the path of the king-第5节

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beside　those　mighty　ones　which　Thor　could　not　have　bettered。

But　even　as　he　was　thus　uplifted　the　end　came。　Thorwald　Thorwaldson　tottered　and　went　down；　for　a　hurled　axe　had　cleft　him　between　helm　and　byrnie。　With　him　fell　the　last　hope　of　Hightown　and　the　famished　clan　under　Sunfell。　The　Shield…ring　was　no　more。　Biorn　found　himself　swept　back　as　the　press　of　numbers　overbore　the　little　knot　of　sorely　wounded　men。　Someone　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　snatched　him　from　the　mellay　into　the　cover　of　a　thicket。　He　saw　dimly　that　it　was　Leif。

He　was　giddy　and　retching　from　weariness；　and　something　inside　him　was　cold　as　ice；　though　his　head　burned。　It　was　not　rage　or　grief；　but　awe；　for　his　father　had　fallen　and　the　end　of　the　world　had　come。　The　noise　of　the　battle　died；　as　the　two　pushed　through　the　undergrowth　and　came　into　the　open　spaces　of　the　wood。　It　was　growing　very　dark；　but　still　Leif　dragged　him　onwards。　Then　suddenly　he　fell　forward　on　his　face；　and　Biorn；　as　he　stumbled　over　him。　found　his　hands　wet　with　blood。

〃I　am　for　death；〃　Leif　whispered。　〃Put　your　ear　close；　prince。　I　am　Leif　the　Outborn　and　I　know　the　hidden　things。。。。　You　are　the　heir　of　Thorwald　Thorwaldson　and　you　will　not　die。。。。　I　see　a　long　road；　but　at　the　end　a　great　kingdom。　Farewell；　little　Biorn。　We　have　been　good　comrades；　you　and　I。　Katla　from　Sigg　spoke　the　true　word。　。　。　〃

And　when　Biorn　fetched　water　in　his　horn　from　a　woodland　pool　he　found　Leif　with　a　cold　brow。

Blind　with　sorrow　and　fatigue；　the　boy　stumbled　on；　without　purpose。　He　was　lonely　in　the　wide　world；　many　miles　from　his　home；　and　all　his　kin　were　slain。　Rain　blew　from　the　south…west　and　beat　in　his　face；　the　brambles　tore　his　legs；　but　he　was　dead　to　all　things。　Would　that　the　Shield　Maids　had　chosen　him　to　go　with　that　brave　company　to　the　bright　hall　of　Odin！　But　he　was　only　a　boy　and　they　did　not　choose　striplings。

Suddenly　in　a　clearing　a　pin…point　of　light　pricked　the　darkness。

The　desire　for　human　companionship　came　over　him；　even　though　it　were　that　of　enemy　or　outcast。　He　staggered　to　the　door　and　beat　on　it　feebly。　A　voice　spoke　from　within；　but　he　did　not　hear　what　it　said。

Again　he　beat　and　again　the　voice　came。　And　now　his　knocking　grew　feebler；　for　he　was　at　the　end　of　his　strength。

Then　the　bar　was　suddenly　withdrawn　and　he　was　looking　inside　a　poor　hut；　smoky　from　the　wood…fire　in　the　midst　of　it。　An　old　woman　sat　by　it　with　a　bowl　in　her　hand；　and　an　oldish　man　with　a　cudgel　stood　before　him。　He　did　not　understand　their　speech；　but　he　gathered　he　was　being　asked　his　errand。

〃I　am　Biorn；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　father　was　Ironbeard；　the　King。〃

They　shook　their　heads；　but　since　they　saw　only　a　weary；　tattered　boy　they　lost　their　fears。　They　invited　him　indoors；　and　their　voices　were　kindly。　Nodding　with　exhaustion；　he　was　given　a　stool　to　sit　on　and　a　bowl　of　coarse　porridge　was　put　into　his　hands。　They　plied　him　with　questions；　but　he　could　make　nothing　of　their　tongue。

