eric brighteyes-第57部分

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



Clinging　to　each　other；　Eric　and　Skallagrim　saw　the　sight　of　fear　that

was　written　on　the　loom　of　the　Norns。　They　saw　it　for　a　breath。　Then；

with　a　laugh　like　the　wail　of　wolves；　the　shapes　of　fire　sprang　up　and

rent　the　web　asunder。　Then　the　first　passed　upward　to　the　sky；　the

second　southward　towards　Middalhof；　but　the　third　swept　over　Mosfell；

so　that　the　brightness　of　her　flaming　form　shone　on　the　rock　where

they　sat　by　the　cave；　and　the　lightning　of　her　eyes　was　mirrored　in

the　byrnie　of　Skallagrim　and　on　Eric's　golden　helm。　She　swept　past；

pointing　downwards　as　she　went；　and　lo！　she　was　gone；　and　once　more

darkness　and　silence　lay　upon　the　earth。



Now　this　sight　was　seen　of　Jon　the　thrall　also；　and　he　told　it　in　his

story　of　the　deeds　of　Eric。　For　Jon　lay　hid　in　a　secret　place　on

Mosfell；　waiting　for　tidings　of　what　came　to　pass。







For　a　while　Eric　and　Skallagrim　clung　to　each　other。　Then　Skallagrim

spoke。



〃We　have　seen　the　Valkyries；〃　he　said。



〃Nay；〃　answered　Eric；　〃we　have　seen　the　Nornswho　are　come　to　warn　us

of　our　doom！　We　shall　die　to…morrow。〃



〃At　the　least；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃we　shall　not　die　alone：　we　had　a

goodly　bed　on　yonder　goblin　ship；　and　all　of　our　own　slaying　methinks。

It　is　not　so　ill　to　die　thus；　lord！〃



〃Not　so　ill！〃　said　Eric；　〃and　yet　I　am　weary　of　blood　and　war；　of

glory　and　of　my　strength。　Now　I　desire　rest　alone。　Light　fireI　can

bear　this　darkness　no　longer；　the　marrow　freezes　in　my　bones。〃



〃Fire　can　be　seen　of　foes；〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃It　matters　little　now；〃　said　Eric；　〃we　are　feyfolk。〃



So　Skallagrim　lighted　the　fire；　piling　much　brushwood　and　dry　turf

over　it；　till　presently　it　burnt　up　brightly；　throwing　light　on　all

the　space　of　rock；　and　heavy　shadows　against　the　cliff　behind。　They

sat　thus　a　while　in　the　light　of　the　flames；　looking　towards　the　deep

gulf；　till　suddenly　there　came　a　sound　as　of　one　who　climbed　the　gulf。



〃Who　comes　now；　climbing　where　no　man　may　pass？〃　cried　Eric；　seizing

Whitefire　and　springing　to　his　feet。　Presently　he　sank　down　again　with

white　face　and　staring　eyes；　and　pointed　at　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　And

