mc.eatersofthedead-第21部分

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oused　me　head　to　foot　like　the　rest。　I　stood　dripping　and　shivering：　in　truth　I　cried　aloud　at　the　shock　of　the　cold　water；　and　demanded　to　know　the　reason。　〃The　glowworm　dragon　breathes　fire；〃　Herger　said　to　me。
　Then　he　offered　me　a　cup　of　mead　to　ease　the　chill；　and　I　drank　this　cup　of　mead　without　a　pause；　and　was　glad　for　it。
　Now　the　night　was　fully　black；　and　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　awaited　the　ing　of　the　dragon　Korgon。　All　eyes　were　turned　toward　the　hills；　now　lost　in　the　mist　of　night。　Buliwyf　himself　strode　the　length　of　the　fortifications；　carrying　his　great　sword　Runding；　speaking　low　words　of　encouragement　to　his　warriors。　All　waited　quietly；　save　one；　the　lieutenant　Ecthgow。　This　Ecthgow　is　a　master　of　the　hand　axe；　he　had　set　up　a　sturdy　post　of　wood　some　distance　from　him；　and　he　practiced　the　throw　of　his　hand　axe　to　this　wooden　post；　over　and　again。　Indeed；　many　hand　axes　had　been　given　him；　I　counted　five　or　six　clipped　to　his　broad　belt；　and　others　in　his　hands；　and　scattered　on　the　ground　about　him。
　In　like　manner　was　Herger　stringing　and　testing　with　his　bow　and　arrow；　and　also　Skeld；　for　these　were　the　most　skilled　in　marksmanship　of　the　Northmen　warriors。　The　Northmen　arrows　have　iron　points　and　are　most　excellently　constructed；　with　shafts　straight　as　a　taut　line。　They　have　within　each　village　or　camp　a　man　who　is　often　crippled　or　lame；　and　he　is　known　as　the　almsmann；　he　fashions　the　arrows；　and　also　the　bows；　for　the　warriors　of　the　region；　and　for　these　alms　is　paid　with　gold　or　shells　or；　as　have　myself　seen；　with　food　and　meat。27
　The　bows　of　the　Northmen　are　near　the　length　of　their　own　bodies；　and　made　of　birch。　The　fashion　of　shooting　is　this：　the　arrow　shaft　is　drawn　back　to　the　ear；　not　to　the　eye；　and　thence　let　fly；　and　the　power　is　such　that　the　shaft　may　pass　cleanly　through　the　body　of　a　man；　and　not　lodge　therein；　so　also　may　the　shaft　penetrate　a　sheet　of　wood　of　the　thickness　of　a　man's　fist。　Verily　I　have　seen　such　power　with　an　arrow　with　my　own　eyes；　and　I　myself　tried　to　wield　one　of　their　bows；　but　discovered　it　ungainly；　for　it　was　too　large　and　resistant　to　me。
　These　Northmen　are　skilled　in　all　the　manners　of　warfare　and　killing　with　the　several　weapons　that　they　prize。　They　speak　of　the　lines　of　warfare；　which　has　no　sense　of　arrangements　of　soldiers；　for　all　to　them　is　the　bat　of　one　man　to　another　who　is　his　enemy。　The　two　lines　of　warfare　differ　as　to　the　weapon。　For　the　broadsword；　which　is　always　swung　in　an　arc　and　never　employed　in　stabbing；　they　say：　〃The　sword　seeks　the　breath　line；〃　which　means　to　them　the　neck；　and　thereby　the　cutting　off　of　the　head　from　the　body。　For　the　spear；　the　arrow；　the　hand　axe；　the　dagger；　and　the　other　tools　of　stabbing；　they　say：　〃These　weapons　seek　the　fat　line。〃28　By　these　words　they　intend　to　center　part　of　the　body　from　head　to　groin；　a　wound　in　this　center　line　means　to　them　certain　death　to　their　opponent。　Also　they　believe　it　is　foremost　to　strike　the　belly　for　its　softness　than　to　strike　the　chest　or　head　portion。
　Verily；　Buliwyf　and　all　his　pany　kept　watchful　vigil　that　night；　and　I　among　them。　I　experienced　much　fatigue　in　this　alertness；　and　soon　enough　was　tired　as　if　I　had　fought　a　battle；　yet　none　had　occurred。　The　Northmen　were　not　fatigued；　but　ready　at　any　moment。　It　is　true　that　they　are　the　most　vigilant　persons　on　the　face　of　all　the　world；　ever　prepared　for　any　battle　or　danger；　and　they　find　nothing　tiresome　in　this　posture；　which　for　them　is　ordinary　from　birth。　At　all　times　are　they　prudent　and　watchful。
　After　a　time　I　slept；　and　Herger　woke　me　thus　and　brusquely：　I　felt　a　great　thumping　and　a　whistle　of　air　near　my　head；　and　upon　the　opening　of　my　eyes　saw　an　arrow　shivering　in　the　wood　at　the　breadth　of　a　hair　from　my　nose。　This　arrow　Herger　had　shot；　and　he　and　all　the　others　laughed　mightily　at　my　disfiture。　To　me　he　said；　〃If　you　sleep；　you　will　miss　the　battle。〃　I　said　in　response　that　that　would　be　no　hardship　according　to　my　own　way　of　thinking。
