mc.eatersofthedead-第30部分

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s　the　black　color　of　death　in　this　cold　climate。　Then　the　slave　girl　was　taken　to　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf；　and　to　me　also；　and　I　had　carnal　knowledge　of　her；　and　she　said　to　me；　〃My　master　thanks　you。〃　Her　countenance　and　manner　were　most　joyful；　of　a　variety　in　excess　of　the　general　good　cheer　these　people　show。　Whilst　she　dressed　again　in　her　garments；　these　garments　including　many　splendid　ornaments　of　gold　and　silver；　I　said　to　her　that　she　was　joyful。
　I　had　in　my　mind　that　she　was　a　fair　maiden；　and　youthful；　and　yet　soon　to　die；　which　she　knew；　as　did　I。　She　said　to　me；　〃I　am　joyful　because　I　shall　soon　see　my　master。〃　As　yet　she　had　drunk　no　mead；　and　she　spoke　the　truth　of　her　heart。　Her　countenance　shone　as　does　a　happy　child；　or　certain　women　when　they　are　with　child；　this　was　the　nature　of　the　thing。
　So；　then；　I　said　this：　〃Tell　your　master　when　you　see　him　that　I　have　lived　to　write。〃　These　words　I　do　not　know　if　she　prehended。　I　said　to　her；　〃It　was　the　wish　of　your　master。〃
　〃Then　I　will　tell　him；〃　she　said；　and　most　cheerfully　proceeded　to　the　next　warrior　of　Buliwyf。　I　do　not　know　if　she　understood　my　meaning；　for　the　only　sense　of　writing　these　North　people　know　is　the　carving　of　wood　or　stone；　which　they　do　but　seldom。　Also；　my　speech　in　the　North　tongue　was　not　clear。　Yet　she　was　cheerful　and　went　on。
　Now　in　the　evening；　as　the　sun　was　making　its　descent　into　the　sea；　the　ship　of　Buliwyf　was　prepared　upon　the　beach；　and　the　maiden　was　taken　into　the　tent　of　the　ship；　and　the　old　crone　who　is　called　the　angel　of　death　placed　the　dagger　between　her　ribs；　and　I　and　Herger　held　the　cord　that　strangled　her；　and　we　seated　her　alongside　Buliwyf；　and　then　we　departed。
　All　of　this　day　I　had　taken　no　food　or　drink；　for　I　knew　I　must　participate　in　these　affairs；　and　I　had　no　wish　to　suffer　the　embarrassment　of　purging　myself。　But　I　felt　no　revulsion　at　any　of　the　deeds　of　that　day；　nor　was　I　faint；　or　light　of　head。　For　this　I　was　proud　in　secret。　Also　it　is　true　that　at　the　moment　of　her　death　the　maiden　smiled；　and　this　expression　afterward　remained；　so　that　she　sat　next　to　her　master　with　this　same　smile　upon　her　pale　face。　The　face　of　Buliwyf　was　black　and　his　eyes　were　closed；　but　his　expression　was　calm。　Thus　did　I　last　view　these　two　North　people。
　Now　the　ship　of　Buliwyf　was　set　aflame；　and　pushed　out　into　the　sea；　and　the　Northmen　stood　upon　the　rocky　shore　and　made　many　invocations　to　their　gods。　With　my　own　eyes；　I　saw　the　ship　carried　by　the　currents　as　a　burning　pyre；　and　then　it　was　lost　to　vision；　and　the　darkness　of　night　descended　upon　the　Northlands。
　
　THE　RETURN　FROM　THE　NORTH　COUNTRY

　NOW　I　PASSED　SOME　FURTHER　WEEKS　IN　THE　pany　of　the　warriors　and　nobles　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　This　was　a　pleasant　time；　for　the　people　were　gracious　and　hospitable；　and　most　attentive　to　my　wounds；　which　healed　well；　praise　Allah。　But　it　happened　soon　enough　that　I　desired　to　return　to　my　own　land。　To　King　Rothgar　I　made　known　I　was　the　emissary　of　the　Caliph　of　Bagdad；　and　that　I　must　plete　the　business　he　had　sent　me　upon；　or　incur　his　wrath。
　None　of　this　mattered　to　Rothgar；　who　said　I　was　a　noble　warrior；　that　he　desired　I　should　remain　in　his　lands；　to　live　the　life　of　such　an　honored　warrior。　He　said　I　was　his　friend　forevermore；　and　that　I　should　have　whatever　I　desired　within　his　means　to　give　me。　Yet　he　was　reluctant　to　let　me　depart；　and　contrived　all　manner　of　excuses　and　delays。　Rothgar　said　I　must　look　to　my　wounds；　although　these　injuries　were　plainly　healed；　also　he　said　I　must　recover　my　strength；　although　my　strength　was　evidently　restored。　Finally　he　said　I　must　await　the　outfitting　of　a　ship；　which　was　no　mean　undertaking；　and　when　I　inquired　after　the　time　such　a　ship　might　be　outfitted；　the　King　made　a　vague　reply；　as　if　this　did　not　matter　to　him　overmuch。　And　upon　those　times　when　I　pressed　him　to　depart；　he　turned　cross　and　asked　if　I　was　dissatisfied　with　his　hospitality；　to　this　I　was　obliged　to　respond　with　praise　for　his　graciousness　and　all　variety　of　expressions　of　contentment。　Soon　enough　I　thought　the　old　King　less　a　fool　than　I　had　previously。
