eric brighteyes-第55部分

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but　he　went　himself　to　fire　the　pile。



When　Brighteyes　had　made　all　things　ready　for　the　burning；　it　came

into　his　mind　that；　perhaps；　Gizur　and　Swanhild　were　not　in　the　house。

But　he　would　not　hold　his　hand　for　this；　for　he　was　mad　with　grief　and

rage。　So　once　more　he　prepared　for　the　deed；　when　again　he　heard　a

voice　in　his　earthe　voice　of　Gudruda；　and　it　seemed　to　say：



〃/Thine　oath；　Eric！　remember　thine　oath！/〃



Then　he　turned　and　the　rage　went　out　of　his　heart。



〃Let　them　seek　me　on　Mosfell；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　not　slay　them　secretly

and　by　reek；　the　innocent　and　the　guilty　together。〃　And　he　strode

round　the　house　to　where　Skallagrim　stood　at　the　south　door；　axe　aloft

and　watching。



〃Does　the　fire　burn；　lord？　I　see　no　smoke；〃　whispered　Skallagrim。



〃Nay；　I　have　made　none。　I　will　shed　no　more　blood；　except　to　save　my

life。　I　leave　vengeance　to　the　Norns。〃



Now　Skallagrim　thought　that　Brighteyes　was　mad；　but　he　dared　say

nothing。　So　they　went　to　their　horses；　and　when　they　found　them；　Eric

rode　back　to　the　house。　Presently　they　drew　near；　and　Eric　told

Skallagrim　to　stay　where　he　was；　and　riding　on　to　the　house；　smote

heavy　blows　upon　the　door；　just　as　Skallagrim　once　had　smitten；　before

Eric　went　up　to　Mosfell。



Now　Swanhild　lay　in　her　shut　bed；　but　she　could　not　sleep；　because　of

what　she　saw　in　the　eyes　of　Gudruda。　Little　may　she　ever　sleep　again；

for　when　she　shuts　her　eyes　once　more　she　sees　that　which　was　written

in　the　dead　eyes　of　Gudruda。　So；　as　she　lay；　she　heard　the　blows　upon

the　door；　and　sprang　frightened　from　her　bed。　Now　there　was　tumult　in

the　hall；　for　every　man　rose　to　his　feet　in　fear；　searching　for　his

weapons。　Again　the　loud　knocks　came。



〃It　is　the　ghost　of　Eric！〃　cried　one；　for　Gizur　had　given　out　that

Eric　was　dead　at　his　hand　in　fair　fight。



〃Open！〃　said　Gizur；　and　they　opened；　and　there；　a　little　way　from　the

door；　sat　Brighteyes　on　a　horse；　great　and　shadowy　to　see；　and　behind

him　was　Skallagrim　the　Baresark。



〃It　is　the　ghost　of　Eric！〃　they　cried　again。



〃I　am　no　ghost；〃　said　Brighteyes。　〃I　am　no　ghost；　ye　men　of　Swanhild。

Tell　me：　is　Gizur；　the　son　of　Ospakar；　among　you？〃



〃Gizur　is　here；〃　said　a　voice；　〃but　he　swore　he　slew　thee　last　night。〃



〃Then　he　lied；〃　quoth　Eric。　〃Gizur　did　not　slay　mehe　murdered

Gudruda　the　Fair　as　she　lay　asleep　at　my　side。　See！〃　and　he　drew

Whitefire　from　its　scabbard　and　held　it　in　the　rays　of　the　moon　that

now　shone　out　between　the　cloud　rifts。　〃Whitefire　is　red　with

Gudruda's　bloodGudruda　slaughtered　in　her　sleep　by　Gizur's　coward

hand！〃



Now　men　murmured；　for　this　seemed　to　them　the　most　shameful　of　all

deeds。　But　Gizur；　hearing；　shrank　back　aghast。



〃Listen　again！〃　said　Eric。　〃I　was　minded　but　now　to　burn　you　all　as　ye

sleptay；　the　firing　is　piled　against　the　door。　Still；　I　held　my

hand；　for　I　have　sworn　to　slay　no　more；　except　to　save　my　life。　Now　I

ride　hence　to　Mosfell。　Thither　let　Gizur　come；　Gizur　the　murderer；　and

Swanhild　the　witch；　and　with　them　all　who　will。　There　I　will　give　them

greeting；　and　wipe　away　the　blood　of　Gudruda　from　Whitefire's　blade。〃



〃Fear　not；　Eric；〃　cried　Swanhild；　〃I　will　come；　and　there　thou　mayst

kill　me；　if　thou　canst。〃



