eric brighteyes-第51部分

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

other　man　whom　she　had　seen　riding　to　the　booth；　and　she　told　Gizur　of

them。



〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃we　will　snare　these　birds；　and　perchance　they　will

twitter　tidings　when　we　squeeze　them。〃



So　they　turned　and　rode　for　the　booth；　and　drawing　near；　they　saw　two

horses　grazing　without。　Now　they　got　off　their　horses；　and　creeping　up

to　the　booth；　looked　in　through　the　door　which　was　ajar。　And　they　saw

this；　that　one　man　sat　on　the　ground　with　his　back　to　the　door；　eating

stock…fish；　while　Jon　made　bundles　of　fish　and　meal　ready　to　tie　on

the　horses。　For　it　was　here　that　those　of　his　quarter　who　loved　Eric

brought　food　to　be　carried　by　his　men　to　the　cave　on　Mosfell。



Now　Swanhild　touched　Gizur　on　the　arm；　pointing　first　to　the　man　who

sat　eating　the　fish　and　then　to　the　spear　in　Gizur's　hand。　Gizur

thought　a　while；　for　he　shrank　from　this　deed。



Then　Swanhild　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃Slay　the　man　and　seize　the　other；

I　would　learn　tidings　from　him。〃



So　Gizur　cast　the　spear；　and　it　passed　through　the　man's　heart；　and　he

was　dead　at　once。　Then　he　and　the　thrall　leapt　into　the　booth　and

threw　themselves　on　Jon；　hurling　him　to　the　ground；　and　holding　swords

over　him。　Now　Jon　was　a　man　of　small　heart；　and　when　he　saw　his　plight

and　his　fellow　dead　he　was　afraid；　and　prayed　for　mercy。



〃If　I　spare　thee；　knave；〃　said　Swanhild；　〃thou　shalt　do　this：　thou

shalt　lead　me　up　Mosfell　to　speak　with　Eric。〃



〃I　may　not　do　that；　lady；〃　groaned　Jon；　〃for　Eric　is　not　on　Mosfell。〃



〃Where　is　he；　then？〃　asked　Swanhild。



Now　Jon　saw　that　he　had　said　an　unlucky　thing；　and　answered：



〃Nay；　I　know　not。　Last　night　he　rode　from　Mosfell　with　Skallagrim

Lambstail。〃



〃Thou　liest；　knave；〃　said　Swanhild。　〃Speak；　or　thou　shalt　be　slain。〃



〃Slay　on；〃　groaned　Jon；　glancing　at　the　swords　above　him；　and　shutting

his　eyes。　For；　though　he　feared　much　to　die；　he　had　no　will　to　make

known　Eric's　plans。



〃Look　not　at　the　swords；　thou　shalt　not　die　so　easily。　Hearken：　speak；

and　speak　truly；　or　thou　shalt　seek　Hela's　lap　after　this　fashion；〃

and；　bending　down；　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　then　laughed　aloud。