Then　the　thrall　rose；　yawned；　and　dropped　the　bar　over　the　door。　The　sound　was　to　the　boy　like　the　clanging　of　iron　gates　on　his　old　happy　world。　For　a　moment　he　was　on　the　brink　of　tears。　But　he　set　his　teeth　and　stiffened　his　drooping　neck。

〃I　am　Biorn；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃and　my　father　was　a　king。〃

They　nodded　to　each　other　and　smiled。　They　though　his　words　were　a　grace　before　meat。



CHAPTER　2。　THE　ENGLISHMAN

Part　1

The　little　hut　among　the　oak　trees　was　dim　in　the　October　twilight　on　the　evening　of　St。　Callixtus'　Day。　It　had　been　used　by　swineherds；　for　the　earthen　floor　was　puddled　by　the　feet　of　generations　of　hogs；　and　in　the　corner　lay　piles　of　rotting　acorns。　Outside　the　mist　had　filled　the　forest；　and　the　ways　were　muffled　with　fallen　leaves；　so　that　the　four　men　who　approached　the　place　came　as　stealthily　as　shades。

They　reconnoitred　a　moment　at　the　entrance；　for　it　was　a　country　of　war。

〃Quarters　for　the　night；〃　said　one；　and　put　his　shoulder　to　the　door　of　oak…toppings　hinged　on　strips　of　cowhide。

But　he　had　not　taken　a　step　inside　before　he　hastily　withdrew。

〃There　is　something　there；〃　he　cried〃something　that　breathes。　A　light；　Gil。〃

One　of　the　four　lit　a　lantern　from　his　flint　and　poked　it　within。　It　revealed　the　foul　floor　and　the　rotting　acorns；　and　in　the　far　corner；　on　a　bed　of　withered　boughs；　something　dark　which　might　be　a　man。　They　stood　still　and　listened。　There　was　the　sound　of　painful　breathing；　and　then　the　gasp　with　which　a　sick　man　wakens。　A　figure　disengaged　itself　from　the　shadows。　Seeing　it　was　but　one　man；　the　four　pushed　inside；　and　the　last　pulled　the　door　to　behind　him。

〃What　have　we　here？〃　the　leader　cried。　A　man　had　dragged　himself　to　his　feet；　a　short；　square　fellow　who　held　himself　erect　with　a　grip　on　a　side…post。　His　eyes　were　vacant；　dazzled　by　the　light　and　also　by　pain。　He　seemed　to　have　had　hard　usage　that　day；　for　his　shaggy　locks　were　matted　with　blood　from　a　sword…cut　above　his　forehead；　one　arm　hung　limp；　and　his　tunic　was　torn　and　gashed。　He　had　no　weapons　but　a　knife　which　he　held　blade　upwards　in　the　hollow　of　his　big　hand。

The　four　who　confronted　him　were　as　ill…looking　a　quartet　as　Duke　William's　motley　host　could　show。　One；　the　leader；　was　an　unfrocked　priest　of　Rouen；　one　was　a　hedge…robber　from　the　western　marches　who　had　followed　Alan　of　Brittany；　a　third　had　the　olive　cheeks　and　the　long　nose　of　the　south；　and　the　fourth　was　a　heavy　German　from　beyond　the　Rhine。　They　were　the　kites　that　batten　on　the　offal　of　war；　and　the　great　battle　on　the　seashore　having　been　won　by　better　men；　were　creeping　into　the　conquered　land　for　the　firstfruits　of　its　plunder。

An　English　porker；〃　cried　the　leader。　〃We　will　have　the　tusks　off　him。〃　Indeed；　in　the　wild　light　the　wounded　man；　with　his　flat　face　and　forked　beard；　had　the　look　of　a　boar　cornered　by　hounds。

〃'Ware　his　teeth；〃　said　the　one　they　called　Gil。　〃He　has　a　knife　in　his　trotter。〃

The　evil　faces　of　the　four　were　growing　merry。　They　were　worthless　soldiers；　but　adepts　in　murder。　Loot　was　their　first　thought；　but　after　that　furtive　slaying。　There　seemed　nothing　to　rob　here；　but　there　was　weak　flesh　to　make　sport　of。

