mc.eatersofthedead-第20部分

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　Then　the　noble　came　back　once　more。　He　said；　〃The　friend　of　Wiglif　is　Ragnar；〃　and　he　went　away　a　second　time；　not　looking　back　upon　me　further。
　In　great　consternation；　I　dug　and　worked　at　the　defenses　until　I　found　myself　near　to　Herger。　The　mood　of　Herger　was　still　as　grim　as　it　had　been　upon　the　day　previous。　He　greeted　me　with　these　words：　〃I　do　not　want　to　hear　the　questions　of　a　fool。〃
　I　said　to　him　that　I　had　no　questions；　and　I　reported　to　him　what　the　old　noble　had　spoken　to　me；　also　I　told　him　it　was　a　matter　fit　for　a　basilisk。25　At　my　speech；　Herger　frowned　and　swore　oaths　and　stamped　his　foot；　and　bid　me　acpany　him　to　Buliwyf。
　Buliwyf　directed　work　on　the　ditch　at　the　other　side　of　the　encampment；　Herger　drew　him　aside；　and　spoke　rapidly　in　the　Norse　tongue；　with　gestures　to　my　person。　Buliwyf　frowned；　and　swore　oaths　and　stamped　his　foot　much　as　Herger；　and　then　asked　a　question。　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Buliwyf　asks　who　is　the　friend　of　Wiglif？　Did　the　old　man　tell　you　who　is　the　friend　of　Wiglif？〃
　I　responded　that　he　had；　and　the　friend　was　of　the　name　Ragnar。　At　this　report；　Herger　and　Buliwyf　spoke　further　among　themselves；　and　disputed　briefly；　and　then　Buliwyf　turned　away　and　left　me　with　Herger。　〃It　is　decided；〃　Herger　said。
　〃What　is　decided？〃　I　inquired。
　〃Keep　your　teeth　together；〃　Herger　said；　which　is　a　North　expression　meaning　do　not　talk。
　Thus　I　returned　to　my　labors；　understanding　no　more　than　I　had　at　the　beginning　of　the　matter。　Once　again　I　thought　these　Northmen　to　be　the　most　peculiar　and　contrary　men　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　for　in　no　matter　do　they　behave　as　one　would　expect　sensible　beings　to　behave。　Yet　I　worked　upon　their　silly　fence；　and　their　shallow　ditch；　and　I　watched；　and　waited。
　At　the　time　of　the　afternoon　prayer；　I　observed　that　Herger　had　taken　up　a　work　position　near　to　a　strapping；　giant　youth。　Herger　and　this　youth　toiled　side　by　side　in　the　ditch　for　some　time；　and　it　appeared　to　my　way　of　seeing　that　Herger　took　some　pains　to　fling　dirt　into　the　face　of　the　youth；　who　was　in　truth　a　head　taller　than　Herger；　and　younger；　too。
　The　youth　protested；　and　Herger　apologized；　but　soon　was　flinging　dirt　again。　Again；　Herger　apologized；　now　the　youth　was　angry　and　his　face　was　red。　No　more　than　a　short　time　passed　before　Herger　was　again　flinging　dirt；　and　the　youth　sputtered　and　spat　it　and　was　angry　in　the　extreme。　He　shouted　at　Herger；　who　later　told　me　the　words　of　their　conversation；　although　the　meaning　was　evident　enough　at　the　time。
　The　youth　spoke：　〃You　dig　as　a　dog。〃
　Herger　spoke　in　answer：　〃Do　you　call　me　a　dog？〃
　To　this；　the　youth　said：　〃No；　I　said　that　you　dig　as　a　dog；　flinging26　earth　carelessly；　as　an　animal。〃
　Herger　spoke：　〃Do　you　then　call　me　an　animal？〃
　The　youth　replied：　〃You　mistake　my　words。〃
　Now　Herger　said；　〃Indeed；　for　your　words　are　twisted　and　timid　as　a　feeble　old　woman。〃
　〃This　old　woman　shall　see　you　taste　death；〃　the　youth　said；　and　drew　forth　his　sword。　Then　Herger　drew　his；　for　the　youth　was　the　same　Ragnar；　the　friend　of　Wiglif；　and　thus　I　saw　manifested　the　intention　of　Buliwyf　in　the　matter。
　These　Northmen　are　most　sensitive　and　touchy　about　their　honor。　Among　their　pany；　duels　occur　as　frequently　as　micturition；　and　a　battle　to　the　death　is　counted　ordinary。　It　may　occur　on　the　spot　of　the　insult；　or　if　it　is　to　be　formally　conducted；　the　batants　meet　at　the　joining　place　of　three　roads。　It　was　thus　that　Ragnar　challenged　Herger　to　fight　him。
　Now　this　is　the　Northman　custom：　at　the　appointed　time；　the　friends　and　kin　of　the　duelers　assemble　at　the　place　of　battle　and　stretch　a　hide　upon　the　ground。　This　they　fix　with　four　laurel　poles。　The　battle　must　be　fought　upon　the　hide；　each　man　keeping　a　foot；　or　both；　on　the　skin　all　the　while；　in　this　fashion　they　remain　close　one　to　another。　The　two　batants　each　arrive　with　one　sword　and　three　shields。　If　a　man's　three　shields　all　break；　he　must　fight　on　without　protection；　and　the　battle　is　to　the　death。
