eric brighteyes-第6部分

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〃Then　all　goes　well。　Still；　it　is　a　pity　to　see　so　fair　a　maid　cast

like　rotten　bait　upon　the　waters　to　hook　this　troutlet　of　a　yeoman。

Thou　hast　enemies；　Asmund；　thou　art　too　prosperous；　and　there　are　many

who　hate　thee　for　thy　state　and　wealth。　Were　it　not　wise　to　use　this

girl　of　thine　to　build　a　wall　about　thee　against　the　evil　day？〃



〃I　have　been　more　wont；　housekeeper；　to　trust　to　my　own　arm　than　to

bought　friends。　But　tell　me；　for　at　the　least　thou　art　far…seeing；　how

may　this　be　done？　As　things　are；　though　I　spoke　roughly　to　him　last

night；　I　am　inclined　to　let　Eric　Brighteyes　take　Gudruda。　I　have

always　loved　the　lad；　and　he　will　go　far。〃



〃Listen；　Asmund！　Surely　thou　hast　heard　of　Ospakar　Blacktooththe

priest　who　dwells　in　the　north？〃



〃Ay；　I　have　heard　of　him；　and　I　know　him；　there　is　no　man　like　him　for

ugliness；　or　strength；　or　wealth　and　power。　We　sailed　together　on　a

viking　cruise　many　years　ago；　and　he　did　things　at　which　my　blood

turned；　and　in　those　days　I　had　no　chicken　heart。〃



〃With　time　men　change　their　temper。　Unless　I　am　mistaken；　this　Ospakar

wishes　above　all　to　have　Gudruda　in　marriage；　for；　now　that　everything

is　his；　this　alone　is　left　for　him　to　askthe　fairest　woman　in

Iceland　as　a　housewife。　Think　then；　with　Ospakar　for　a　son…in…law；　who

is　there　that　can　stand　against　thee？〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　this　matter；　nor　do　I　altogether　trust　thee；

