mc.eatersofthedead-第14部分

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；　and　a　faint　breeze　whispered　through　the　hall　and　fluttered　the　yellow　flames。
　And　then　I　heard　a　low　grunting　sound；　like　the　rooting　of　a　pig；　carried　to　me　by　the　breeze；　and　I　smelled　a　rank　odor　like　the　rot　of　a　carcass　after　a　month；　and　I　feared　greatly。　This　rooting　sound；　for　I　can　call　it　none　else；　this　grumbling；　grunting；　snorting　sound；　grew　louder　and　more　excited。　It　came　from　outdoors；　at　one　side　of　the　hall。　Then　I　heard　it　from　another　side；　and　then　another；　and　another。　Verily　the　hall　was　surrounded。
　I　sat　up　on　one　elbow；　my　heart　pounding；　and　I　looked　about　the　hall。　No　man　among　the　sleeping　warriors　moved；　and　yet　there　was　Herger；　lying　with　his　eyes　wide　open。　And　there；　too；　Buliwyf；　breathing　in　a　snore；　with　his　eyes　also　wide　open。　From　this　I　gathered　that　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　waiting　to　do　battle　with　the　wendol；　whose　sounds　now　filled　the　air。
　By　Allah；　there　is　no　fear　greater　than　that　of　a　man　when　he　does　not　know　the　cause。　How　long　I　lay　upon　the　bearskin；　hearing　the　grunting　of　the　wendol　and　smelling　their　foul　odors！　How　long　I　waited　for　I　knew　not　what；　the　start　of　some　battle　more　fearsome　in　the　prospect　than　it　could　be　in　the　fighting！　I　remembered　this：　that　the　Northmen　have　a　saying　of　praise　that　they　carve　upon　the　tombstones　of　noble　warriors；　which　is　this：　〃He　did　not　flee　battle。〃　None　of　the　pany　of　Buliwyf　fled　that　night；　though　the　sounds　and　the　stink　were　all　around　them；　now　louder；　now　fainter；　now　from　one　direction；　now　another。　And　yet　they　waited。
　Then　came　the　most　fearsome　moment。　All　sounds　ceased。　There　was　utter　silence；　except　for　the　snoring　of　the　men　and　the　low　crackle　of　the　fire。　Still　none　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　stirred。
　And　then　there　was　a　mighty　crash　upon　the　solid　doors　of　the　hall　of　Hurot；　and　these　doors　burst　open；　and　a　rush　of　reeking　air　gutted　all　the　lights；　and　the　black　mist　entered　the　room。　I　did　not　count　their　number：　verily　it　seemed　thousands　of　black　grunting　shapes；　and　yet　it　might　have　been　no　more　than　five　or　six；　huge　black　shapes　hardly　in　the　manner　of　men；　and　yet　also　manlike。　The　air　stank　of　blood　and　death；　I　was　cold　beyond　reason；　and　shivered。　Yet　still　no　warrior　moved。
　Then；　with　a　curdling　scream　to　wake　the　dead；　Buliwyf　leapt　up；　and　in　his　arms　he　swung　the　giant　sword　Runding；　which　sang　like　a　sizzling　flame　as　it　cut　the　air。　And　his　warriors　leapt　up　with　him；　and　all　joined　the　battle。　The　shouts　of　the　men　mingled　with　the　pig…grunts　and　the　odors　of　the　black　mist；　and　there　was　terror　and　confusion　and　great　wracking　and　rending　of　the　Hurot　Hall。
　I　myself　had　no　stomach　for　battle；　and　yet　I　was　set　upon　by　one　of　these　mist　monsters；　who　came　close　to　me；　and　I　saw　gleaming　red　eyes…verily　I　saw　eyes　that　shone　like　fire；　and　I　smelled　the　reek；　and　I　was　lifted　bodily　and　flung　across　the　room　as　a　child　flings　a　pebble。　I　struck　the　wall　and　fell　to　the　ground；　and　was　greatly　dazed　for　the　next　period；　so　all　around　me　was　more　confused　than　true。
　I　remember；　most　distinctly；　the　touch　of　these　monsters　upon　me；　especially　the　furry　aspect　of　the　bodies；　for　these　mist　monsters　have　hair　as　long　as　a　hairy　dog；　and　as　thick；　on　all　parts　of　their　bodies。　And　I　remember　the　fetid　smell　of　the　breath　of　the　monster　who　flung　me。
