mc.eatersofthedead-第11部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ed　here　at　all；　as　I　have　said。　Inside　the　long　houses；　there　are　three　sections　or　rooms；　each　with　a　door。　The　center　room　is　the　largest；　and　it　also　has　a　pit　for　rubbish。
　Now　I　saw　that　the　Trelburg　people　were　not　as　the　Northmen　along　the　Volga。　These　were　clean　people　for　their　race。　They　washed　in　the　river；　and　relieved　their　waste　out　of　doors；　and　were　in　all　ways　much　superior　to　what　I　had　known。　Yet　they　are　not　truly　clean；　except　in　parison。
　The　society　of　Trelburg　is　mostly　men；　and　the　women　are　all　slaves。　There　are　no　wives　among　the　women；　and　all　women　are　taken　freely　as　the　men　desire。　The　people　of　Trelburg　live　on　fish；　and　some　little　bread；　they　do　no　agriculture　or　farming；　although　the　marshlands　surrounding　the　town　contain　areas　suitable　for　growing。　I　asked　of　Herger　why　there　was　no　agriculture；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃These　are　warriors。　They　do　not　till　the　soil。〃
　Buliwyf　and　his　pany　were　graciously　received　by　the　chiefs　of　Trelburg；　who　are　several；　foremost　among　them　one　who　is　called　Sagard。　Sagard　is　a　strong　and　fierce　man；　almost　as　huge　as　Buliwyf　himself。
　During　the　night　banquet；　Sagard　inquired　of　Buliwyf　his　mission　and　the　reasons　for　his　travels；　and　Buliwyf　reported　of　the　supplication　of　Wulfgar。　Herger　translated　all　for　me；　although　in　truth　I　had　spent　sufficient　time　among　these　heathens　to　learn　a　word　or　two　in　their　tongue。　Here　is　the　meaning　of　the　conversation　of　Sagard　and　Buliwyf。
　Sagard　spoke　thus：　〃It　is　sensible　for　Wulfgar　to　carry　out　the　errand　of　a　messenger；　though　he　is　the　son　of　the　King　Rothgar；　for　the　several　sons　of　Rothgar　have　set　upon　one　another。〃
　Buliwyf　said　that　he　did　not　know　of　this；　or　words　to　that　meaning。　But　I　perceived　that　he　was　not　greatly　surprised。　Yet　it　is　true　that　Buliwyf　was　seldom　surprised　by　any　thing。　Such　was　his　role　as　leader　of　the　warriors　and　hero　to　them。
　Sagard　spoke　again：　〃Indeed；　Rothgar　had　five　sons；　and　three　are　dead　at　the　hand　of　one　of　them；　Wiglif；　a　cunning　man；15　whose　conspirator　in　this　affair　is　the　herald　of　the　old　King。　Only　Wulfgar　remains　faithful；　and　he　has　departed。〃
　Buliwyf　said　to　Sagard　that　he　was　glad　to　know　of　this　news；　and　would　hold　it　in　his　mind；　and　there　the　conversation　ended。　Never　did　Buliwyf　or　any　of　his　warriors　show　surprise　at　the　words　of　Sagard；　and　from　this　I　took　that　it　is　ordinary　for　the　sons　of　a　king　to　dispose　of　one　another　to　gain　the　throne。
　Also　it　is　true　that　from　time　to　time　a　son　may　murder　his　father　the　king　to　gain　the　throne；　and　this　is　likewise　counted　nothing　remarkable；　for　the　Northmen　see　it　the　same　as　any　drunken　brawl　among　warriors。　The　Northmen　have　a　proverb　which　is　〃Look　to　your　back；〃　and　they　believe　that　a　man　must　always　be　prepared　to　defend　himself；　even　a　father　against　his　own　son。
　Upon　our　departure；　I　inquired　of　Herger　why　there　should　be　another　fortification　on　the　landward　side　of　Trelburg；　and　yet　no　such　additional　fortification　on　the　seaward　side。　These　Northmen　are　seafaring　men　who　attack　from　the　sea；　and　yet　Herger　said；　〃It　is　the　land　that　is　dangerous。〃