Groa。　Of　a　truth　it　seems　to　me　that　thou　hast　some　stake　upon　the

race。　This　Ospakar　is　evil　and　hideous。　It　were　a　shame　to　give

Gudruda　over　to　him　when　she　looks　elsewhere。　Knowest　thou　that　I

swore　to　love　and　cherish　her；　and　how　runs　this　with　my　oath？　If　Eric

is　not　too　rich；　yet　he　is　of　good　birth　and　kin；　and；　moreover；　a　man

of　men。　If　he　take　her　good　will　come　of　it。〃



〃It　is　like　thee；　Asmund；　always　to　mistrust　those　who　spend　their

days　in　plotting　for　thy　weal。　Do　as　thou　wilt：　let　Eric　take　this

treasure　of　thinefor　whom　earls　would　give　their　stateand　live　to

rue　it。　But　I　say　this：　if　he　have　thy　leave　to　roam　here　with　his

dove　the　matter　will　soon　grow；　for　these　two　sicken　each　to　each；　and

young　blood　is　hot　and　ill　at　waiting；　and　it　is　not　always　snow…time。

So　betroth　her　or　let　him　go。　And　now　I　have　said。〃



〃Thy　tongue　runs　too　fast。　The　man　is　quite　unproved　and　I　will　try

him。　To…morrow　I　will　warn　him　from　my　door；　then　things　shall　go　as

they　are　fated。　And　now　peace；　for　I　weary　of　thy　talk；　and；　moreover；

it　is　false；　for　thou　lackest　one　thinga　little　honesty　to　season

all　thy　craft。　What　fee　has　Ospakar　paid　thee；　I　wonder。　Thou　at　least

hadst　never　refused　the　gold　ring　to…night；　for　thou　wouldst　do　much

for　gold。〃



〃And　more　for　love；　and　most　of　all　for　hate；〃　Groa　said；　and　laughed

aloud；　nor　did　they　speak　more　on　this　matter　that　night。



Now；　early　in　the　morning　Asmund　rose；　and；　going　to　the　hall；　awoke

Eric；　who　slept　by　the　centre　hearth；　saying　that　he　would　talk　with

him　without。　Then　Eric　followed　him　to　the　back　of　the　hall。



〃Say　now；　Eric；〃　he　said；　when　they　stood　in　the　grey　light　outside

the　house；　〃who　was　it　taught　thee　that　kisses　keep　out　the　cold　on

snowy　days？〃



Now　Eric　reddened　to　his　yellow　hair；　but　he　answered：　〃Who　was　it

told　thee；　lord；　that　I　tried　this　medicine？〃



〃The　snow　hides　much；　but　there　are　eyes　that　can　pierce　the　snow。

Nay；　more；　thou　wast　seen；　and　there's　an　end。　Now　know　thisI　like

thee　well；　but　Gudruda　is　not　for　thee；　she　is　far　above　thee；　who　art

but　a　deedless　yeoman。〃



〃Then　I　love　to　no　end；〃　said　Eric；　〃I　long　for　one　thing　only；　and

that　is　Gudruda。　It　was　in　my　mind　to　ask　her　in　marriage　of　thee

to…day。〃



〃Then；　lad；　thou　hast　thy　answer　before　thou　askest。　Be　sure　of　one

thing：　if　but　once　again　I　find　thee　alone　with　Gudruda；　it　is　my　axe

shall　kiss　thee　and　not　her　lips。〃



〃That　may　yet　be　put　to　the　proof；　lord；〃　said　Eric；　and　turned　to

seek　his　horse；　when　suddenly　Gudruda　came　and　stood　between　them；　and

his　heart　leapt　at　the　sight　of　her。



〃Listen；　Gudruda；〃　Eric　said。　〃This　is　thy　father's　word：　that　we　two

speak　together　no　more。〃



〃Then　it　is　an　ill　saying　for　us；〃　said　Gudruda；　laying　her　hand　upon

her　breast。



〃Saying　good　or　ill；　so　it　surely　is；　girl；〃　answered　Asmund。　〃No　more

shalt　thou　go　a…kissing；　in　the　snow　or　in　the　flowers。〃



〃Now　I　seem　to　hear　Swanhild's　voice；〃　she　said。　〃Well；　such　things

have　happened　to　better　folk；　and　a　father's　wish　is　to　a　maid　what

the　wind　is　to　the　grass。　Still；　the　sun　is　behind　the　cloud　and　it

will　shine　again　some　day。　Till　then；　Eric；　fare　thee　well！〃



〃It　is　not　thy　will；　lord；〃　said　Eric；　〃that　I　should　come　to　thy

Yule…feast　as　thou　hast　asked　me　these　ten　years　past？〃



Now　Asmund　grew　wroth；　and　pointed　with　his　hand　towards　the　great

Golden　Falls　that　thunder　down　the　mountain　named　Stonefell　that　is

behind　Middalhof；　and　there　are　no　greater　water…falls　in　Iceland。



〃A　man　may　take　two　roads；　Eric；　from　Coldback　to　Middalhof；　one　by

the　bridle…path　over　Coldback　and　the　other　down　Golden　Falls；　but　I

never　knew　traveller　to　choose　this　way。　Now；　I　bid　thee　to　my　feast

by　the　path　over　Golden　Falls；　and；　if　thou　comest　that　way；　I　promise

thee　this：　if　thou　livest　I　will　greet　thee　well；　and　if　I　find　thee

dead　in　the　great　pool　I　will　bind　on　thy　Hell…shoes　and　lay　thee　to

earth　neighbourly　fashion。　But　if　thou　comest　by　any　other　path；　then

my　thralls　shall　cut　thee　down　at　my　door。〃　And　he　stroked　his　beard

and　laughed。



Now　Asmund　spoke　thus　mockingly　because　he　did　not　think　it　possible

that　any　man　should　try　the　path　of　the　Golden　Falls。



