eric brighteyes-第9部分

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＇*＇　The　ghost　in　the　cairn。



Now　he　drew　the　great　sword；　and　men　were　astonished　as　it　flashed

aloft。　Its　hilt　was　of　gold；　and　blue　stones　were　set　therein。　It

measured　two　ells　and　a　half　from　crossbar　to　point；　and　so　bright　was

the　broad　blade　that　no　one　could　look　on　it　for　long；　and　all　down

its　length　ran　runes。



〃A　wondrous　weapon；　truly！〃　said　Asmund。　〃How　read　the　runes？〃



〃I　know　not；　nor　any　manthey　are　ancient。〃



〃Let　me　look　at　them；〃　said　Groa；　〃I　am　skilled　in　runes。〃　Now　she

took　the　sword；　and　heaved　it　up；　and　looked　at　the　runes　and　said；　〃A

strange　writing　truly。〃



〃How　runs　it；　housekeeper？〃　said　Asmund。



〃Thus；　lord；　if　my　skill　is　not　at　fault：



　〃Whitefire　is　my　nameDwarf…folk　forged　me

　　Odin's　sword　was　IEric's　sword　was　IEric's　sword　shall　I　be

　　And　where　I　fall　there　he　must　follow　me。〃



Now　Gudruda　looked　at　Eric　Brighteyes　wonderingly；　and　Ospakar　saw　it

and　became　very　angry。



〃Look　not　so；　maiden；〃　he　said；　〃for　it　shall　be　another　Eric　than　yon

flapper…duck　who　holds　Whitefire　aloft；　though　it　may　very　well　chance

that　he　shall　feel　its　edge。〃



Now　Gudruda　bit　her　lip；　and　Eric　burned　red　to　the　brow　and　spoke：



〃It　is　ill；　lord；　to　throw　taunts　like　an　angry　woman。　Thou　art　great

and　strong；　yet　I　may　dare　a　deed　with　thee。〃



〃Peace；　boy！　Thou　canst　climb　a　waterfall　well；　I　gainsay　it　not；　but

beware　ere　thou　settest　up　thyself　against　my　strength。　Say　now；　what

game　wilt　thou　play　with　Ospakar？〃



〃I　will　go　on　holmgang　with　thee；　byrnie…clad　or　baresark；＇*＇　and

fight　thee　with　axe　or　sword；　or　I　will　wrestle　with　thee；　and

Whitefire　yonder　shall　be　the　winner's　prize。〃



＇*＇　To　a　duel；　usually　fought；　in　mail　or　without　it；　on　an　island

　　　　〃holm〃within　a　circle　of　hazel…twigs。



〃Nay；　I　will　have　no　bloodshed　here　at　Middalhof；〃　said　Asmund

sternly。　〃Make　play　with　fists；　or　wrestle　if　ye　will；　for　that　were

great　sport　to　see；　but　weapons　shall　not　be　drawn。〃



Now　Ospakar　grew　mad　with　anger　and　drinkand　he　grinned　like　a　dog；

till　men　saw　the　red　gums　beneath　his　lips。



〃Thou　wilt　wrestle　with　me；　younglingwith　/me/　whom　no　man　has　ever

so　much　as　lifted　from　my　feet？　Good！　I　will　lay　thee　on　thy　face　and

whip　thee；　and　Whitefire　shall　be　the　stakeI　swear　it　on　the　holy

altar…ring；　but　what　hast　thou　to　set　against　the　precious　sword？　Thy

poor　hovel　and　its　lot　of　land　shall　be　all　too　little。〃



〃I　set　my　life　on　it；　if　I　lose　Whitefire　let　Whitefire　slay　me；〃　said

Eric。



〃Nay；　that　I　will　not　have；　and　I　am　master　here　in　this　Temple；〃　said

Asmund。　〃Bethink　thee　of　some　other　stake；　Ospakar；　or　let　the　game　be

off。〃



Now　Ospakar　gnawed　his　lip　with　his　black　fang　and　thought。　Then　he

laughed　aloud　and　spoke：



〃Bright　is　Whitefire　and　thou　art　named　Brighteyes。　See　now：　I　set　the

great　sword　against　thy　right　eye；　and；　if　I　win　the　match；　it　shall

be　mine　to　tear　it　out。　Wilt　thou　play　this　game　with　me？　If　thy　heart

fails　thee；　let　it　go；　but　I　will　set　no　other　stake　against　my　good

sword。〃



〃Eyes　and　limbs　are　a　poor　man's　wealth；〃　said　Eric：　〃so　be　it。　I

stake　my　right　eye　against　the　sword　Whitefire；　and　we　will　try　the

match　to…morrow。〃



〃And　to…morrow　night　thou　shalt　be　called　Eric　One…eye；〃　said　Ospakar