〃Against　thee；　Swanhild；〃　said　Eric；　〃I　lift　no　hand。　Do　thy　worst；　I

leave　thee　to　thy　fate　and　the　vengeance　of　the　Norns。　I　am　no　woman…

slayer。　But　to　Gizur　the　murderer　I　say；　come。〃



Then　he　turned　and　went；　and　Skallagrim　went　with　him。



〃Up；　men；　and　cut　Eric　down！〃　cried　Gizur；　seeking　to　cover　his　shame。



But　no　man　stirred。







XXXI



HOW　ERIC　SENT　AWAY　HIS　MEN　FROM　MOSFELL



Now　Eric　and　Skallagrim　came　to　Mosfell　in　safety；　and　during　all　that

ride　Brighteyes　spoke　no　word。　He　rode　in　silence；　and　in　silence

Skallagrim　rode　after　him。　The　heart　of　Skallagrim　was　broken　because

of　the　sorrow　which　his　drunkenness　had　brought　about；　and　the　heart

of　Eric　was　buried　in　Gudruda's　grave。



On　Mosfell　Eric　found　four　of　his　own　men；　two　of　whom　had　been　among

those　that　the　people　of　Gizur　and　Swanhild　had　driven　from　Gudruda's

ship　before　they　fired　her。　For　no　fight　had　been　made　on　the　ship。

There　also　he　found　Jon；　who　had　been　loosed　from　his　bands　in　the

booth　by　one　who　heard　his　cries　as　he　rode　past。　Now　when　Jon　saw

Brighteyes；　he　told　him　all；　and　fell　at　Eric's　feet　and　wept　because

he　had　betrayed　him　in　his　fear。



But　Eric　spoke　no　angry　word　to　him。　Stooping　down　he　raised　him；

saying；　〃Thou　wast　never　overstout　of　heart；　Jon；　and　thou　art

scarcely　to　be　blamed　because　thou　didst　speak　rather　than　die　in

torment；　though　perhaps　some　had　chosen　so　to　die　and　not　to　speak。

Now　I　am　a　luckless　man；　and　all　things　happen　as　they　are　fated；　and

the　words　of　Atli　come　true；　as　was　to　be　looked　for。　The　Norns；

against　whom　none　may　stand；　did　but　work　their　will　through　thy

mouth；　Jon；　so　grieve　no　more　for　that　which　cannot　be　undone。〃



Then　he　turned　away；　but　Jon　wept　long　and　loudly。



That　night　Eric　slept　well　and　dreamed　no　dreams。　But　on　the　morrow　he

woke　at　dawn；　and　clothed　himself　and　ate。　Then　he　called　his　men

together；　and　with　them　Skallagrim。　They　came　and　stood　before　him；

and　Eric；　drawing　Whitefire；　leaned　upon　it　and　spoke：



〃Hearken；　mates；〃　he　said：　〃I　know　this；　that　my　hours　are　short　and

death　draws　on。　My　years　have　been　few　and　evil；　and　I　cannot　read　the

purpose　of　my　life。　She　whom　I　loved　has　been　slain　by　the　witchcraft

of　Swanhild　and　the　coward　hand　of　Gizur　the　murderer；　and　I　go　to

seek　her　where　she　waits。　I　am　very　glad　to　go；　for　now　I　have　no　more

joy　in　life；　being　but　a　luckless　man；　it　is　an　ill　world；　friends；

and　all　the　ways　are　red　with　blood。　I　have　shed　much　blood；　though

but　one　life　haunts　me　now　at　the　last；　and　that　is　the　life　of　Atli

the　Earl；　for　he　was　no　match　for　my　might　and　he　is　dead　because　of

my　sin。　With　my　own　blood　I　will　wash　away　the　blood　of　Atli；　and　then

I　seek　another　place；　leaving　nothing　but　a　tale　to　be　told　in　the

ingle　when　fall　the　winter　snows。　For　to　this　end　we　all　come　at　the

last；　and　it　matters　little　if　it　find　us　at　midday　or　at　nightfall。

We　live　in　sorrow；　we　die　in　pain　and　darkness：　for　this　is　the　curse

that　the　Gods　have　laid　upon　men　and　each　must　taste　it　in　his　season。

But　I　have　sworn　that　no　more　men　shall　die　for　me。　I　will　fight　the

last　great　fight　alone；　for　I　know　this：　I　shall　not　easily　be

overcome；　and　with　my　fallen　foes　I　will　tread　on　Bifrost　Bridge。

Therefore；　farewell！　When　the　bones　of　Eric　Brighteyes　lie　in　their

