eric brighteyes-第52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！


＇*＇　〃Health！　health！〃



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

presently　the　black　thoughts　came　back　into　his　mind。　He　rose；　looked

through　the　shutter…hole　to　the　hillside。　He　could　see　nothing　on　it

except　the　shadows　of　the　clouds。



〃Trolls　walk　the　winds　to…night；〃　he　said。　〃I　feel　them　pulling　at　my

beard。　One　more　cup　to　frighten　them。〃



He　drank　another　draught　of　ale　and　grew　merry。　Then　ale　called　for

ale；　and　Skallagrim　drained　cup　on　cup；　singing　as　he　drained；　till　at

last　heavy　sleep　overcame　him；　and　he　sank　drunken　on　the　ground　there

by　the　barrel；　while　the　brown　ale　trickled　round　him。







Now　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Gudruda　the　Fair　slept　side　by　side；　locked　in

each　other's　arms。　Presently　Gudruda　was　wide　awake。



〃Rouse　thee；　Eric；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　dreamed　an　evil　dream。〃



He　awoke　and　kissed　her。



〃What；　then；　was　thy　dream；　sweet？〃　he　said。　〃This　is　no　hour　for　bad

dreams。〃



〃No　hour　for　bad　dreams；　truly；　husband；　yet　dreams　do　not　weigh　the

hour　of　their　coming。　I　dreamed　this：　that　I　lay　dead　beside　thee　and

thou　knewest　it　not；　while　Swanhild　looked　at　thee　and　mocked。〃



〃An　evil　dream；　truly；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　see；　thou　art　not　dead。　Thou

hast　thought　too　much　on　Swanhild　of　late。〃



Now　they　slept　once　more；　till　presently　Eric　was　wide　awake。



〃Rouse　thee；　Gudruda；〃　he　said；　〃I　too　have　dreamed　a　dream；　and　it　is

full　of　evil。〃



〃What；　then；　was　thy　dream；　husband？〃　she　asked。



〃I　dreamed　that　Atli　the　Earl；　whom　I　slew；　stood　by　the　bed。　His　face

was　white；　and　white　as　snow　was　his　beard；　and　blood　from　his　great

wound　ran　down　his　byrnie。　'Eric　Brighteyes；'　he　said；　'I　am　he　whom

thou　didst　slay；　and　I　come　to　tell　thee　this：　that　before　the　moon　is

young　again　thou　shalt　lie　stiff；　with　Hell…shoes　on　thy　feet。　Thou

art　Eric　the　Unlucky！　Take　thy　joy　and　say　thy　say　to　her　who　lies　at

thy　side；　for　wet　and　cold　is　the　bed　that　waits　thee　and　soon　shall

thy　white　lips　be　dumb。'　Then　he　was　gone；　and　lo！　in　his　place　stood

Asmund；　thy　father；　and　he　also　spoke　to　me；　saying；　'Thou　who　dost

lie　in　my　bed　and　at　my　daughter's　side；　know　this：　the　words　of　Atli

are　true；　but　I　add　these　to　them：　ye　shall　die；　yet　is　death　but　the

gate　of　life　and　love　and　rest；'　and　he　was　gone。〃



Now　Gudruda　shivered　with　fear；　and　crept　closer　to　Eric's　side。



〃We　are　surely　fey；　for　the　Norns　speak　with　the　voices　of　Atli　and　of

Asmund；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　Eric！　Eric！　whither　go　we　when　we　die？　Will

