登陆注册
34536800000112

第112章

"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 fell--ay! 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 Swanhild, looking up, saw them and started. Skallagrim noted this and glanced over his shoulder, and that not too soon, for, as he looked, the thrall lifted sword to smite the head of Eric.

With a shout of "Back to back!" the Baresark swung round and ere ever the sword might fall his axe was buried deep in the thrall's breast.

"Now we must cut our path through them," said Skallagrim, "and, if it may be, win the space that is before the cave. Keep them off in front, and I will mind these mannikins."Now Gizur's folk, seeing what had come about, took heart and fell upon Eric with a rush, and those who were with the dead thrall rushed at Skallagrim, and there began such a fight as has not been known in Iceland. But the way was so narrow that scarce more than one man could come to each of them at a time. And so fierce and true were the blows of Eric and Skallagrim that of those who came on few went back. Down they fell, and where they fell they died, and for every man who died Eric and Skallagrim won a pace towards the point of rock. Whitefire flamed so swift and swept so wide that it seemed to Swanhild, watching, as though three swords were aloft at once, and the axe of Skallagrim thundered down like the axe of a woodman against a tree, and those groaned on whom it fell as groans a falling tree. Now the shields of these twain were hewn through and through, and cast away, and their blood ran from many wounds. Still, their life was whole in them and they plied axe and sword with both hands. And ever men fell, and ever, fighting hard, they drew nearer to the point of rock.

Now it was won, and now all the company that came with the thrall from over the mountain brow were dead or sorely wounded at the hands of black Skallagrim. Lo! one springs on Eric, and Gizur creeps behind him. Whitefire leaps to meet the man and does not leap in vain; but Gizur smites a coward blow at Eric's uncovered head, and wounds him sorely, so that he falls to his knee.

"Now I am smitten to the death, Skallagrim," cries Eric. "Win the rock and leave me." Yet he rises from his knee.

Then Skallagrim turns, red with blood and terrible to see.

"'Tis but a scratch. Climb thou the rock--I follow," he says, and, screaming like a horse, with weapon aloft he leaps alone upon the foe.

They break before the Baresark rush; they break, they fall--they are cloven by Baresark axe and trodden of Baresark feet! They roll back, leaving the way clear--save for the dead. Then Skallagrim follows Brighteyes to the rock.

Now Eric wipes the gore from his eyes and sees. Then, slowly, and with a reeling brain, he steps down upon the giddy point. He goes near to falling, yet does not fall, for now he lies upon the open space, and creeps on hands and knees to the rock-wall that is by the cave, and sits resting his back against it, Whitefire on his knee.

Before he is there, Skallagrim staggers to his side with a rush.

"Now we have time to breathe, lord," he gasps. "See, here is water,"and he takes a pitcher that stands by, and gives Eric to drink from the pool, then drinks himself and pours the rest of the water on Eric's wound. Then new life comes to them, and they both stand on their feet and win back their breath.

"We have not done so badly!" says Skallagrim, "and we are still a match for one or two. See, they come! Say, where shall we meet them, lord?""Here," quoth Eric; "I cannot stand well upon my legs without the help of the rock. Now I am all unmeet for fight.""Yet shall this last stand of thine be sung of!" says Skallagrim.

Now finding none to stay them, the men of Gizur climb one by one upon the rock and win the space that is beyond. Swanhild goes first of all, because she knows well that Eric will not harm her, and after her come Gizur and the others. But many do not come, for they will lift sword no more.

Now Swanhild draws near and looks on Eric and mocks him in the fierceness of her heart and the rage of her wolf-love.

"Now," she says, "now are Brighteyes dim eyes! What! weepest thou, Eric?""Ay, Swanhild," he answered, "I weep tears of blood for those whom thou hast brought to doom."She draws nearer and speaks low to him: "Hearken, Eric. Yield thee!

Thou hast done enough for honour, and thou art not smitten to the death of yonder cowardly hound. Yield and I will nurse thee back to health and bear thee hence, and together we will forget our hates and woes.""Not twice may a man lie in a witch's bed," said Eric, "and my troth is plighted to other than thee, Swanhild.""She is dead," says Swanhild.

"Yes, she is dead, Swanhild; and I go to seek her amongst the dead--Igo to seek her and to find her!"

But the face of Swanhild grew fierce as the winter sea.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 看懂财务报表的28个绝招

    看懂财务报表的28个绝招

    金多多,从一本院校财经科班出身,也考过了几门CPA,拥有了初级会计职称.多多上班的单位是成都市一家小有名气的会计师事务所,在成都市属于中上水平。本书通过多多的工作实践,传授看懂和分析资产负债表、利润表、现金流量表等财务报表的28个绝招。
  • 才女们的冒险生涯

    才女们的冒险生涯

    三个才女,一只神奇充满谜题的生活以及一只“喵星人”,一个个神秘的组织……正暗暗监视着她们…
  • 相公,陪陪我

    相公,陪陪我

    身份卑微的罪臣之女黎若曦,成了当朝二王爷的心上之人。对未来没有希望的她,被王爷日日宠,夜夜宠,从此开始了逆袭之路,从性情温柔到狂拽霸气。“这个青瓷花瓶不好看,砸了吧。”“这是什么花,这么难看,放火烧了。”“你长的不错,你就把我妹妹娶了吧。”那位王爷眉头皱了皱“王妃都收拾好了吧,现在该本王收拾你了。”二人双双躺在床上。
  • 超级誓言系统

    超级誓言系统

    “你愿意娶这个女人吗?爱她、忠诚于她,无论她贫困、患病或者残疾,直至死亡。”“我我我……诶?怎么遭雷劈了……救命啊!!”“渣男别跑!人在做天在看,你祸害那么多好女孩,还想要祸害我?现在你的报应来了!”“女侠饶命啊!!我下回再也不敢了!!!”
  • 林氏家族修真路

    林氏家族修真路

    一步凡,一步仙。林氏家族一步步崛起的故事
  • 我的古代莽夫

    我的古代莽夫

    沈源平做梦也没想到自己竟然能娶到这么一个小娇妻,怎么能不宠。慕芷歌也没想到自己会嫁给一个大字不识的莽夫。 慕芷歌:夫君,这是平阳侯夫人送给你的一对双生婢子。沈源平:娘子不气,为夫这就给平阳侯送回去。慕芷歌:夫君,刘御史夫人说我不能生育,有损妇德。沈源平:娘子为夫今晚就努力!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 那个用刀的辅助

    那个用刀的辅助

    2328年10月26日,时下最大的游戏公司羚羊旗下最火爆的游戏《侠》出现故障,造成10万玩家脑死亡,在游戏中有着最强路人剑王之称的周峥逃过一劫,但其在游戏内的情侣,著名游戏女星秦梦雨却不幸遇难。认为事情有蹊跷的周峥一路追查,发现事件的线索并带着自己的超级系统参与进一款名为《灵界》的游戏中,却不想作为新手进入游戏内时就被意外传送至一个与世隔绝的小镇上并在职业觉醒后被定位为一个辅助。于是乎,一个拿着太刀辅助徒弟帮自己一路披荆斩棘的故事由此展开…
  • 会挽雕弓如挽月

    会挽雕弓如挽月

    挽月是个普通的小丫鬟,唯一不普通的是有个特立独行的哥哥,唯二不普通的是,进府前从雪地里拔出一个冻的看不出人形的少年?额,中年男人?
  • 末世之房行天下

    末世之房行天下

    末世降临,一心想要回国的金仁获得了【安全屋终端机】。于是房子可以升级了!只要材料够,上天下海都不是问题!