mc.eatersofthedead-第8部分

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ailors　agreed　with　the　Northmen；　in　the　matter　of　uneasiness7　within　the　wrapping　of　mist；　so；　also；　he　said　all　seafarers　are　made　anxious　of　any　mist　or　fog；　because　such　a　condition　increases　the　peril　of　travel　upon　the　waters。
　I　said　this　was　sensible；　but　that　when　the　mist　lay　upon　the　land　and　not　the　water；　I　did　not　understand　the　reason　for　any　fear。　To　this　the　interpreter　replied；　〃The　fog　is　always　feared；　whenever　it　es。〃　And　he　said　that　it　made　no　difference；　on　land　or　water；　according　to　the　Northman　view。
　And　then　he　said　to　me　the　Northmen　did　not；　truly；　much　fear　the　mist。　Also　the　interpreter　said　that　he；　as　a　man；　did　not　fear　the　mist。　He　said　that　it　was　only　a　minor　matter；　of　slight　consequence。　He　said；　〃It　is　as　a　minor　ache　inside　a　limb　joint；　which　may　e　with　fog；　but　no　more　important。〃
　By　this　I　saw　that　my　interpreter；　among　the　others；　denied　all　manner　of　concern　for　the　fog；　and　feigned　indifference。
　Now　it　happened　that　the　mist　did　not　lift；　although　it　abated　and　became　thin　in　the　after…part　of　the　day；　the　sun　appeared　as　a　circle　in　the　sky；　but　also　it　was　so　weak　that　I　could　look　directly　to　its　light。
　In　this　same　day　there　arrived　a　Northman　boat；　containing　a　noble　of　their　own　race。　He　was　a　young　man　with　a　thin　beard；　and　he　traveled　with　only　a　small　party　of　pages　and　slaves；　and　no　women　among　them。　Thus　I　believed　he　was　no　trader；　for　in　this　area　the　Northmen　principally　sell　women。
　This　same　visitor　beached　his　boat；　and　remained　standing　with　it　until　nightfall；　and　no　man　came　near　to　him；　or　greeted　him；　although　he　was　a　stranger　and　in　plain　sight　to　all。　My　interpreter　said：　〃He　is　a　kin　of　Buliwyf；　and　will　be　received　at　the　night　banquet。〃
　I　said；　〃Why　does　he　stay　at　his　ship？〃
　〃Because　of　the　mist；〃　answered　the　interpreter。　〃It　is　the　custom　he　must　stand　in　view　for　many　hours；　so　all　can　see　him　and　know　he　is　no　enemy　ing　from　the　mist。〃　This　the　interpreter　said　to　me　with　much　hesitation。
　At　the　night　banquet；　I　saw　the　young　man　e　into　the　hall。　Here　was　he　warmly　greeted　and　with　much　display　of　surprise；　and　in　this　most　especially　by　Buliwyf；　who　acted　as　if　the　young　man　had　just　arrived；　and　had　not　been　standing　by　his　ship　many　hours。　After　the　several　greetings；　the　youth　spoke　a　passionate　speech；　which　Buliwyf　attended　with　unusual　interest：　he　did　not　drink　and　dally　with　the　slave　girls；　but　instead　in　silence　heard　the　youth；　who　spoke　in　a　high　and　cracking　voice。　At　the　finish　of　the　tale；　the　youth　seemed　about　to　have　tears；　and　was　given　a　cup　of　drink。
　I　inquired　of　my　interpreter　what　was　said。　Here　was　the　reply：　〃He　is　Wulfgar；　and　he　is　the　son　of　Rothgar；　a　great　king　in　the　North。　He　is　kin　of　Buliwyf　and　seeks　his　aid　and　support　on　a　hero's　mission。　Wulfgar　says　the　far　country　suffers　a　dread　and　nameless　terror；　which　all　the　peoples　are　powerless　to　oppose；　and　he　asks　Buliwyf　to　make　haste　to　return　to　the　far　country　and　save　his　people　and　the　kingdom　of　his　father；　Rothgar。〃
　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　the　nature　of　this　terror。　He　said　to　me；　〃It　has　no　name　which　I　can　tell。〃8　The　interpreter　seemed　much　disturbed　by　Wulfgar's　words；　and　so　also　were　many　of　the　other　Northmen。　I　saw　on　the　countenance　of　Buliwyf　a　dark　and　gloomy　expression。　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　details　of　the　menace。
　The　interpreter　said　to　me：　〃The　name　cannot　be　said；　for　it　is　forbidden　to　speak　it；　lest　the　utterance　of　the　name　call　forth　the　demons。〃　And　as　he　spoke　I　saw　that　he　was　fearful　just　to　think　upon　these　matters；　and　his　pallor　was　marked；　and　so　I　ended　my　inquiry。
　Buliwyf；　sitting　at　the　high　stone　throne；　was　silent。　Verily　the　assembled　earls　and　vassals　and　all　the　slaves　and　servants　were　silent；　also。　No　man　in　the　hall　spoke。　The　messenger　Wulfgar　stood　before　the　pany　with　his　head　bowed。　Never　had　I　seen　the　merry　and　rambunctious　North　people　so　subdued。