Now　Jon　grew　faint　with　fear；　his　lips　turned　blue；　and　his　teeth

chattered　at　the　thought　of　how　he　should　be　made　to　die。　Still；　he

would　say　nothing。



Then　Swanhild　spoke　to　Gizur　and　the　thrall；　and　bade　them　bind　him

with　a　rope；　tear　the　garments　from　him；　and　bring　snow。　They　did

this；　and　pushed　the　matter　to　the　drawing　of　knives。　But　when　he　saw

the　steel　Jon　cried　aloud　that　he　would　tell　all。



〃Now　thou　takest　good　counsel；〃　said　Swanhild。



Then　in　his　fear　Jon　told　how　Eric　had　gone　down　to　Middalhof　to　wed

Gudruda；　and　thence　to　fly　with　her　to　England。



Now　Swanhild　was　mad　with　wrath；　for　she　had　sooner　died　than　that

this　should　come　about。



〃Let　us　away；〃　she　said　to　Gizur。　〃But　first　kill　this　man。〃



〃Nay；'　said　Gizur；　〃I　will　not　do　that。　He　has　told　his　tidings；　let

him　go　free。〃



〃Thou　art　chicken…hearted；〃　said　Swanhild；　who；　after　the　fashion　of

witches；　had　no　mercy　in　her。　〃At　the　least；　he　shall　not　go　hence　to

warn　Eric　and　Gudruda　of　our　coming。　If　thou　wilt　not　kill　him；　then

bind　him　and　leave　him。〃



So　Jon　was　bound；　and　there　in　the　booth　he　sat　two　days　before　anyone

came　to　loose　him。



〃Whither　away？〃　said　Gizur　to　Swanhild。



〃To　Middalhof　first；〃　Swanhild　answered。







XXIX



HOW　WENT　THE　BRIDAL　NIGHT



Now　Eric　and　Gudruda　sat　silent　in　the　high　seat　of　the　hall　at

Middalhof　till　they　heard　Skallagrim　enter　by　the　women's　door。　Then

they　came　down　from　the　high　seat；　and　stood　hand　in　hand　by　the　fire

on　the　hearth。　Skallagrim　greeted　Gudruda；　looking　at　her　askance；　for

Skallagrim　stood　in　fear　of　women　alone。



〃What　counsel　now；　lord？〃　said　the　Baresark。



〃Tell　us　thy　plans；　Gudruda；〃　said　Eric；　for　as　yet　no　word　had　passed

between　them　of　what　they　should　do。



〃This　is　my　plan；　Eric；〃　she　answered。　〃First；　that　we　eat；　then　that

thy　men　take　horse　and　ride　hence　through　the　night　to　where　the　ship

lies；　bearing　word　that　we　will　be　there　at　dawn　when　the　tide　serves；

and　bidding　the　mate　make　everything　ready　for　sailing。　But　thou　and　I

and　Skallagrim　will　stay　here　till　to…morrow　is　three　hours　old；　and

this　because　I　have　tidings　that　Gizur's　folk　will　search　the　ship

to…night。　Now；　when　they　search　and　do　not　find　us；　they　will　go　away。

Then；　at　the　dawning；　thou　and　I　and　Skallagrim　will　row　on　board　the

ship　as　she　lies　at　anchor；　and；　slipping　the　cable；　put　to　sea　before

they　know　we　are　there；　and　so　bid　farewell　to　Swanhild　and　our　woes。〃



〃Yet　it　is　a　risk　for　us　to　sleep　here　alone；〃　said　Eric。



〃There　is　little　danger；〃　said　Gudruda。　〃Nearly　all　of　Gizur's　men

watch　the　ship；　and　I　have　learned　this　from　a　spy；　that；　two　days

ago；　Gizur；　Swanhild；　and　one　thrall　rode　from　Coldback　towards

Mosfell；　and　they　have　not　come　back　yet。　Moreover；　the　place　is

strong；　and　thou　and　Skallagrim　are　here　to　guard　it。〃



〃So　be　it；　then；〃　answered　Eric；　for　indeed　he　had　little　thought　left

for　anything；　except　Gudruda。



After　this　the　women　came　in　and　set　meat　on　the　board；　and　all　ate。



Now；　when　they　had　eaten；　Eric　bade　Skallagrim　fill　a　cup；　and　bring

it　to　him　as　he　sat　on　the　high　seat　with　Gudruda。　Skallagrim　did　so；

and　then；　looking　deep　into　each　other's　eyes；　Eric　Brighteyes　and

Gudruda　the　Fair；　Asmund's　daughter；　drank　the　bride's　cup。



〃There　are　few　guests　to　grace　our　marriage…feast；　husband；〃　said

Gudruda。



〃Yet　shall　our　vows　hold　true；　wife；〃　said　Eric。



〃Ay；　Brighteyes；〃　she　answered；　〃in　life　and　in　death；　now　and　for

ever！〃　and　they　kissed。



〃It　is　time　for　us　to　be　going；　methinks；〃　growled　Skallagrim　to　those

about　him。　〃We　are　not　wanted　here。〃



Then　the　men　who　were　to　go　on　to　the　ship　rose；　fetched　their　horses；

and　rode　away。　Also　they　caught　the　horses　of　Skallagrim；　Eric；　and

Gudruda；　saddled　them　and；　slipping　their　bridles；　made　them　fast　in　a

shed　in　the　yard；　giving　them　hay　to　eat。　Afterwards　Skallagrim　barred

the　men's　door　and　the　women's　door；　and；　going　to　Gudruda；　asked

where　he　should　stay　the　night　till　it　was　time　to　ride　for　the　sea。



〃In　the　store…chamber；〃　she　answered；　〃for　there　is　a　shutter　of　which

the　latch　has　gone。　See　that　thou　watch　it　well；　Skallagrim；　though　I

think　none　will　come　to　trouble　thee。〃



〃I　know　the　place。　It　shall　go　badly　with　the　head　that　looks　through

yonder　hole；〃　said　Skallagrim；　glancing　at　his　axe。



Now　Gudruda　forgot　this；　that　in　the　store…chamber　were　casks　of

strong　ale。



Then　Gudruda　told　him　to　wake　them　when　the　morrow　was　two　hours　old；

for　Eric　had　neither　eyes　nor　words　except　for　Gudruda　alone；　and

Skallagrim　went。



The　women　went　also　to　their　shut　bed　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　leaving

