shall　we　come　at　him　then？〃　he　answered。　〃We　may　not　go　up　that

mountain　path；　for　two　men　can　hold　it　against　all　our　strength；　and

folk　do　not　love　to　meet　Eric　and　Skallagrim　in　a　narrow　way。〃



〃The　place　has　been　badly　watched；〃　said　Swanhild。　〃I　am　sure　of　this；

that　Eric　has　been　down　to　Middalhof　and　seen　Gudruda；　my　half…sister。

She　is　shameless；　who　still　holds　commune　with　him　who　slew　her

brother　and　my　husband。　Death　should　be　her　reward；　and　I　am　minded　to

slay　her　because　of　the　shame　that　she　has　brought　upon　our　blood。〃



〃That　is　a　deed　which　thou　wilt　do　alone；　then；〃　said　Gizur；　〃for　I

will　have　no　hand　in　the　murder　of　that　fair　maidno；　nor　will　any

who　live　in　Iceland！〃



Swanhild　glanced　at　him　strangely。　〃Hearken；　Gizur！〃　she　said：

〃Gudruda　makes　a　ship　ready　to　sail　with　goods　to　Scotland　and　bring　a

cargo　thence　before　winter　comes　again。　Now　I　find　this　strange；　for

never　before　did　I　know　Gudruda　turn　her　thoughts　to　trading。　I　think

that　she　has　it　in　her　mind　to　sail　from　Iceland　with　this　outlaw

Eric；　and　seek　a　home　over　seas；　and　that　I　will　not　bear。〃



〃It　may　be；〃　said　Gizur；　〃and　I　should　not　be　sorry　to　see　the　last　of

Brighteyes；　for　I　think　that　more　men　will　die　at　his　hand　before　he

stiffens　in　his　barrow。〃



〃Thou　art　cowardly…hearted；　thou　son　of　Ospakar！〃　Swanhild　said。　〃Thou

sayest　thou　lovest　me　and　wouldest　win　me　to　wife：　I　tell　thee　that

there　is　but　one　road　to　my　arms；　and　it　leads　over　the　corpse　of

Eric。　Now　this　is　my　counsel：　that　we　send　the　most　of　our　men　to

watch　that　ship　of　Gudruda's；　and；　when　she　lifts　anchor；　to　board　her

and　search；　for　she　is　already　bound　for　sea。　Also　among　the　people

here　I　have　a　carle　who　was　born　near　Hecla；　and　he　swears　this　to　me；

that；　when　he　was　a　lad；　searching　for　an　eagle's　eyrie；　he　found　a

path　by　which　Mosfell　might　be　climbed　from　the　north；　and　that　in　the

end　he　came　to　a　large　flat　place；　and；　looking　over；　saw　that

platform　where　Eric　dwells　with　his　thralls。　But　he　could　not　see　the

cave；　because　of　the　overhanging　brow　of　the　rock。　Now　we　will　do

this：　thou　and　I；　and　the　carle　aloneno　more；　for　I　do　not　wish　that

our　search　should　be　noised　abroadto…morrow　at　the　dawn　we　will　ride

away　for　Mosfell；　and；　passing　under　Hecla；　come　round　the　mountain

and　see　if　this　path　may　still　be　scaled。　For；　if　so；　we　will　return

with　men　and　make　an　end　of　Brighteyes。〃



This　plan　pleased　Gizur；　and　he　said　that　it　should　be　so。



So　very　early　on　the　following　morning　Swanhild；　having　sent　many　men

to　watch　Gudruda's　ship；　rode　away　secretly　with　Gizur　and　the　thrall；

and　before　it　was　again　dawn　they　were　on　the　northern　slopes　of

Mosfell。　It　was　on　this　same　night　that　Eric　went　down　from　the

mountain　to　wed　Gudruda。



For　a　while　the　climbing　was　easy；　but　at　length　they　came　to　a　great

wall　of　rock；　a　hundred　fathoms　high；　on　which　no　fox　might　find　a

foothold；　nor　anything　that　had　not　wings。



〃Here　now　is　an　end　of　our　journey；〃　said　Gizur；　〃and　I　only　pray

this；　that　Eric　may　not　ride　round　the　mountain　before　we　are　down

again。〃　For　he　did　not　know　that　Brighteyes　already　rode　hard　for

Middalhof。



〃Not　so；〃　said　the　thrall；　〃if　only　I　can　find　the　place　by　which；

some　thirty　summers　ago；　I　won　yonder　rift；　and　through　it　the　crest

of　the　fell；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　narrow　cleft　in　the　face　of　the　rock