Eric　smiled　and　said；　〃I　hold　thee　to　thy　word；　lord；　perhaps　I　shall

be　thy　guest　at　Yule。〃



But　Gudruda　heard　the　thunder　of　the　mighty　Falls　as　the　wind　turned；

and　cried　〃Nay；　nayit　were　thy　death！〃



Then　Eric　finds　his　horse　and　rides　away　across　the　snow。



Now　it　must　be　told　of　Koll　the　Half…witted　that　at　length　he　came　to

Swinefell　in　the　north；　having　journeyed　hard　across　the　snow。　Here

Ospakar　Blacktooth　had　his　great　hall；　in　which　day　by　day　a　hundred

men　sat　down　to　meat。　Now　Koll　entered　the　hall　when　Ospakar　was　at

supper；　and　looked　at　him　with　big　eyes；　for　he　had　never　seen　so

wonderful　a　man。　He　was　huge　in　staturehis　hair　was　black；　and　black

his　beard；　and　on　his　lower　lip　there　lay　a　great　black　fang。　His　eyes

were　small　and　narrow；　but　his　cheekbones　were　set　wide　apart　and

high；　like　those　of　a　horse。　Koll　thought　him　an　ill　man　to　deal　with

and　half　a　troll；＇*＇　and　grew　afraid　of　his　errand；　since　in　Koll's

half…wittedness　there　was　much　cunningfor　it　was　a　cloak　in　which　he

wrapped　himself。　But　as　Ospakar　sat　in　the　high　seat；　clothed　in　a

purple　robe；　with　his　sword　Whitefire　on　his　knee；　he　saw　Koll；　and

called　out　in　a　great　voice：



＇*＇　An　able…bodied　Goblin。



〃Who　is　this　red　fox　that　creeps　into　my　earth？〃



For；　to　look　at；　Koll　was　very　like　a　fox。



〃My　name　is　Koll　the　Half…witted；　Groa's　thrall；　lord。　Am　I　welcome

here？〃　he　answered。



〃That　is　as　it　may　be。　Why　do　they　call　thee　half…witted？〃



〃Because　I　love　not　work　overmuch；　lord。〃



〃Then　all　my　thralls　are　fellow　to　thee。　Say；　what　brings　thee　here？〃



〃This　lord。　It　was　told　among　men　down　in　the　south　that　thou　wouldst

give　a　good　gift　to　him　who　should　discover　to　thee　the　fairest　maid

in　Iceland。　So　I　asked　leave　of　my　mistress　to　come　on　a　journey　and

tell　thee　of　her。〃



〃Then　a　lie　was　told　thee。　Still；　I　love　to　hear　of　fair　maids；　and

seek　one　for　a　wife　if　she　be　but　fair　enough。　So　speak　on；　Koll　the

Fox；　and　lie　not　to　me；　I　warn　thee；　else　I　will　knock　what　wits　are

left　there　from　that　red　head　of　thine。〃



So　Koll　took　up　the　tale　and　greatly　bepraised　Gudruda's　beauty；　nor

in　truth；　for　all　his　talk；　could　he　praise　it　too　much。　He　told　of

her　dark　eyes　and　the　whiteness　of　her　skin；　of　the　nobleness　of　her

shape　and　the　gold　of　her　hair；　of　her　wit　and　gentleness；　till　at

length　Ospakar　grew　afire　to　see　this　flower　of　maids。



〃By　Thor；　thou　Koll；〃　he　said；　〃if　the　girl　be　but　half　of　what　thou

sayest；　her　luck　is　good；　for　she　shall　be　wife　to　Ospakar。　But　if

thou　hast　lied　to　me　about　her；　beware！　for　soon　there　shall　be　a

knave　the　less　in　Iceland。〃



Now　a　man　rose　in　the　hall　and　said　that　Koll　spoke　truth；　for　he　had

seen　Gudruda　the　Fair；　Asmund's　daughter；　and　there　was　no　maid　like

her　in　Iceland。



〃I　will　do　this　now；〃　said　Blacktooth。　〃To…morrow　I　will　send　a

messenger　to　Middalhof；　saying　to　Asmund　the　Priest　that　I　purpose　to

visit　him　at　the　time　of　the　Yule…feast；　then　I　shall　see　if　the　girl

pleases　me。　Meanwhile；　Koll；　take　thou　a　seat　among　the　thralls；　and

here　is　something　for　thy　pains；〃　and　he　took　off　the　purple　cloak　and

threw　it　to　him。



〃Thanks　to　thee；　Gold…scatterer；〃　said　Koll。　〃It　is　wise　to　go　soon　to

Middalhof；　for　such　a　bloom　as　this　maid　does　not　lack　a　bee。　There　is

a　youngling　in　the　south；　named　Eric　Brighteyes；　who　loves　Gudruda；

and　she；　I　think；　loves　him；　though　he　is　but　a　yeoman　of　small　wealth

and　is　only　twenty…five　years　old。〃



〃Ho！　ho！〃　laughed　great　Ospakar；　〃and　I　am　forty…five。　But　let　not

this　suckling　cross　my　desire；　lest　men　call　him　Eric　Holloweyes！〃







Now　the　messenger　of　Ospakar　came　to　Middalhof；　and　his　words　pleased

Asmund　and　he　made　ready　a　great　feast。　And　Swanhild　smiled；　but

Gudruda　was　afraid。







IV



HOW　ERIC　CAME　DOWN　GOLDEN　FALLS



Now　Ospakar　rode　up　to　Middalhof　on　the　day　before　the　Yule…feast。　He

was　splendidly　apparelled；　and　with　him　came　his　two　sons；　Gizur　the

Lawman　and　Mord；　young　men　of　promise；　and　many　armed　thralls　and

servants。　Gudruda；　watching　at　the　women's　door；　saw　his　face　in　the

moonlight　and　loathed　him。



〃What　thinkest　thou　of　him　who　comes　to　seek　thee　in　m