letters from high latitudes-第42部分

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。　Moving　all　his　ballast；　arms；　and　men；　into　the　afterpart　of　the　ship；　until　her　stem　slants　up　out　of　the　sea；　he　rows　straight　at　the　iron　chain。　The　ship　leaps　almost　half…way　over。　The　weight　being　then　immediately　transferred　to　the　fore…part；　she　slips　down　into　the　water　on　the　other　side；having　topped　the　fence　like　an　Irish　hunter。　A　second　galley　breaks　her　back　in　the　attempt。　　After　some　questionable　acts　of　vengeance　on　the　Greek　court；　Harald　and　his　bold　Vaeringers　go　fighting　and　plundering　their　way　through　the　Bosphorus　and　Black　Sea　back　to　Novogorod；　where　the　first　part　of　the　romance　terminates；　as　it　should；　by　his　marriage　with　the　object　of　his　secret　attachment；　Elisof；　the　daughter　of　the　Russian　king。

Hardrada's　story　darkens　towards　the　end；　as　most　of　the　tales　of　that　stirring　time　are　apt　to　do。　His　death　on　English　ground　is　so　striking；　that　you　must　have　patience　with　one　other　short　Saga；　it　will　give　you　the　battle　of　Stanford　Bridge　from　the　Norse　point　of　view。

The　expedition　against　Harold　of　England　commences　ill；　dreams　and　omens　affright　the　fleet；　one　man　dreams　he　sees　a　raven　sitting　on　the　stern　of　each　vessel；　another　sees　the　fair　English　coast；

　　　〃But　glancing　shields　　　　　Hide　the　green　fields；〃

and　other　fearful　phenomena　mar　the　beautiful　vision。　Harald　himself　dreams　that　he　is　back　again　at　Nidaros；　and　that　his　brother　Olaf　meets　him　with　a　prophecy　of　ruin　and　death。　The　bold　Norsemen　are　not　to　be　daunted　by　these　auguries；　and　their　first　successes　on　the　English　coast　seem　to　justify　their　persistence。　But　on　a　certain　beautiful　Monday　in　September　（A。D。　1066；　according　to　the　Saxon　Chronicle）；　part　of　his　army　being　encamped　at　Stanford　Bridge；　〃Hardrada；　HAVING　TAKEN　BREAKFAST；　ordered　the　trumpets　to　sound　for　going　on　shore；〃　but　he　left　half　his　force　behind；　to　guard　the　ships：　and　his　men；　anticipating　no　resistance　from　the　castle；　which　had　already　surrendered；　〃went　on　shore　（the　weather　being　hot）；　with　only　their　helmets；　shields；　and　spears；　and　girt　with　swords；　some　had　bows　and　arrows；and　all　were　very　merry。〃　On　nearing　the　castle；　they　see　〃a　cloud　of　dust　as　from　horses'　feet；　and　under　it　shining　shields　and　bright　armour。〃　English　Harold's　army　is　before　them。　Hardrada　sends　back　to　his　ship　for　succour；　and　sets　up　his　banner；　〃Land　Ravager；〃　undismayed　by　the　inequality　of　his　force；　and　their　comparatively　unarmed　condition。　The　men　on　each　side　are　drawn　up　in　battle　array；　and　the　two　kings　in　presence；　each　gazes　eagerly　to　discover　his　noble　foe　among　the　multitude。　Harald　Hardrada's　black　horse　stumbles　and　falls；　〃the　King　got　up　in　haste；　and　said；　'A　fall　is　lucky　for　a　traveller。'〃

The　English　King　said　to　the　Northmen　who　were　with　him；　〃Do　you　know　the　stout　man　who　fell　from　his　horse；　with　the　blue　kirtle；　and　beautiful　helmet？〃

〃That　is　the　Norwegian　King；〃　said　they。

English　Harold　replied；　〃A　great　man；　and　of　stately　appearance　is　he；　but　I　think　his　luck　has　left　him。〃

And　now　twenty　gallant　English　knights　ride　out　of　their　ranks　to　parley　with　the　Northmen。　One　advances　beyond　the　rest　and　asks　if　Earl　Toste；　the　brother　of　English　Harold　（who　has　banded　with　his　enemy　against　him）；　is　with　the　army。

The　Earl　himself　proudly　answers；　〃It　is　not　to　be　denied　that　you　will　find　him　here。〃

