mc.eatersofthedead-第7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！


ich　they　placed　alongside　him。
　Then　they　brought　a　dog；　which　they　cut　in　two；　and　threw　into　the　ship。　They　laid　all　his　weapons　beside　him；　and　led　up　two　horses；　which　they　chased　until　they　were　dripping　with　sweat；　whereupon　Buliwyf　killed　one　with　his　sword　and　Thorkel　killed　the　second；　cutting　them　into　pieces　with　their　swords　and　flinging　the　pieces　forth　into　the　ship。　Buliwyf　killed　his　horse　less　swiftly；　which　seemed　to　have　some　import　to　those　who　watched；　but　I　did　not　know　the　meaning。
　Two　oxen　were　then　brought　forward；　cut　into　pieces；　and　flung　into　the　ship。　Finally　they　brought　a　cock　and　a　hen；　killed　them；　and　threw　them　in　also。
　The　girl　who　had　devoted　herself　to　death　meanwhile　walked　to　and　fro；　entering　one　after　another　of　the　tents　that　they　had　there。　The　occupant　of　each　tent　lay　with　her；　saying；　〃Tell　your　master　I　did　this　only　for　love　of　him。〃
　Now　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon。　They　led　the　girl　to　an　object　they　had　constructed；　which　looked　like　the　frame　of　a　door。　She　placed　her　feet　on　the　extended　hands　of　the　men；　who　raised　her　above　the　framework。　She　uttered　something　in　her　language；　whereupon　they　let　her　down。　Then　again　they　raised　her；　and　she　did　as　before。　Once　more　they　let　her　down；　and　then　lifted　her　a　third　time。　Then　they　handed　her　a　hen；　whose　head　she　cut　off　and　threw　away。
　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　what　it　was　she　had　done。　He　replied：　〃The　first　time　she　said；　'Lo；　I　see　here　my　father　and　mother'；　the　second　time；　'Lo；　now　I　see　all　my　deceased　relatives　sitting'；　the　third　time；　'Lo；　there　is　my　master；　who　is　sitting　in　Paradise。　Paradise　is　so　beautiful；　so　green。　With　him　are　his　men　and　boys。　He　calls　me；　so　bring　me　to　him。'　〃
　Then　they　led　her　away　to　the　ship。　Here　she　took　off　her　two　bracelets　and　gave　them　to　the　old　woman　who　was　called　the　angel　of　death；　and　she　was　to　murder　her。　She　also　drew　off　her　two　anklets；　and　passed　them　to　the　two　serving　maids；　who　were　the　daughters　of　the　angel　of　death。　Then　they　lifted　her　into　the　ship；　but　did　not　yet　admit　her　to　the　tent。
　Now　men　came　up　with　shields　and　staves；　and　handed　her　a　cup　of　strong　drink。　This　she　took；　sang　over　it；　and　emptied　it。　The　interpreter　told　me　she　said；　〃With　this；　I　take　leave　of　those　who　are　dear　to　me。〃　Then　another　cup　was　handed　to　her；　which　she　also　took；　and　began　a　lengthy　song。　The　crone　admonished　her　to　drain　the　cup　without　lingering；　and　to　enter　the　tent　where　her　master　lay。
　By　this　time；　it　seemed　to　me　the　girl　had　bee　dazed。6　She　made　as　though　she　would　enter　the　tent；　when　suddenly　the　hag　seized　her　by　the　head　and　dragged　her　in。　At　this　moment　the　men　began　to　beat　upon　their　shields　with　the　staves；　in　order　to　drown　the　noise　of　her　outcries；　which　might　have　terrified　the　other　girls　and　deterred　them　from　seeking　death　with　their　masters　in　the　future。
　Six　men　followed　her　into　the　tent；　and　each　and　every　one　of　them　had　carnal　panionship　with　her。　Then　they　laid　her　down　by　her　master's　side；　while　two　of　the　men　seized　her　feet；　and　two　the　hands。　The　old　woman　known　as　the　angel　of　death　now　knotted　a　rope　around　her　neck；　and　handed　the　ends　to　two　of　the　men　to　pull。　Then；　with　a　broad…bladed　dagger；　she　smote　her　between　the　ribs；　and　drew　the　blade　forth；　while　the　two　men　strangled　her　with　the　rope　till　she　died。
　The　kin　of　the　dead　Wyglif　now　drew　near　and；　taking　a　piece　of　lighted　wood；　walked　backward　naked　toward　the　ship　and　ignited　the　ship　without　ever　looking　at　it。　The　funeral　pyre　was　soon　aflame；　and　the　ship；　the　tent；　the　man　and　the　girl；　and　everything　else　blew　up　in　a　blazing　storm　of　fire。
　At　my　side；　one　of　the　Northmen　made　some　ment　to　the　interpreter。　I　asked　the　interpreter　what　was　said；　and　received　this　answer。　〃You　Arabs；〃　he　said；　〃must　be　a　stupid　lot。　You　take　your　most　beloved　and　revered　man　and　cast　him　into　the　ground　to　be　devoured　by　creeping　things　and　worms。　We；　on　the　other　hand；　burn　him　in　a　twinkling；　so　that　instantly；　without　a　moment's　delay；　he　enters　into　Paradise。〃