as　he　pointed；　the　neck　of　a　man　rose　in　the　shadow　above　the　brink；

and　the　hands　of　a　man　grasped　the　rock。　But　there　was　no　head　on　the

neck。　The　shape　of　the　headless　man　drew　itself　slowly　over　the　brink；

it　walked　slowly　into　the　light　towards　the　fire；　then　sat　itself　down

in　the　glare　of　the　flames；　which　shrank　away　from　it　as　from　a

draught　of　wind。　Pale　with　terror；　Eric　and　Skallagrim　looked　on　the

headless　thing　and　knew　it。　It　was　the　wraith　of　the　Baresark　that

Brighteyes　had　slainthe　first　of　all　the　men　he　slew。



〃It　is　my　mate；　Eric；　whom　thou　didst　kill　years　ago　and　whose　severed

head　spoke　with　thee！〃　gasped　Skallagrim。



〃It　is　he；　sure　enough！〃　said　Eric；　〃but　where　may　his　head　be？〃



〃Perchance　the　head　will　come；〃　answered　Skallagrim。　〃He　is　an　evil

sight　to　see；　surely。　Say；　lord；　shall　I　fall　upon　him；　though　I　love

not　the　task？〃



〃Nay；　Skallagrim；　let　him　bide；　he　does　but　come　to　warn　us　of　our

fate。　Moreover；　ghosts　can　only　be　laid　in　one　wayby　the　hewing　off

of　the　head　and　the　laying　of　it　at　the　thigh。　But　this　one　has　no

head　to　hew。〃



Now　as　he　spoke　the　headless　man　turned　his　neck　as　though　to　look。

Once　more　there　came　the　sound　of　feet　and　lo！　men　marched　in　from　the

darkness　on　either　side。　Eric　and　Skallagrim　looked　up　and　knew　them。

They　were　those　of　Ospakar's　folk　whom　they　had　slain　on　Horse…Head

Heights；　all　their　wounds　were　on　them　and　in　front　of　them　marched

Mord；　Ospakar's　son。　The　ghosts　gazed　upon　Eric　and　Skallagrim　with

cold　dead　eyes；　then　they　too　sat　down　by　the　fire。　Now　once　more

there　came　the　sound　of　feet；　and　from　every　side　men　poured　in　who

had　died　at　the　hands　of　Eric　and　Skallagrim。　First　came　those　who

fell　on　that　ship　of　Ospakar's　which　Eric　sank　by　Westmans；　then　the

crew　of　the　Raven　who　had　perished　upon　the　sea…path。　Even　as　the　man

died；　so　did　each　ghost　come。　Some　had　been　drowned　and　their　harness

dripped　water！　Some　had　died　of　spear…thrusts　and　the　spears　were　yet

fixed　in　their　breasts！　Some　had　fallen　beneath　the　flash　of　Whitefire

and　the　weight　of　the　axe　of　Skallagrim；　and　there　they　sat；　looking

on　their　wide　wounds！



Then　came　more　and　more。　There　were　those　whom　Eric　and　Skallagrim　had

slain　upon　the　seas；　those　who　had　fallen　before　them　in　the　English

wars；　and　all　that　company　who　had　been　drowned　in　the　waters　of　the

Pentland　Firth　when　the　witchcraft　of　Swanhild　had　brought　the　Gudruda

to　her　wreck。



〃Now　here　we　have　a　goodly　crew；〃　said　Eric　at　length。　〃Is　it　done；

thinkest　thou；　or　will　Mosfell　send　forth　more　dead？〃



As　he　spoke　the　wraith　of　a　grey…headed　man　drew　near。　He　had　but　one

arm；　for　the　other　was　hewn　from　him；　and　the　byrnie　on　his　left　side

was　red　with　blood。



〃Welcome；　Earl　Atli！〃　cried　Eric。　〃Sit　thou　over　against　me；　who

to…morrow　shall　be　with　thee。〃



The　ghost　of　the　Earl　seated　itself　and　looked　on　Eric　with　sad　eyes；

but　it　spake　never　a　word。



Then　came　another　company；　and　at　their　head　stalked　black　Ospakar。



〃These　be　they　who　died　at　Middalhof；〃　cried　Eric。　〃Welcome；　Ospakar！

that　marriage…feast　of　thine　went　ill！〃



〃Now　methinks　we　are　overdone　with　trolls；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃but　see！

