mc.eatersofthedead-第6部分

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h　bread　and　water。　No　one　approached　or　spoke　to　him；　or　visited　him　the　whole　time。　No　slaves　nurtured　him；　for　the　Northmen　believe　that　a　man　must　recover　from　any　sickness　according　to　his　own　strength。　Many　among　them　believed　that　Wyglif　would　never　return　to　join　them　in　the　camp；　but　instead　would　die。
　Now；　one　of　their　number；　a　young　noble　called　Buliwyf；　was　chosen　to　be　their　new　leader；　but　he　was　not　accepted　while　the　sick　chieftain　still　lived。　This　was　the　cause　of　uneasiness；　at　the　time　of　our　arrival。　Yet　also　there　was　no　aspect　of　sorrow　or　weeping　among　the　people　encamped　on　the　Volga。
　The　Northmen　place　great　importance　on　the　duty　of　the　host。　They　greet　every　visitor　with　warmth　and　hospitality；　much　food　and　clothing；　and　the　earls　and　nobles　pete　for　the　honor　of　the　greatest　hospitality。　The　party　of　our　caravan　was　brought　before　Buliwyf　and　a　great　feast　was　given　us。　Over　this　Buliwyf　himself　presided；　and　I　saw　him　to　be　a　tall　man；　and　strong；　with　skin　and　hair　and　beard　of　pure　white。　He　had　the　bearing　of　a　leader。
　Recognizing　the　honor　of　the　feast；　our　party　made　a　show　of　eating；　yet　the　food　was　vile　and　the　manner　of　the　feast　contained　much　throwing　of　food　and　drink；　and　great　laughing　and　merriment。　It　was　mon　in　the　middle　of　this　rude　banquet　for　an　earl　to　disport　with　a　slave　girl　in　full　view　of　his　fellows。
　Seeing　this；　I　turned　away　and　said；　〃I　beg　God's　pardon；〃　and　the　Northmen　laughed　much　at　my　disfiture。　One　of　their　number　translated　for　me　that　they　believe　God　looks　favorably　upon　such　open　pleasures。　He　said　to　me；　〃You　Arabs　are　like　old　women；　you　tremble　at　the　sight　of　life。〃
　I　said　in　answer；　〃I　am　a　guest　among　you；　and　Allah　shall　lead　me　to　righteousness。〃
　This　was　reason　for　further　laughter；　but　I　do　not　know　for　what　cause　they　should　find　a　joke。
　The　custom　of　the　Northmen　reveres　the　life　of　war。　Verily；　these　huge　men　fight　continually；　they　are　never　at　peace；　neither　among　themselves　nor　among　different　tribes　of　their　kind。　They　sing　songs　of　their　warfare　and　bravery；　and　believe　that　the　death　of　a　warrior　is　the　highest　honor。
　At　the　banquet　of　Buliwyf；　a　member　of　their　kind　sang　a　song　of　bravery　and　battle　that　was　much　enjoyed；　though　little　attended。　The　strong　drink　of　the　Northmen　soon　renders　them　as　animals　and　stray　asses；　in　the　midst　of　the　song　there　was　ejaculation　and　also　mortal　bat　over　some　intoxicated　quarrel　of　two　warriors。　The　bard　did　not　cease　his　song　through　all　these　events；　verily　I　saw　flying　blood　spatter　his　face；　and　yet　he　wiped　it　away　without　a　pause　in　his　singing。
　This　impressed　me　greatly。
　Now　it　happened　that　this　Buliwyf；　who　was　drunk　as　the　rest；　manded　that　I　should　sing　a　song　for　them。　He　was　most　insistent。　Not　wishing　to　anger　him；　I　recited　from　the　Koran；　with　the　translator　repeating　my　words　in　their　Norse　tongue。　I　was　received　no　better　than　their　own　minstrel；　and　afterward　I　asked　the　forgiveness　of　Allah　for　the　treatment　of　His　holy　words；　and　also　for　the　translation；4　which　I　sensed　to　be　thoughtless；　for　in　truth　the　translator　was　himself　drunk。
　We　had　stayed　two　days　among　the　Northmen；　and　on　the　morning　we　planned　to　leave；　we　were　told　by　the　translator　that　the　chieftain　Wyglif　had　died。　I　sought　to　witness　what　then　befell。
　First；　they　laid　him　in　his　grave；　over　which　a　roof　was　erected；　for　the　space　of　ten　days；5　until　they　had　pleted　the　cutting　and　sewing　of　his　clothes。　They　also　brought　together　his　goods；　and　divided　them　into　three　parts。　The　first　of　these　is　for　his　family；　the　second　is　expended　for　the　garments　they　make；　and　with　the　third　they　purchase　strong　drink；　against　the　day　when　a　girl　resigns　herself　to　death；　and　is　burned　with　her　master。
　To　the　use　of　wine　they　abandon　themselves　in　mad　fashion；　drinking　it　day　and　night；　as　I　have　already　said。　Not　seldom　does　one　die　with　a　cup　in　his　hand。
　The　family　of　Wyglif　asked　of　all　his　girls　and　pages；　〃Which　of　you　will　die　with　him？〃　Then　one　of　them　answered；　〃I。〃　From　the　time　she　uttered　that　word；　she　was　no　longer　free；　should　she　wish　to　draw　back；　she　is　not　permitted。
