eric brighteyes-第58部分

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



〃Here　come　those　of　whom；　if　there　is　truth　in　visions；　some　few　shall

never　go　back　again；〃　said　Eric。　〃Now；　what　counsel　hast　thou；

Skallagrim？　Where　shall　we　meet　them？　Here　on　the　space　of　rock；　or

yonder　in　the　deep　way　of　the　cliff？〃



〃My　counsel　is　that　we　meet　them　here；〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃and　cut　them

down　one　by　one　as　they　try　to　turn　the　rock。　They　can　scarcely　come

at　us　to　slay　us　here　so　long　as　our　arms　have　strength　to　smite。〃



〃Yet　they　will　come；　though　I　know　not　how；〃　answered　Eric；　〃for　I　am

sure　of　this；　that　our　death　lies　before　us。　Here；　then；　we　will　meet

them。〃



Now　the　cloud　of　dust　drew　nearer；　and　they　saw　that　this　was　a　great

company　which　came　up　against　them。　At　the　foot　of　the　fell　the　men

stayed　and　rested　a　while；　and　it　was　not　till　afternoon　that　they

began　to　climb　the　mountain。



〃Night　will　be　at　hand　before　the　game　is　played；〃　said　Skallagrim。

〃See；　they　climb　slowly；　saving　their　strength；　and　yonder　among　them

is　Swanhild　in　a　purple　cloak。〃



〃Ay；　night　will　be　at　hand；　Skallagrima　last　long　night！　A　hundred

to　twothe　odds　are　heavy；　yet　some　shall　wish　them　heavier。　Now　let

us　bind　on　our　helms。〃







Meanwhile　Gizur　and　his　folk　crept　up　the　paths　from　below。　Now　that

thrall　who　knew　the　secret　way　had　gone　on　with　six　chosen　men；　and

already　they　climbed　the　watercourse　and　drew　near　to　the　flat　crest

of　the　fell。　But　Eric　and　Skallagrim　knew　nothing　of　this。　So　they　sat

down　by　the　turning　place　that　is　over　the　gulf　and　waited；　singing　of

the　taking　of　the　Raven　and　of　the　slaying　in　the　stead　at　Middalhof；

and　telling　tales　of　deeds　that　they　had　done。　And　the　thrall　and　his

six　men　climbed　on　till　at　length　they　gained　the　crest　of　the　fell；

and；　looking　over；　saw　Eric　and　Skallagrim　beneath　them。



〃The　birds　are　in　the　snare；　and　hark！　they　sing；〃　said　the　thrall；

〃now　bring　rocks　and　be　silent。〃



But　Gizur　and　his　people；　having　learned　that　Eric　and　Skallagrim　were

alone　upon　the　mountain；　pushed　on。



〃We　have　not　much　to　fear　from　two　men；〃　said　Gizur。



〃That　we　shall　learn　presently；〃　answered　Swanhild。　〃I　tell　thee　this；

that　I　saw　strange　sights　last　night；　though　I　did　not　sleep。　I　may

sleep　little　now　that　Gudruda　is　dead；　for　that　which　I　saw　in　her

eyes　haunts　me。〃



Then　they　went　on；　and　the　face　of　Gizur　grew　white　with　fear。







XXXIII



HOW　ERIC　AND　SKALLAGRIM　FOUGHT　THEIR　LAST　GREAT　FIGHT



Now　the　thrall　and　those　with　him　on　the　crest　of　the　fell　heard　the

murmur　of　the　company　of　Gizur　and　Swanhild　as　they　won　the　mountain

side；　though　they　could　not　see　them　because　of　the　rocks。



〃Now　it　is　time　to　begin　and　knock　these　birds　from　their　perch；〃　said

the　thrall；　〃for　that　is　an　awkward　corner　for　our　folk　to　turn　with

Whitefire　and　the　axe　of　Skallagrim　waiting　on　the　farther　side。〃



So　he　balanced　a　great　stone；　as　heavy　as　three　men　could　lift；　on　the

brow　of　the　rock；　and　aimed　it。　Then　he　pushed　and　let　it　go。　It　smote

the　platform　beneath　with　a　crash；　two　fathoms　behind　the　spot　where

Eric　and　Skallagrim　sat。　Then　it　flew　into　the　air；　and；　just　as

Brighteyes　turned　at　the　sound；　it　struck　the　wings　of　his　helm；　and；