Valhalla　take　thee；　being　so　mighty　a　man；　and　must　I　away　to　Hela's

halls；　where　thou　art　not？　Oh！　that　would　be　death　indeed！　Say；　Eric；

whither　do　we　go？〃



〃What　said　the　voice　of　Asmund？〃　answered　Brighteyes。　〃That　death　is

but　the　gate　of　life　and　love　and　rest。　Hearken；　Gudruda；　my　May！　Odin

does　not　reign　over　all　the　world；　for　when　I　sat　out　yonder　in

England；　a　certain　holy　man　taught　me　of　another　Goda　God　who　loves

not　slaughter；　a　God　who　died　that　men　might　live　for　ever　in　peace

with　those　they　love。〃



〃How　is　this　God　named；　Eric？〃



〃They　name　Him　the　White　Christ；　and　there　are　many　who　cling　to　Him。〃



〃Would　that　I　knew　this　Christ；　Eric。　I　am　weary　of　death　and　blood

and　evil　deeds；　such　as　are　pleasing　to　our　Gods。　Oh；　Eric；　if　I　am

taken　from　thee；　swear　this　to　me：　that　thou　wilt　slay　no　more；　save

for　thy　life's　sake　only。〃



〃I　swear　that；　sweet；〃　he　made　answer。　〃For　I　too　am　weary　of　death

and　blood；　and　desire　peace　most　of　all　things。　The　world　is　sad；　and

sad　have　been　our　days。　Yet　it　is　well　to　have　lived；　for　through　many

heavy　days　we　have　wandered　to　this　happy　night。〃



〃Yea；　Eric；　it　is　well　to　have　lived；　though　I　think　that　death　draws

on。　Now　this　is　my　counsel：　that　we　rise；　and　that　thou　dost　put　on

thy　harness　and　summon　Skallagrim；　so　that；　if　evil　comes；　thou　mayst

meet　it　armed。　Surely　I　thought　I　heard　a　soundyonder　in　the　hall！〃



〃There　is　little　use　in　that；〃　said　Eric；　〃for　things　will　befall　as

they　are　fated。　We　may　do　nothing　of　our　own　will；　I　am　sure　of　this；

and　it　is　no　good　to　struggle　with　the　Norns。　Yet　I　will　rise。〃



So　he　kissed　her；　and　made　ready　to　leave　the　bed；　when　suddenly；　as

he　lingered；　a　great　heaviness　seized　him。



〃Gudruda；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　pressed　down　with　sleep。〃



〃That　I　am　also；　Eric；〃　she　said。　〃My　eyes　shut　of　themselves　and　I

can　scarcely　stir　my　limbs。　Ah；　Eric；　we　are　fey　indeed；　and　this　is

death　that　comes！〃



〃Perchance！〃　he　said；　speaking　heavily。



〃Eric！wake；　Eric！　Thou　canst　not　move？　Yet　hearken　to　meah！　this

weight　of　sleep！　Thou　lovest　me；　Eric！is　it　not　so？〃



〃Yea；〃　he　answered。



〃Now　and　for　ever　thou　lovest　meand　wilt　cleave　to　me　always

wherever　we　go？〃



〃Surely；　sweet。　Oh；　sweet；　farewell！〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　sounded

like　the　voice　of　one　who　speaks　across　the　water。



〃Farewell；　Eric　Brighteyes！my　lovemy　love；　farewell！〃　she　answered

very　slowly；　and　together　they　sank　into　a　sleep　that　was　heavy　as

death。







Now　Gizur；　Ospakar's　son；　and　Swanhild；　Atli's　widow；　rode　fast　and

hard　from　Mosfell；　giving　no　rest　to　their　horses；　and　with　them　rode

that　thrall　who　had　showed　the　secret　path　to　Gizur。　They　stayed　a

while　on　Horse…Head　Heights　till　the　moon　rose。　Now　one　path　led　hence

to　the　shore　that　is　against　the　Westmans；　where　Gudruda's　ship　lay

bound。　Then　Swanhild　turned　to　the　thrall。　Her　beautiful　face　was

fierce　and　she　had　said　few　words　all　this　while；　but　in　her　heart

raged　a　fire　of　hate　and　jealousy　which　shone　through　her　blue　eyes。



〃Listen；〃　she　said　to　the　thrall。　〃Thou　shalt　ride　hence　to　the　bay

where　the　ship　of　Gudruda　the　Fair　lies　at　anchor。　Thou　knowest　where

our　folk　are　in　hiding。　Thou　shalt　speak　thus　to　them。　Before　it　is

dawn　they　must　take　boats　and　board　Gudruda's　ship　and　search　her。

And；　if　they　find　Eric；　the　outlaw；　aboard；　they　shall　slay　him；　if

they　may。〃



〃That　will　be　no　easy　task；〃　said　the　thrall。



〃And　if　they　find　Gudruda　they　shall　keep　her　prisoner。　But　if　they

find　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　they　shall　do　this：　they　shall