at　which　some　few　of　his　thralls　laughed。



But　most　of　the　men　did　not　laugh；　for　they　thought　this　an　ill　game

and　a　worst　jest。



Now　the　feast　went　on；　and　Asmund　rose　from　his　high　seat　in　the

centre　of　the　nave；　on　the　left　hand　looking　down　from　the　altar；　and

gave　out　the　holy　toasts。　First　men　drank　a　full　horn　to　Odin；　praying

for　triumph　on　their　foes。　Then　they　drank　to　Frey；　asking　for　plenty；

to　Thor；　for　strength　in　battle；　to　Freya；　Goddess　of　Love　（and　to　her

Eric　drank　heartily）；　to　the　memory　of　the　dead；　and；　last　of　all；　to

Bragi；　God　of　all　delight。　When　this　cup　was　drunk；　Asmund　rose　again；

according　to　custom；　and　asked　if　none　had　an　oath　to　swear　as　to　some

deed　that　should　be　done。



For　a　while　there　was　no　answer；　but　presently　Eric　Brighteyes　stood

up。



〃Lord；〃　he　said；　〃I　would　swear　an　oath。〃



〃Set　forth　the　matter；　then；〃　said　Asmund。



〃It　is　this；〃　quoth　Eric。　〃On　Mosfell　mountain；　over　by　Hecla；　dwells

a　Baresark　of　whom　all　men　have　ill　knowledge；　for　there　are　few　whom

he　has　not　harmed。　His　name　is　Skallagrim；　he　is　a　mighty　man　and　he

has　wrought　much　mischief　in　the　south　country；　and　brought　many　to

their　deaths　and　robbed　more　of　their　goods：　for　none　can　prevail

against　him。　Still；　I　swear　this；　that；　when　the　days　lengthen；　I　will

go　up　alone　against　him　and　challenge　him　to　battle；　and　conquer　him

or　fall。〃



〃Then；　thou　yellow…headed　puppy…dog；　thou　shalt　go　with　one　eye

against　a　Baresark　with　two；〃　growled　Ospakar。



Men　took　no　heed　of　his　words；　but　shouted　aloud；　for　Skallagrim　had

plagued　them　long；　and　there　were　none　who　dared　to　fight　with　him　any

more。　Only　Gudruda　looked　askance；　for　it　seemed　to　her　that　Eric

swore　too　fast。　Nevertheless　he　went　up　to　the　altar；　and；　taking　hold

of　the　holy　ring；　he　set　his　foot　on　the　holy　stone　and　swore　his

oath；　while　the　feasters　applauded；　striking　their　cups　upon　the

board。



And　after　that　the　feast　went　merrily；　till　all　men　were　drunk；　except

Asmund　and　Eric。



Now　Eric　went　to　rest；　but　first　he　rubbed　his　limbs　with　the　fat　of

seals；　for　he　was　still　sore　with　the　beating　of　the　waters；　and　they

must　needs　be　supple　on　the　morrow　if　he　would　keep　his　eye。　Then　he

slept　sound；　and　rose　strong　and　well；　and　going　to　the　stream　behind

the　stead；　bathed；　and　anointed　his　limbs　afresh。　But　Ospakar　did　not

sleep　well；　because　of　the　ale　that　he　had　drunk。　Now　as　Eric　came

back　from　bathing；　in　the　dark　of　the　morning；　he　met　Gudruda；　who

watched　for　his　coming；　and；　there　being　none　to　see；　he　kissed　her

often；　but　she　chided　him　because　of　the　match　that　he　had　made　with

Ospakar　and　the　oath　that　he　had　sworn。



〃Surely；〃　she　said；　〃thou　wilt　lose　thine　eye；　for　this　Ospakar　is　a

giant；　and　strong　as　a　troll；　also　he　is　merciless。　Still；　thou　art　a

mighty　man；　and　I　shall　love　thee　as　well　with　one　eye　as　with　two。

Oh！　Eric；　methought　I　should　have　died　yesterday　when　thou　didst　leap

from　Wolf's　Fang！　My　heart　seemed　to　stop　within　me。〃



〃Yet　I　came　safely　to　shore；　sweetheart；　and　well　does　this　kiss　pay

for　all　I　did。　And　as　for　Ospakar；　if　but　once　I　get　these　arms　about

him；　I　fear　him　little；　or　any　man；　and　I　covet　that　sword　of　his

greatly。　But　we　can　talk　more　certainly　of　these　things　to…morrow。〃



