mc.eatersofthedead-第12部分

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e　raging　gray　sea；　was　a　huge　great　hall　of　wood；　strong　and　imposing。　I　said　to　Herger　it　was　a　magnificent　sight；　but　Herger　and　all　his　pany；　led　by　Buliwyf；　were　groaning　and　shaking　their　heads。　I　inquired　of　Herger　why　this　was　so。　He　said；　〃Rothgar　is　called　Rothgar　the　Vain；　and　his　great　hall　is　the　mark　of　a　vain　man。〃
　I　said；　〃Why　do　you　speak　thus？　Because　of　its　size　and　splendor？〃　For　verily；　as　we　came　closer；　I　saw　that　the　hall　was　richly　ornamented　with　carvings　and　silver　chasing；　which　sparkled　from　a　distance。
　〃No；〃　said　Herger。　〃I　say　that　Rothgar　is　vain　because　of　the　way　he　has　placed　his　settlement。　He　dares　the　gods　to　strike　him　down；　and　he　pretends　he　is　more　than　a　man；　and　so　he　is　punished。〃
　Never　have　I　seen　a　more　impregnable　great　hall；　and　I　said　to　Herger；　〃This　hall　cannot　be　attacked；　how　can　Rothgar　be　struck　down？〃
　Herger　laughed　at　me；　and　said　thus：　〃You　Arabs　are　stupid　beyond　counting；　and　know　nothing　of　the　ways　of　the　world。　Rothgar　deserves　the　misfortune　that　has　e　to　him；　and　it　is　only　we　who　shall　save　him；　and　perhaps　not　even　so。〃
　These　words　puzzled　me　further。　I　looked　at　Ecthgow；　the　lieutenant　of　Buliwyf；　and　saw　that　he　stood　in　the　boat　and　made　a　brave　face；　and　yet　his　knees　trembled；　and　it　was　not　the　stiffness　of　the　wind　that　made　them　tremble　so。　He　was　afraid；　they　were　all　afraid；　and　I　did　not　know　why。
　
　THE　KINGDOM　OF　ROTHGAR　IN　THE　LAND　OF　VENDEN

　THE　SHIP　WAS　BEACHED　AT　THE　TIME　OF　THE　afternoon　prayer；　and　I　begged　the　forgiveness　of　Allah　for　not　making　supplication。　Yet　I　had　not　been　able　to　do　so　in　the　presence　of　the　Northmen；　who　thought　my　prayers　to　be　a　curse　upon　them；　and　threatened　to　kill　me　if　I　prayed　in　their　sight。
　Each　warrior　in　the　boat　dressed　in　the　garments　of　battle；　which　were　thus：　first；　boots　and　leggings　of　rough　wool；　and　over　this　a　coat　of　heavy　fur；　which　reached　to　the　knees。　Over　this　they　placed　coats　of　mail；　which　all　had　save　me。　Then　each　man　took　his　sword　and　clasped　it　to　his　belt；　each　man　took　up　his　white　shield　of　hide；　and　his　spear；　each　man　placed　a　helmet　of　metal　or　leather　upon　his　head；17　in　this　all　the　men　were　the　same　except　for　Buliwyf；　who　alone　carried　his　sword　in　his　hand；　so　large　was　it。　The　warriors　looked　up　to　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar；　and　marveled　at　its　gleaming　roof　and　skilled　workmanship；　and　agreed　that　there　was　none　like　it　in　the　world；　with　its　lofty　gables　and　rich　carving。　Yet　there　was　no　respect　in　their　speech。
　At　length　we　decamped　from　the　ship；　and　traveled　a　road　paved　in　stone　up　to　the　great　hall。　The　clanking　of　swords　and　the　clatter　of　mail　raised　a　goodly　noise。　After　we　had　gone　some　short　distance；　we　saw　by　the　roadway　the　severed　head　of　an　ox；　set　upon　a　stick。　This　animal　was　freshly　killed。
　All　the　Northmen　sighed　and　made　sad　faces　at　this　portent；　though　it　had　no　meaning　to　me。　I　was　by　now　adjusted　to　their　custom　of　killing　some　beast　at　the　slightest　nervousness　or　provocation。　Yet　this　oxhead　had　especial　significance。