drive　the　crew　ashore；　killing　as　few　as　may　be；　and　burn　the　ship。〃



〃It　is　an　ill　deed　thus　to　burn　another's　ship；〃　said　Gizur。



〃Good　or　ill；　it　shall　be　done；〃　answered　Swanhild　fiercely。　〃Thou　art

a　lawman；　and　well　canst　thou　meet　the　suit；　moreover　Gudruda　has

wedded　an　outlaw　and　shall　suffer　for　her　sin。　Now　go；　and　see　thou

tarry　not；　or　thy　back　shall　pay　the　price。〃



The　man　rode　away　swiftly。　Then　Gizur　turned　to　Swanhild；　asking：

〃Whither；　then；　go　we？〃



〃I　have　said　to　Middalhof。〃



〃That　is　into　the　wolf's　den；　if　Eric　and　Skallagrim　are　there；〃　he

answered：　〃I　have　little　chance　against　the　two　of　them。〃



〃Nay；　nor　against　the　one；　Gizur。　Why；　if　Eric's　right　hand　were　hewn

from　him；　and　he　stood　unarmed；　he　would　still　slay　thee　with　his

left；　as；　swordless；　he　slew　Ospakar　thy　father。　Yet　I　shall　find　a

way　to　come　at　him；　if　he　is　there。〃



Then　they　rode　on；　and　Gizur's　heart　was　heavy　for　fear　of　Eric　and

Skallagrim　the　Baresark。　So　fiercely　did　they　ride　that；　within　one

hour　after　midnight；　they　were　at　the　stead　of　Middalhof。



〃We　will　leave　the　horses　here　in　the　field；〃　said　Swanhild。



So　they　leaped　to　earth　and；　tying　the　reins　of　the　horses　together；

left　them　to　feed　on　the　growing　grass。　Then　they　crept　into　the　yard

and　listened。　Presently　there　came　a　sound　of　horses　stamping　in　the

far　corner　of　the　yard。　They　went　thither；　and　there　they　found　a

horse　and　two　geldings　saddled；　but　with　the　bits　slipped；　and　on　the

horse　was　such　a　saddle　as　women　use。



〃Eric　Brighteyes；　Skallagrim　Lambstail；　and　Gudruda　the　Fair；〃

whispered　Swanhild；　naming　the　horses　and　laughing　evilly〃the　birds

are　within！　Now　to　snare　them。〃



〃Were　it　not　best　to　meet　them　by　the　ship？〃　asked　Gizur。



〃Nay；　thou　fool；　if　once　Eric　and　Skallagrim　are　back　to　back；　and

Whitefire　is　aloft；　how　many　shall　be　dead　before　they　are　down；

thinkest　thou？　We　shall　not　find　them　sleeping　twice。〃



〃It　is　shameful　to　slay　sleeping　men；〃　said　Gizur。



〃They　are　outlaws；〃　she　answered。　〃Hearken；　Ospakar's　son。　Thou　sayest

thou　dost　love　me　and　wouldst　wed　me：　know　this；　that　if　thou　dost

fail　me　now；　I　will　never　look　upon　thy　face　again；　but　will　name　thee

Niddering　in　all　men's　ears。〃



Now　Gizur　loved　Swanhild　much；　for　she　had　thrown　her　glamour　on　him

as　once　she　did　on　Atli；　and　he　thought　of　her　day　and　night。　For

there　was　this　strange　thing　about　Swanhild　that；　though　she　was　a

witch　and　wicked；　being　both　fair　and　gentle　she　could　lead　all　men；

except　Eric；　to　love　her。



But　of　men　she　loved　Eric　alone。



Then　Gizur　held　his　peace；　but　Swanhild　spoke　again：



〃It　will　be　of　no　use　to　try　the　doors；　for　they　are　strong。　Yet　when

I　was　a　child　before　now　I　have　passed　in　and　out　the　house　at　night

by　the　store…room　casement。　Follow　me；　Gizur。〃　Then　she　crept　along

the　shadow　of　the　wall；　for　she　knew　it　every　stone；　till　she　came　to

the　store…room；　and　lo！　the　shutter　stood　open；　and　through　it　the

moonlight　poured　into　the　chamber。　Swanhild　lifted　her　head　above　the

sill　and　looked；　then　started　back。



〃Hush！〃　she　said；　〃Skallagrim　lies　asleep　within。〃



〃Pray　the　Gods　he　wake　not！〃　said　Gizur　beneath　his　breath；　and　turned

to　go。　But　Swanhild　caught　him　by　the　arm；　then　gently　raised　her　head

and　looked　again；　long　and　steadily。　Presently　she　turned　and　laughed

softly。



〃Things　go　well　for　us；〃　she　said；　〃the　sot　lies　drunk。　We　have

nothing　to　fear　from　him。　He　lies　drunk　in　a　pool　of　ale。〃



Then　Gizur　looked。　The　moonlight　poured　into　the　little　room；　and　by

it　he　saw　the　great　shape　of　Skallagrim。　His　head　was　thrown　back；　his

mouth　was　wide。　He　snored　loudly　in　his　drunken　sleep；　and　all　about

him　ran