　Now　I　went　to　Herger；　speaking　of　my　plight　and　I　said　to　him：　〃This　King　is　not　such　a　fool　as　I　have　taken　him　to　be。〃
　In　reply；　Herger　said：　〃You　are　wrong；　for　he　is　a　fool；　and　does　not　act　with　sense。〃　And　Herger　said　he　would　arrange　for　my　departure　with　the　King。
　Here　was　the　manner　of　it。　Herger　sought　the　audience　of　King　Rothgar　in　private；　and　said　to　the　King　that　he　was　a　great　and　wise　ruler　whose　people　loved　and　respected　him；　by　virtue　of　the　way　he　looked　after　the　affairs　of　the　kingdom　and　the　welfare　of　his　people。　This　flattery　softened　the　old　man。　Now　Herger　said　to　him　that　of　the　five　sons　of　the　King；　only　one　survived；　and　he　was　Wulfgar；　who　had　gone　to　Buliwyf　as　messenger；　and　now　remained　far　off。　Herger　said　that　Wulfgar　should　be　summoned　home；　and　that　a　parry　for　this　purpose　be　arranged；　for　there　was　no　other　heir　save　Wulfgar。
　These　things　he　told　the　King。　Also；　I　believe　he　spoke　some　words　in　private　to　the　Queen　Weilew；　who　had　much　influence　over　her　husband。
　Then　it　happened　at　an　evening　banquet　that　Rothgar　called　for　the　fitting　out　of　a　ship　and　a　crew；　for　a　voyage　to　return　Wulfgar　to　his　kingdom。　I　requested　to　join　the　crew；　and　this　the　old　King　could　not　deny　me。　The　preparation　of　the　ship　took　the　space　of　several　days。　I　spent　much　time　with　Herger　in　this　interval。　Herger　had　chosen　to　remain　behind。
　One　day　we　stood　upon　the　cliffs；　overlooking　the　ship　on　the　beach；　as　it　was　prepared　for　the　voyage　and　fitted　with　provisions。　Herger　said　to　me：　〃You　are　starting　upon　a　long　journey。　We　shall　make　prayers　for　your　safe…keeping。〃
　I　inquired　whom　he　would　pray　to；　and　he　responded；　〃To　Odin；　and　Frey；　and　Thor；　and　Wyrd；　and　to　the　several　other　gods　who　may　influence　your　safe　journey。〃　These　are　the　names　of　the　Northmen　gods。
　I　replied；　〃I　believe　in　one　God；　who　is　Allah；　the　All…Merciful　and　passionate。〃
　〃I　know　this；〃　Herger　said。　〃Perhaps　in　your　lands；　one　god　is　enough；　but　not　here；　here　there　are　many　gods　and　each　has　his　importance；　so　we　shall　pray　to　all　of　them　on　your　behalf。〃　I　thanked　him　then；　for　the　prayers　of　a　nonbeliever　are　as　good　as　they　are　sincere；　and　I　did　not　doubt　the　sincerity　of　Herger。
　Now；　Herger　had　long　known　that　I　believed　differently　from　him；　but　as　the　time　of　my　departure　drew　close；　he　inquired　many　times　again　of　my　beliefs；　and　at　unusual　moments；　thinking　to　catch　me　off　my　guard　and　learn　the　truth。　I　took　his　many　questions　as　a　form　of　test；　as　Buliwyf　once　tested　my　knowledge　of　writing。　Always　I　answered　him　in　the　same　way；　thus　increasing　his　perplexity。
　One　day　he　said　to　me；　with　no　show　that　he　had　ever　inquired　previously：　〃What　is　the　nature　of　your　god　Allah？〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃Allah　is　the　one　God；　who　rules　all　things；　sees　all　things；　knows　all　things；　and　disposes　all　things。〃　These　words　I　had　spoken　before。
　After　a　time；　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Do　you　never　anger　this　Allah？〃
　I　said：　〃I　do；　but　He　is　all…forgiving　and　merciful。〃
　Herger　said：　〃When　it　suits　his　purposes？〃
　I　said　that　this　was　so；　and　Herger　considered　my　answer。　Finally　he　said　this；　with　a　shaking　head：　〃The　risk　is　too　great。　A　man　cannot　place　too　much　faith　in　any　one　thing；　neither　a　woman；　nor　a　horse；　nor　a　weapon；　nor　any　single　thing。〃
　〃Yet　I　do；〃　I　said。
　〃As　you　see　best；〃　Herger　replied；　〃but　there　is　too　much　that　man　does　not　know。　And　what　man　does　not　know；　that　is　the　province　of　the　gods。〃
　In　this　way　I　saw　that　he　would　never　be　persuaded　to　my　beliefs；　nor　I　to　his；　and　so　we　parted。　In　truth；　it　was　a　sad　leave…taking；　and　I　was　heavy…hearted　to　depart　from　Herger　and　the　remainder　of　the　warriors。　Herger　felt　this　also。　I　gripped　his　shoulder；　and　he　mine；　and　then　I　set　out　upon　the　black　ship；　which　carried　me　to　the　land　of　the　Dans。　As　this　ship　with　her　stout　crew　slipped　away　from　the　shores　of　Venden；　I　had　view　of　the　gleaming　rooftops　of　the　great　hall　of　Hurot；　and；　turning　away；　of　the　gray　and　vast　ocean　before　us。　Now　it　happened
　
　T