　And　in　truth；　before　an　hour　had　passed；　ship；　wood；　and　girl　had；　with　the　man；　turned　to　ashes。
　
　THE　AFTERMATH　OF　THE　NORTHMEN'S　FUNERAL

　THESE　SCANDINAVIANS　FIND　NO　CAUSE　FOR　GRIEF　IN　any　man's　death。　A　poor　man　or　a　slave　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　them；　and　even　a　chieftain　will　provoke　no　sadness　or　tears。　On　the　same　evening　of　the　funeral　of　the　chief　called　Wyglif；　there　was　a　great　feasting　in　the　halls　of　the　Northmen　encampment。
　Yet　I　perceived　that　all　was　not　fitting　among　these　barbarians。　I　sought　counsel　with　my　interpreter。　He　responded　thusly：　〃It　is　the　plan　of　Thorkel　to　see　you　die；　and　then　to　banish　Buliwyf。　Thorkel　has　gathered　the　support　of　some　earls　to　himself；　but　there　is　dispute　in　every　house　and　every　quarter。〃
　Much　distressed；　I　said；　〃I　have　no　part　in　this　affair。　How　shall　I　act？〃
　The　interpreter　said　I　should　flee　if　I　could；　but　if　I　were　caught；　this　would　be　proof　of　my　guilt　and　I　would　be　treated　as　a　thief。　A　thief　is　treated　in　this　fashion：　the　Northmen　lead　him　to　a　thick　tree；　fasten　a　strong　rope　about　him；　string　him　up；　and　let　him　hang　until　he　rots　to　pieces　by　the　action　of　the　wind　and　the　rain。
　Remembering　also　that　I　had　barely　escaped　death　at　the　hands　of　ibn…al…Qatagan；　I　chose　to　act　as　I　had　before；　that　is；　I　remained　among　the　Northmen　until　I　should　be　given　free　passage　to　continue　on　my　journey。
　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　whether　I　should　bear　gifts　to　Buliwyf；　and　also　to　Thorkel；　to　favor　my　departure。　He　said　that　I　could　not　bear　gifts　to　both；　and　that　the　matter　was　undecided　who　would　be　the　new　chieftain。　Then　he　said　it　would　be　clear　in　one　day　and　night；　and　no　longer。
　For　it　is　true　among　these　Northmen　that　they　have　no　established　way　of　choosing　a　new　chief　when　the　old　leader　dies。　Strength　of　arms　counts　high；　but　also　allegiances　of　the　warriors　and　the　earls　and　noblemen。　In　some　cases　there　is　no　clear　successor　to　the　rule；　and　this　was　one　of　such　eventualities。　My　interpreter　said　that　I　should　bide　my　time；　and　also　pray。　This　I　did。
　Then　there　came　a　great　storm　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Volga；　a　storm　that　persisted　two　days；　with　driving　rain　and　forceful　winds；　and　after　this　storm　a　cold　mist　lay　on　the　ground。　It　was　thick　and　white；　and　a　man　could　not　see　past　a　dozen　paces。
　Now；　these　same　giant　Northmen　warriors；　who　by　virtue　of　their　enormity　and　strength　of　arms　and　cruel　disposition；　have　nothing　to　fear　in　all　the　world；　yet　these　men　fear　the　mist　or　fog　that　es　with　storms。
　The　men　of　their　race　are　at　some　pains　to　conceal　their　fear；　even　one　from　another；　the　warriors　laugh　and　joke　overmuch；　and　make　unreasonable　display　of　carefree　emotion。　Thus　do　they　prove　the　reverse；　and　in　truth；　their　attempt　to　disguise　is　childish；　so　plainly　do　they　pretend　not　to　see　the　truth；　yet　verily；　each　and　all　of　them；　throughout　their　encampment；　are　making　prayers　and　sacrifices　of　hens　and　cocks；　and　if　a　man　is　asked　the　reason　of　the　sacrifice；　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　for　the　safety　of　my　faraway　family〃；　or　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　for　the　success　of　my　trading〃；　or　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　in　honor　of　such　or　another　deceased　member　of　my　family〃；　or　he　will　say　many　another　reason；　and　then　he　will　add；　〃And　also　for　the　lifting　of　the　mist。〃
　Now；　I　accounted　it　strange　for　such　strong　and　warlike　people　to　be　so　fearful　of　anything　as　to　pretend　a　lack　of　fear；　and　of　all　the　sensible　reasons　for　fear；　mist　or　fog　seemed　to　my　way　of　thinking　very　greatly　inexplicable。
　I　said　to　my　interpreter　that　a　man　could　fear　wind；　or　blasting　storms　of　sand；　or　water　floods；　or　heaving　of　the　ground；　or　thunder　and　lightning　within　the　sky；　for　all　of　these　could　injure　a　man；　or　kill　him；　or　ruin　his　dwelling。　Yet　I　said　that　fog；　or　mist；　contained　no　threat　of　harm；　in　truth　it　was　the　least　of　any　form　of　changing　elements。
　The　interpreter　answered　to　me　that　I　was　lacking　the　beliefs　of　a　sailor。　He　said　that　many　Arab　sailors　agreed　with　the　Northmen；　in　the　matter　of　uneasiness7　within　the　wrapping　of　mist；　so；　also；