　Now　Herger　retrieved　his　arrow　and；　observing　that　I　was　offended　with　his　prank；　sat　alongside　me　and　spoke　in　a　manner　of　friendliness。　Herger　this　night　was　in　a　pronounced　mood　of　joking　and　fun。　He　shared　with　me　a　cup　of　mead；　and　spoke　thus：　〃Skeld　is　bewitched。〃　At　this　he　laughed。
　Skeld　was　not　far　off；　and　Herger　spoke　loudly；　so　I　recognized　that　Skeld　was　to　overhear　us；　yet　Herger　spoke　in　Latin；　unintelligible　to　Skeld；　so　perhaps　there　was　some　other　reason　I　do　not　know。　Skeld　in　this　time　sharpened　the　points　of　his　arrows　and　awaited　the　battle。　To　Herger　I　said：　〃How　is　he　bewitched？〃
　In　reply　Herger　said：　〃If　he　is　not　bewitched；　he　may　be　turning　Arab；　for　he　washes　his　undergarments　and　also　his　body　each　day。　Have　you　not　observed　this　for　yourself？〃
　I　answered　that　I　had　not。　Herger；　laughing　much；　said；　〃Skeld　does　this　for　such　and　such　a　freeborn　woman；　who　has　captured　his　fancy。　For　her　he　washes　each　day；　and　acts　a　delicate　timid　fool。　Have　you　not　observed　this？〃
　Again　I　answered　that　I　had　not。　To　this　Herger　spoke：　〃What　do　you　see　instead？〃　and　laughed　much　at　his　own　wit；　which　I　did　not　share；　or　even　pretend；　for　I　was　not　of　a　mood　to　laugh。　Now　Herger　says；　〃You　Arabs　are　too　dour。　You　grumble　all　the　while。　Nothing　is　laughable　to　your　eyes。〃
　Here　I　said　that　he　spoke　wrongly。　He　challenged　me　to　speak　a　humorous　story；　and　I　told　him　of　the　sermon　of　the　famous　preacher。　You　know　this　well。　A　famous　preacher　stands　in　the　pulpit　of　the　mosque；　and　from　all　around　men　and　women　have　gathered　to　hear　his　noble　words。　A　man；　Hamid；　puts　on　a　robe　and　veil　and　sits　among　the　women。　The　famous　preacher　says：　〃According　to　Islam；　it　is　desirable　that　one　should　not　let　his　or　her　pubic　hair　grow　too　long。〃　A　person　asks：　〃How　long　is　too　long；　O　preacher？〃　All　know　this　story；　it　is　a　rude　joke；　indeed。　The　preacher　replies：　〃It　should　not　be　longer　than　a　barley。〃　Now　Hamid　asks　the　woman　next　to　him：　〃Sister；　please　check　to　tell　me　if　my　pubic　hair　is　longer　than　a　barley。〃　The　woman　reaches　under　Hamid's　robes　to　feel　the　pubic　hair；　whereupon　her　hand　touches　his　organ。　In　her　surprise　she　utters　a　cry。　The　preacher　hears　this　and　is　much　pleased。　To　the　audience　he　says：　〃You　should　all　learn　the　art　of　attending　a　sermon；　as　this　lady　does；　for　you　can　see　how　it　touched　her　heart。〃　And　the　woman；　still　shocked；　makes　this　reply：　〃It　didn't　touch　my　heart；　O　preacher；　it　touched　my　hand。〃　Herger　listened　to　all　my　words　with　a　flat　countenance。　Never　did　he　laugh　nor　even　smile。　At　my　conclusion　he　said；　〃What　is　a　preacher？〃
　To　this　I　said　he　was　a　stupid　Northman　who　knew　nothing　of　the　wideness　of　the　world。　And　to　this　he　laughed；　whereas　he　did　not　laugh　at　the　fable。
　Now　Skeld　gave　a　shout；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf；　myself　among　them；　turned　to　look　at　the　hills；　behind　the　blanket　of　mist。　Here　is　what　I　saw：　high　in　the　air；　a　glowing　fiery　point　of　light；　like　a　blazing　star；　and　a　distance　off。　All　the　warriors　saw　it；　and　there　was　murmuring　and　exclamation　among　them。
　Soon　appeared　a　second　point　of　light；　and　yet　another；　and　then　another。　I　counted　past　a　dozen　and　then　ceased　to　count　further。　These　glowing　fire…points　appeared　in　a　line；　which　undulated　like　a　snake；　or　verily　like　the　undulating　body　of　a　dragon。
　〃Be　ready　now；〃　Herger　said　to　me；　and　also　the　Northmen's　saying：　〃Luck　in　battle。〃　This　wish　I　repeated　back　to　him　in　the　same　words；　and　he　moved　away。
　The　glowing　fire…points　were　still　distant；　yet　they　came　closer。　Now　I　heard　a　sound　which　I　took　as　thunder。　This　was　a　deep　distant　rumbling　that　swelled　in　the　misty　air；　as　all　sounds　do　in　mist。　For　verily　it　is　true　that　in　mist　a　man's　whisper　can　be　heard　a　hundred　paces　distant；　clear　as　if　he　whispered　in　your　own　ear。
　Now　I　watched；　and　listened；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　gripped　their　weapons　and　watched　and　listened　likewise；　and　the　glowworm　dragon　of　Korgon　bore　down　upon　us　in　thunder　and　flame。　Each　blazing　point　grew　larger；　and　baleful　red；　flickering　and　licking；　the　body　of　the　dragon　was　long　and　shimmering；　a　vision　most　fierce　of　aspect；　and　yet　I　was　not　afra