mc.eatersofthedead-第22部分

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e　body　of　the　dragon　was　long　and　shimmering；　a　vision　most　fierce　of　aspect；　and　yet　I　was　not　afraid；　for　I　determined　now　that　these　were　horsemen　with　torches；　and　this　proved　true。
　Soon；　then；　from　out　of　the　mist　the　horsemen　emerged；　black　shapes　with　raised　torches；　black　steeds　hissing　and　charging；　and　the　battle　was　joined。　Immediately　the　night　air　filled　with　dreadful　screams　and　cries　of　agony；　for　the　first　charge　of　horsemen　had　struck　the　trench；　and　many　mounts　tumbled　and　fell；　spilling　their　riders；　and　the　torches　sputtered　in　the　water。　Other　horses　tried　to　leap　the　fence；　to　be　impaled　on　the　sharp　stakes。　A　section　of　the　fence　caught　fire。　Warriors　ran　in　all　directions。
　Now　I　saw　one　of　the　horsemen　ride　through　the　burning　section　of　fence；　and　I　could　see　this　wendol　clearly　for　the　first　time；　and　verily　I　saw　this：　on　a　black　steed　rode　a　human　figure　in　black；　but　his　head　was　the　head　of　a　bear。　I　was　startled　with　a　time　of　most　horrible　fright；　and　I　feared　I　should　die　from　fear　alone；　for　never　had　I　witnessed　such　a　nightmare　vision；　yet　at　the　same　moment　the　hand　axe　of　Ecthgow　was　buried　deep　into　the　back　of　the　rider；　who　toppled　and　fell；　and　the　bear's　head　rolled　from　his　body；　and　I　saw　that　he　had　beneath　the　head　of　a　man。
　Quick　as　a　lightning　bolt；　Ecthgow　leapt　upon　the　fallen　creature；　stabbed　deep　into　the　chest；　turned　the　corpse　and　withdrew　his　hand　axe　from　the　back；　and　ran　to　join　the　battle。　I　also　joined　the　battle；　for　I　was　knocked　spinning　from　my　feet　by　the　blow　of　a　lance。　Many　riders　were　now　within　the　fence；　their　torches　blazing；　some　had　the　heads　of　bears　and　some　did　not；　they　circled　and　tried　to　set　the　buildings　and　the　hall　of　Hurot　afire。　Against　this；　Buliwyf　and　his　men　battled　valiantly。
　I　came　to　my　feet　just　as　one　of　the　mist　monsters　bore　down　upon　me　with　charging　steed。　Verily　I　did　this：　I　stood　firm　my　ground　and　held　my　lance　upward；　and　the　impact　I　thought　would　rend　me。　Yet　the　lance　passed　through　the　body　of　the　rider；　and　he　screamed　most　horribly；　but　he　did　not　fall　from　his　mount；　and　rode　on。　I　fell　gasping　with　pain　in　my　stomach；　but　I　was　not　truly　injured　save　for　the　moment。
　During　the　time　of　this　battle；　Herger　and　Skeld　loosed　their　many　arrows；　and　the　air　was　filled　with　their　whistles；　and　they　reached　many　marks。　I　saw　the　arrow　of　Skeld　pass　through　the　neck　of　one　rider；　and　lodge　there；　yet　again　I　saw　Skeld　and　Herger　both　pierce　a　rider　in　the　chest；　and　so　quickly　did　they　unsheathe　and　draw　again　that　this　same　rider　soon　bore　four　shafts　buried　in　his　body；　and　his　screaming　was　most　dreadful　as　he　rode。
　Yet　I　learned　this　deed　was　accounted　poor　fighting　by　Herger　and　Skeld；　for　the　Northmen　believe　that　there　is　nothing　sacred　in　animals；　so　to　them　the　proper　use　of　arrows　is　the　killing　of　horses；　to　dislodge　the　rider。　They　say　of　this：　〃A　man　off　his　horse　is　half　a　man；　and　twice　killable。〃　Thus　they　proceed　with　no　hesitations。29
　Now　I　also　saw　this：　a　rider　swept　into　the　pound；　bent　low　on　his　galloping　black　horse；　and　he　caught　up　the　body　of　the　monster　Ecthgow　had　slain；　swung　it　over　his　horse's　neck；　and　rode　off；　for　as　I　have　said；　these　mist　monsters　leave　no　dead　to　be　found　in　the　morning　light。
　The　battle　raged　on　a　goodly　period　of　time　by　the　light　of　the　blazing　fire　through　the　mist。　I　saw　Herger　in　mortal　bat　with　one　of　the　demons；　taking　up　a　fresh　lance；　I　drove　it　deep　into　the　creature's　back。　Herger；　dripping　blood；　raised　an　arm　in　thanks　and　plunged　back　into　the　bat。　Here　I　felt　great　pride。
　Now　I　tried　to　withdraw　my　lance；　and　whilst　so　doing；　was　knocked　aside　by　some　passing　horseman；　and　from　that　time　in　truth　I　remember　little。　I　saw　that　one　of　the　dwellings　of　the　nobles　of　Rothgar　was　burning　in　licking　spitting　flame；　but　that　the　doused　hall　of　Hurot　was　still　untouched；　and　I　was　glad　as　if　I　were　myself　a　Northman；　and　such　were　my　final　thoughts。
　Upon　the　dawn；　I　was　roused　by　some　manner　of　bathing　upon　the　flesh　of　my　face；　and　was　pleased　for　the　gentle　touch。　Soon　then；　I　saw　that　I　received　the　ministrations　of　a　licking　dog；　and　felt　much　the　drunken　fool；　and　was　mortified；　as　may　be　imagined。30