　Buliwyf　looked　away；　across　the　fields　of　the　lands　of　Rothgar；　and　saw　there　an　isolated　farming　house；　of　the　sort　that　is　mon　in　Rothgar　lands。　The　walls　of　this　house　were　of　wood；　and　sealed　with　a　paste　of　mud　and　straw；　which　must　be　replenished　after　the　frequent　rains。　The　roof　is　thatched　material　and　wood　also。　Inside　the　houses　there　is　only　an　earthen　floor　and　a　hearth；　and　the　dung　of　animals；　for　the　farm　people　sleep　with　their　animals　indoors　for　the　warmth　afforded　by　their　bodies；　and　then　they　burn　the　dung　for　fires。
　Buliwyf　gave　an　order　that　we　should　go　to　this　farmhouse；　and　so　we　set　out　across　the　fields；　which　were　verdant　but　soggy　with　dampness　underfoot。　Once　or　twice　the　pany　halted　to　examine　the　ground　before　continuing　on；　but　they　never　saw　anything　that　mattered　to　them。　I　myself　saw　nothing。
　Yet　again　Buliwyf　halted　his　pany；　and　pointed　to　the　dark　earth。　Verily；　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　bare　imprint　of　a　foot…indeed；　of　many　feet。　They　were　flat　and　uglier　than　anything　known　to　creation。　At　each　toe；　there　was　the　sharp　digging　mark　of　a　horned　nail　or　claw；　thus　the　shape　appeared　human；　but　yet　not　human。　This　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes；　and　could　scarcely　believe　the　witness　of　my　sight。
　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　shook　their　heads　at　the　sight；　and　I　heard　them　repeat　one　word　over　and　over：　〃wendol〃　or　〃wendlon；〃　or　some　such。　The　meaning　of　the　name　was　not　known　to　me；　and　I　sensed　that　Herger　should　not　be　asked　at　this　moment；　for　he　was　as　apprehensive　as　all　the　rest。　We　pressed　on　to　the　farmhouse；　now　and　again　seeing　more　of　these　horned　footprints　in　the　earth。　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　walked　slowly；　but　it　was　not　caution；　no　man　drew　his　weapon；　rather　it　was　some　dread　that　I　did　not　prehend　and　yet　felt　with　them。
　At　length　we　came　to　the　farming　dwelling　and　entered　it。　In　the　farmhouse　I　saw；　with　my　own　eyes；　this　sight：　there　was　a　man；　of　young　age　and　graceful　proportion；　whose　body　had　been　torn　limb　from　limb。　The　torso　was　here；　an　arm　there；　a　leg　there。　Blood　lay　in　thick　pools　upon　the　floor；　and　on　the　walls；　on　the　roof；　on　every　surface　in　such　profusion　that　the　house　seemed　to　have　been　painted　in　red　blood。　Also　there　was　a　woman；　in　like　fashion　rended　limb　from　limb。　Also　a　male　child；　an　infant　of　two　years　or　less；　whose　head　was　wrenched　from　the　shoulders；　leaving　the　body　a　bleeding　stump。
　All　this　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes；　and　it　was　the　most　fearsome　sight　I　ever　witnessed。　I　purged　myself　and　was　faint　for　an　hour；　purging　myself　yet　again。
　Never　will　I　prehend　the　manner　of　the　Northmen；　for　even　as　I　was　sick；　so　they　became　calm　and　dispassionate　at　the　aspect　of　this　horror；　they　viewed　all　they　saw　in　quiet　fashion；　they　discussed　the　claw　marks　upon　the　limbs；　and　the　manner　of　tearing　of　flesh。　Much　attention　was　given　to　the　fact　that　all　the　heads　were　missing；　also；　they　remarked　the　most　devilish　aspect　of　all；　which　even　now　I　recall　with　trepidation。