　I　asked　of　him；　〃Why　is　the　land　dangerous？〃　And　he　replied；　〃Because　of　the　mists。
　Upon　our　departure　from　Trelburg；　the　warriors　assembled　there　beat　their　staves　upon　their　shields；　raising　a　loud　noise　for　our　ship　which　set　sail。　This；　I　was　told；　was　to　draw　the　attention　of　Odin；　one　of　the　number　of　their　gods；　so　that　this　Odin　would　look　with　favor　upon　the　journey　of　Buliwyf　and　his　twelve　men。
　Also；　this　I　learned：　that　the　number　thirteen　is　significant　to　the　Norsemen；　because　the　moon　grows　and　dies　thirteen　times　in　the　passage　of　one　year；　by　their　reckoning。　For　this　reason；　all　important　accountings　must　include　the　number　thirteen。　Thus　Herger　said　to　me　that　the　number　of　dwellings　in　Trelburg　was　thirteen　and　also　three　more；　instead　of　sixteen；　as　I　have　expressed　it。
　Further；　I　learned　that　these　Northmen　have　some　notion　that　the　year　does　not　fit　with　exactitude　into　thirteen　passages　of　the　moon；　and　thus　the　number　thirteen　is　not　stable　and　fixed　in　their　minds。　The　thirteenth　passage　is　called　magical　and　foreign；　and　Herger　says；　〃Thus　for　the　thirteenth　man　you　were　chosen　as　foreign。〃
　Verily　these　Northmen　are　superstitious；　with　no　recourse　to　sense　or　reason　or　law。　They　seemed　to　my　eyes　to　be　fierce　children；　and　yet　I　was　among　them；　and　so　held　my　tongue。　Soon　enough　I　was　glad　for　my　discretion；　for　these　events　followed：
　We　were　sailing　some　time　from　Trelburg　when　I　recalled　that　never　previously　had　the　inhabitants　of　a　town　made　a　departure　ceremony　with　beating　of　shields　to　call　up　Odin。　I　spoke　as　much　to　Herger。
　〃It　is　true；〃　he　responded。　〃There　is　a　special　reason　for　the　call　to　Odin；　for　we　are　now　upon　the　sea　of　monsters。〃
　This　seemed　to　me　proof　of　their　superstition。　I　inquired　if　any　of　the　warriors　had　ever　seen　such　monsters。　〃Indeed；　we　have　all　seen　them；〃　Herger　said。　〃Why　else　should　we　know　of　them？〃　By　the　tone　of　his　voice；　I　could　recognize　that　he　thought　me　a　fool　for　my　disbelief。
　Some　further　time　passed；　when　there　was　a　shout；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　stood　pointing　to　the　sea；　watching；　shouting　amongst　themselves。　I　asked　Herger　what　had　happened。　〃We　are　among　the　monsters　now；〃　he　said；　pointing。
　Now　the　ocean　in　this　region　is　most　turbulent。　The　wind　blows　with　fierce　force；　turning　the　curls　of　the　sea　white　with　foam；　spitting　water　into　the　face　of　a　sailor；　and　playing　tricks　with　his　sight。　I　watched　the　sea　for　many　minutes　and　had　no　view　of　this　sea　monster；　and　I　had　no　reason　to　believe　what　they　said。
　Then　one　of　their　number　shouted　to　Odin；　a　scream　of　prayer；　repeating　the　name　many　times　in　supplication；　and　then　I　also　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　sea　monster。　It　was　in　the　shape　of　a　giant　snake　that　never　raised　its　head　above　the　surface；　yet　I　saw　its　body　curl　and　twist　over；　and　it　was　very　long；　and　wider　than　the　Northmen's　boat；　and　black　in　color。　The　sea　monster　spat　water　into　the　air；　like　a　fountain；　and　then　plunged　down；　raising　a　tail　that　was　cleft　in　two；　like　the　forked　tongue　of　a　snake。　Yet　it　was　enormous；　each　section　of　the　tail　being　broader　than　the　largest　palm　frond。