Brighteyes　and　Gudruda　alone。　Eric　looked　at　her。



〃Where　do　I　sleep　to…night？〃　he　asked。



〃Thou　sleepest　with　me；　husband；〃　she　answered　soft；　〃for　nothing；

except　Death；　shall　come　between　us　any　more。〃



Now　Skallagrim　went　to　the　store…room；　and　sat　down　with　his　back

against　a　cask。　His　heart　was　heavy　in　him；　for　he　boded　no　good　of

this　marriage。　Moreover；　he　was　jealous。　Skallagrim　loved　but　one

thing　in　the　world　truly；　and　that　was　Eric　Brighteyes；　his　lord。　Now

he　knew　that　henceforth　he　must　take　a　second　place；　and　that　for　one

thought　which　Eric　gave　to　him；　he　would　give　ten　to　Gudruda。

Therefore　Skallagrim　was　very　sad　at　heart。



〃A　pest　upon　the　women！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃for　from　them　comes　all

evil。　Brighteyes　owes　his　ill　luck　to　Swanhild　and　this　fair　wife　of

his；　and　that　is　scarcely　done　with　yet。　Well；　well；　'tis　nature；　but

would　that　we　were　safe　at　sea！　Had　I　my　will；　we　had　not　slept　here

to…night。　But　they　are　newly　wed；　andwell；　'tis　nature！　Better　the

bride　loves　to　lie　abed　than　to　ride　the　cold　wolds　and　seek　the

common　deck。〃



Now；　as　Skallagrim　grumbled；　fear　gathered　in　his　heart；　he　knew　not

of　what。　He　began　to　think　on　trolls　and　goblins。　It　was　dark　in　the

store…room；　except　for　a　little　line　of　light　that　crept　through　the

crack　of　the　shutter。　At　length　he　could　bear　the　darkness　and　his

thoughts　no　longer；　but；　rising；　threw　the　shutter　wide　and　let　the

bright　moonlight　pour　into　the　chamber；　whence　he　could　see　the

hillside　behind；　and　watch　the　shadows　of　the　clouds　as　they　floated

across　it。　Again　Skallagrim　sat　down　against　his　cask；　and　as　he　sat

it　moved；　and　he　heard　the　wash　of　ale　inside　it。



〃That　is　a　good　sound；〃　said　Skallagrim；　and　he　turned　and　smelt　at

the　cask；　〃aye；　and　a　good　smell；　too！　We　tasted　little　ale　yonder　on

Mosfell；　and　we　shall　find　less　at　sea。〃　Again　he　looked　at　the　cask。

There　was　a　spigot　in　it；　and　lo！　on　the　shelf　stood　horn　cups。



〃It　surely　is　on　draught；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　it　will　stand　till　it

goes　sour。　'Tis　a　pity；　but　I　will　not　drink。　I　fear　aleale　is

another　man！　No；　I　will　not　drink；〃　and　all　the　while　his　hand　went　up

to　the　cups　upon　the　shelf。　〃Eric　is　better　lain　yonder　in　Gudruda's

chamber　than　I　am　here　alone　with　evil　thoughts　and　trolls；〃　he　said。

〃Why；　what　fish　was　that　we　ate　at　supper？　My　throat　is　cracked　with

thirst！　If　there　were　water　now　I'd　drink　it；　but　I　see　none。　Well；

one　cup　to　wish　them　joy！　There　is　no　harm　in　a　cup　of　ale；〃　and　he

drew　the　spigot　from　the　cask　and　watched　the　brown　drink　flow　into

the　cup。　Then　he　lifted　it　to　his　lips　and　drank；　saying　〃Skoll！

skoll！〃＇*＇　nor　did　he　cease　till　the　horn　was　drained。　〃This　is

wondrous　good　ale；〃　said　Skallagrim　as　he　wiped　his　grizzled　beard。

〃One　more　cup；　and　evil　thoughts　shall　cease　to　haunt　me。〃



＇*＇　〃Health！　health！〃



Again　he　filled；　drank；　sat　down；　and　for　a　while　was　merry。　But

presently　the　black　thoug