the path of the king-第4节

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ing　his　battle…axe。　Followed　the　fighting　commonalty　with　axe　and　spear。　Last　came　Ironbeard；　stern　as　ever；　and　Biorn　with　his　heart　torn　between　eagerness　and　regret。　Only　the　children；　the　women；　and　the　old　men　were　left　in　Hightown；　and　they　stood　on　the　shingle　watching　till　the　last　galley　had　passed　out　of　sight　beyond　Siggness；　and　was　swallowed　up　in　the　brume　that　cloaked　the　west。　There　were　no　tears　in　that　grim　leave…taking。　Hightown　had　faced　the　like　before　with　a　heavy　heart；　but　with　dry　eyes　and　a　proud　head。　Leif；　though　a　cripple；　went　with　the　Wickings；　for　he　had　great　skill　of　the　sea。

There　was　not　a　breath　of　wind　for　three　days　and　three　nights；　as　they　coasted　southward；　with　the　peaks　of　the　Norland　on　their　port；　and　to　starboard　the　skerries　that　kept　guard　on　the　firths。　Through　the　haze　they　could　now　and　then　see　to　landward　trees　and　cliffs；　but　never　a　human　face。　Once　there　was　an　alarm　of　another　fleet；　and　the　shields　were　slung　outboard；　but　it　proved　to　be　only　a　wedding…party　passing　from　wick　to　wick；　and　they　gave　it　greeting　and　sailed　on。　These　were　eerie　cheerless　days。　The　thralls　sweated　in　shifts　at　the　oars；　and　the　betterborn　talked　low　among　themselves；　as　if　the　air　were　full　of　ears。　〃Ran　is　heating　her　ovens；〃　said　Leif；　as　he　watched　the　warm　fog　mingle　with　the　oarthresh。

On　the　fourth　morning　there　came　a　break　in　the　clouds；　and　the　sight　of　a　high　hill　gave　Leif　the　clue　for　his　reckoning。　The　prows　swung　seaward；　and　the　galleys　steered　for　the　broad　ocean。　That　afternoon　there　sprang　up　the　north…east　wind　for　which　they　had　been　waiting。　Sails　were　hoisted　on　the　short　masts；　oars　were　shipped　and　lashed　under　the　bulwarks；　and　the　thralls　clustered　in　the　prows　to　rest　their　weary　limbs　and　dice　with　knucklebones。　The　spirits　of　all　lightened；　and　there　was　loud　talk　in　the　sterns　among　the　Bearsarks。　In　the　night　the　wind　freshened；　and　the　long　shallow　boats　rolled　filthily　so　that　the　teeth　shook　in　a　man's　head；　and　over　the　swish　of　the　waves　and　the　creaking　of　the　sheets　there　was　a　perpetual　din　of　arms　clashing。　Biorn　was　miserably　ill　for　some　hours；　and　made　sport　for　the　seasoned　voyagers。

〃It　will　not　hold；〃　Leif　prophesied。　〃I　smell　rime　ahead　and　quiet　seas。〃

He　had　spoken　truly；　for　the　sixth　day　the　wind　fell　and　they　moved　once　more　over　still；　misty　waters。　The　thralls　returned　to　their　oars　and　the　voices　of　the　well…born　fell　low　again　These　were　ghoulish　days　for　Biorn；　who　had　been　accustomed　to　the　clear　lights　and　the　clear　darkness　of　his　own　land。　Only　once　in　four　days　they　saw　the　sun；　and　then　it　was　as　red　as　blood；　so　that　his　heart　trembled。

On　the　eleventh　day　Ironbeard　summoned　Leif　and　asked　his　skill　of　the　voyage。　〃I　know　not；〃　was　the　answer。　〃I　cannot　steer　a　course　except　under　clean　skies。　We　ran　well　with　the　wind　aback；　but　now　I　am　blind　and　the　Gods　are　pilots。　Some　day　soon　we　must　make　landfall；　but　I　know　not　whether　on　English　or　Frankish　shores。〃