here　come　more。〃



As　he　spoke；　Hall　of　Lithdale　came；　and　with　him　Koll　the　Half…witted；

and　others。　And　so　it　went　on　till　all　the　men　whom　Eric　and

Skallagrim　had　slain；　or　who　had　died　because　of　them；　or　at　their

side；　were　gathered　in　deep　ranks　before　them。



〃Now　it　is　surely　done；〃　said　Eric。



〃There　is　yet　a　space；〃　said　Skallagrim；　pointing　to　the　other　side　of

the　fire；　〃and　Hell　holds　many　dead。〃



Even　as　the　words　left　his　lips　there　came　a　noise　of　the　galloping　of

horse's　hoofs；　and　one　clad　in　white　rode　up。　It　was　a　woman；　for　her

golden　hair　flowed　down　about　her　white　arms。　Then　she　slid　from　the

horse　and　stood　in　the　light　of　the　fire；　and　behold！　her　white　robe

was　red　with　blood；　a　great　sword　was　set　in　her　heart；　and　the　face

and　eyes　were　the　face　and　eyes　of　Gudruda　the　Fair；　and　the　horse　she

rode　was　Blackmane；　that　Eric　had　slain。



Now　when　Brighteyes　saw　her　he　gave　a　great　cry。



〃Greeting；　sweet！〃　he　said。　〃I　am　no　longer　afraid；　since　thou　comest

to　bear　me　company。　Thou　art　dear　to　my　sightay　even　in　yon　death…

sheet。　Greeting；　sweet；　my　May！　I　laid　thee　stiff　and　cold　in　the

earth　at　Middalhof；　but；　like　a　loving　wife；　thou　hast　burst　thy

bonds；　and　art　come　to　save　me　from　the　grip　of　trolls。　Thou　art

welcome；　Gudruda；　Asmund's　daughter！　Come；　wife；　sit　thou　at　my　side。〃



The　ghost　of　Gudruda　spake　no　word。　She　walked　through　the　fire

towards　him；　and　the　flames　went　out　beneath　her　feet；　to　burn　up

again　when　she　had　passed。　Then　she　sat　down　over　against　Eric　and

looked　on　him　with　wide　and　tender　eyes。　Thrice　he　stretched　out　his

arms　to　clasp　her；　but　thrice　their　strength　left　them　and　they　fell

back　to　his　side。　It　was　as　though　they　struck　a　wall　of　ice　and　were

numbed　by　the　bitter　cold。



〃Look；　here　are　more；〃　groaned　Skallagrim。



Then　Eric　looked；　and　lo！　the　empty　space　to　the　left　of　the　fire　was

filled　with　shadowy　shapes　like　shapes　of　mist。　Amongst　them　was

Gizur；　Ospakar's　son；　and　many　a　man　of　his　company。　There；　too；　was

Swanhild；　Groa's　daughter；　and　a　toad　nestled　in　her　breast。　She

looked　with　wide　eyes　upon　the　eyes　of　dead　Gudruda's　ghost；　that

seemed　not　to　see　her；　and　a　stare　of　fear　was　set　on　her　lovely　face。

Nor　was　this　all；　for　there；　before　that　shadowy　throng；　stood　two

great　shapes　clad　in　their　harness；　and　one　was　the　shape　of　Eric　and

one　the　shape　of　Skallagrim。



Thus；　being　yet　alive；　did　these　two　look　upon　their　own　wraiths！



Then　Eric　and　Skallagrim　cried　out　aloud　and　their　brains　swam　and

their　senses　left　them；　so　that　they　swooned。







When　they　opened　their　eyes　and　life　came　back　to　them　the　fire　was

dead；　and　it　was　day。　Nor　was　there　any　sign　of　that　company　which　had

been　gathered　on　the　rock　before　them。



〃Skallagrim；〃　quoth　Eric；　〃it　seems　that　I　have　dreamed　a　strange

dreama　most　strange　dream　of　Norns　and　trolls！〃



〃Tell　me　thy　dream；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim。



So　Eric　told　all　the　vision；　and　the　Baresark　listened　in　silence。



〃It　was　no　dream；　lord；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃for　I　myself　have　seen　the

same　things。　Now　this　is　in　my　mind；　that　yonder　sun　is　the　last　that

we　shall　see；　for　we　have　beheld　the　death…shadows。　All　those　who　were

gathered　here　last　night　wait　to　welcome　us　on　Bifrost　Bridge。　And　the

mist…shapes　who　sat　there；　amongst　whom　our　wraiths　were　numbered；　are

the　shapes　of　those　who　shall　die　in　the　great　fight　to…day。　For　days

are　fled　and　we　are　sped！〃



〃I　would　not　have　it　otherwise；〃　said　Eric。　〃We　have　been　greatly

honoured　of　the　Gods；　and　of　the　ghost…kind　that　are　around　us　and

above　us。　Now　let　us　make　ready　to　die　as　becomes　men　who　have　never

turned　back　to　blow；　for　the　end　of　the　story　should　fit　the

beginning；　and　of　us　there　is　a　tale　to　tell。〃



〃A　good　word；　lord；〃　answered　Skallagrim：　〃I　have　struck　few　strokes

to　be　shamed　of；　and　I　do　not　fear　to　tread　Bifrost　Bridge　in　thy

company。　Now　we　will　wash　ourselves　and　eat；　so　that　our　strength　may

be　whole　in　us。〃



So　they　washed　themselves　with　water；　and　ate　merrily；　and　for　the

first　time　for　many　months　Eric　was　merry。　For　now　that　the　end　was　at

hand　his　heart　grew　light　within　him。　And　when　they　had　put　the　desire

of　food　from　them；　and　buckled　on　their　harness；　they　looked　out　from

their　mountain　height；　and　saw　a　cloud　of　dust　rise　in　the　desert

plain　of　black　sand　beneath；　and　through　it　the　sheen　of　spears。



〃Here　come　those　of