mc.eatersofthedead-第24部分

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s　if　they　had　arrived　upon　some　fence　or　palpable　obstruction。　Our　party　halted　at　this　place；　and　looked　about　in　this　direction　and　that。　There　was　no　wind；　and　no　sounds　were　here；　not　the　sound　of　birds　or　of　any　living　animal；　but　only　silence。
　Buliwyf　said；　〃Here　begins　the　land　of　the　wendol；〃　and　the　warriors　patted　their　steeds　upon　the　necks　to　fort　them；　for　the　horses　were　skittish　and　nervous　in　this　region。　So　also　were　the　riders。　Buliwyf　kept　his　lips　tight；　Ecthgow's　hands　trembled　as　he　held　the　reins　of　his　horse；　Herger　was　gone　quite　pale；　and　his　eyes　darted　to　this　way　and　that；　so　also　the　others　in　their　way。
　The　Northmen　say；　〃Fear　has　a　white　mouth；〃　and　now　I　saw　that　this　is　true；　for　they　were　all　pale　around　the　lips　and　mouth。　No　man　spoke　of　his　fear。
　Now　we　left　the　dogs　behind；　and　rode　onward　into　more　snow；　which　was　thin　and　crunching　underfoot；　and　into　thicker　mists。　No　man　spoke；　save　to　the　horses。　At　each　step　these　beasts　were　more　difficult　to　prod　onward；　the　warriors　were　obliged　to　urge　them　with　soft　words　and　sharp　kicks。　Soon　we　saw　shadowy　forms　in　the　mist　ahead　of　us；　which　we　approached　with　caution。　Now　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　this：　on　either　side　of　the　path；　mounted　high　on　stout　poles；　were　the　skulls　of　enormous　beasts；　their　jaws　opened　in　a　posture　of　attack。　We　continued；　and　I　saw　these　were　the　skulls　of　giant　bears；　which　the　wendol　worship。　Herger　said　to　me　that　the　bear　skulls　protect　the　borders　of　the　land　of　the　wendol。
　Now　we　sighted　another　obstacle；　gray　and　distant　and　large。　Here　was　a　giant　rock；　as　high　as　a　horse's　saddle；　and　it　was　carved　in　the　shape　of　a　pregnant　woman；　with　bulging　belly　and　breasts；　and　no　head　or　arms　or　legs。　This　rock　was　spattered　with　the　blood　of　some　sacrifices；　verily　it　dripped　with　streaks　of　red；　and　was　gruesome　to　look　upon。
　No　man　spoke　of　what　was　observed。　We　rode　on　apace。　The　warriors　drew　out　their　swords　and　held　them　in　readiness。　Now　here　is　a　quality　to　the　Northmen：　that　previously　they　showed　fear；　but　having　entered　into　the　land　of　the　wendol；　close　to　the　source　of　the　fear；　their　own　apprehensions　disappeared。　Thus　do　they　seem　to　do　all　things　backward；　and　in　perplexing　manner；　for　verily　they　now　appeared　at　ease。　It　was　only　the　horses　that　were　ever　more　difficult　to　prod　onward。
　I　smelled；　now；　the　rotting…carcass　odor　that　I　had　smelled　before　in　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar；　and　as　it　reached　my　nostrils　anew；　I　was　faint　of　heart。　Herger　rode　alongside　me　and　said　in　a　soft　voice；　〃How　do　you　fare？〃
　Not　being　capable　of　concealing　my　emotions；　I　said　to　him；　〃I　am　afraid。〃
　Herger　replied　to　me：　〃That　is　because　you　think　upon　what　is　to　e；　and　imagine　fearsome　things　that　would　stop　the　blood　of　any　man。　Do　not　think　ahead；　and　be　cheerful　by　knowing　that　no　man　lives　forever。〃
　I　saw　the　truth　of　his　words。　〃In　my　society；〃　I　said；　〃we　have　a　saying　which　is：　'Thank　Allah；　for　in　his　wisdom　he　put　death　at　the　end　of　life；　and　not　at　the　beginning。'　〃
　Herger　smiled　at　this；　and　laughed　briefly。　〃In　fear；　even　Arabs　speak　the　truth；〃　he　said；　and　then　rode　forward　to　tell　my　words　to　Buliwyf；　who　also　laughed。　The　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　glad　for　a　joke　at　that　time。
　Now　we　came　to　a　hill　and；　reaching　the　crest；　paused　and　looked　down　upon　the　encampment　of　the　wendol。　Here　is　how　it　lay　before　us；　as　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes：　there　was　a　valley；　and　in　the　valley　a　circle　of　rude　huts　of　mud　and　straw；　of　poor　construction　as　a　child　might　erect；　and　in　the　center　of　the　circle　a　large　fire；　now　smoldering。　Yet　there　were　no　horses；　no　animals；　no　movement；　no　sign　of　life　of　any　kind；　and　this　we　saw　through　the　shifting　gauze　of　the　mist。
　Buliwyf　dismounted　his　steed；　and　the　warriors　did　likewise；　myself　among　them。　In　truth；　my　heart　pounded　and　I　was　short　of　breath　as　I　looked　down　at　the　savage　encampment　of　the　demons。　We　spoke　in　whispers。　〃Why　is　there　no　activity？〃　I　inquired。