high　above　their　heads；　that　was　clothed　with　grey　moss。



Then　he　moved　to　the　right　and　searched；　peering　behind　stones　and

birch…bushes；　till　presently　he　held　up　his　hand　and　whistled。　They

passed　along　the　slope　and　found　him　standing　by　a　little　stream　of

water　which　welled　from　beneath　a　great　rock。



〃Here　is　the　place；〃　the　man　said。



〃I　see　no　place；〃　answered　Swanhild。



〃Still；　it　is　there；　lady；〃　and　he　climbed　on　to　the　rock；　drawing　her

after　him。　At　the　back　of　it　was　a　hole；　almost　overgrown　with　moss。

〃Here　is　the　path；〃　he　said　again。



〃Then　it　is　one　that　I　have　no　mind　to　follow；〃　answered　Swanhild。

〃Gizur；　go　thou　with　the　man　and　see　if　his　tale　is　true。　I　will　stay

here　till　ye　come　back。〃



Then　the　thrall　let　himself　down　into　the　hole　and　Gizur　went　after

him。　But　Swanhild　sat　there　in　the　shadow　of　the　rock；　her　chin

resting　on　her　hand；　and　waited。　Presently；　as　she　sat；　she　saw　two

men　ride　round　the　base　of　the　fell；　and　strike　off　to　the　right

towards　a　turf…booth　which　stood　the　half　of　an　hour's　ride　away。　Now

Swanhild　was　the　keenest…sighted　of　all　women　of　her　day　in　Iceland；

and　when　she　looked　at　these　two　men　she　knew　one　of　them　for　Jon；

Eric's　thrall；　and　she　knew　the　horse　alsoit　was　a　white　horse　with

black　patches；　that　Jon　had　ridden　for　many　years。　She　watched　them　go

till　they　came　to　the　booth；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　they　left　their

horses　and　entered。



Swanhild　waited　upon　the　side　of　the　fell　for　nearly　two　hours　in　all。

Then；　hearing　a　noise　above　her；　she　looked　up；　and　there；　black　with

dirt　and　wet　with　water；　was　Gizur；　and　with　him　was　the　thrall。



〃What　luck；　Gizur？〃　she　asked。



〃This；　Swanhild：　Eric　may　hold　Mosfell　no　more；　for　we　have　found　a

way　to　bolt　the　fox。〃



〃That　is　good　news；　then；〃　said　Swanhild。　〃Say　on。〃



〃Yonder　hole；　Swanhild；　leads　to　the　cleft　above；　having　been　cut

through　the　cliff　by　fire；　or　perhaps　by　water。　Now　up　that　cleft　a

man　may　climb；　though　hardly；　as　by　a　difficult　stair；　till　he　comes

to　the　flat　crest　of　the　fell。　Then；　crossing　the　crest；　on　the

further　side；　perhaps　six　fathoms　below　him；　he　sees　that　space　of

rock　where　is　Eric's　cave；　but　he　cannot　see　the　cave　itself；　because

the　brow　of　the　cliff　hangs　over。　And　so　it　is　that；　if　any　come　from

the　cave　on　to　the　space　of　rock；　it　will　be　an　easy　matter　to　roll

stones　upon　them　from　above　and　crush　them。〃



Now　when　Swanhild　heard　this　she　laughed　aloud。



〃Eric　shall　mock　us　no　more；〃　she　said；　〃and　his　might　can　avail

nothing　against　rocks　rolled　on　him　from　above。　Let　us　go　back　to

Coldback　and　summon　men　to　make　an　end　of　Brighteyes。〃



So　they　went　on　down　the　mountain　till　they　came　to　the　place　where

they　had　hidden　their　horses。　Then　Swanhild　remembered　Jon　and　the

other　man　whom　she　had　seen　riding　t