　Then　into　the　hall　entered　the　old　crone　called　the　angel　of　death；　and　she　sat　beside　Buliwyf。　From　a　hide　bag　she　withdrew　some　bones…whether　human　or　animal　I　do　not　know…and　these　bones　she　cast　upon　the　ground；　speaking　low　utterances；　and　she　passed　her　hand　over　them。
　The　bones　were　gathered　up；　and　cast　again；　and　the　process　repeated　with　more　incantations。　Now　again　was　the　casting　done；　and　finally　she　spoke　to　Buliwyf。
　I　asked　the　interpreter　the　meaning　of　her　speech；　but　he　did　not　attend　me。
　Then　Buliwyf　stood　and　raised　his　cup　of　strong　drink；　and　called　to　the　assembled　earls　and　warriors；　making　a　speech　of　some　good　length。　One　by　one；　several　warriors　stood　at　their　places　to　face　him。　Not　all　stood；　I　counted　eleven；　and　Buliwyf　pronounced　himself　satisfied　with　this。
　Now　also　I　saw　that　Thorkel　appeared　much　pleased　by　the　proceedings　and　assumed　a　more　kingly　bearing；　while　Buliwyf　paid　him　no　heed；　or　showed　any　hatred　of　him；　or　even　any　interest；　although　they　were　formerly　enemies　a　few　minutes　past。
　Then　the　angel　of　death；　this　same　crone；　pointed　to　me　and　made　some　utterance；　and　then　she　departed　the　hall。　Now　at　last　my　interpreter　spoke；　and　he　said：　〃Buliwyf　is　called　by　the　gods　to　leave　this　place　and　swiftly；　putting　behind　him　all　his　cares　and　concerns；　to　act　as　a　hero　to　repel　the　menace　of　the　North。　This　is　fitting；　and　he　must　also　take　eleven　warriors　with　him。　And　so；　also；　must　he　take　you。〃
　I　said　that　I　was　on　a　mission　to　the　Bulgars；　and　must　follow　the　instructions　of　my　Caliph；　with　no　delay。
　〃The　angel　of　death　has　spoken；〃　my　interpreter　said。　〃The　party　of　Buliwyf　must　be　thirteen；　and　of　these　one　must　be　no　Northman；　and　so　you　shall　be　the　thirteenth。〃
　I　protested　I　was　not　a　warrior。　Verily　I　made　all　the　excuses　and　pleadings　that　I　could　imagine　might　have　effect　upon　this　rude　pany　of　beings。　I　demanded　that　the　interpreter　convey　my　words　to　Buliwyf；　and　yet　he　turned　away　and　left　the　hall；　saying　this　last　speech：　〃Prepare　yourself　as　you　think　best。　You　shall　leave　on　the　morning　light。〃
　
　THE　JOURNEY　TO　THE　FAR　COUNTRY

　IN　THIS　MANNER　WAS　I　PREVENTED　FROM　CONTINUING　my　travels　to　the　kingdom　of　the　Yiltawar；　King　of　the　Saqaliba；　and　thus　was　I　unable　to　discharge　the　trust　of　al…Muqtadir；　mander　of　the　Faithful　and　Caliph　of　the　City　of　Peace。　I　gave　such　instructions　as　I　could　to　Dadir　al…Hurami；　and　also　to　the　ambassador；　Abdallah　ibn…Bastu　al…Hazari；　and　also　to　the　pages　Takin　and　Bars。　Then　I　took　my　leave　of　them；　and　how　they　fared　further　I　never　knew。
　For　myself；　I　counted　my　condition　no　different　from　a　dead　man。　I　was　on　board　one　of　the　Northman　vessels；　and　sailing　up　the　Volga　River；　northward；　with　twelve　of　their　pany。　The　others　were　named　thus：
　Buliwyf；　the　chief；　his　lieutenant　or　captain；　Ecthgow；　his　earls　and　nobles；　Higlak；　Skeld；　Weath；　Roneth；　Halga；　his　warriors　and　brave　fighters；　Helfdane；　Edgtho；　Rethel；　Haltaf；　and　Herger。9　And　also　I　was　among　them；　unable　to　speak　their　language　or　to　understand　their　ways；　for　my　interpreter　had　been　left　behind。　It　was　only　happenstance　and　the　grace　of　Allah　that　one　of　their　warriors；　Herger；　should　be　a　man　of　parts　and　knowing　some　of　the　Latin　tongue。　Thus　I　could　understand　from　Herger　what　meant　the　events　that　transpired。　Herger　was　a　young　warrior；　and　very　merry；　he　seemed　to　find　jest　in　everything；　and　especially　in　my　own　gloom　at　the　departure。
　These　Northmen　are　by　their　own　accounting　the　best　sailors　in　the　world；　and　I　saw　much　love　of　the　oceans　and　waters　in　their　demeanor。　Of　the　ship　there　is　this：　it　was　as　long　as　twenty…five　paces；　and　as　broad　as　eight　and　a　little　more　than　that；　and　of　excellent　construction；　of　oak　wood。　Its　color　was　black　at　every　place。　It　was　fitted　with　a　square　sail　of　cloth　and　trimmed　with　sealskin　ropes。10　The　helmsman　stood　upon　a　small　platform　near　the　stern　and　worked　a　rudder　attached　to　the　side　of　the　vessel　in　the　Roman　fashion。　The　ship　was　fitted　with　benches　for　oars；　but　never　were　the　oars　employed；　rather　we　progressed　by　sailing　alone。　At　the　head　of　the　ship　was　the　wooden　carving　of　a　fierce　sea　monster；　such　as　appears　on　some　Northman　vessels；　also　there　was　a　tail　at