barrow；　or　are　picked　by　ravens　on　the　mountain　side；　Gizur　will　not

trouble　to　hunt　out　those　who　clung　to　him；　if　indeed　Gizur　shall　live

to　tell　the　tale。　Nor　need　ye　fear　the　hate　of　Swanhild；　for　she　aims

her　spears　at　me　alone。　Go；　therefore；　and　when　I　am　dead；　do　not

forget　me；　and　do　not　seek　to　avenge　me；　for　Death　the　avenger　of　all

will　find　them　also。〃



Now　Eric's　men　heard　and　groaned　aloud；　saying　that　they　would　die

with　him；　for　they　loved　Eric　one　and　all。　Only　Skallagrim　said

nothing。



Then　Brighteyes　spoke　again：　〃Hear　me；　comrades。　If　ye　will　not　go；　my

blood　will　be　on　your　heads；　for　I　will　ride　out　alone；　and　meet　the

men　of　Gizur　in　the　plain　and　fall　there　fighting。〃



Then　one　by　one　they　crept　away　to　seek　their　horses　in　the　dell。　And

each　man　as　he　went　came　to　Eric　and　kissed　his　hand；　then　passed

thence　weeping。　Jon　was　the　last　to　go；　except　Skallagrim　only；　and　he

was　so　moved　that　he　could　not　speak　at　all。



It　was　this　Jon　who；　in　after　years；　when　he　was　grown　very　old；

wandered　from　stead　to　stead　telling　the　deeds　of　Eric　Brighteyes；　and

always　finding　a　welcome　because　of　his　tale；　till　at　length；　as　he

journeyed；　he　was　overtaken　by　a　snowstorm　and　buried　in　a　drift。　For

Jon；　who　lacked　much；　had　this　gift：　he　had　a　skald's　tongue。　Men　have

always　held　that　it　was　to　the　honour　of　Jon　that　he　told　the　tale

thus；　hiding　nothing；　seeing　that　some　of　it　is　against　himself。







Now　when　all　had　gone；　Eric　looked　at　Skallagrim；　who　still　stood　near

him；　axe　in　hand。



〃Wherefore　goest　thou　not；　drunkard？〃　he　said。　〃Surely　thou　wilt　find

ale　and　mead　in　the　vales　or　oversea。　Here　there　is　none。　Hasten！　I

would　be　alone！〃



Now　the　great　body　of　Skallagrim　shook　with　grief　and　shame；　and　the

red　blood　poured　up　beneath　his　dark　sin。　Then　he　spoke　in　a　thick

voice：



〃I　did　not　think　to　live　to　hear　such　words　from　the　lips　of　Eric

Brighteyes。　They　are　well　earned；　yet　it　is　unmanly　of　thee；　lord；

thus　to　taunt　one　who　loves　thee。　I　would　sooner　die　as　Swanhild　said

yonder　thrall　should　die　than　live　to　listen　to　such　words。　I　have

sinned　against　thee；　indeed；　and　because　of　my　sin　my　heart　is　broken。

Hast　thou；　then；　never　sinned　that　thou　wouldst　tear　it　living　from　my

breast　as　eagles　tear　a　foundered　horse？　Think　on　thine　own　sins；

Eric；　and　pity　mine！　Taunt　me　thus　once　more　or　bid　me　go　once　more

and　I　will　go　indeed！　I　will　go　thuson　the　edge　of　yonder　gulf　thou

didst　overcome　me　by　thy　naked　might；　and　there　I　swore　fealty　to

thee；　Eric　Brighteyes。　Many　a　year　have　we　wandered　side　by　side；　and；

standing　back　to　back；　have　struck　many　a　blow。　I　am　minded　to　do

this：　to　stand　by　thee　in　the　last　great　fight　that　draws　on　and　to

die　there　with　thee。　I　have　loved　no　other　man　save　thee；　and　I　am　too

old　to　seek　new　lords。　Yet；　if　still　thou　biddest　me；　I　will　go　thus。

Where　I　swore　my　oath　to　thee；　there　I　will　end　it。　For　I　will　lay　me

down　on　the　brink　of　yonder　gulf；　as　once　I　lay　when　thy　hand　was　at

my　throat；　and　call　out　that　thou　art　no　more　my　lord　and　I　am　no　more

thy　thrall。　Then　I　will　roll　into　the　depths　beneath；　and　by　this

death　of　shame　thou　shalt　be　freed　of　me；　Eric　Brighteyes。〃



Eric　looked　at　the　great　manhe　looked　long　and　sadly。　Then　he　spoke：



〃Skallagrim