bursting　the　straps；　tore　the　golden　helm…piece　from　his　head　and

carried　it　away　into　the　gulf　beneath。



Skallagrim　looked　up　and　saw　what　had　come　about。



〃They　have　gained　the　crest　of　the　fell；〃　he　cried。　〃Now　we　must　fly

into　the　cave　or　down　the　narrow　way　and　hold　it。〃



〃Down　the　narrow　way；　then；〃　said　Eric；　and　while　rocks；　spears　and

arrows　rushed　between　and　around　them；　they　stepped　on　to　the　stone

and　won　the　path　beyond。　It　was　clear；　for　Gizur's　folk　had　not　yet

come；　and　they　ran　nearly　to　the　mouth　of　it；　where　there　was　a　bend

in　the　way；　and　stood　there　side　by　side。



〃Thou　wast　at　death's　door　then；　lord！〃　said　Skallagrim。



〃Head…piece　is　not　head；〃　answered　Eric；　〃but　I　wonder　how　they　won

the　crest　of　the　fell。　I　have　never　heard　tell　of　any　path　by　which　it

might　be　gained。〃



〃There　they　are　at　the　least；〃　said　Skallagrim。　〃Now　this　is　my　will；

that　thou　shouldst　take　my　helm。　I　am　Baresark　and　put　little　trust　in

harness；　but　rather　in　my　axe　and　strength　alone。〃



〃I　will　not　do　that；〃　said　Eric。　〃Listen：　I　hear　them　come。〃



Presently　the　tumult　of　voices　and　the　tramp　of　feet　grew　clearer；　and

after　a　while　Gizur；　Swanhild；　and　the　men　of　their　following　turned

the　corner　of　the　narrow　way；　and　lo！　there　before　themay　within

three　paces　of　themstood　Eric　and　Skallagrim　shoulder　to　shoulder；

and　the　light　poured　down　upon　them　from　above。



They　were　terrible　to　see；　and　the　light　shone　brightly　on　Eric's

golden　hair　and　Whitefire's　flashing　blade；　and　the　shadows　lay　dark

on　the　black　helm　of　Skallagrim　and　in　the　fierce　black　eyes　beneath。



Back　surged　Gizur　and　those　with　him。　Skallagrim　would　have　sprung

upon　them；　but　Eric　caught　him　by　the　arm；　saying：　〃A　truce　to　thy

Baresark　ways。　Rush　not　and　move　not！　Let　us　stand　here　till　they

overwhelm　us。〃



Now　those　behind　Gizur　cried　out　to　know　what　ailed　them　that　they

pushed　back。



〃Only　this；〃　said　Gizur；　〃that　Eric　Brighteyes　and　Skallagrim

Lambstail　stand　like　two　grey　wolves　and　hold　the　narrow　way。〃



〃Now　we　shall　have　fighting　worth　the　telling　of；〃　quoth　Ketel　the

viking。　〃On；　Gizur；　Ospakar's　son；　and　cut　them　down！〃



〃Hold！〃　said　Swanhild；　〃I　will　speak　with　Eric　first；〃　and；　together

with　Gizur　and　Ketel；　she　passed　round　the　corner　of　the　path　and　came

face　to　face　with　those　who　stood　at　bay　there。



〃Now　yield；　Eric；〃　she　cried。　〃Foes　are　behind　and　before　thee。　Thou

art　trapped；　and　hast　little　chance　of　life。　Yield　thee；　I　say；　with

thy　black　wolf…hound；　so　perchance　thou　mayest　find　mercy　even　at　the

hands　of　her　whose　husband　thou　didst　wrong　and　slay。〃



〃It　is　not　my　way　to　yield；　lady；〃　answered　Eric；　〃and　still　less

perchance　is　it　the　way　of　Skallagrim。　Least　of　all　will　we　yield　to

thee　who；　after　working　many　ills；　didst　throw　me　in　a　witch…sleep；

and　to　him　who　slew　the　wife　sleeping　at　my　side。　Hearken；　Swanhild：

here　we　stand；　awaiting　death；　nor　will　we　take　mercy　from　thy　hand。

For　know　this；　we　shall　not　die　alone。　Last　night　as　we　sat　on　Mosfell

we　saw　the　Norns　weave　our　web　of　fate　upon　their　loom　of　darkness。

They　sat　on　Helca's　dome　and　wove　their　pictures　in　living　flame；　then

rent　the　web　and　flew　upward　and　southward　and　westward；　crying　our

doom　to　sky　and　earth　and　sea。　Last　night　as　we　sat　by　the　fire　on