　The　girl　who　so　spoke　was　then　mitted　to　two　other　girls；　who　were　to　keep　watch　over　her；　acpany　her　wherever　she　went；　and　even；　on　occasion；　wash　her　feet。　The　people　occupied　themselves　with　the　dead　man…cutting　out　the　clothes　for　him；　and　preparing　whatever　else　was　needful。　During　the　whole　of　this　period；　the　girl　gave　herself　over　to　drinking　and　singing；　and　was　cheerful　and　gay。
　During　this　time；　Buliwyf；　the　noble　who　would　next　be　king　or　chieftain；　found　a　rival　whose　name　was　Thorkel。　Him　I　did　not　know；　but　he　was　ugly　and　foul；　a　dark　man　among　this　ruddy　fair　race。　He　plotted　to　be　chieftain　himself。　All　this　I　learned　from　the　translator；　for　there　was　no　outward　sign　in　the　funeral　preparations　that　anything　was　not　according　to　custom。
　Buliwyf　himself　did　not　direct　the　preparations；　for　he　was　not　of　the　family　of　Wyglif；　and　it　is　the　rule　that　the　family　prepares　for　the　funeral。　Buliwyf　joined　the　general　merriment　and　celebration；　and　acted　no　part　of　kingly　conduct；　except　during　the　banquets　of　the　night；　when　he　sat　in　the　high　seat　that　was　reserved　to　the　king。
　This　was　the　manner　of　his　sitting：　when　a　Northman　is　truly　king；　he　sits　at　the　head　of　the　table　in　a　large　stone　chair　with　stone　arms。　Such　was　the　chair　of　Wyglif；　but　Buliwyf　did　not　sit　in　it　as　a　normal　man　would　sit。　Instead　he　sat　upon　one　arm；　a　position　from　which　he　fell　when　he　drank　overmuch；　or　laughed　with　great　excess。　It　was　the　custom　that　he　could　not　sit　in　the　chair　until　Wyglif　was　buried。
　All　this　time；　Thorkel　plotted　and　conferred　among　the　other　earls。　I　came　to　know　that　I　was　suspected　as　some　sorcerer　or　witch；　which　distressed　me　much。　The　translator；　who　did　not　believe　these　tales；　told　me　that　Thorkel　said　I　had　caused　Wyglif　to　die；　and　had　caused　Buliwyf　to　be　the　next　chief；　yet　verily　I　had　no　part　in　any　of　this。
　After　some　days；　I　sought　to　leave　with　my　party　of　ibn…Bastu　and　Takin　and　Bars；　and　yet　the　Northmen　would　not　permit　us　to　leave；　saying　that　we　must　stay　to　the　funeral；　and　threatening　us　with　their　daggers；　which　they　always　carried。　Thus　we　stayed。
　When　the　day　was　e　that　Wyglif　and　the　girl　were　to　be　mitted　to　the　flames；　his　ship　was　drawn　ashore　on　the　banks　of　the　river。　Four　corner　blocks　of　birch　and　other　woods　had　been　positioned　around　it；　also　large　wooden　figures　in　the　semblance　of　human　beings。
　In　the　meantime　the　people　began　to　walk　to　and　fro；　uttering　words　that　I　did　not　understand。　The　language　of　the　Northmen　is　ugly　to　the　ear　and　difficult　to　prehend。　The　dead　chief；　meanwhile；　lay　at　a　distance　in　his　grave；　from　which　they　had　not　yet　removed　him。　Next　they　brought　a　couch；　placed　it　in　the　ship；　and　covered　it　with　Greek　cloth　of　gold；　and　pillows　of　the　same　material。　There　then　came　an　old　crone；　whom　they　call　the　angel　of　death；　and　she　spread　the　personal　articles　on　the　couch。　It　was　she　who　attended　to　the　sewing　of　the　garments；　and　to　all　the　equipment。　It　was　she；　also；　who　was　to　slay　the　girl。　I　saw　the　crone　with　my　own　eyes。　She　was　dark；　thickset；　with　a　lowering　countenance。
　When　they　came　to　the　grave；　they　removed　the　roof　and　drew　out　the　dead　man。　Then　I　saw　that　he　had　turned　quite　black；　by　reason　of　the　coldness　of　that　country。　Near　him　in　the　grave　they　had　placed　strong　drink；　fruits；　and　a　lute；　and　these　they　now　took　out。　Except　for　his　color；　the　dead　man　Wyglif　had　not　changed。
　Now　I　saw　Buliwyf　and　Thorkel　standing　side　by　side；　making　a　great　show　of　friendship　during　the　burial　ceremony；　and　yet　it　was　apparent　that　there　was　no　truth　to　their　appearances。
　The　dead　king　Wyglif　was　now　clothed　in　drawers；　leggings；　boots；　and　a　caftan　of　gold　cloth；　and　on　his　head　was　placed　a　cap　made　of　gold　cloth；　trimmed　in　sable。　Then　he　was　carried　to　a　tent　in　the　ship；　they　seated　him　on　a　quilted　couch；　supported　him　with　pillows；　and　brought　strong　drink；　fruits；　and　basil；　which　they　placed　alongside　him。
　Then　they　brought　a　dog；　which　they　cut　in　two；　and　threw　into　the