After　that　Leif　would　sit　in　long　spells　of　brooding；　for　he　had　a　sense　in　him　of　direction　to　which　he　sought　to　give　free　playa　sense　built　up　from　old　voyages　over　these　very　seas。　The　result　of　his　meditations　was　that　he　swung　more　to　the　south；　and　events　proved　him　wise。　For　on　the　fifteenth　day　came　a　lift　in　the　fog　and　with　it　the　noise　of　tides　washing　near　at　hand　on　a　rough　coast。　Suddenly　almost　overhead　they　were　aware　of　a　great　white　headland；　on　the　summit　of　which　the　sun　shone　on　grass。

Leif　gave　a　shout。　〃My　skill　has　riot　failed　me；〃　he　cried。　〃We　enter　the　Frankish　firth。　See；　there　is　the　butt　of　England！〃

After　that　the　helms　were　swung　round；　and　a　course　laid　south　by　west。　And　then　the　mist　came　again；　but　this　time　it　was　less　of　a　shroud；　for　birds　hovered　about　their　wake；　so　that　they　were　always　conscious　of　land。　Because　of　the　strength　of　the　tides　the　rowers　made　slow　progress；　and　it　was　not　till　the　late　afternoon　of　the　seventeenth　day　that　Leif　approached　Ironbeard　with　a　proud　head　and　spoke　a　word。　The　King　nodded；　and　Leif　took　his　stand　in　the　prow　with　the　lead　in　his　hand。　The　sea　mirroring　the　mist　was　leaden　dull；　but　the　old　pilot　smelt　shoal　water。

Warily　he　sounded；　till　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom　a　spit　of　land　rose　on　the　port；　and　it　was　clear　that　they　were　entering　the　mouth　of　a　river。　The　six　galleys　jolted　across　the　sandbar；　Leif　in　the　foremost　peering　ahead　and　shouting　every　now　and　then　an　order。　It　was　fine　weather　for　a　surprise　landing。　Biorn　saw　only　low　sand…dunes　green　with　coarse　grasses　and；　somewhere　behind；　the　darkness　of　a　forest。　But　he　could　not　tear　his　eyes　from　it；　for　it　was　the　long…dreamed…of　Roman　land。

Then　a　strange　thing　befell。　A　madness　seemed　to　come　on　Leif。　He　left　his　pilot's　stand　and　rushed　to　the　stern　where　the　King　stood。　Flinging　himself　on　his　knees；　he　clasped　Ironbeard's　legs　and　poured　out　supplications。

〃Return！〃　he　cried。　〃While　there　is　yet　time；　return。　Seek　England；　Gael…land；　anywhere；　but　not　this　place。　I　see　blood　in　the　stream　and　blood　on　the　strand。　Our　blood；　your　blood；　my　King！　There　is　doom　for　the　folk　of　Thorwald　by　this　river！〃

The　King's　face　did　not　change。　〃What　will　be；　will　be；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃We　abide　by　our　purpose　and　will　take　what　Thor　sends　with　a　stout　heart。　How　say　you；　my　brave　ones？〃

And　all　shouted　to　go　forward；　for　the　sight　of　a　new　country　had　fired　their　blood。　Leif　sat　huddled　by　the　bulwarks；　with　a　white　face　and　a　gasp　in　his　throat；　like　one　coming　out　of　a　swoon。

They　went　ashore　at　a　bend　of　the　stream　where　was　a　sandy　cape；　beached　the　galleys；　felled　trees　from　the　neighbouring　forest　and　built　them　a　stockade。　The　dying　sun　flushed　water　and　wood　with　angry　crimson；　and　Biorn　observed　that　the　men　wrought　as　it　were　in　a　world　of　blood。　〃That　is　the　meaning　of　Leif's　whimsies；〃　he　thought；　and　so　comforted　himself。

That　night　the　Northmen　slept　in　peace；　but　the　scouts　brought　back　word　of　a　desert　country；　no　men　or　cattle；　and　ashes　where　once　had　been　dwellings。

〃Our　kinsfolk　have　been　here　before　us；〃　said　King　Ironbeard　grimly。　He　did　not　love　the　Danes；　though　he　had　fought　by　their　side。

