eric brighteyes-第56部分

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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　Lambstail；　thou　hast　a　true　heart。　I　too　have　sinned；　and

now　I　put　away　thy　sin；　although　Gudruda　is　dead　through　thee　and　I

must　die　because　of　thee。　Stay　by　me　if　thou　wilt　and　let　us　fall

together。〃



Then　Skallagrim　came　to　Eric；　and；　kneeling　before　him；　took　his　hands

and　kissed　them。



〃Now　I　am　once　more　a　man；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　know　this：　we　two　shall

die　such　a　great　death　that　it　will　be　well　to　have　lived　to　die　it！〃

and　he　arose　and　shouted：



　〃A！　hai！　A！　hai！　I　see　foes　pass　in　pride！

　　A！　hai！　A！　hai！　Valkyries　ride　the　wind！

　　　　Hear　the　song　of　the　sword！

　　　　Whitefire　is　aloftaloft！

　　　　Bare　is　the　axe　of　the　Baresark！

　　　　Croak；　ye　nesting　ravens；

　　　　Flap　your　wings；　ye　eagles；

　　　　For　bright　is　Mosfell's　cave　with　blood！

　　　　Lap！　lap！　thou　Grey　Wolf；

　　　　Laugh　aloud；　Odin！



　〃Laugh　till　shake　the　golden　doors；

　　Heroes'　feet　are　set　on　Bifrost；

　　Open；　ye　hundred　gates！

　　　　A！　hai！　A！　hai！　red　runs　the　fray！

　　　　A！　hai！　A！　hai！　Valkyries　ride　the　wind！〃



Then　Skallagrim　turned　and　went　to　clean　his　harness　and　the　golden

helm　of　Eric。







Now　at　Coldback　Gizur　spoke　with　Swanhild。



〃Thou　hast　brought　the　greatest　shame　upon　me；〃　he　said；　〃for　thou

hast　caused　me　to　slay　a　sleeping　woman。　Knowest　thou　that　my　own　men

will　scarcely　speak　with　me？　I　have　come　to　this　evil　pass；　through

love　of　thee；　that　I　have　slain　a　sleeping　woman！〃



〃It　was　not　my　fault　that　thou　didst　kill　Gudruda；〃　answered　Swanhild；

〃surely　I　thought　it　was　Eric　whom　thy　sword　pierced！　I　have　not

sought　thy　love；　Gizur；　and　I　say　this　to　thee：　go；　if　thou　wilt；　and

leave　me　alone！〃



Now　Gizur　looked　at　her；　and　was　minded　to　go；　but；　as　Swanhild　knew

well；　she　held　him　too　fast　in　the　net　of　her　witcheries。



〃I　would　go；　if　I　might　go！〃　answered　Gizur；　〃but　I　am　bound　to　thee

for　good　or　evil；　since　it　is　fated　that　I　shall　wed　thee。〃



〃Thou　wilt　never　wed　me　while　Eric　lives；〃　said　Swanhild。



Now　she　spoke　thus　truthfully；　and　by　chance；　as　it　were；　not　as

driving　Gizur　on　to　slay　Ericfor；　now　that　Gudruda　was　dead；　she　was

in　two　minds　as　to　this　matter；　since；　if　she　might；　she　still　desired

to　take　Eric　to　herselfbut　meaning　that　while　Eric　lived　she　would

wed　no　other　man。　But　Gizur　took　it　otherwise。



〃Eric　shall　certainly　die　if　I　may　bring　it　about；〃　he　answered；　and

went　to　speak　with　his　men。



Now　all　were　gathered　in　the　yard　at　Coldback；　and　that　was　a　great

company。　But　their　looks　were　heavy　because　of　the　shame　that　Gizur；

Ospakar's　son；　had　brought　upon　them　by　the　murder　of　Gudruda　in　her

sleep。



〃Hearken；　comrades！〃　said　Gizur：　〃great　shame　is　come　upon　me　because

of　a　deed　that　I　have　done　unwittingly；　for　I　aimed　at　the　eagle　Eric

and　I　have　slain　the　swan　Gudruda。〃



Then　a　certain　old　viking　in　the　company；　named　Ketel；　whom　Gizur　had

hired　for　the　slaying　of　Eric；　spoke：



〃Man　or　woman；　it　is　a　niddering　deed　to　kill　folk　in　their　sleep；

Gizur！　It　is　murder；　and　no　less；　and　small　luck　can　be　hoped　for　from

the　stroke。〃



Now　Gizur　felt　that　his　people　looked　on　him　askance　and　heavily；　and

