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mc.eatersofthedead-第13部分

小说: mc.eatersofthedead 字数: 每页4000字

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e a fountain; and then plunged down; raising a tail that was cleft in two; like the forked tongue of a snake。 Yet it was enormous; each section of the tail being broader than the largest palm frond。
 Now I saw another monster; and another; and another after that; there appeared to be four and perhaps six or seven。 Each behaved as his fellows; curving through the water; spitting à fountain; and raising a giant tail split in two。 At the sight; the Northmen shouted to Odin for aid; and not a few of their number fell to their knees on the deck trembling。
 Verily I saw with my own eyes the sea monsters all about us in the ocean; and then; after some time had passed; they were gone and we did not see them again。 The warriors of Buliwyf resumed their sailing efforts; and no man spoke of the monsters; but I was much afraid long afterward; and Herger told me that my face was white as the face of a North person; and he laughed。 〃What does Allah say to this?〃 he asked of me; and to that I had no answer。16
 In the evening; we beached and made a fire; and I inquired of Herger if the sea monsters ever attacked a ship on the sea; and if so; what was the manner of it; for I had seen the heads of none of these monsters。
 Herger answered by calling Ecthgow; one of the nobles and the lieutenant of Buliwyf。 Ecthgow was a solemn warrior who was not merry except when drunk。 Herger said that he had been on a ship that was attacked。 Ecthgow said this to me: that the sea monsters are larger than anything on the surface of the land; and larger than any ship on the sea; and when they attack they ride under a ship and lift it in the air; and toss it aside like a bit of wood; and crush it with their forked tongue。 Ecthgow said that there had been thirty men on his ship; and only he and two others beside had survived; by the graciousness of the gods。 Ecthgow spoke in an ordinary manner of talking; which for him was very serious; and I believed him to be speaking the truth。
 Also Ecthgow told me that the Northmen know that the monsters attack ships because they desire to mate with the ship; mistaking it for one of their own。 For this reason; the Northmen do not build their ships over…large。
 Herger said to me that Ecthgow is a great warrior renowned in battle; and that he is to be believed in all things。
 For the next two days; we sailed among the islands of the Dan country; and then on the third day we crossed a passage of open water。 Here I was afraid to see more of the sea monsters; but we did not; and eventually arrived at the territory called Venden。 These lands of Venden are mountainous and forbidding; and the men of Buliwyf in his boat approached with some trepidation and the killing of a hen; which was thrown into the ocean thus: the head was thrown from the bow of the ship; and the body of the hen was thrown from the stern; near the helmsman。
 We did not beach directly on this new land of Venden; but sailed along the coast; ing at last to the kingdom of Rothgar。 I first saw it thus。 High upon a cliff; manding a view of the raging gray sea; was a huge great hall of wood; strong and imposing。 I said to Herger it was a magnificent sight; but Herger and all his pany; led by Buliwyf; were groaning and shaking their heads。 I inquired of Herger why this was so。 He said; 〃Rothgar is called Rothgar the Vain; and his great hall is the mark of a vain man。〃
 I said; 〃Why do you speak thus? Because of its size and splendor?〃 For verily; as we came closer; I saw that the hall was richly ornamented with carvings and silver chasing; which sparkled from a distance。
 〃No;〃 said Herger。 〃I say that Rothgar is vain because of the way he has placed his settlement。 He dares the gods to strike him down; and he pretends he is more than a man; and so he is punished。〃
 Never have I seen a more impregnable great hall; and I said to Herger; 〃This hall cannot be attacked; how can Rothgar be struck down?〃
 Herger laughed at me; and said thus: 〃You Arabs are stupid beyond counting; and know nothing of the ways of the world。 Rothgar deserves the misfortune that has e to him; and it is only we who shall save him; and perhaps not even so。〃
 These words puzzled me further。 I looked at Ecthgow; the lieutenant of Buliwyf; and saw that he stood in the boat and made a brave face; and yet his knees trembled; and it was not the stiffness of the wind that made them tremble so。 He was afraid; they were all afraid; and I did not know why。
 
 THE KINGDOM OF ROTHGAR IN THE LAND OF VENDEN

 THE SHIP WAS BEACHED AT THE TIME OF THE afternoon prayer; and I begged the forgiveness of Allah for not making supplication。 Yet I had not been able to do so in the presence of the Northmen; who thought my prayers to be a curse upon them; and threatened to kill me if I prayed in their sight。
 Each warrior in the boat dressed in the garments of battle; which were thus: first; boots and leggings of rough wool; and over this a coat of heavy fur; which reached to the knees。 Over this they placed coats of mail; which all had save me。 Then each man took his sword and clasped it to his belt; each man took up his white shield of hide; and his spear; each man placed a helmet of metal or leather upon his head;17 in this all the men were the same except for Buliwyf; who alone carried his sword in his hand; so large was it。 The warriors looked up to the great hall of Rothgar; and marveled at its gleaming roof and skilled workmanship; and agreed that there was none like it in the world; with its lofty gables and rich carving。 Yet there was no respect in their speech。
 At length we decamped from the ship; and traveled a road paved in stone up to the great hall。 The clanking of swords and the clatter of mail raised a goodly noise。 After we had gone some short distance; we saw by the roadway the severed head of an ox; set upon a stick。 This animal was freshly killed。
 All the Northmen sighed and made sad faces at this portent; though it had no meaning to me。 I was by now adjusted to their custom of killing some beast at the slightest nervousness or provocation。 Yet this oxhead had especial significance。
 Buliwyf looked away; across the fields of the lands of Rothgar; and saw there an isolated farming house; of the sort that is mon in Rothgar lands。 The walls of this house were of wood; and sealed with a paste of mud and straw; which must be replenished after the frequent rains。 The roof is thatched material and wood also。 Inside the houses there is only an earthen floor and a hearth; and the dung of animals; for the farm people sleep with their animals indoors for the warmth afforded by their bodies; and then they burn the dung for fires。
 Buliwyf gave an order that we should go to this farmhouse; and so we set out across the fields; which were verdant but soggy with dampness underfoot。 Once or twice the pany halted to examine the ground before continuing on; but they never saw anything that mattered to them。 I myself saw nothing。
 Yet again Buliwyf halted his pany; and pointed to the dark earth。 Verily; I saw with my own eyes the bare imprint of a foot…indeed; of many feet。 They were flat and uglier than anything known to creation。 At each toe; there was the sharp digging mark of a horned nail or claw; thus the shape appeared human; but yet not human。 This I saw with my own eyes; and could scarcely believe the witness of my sight。
 Buliwyf and his warriors shook their heads at the sight; and I heard them repeat one word over and over: 〃wendol〃 or 〃wendlon;〃 or some such。 The meaning of the name was not known to me; and I sensed that Herger should not be asked at this moment; for he was as apprehensive as all the rest。 We pressed on to the farmhouse; now and again seeing more of these horned footprints in the earth。 Buliwyf and his warriors walked slowly; but it was not caution; no man drew his weapon; rather it was some dread that I did not prehend and yet felt with them。
 At length we came to the farming dwelling and entered it。 In the farmhouse I saw; with my own eyes; this sight: there was a man; of young age and graceful proportion; whose body had been torn limb from limb。 The torso was here; an arm there; a leg there。 Blood lay in thick pools upon the floor; and on the walls; 

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