mc.eatersofthedead-第20部分

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　Now　I　also　saw　this：　a　rider　swept　into　the　pound；　bent　low　on　his　galloping　black　horse；　and　he　caught　up　the　body　of　the　monster　Ecthgow　had　slain；　swung　it　over　his　horse's　neck；　and　rode　off；　for　as　I　have　said；　these　mist　monsters　leave　no　dead　to　be　found　in　the　morning　light。
　The　battle　raged　on　a　goodly　period　of　time　by　the　light　of　the　blazing　fire　through　the　mist。　I　saw　Herger　in　mortal　bat　with　one　of　the　demons；　taking　up　a　fresh　lance；　I　drove　it　deep　into　the　creature's　back。　Herger；　dripping　blood；　raised　an　arm　in　thanks　and　plunged　back　into　the　bat。　Here　I　felt　great　pride。
　Now　I　tried　to　withdraw　my　lance；　and　whilst　so　doing；　was　knocked　aside　by　some　passing　horseman；　and　from　that　time　in　truth　I　remember　little。　I　saw　that　one　of　the　dwellings　of　the　nobles　of　Rothgar　was　burning　in　licking　spitting　flame；　but　that　the　doused　hall　of　Hurot　was　still　untouched；　and　I　was　glad　as　if　I　were　myself　a　Northman；　and　such　were　my　final　thoughts。
　Upon　the　dawn；　I　was　roused　by　some　manner　of　bathing　upon　the　flesh　of　my　face；　and　was　pleased　for　the　gentle　touch。　Soon　then；　I　saw　that　I　received　the　ministrations　of　a　licking　dog；　and　felt　much　the　drunken　fool；　and　was　mortified；　as　may　be　imagined。30
　Now　I　saw　that　I　lay　in　the　ditch；　where　the　water　was　red　as　blood　itself；　I　arose　and　walked　through　the　smoking　pound；　past　all　manner　of　death　and　destruction。　I　saw　that　the　earth　was　soaked　in　blood；　as　from　a　rain；　with　many　puddles。　I　saw　the　bodies　of　slain　nobles；　and　dead　women　and　children　likewise。　So；　also；　I　saw　three　or　four　whose　bodies　were　charred　and　crusted　from　fire。　All　these　bodies　lay　everywhere　upon　the　ground　and　I　was　obliged　to　cast　my　eyes　downward　lest　I　step　upon　them；　so　thickly　were　they　spread。
　Of　the　defense　works；　much　of　the　pole　fence　had　been　burned　away。　Upon　other　sections；　horses　lay　impaled　and　cold。　Torches　were　scattered　here　and　there。　I　saw　none　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf。
　No　cries　or　mourning　came　from　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar；　for　the　North　people　do　not　lament　any　death；　but　on　the　contrary　there　was　unusual　stillness　in　the　air。　I　heard　the　crowing　of　a　cock；　and　the　bark　of　a　dog；　but　no　human　voices　in　the　daylight。
　Then　I　entered　the　great　hall　of　Hurot；　and　here　found　two　bodies　laid　upon　the　rushes；　with　their　helmets　upon　their　chests。　There　was　Skeld；　an　earl　of　Buliwyf；　there　was　Helfdane；　earlier　injured　and　now　cold　and　pale。　Both　were　dead。　Also　there　was　Rethel；　youngest　of　the　warriors；　who　sat　upright　in　a　corner　and　was　attended　by　slavewomen。　Rethel　had　been　wounded　previously　but　he　had　a　fresh　injury　in　his　stomach；　and　there　was　much　blood；　surely　it　pained　him　greatly；　and　yet　he　showed　only　cheer；　and　he　smiled　and　teased　the　slavewomen　by　the　practice　of　pinching　their　breasts　and　buttocks；　and　often　they　chided　him　for　causing　their　distraction　as　they　attempted　to　bind　his　wounds。