　The　battle　raged　for　how　long　I　cannot　know；　but　it　concluded　most　suddenly　of　a　moment。　And　then　the　black　mist　was　gone；　slunk　away；　grunting　and　panting　and　stinking；　leaving　behind　destruction　and　death　that　we　could　not　know　until　we　had　lighted　fresh　tapers。
　Here　is　how　the　battle　waged。　Of　the　pany　of　Buliwyf；　three　were　dead；　Roneth　and　Halga；　both　earls；　and　Edgtho；　a　warrior。　The　first　had　his　chest　torn　open。　The　second　had　his　spine　broken。　The　third　had　his　head　torn　off　in　the　manner　I　had　already　witnessed。　All　these　warriors　were　dead。
　Wounded　were　two　others；　Haltaf　and　Rethel。　Haltaf　had　lost　an　ear；　and　Rethel　two　fingers　of　his　right　hand。　Both　men　were　not　mortally　injured；　and　made　no　plaint；　for　it　is　the　Northman　way　to　bear　the　wounds　of　battle　cheerfully；　and　to　praise　above　all　the　retaining　of　life。
　As　for　Buliwyf　and　Herger　and　all　the　others；　they　were　soaked　in　blood　as　if　they　had　bathed　in　it。　Now　I　shall　say　what　many　will　not　believe；　and　yet　it　was　so：　our　pany　had　killed　not　one　of　the　mist　monsters。　Each　had　slunk　away；　some　perhaps　mortally　wounded；　and　yet　they　had　escaped。
　Herger　said　thus：　〃I　saw　two　of　their　number　carrying　a　third；　who　was　dead。〃　Perhaps　this　was　so；　for　all　generally　agreed　upon　it。　I　learned　that　the　mist　monsters　never　leave　one　of　their　kind　to　the　society　of　men；　but　rather　will　risk　great　dangers　to　retrieve　him　from　human　purview。　So　also　will　they　go　to　extreme　lengths　to　keep　a　victim's　head；　and　we　could　not　find　the　head　of　Edgtho　in　any　place；　the　monsters　had　carried　it　off　with　them。
　Then　Buliwyf　spoke；　and　Herger　told　me　his　words　thus：　〃Look；　I　have　retained　a　trophy　of　the　night's　bloody　deeds。　See；　here　is　an　arm　of　one　of　the　fiends。〃
　And；　true　to　his　word；　Buliwyf　held　the　arm　of　one　of　the　mist　monsters；　cut　off　at　the　shoulder　by　the　great　sword　Runding。　All　the　warriors　crowded　around　to　examine　it。　I　perceived　it　thusly：　it　appeared　to　be　small；　with　a　hand　of　abnormally　large　size。　But　the　forearm　and　upper　arm　were　not　large　to　match　it；　although　the　muscles　were　powerful。　There　was　long　black　matted　hair　on　all　parts　of　the　arm　except　the　palm　of　the　hand。　Finally　it　is　to　say　that　the　arm　stank　as　the　whole　beast　stank；　with　the　fetid　smell　of　the　black　mist。
　Now　all　the　warriors　cheered　Buliwyf；　and　his　sword　Runding。　The　fiend's　arm　was　hung　from　the　rafters　of　the　great　hall　of　Hurot；　and　marveled　at　by　all　the　people　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　Thus　ended　the　first　battle　with　the　wendol。
　
　THE　EVENTS　THAT　FOLLOWED　THE　FIRST　BATTLE

　VERILY；　THE　PEOPLE　OF　THE　NORTH　COUNTRY　NEVER　act　as　human　beings　of　reason　and　sense。　After　the　attack　of　the　mist　monsters；　and　their　beating　back　by　Buliwyf　and　his　pany；　with　me　amongst　them；　the　men　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　did　nothing。
　There　was　no　celebration；　no　feasting；　no　jubilation　or　display　of　happiness。　From　far　and　wide；　the　people　of　the　kingdom　came　to　view　the　dangling　arm　of　the　fiend；　which　hung　in　the　great　hall；　and　this　they　greeted　with　much　amazement　and　astonishment。　But　Rothgar　himself；　the　half…blind　old　man；　expressed　no　pleasure；　and　presented　Buliwyf　and　his　pany　with　no　gifts；　planned　no　feasts；　gave　him　no　slaves；　no　silver；　no　precious　garments；　or　any　other　sign　of　honor。
　Contrary　to　any　expression　of　pleasure；　King　Rothgar　made　a　long　face　and　was　solemn；　and　seemed　more　fearful　than　he　had　been　before。　I　myself；　though　I　did　not　speak　it　aloud；　suspected　that　Rothgar　preferred　his　earlier　condition；　before　the　black　mist　was　beaten。
