mc.eatersofthedead-第16部分

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a　distant　pond；　watching　them　sink　to　the　bottom　with　satisfaction。　But　the　pond　feeds　the　city's　water　supply；　and　eventually　the　slippers　clog　the　pipe　guards　dispatched　to　release　the　stricture　find　the　slippers　and　recognize　them；　for　everyone　knows　the　slippers　of　this　notorious　miser。　Abu　Kassim　is　again　brought　before　the　Caliph；　on　a　charge　of　befouling　the　water　of　the　town；　and　his　fine　is　much　greater　than　before。　The　slippers　are　returned　to　him。
　Now　Abu　Kassim　determines　to　burn　the　slippers；　but　they　are　still　wet；　so　he　sets　them　on　the　balcony　to　dry。　A　dog　sees　them　and　plays　with　them；　one　of　the　slippers　falls　from　his　jaws　and　drops　to　the　street　far　below；　where　it　strikes　a　woman　passing　by。　The　woman　is　pregnant；　and　the　force　of　the　blow　causes　a　miscarriage。　Her　husband　runs　to　the　court　to　seek　damages；　which　are　awarded　plentifully；　and　Abu　Kassim；　now　a　broken　and　impoverished　man；　is　obliged　to　pay。
　The　slyly　literal　Arabic　moral　states　that　this　story　illustrates　what　evils　can　befall　a　man　who　does　not　change　his　slippers　often　enough。　But　undoubtedly　the　undercurrent　to　the　tale；　the　idea　of　a　man　who　cannot　shake　off　some　burden；　was　what　disturbed　the　Northmen。
　
　Now　the　night　passed　with　further　celebrations；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　disported　in　a　carefree　fashion。　I　saw　the　son　Wiglif　glaring　at　Buliwyf　before　leaving　the　hall；　but　Buliwyf　paid　no　attention；　preferring　the　ministrations　of　slave　girls　and　freeborn　women。　After　a　time　I　slept。
　In　the　morning；　I　awoke　to　the　sounds　of　hammering　and；　venturing　from　the　great　hall　of　Hurot；　I　found　all　the　peoples　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　at　work　on　defenses。　These　were　being　laid　out　in　preliminary　fashion：　horses　drew　up　quantities　of　fence　posts；　which　warriors　sharpened　to　points；　Buliwyf　himself　directed　the　placement　of　defense　works；　by　marking　scratches　in　the　ground　with　the　tip　of　his　sword。　For　this　he　did　not　use　his　great　sword　Runding；　but　rather　some　other　sword；　I　do　not　know　if　there　was　a　reason　for　this。
　Upon　the　middle　portion　of　the　day；　the　woman　who　was　called　the　angel　of　death20　came　and　cast　bones　on　the　ground；　and　made　incantations　over　them；　and　announced　that　the　mist　would　e　that　night。　Upon　hearing　this；　Buliwyf　called　for　all　work　to　cease；　and　a　great　banquet　to　be　prepared。　In　this　matter；　all　the　people　concurred；　and　ceased　their　efforts。　I　inquired　of　Herger　why　there　should　be　a　banquet；　but　he　replied　to　me　that　I　had　too　many　questions。　It　is　also　true　that　I　had　timed　my　inquiry　badly；　for　he　was　posturing　before　a　blond　slave　girl　who　smiled　warmly　in　his　direction。
　Now；　in　the　later　part　of　the　day；　Buliwyf　called　together　all　his　warriors　and　said　to　them；　〃Prepare　for　battle；〃　and　they　agreed；　and　wished　luck　one　to　another；　while　all　about　us　the　banquet　was　being　made　ready。
　The　night　banquet　was　much　as　the　previous　one；　although　there　were　fewer　of　Rothgar's　nobles　and　earls。　Indeed；　I　learned　that　many　nobles　would　not　attend　at　all；　for　fear　of　what　would　happen　in　the　Hurot　Hall　that　night；　for　it　seemed　that　this　place　was　the　center　of　the　fiend's　interest　in　the　area；　that　he　coveted　Hurot　Hall；　or　some　similar　thing…I　could　not　be　sure　of　the　meaning。
　This　banquet　was　not　enjoyable　to　me；　for　reason　of　my　apprehension　of　ing　events。　However；　this　event　occurred：　one　of　the　elderly　nobles　spoke　some　Latin；　and　also　some　of　the　Iberian　dialects；　for　he　had　traveled　to　the　region　of　the　caliphate　of　Cordova　as　a　younger　man；　and　I　engaged　him　in　conversation。　In　this　circumstance；　I　feigned　knowledge　that　I　did　not　have；　as　you　shall　see。
　He　spoke　to　me　thus：　〃So　you　are　the　foreigner　who　shall　be　the　number　thirteen？〃　And　I　said　that　I　was　such。　〃You　must　be　exceedingly　brave；〃　the　old　man　said；　〃and　for　your　bravery　I　salute　you。〃　To　this　I　made　some　trifling　polite　response；　of　the　sense　that　I　was　a　coward　pared　to　the　others　of　Buliwyf's　pany；　which　indeed　was　more　than　true。