　Such　were　the　rules；　chanted　by　the　old　crone；　the　angel　of　death；　at　the　position　of　the　stretched　hide；　with　all　the　people　of　Buliwyf　and　the　people　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　gathered　around。　I　was　myself　there；　not　so　close　to　the　front；　and　I　marveled　that　these　people　should　forget　the　threat　of　the　Korgon　which　had　so　terrified　them　earlier；　no　one　cared　anything　for　aught　but　the　duel。
　This　was　the　manner　of　the　duel　between　Ragnar　and　Herger。　Herger　struck　the　first　blow；　since　he　had　been　challenged；　and　his　sword　rang　mightily　on　the　shield　of　Ragnar。　I　myself　had　fear　for　Herger；　since　this　youth　was　so　much　larger　and　stronger　than　he；　and　indeed　Ragnar's　first　blow　smote　Herger's　shield　from　its　handgrip；　and　Herger　called　for　his　second　shield。
　Then　the　battle　was　joined；　and　fiercely。　I　looked　once　to　Buliwyf；　whose　face　was　without　expression；　and　to　Wiglif　and　the　herald；　on　the　opposite　side；　who　often　looked　to　Buliwyf　while　the　battle　raged。
　Herger's　second　shield　was　likewise　broken；　and　he　called　for　his　third　and　final　shield。　Herger　was　much　fatigued；　and　his　face　damp　and　red　with　exertion；　the　youth　Ragnar　appeared　easy　as　he　battled；　with　little　exertion。
　Then　the　third　shield　was　broken；　and　Herger's　plight　was　most　desperate；　or　so　it　seemed　for　a　fleeting　moment。　Herger　stood　with　both　feet　solid　on　the　ground；　bent　and　gasping　for　his　air；　and　most　direly　fatigued。　Ragnar　chose　this　time　to　fall　upon　him。　Then　Herger　side…stepped　like　the　flick　of　a　bird's　wings；　and　the　youth　Ragnar　plunged　his　sword　through　empty　air。　Then；　Herger　threw　his　own　sword　from　one　hand　to　the　other；　for　these　Northmen　can　fight　as　well　with　either　hand；　and　equally　strong。　And　quickly　Herger　turned　and　cut　off　Ragnar's　head　from　behind　with　a　single　blow　of　his　sword。
　Verily　I　saw　the　blood　spurt　from　the　neck　of　Ragnar　and　the　head　flew　across　the　air　into　the　crowd；　and　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　that　the　head　struck　the　ground　before　the　body　also　struck　the　ground。　Now　Herger　stepped　aside；　and　then　I　perceived　that　the　battle　had　been　a　sham；　for　Herger　no　longer　puffed　and　panted；　but　stood　with　no　sign　of　fatigue　and　no　heaving　of　his　chest；　and　he　held　his　sword　lightly；　and　he　looked　as　if　he　could　kill　a　dozen　such　men。　And　he　looked　at　Wiglif　and　said；　〃Honor　your　friend；〃　meaning　to　see　to　the　burial。
　Herger　said　to　me；　as　we　departed　the　dueling　place；　that　he　had　acted　a　sham　so　that　Wiglif　should　know　the　men　of　Buliwyf　were　not　merely　strong　and　brave　warriors；　but　cunning　as　well。　〃This　will　give　him　more　fear；〃　Herger　said；　〃and　he　will　not　dare　to　speak　against　us。〃
　I　doubted　his　plan　would　have　this　effect；　but　it　is　true　that　the　Northmen　prize　deceit　more　than　the　most　deceitful　Hazar；　indeed　more　than　the　most　lying　Bahrain　trader；　for　whom　deceit　is　a　form　of　art。　Cleverness　in　battle　and　manly　things　is　accounted　a　greater　virtue　than　pure　strength　in　warriorship。
　Yet　Herger　was　not　happy；　and　I　perceived　that　Buliwyf　was　not　happy；　either。　As　the　evening　approached；　the　beginnings　of　the　mist　formed　in　the　high　inland　hills。　I　believed　that　they　were　thinking　of　the　dead　Ragnar；　who　was　young　and　strong　and　brave；　and　who　would　be　useful　in　the　ing　battle。　Herger　said　as　much　to　me：　〃A　dead　man　is　of　no　use　to　anyone。〃
　
　THE　ATTACK　OF　THE　GLOWWORM　DRAGON　KORGON

　NOW　WITH　THE　FALL　OF　DARKNESS；　THE　MIST　crept　down　from　the　hills；　slinking　as　fingers　around　the　trees；　seeping　over　the　green　fields　toward　the　hall　of　Hurot　and　the　waiting　warriors　of　Buliwyf。　Here　there　was　a　respite　in　work；　from　a　fresh　spring；　water　was　diverted　to　fill　the　shallow　ditch；　and　then　I　understood　the　sense　of　the　plan；　for　the　water　concealed　the　stakes　and　deeper　holes；　and　thus　the　moat　was　treacherous　to　any　invader。
　Further　still；　the　women　of　Rothgar　carried　goatskin　sacks　of　water　from　the　well；　and　doused　the　fence；　and　the　dwelling；　and　all　the　surface　of　the　hall　of　Hurot　with　water。　So；　also；　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　drenched　themselves　in　their　armor　with　water　from　the　spring。　The　night　was　damp　cold　and；　thinking　this　some　heathen　ritual；　I　begged　excuses；　but　to　no　end：　Herger　doused　me　head　to　foot