　The　body　of　the　male　child　had　been　chewed　by　some　fiendish　teeth；　upon　the　soft　flesh　of　the　back　of　the　thigh。　So　also　had　been　chewed　the　area　of　the　shoulder。　This　very　horror　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes。
　The　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　grim…countenanced　and　glowering　as　they　departed　the　farmhouse。　They　continued　to　pay　much　heed　to　the　soft　earth　about　the　house；　noting　that　there　were　no　hoofmarks　of　horses；　this　was　a　matter　of　significance　to　them。　I　did　not　understand　why。　Nor　was　I　much　attentive；　still　feeling　faint　of　heart　and　sick　of　body。
　As　we　crossed　the　fields；　Ecthgow　made　a　discovery　which　was　of　this　nature：　it　was　a　small　bit　of　stone；　smaller　than　a　child's　fist；　and　it　was　polished　and　carved　in　crude　fashion。　All　the　warriors　crowded　around　to　examine　it；　I　among　them。
　I　saw　it　to　be　the　torso　of　a　pregnant　female。　There　was　no　head；　no　arms；　and　no　legs；　only　the　torso　with　a　greatly　swollen　belly　and；　above　that；　two　pendulous　swollen　breasts。18　I　accounted　this　creation　exceedingly　crude　and　ugly；　but　nothing　more。　Yet　the　Northmen　were　suddenly　overe　and　pale　and　tremulous；　their　hands　shook　to　touch　it；　and　finally　Buliwyf　flung　it　to　the　ground　and　shattered　it　with　the　handle　of　his　sword；　until　it　lay　in　splintered　stone　fragments。　And　then　were　several　of　the　warriors　sick；　and　purged　themselves　upon　the　ground。　And　the　general　horror　was　very　great；　to　my　mystification。
　Now　they　set　off　for　the　great　hall　of　King　Rothgar。　No　man　spoke　during　our　travel；　which　was　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　every　one　of　the　Northmen　seemed　to　be　wrapped　in　bitter　and　consuming　thought；　and　yet　they　showed　no　fear　anymore。
　At　length；　a　herald　upon　a　horse　met　us　and　barred　our　path。　He　noted　the　arms　we　carried　and　the　bearing　of　the　pany　and　of　Buliwyf；　and　shouted　a　warning。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃He　craves　to　know　our　names；　and　curtly；　too。〃
　Buliwyf　made　some　answer　to　the　herald；　and　from　his　tone　I　knew　that　Buliwyf　was　in　no　mood　for　courtly　pleasantries。　Herger　said　to　me：　〃Buliwyf　tells　him　we　are　subjects　of　King　Higlac；　of　the　kingdom　of　Yatlam；　and　we　are　on　an　errand　to　the　King　Rothgar；　and　would　speak　to　him。〃　And　Herger　added；　〃Buliwyf　says　that　Rothgar　is　a　most　worthy　king；〃　but　the　tone　of　Herger　conveyed　the　opposite　sense　of　the　matter。
　This　herald　bade　us　continue　to　the　great　hall　and　wait　outside　while　he　told　the　King　of　our　arrival。　This　we　did；　although　Buliwyf　and　his　party　were　not　pleased　at　such　treatment；　there　was　grumbling　and　muttering；　for　it　is　the　Northman's　way　to　be　hospitable　and　this　did　not　seem　gracious；　to　be　kept　outside。　Yet　they　waited；　and　also　removed　their　weapons；　their　swords　and　spears；　but　not　their　armor；　and　they　left　the　weapons　outside　the　doors　to　the　hall。
　Now　the　hall　was　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　several　dwellings　in　the　fashion　of　the　North　people。　These　were　long　with　curved　sides；　as　at　Trelburg；　but　they　differed　in　the　arrangement；　for　there　were　no　squares　here。　Nor　were　there　fortifications　or　earthworks　to　be　seen。　Rather；　from　the　great　hall　and　the　long　houses　about　it；　the　ground　sloped　to　a　long　flat　green　plain；　here　and　there　a　farmhou