mc.eatersofthedead-第14部分

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rso　was　here；　an　arm　there；　a　leg　there。　Blood　lay　in　thick　pools　upon　the　floor；　and　on　the　walls；　on　the　roof；　on　every　surface　in　such　profusion　that　the　house　seemed　to　have　been　painted　in　red　blood。　Also　there　was　a　woman；　in　like　fashion　rended　limb　from　limb。　Also　a　male　child；　an　infant　of　two　years　or　less；　whose　head　was　wrenched　from　the　shoulders；　leaving　the　body　a　bleeding　stump。
　All　this　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes；　and　it　was　the　most　fearsome　sight　I　ever　witnessed。　I　purged　myself　and　was　faint　for　an　hour；　purging　myself　yet　again。
　Never　will　I　prehend　the　manner　of　the　Northmen；　for　even　as　I　was　sick；　so　they　became　calm　and　dispassionate　at　the　aspect　of　this　horror；　they　viewed　all　they　saw　in　quiet　fashion；　they　discussed　the　claw　marks　upon　the　limbs；　and　the　manner　of　tearing　of　flesh。　Much　attention　was　given　to　the　fact　that　all　the　heads　were　missing；　also；　they　remarked　the　most　devilish　aspect　of　all；　which　even　now　I　recall　with　trepidation。
　The　body　of　the　male　child　had　been　chewed　by　some　fiendish　teeth；　upon　the　soft　flesh　of　the　back　of　the　thigh。　So　also　had　been　chewed　the　area　of　the　shoulder。　This　very　horror　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes。
　The　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　grim…countenanced　and　glowering　as　they　departed　the　farmhouse。　They　continued　to　pay　much　heed　to　the　soft　earth　about　the　house；　noting　that　there　were　no　hoofmarks　of　horses；　this　was　a　matter　of　significance　to　them。　I　did　not　understand　why。　Nor　was　I　much　attentive；　still　feeling　faint　of　heart　and　sick　of　body。
　As　we　crossed　the　fields；　Ecthgow　made　a　discovery　which　was　of　this　nature：　it　was　a　small　bit　of　stone；　smaller　than　a　child's　fist；　and　it　was　polished　and　carved　in　crude　fashion。　All　the　warriors　crowded　around　to　examine　it；　I　among　them。
　I　saw　it　to　be　the　torso　of　a　pregnant　female。　There　was　no　head；　no　arms；　and　no　legs；　only　the　torso　with　a　greatly　swollen　belly　and；　above　that；　two　pendulous　swollen　breasts。18　I　accounted　this　creation　exceedingly　crude　and　ugly；　but　nothing　more。　Yet　the　Northmen　were　suddenly　overe　and　pale　and　tremulous；　their　hands　shook　to　touch　it；　and　finally　Buliwyf　flung　it　to　the　ground　and　shattered　it　with　the　handle　of　his　sword；　until　it　lay　in　splintered　stone　fragments。　And　then　were　several　of　the　warriors　sick；　and　purged　themselves　upon　the　ground。　And　the　general　horror　was　very　great；　to　my　mystification。
　Now　they　set　off　for　the　great　hall　of　King　Rothgar。　No　man　spoke　during　our　travel；　which　was　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　every　one　of　the　Northmen　seemed　to　be　wrapped　in　bitter　and　consuming　thought；　and　yet　they　showed　no　fear　anymore。
　At　length；　a　herald　upon　a　horse　met　us　and　barred　our　path。　He　noted　the　arms　we　carried　and　the　bearing　of　the　pany　and　of　Buliwyf；　and　shouted　a　warning。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃He　craves　to　know　our　names；　and　curtly；　too。〃
　Buliwyf　made　some　answer　to　the　herald；　and　from　his　tone　I　knew　that　Buliwyf　was　in　no　mood　for　courtly　pleasantries。　Herger　said　to　me：　〃Buliwyf　tells　him　we　are　subjects　of　King　Higlac；　of　the　kingdom　of　Yatlam；　and　we　are　on　an　errand　to　the　King　Rothgar；　and　would　speak　to　him。〃　And　Herger　added；　〃Buliwyf　says　that　Rothgar　is　a　most　worthy　king；〃　but　the　tone　of　Herger　conveyed　the　opposite　sense　of　the　matter。
　This　herald　bade　us　continue　to　the　great　hall　and　wait　outside　while　he　told　the　King　of　our　arrival。　This　we　did；　although　Buliwyf　and　his　party　were　not　pleased　at　such　treatment；　there　was　grumbling　and　muttering；　for　it　is　the　Northman's　way　to　be　hospitable　and　this　did　not　seem　gracious；　to　be　kept　outside。　Yet　they　waited；　and　also　removed　their　weapons；　their　swords　and　spears；　but　not　their　armor；　and　they　left　the　weapons　outside　the　doors　to　the　hall。
　Now　the　hall　was　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　several　dwellings　in　the　fashion　of　the　North　people。　These　were　long　with　curved　sides；　as　at　Trelburg；　but　they　differed　in　the　arrangement；　for　there　were　no　squares　here。　Nor　were　there　fortifications　or　earthworks　to　be　seen。　Rather；　from　the　great　hall　and　the　long　houses　about　it；　the　ground　sloped　to　a　long　flat　green　plain；　here　and　there　a　farmhouse；　and　then；　beyond；　the　hills　and　the　edge　of　a　forest。