　Now　I　saw　another　monster；　and　another；　and　another　after　that；　there　appeared　to　be　four　and　perhaps　six　or　seven。　Each　behaved　as　his　fellows；　curving　through　the　water；　spitting　à　fountain；　and　raising　a　giant　tail　split　in　two。　At　the　sight；　the　Northmen　shouted　to　Odin　for　aid；　and　not　a　few　of　their　number　fell　to　their　knees　on　the　deck　trembling。
　Verily　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　sea　monsters　all　about　us　in　the　ocean；　and　then；　after　some　time　had　passed；　they　were　gone　and　we　did　not　see　them　again。　The　warriors　of　Buliwyf　resumed　their　sailing　efforts；　and　no　man　spoke　of　the　monsters；　but　I　was　much　afraid　long　afterward；　and　Herger　told　me　that　my　face　was　white　as　the　face　of　a　North　person；　and　he　laughed。　〃What　does　Allah　say　to　this？〃　he　asked　of　me；　and　to　that　I　had　no　answer。16
　In　the　evening；　we　beached　and　made　a　fire；　and　I　inquired　of　Herger　if　the　sea　monsters　ever　attacked　a　ship　on　the　sea；　and　if　so；　what　was　the　manner　of　it；　for　I　had　seen　the　heads　of　none　of　these　monsters。
　Herger　answered　by　calling　Ecthgow；　one　of　the　nobles　and　the　lieutenant　of　Buliwyf。　Ecthgow　was　a　solemn　warrior　who　was　not　merry　except　when　drunk。　Herger　said　that　he　had　been　on　a　ship　that　was　attacked。　Ecthgow　said　this　to　me：　that　the　sea　monsters　are　larger　than　anything　on　the　surface　of　the　land；　and　larger　than　any　ship　on　the　sea；　and　when　they　attack　they　ride　under　a　ship　and　lift　it　in　the　air；　and　toss　it　aside　like　a　bit　of　wood；　and　crush　it　with　their　forked　tongue。　Ecthgow　said　that　there　had　been　thirty　men　on　his　ship；　and　only　he　and　two　others　beside　had　survived；　by　the　graciousness　of　the　gods。　Ecthgow　spoke　in　an　ordinary　manner　of　talking；　which　for　him　was　very　serious；　and　I　believed　him　to　be　speaking　the　truth。
　Also　Ecthgow　told　me　that　the　Northmen　know　that　the　monsters　attack　ships　because　they　desire　to　mate　with　the　ship；　mistaking　it　for　one　of　their　own。　For　this　reason；　the　Northmen　do　not　build　their　ships　over…large。
　Herger　said　to　me　that　Ecthgow　is　a　great　warrior　renowned　in　battle；　and　that　he　is　to　be　believed　in　all　things。
　For　the　next　two　days；　we　sailed　among　the　islands　of　the　Dan　country；　and　then　on　the　third　day　we　crossed　a　passage　of　open　water。　Here　I　was　afraid　to　see　more　of　the　sea　monsters；　but　we　did　not；　and　eventually　arrived　at　the　territory　called　Venden。　These　lands　of　Venden　are　mountainous　and　forbidding；　and　the　men　of　Buliwyf　in　his　boat　approached　with　some　trepidation　and　the　killing　of　a　hen；　which　was　thrown　into　the　ocean　thus：　the　head　was　thrown　from　the　bow　of　the　ship；　and　the　body　of　the　hen　was　thrown　from　the　stern；　near　the　helmsman。
　We　did　not　beach　directly　on　this　new　land　of　Venden；　but　sailed　along　the　coast；　ing　at　last　to　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　I　first　saw　it　thus。　High　upon　a　cliff；　manding　a　view　of　the　raging　gray　sea；　was　a　huge　great　hall　of　wood；　strong　and　imposing。　I　said　to　Herger　it　was　a　mag