knew　that　it　would　be　hard　to　show　them　that　he　was　driven　to　this

deed　against　his　will；　and　by　the　witchcraft　of　Swanhild。　So；　as　was

his　nature；　he　turned　to　guile　for　shelter；　like　a　fox　to　his　hole；

and　spoke　to　them　with　the　tongue　of　a　lawman；　for　Gizur　had　great

skill　in　speech。



〃That　tale　was　not　all　true　which　Eric　Brighteyes　told　you；〃　he　said。

〃He　was　mad　with　grief；　and　moreover　it　seems　that　he　slept；　and　only

woke　to　find　Gudruda　dead。　It　came　about　thus：　I　stood　with　the　lady

Swanhild；　and　was　about　to　call　aloud　on　Eric　to　arm　himself　and　come

forth　and　meet　me　face　to　face〃



〃Then；　lord；　methinks　thou　hadst　never　met　another　foe；〃　quoth　the

viking　Ketel　who　had　spoken　first。



〃When　of　a　sudden；〃　went　on　Gizur；　taking　no　note　of　Ketel's　words；

〃one　clothed　in　white　sprang　from　the　bed　and　rushed　on　me。　Then　I；

thinking　that　it　was　Eric；　lifted　sword；　not　to　smite；　but　to　ward　him

away；　but　the　linen…wearer　met　the　sword　and　fell　down　dead。　Then　I

fled；　fearing　lest　men　should　wake　and　trap　us；　and　that　is　all　the

tale。　It　was　no　fault　of　mine　if　Gudruda　died　upon　the　sword。〃



Thus　he　spoke；　but　still　men　looked　doubtfully　upon　him；　for　his　eye

was　the　eye　of　a　liarand　Eric；　as　they　knew；　did　not　lie。



〃It　is　hard　to　find　the　truth　between　lawman's　brain　and　tongue；〃　said

the　old　viking　Ketel。　〃Eric　is　no　lawman；　but　a　true　man；　and　he　sang

another　song。　I　would　slay　Eric　indeed；　for　between　him　and　me　there

is　a　blood…feud；　since　my　brother　died　at　his　hand　when；　with

Whitefire　for　a　crook；　Brighteyes　drove　armed　men　like　sheep　down　the

hall　of　Middalhofay　and　swordless；　slew　Ospakar。　Yet　I　say　that　Eric

is　a　true　man；　and；　whether　or　no　thou　art　true；　Gizur　the　Lawman；

that　thou　knowest　bestthou　and　Swanhild　the　Fatherless；　Groa's

daughter。　If　thou　didst　slay　Gudruda　as　thou　tellest；　say；　how　come

Gudruda's　blood　on　Whitefire's　blade？　How　did　it　chance；　Gizur；　that

thou　heldest　Whitefire　in　thy　hand　and　not　thine　own　sword？　Now　I　tell

thee　this：　either　thou　shalt　go　up　against　Eric　and　clear　thyself　by

blows；　or　I　leave　thee；　and　methinks　there　are　others　among　this

company　who　will　do　the　same；　for　we　have　no　wish　to　be　partners　with

murderers　and　their　wickedness〃



〃Ay；　a　good　word！〃　said　many　who　stood　by。　〃Let　Gizur　go　up　with　us　to

Mosfell；　and　there　stand　face　to　face　with　Eric　and　clear　himself　by

blows。〃



〃I　ask　no　more；〃　said　Gizur；　〃we　will　ride　to…night。〃



〃But　much　more　shalt　thou　get；　liar；〃　quoth　Ketel　to　himself；　〃for

that　hour　when　thou　lookest　once　again　on　Whitefire　shall　be　thy

last！〃







So　Gizur　and　Swanhild　made　ready　to　go　up　against　Eric。　That　day　they

rode　away　with　a　great　company；　a　hundred　and　one　in　all；　and　this　was

their　plan。　They　sent　six　men　with　that　thrall　who　had　shown　them　the

secret　path；　bidding　him　guide　them　to　the　mountain…top。　Then；　when

they　were　come　thither；　and　heard　the　shouts　of　those　who　sought　to

gain　the　platform　from　the　south；　they　were　to　watch　till　Eric　and　his

folk　came　out　from　the　cave；　and　shoot　them　with　arrows　from　above　or

crush　them　with　stones。　But　if　perchance　Eric　left　the　platform　and

came　to　meet　his　foes　in　the　narrow　pass；　then　they　must　let

themselves　down　with　ropes　from　the　height　above；　and；　creeping　after

him　round　the　rock；　must　smite　him　in　the　back。　Moreover；　in　secret；

