mc.eatersofthedead-第23部分

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　The　Northmen　bathe　wounds　with　ocean　seawater；　believing　this　water　to　possess　more　curative　powers　than　spring　water。　Such　bathing　with　seawater　is　not　agreeable　to　the　wound。　In　truth　I　groaned　and　at　this；　Rethel　laughed　and　spoke　to　a　slavewoman：　〃He　is　still　an　Arab。〃　Here　I　was　ashamed。
　Also　the　Northmen　will　bathe　wounds　in　the　heated　urine　of　cows。　This　I　refused；　when　it　was　offered　me。
　The　North　people　think　cow　urine　an　admirable　substance；　and　store　it　up　in　wooden　containers。　In　the　ordinary　way　of　things；　they　boil　it　until　it　is　dense　and　stinging　to　the　nostrils；　and　then　employ　this　vile　liquid　for　washing；　especially　of　coarse　white　garments。31
　Also　I　was　told　that；　upon　one　time　or　another；　the　North　people　may　be　engaged　in　a　long　sea　voyage　and　have　at　hand　no　supplies　of　fresh　water；　and　therefore　each　man　drinks　his　own　urine；　and　in　this　way　they　can　survive　until　they　reach　shore。　This　I　was　told　but　never　saw；　by　the　grace　of　Allah。
　Now　Herger　came　to　me；　for　the　conference　of　the　warriors　was　at　an　end。　The　slavewoman　attending　me　had　made　my　wounds　burn　most　distractingly；　yet　I　was　determined　to　maintain　a　Northman　show　of　great　cheer。　I　said　to　Herger；　〃What　trifling　matter　shall　we　undertake　next？〃
　Herger　looked　to　my　wounds；　and　said　to　me；　〃You　can　ride　well　enough。〃　I　inquired　where　I　would　be　riding；　and　in　truth　at　once　lost　all　my　good　cheer；　for　I　had　great　weariness；　and　no　strength　for　aught　but　resting。　Herger　said：　〃Tonight；　the　glowworm　dragon　will　attack　again。　But　we　are　now　too　weak；　and　our　numbers　too　few。　Our　defenses　are　burned　and　destroyed。　The　glowworm　dragon　will　kill　us　all。〃
　These　words　he　spoke　calmly。　I　saw　this；　and　said　to　Herger：　〃Where；　then；　do　we　ride？〃　I　had　in　mind　that　by　reason　of　their　heavy　losses；　Buliwyf　and　his　pany　might　be　abandoning　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　In　this　I　was　not　opposed。
　Herger　said　to　me：　〃A　wolf　that　lies　in　its　lair　never　gets　meat；　or　a　sleeping　man　victory。〃　This　is　a　Northman　proverb；　and　from　it　I　took　a　different　plan：　that　we　were　going　to　attack　on　horseback　the　mist　monsters　where　they　lay；　in　the　mountains　or　the　hills。　With　no　great　heart　I　inquired　of　Herger　when　this　should　be；　and　Herger　told　me　in　the　middle　part　of　the　day。
　Now　I　saw　also　that　a　child　entered　the　hall；　and　carried　in　his　hands　some　object　of　stone。　This　was　examined　by　Herger；　and　it　was　another　of　the　headless　stone　carvings　of　a　pregnant　woman；　bloated　and　ugly。　Herger　shouted　an　oath；　and　dropped　the　stone　from　his　trembling　hands。　He　called　upon　the　slavewoman；　who　took　the　stone　and　placed　it　in　the　fire；　where　the　heat　of　the　flames　caused　it　to　crack　and　splinter　into　fragments。　These　fragments　were　then　thrown　into　the　sea；　or　so　I　was　informed　by　Herger。
　I　inquired　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　carved　stone；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃That　is　the　image　of　the　mother　of　the　eaters　of　the　dead；　she　who　presides　over　them；　and　directs　them　in　the　eating。〃
　Now　I　saw　that　Buliwyf；　who　stood　in　the　center　of　the　great　hall；　was　looking　up　at　the　arm　of　one　of　the　fiends；　which　still　hung　from　the　rafters。　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　two　bodies　of　his　slain　panions；　and　at　the　waning　Rethel；　and　his　shoulders　fell；　and　his　chin　sank　to　his　chest。　And　then　he　walked　past　them　and　out　of　the　door；　and　I　saw　him　put　on　his　armor；　and　take　up　his　sword；　and　prepare　for　battle　anew。
　
　THE　DESERT　OF　DREAD

　BULIWYF　CALLED　FOR　SEVEN　STURDY　HORSES；　AND　IN　the　early　part　of　the　day　we　rode　from　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar　out　into　the　flat　plain；　and　thence　toward　the　hills　beyond。　With　us　also　were　four　hounds　of　pure　white　color；　great　animals　which　I　should　count　nearer　to　wolves　than　dogs；　so　fierce　was　their　demeanor。　This　made　the　totality　of　our　attacking　forces；　and　I　believed　it　a　weak　gesture　against　so　formidable　an　opponent；　yet　the　Northmen　place　great　faith　upon　surprise　and　a　sly　attack。　Also；　by　their　own　reckoning　they　are　each　man　the　equal　of　three　or　four　of　any　other。