The　Saxon　says；　〃Thy　brother；　Harold；　sends　his　salutation；　and　offers　thee　the　third　part　of　his　kingdom；　if　thou　wilt　be　reconciled　and　submit　to　him。〃

The　Earl　replies；　at　the　suggestion　of　the　Norse　King；　〃What　will　my　brother　the　King　give　to　Harald　Hardrada　for　his　trouble？〃

〃He　will　give　him；〃　says　the　Knight；　〃SEVEN　FEET　OF　ENGLISH　GROUND；　OR　AS　MUCH　MORE　AS　HE　MAY　BE　TALLER　THAN　OTHER　MEN。〃

〃Then；〃　says　the　Earl；　〃let　the　English　King；　my　brother；　make　ready　for　battle；　for　it　never　shall　be　said　that　Earl　Toste　broke　faith　with　his　friends　when　they　came　with　him　to　fight　west　here　in　England。〃

When　the　knights　rode　off；　King　Harald　Hardrada　asked　the　Earl；　〃Who　was　the　man　who　spoke　so　well？〃

The　Earl　replied；　〃That　knight　was　Harold　of　England。〃

The　stern　Norwegian　King　regrets　that　his　enemy　had　escaped　from　his　hands；　owing　to　his　ignorance　of　this　fact；　but　even　in　his　first　burst　of　disappointment；　the　noble　Norse　nature　speaks　in　generous　admiration　of　his　foe；　saying　to　the　people　about　him；　〃That　was　but　a　little　man；　yet　he　sat　firmly　in　his　stirrups。〃

The　fierce；　but　unequal　combat　is　soon　at　an　end；　and　when　tardy　succour　arrives　from　the　ships；　Harald　Hardrada　is　lying　on　his　face；　with　the　deadly　arrow　in　his　throat；　never　to　see　Nidaros　again。　Seven　feet　of　English　earth；　and　no　more；　has　the　strong　arm　and　fiery　spirit　conquered。

But　enough　of　these　gallant　fellows；　I　must　carry　you　off　to　a　much　pleasanter　scene　of　action。　After　a　very　agreeable　dinner　with　Mr。　K；　who　has　been　most　kind　to　us；　we　adjourned　to　the　ball。　The　room　was　large　and　well　lightedplenty　of　pretty　faces　adorned　it；the　floor　was　smooth；　and　the　scrape　of　the　fiddles　had　a　festive　accent　so　extremely　inspiriting；　that　I　besought　Mr。　K　to　present　me　to　one　of　the　fair　personages　whose　tiny　feet　were　already　tapping　the　floor　with　impatience　at　their　own　inactivity。