　Here　is　the　manner　of　the　treatment　of　wounds；　according　to　their　nature。　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　extremity；　either　the　arm　or　the　leg；　a　ligature　is　tied　about　the　extremity；　and　cloths　boiled　in　water　placed　over　the　wound　to　cover　it。　Also；　I　was　told　that　spider　webs　or　bits　of　lamb's　wool　may　be　placed　into　the　wound　to　thicken　the　blood　and　stop　its　flow；　this　I　never　observed。
　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　head　or　the　neck；　his　injury　is　bathed　clean　and　examined　by　the　slavewomen。　If　the　skin　is　rent　but　the　white　bones　whole；　then　they　say　of　such　a　wound；　〃It　is　no　matter。〃　But　if　the　bones　are　cracked；　or　broken　open　in　some　fashion；　then　they　say；　〃His　life　issues　out　and　soon　escapes。〃
　If　a　warrior　be　wounded　in　the　chest；　they　feel　his　hands　and　feet；　and　if　these　are　warm；　they　say　of　such　a　wound；　〃It　is　no　matter。〃　Yet　if　this　warrior　coughs　or　vomits　blood；　they　say；　〃He　speaks　in　blood；〃　and　count　this　most　serious。　A　man　may　die　of　the　blood…speaking　illness；　or　he　may　not；　as　is　his　fate。
　If　a　warrior　is　wounded　in　the　abdomen；　they　feed　him　a　soup　of　onions　and　herbs；　then　the　women　smell　about　his　wounds；　and　if　they　smell　onions；　they　say；　〃He　has　the　soup　illness；〃　and　they　know　he　shall　die。
　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　women　prepare　a　soup　of　onion　for　Rethel；　who　drank　a　quantity　of　this；　and　the　slavewoman　smelled　at　his　wound；　and　they　smelled　the　odor　of　onion。　At　this；　Rethel　laughed　and　made　some　manner　of　hearty　joke；　and　called　for　mead；　which　was　brought　him；　and　he　showed　no　trace　of　any　care。
　Now　Buliwyf；　the　leader；　and　all　his　warriors　conferred　in　another　place　in　the　great　hall。　I　joined　their　pany；　but　was　accorded　no　greeting。　Herger；　whose　life　I　had　saved；　made　no　notice　of　me；　for　the　warriors　were　deep　in　solemn　conversation。　I　had　learned　some　of　the　Norse　speech；　but　not　sufficient　to　follow　their　low　and　quickly　spoken　words；　and　so　I　walked　to　another　place　and　drank　some　mead；　and　felt　the　aches　of　my　body。　Then　a　slavewoman　came　to　bathe　my　wounds。　These　were　a　cut　in　the　calf　and　another　on　my　chest。　These　injuries　I　had　been　insensible　to　until　the　time　she　made　offer　of　her　ministrations。
　The　Northmen　bathe　wounds　with　ocean　seawater；　believing　this　water　to　possess　more　curative　powers　than　spring　water。　Such　bathing　with　seawater　is　not　agreeable　to　the　wound。　In　truth　I　groaned　and　at　this；　Rethel　laughed　and　spoke　to　a　slavewoman：　〃He　is　still　an　Arab。〃　Here　I　was　ashamed。
　Also　the　Northmen　will　bathe　wounds　in　the　heated　urine　of　cows。　This　I　refused；　when　it　was　offered　me。
　The　North　people　think　cow　urine　an　admirable　substance；　and　store　it　up　in　wooden　containers。　In　the　ordinary　way　of　things；　they　boil　it　until　it　is　dense　and　stinging　to　the　nostrils；　and　then　employ　this　vile　liquid　for　washing；　especially　of　coarse　white　garments。31
　Also　I　was　told　that；　upon　one　time　or　another；　the　North　people　may　be　engaged　in　a　long　sea　voyage　and　have　at　hand　no　supplies　of　fresh　water；　and　therefore　each　man　drinks　his　own　urine；　and　in　this　way　they　can　survive　until　they　reach　shore。　This　I　was　told　but　never　saw；　by　the　grace　of　Allah。