　I　was　not　disposed　to　embark　upon　another　venture　of　warfare；　and　was　much　amazed　that　the　Northmen　did　not　reflect　such　a　view；　springing　as　it　did　from　the　fatigue　of　my　body。　Herger　said　of　this：　〃It　is　always　thus；　now　and　in　Valhalla；〃　which　is　their　idea　of　heaven。　In　this　heaven；　which　is　to　them　a　great　hall；　warriors　battle　from　dawn　to　dusk；　then　those　who　are　dead　are　revived；　and　all　share　a　feast　in　the　night；　with　endless　food　and　drink；　and　then　upon　the　day　they　battle　again；　and　those　who　die　are　revived；　and　there　is　a　feast；　and　this　is　the　nature　of　their　heaven　through　all　eternity。32　Thus　they　never　count　it　strange　to　do　battle　day　upon　day　while　on　the　earth。
　Our　direction　of　travel　was　determined　by　the　trail　of　blood　the　retreating　horsemen　had　left　from　the　night。　The　hounds　led；　racing　along　this　red　dripping　trail。　We　paused　but　once　upon　the　flat　plain；　to　retrieve　a　weapon　dropped　by　the　departing　demons。　Here　is　the　nature　of　the　weapon：　it　was　a　hand　axe　with　a　haft　of　some　wood；　and　a　blade　of　chipped　stone　bound　to　the　haft　with　hide　thongs。　The　edge　of　this　axe　was　exceedingly　sharp；　and　the　blade　fashioned　with　skill；　as　much　as　if　this　stone　were　some　gemstone　to　be　chiseled　to　delight　a　rich　lady's　vanity。　Such　was　the　degree　of　workmanship；　and　the　weapon　was　formidable　for　the　sharpness　of　its　edge。　Never　have　I　seen　such　an　object　before　on　the　face　of　all　the　earth。　Herger　told　me　that　the　wendol　made　all　their　tools　and　weapons　of　this　stone；　or　so　the　Northmen　believe。
　Yet　we　traveled　onward　with　good　speed；　led　by　the　barking　dogs；　and　their　barking　cheered　me。　At　length　we　came　to　the　hills。　We　rode　into　the　hills　without　hesitation　or　ceremony；　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　intent　upon　his　purpose；　a　silent　and　grim…faced　pany　of　men。　They　held　the　marks　of　fear　upon　their　faces；　and　yet　no　man　paused　or　faltered；　but　pressed　onward。
　Now　it　was　cold　in　the　hills；　in　the　forests　of　dark　green　trees；　and　a　chill　wind　blew　at　our　clothing；　and　we　saw　the　hissing　breath　of　the　steeds；　and　white　plumes　of　breath　from　the　running　dogs；　and　we　pressed　onward　still。　After　some　travel　until　the　middle　period　of　the　day；　we　arrived　at　a　new　landscape。　Here　was　a　brackish　tarn；　no　moor；　or　heath…a　desolate　land；　most　resembling　a　desert；　yet　not　sandy　and　dry；　but　damp　and　soggy；　and　over　this　land　lay　the　faintest　wisps　of　mist。　The　Northmen　call　this　place　the　desert　of　dread。33
　Now　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　that　this　mist　lay　upon　the　land　in　small　pockets　or　clusterings；　like　tiny　clouds　seated　upon　the　earth。　In　one　area；　the　air　is　clear；　then　in　another　place　there　are　small　mists　that　hang　near　the　ground；　rising　to　the　height　of　a　horse's　knees；　and　in　such　a　place　we　would　lose　sight　of　the　dogs；　who　were　enveloped　in　these　mists。　Then；　a　moment　later；　the　mist　would　clear；　and　we　would　be　in　another　open　space　again。　Such　was　the　landscape　of　the　heath。
　I　found　this　sight　remarkable；　but　the　Northmen　took　it　to　be　nothing　special；　they　said　the　land　in　this　region　has　many　brackish　pools　and　bubbling　hot　springs；　which　rise　from　rents　in　the　ground；　in　these　places；　a　small　fog　collects；　and　remains　there　all　the　day　and　night。　They　call　this　the　place　of　steaming　lakes。
　The　land　is　difficult　for　horses；　and　we　made　slower　progress。　The　dogs　also　ventured　more　slowly；　and　I　noted　that　they　barked　less　vigorously。　Soon　our　pany　had　changed　wholly：　from　a　gallop；　with　yelping　dogs　in　the　forefront；　to　a　slow　walk；　with　silent　dogs　hardly　willing　to　lead　the　way；　and　instead　falling　back　until　they　were　underfoot　the　horses；　thus　causing　some　occasional　difficulty。　It　was　still　very　cold；　indeed　colder　than　before；　and　I　saw　here　and　there　a　small　patch　of　snow　upon　the　ground；　though　this　was；　by　my　best　reckoning；　the　summer　period。
　At　a　slow　pace；　we　proceeded　for　a　goodly　distance；　and　I　had　wonder　that　we　should　be　lost；　and　never　find　our　way　back　through　this　heath。　Now　at　a　place　the　dogs　halted。　There　was　no　difference　in　the　terrain；　or　any　mark　or　object　upon　the　ground；　yet　the　dogs　stopped　as　if　they　had　arrived　upon　some　fence　or　palpable　obstruction。　Our　party　halted　at　this　pl