historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)-第6节
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dreary heaths and snow…capped fells； and rugged nesses and tossing
sounds； and away into the boundless seaor who could live？… …till he got
hardened in the fight into ruthlessness of need and greed。 The poor strip
of flat strath； ploughed and re…ploughed again in the short summer days；
would yield no more； or wet harvests spoiled the crops； or heavy snows
starved the cattle。 And so the Norseman launched his ships when the
lands were sown in spring； and went forth to pillage or to trade； as luck
would have； to summerted； as he himself called it； and came back； if he
ever came； in autumn to the women to help at harvest…time； with blood
upon his hand。 But had he stayed at home； blood would have been there
still。 Three out of four of them had been mixed up in some man…slaying；
or had some blood…feud to avenge among their own kin。
The whole of Scandinavia； Denmark； Sweden； Norway； Orkney； and
the rest； remind me ever of that terrible picture of the great Norse painter；
Tiddeman； in which two splendid youths； lashed together； in true Norse
duel fashion by the waist； are hewing each other to death with the short
axe； about some hot words over their ale。 The loss of life； and that of the
most gallant of the young； in those days must have been enormous。 If the
vitality of the race had not been even more enormous； they must have
destroyed each other； as the Red Indians have done； off the face of the
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earth。 They lived these Norsemen； not to livethey lived to die。 For
what cared they？ Deathwhat was death to them？ what it was to the
Jomsburger Viking； who； when led out to execution； said to the headsman：
〃Die！ with all pleasure。 We used to question in Jomsburg whether a man
felt when his head was off？ Now I shall know； but if I do； take care； for I
shall smite thee with my knife。 And meanwhile； spoil not this long hair
of mine； it is so beautiful。〃
But； oh！ what waste！ What might not these men have done if they
had sought peace； not war； if they had learned a few centuries sooner to do
justly； and love mercy； and walk humbly with their God？
And yet one loves them； blood…stained as they are。 Your own poets；
men brought up under circumstances； under ideas the most opposite to
theirs； love them； and cannot help it。 And why？ It is not merely for
their bold daring； it is not merely for their stern endurance； nor again that
they had in them that shift and thrift； those steady and mon…sense
business habits； which made their noblest men not ashamed to go on
voyages of merchandise。 Nor is it； again； that grim humourhumour as
of the modern Scotchwhich so often flashes out into an actual jest； but
more usually underlies unspoken all their deeds。 Is it not rather that these
men are our forefathers？ that their blood runs in the veins of perhaps three
men out of four in any general assembly； whether in America or in Britain？
Startling as the assertion may be； I believe it to be strictly true。
Be that as it may； I cannot read the stories of your western men； the
writings of Bret Harte； or Colonel John Hay； for instance； without feeling
at every turn that there are the old Norse alive again； beyond the very
ocean which they first crossed； 850 years ago。
Let me try to prove my point； and end with a story； as I began with
one。
It is just thirty years before the Norman conquest of England； the
evening of the battle of Sticklestead。 St。 Olaf's corpse is still lying
unburied on the hillside。 The reforming and Christian king has fallen in
the attempt to force Christianity and despotism on the Conservative and
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half…heathen partythe free bonders or yeoman… farmers of Norway。
Thormod； his poetthe man； as his name means； of thunder moodwho
has been standing in the ranks； at last has an arrow in his left side。 He
breaks off the shaft； and thus sore wounded goes up； when all is lost； to a
farm where is a great barn full of wounded。 One Kimbe es； a man
out of the opposite or bonder part。 〃There is great howling and
screaming in there；〃 he says。 〃King Olaf's men fought bravely enough：
but it is a shame brisk young lads cannot bear their wounds。 On what
side wert thou in the fight？〃 〃On the best side；〃 says the beaten Thormod。
Kimbe sees that Thormod has a good bracelet on his arm。 〃Thou art
surely a king's man。 Give me thy gold ring and I will hide thee； ere the
bonders kill thee。〃
Thormod said； 〃Take it； if thou canst get it。 I have lost that which is
worth more；〃 and he stretched out his left hand； and Kimbe tried to take it。
But Thormod； swinging his sword； cut off his hand； and it is said Kimbe
behaved no better over his wound than those he had been blaming。
Then Thormod went into the barn； and after he had sung his song there
in praise of his dead king； he went into an inner room； where was a fire；
and water warming； and a handsome girl binding up men's wounds。 And
he sat down by the door； and one said to him； 〃Why art thou so dead pale？
Why dost thou not call for the leech？〃 Then sung Thormod：
〃I am not blooming； and the fair And slender maiden loves to care
For blooming youths。 Few care for me； With Fenri's gold meal I can't
fee；〃
and so forth； improvising after the old Norse fashion。 Then
Thormod got up and went to the fire； and stood and warmed himself。
And the nurse…girl said to him； 〃Go out； man； and bring some of the split…
firewood which lies outside the door。〃 He went out and brought an
armful of wood and threw it down。 Then the nurse…girl looked him in the
face； and said； 〃Dreadful pale is this man。 Why art thou so？〃 Then sang
Thormod：
〃Thou wonderest； sweet bloom； at me； A man so hideous to see。 The
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arrow…drift o'ertook me； girl； A fine…ground arrow in the whirl Went
through me； and I feel the dart Sits； lovely lass； too near my heart。〃
The girl said； 〃Let me see thy wound。〃 Then Thormod sat down；
and the girl saw his wounds； and that which was in his side； and saw that
there was a piece of iron in it； but could not tell where it had gone。 In a
stone pot she had leeks and other herbs； and boiled them； and gave the
wounded man of it to eat。 But Thormod said； 〃Take it away； I have no
appetite now for my broth。〃 Then she took a great pair of tongs and tried
to pull out the iron； but the wound was swelled； and there was too little to
lay hold of。 Now said Thormod； 〃Cut in so deep that thou canst get at the
iron； and give me the tongs。〃 She did as he said。 Then took Thormod
the gold bracelet off his hand and gave it the nurse…girl； and bade her do
with it what she liked。
〃It is a good man's gift；〃 said he。 〃King Olaf gave me the ring this
morning。〃
Then Thormod took the tongs and pulled the iron out。 But on the
iron was a barb； on which hung flesh from the heart； some red； some white。
When he saw that； he said； 〃The king has fed us well。 I am fat； even to
the heart's roots。〃 And so leant back and was dead。
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CYRUS； THE SERVANT OF…THE
LORD ｛4｝
I wish to speak to you to…night about one of those old despotic empires
which were in every case the earliest known form of civilisation。 Were I
minded to play the cynic or the mountebank； I should choose some corrupt
and effete despotism； already gro