　Now　Herger　came　to　me；　for　the　conference　of　the　warriors　was　at　an　end。　The　slavewoman　attending　me　had　made　my　wounds　burn　most　distractingly；　yet　I　was　determined　to　maintain　a　Northman　show　of　great　cheer。　I　said　to　Herger；　〃What　trifling　matter　shall　we　undertake　next？〃
　Herger　looked　to　my　wounds；　and　said　to　me；　〃You　can　ride　well　enough。〃　I　inquired　where　I　would　be　riding；　and　in　truth　at　once　lost　all　my　good　cheer；　for　I　had　great　weariness；　and　no　strength　for　aught　but　resting。　Herger　said：　〃Tonight；　the　glowworm　dragon　will　attack　again。　But　we　are　now　too　weak；　and　our　numbers　too　few。　Our　defenses　are　burned　and　destroyed。　The　glowworm　dragon　will　kill　us　all。〃
　These　words　he　spoke　calmly。　I　saw　this；　and　said　to　Herger：　〃Where；　then；　do　we　ride？〃　I　had　in　mind　that　by　reason　of　their　heavy　losses；　Buliwyf　and　his　pany　might　be　abandoning　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　In　this　I　was　not　opposed。
　Herger　said　to　me：　〃A　wolf　that　lies　in　its　lair　never　gets　meat；　or　a　sleeping　man　victory。〃　This　is　a　Northman　proverb；　and　from　it　I　took　a　different　plan：　that　we　were　going　to　attack　on　horseback　the　mist　monsters　where　they　lay；　in　the　mountains　or　the　hills。　With　no　great　heart　I　inquired　of　Herger　when　this　should　be；　and　Herger　told　me　in　the　middle　part　of　the　day。
　Now　I　saw　also　that　a　child　entered　the　hall；　and　carried　in　his　hands　some　object　of　stone。　This　was　examined　by　Herger；　and　it　was　another　of　the　headless　stone　carvings　of　a　pregnant　woman；　bloated　and　ugly。　Herger　shouted　an　oath；　and　dropped　the　stone　from　his　trembling　hands。　He　called　upon　the　slavewoman；　who　took　the　stone　and　placed　it　in　the　fire；　where　the　heat　of　the　flames　caused　it　to　crack　and　splinter　into　fragments。　These　fragments　were　then　thrown　into　the　sea；　or　so　I　was　informed　by　Herger。
　I　inquired　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　carved　stone；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃That　is　the　image　of　the　mother　of　the　eaters　of　the　dead；　she　who　presides　over　them；　and　directs　them　in　the　eating。〃
　Now　I　saw　that　Buliwyf；　who　stood　in　the　center　of　the　great　hall；　was　looking　up　at　the　arm　of　one　of　the　fiends；　which　still　hung　from　the　rafters。　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　two　bodies　of　his　slain　panions；　and　at　the　waning　Rethel；　and　his　shoulders　fell；　and　his　chin　sank　to　his　chest。　And　then　he　walked　past　them　and　out　of　the　door；　and　I　saw　him　put　on　his　armor；　and　take　up　his　sword；　and　prepare　for　battle　anew。
　
　THE　DESERT　OF　DREAD

　BULIWYF　CALLED　FOR　SEVEN　STURDY　HORSES；　AND　IN　the　early　part　of　the　day　we　rode　from　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar　out　into　the　flat　plain；　and　thence　toward　the　hills　beyond。　With　us　also　were　four　hounds　of　pure　white　color；　great　animals　which　I　should　count　nearer　to　wolves　than　dogs；　so　fierce　was　their　demeanor。　This　made　the　totality　of　our　attacking　forces；　and　I　believed　it　a　weak　gesture　against　so　formidable　an　opponent；　yet　the　Northmen　place　great　faith　upon　surprise　and　a　sly　attack。　Also；　by　their　own　reckoning　they　are　each　man　the　equal　of　three　or　four　of　any　other。
　I　was　not　disposed　to　embark　upon　another　venture　of　warfare；　and　was　much　amazed　that　the　Northmen　did　no