　I　inquired　of　Herger　whose　long　houses　were　these；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃Some　belong　to　the　King；　and　others　are　for　his　royal　family；　and　others　for　his　nobles；　and　also　for　the　servants　and　lower　members　of　his　court。〃　He　said　also　that　it　was　a　difficult　place；　though　I　did　not　prehend　his　meaning　in　this。
　Then　we　were　allowed　entry　into　the　great　hall　of　King　Rothgar；　which　verily　I　say　is　to　be　counted　one　of　the　marvels　of　all　the　world；　and　all　the　more　for　its　presence　in　the　crude　North　country。　This　hall　is　called；　among　the　Rothgar　peoples；　by　the　name　of　Hurot；　for　the　Northmen　give　the　names　of　people　to　the　things　of　their　life；　to　the　buildings　and　boats　and　especially　to　the　weapons。　Now　I　say：　this　Hurot；　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar；　was　as　large　as　the　Caliph's　main　palace；　and　richly　inlaid　with　silver　and　even　some　gold；　which　is　most　rare　in　the　North。　On　all　sides　were　designs　and　ornaments　of　the　greatest　splendor　and　richness　of　artistry。　It　was　truly　a　monument　to　the　power　and　majesty　of　King　Rothgar。
　This　King　Rothgar　sat　at　the　distant　end　of　Hurot　Hall；　a　space　so　vast　that　he　was　so　far　we　could　hardly　discern　him。　Standing　behind　his　right　shoulder　was　the　same　herald　who　had　halted　us。　The　herald　made　a　speech；　which　Herger　told　me　was　thus：　〃Here；　O　King；　is　a　band　of　warriors　from　the　kingdom　of　Yatlam。　They　are　newly　arrived　from　the　sea；　and　their　leader　is　a　man　of　the　name　Buliwyf。　They　beg　leave　to　tell　you　of　their　errand；　O　King。　Do　not　forbid　them　entry；　they　have　the　manner　of　earls；　and　from　his　bearing　their　chieftain　is　a　mighty　warrior。　Greet　them　as　earls；　O　King　Rothgar。〃
　Thus　we　were　bid　approach　the　King　Rothgar。
　King　Rothgar　appeared　a　man　near　death。　He　was　not　young；　his　hair　was　white；　his　skin　was　very　pale；　and　his　face　was　grooved　with；　sorrow　and　fear。　He　regarded　us　with　suspicion；　wrinkling　his　eyes；　or　perhaps　he　was　near　blind；　I　do　not　know。　Finally　he　broke　into　speech；　which　Herger　says　was　thus：　〃I　know　of　this　man；　for　I　have　sent　for　him　on　a　hero's　mission。　He　is　Buliwyf；　and　I　knew　him　as　a　child；　when　I　traveled　across　the　waters　to　the　kingdom　of　Yatlam。　He　is　the　son　of　Higlac；　who　was　my　gracious　host；　and　now　this　son　es　to　me　in　my　time　of　need　and　sorrow。〃
　Rothgar　then　called　for　the　warriors　to　be　summoned　to　the　great　hall；　and　gifts　brought；　and　celebrations　made。
　Buliwyf　then　spoke；　a　long　speech　that　Herger　did　not　translate　for　me；　since　to　speak　when　Buliwyf　spoke　would　be　a　disrespect。　However；　the　meaning　was　this：　that　Buliwyf　had　heard　of　the　troubles　of　Rothgar；　that　he　was　sorry　for　these　troubles；　and　that　his　own　father's　kingdom　had　been　destroyed　by　these　same　troubles；　and　that　he　had　e　to　save　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　from　the　evils　that　had　beset　them。
　Still；　I　did　not　know　what　the　Northmen　called　these　evils；　or　how　they　thought　of　them；　though　I　had　viewed　the　handiwork　of　the　beasts　that　tore　men　to　pieces。
　King　Rothgar　spoke　again；　in　some　haste。　I　took　from　the　manner　of　his　speaking　that　he　wished　to　say　some　words　before　all　his　warriors　and　earls　arrived。　He　said　thus　（from　Herger）：　〃O　Buliwyf；　I　knew　your　father　when　I　was　myself　a　young　man；　new　to　my　throne。　Now　I　am　old　and　heartsick。　My　head　bows。　My　eyes　weep　with　shame　to　acknowledge　my　weakness。　As　you　see；　my　throne　is　almost　a　barren　spot。　My　lands　are　being　a　wild　place。　What　the　fiends　have　wrought　to　my　kingdom　I　cannot　say。　Often　at　night；　my　warriors；　brave　with　drink；　swear　to　topple　the　fiends。　And　then　when　the　bleak　light　of　dawn　creeps　over　the　misty　fields；　we　see　bloody　bodies　everywhere。　Thus　is　the　sorrow　of　my　life；　and　I　shall　speak　no　more　of　it。〃
　Now　a　bench　was　brought　out　and　a　meal　set　before　us；　and　I　inquired　of　Herger　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　〃fiends〃　of　which　the　King　spoke。　Herger　was　angry；　and　said　I　was　never　to　ask　again。
　That　evening　there　was　a　great　celebration；　and　King　Rothgar　and　his　Queen　Weilew；　in　a　garment　dripping　gemstones　and　g