mc.eatersofthedead-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


bare；　except　for　a　large　throne…like　chair；　carved　of　a　single　piece　of　enormous　wood。　This　chair　had　a　high　fanning　back；　carved　into　the　shape　of　snakes　and　demons。　At　the　foot　of　the　chair　were　littered　bones　of　skulls；　and　upon　the　arms　of　the　chair；　where　its　owner　might　rest　his　hands　there　was　blood　and　remnants　of　whitish　cheesy　substance；　which　was　human　brain　material。　The　odor　of　this　room　was　ghastly。
　Placed　all　around　this　chair　there　were　small　pregnant　stone　carvings；　such　as　I　have　described　before；　these　carvings　formed　a　circle　or　perimeter　about　the　chair。
　Herger　said；　〃This　is　where　she　rules；〃　and　his　voice　was　low　and　awed。
　I　was　not　able　to　prehend　his　meaning；　and　was　sick　in　heart　and　stomach。　I　emptied　my　stomach　upon　the　soil。　Herger　and　Buliwyf　and　the　others　were　also　distressed；　though　no　man　purged　himself；　but　rather　they　took　glowing　embers　from　the　fire　and　set　the　huts　aflame。　They　burned　slowly；　for　they　were　damp。
　And　thus　we　climbed　up　the　hill；　mounted　our　horses；　and　left　the　region　of　the　wendol；　and　departed　the　desert　of　dread。　And　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　now　sad　of　aspect；　for　the　wendol　had　surpassed　them　in　cunning　and　cleverness；　abandoning　their　lair　in　anticipation　of　the　attack；　and　they　would　count　the　burning　of　their　dwellings　no　great　loss。
　
　THE　COUNSEL　OF　THE　DWARF

　WE　RETURNED　AS　WE　HAD　E；　BUT　RODE　WITH　greater　speed；　for　the　horses　now　were　eager；　and　eventually　came　down　from　the　hills　and　saw　the　flat　plain　and；　in　the　distance；　at　the　ocean's　edge；　the　settlement　and　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar。
　Now　Buliwyf　veered　away　and　led　us　in　another　direction；　toward　high　rocky　crags　swept　by　the　ocean　winds。　I　rode　alongside　Herger　and　inquired　the　reason　for　this；　and　he　said　we　were　to　seek　out　the　dwarves　of　the　region。
　At　this　I　was　much　surprised；　for　the　men　of　the　North　have　no　dwarves　among　their　society；　they　are　never　seen　in　the　streets；　nor　do　any　sit　at　the　feet　of　kings；　nor　are　any　to　be　found　counting　money　or　keeping　records　or　any　of　the　things　that　we　know　of　dwarves。36　Never　had　any　Northman　mentioned　dwarves　to　me；　and　I　had　presumed　that　so　giant　a　people37　would　never　produce　dwarves。
　Now　we　came　to　a　region　of　caves；　hollowed　and　windswept；　and　Buliwyf　dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　did　likewise；　and　proceeded　by　foot。　I　heard　a　hissing　sound；　and　verily　I　saw　puffs　of　steam　issue　from　one　and　another　of　these　several　caves。　We　entered　one　cave　and　there　found　dwarves。
　They　were　in　appearance　thus：　of　the　ordinary　size　of　dwarf；　but　distinguished　by　hands　of　great　size；　and　bearing　features　that　appeared　exceedingly　aged。　There　were　both　male　and　female　dwarves　and　all　had　the　appearance　of　great　age。　The　males　were　bearded　and　solemn；　the　women　also　had　some　hair　upon　the　face；　so　they　appeared　manlike。　Each　dwarf　wore　a　garment　of　fur　or　sable；　each　also　wore　a　thin　belt　of　hide　decorated　with　bits　of　hammered　gold。
　The　dwarves　greeted　our　arrival　politely；　with　no　sign　of　fear。　Herger　said　these　creatures　have　magic　powers　and　need　fear　no　man　on　earth；　however；　they　are　apprehensive　of　horses；　and　for　this　reason　we　had　left　the　mounts　behind　us。　Herger　said　also　that　the　powers　of　a　dwarf　reside　in　his　thin　belt；　and　that　a　dwarf　will　do　anything　to　retrieve　his　belt　if　it　is　lost。
　Herger　said　this　also：　that　the　appearance　of　great　age　among　the　dwarves　was　a　true　thing；　and　that　a　dwarf　lived　beyond　the　span　of　any　ordinary　man。　Also　he　said　to　me　that　these　dwarves　are　virile　from　their　earliest　youth；　that　even　as　infants　they　have　hair　at　the　groin；　and　members　of　unmon　size。　Indeed；　it　is　in　this　way　that　the　parents　first　e　to　know　that　their　infant　child　is　a　dwarf；　and　a　creature　of　magic；　who　must　be　taken　to　the　hills　to　live　with　others　of　his　kind。　This　done；　the　parents　give　thanks　to　the　gods　and　sacrifice　some　animal　or　other；　for　to　give　birth　to　a　dwarf　is　accounted　high　good　fortune。