Gil　warily　crept　on　one　side；　where　he　held　his　spear　ready。　The　ex…priest；　who　had　picked　up　somewhere　a　round　English　buckler；　gave　the　orders。　〃I　will　run　in　on　him；　and　take　his　stroke；　so　you　be　ready　to　close。　There　is　nothing　to　be　feared　from　the　swine。　See；　he　is　blooded　and　faints。〃

The　lantern　had　been　set　on　the　ground　by　the　door　and　revealed　only　the　lower　limbs　of　the　four。　Their　heads　were　murky　in　shadow。　Their　speech　was　foreign　to　the　wounded　man；　but　he　saw　their　purpose。　He　was　clearly　foredone　with　pain；　but　his　vacant　eyes　kindled　to　slow　anger；　and　he　shook　back　his　hair　so　that　the　bleeding　broke　out　again　on　his　forehead。　He　was　as　silent　as　an　old　tusker　at　bay。

The　ex…priest　gave　the　word　and　the　four　closed　in　on　him。　He　defeated　their　plan　by　hurling　himself　on　the　leader's　shield；　so　that　his　weight　bore　him　backwards　and　he　could　not　use　his　weapon。　The　spears　on　the　flanks　failed　for　the　same　reason；　and　the　two　men　posted　there　had　well…nigh　been　the　death　of　each　other。　The　fourth；　the　one　from　the　south；　whose　business　it　had　been　to　support　the　priest；　tripped　and　fell　sprawling　beside　the　lantern。

The　Englishman　had　one　arm　round　the　priest's　neck　and　was　squeezing　the　breath　out　of　him。　But　the　blood　of　the　four　was　kindling；　and　they　had　vengeance　instead　of　sport　to　seek。　Mouthing　curses；　the　three　of　them　went　to　the　rescue　of　the　leader；　and　a　weaponless　and　sore…wounded　man　cannot　strive　with　such　odds。　They　overpowered　him；　bending　his　arms　viciously　back　and　kicking　his　broken　head。　Their　oaths　filled　the　hut　with　an　ugly　clamour；　but　no　sound　came　from　their　victim。

Suddenly　a　gust　of　air　set　the　lantern　flickering；　and　a　new…comer　stood　in　the　doorway。　He　picked　up　the　light　and　looked　down　on　the　struggle。　He　was　a　tall；　very　lean　man；　smooth　faced；　and　black　haired；　helmetless　and　shieldless；　but　wearing　the　plated　hauberk　of　the　soldier。　There　was　no　scabbard　on　his　left　side；　but　his　right　hand　held　a　long　bright　sword。

For　a　second　he　lifted　the　light　high；　while　he　took　in　the　scene。　His　eyes　were　dark　and　dancing；　like　the　ripples　on　a　peat　stream。　〃So…ho！〃　he　said　softly。　〃Murder！　And　by　our　own　vermin！〃

He　appeared　to　brood　for　a　second；　and　then　he　acted。　For　he　set　the　light　very　carefully　in　the　crook　of　a　joist　so　that　it　illumined　the　whole　hut。　Then　he　reached　out　a　hand；　plucked　the　ex…priest　from　his　quarry；　and；　swinging　him　in　both　arms；　tossed　him　through　the　door　into　the　darkness。　It　would　seem　that　he　fell　hard；　for　there　was　a　groan　and　then　silence。

〃One　less；〃　he　said　softly。

The　three　had　turned　to　face　him；　warned　by　Gil's　exclamation；　and　found　themselves　looking　at　the　ominous　bar　of　light　which　was　his　sword。　Cornered　like　rats；　they　took　small　comfort　from　the　odds。　They　were　ready　to　surrender；　still　readier　to　run；　and　they　stood　on　their　defence　with　no　fight　in　their　faces；　whining　in　their　several　patois。　All　but　the　man　from　the　south。　He　was　creeping　round　in　the　darkness　by　the　walls；　and　had　in　his　hands　a　knife。　N