　Now　I　saw　that　I　lay　in　the　ditch；　where　the　water　was　red　as　blood　itself；　I　arose　and　walked　through　the　smoking　pound；　past　all　manner　of　death　and　destruction。　I　saw　that　the　earth　was　soaked　in　blood；　as　from　a　rain；　with　many　puddles。　I　saw　the　bodies　of　slain　nobles；　and　dead　women　and　children　likewise。　So；　also；　I　saw　three　or　four　whose　bodies　were　charred　and　crusted　from　fire。　All　these　bodies　lay　everywhere　upon　the　ground　and　I　was　obliged　to　cast　my　eyes　downward　lest　I　step　upon　them；　so　thickly　were　they　spread。
　Of　the　defense　works；　much　of　the　pole　fence　had　been　burned　away。　Upon　other　sections；　horses　lay　impaled　and　cold。　Torches　were　scattered　here　and　there。　I　saw　none　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf。
　No　cries　or　mourning　came　from　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar；　for　the　North　people　do　not　lament　any　death；　but　on　the　contrary　there　was　unusual　stillness　in　the　air。　I　heard　the　crowing　of　a　cock；　and　the　bark　of　a　dog；　but　no　human　voices　in　the　daylight。
　Then　I　entered　the　great　hall　of　Hurot；　and　here　found　two　bodies　laid　upon　the　rushes；　with　their　helmets　upon　their　chests。　There　was　Skeld；　an　earl　of　Buliwyf；　there　was　Helfdane；　earlier　injured　and　now　cold　and　pale。　Both　were　dead。　Also　there　was　Rethel；　youngest　of　the　warriors；　who　sat　upright　in　a　corner　and　was　attended　by　slavewomen。　Rethel　had　been　wounded　previously　but　he　had　a　fresh　injury　in　his　stomach；　and　there　was　much　blood；　surely　it　pained　him　greatly；　and　yet　he　showed　only　cheer；　and　he　smiled　and　teased　the　slavewomen　by　the　practice　of　pinching　their　breasts　and　buttocks；　and　often　they　chided　him　for　causing　their　distraction　as　they　attempted　to　bind　his　wounds。
　Here　is　the　manner　of　the　treatment　of　wounds；　according　to　their　nature。　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　extremity；　either　the　arm　or　the　leg；　a　ligature　is　tied　about　the　extremity；　and　cloths　boiled　in　water　placed　over　the　wound　to　cover　it。　Also；　I　was　told　that　spider　webs　or　bits　of　lamb's　wool　may　be　placed　into　the　wound　to　thicken　the　blood　and　stop　its　flow；　this　I　never　observed。
　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　head　or　the　neck；　his　injury　is　bathed　clean　and　examined　by　the　slavewomen。　If　the　skin　is　rent　but　the　white　bones　whole；　then　they　say　of　such　a　wound；　〃It　is　no　matter。〃　But　if　the　bones　are　cracked；　or　broken　open　in　some　fashion；　then　they　say；　〃His　life　issues　out　and　soon　escapes。〃
　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　chest；　they　feel　his　hands　and　feet；　and　if　these　are　warm；　they　say　of　such　a　wound；　〃It　is　no　matter。〃　Yet　if　this　warrior　coughs　or　vomits　blood；　they　say；　〃He　speaks　in　blood；〃　and　count　this　most　serious。　A　man　may　die　of　the　blood…speaking　illness；　or　he　may　not；　as　is　his　fate。
　If　a　warrior　is　wounded　in　the　abdomen；　they　feed　him　a　soup　of　onions　and　herbs；　then　the　women　smell　about　his　wounds；　and　if　they　smell　onions；　they　say；　〃He　has　the　soup　illness；〃　and　they　know　he　shall　die。
　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　women　prepare　a　soup　of　onion　for　Rethel；　who　drank　a　quantity　of　this；　and　the　slavewoman　smelled　at　his　wound；　and　they　smelled　the　odor　of　onion。　At　this；　Rethel　laughed　and　made　some　manner　of　hearty　joke；　and　called　for　mead；　which　was　brought　him；　and　he　showed　no　trace　of　any　care。
　Now　Buliwyf；　the　leader；　and　all　his　warriors　conferred　in　another　place　in　the　great　hall。　I　joined　their　pany；　but　was　accorded　no　greeting。　Herger；　whose　life　I　had　saved；　made　no　notice　of　me；　for　the　warriors　were　deep　in　solemn　conversation。　I　had　learned　some　of　the　Norse　speech；　but　not　sufficient　to　follow　their　low　and　quickly　spoken　words；　and　so　I　walked　to　another　place　and　drank　some　mead；　and　felt　the　aches　of　my　body。　Then　a　slavewoman　came　to　bathe　my　wounds。　These　were　a　cut　in　the　calf　and　another　on　my　chest。　These　injuries　I　had　been　insensible　to　until　the　time　she　made　offer　of　her　ministrations。
　The　Northmen　bathe　wounds　with　ocean　seawater；　believing　this　water　to　possess　more　curative　powers　than　spr