Now　Gudruda　clung　to　him　and　told　him　all　that　had　befallen；　and　of

the　doings　and　words　of　Swanhild。



〃She　honours　me　beyond　my　worth；〃　he　said；　〃who　am　in　no　way　set　on

her；　but　on　thee　only；　Gudruda。〃



〃Art　thou　so　sure　of　that；　Eric？　Swanhild　is　fair　and　wise。〃



〃Ay　and　evil。　When　I　love　Swanhild；　then　thou　mayest　love　Ospakar。〃



〃It　is　a　bargain；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Good　luck　go　with　thee　in　the

wrestling；〃　and　with　a　kiss　she　left　him；　fearing　lest　she　should　be

seen。



Eric　went　back　to　the　hall；　and　sat　down　by　the　centre　hearth；　for　all

men　slept；　being　still　heavy　with　drink；　and　presently　Swanhild　glided

up　to　him；　and　greeted　him。



〃Thou　art　greedy　of　deeds；　Eric；〃　she　said。　〃Yesterday　thou　camest

here　by　a　path　that　no　man　has　travelled；　to…day　thou　dost　wrestle

with　a　giant　for　thine　eye；　and　presently　thou　goest　up　against

Skallagrim！〃



〃It　seems　that　this　is　true；〃　said　Eric。



〃Now　all　this　thou　doest　for　a　woman　who　is　the　betrothed　of　another

man。〃



〃All　this　I　do　for　fame's　sake；　Swanhild。　Moreover；　Gudruda　is

betrothed　to　none。〃



〃Before　another　Yule…feast　is　spread；　Gudruda　shall　be　the　wife　of

Ospakar。〃



〃That　is　yet　to　be　seen；　Swanhild。〃



Now　Swanhild　stood　silent　for　a　while　and　then　spoke：　〃Thou　art　a

fool；　Ericyes；　drunk　with　folly。　Nothing　but　evil　shall　come　to　thee

from　this　madness　of　thine。　Forget　it　and　pluck　that　which　lies　to

thine　hand；〃　and　she　looked　sweetly　at　him。



〃They　call　thee　Swanhild　the　Fatherless；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　think

that　Loki；　the　God　of　Guile；　was　thy　father；　for　there　is　none　to

match　thee　in　craft　and　evil…doing；　and　in　beauty　one　only。　I　know　thy

plots　well　and　all　the　sorrow　that　thou　hast　brought　upon　us。　Still；

each　seeks　honour　after　his　own　manner；　so　seek　thou　as　thou　wilt；　but

thou　shalt　find　bitterness　and　empty　days；　and　thy　plots　shall　come

back　on　thine　own　headyes；　even　though　they　bring　Gudruda　and　me　to

sorrow　and　death。〃



Swanhild　laughed。　〃A　day　shall　dawn；　Eric；　when　thou　who　dost　hate　me

shalt　hold　me　dear；　and　this　I　promise　thee。　Another　thing　I　promise

thee　also：　that　Gudruda　shall　never　call　thee　husband。〃



But　Eric　did　not　answer；　fearing　lest　in　his　anger　he　should　say　words

that　were　better　unspoken。



Now　men　rose　and　sat　down　to　meat；　and　all　talked　of　the　wrestling

that　should　be。　But　in　the　morning　Ospakar　repented　of　the　match；　for

it　is　truly　said　that　/ale　is　another　man/；　and　men　do　not　like　that

in　the　morning　which　seemed　well　enough　on　yester　eve。　He　remembered

that　he　held　Whitefire　dear　above　all　things；　and　that　Eric's　eye　had

no　worth　to　him；　except　that　the　loss　of　it　would　spoil　his　beauty；　so

that　perhaps　Gudruda　would　turn　from　him。　It　would　be　very　ill　if　he

should　chance　to　lose　the　playthough　of　this　he　had　no　fear；　for　he

was　held　the　strongest　man　in　Iceland　and　the　most　skilled　in　all

feats　of　strengthand；　at　the　best；　no　fame　is　to　be　won　from　the

overthrow　of　a　deedless　man；　and　the　plucking　out　of　his　eye。　Thus　it

came　to　pass　that　when　he　saw　Eric　he　called　to　him　in　a　big　voice：



〃Hearken；　thou　Eric。〃



〃I　hear　thee；　thou　Ospakar；〃　said　Eric；　mocking　him；　and　people

laughed；　while　Ospakar　grinned　angrily　and　said；　〃Thou　must　learn