　Nor　was　Buliwyf　different　in　manner。　He　called　for　no　ceremonies；　no　feasting；　no　drinking　or　eating　of　food。　The　nobles　who　had　died　valiantly　in　the　battle　of　the　night　were　quickly　placed　in　pits　with　a　wooden　roof　over　the　top；　and　left　there　for　the　assigned　ten　days。　There　was　haste　in　this　matter。
　Yet　it　was　only　in　the　laying　out　of　the　dead　warriors　that　Buliwyf　and　his　rades　showed　happiness；　or　allowed　themselves　any　smiles。　After　further　time　among　the　Northmen；　I　learned　that　they　smile　upon　any　death　in　battle；　for　this　is　pleasure　taken　on　behalf　of　the　dead　person；　and　not　the　living。　They　are　pleased　when　any　man　dies　a　warrior's　death。　Also　the　opposite　is　held　true　by　them；　they　show　distress　when　a　man　dies　in　his　sleep；　or　in　a　bed。　They　say　of　such　a　man；　〃He　died　as　a　cow　in　the　straw。〃　This　is　no　insult；　but　it　is　a　reason　for　mourning　the　death。
　The　Northmen　believe　that　how　a　man　dies　determines　his　condition　in　the　afterlife；　and　they　value　the　death　of　a　warrior　in　battle　above　all。　A　〃straw　death〃　is　shameful。
　Any　man　who　dies　in　his　sleep　is　said　by　them　to　be　strangled　by　the　maran；　or　mare　of　the　night。　This　creature　is　a　woman；　which　makes　such　a　death　shameful；　for　to　die　at　the　hands　of　a　woman　is　degrading　above　all　things。
　Also　they　say　to　die　without　your　weapons　is　degrading；　and　a　Northman　warrior　will　always　sleep　with　his　weapons；　so　that　if　the　maran　es　at　night；　he　will　have　his　weapons　at　hand。　Seldom　does　a　warrior　die　of　some　illness；　or　of　the　enfeeblement　of　age。　I　heard　of　one　king；　of　the　name　Ane；　who　lived　to　such　an　age　that　he　became　as　an　infant；　toothless　and　existing　upon　the　food　of　an　infant；　and　he　spent　all　his　days　in　his　bed　drinking　milk　from　a　horn。　But　this　was　told　to　me　as　most　unmon　in　the　North　country。　With　my　own　eyes　I　saw　few　men　grown　very　old；　by　which　I　mean　grown　old　to　the　time　when　the　beard　is　not　only　white　but　falling　out　from　the　chin　and　face。
　Several　of　their　women　live　to　great　age；　especially　such　as　the　old　crone　they　call　the　angel　of　death；　these　old　women　are　counted　as　having　magical　powers　in　healing　of　wounds；　casting　of　spells；　banishing　evil　influences；　and　foretelling　the　future　of　events。
　The　women　of　the　North　people　do　not　fight　among　themselves；　and　often　did　I　see　them　intercede　in　a　growing　brawl　or　duel　of　two　men；　to　quench　the　rising　anger。　This　they　will　do　especially　if　the　warriors　are　thickened　and　slow　with　drink。　This　is　often　the　circumstance。
　Now；　the　Northmen；　who　drink　much　liquor；　and　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night；　drink　nothing　on　the　day　after　the　battle。　Seldom　did　the　people　of　Rothgar　offer　them　a　cup；　and　when　it　happened；　the　cup　was　refused。　This　I　found　most　puzzling；　and　spoke　of　it　finally　to　Herger。
　Herger　shook　his　shoulders　in　the　Northmen's　gesture　of　unconcern；　or　indifference。　〃Everyone　is　afraid；〃　he　said。
　I　inquired　why　there　should　still　be　a　reason　to　fear。　He　spoke　thus：　〃It　is　because　they　know　that　the　black　mist　will　return。〃
　Now　I　admit　that　I　was　puffed　with　the　arrogance　of　a　fighting　man；　though　in　truth　I　knew　I　did　not　deserve　such　a　posture。　Even　so；　I　felt　exhilaration　at　my　survival；　and　the　people　of　Rothgar　treated　me　as　one　of　a　pany　of　mighty　warriors。　I　said　boldly；　〃Who　cares　for　that？　If　they　e　again；　we　shall　beat　t