　This　is　the　belief　of　the　North　people；　as　Herger　spoke　it；　and　I　do　not　know　the　truth　of　the　matter；　and　report　only　what　was　told　to　me。
　Now　I　saw　that　the　hissing　and　steam　issued　from　great　cauldrons；　into　which　hammered…steel　blades　were　plunged　to　temper　the　metal；　for　the　dwarves　make　weapons　that　are　highly　prized　by　the　Northmen。　Indeed；　I　saw　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　looking　about　the　caves　eagerly；　as　any　woman　in　a　bazaar　shop　selling　precious　silks。
　Buliwyf　made　inquiries　of　these　creatures；　and　was　directed　to　the　topmost　of　the　caves；　wherein　sat　a　single　dwarf；　older　than　all　the　others；　with　a　beard　and　hair　of　purest　white；　and　a　creased　and　wrinkled　face。　This　dwarf　was　called　〃tengol；〃　which　means　a　judge　of　good　and　evil；　and　also　a　soothsayer。
　This　tengol　must　have　had　the　magical　powers　that　all　said　he　did；　for　he　immediately　greeted　Buliwyf　by　his　name；　and　bade　him　sit　with　him。　Buliwyf　sat；　and　we　gathered　a　short　distance　away；　standing。
　Now　Buliwyf　did　not　present　the　tengol　with　gifts；　the　Northmen　make　no　obeisance　to　the　little　people；　they　believe　that　the　favors　of　the　dwarves　must　be　freely　given；　and　it　is　wrong　to　encourage　the　favors　of　a　dwarf　with　gifts。　Thus　Buliwyf　sat；　and　the　tengol　looked　at　him；　and　then　closed　his　eyes　and　began　to　speak；　rocking　back　and　forth　as　he　sat。　The　tengol　spoke　in　a　high　voice　as　a　child；　and　Herger　told　me　the　meaning　was　thus：
　〃O　Buliwyf；　you　are　a　great　warrior　but　you　have　met　your　match　in　the　monsters　of　the　mist；　the　eaters　of　the　dead。　This　shall　be　a　struggle　to　the　death；　and　you　shall　need　all　your　strength　and　wisdom　to　overe　the　challenge。〃　And　he　went　on　in　this　manner　for　some　good　time；　rocking　back　and　forth。　The　import　was　that　Buliwyf　faced　a　difficult　adversary；　which　I　already　knew　well　enough　and　so　did　Buliwyf　himself。　Yet　Buliwyf　was　patient。
　Also　I　saw　that　Buliwyf　took　no　offense　when　the　dwarf　laughed　at　him；　which　frequently　he　did。　The　dwarf　spoke：　〃You　have　e　to　me　because　you　attacked　the　monsters　in　the　brackish　marsh　and　tarn；　and　this　availed　you　nothing。　Therefore　you　e　to　me　for　advice　and　admonishment；　as　a　child　to　his　father；　saying　what　shall　I　do　now；　for　all　my　plans　have　failed　me。〃　The　tengol　laughed　long　at　this　speech。　Then　his　old　face　turned　solemn。
　〃O　Buliwyf；〃　he　said；　〃I　see　the　future；　but　I　can　tell　you　no　more　than　you　already　know。　You　and　all　your　brave　warriors　gathered　your　skill　and　your　courage　to　make　an　attack　upon　the　monsters　in　the　desert　of　dread。　In　this　you　cheated　yourself；　for　such　was　not　a　true　hero's　enterprise。〃
　I　heard　these　words　with　astonishment；　for　it　had　seemed　heroic　work　enough　for　me。
　〃No；　no；　noble　Buliwyf；〃　the　tengol　said。　〃You　set　out　upon　a　false　mission；　and　deep　in　your　hero's　heart　you　knew　it　was　unworthy。　So；　too；　was　your　battle　against　the　glowworm　dragon　Korgon　unworthy；　and　it　cost　you　many　fine　warriors。　To　what　end　are　all　your　plans？〃
　Still　Buliwyf　did　not　answer。　He　sat　with　the　dwarf　and　waited。
　〃A　hero's　great　challenge；〃　the　dwarf　said；　〃is　in　the　heart；　and　not　in　the　adversary。　What　matter　if　you　had　e　upon　the　wendol　in　their　lair　and　had　killed　many　of　their　number　as　they　slept？　You　could　kill　many；　yet　this　would　not　end　the　struggle；　any　more　than　cutting　off　the　fingers　will　kill　the　man。　To　kill　the　man；　you　must　pierce　the　head　or　the　heart；　and　thus　it　is　with　the　wendol。　All　this　you　know；　and　need　not　my　counsel　to　know　it。〃
　Thus　the　dwarf；　rocking　back　and　forth；　chastised　Buliwyf。　And　thus　Buliwyf　accepted　his　rebuke；　for　he　did　not　reply；　but　only　lowered　his　head。
　〃You　have　done　the　work　of　a　mere　man；〃　the　tengol　continued；　〃and　not　a　proper　hero。　A　hero　does　what　no　man　dares　to　undertake。　To　kill　the　wendol；　you　must　strike　at　the　head　and　the　heart：　you　must　overe　their　very　mother；　in　the　thunder　caves。〃
　I　did　not　understand　the　meaning　of　these　words。
　〃You　know　of　this；　for　it　has　always　been　true；　through　all　the　ages　of　man。　Shall　your　brave　warriors　die；　one　by　one？　Or　shall　you　strike　at　the　mother　in　the　caves？　Here　is　no　prophecy；　only　the　choice　of　a　man　or　a　hero。〃
　Now　Buliwyf　made　some　response；　but　it　was　low；　and　lost　to　me