　〃No　matter；〃　said　the　old　man；　who　was　deep　in　his　cups；　having　drunk　the　liquor　of　the　region…a　vile　substance　they　call　mead；　yet　it　is　potent…〃you　are　still　a　brave　man　to　face　the　wendol。〃
　Now　I　sensed　that　I　might　finally　learn　some　matters　of　substance。　I　repeated　to　this　old　man　a　saying　of　the　Northmen；　which　Herger　had　once　said　to　me。　I　said；　〃Animals　die；　friends　die；　and　I　shall　die；　but　one　thing　never　dies；　and　that　is　the　reputation　we　leave　behind　at　our　death。〃
　The　old　man　cackled　toothlessly　at　this；　he　was　pleased　I　knew　a　Northman　proverb。　He　said；　〃That　is　so；　but　the　wendol　have　a　reputation；　too。〃　And　I　replied；　with　the　utmost　indifference：　〃Truly？　I　am　not　aware　of　it。〃
　At　this　the　old　man　said　that　I　was　a　foreigner；　and　he　would　consent　to　enlighten　me；　and　he　told　me　this：　the　name　of　〃wendol；〃　or　〃windon；〃　is　a　very　ancient　name；　as　old　as　any　of　the　peoples　of　the　North　country；　and　it　means　〃the　black　mist。〃　To　the　Northmen；　this　means　a　mist　that　brings；　under　cover　of　night；　black　fiends　who　murder　and　kill　and　eat　the　flesh　of　human　beings。21　The　fiends　are　hairy　and　loathsome　to　touch　and　smell；　they　are　fierce　and　cunning；　they　speak　no　language　of　any　man　and　yet　converse　among　themselves；　they　e　with　the　night　fog；　and　disappear　by　day…to　where；　no　man　durst　follow。
　The　old　man　said　to　me　thus：　〃You　can　know　the　regions　where　dwell　the　fiends　of　the　black　mist　by　many　ways。　From　time　to　time；　warriors　on　horse　may　hunt　a　stag　with　dogs；　chasing　the　stag　over　hill　and　dale　for　many　miles　of　forest　and　open　land。　And　then　the　stag　es　to　some　marshy　tarn　or　brackish　swamp；　and　here　it　will　halt；　preferring　to　be　torn　to　bits　by　the　hounds　rather　than　enter　that　loathsome　region。　Thus　we　know　of　the　areas　where　the　wendol　live；　and　we　know　that　even　the　animals　will　not　enter　thence。〃
　I　expressed　over…great　wonderment　at　his　tale；　in　order　to　draw　further　words　from　the　old　man。　Herger　saw　me　then；　gave　me　a　menacing　look；　but　I　paid　him　no　heed。
　The　old　man　continued　thus：　〃In　olden　days；　the　black　mist　was　feared　by　all　the　Northmen　of　every　region。　Since　my　father　and　his　father　and　his　father　before；　no　Northman　has　seen　the　black　mist；　and　some　of　the　young　warriors　counted　us　old　fools　to　remember　the　ancient　tales　of　their　horror　and　depredations。　Yet　the　chiefs　of　the　Northmen　in　all　the　kingdoms；　even　in　Norway；　have　always　been　prepared　for　the　return　of　the　black　mist。　All　of　our　towns　and　our　fortresses　are　protected　and　defended　from　the　land。　Since　the　time　of　the　father　of　my　father's　father；　our　peoples　have　thus　acted；　and　never　have　we　seen　the　black　mist。　Now　it　has　returned。〃
　I　inquired　why　the　black　mist　had　returned；　and　he　lowered　his　voice　to　speak　this　reply：　〃The　black　mist　has　e　from　the　vanity　and　weakness　of　Rothgar；　who　has　offended　the　gods　with　his　foolish　splendor　and　tempted　the　fiends　with　the　siting　of　his　great　hall；　which　has　no　protection　from　the　land。　Rothgar　is　old　and　he　knows　he　will　not　be　remembered　for　battles　fought　and　won；　and　so　he　built　this　splendid　hall；　which　is　the　talk　of　all　the　world；　and　pleases　his　vanity。　Rothgar　acts　as　a　god；　yet　he　is　a　man；　and　the　gods　have　sent　the　black　mist　to　strike　him　down　and　show　him　humility。〃
　I　said　to　this　old　man　that　perhaps　Rothgar　was　resented　in　the　kingdom。　He　replied　thus：　〃No　man　is　so　good　as　to　be　free　from　all　evil；　nor　so　bad　as　to　be　worth　nothing。　Rothgar　is　a　just　king　and　his　people　prospered　all　of　his　life。　The　wisdom　and　richness　of　his　rule　are　here；　in　Hurot　Hall；　and　they　are　splendid。　His　only　fault　is　this；　that　he　forgot　defense；　for　we　have　a　saying　among　us：　'A　man　should　never　move　a　step　from　his　weapons。'　Rothgar　has　no　weapons；　he　is　toothless　and　weak；　and　the　black　mist　seeps　freely　over　the　land。〃
　I　desired　to　know　more；　but　the　old　man　was　tired；　and　turned　away　from　me；　and　soon　was　asleep。　Verily；　the　food　and　drink　of　Rothgar's　hospitality　were　much；　and　many　of　the　number　of　earls　and　nobles　were　drowsy。
　Of　the　table　of　Rothgar　I　shall　say　this：　that　every　man　had　a　tablecloth　and　plate；　and　spoon　and　knife；　that　the　meal　was　boiled　pork　and　goat；　and　some　fish；　too；　for　the　Northmen　much