I　was　led　up　in　due　form　to　a　very　pretty　lady；　and　heard　my　own　name；　followed　by　a　singular　sound　purporting　to　be　that　of　my　charming　partner；　Madame　Hghelghghagllaghem。　For　the　pronunciation　of　this　polysyllabic　cognomen；　I　can　only　give　you　a　few　plain　instructions；　commence　it　with　a　slight　cough；　continue　with　a　gurgling　in　the　throat；　and　finish　with　the　first　convulsive　movement　of　a　sneeze；　imparting　to　the　whole　operation　a　delicate　nasal　twang。　　If　the　result　is　not　something　approaching　to　the　sound　required；　you　must　relinquish　all　hope　of　achieving　it；　as　I　did。　Luckily；　my　business　was　to　dance；　and　not　to　apostrophize　the　lady；　and　accordingly；　when　the　waltz　struck　up；　I　hastened　to　claim；　in　the　dumbest　show；　the　honour　of　her　hand。　Although　my　dancing　qualifications　have　rather　rusted　during　the　last　two　or　three　years；　I　remembered　that　the　time　was　not　so　very　far　distant　when　even　the　fair　Mademoiselle　E　had　graciously　pronounced　me　to　be　a　very　tolerable　waltzer；　〃for　an　Englishman；〃　and　I　led　my　partner　to　the　circle　already　formed　with　the　〃air　capable〃　which　the　object　of　such　praise　is　entitled　to　assume。　　There　was　a　certain　languid　rhythm　in　the　air　they　were　playing　which　rather　offended　my　ears；　but　I　suspected　nothing　until；　observing　the　few　couples　who　had　already　descended　into　the　arena；　I　became　aware　that　they　were　twirling　about　with　all　the　antiquated　grace　of　〃la　valse　a　trois　temps。〃　Of　course　my　partner　would　be　no　exception　to　the　general　rule！　nobody　had　ever　danced　anything　else　at　Throndhjem　from　the　days　of　Odin　downwards；　and　I　had　never　so　much　as　attempted　it。　What　was　to　be　done？　I　could　not　explain　the　state　of　the　case　to　Madame　Hghelghghagllaghem；　she　could　not　understand　English；　nor　I　speak　Norse。　My　brain　reeled　with　anxiety　to　find　some　solution　of　the　difficulty；　or　some　excuse　for　rushing　from　her　presence。　What　if　I　were　taken　with　a　sudden　bleeding　at　the　nose；　or　had　an　apoplectic　fit　on　the　spot？　Either　case　would　necessitate　my　being　carried　decently　out；　and　consigned　to　oblivion；　which　would　have　been　a　comfort　under　the　circumstances。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　the　courage　of　despair；　so；　casting　reflection　to　the　winds　and　my　arm　round　her　waist；　I　suddenly　whisked　her　off　her　legs；　and　dashed　madly　down　the　room；　〃a　deux　temps。〃　At　the　first　perception　that　something　unusual　was　going　on；　she　gave　such　an　eldritch　scream；　that　the　whole　society　suddenly　came　to　a　standstill。　I　thought　it　best　to　assume　an　aspect　of　innocent　composure　and　conscious　rectitude；　which　had　its　effect；　for　though　the　lady　began　with　a　certain　degree　of　hysterical　animation　to　describe　her　wrongs；　she　finished　with　a　hearty　laugh；　in　which　the　company　cordially　joined；　and　I　delicately　chimed　in。　For　the　rest　of　the　dance　she　seemed　to　resign　herself　to　her　fate；　and　floated　through　space；　under　my　guidance；　with　all　the　ABANDON　of　Francesca　di　Rimini；　in　Scheffer's　famous　picture。

The　Crown　Prince　is　a　tall；　fine…looking　person；　he　was　very　gracious；　and　asked　many　questions　about　my　voyage。

At　night　there　was　a　general　illumination；　to　which　the　〃Foam〃　contributed　some　blue　lights。

We　got　under　way　early　this　morning；　and　without　a　pilotas　we　had　enteredmade　our　way　out　to　sea　again。　I　left　Throndhjem　with　regret；　not　for　its　own　sake；　for　in　spite　of　balls　and　illuminations　I　should　think　the　pleasures　of　a　stay　there　would　not　be　deliriously　exciting；　but　this　whole　district　is　so　intimately　associated　in　my　mind　with　all　the　brilliant　episodes　of　ancient　Norwegian　History；　that　I　feel　as　if　I　were　taking　leave　of　all　those　noble　Haralds；　and　Olafs；　and　Hacons；　among　whom　I　have　been　living　in　such　pleasant　intimacy　for　some　time　past。

While　we　are　dropping　down　the　coast；　I　may　as　well　employ　the　time　in　giving　you　a　rapid　sketch　of　the　commencement　of　this　fine　Norse　people；　though　the　story　〃remonte　jusqu'a　la　nuit　des　temps；〃　and　has　something　of　the　vague　magnificence　of　your　own　M'Donnell　genealogy；　ending　a　long　list　of　great　potentates；　with　〃somebody；　who　was　the　son　of　somebody　else；　who　was　the　son　of　Scotha；　who　was　the　daughter　of　Pharaoh！〃

In　bygone　ages；　beyond　the　Scythian　plains　and　the　fens　of　the　Tanais；　in　that　land　of　the　morning；　to　which　neither　Grecian　letters　nor　Roman　arms　had　ever　penetrated；　there　was　a　great　city　called　Asgaard。　Of　its　founder；　of　its　history；　we　know　nothing；　but　looming　through　the　mists　of　antiquity　we　can　discern　an　heroic　figure；　whose　superior　attainments　won　for　him　the　lordship　of　his　own　generation；　and　divine　honours　from　those　that　succeeded。　Whether　moved　by　an　irresistible　impulse；　or　impelled　by　more　powerful　neighbours；　it　is　impossible　to　say；　but　certain　it　is　that　at　some　period；　not　perhaps　very　long　before　the　Christian　era；　under　the　guidance　of　this　personage；　a　sun…nurtured　people　moved　across　the　face　of　Europe；　in　a　north…westerly　direction；　and　after　leaving　settlements　along　the　southern　shores　of　the　Ba