　〃The　wendol　are　creatures　of　the　night　even　as　owls　or　bats；　Herger　replied；　〃and　they　sleep　during　the　hours　of　the　day。　So　are　they　sleeping　now；　and　we　shall　descend　into　their　pany；　and　fall　upon　them；　and　slay　them　in　their　dreams。〃
　〃We　are　so　few；〃　I　said；　for　there　were　many　huts　below　which　I　perceived。
　〃We　are　enough；〃　Herger　said；　and　then　he　gave　me　a　draught　of　mead；　which　I　drank　gratefully；　with　praise　to　Allah　that　it　is　not　forbidden；　or　even　disapproved　of。34　In　truth；　I　was　finding　my　tongue　hospitable　to　this　very　substance　I　once　thought　vile；　thus　do　strange　things　cease　to　be　strange　upon　repetition。　In　like　fashion；　I　no　longer　attended　the　hideous　stench　of　the　wendol；　for　I　had　been　smelling　it　a　goodly　time　and　I　no　longer　was　aware　of　the　odor。
　The　North　people　are　most　peculiar　in　the　matter　of　smelling。　They　are　not　clean；　as　I　have　said；　and　they　eat　all　manner　of　evil　food　and　drink；　and　yet　it　is　true　that　they　value　the　nose　above　all　parts　of　the　body。　In　battle；　the　loss　of　an　ear　is　no　great　matter；　the　loss　of　a　finger　or　toe　or　a　hand　little　more；　and　such　scars　and　injuries　they　bear　indifferently。　But　the　loss　of　a　nose　they　count　equal　to　death　itself；　and　this　even　to　the　loss　of　a　piece　of　the　fleshy　tip；　which　other　people　would　say　is　a　most　minor　injury。
　The　breaking　of　the　bones　of　the　nose；　through　battle　and　blows；　is　no　matter；　many　of　them　have　crooked　noses　for　that　cause。　I　do　not　know　the　reason　for　this　fear　of　cutting　the　nose。35
　Fortified；　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　and　I　among　them　left　our　steeds　upon　the　hill；　but　these　animals　could　not　go　unattended；　so　affrighted　were　they。　One　of　our　party　was　to　remain　with　them；　and　I　had　hopes　to　be　selected　to　this　task；　yet　it　was　Haltaf；　he　being　already　injured　and　of　least　use。　Thus　we　others　warily　descended　the　hill　among　the　sickly　scrub　and　dying　bushes　down　the　slope　to　the　encampment　of　the　wendol。　We　moved　in　stealth；　and　no　alarm　was　raised；　and　soon　we　were　in　the　very　heart　of　the　village　of　the　demons。
　Buliwyf　never　spoke；　but　gave　all　directions　and　orders　with　his　hands。　And　from　him　I　took　the　meaning　that　we　were　to　go　in　groups　of　two　warriors；　each　pair　in　a　different　direction。　Herger　and　I　were　to　attack　the　nearest　of　the　mud　huts；　and　the　others　were　to　attack　others。　All　waited　until　the　groups　were　stationed　outside　the　huts；　and　then；　with　a　howl；　Buliwyf　raised　his　great　sword　Runding　and　led　the　attack。
　I　dashed　with　Herger　into　one　of　the　huts；　blood　pounding　in　my　head；　my　sword　light　as　a　feather　in　my　hands。　Verily　I　was　ready　for　the　mightiest　battle　of　my　life。　I　saw　nothing　inside；　the　but　was　deserted　and　barren　as　well；　save　for　rude　beds　of　straw；　so　clumsy　in　their　appearance　they　seemed　more　to　resemble　nests　of　some　animal。
　We　dashed　outside；　and　attacked　the　next　of　these　mud　huts。　Again　we　found　it　empty。　Verily；　all　the　huts　were　empty；　and　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　sorely　vexed　and　stared　one　to　the　next　with　expression　of　surprise　and　astonishment。
　Then　Ecthgow　called　to　us；　and　we　gathered　at　one　of　these　huts；　larger　than　any　of　the　others。　And　here　I　saw　that　it　was　deserted　as　they　were　all　deserted；　but　the　interior　was　not　barren。　Rather；　the　floor　of　the　hut　was　littered　with　fragile　bones；　which　crunched　underfoot　like　the　bones　of　birds；　delicate　and　frail。　I　was　much　surprised　at　this；　and　stooped　to　see　the　nature　of　these　bones。　With　a　shock；　I　saw　the　curved　line　of　an　eye　socket　here；　and　a　few　teeth　there。　Verily　we　stood　upon　a　carpet　of　the　bones　of　human　faces；　and　for　further　proofs　of　this　ghastly　truth；　piled　high　upon　one　wall　of　the　hut　were　the　head　portions　of　the　human　skulls；　stacked　inverted　like　so　many　pottery　bowls；　but　glistening　white。　I　was　sick；　and　departed　the　hut　to　purge　myself。　Herger　said　to　me　that　the　wendol　eat　the　brains　of　their　victims；　as　a　human　person　might　eat　eggs　or　cheese。　This　is　their　custom；　vile　as　it　is　to　contemplate　such　a　matter；　yet　it　is　true。
　Now　another　of　the　warriors　called　to　us；　and　we　entered　another　hut。　Here　I　saw　this：　the　but　was　bare；　except　for　a　large　throne…like　chair；　carved　of　a　single　piece　of　enormous　wood。　This　chair　ha