Gizur　promised　a　great　reward　of　ten　hundreds　in　silver　to　him　who

should　kill　Eric；　for　he　did　not　long　to　stand　face　to　face　with　him

alone。　Swanhild　also　in　secret　made　promise　of　reward　to　those　who

should　bring　Eric　to　her；　bound；　but　living；　and　she　bade　them　do　this

to　bear　him　down　with　shields　and　tie　him　with　ropes。







So　they　rode　away；　the　seven　who　should　climb　the　mountain　from　behind

going　first；　and　on　the　morrow　morning　they　crossed　the　sand　and　came

to　Mosfell。







XXXII



HOW　ERIC　AND　SKALLAGRIM　GREW　FEY



Now　the　night　came　down　upon　Mosfell；　and　of　all　nights　this　was　the

strangest。　The　air　was　quiet　and　heavy；　yet　no　rain　fell。　It　was　so

silent；　moreover；　that；　did　a　stone　slip　upon　the　mountain　side　or　a

horse　neigh　far　off　on　the　plains；　the　sound　of　it　crept　up　the　fell

and　was　echoed　from　the　crags。



Eric　and　Skallagrim　sat　together　on　the　open　space　of　rock　that　is

before　the　cave；　and　great　heaviness　and　fear　came　into　their　hearts；

so　that　they　had　no　desire　to　sleep。



〃Methinks　the　night　is　ghost…ridden；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　I　am　fey；　for　I

grow　cold；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　one　strokes　my　hair。〃



〃It　is　ghost…ridden；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim。　〃Trolls　are　abroad；

and　the　God…kind　gather　to　see　Eric　die。〃



For　a　while　they　sat　in　silence；　then　suddenly　the　mountain　heaved　up

gently　beneath　them。　Thrice　it　seemed　to　heave　like　a　woman's　breast；

and　left　them　frightened。



〃Now　the　dwarf…folk　come　from　their　caves；〃　quoth　Skallagrim；　〃and

great　deeds　may　be　looked　for；　since　they　are　not　drawn　to　the　upper

earth　by　a　little　thing。〃



Then　once　more　they　sat　silent；　and　thick　darkness　came　down　upon　the

mountain；　hiding　the　stars。



〃Look；〃　said　Eric　of　a　sudden；　and　he　pointed　to　Hecla。



Skallagrim　looked；　and　lo！　the　snowy　dome　of　Hecla　was　aglow　with　a

rosy　flame　like　the　light　of　dawn。



〃Winter　lights；〃　said　Lambstail；　shuddering。



〃Death　lights！〃　answered　Eric。　〃Look　again！〃



They　looked；　and　behold！　in　the　rosy　glow　there　sat　three　giant　forms

of　fire；　and　their　shapes　were　the　shapes　of　women。　Before　them　was　a

loom　of　blackness　that　stretched　from　earth　to　sky；　and　they　wove　at

it　with　threads　of　flame。　They　were　splendid　and　terrible　to　see。

Their　hair　streamed　behind　them　like　meteor　flames；　their　eyes　shone

like　lightning；　and　their　breasts　gleamed　like　the　polished　bucklers

of　the　gods。　They　wove　fiercely　at　the　loom　of　blackness；　and　as　they

wove　they　sang。　The　voice　of　the　one　was　as　the　wind　whistling　through

the　pines；　the　voice　of　the　other　was　as　the　sound　of　rain　hissing　on

deep　waters；　and　the　voice　of　the　third　was　as　the　moan　of　the　sea。

They　wove　fearfully　and　they　sang　loudly；　but　what　they　sang　might　not

be　known。　Now　the　web　grew　and　the　woof　grew；　and　a　picture　came　upon

the　looma　great　picture　written　in　fire。



Behold！　it　was　the　semblance　of　a　storm…awakened　sea；　and　a　giant　ship

fled　before　the　galea　dragon　of　war；　and　in　the　ship　were　piled　the

corses　of　men；　and　on　these　lay　another　corse；　as　one　lies　upon　a　bed。

They　looked；　and　the　face　of　the　corse　grew　bright。　It　was　the　face　of

Eric；　and　his　head　rested　upon　the　dead　heart　of　Skallagrim。