Mosfell　all　the　company　of　the　dead　were　gathered　round　usay！　and

all　the　company　of　those　who　shall　die　to…day。　Thou　wast　there；　Gizur

the　murderer；　Ospakar's　son！　thou　wast　there；　Swanhild　the　witch；

Groa's　daughter！　thou　wast　there；　Ketel　Viking！　with　many　another　man；

and　there　were　we　two　also。　Valkyries　have　kissed　us　and　death　draws

near。　Therefore；　talk　no　more；　but　come　and　make　an　end。　Greeting；

Gizur；　thou　woman…murderer！　Draw　nigh！　draw　nigh！　Out　sword！　up

shield！　and　on；　thou　son　of　Ospakar！〃



Swanhild　spoke　no　more；　and　Gizur　had　no　word。



〃On；　Gizur！　Eric　calls　thee；〃　quoth　Ketel　Viking；　but　Gizur　slunk

back；　not　forward。



Then　Ketel　grew　mad　with　rage　and　shame。　He　called　to　the　men；　and

they　drew　near；　as　many　as　might；　and　looked　doubtfully　at　the　pair

who　stood　before　them　like　rocks　upon　a　plain。　Eric　laughed　aloud　and

Skallagrim　gnawed　the　edge　of　his　shield。　Eric　laughed　aloud　and　the

sound　of　his　laughter　ran　up　the　rocks。



〃We　are　but　two；〃　he　cried；　〃and　ye　are　many！　Is　there　never　a　pair

among　you　will　stand　face　to　face　with　a　Baresark　and　a　helmless　man？〃

and　he　tossed　Whitefire　high　into　the　air　and　caught　it　by　the　hilt。



Then　Ketel　and　another　man　of　his　following　sprang　forward　with　an

oath；　and　their　axes　thundered　loud　on　the　shields　of　Eric　and　of

Skallagrim。　But　Whitefire　flickered　up　and　the　axe　of　Skallagrim

crashed；　and　at　once　their　knees　were　loosened；　so　that　they　sank　down

dead。



〃More　men！　more　men！〃　cried　Eric。　〃These　were　brave；　but　their　might

was　little。　More　men　for　the　Grey　Wolf's　maw！〃



Then　Swanhild　lashed　the　folk　with　bitter　words；　and　two　of　them

sprang　on。　They　sprang　on　like　hounds　upon　a　deer　at　bay；　and　they

rolled　back　as　gored　hounds　roll　from　the　deer's　horns。



〃More　men！　more　men！〃　cried　Eric。　〃Here　lie　but　four　and　a　hundred

press　behind。　Now　he　shall　win　great　honour　who　lays　Brighteyes　low

and　brings　down　the　helm　of　Skallagrim。〃



Again　two　came　on；　but　they　found　no　luck；　for　presently　they　also

were　down　upon　the　bodies　of　those　who　went　before。　Now　none　could　be

found　to　come　up　against　the　pair；　for　they　fought　like　Baldur　and

Thor；　and　none　could　touch　them；　and　no　harness　might　withstand　the

weight　of　their　blows　that　shore　through　shield　and　helm　and　byrnie；

deep　to　the　bone　beneath。　Then　Eric　and　Skallagrim　leaned　upon　their

weapons　and　mocked　their　foes；　while　these　cursed　and　tore　their

beards　with　rage　and　shame。



Now　it　is　to　be　told　that　when　the　thrall　and　those　with　him　saw　Eric

and　Skallagrim　had　escaped　their　rocks　and　spears；　they　took　counsel；

and　the　end　of　it　was　that　they　slid　down　a　rope　to　the　platform　that

is　under　the　crest　of　the　fell。　Thence；　though　they　could　see　nothing；

they　could　hear　the　clang　of　blows　and　the　shouts　of　those　who　fought

and　fellay！　and　the　mocking　of　Eric　and　of　Skallagrim。



〃Now　it　goes　thus；〃　said　the　thrall；　who　was　a　cunning　man：　〃Eric　and

Skallagrim　hold　the　narrow　way　and　none　can　stand　against　them。　This；

then；　is　my　rede：　that　we　turn　the　rock　and　take　them　in　the　back。〃



His　fellows　thought　this　a　good　saying；　and　one　by　one　they　stood　upon

the　little　rock　and　won　the　narrow　way。　They　crept　along　this　till

they　were　near　to　Eric　and　Skallagrim。　Now