Half　the　force　was　left　as　a　guard　by　the　ships；　and　next　day　the　rest　went　forward　up　the　valley　at　a　slant　from　the　river's　course。　For　that　way；　ran　the　tale；　lay　a　great　Roman　house；　a　palace　of　King　Kristni；　where　much　gold　was　to　be　had　for　the　lifting。　By　midday　they　were　among　pleasant　meadows；　but　the　raiders　had　been　there；　for　the　houses　were　fired　and　the　orchards　hacked　down。　Then　came　a　shout　and；　turning　back；　they　saw　a　flame　spring　to　the　pale　autumn　skies。　〃The　ships！〃　rose　the　cry；　and　the　lightest　of　foot　were　sent　back　for　news。

They　returned　with　a　sorry　tale。　Of　the　ships　and　the　stockade　nothing　remained　but　hot　cinders。　Half　the　guard　were　dead；　and　old　Arnwulf；　the　captain；　lay　blood…eagled　on　the　edge　of　the　tide。　The　others　had　gone　they　knew　not　where；　but　doubtless　into　the　forests。

〃Our　kinsfolks'　handiwork；〃　said　Ironbeard。　〃We　are　indeed　forestalled；　my　heroes。〃

A　council　was　held　and　it　was　resolved　to　make　a　camp　by　the　stream　and　defend　it　against　all　comers；　till　such　time　as　under　Leif's　guidance　new　ships　could　be　built。

〃Axes　will　never　ring　on　them；〃　said　Leif　under　his　breath。　He　walked　now　like　a　man　who　was　fey　and　his　face　was　that　of　another　world。

He　spoke　truth；　for　as　they　moved　towards　the　riverbank；　just　before　the　darkening；　in　a　glade　between　two　forests　Fate　met　them。　There　was　barely　time　to　form　the　Shield…ring　ere　their　enemies　were　upon　thema　mass　of　wild　men　in　wolves'　skins　and　at　their　head　mounted　warriors　in　byrnies；　with　long　swords　that　flashed　and　fell。

Biorn　saw　little　of　the　battle；　wedged　in　the　heart　of　the　Shield…ring。　He　heard　the　shouts　of　the　enemy；　and　the　clangour　of　blows；　and　the　sharp　intake　of　breath；　but　chiefly　he　heard　the　beating　of　his　own　heart。　The　ring　swayed　and　moved　as　it　gave　before　the　onset　or　pressed　to　an　attack　of　its　own；　and　Biorn　found　himself　stumbling　over　the　dead。　〃I　am　Biorn；　and　my　father　is　King；〃　he　repeated　to　himself；　the　spell　he　had　so　often　used　when　on　the　fells　or　the　firths　he　had　met　fear。

Night　came　and　a　young　moon；　and　still　the　fight　continued。　But　the　Shield…ring　was　growing　ragged；　for　the　men　of　Hightown　were　fighting　one　to　eight；　and　these　are　odds　that　cannot　last。　Sometimes　it　would　waver；　and　an　enemy　would　slip　inside；　and　before　he　sank　dead　would　have　sorely　wounded　one　of　Ironbeard's　company。

And　now　Biorn　could　see　his　father；　larger　than　human；　it　seemed；　in　the　dim　light；　swinging　his　sword　Tyrfing；　and　crooning　to　himself　as　he　laid　low　his　antagonists。　At　the　sight　a　madness　rose　in　the　boy's　heart。　Behind　in　the　sky　clouds　were　banking；　dark　clouds　like　horses；　with　one　ahead　white　and　moontipped；　the　very　riders　he　had　watched　with　Leif　from　the　firth　shore。　The　Walkyries　were　come　for　the　chosen；　and　he　would　fain　be　one　of　them。　All　fear　had　gone　from　him。　His　passion　was　to　be　by　his　father's　side　and　strike　his　small　blow；　beside　those　mighty　ones　which　Thor　could　not　have　bettered。

But　even　as　he　was　thus　uplifted　the