mc.eatersofthedead-第6部分

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　lifted　her　into　the　ship；　but　did　not　yet　admit　her　to　the　tent。
　Now　men　came　up　with　shields　and　staves；　and　handed　her　a　cup　of　strong　drink。　This　she　took；　sang　over　it；　and　emptied　it。　The　interpreter　told　me　she　said；　〃With　this；　I　take　leave　of　those　who　are　dear　to　me。〃　Then　another　cup　was　handed　to　her；　which　she　also　took；　and　began　a　lengthy　song。　The　crone　admonished　her　to　drain　the　cup　without　lingering；　and　to　enter　the　tent　where　her　master　lay。
　By　this　time；　it　seemed　to　me　the　girl　had　bee　dazed。6　She　made　as　though　she　would　enter　the　tent；　when　suddenly　the　hag　seized　her　by　the　head　and　dragged　her　in。　At　this　moment　the　men　began　to　beat　upon　their　shields　with　the　staves；　in　order　to　drown　the　noise　of　her　outcries；　which　might　have　terrified　the　other　girls　and　deterred　them　from　seeking　death　with　their　masters　in　the　future。
　Six　men　followed　her　into　the　tent；　and　each　and　every　one　of　them　had　carnal　panionship　with　her。　Then　they　laid　her　down　by　her　master's　side；　while　two　of　the　men　seized　her　feet；　and　two　the　hands。　The　old　woman　known　as　the　angel　of　death　now　knotted　a　rope　around　her　neck；　and　handed　the　ends　to　two　of　the　men　to　pull。　Then；　with　a　broad…bladed　dagger；　she　smote　her　between　the　ribs；　and　drew　the　blade　forth；　while　the　two　men　strangled　her　with　the　rope　till　she　died。
　The　kin　of　the　dead　Wyglif　now　drew　near　and；　taking　a　piece　of　lighted　wood；　walked　backward　naked　toward　the　ship　and　ignited　the　ship　without　ever　looking　at　it。　The　funeral　pyre　was　soon　aflame；　and　the　ship；　the　tent；　the　man　and　the　girl；　and　everything　else　blew　up　in　a　blazing　storm　of　fire。
　At　my　side；　one　of　the　Northmen　made　some　ment　to　the　interpreter。　I　asked　the　interpreter　what　was　said；　and　received　this　answer。　〃You　Arabs；〃　he　said；　〃must　be　a　stupid　lot。　You　take　your　most　beloved　and　revered　man　and　cast　him　into　the　ground　to　be　devoured　by　creeping　things　and　worms。　We；　on　the　other　hand；　burn　him　in　a　twinkling；　so　that　instantly；　without　a　moment's　delay；　he　enters　into　Paradise。〃
　And　in　truth；　before　an　hour　had　passed；　ship；　wood；　and　girl　had；　with　the　man；　turned　to　ashes。
　
　THE　AFTERMATH　OF　THE　NORTHMEN'S　FUNERAL

　THESE　SCANDINAVIANS　FIND　NO　CAUSE　FOR　GRIEF　IN　any　man's　death。　A　poor　man　or　a　slave　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　them；　and　even　a　chieftain　will　provoke　no　sadness　or　tears。　On　the　same　evening　of　the　funeral　of　the　chief　called　Wyglif；　there　was　a　great　feasting　in　the　halls　of　the　Northmen　encampment。
　Yet　I　perceived　that　all　was　not　fitting　among　these　barbarians。　I　sought　counsel　with　my　interpreter。　He　responded　thusly：　〃It　is　the　plan　of　Thorkel　to　see　you　die；　and　then　to　banish　Buliwyf。　Thorkel　has　gathered　the　support　of　some　earls　to　himself；　but　there　is　dispute　in　every　house　and　every　quarter。〃
　Much　distressed；　I　said；　〃I　have　no　part　in　this　affair。　How　shall　I　act？〃
　The　interpreter　said　I　should　flee　if　I　could；　but　if　I　were　caught；　this　would　be　proof　of　my　guilt　and　I　would　be　treated　as　a　thief。　A　thief　is　treated　in　this　fashion：　the　Northmen　lead　him　to　a　thick　tree；　fasten　a　strong　rope　about　him；　string　him　up；　and　let　him　hang　until　he　rots　to　pieces　by　the　action　of　the　wind　and　the　rain。
　Remembering　also　that　I　had　barely　escaped　death　at　the　hands　of　ibn…al…Qatagan；　I　chose　to　act　as　I　had　before；　that　is；　I　remained　among　the　Northmen　until　I　should　be　given　free　passage　to　continue　on　my　journey。
　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　whether　I　should　bear　gifts　to　Buliwyf；　and　also　to　Thorkel；　to　favor　my　departure。　He　said　that　I　could　not　bear　gifts　to　both；　and　that　the　matter　was　undecided　who　would　be　the　new　chieftain。　Then　he　said　it　would　be　clear　in　one　day　and　night；　and　no　longer。
　For　it　is　true　among　these　Northmen　that　they　have　no　established　way　of　choosing　a　new　chief　when　the　old　leader　dies。　Strength　of　arms　counts　high；　but　also　allegiances　of　the　warriors　and　the　earls　and　noblemen。　In　some　cases　there　is　no　clear　successor　to　the　rule；　and　this　was　one　of　such　eventualities。　My　interpreter　said　that　I　should　bide　my　time；　and　also　pray。　This　I　did。
　Then　there　came　a　great　storm　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Volga；　a　storm　that　persisted　two　days；　with　driving　rain　and　forceful　winds；　and　after　this　storm　a　cold　mist　lay　on　the　ground。　It　was　thick　and　white；　and　a　man　could　not　see　past　a　dozen　paces。
　Now；　these　same　giant　Northmen　warriors；　who　by　virtue　of　their　enormity　and　strength　of　arms　and　cruel　disposition；　have　nothing　to　fear　in　all　the　world；　yet　these　men　fear　the　mist　or　fog　that　es　with　storms。
　The　men　of　their　race　are　at　some　pains　to　conceal　their　fear；　even　one　from　another；　the　warriors　laugh　and　joke　overmuch；　and　make　unreasonable　display　of　carefree　emotion。　Thus　do　they　prove　the　reverse；　and　in　truth；　their　attempt　to　disguise　is　childish；　so　plainly　do　they　pretend　not　to　see　the　truth；　yet　verily；　each　and　all　of　them；　throughout　their　encampment；　are　making　prayers　and　sacrifices　of　hens　and　cocks；　and　if　a　man　is　asked　the　reason　of　the　sacrifice；　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　for　the　safety　of　my　faraway　family〃；　or　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　for　the　success　of　my　trading〃；　or　he　will　say；　〃I　make　sacrifice　in　honor　of　such　or　another　deceased　member　of　my　family〃；　or　he　will　say　many　another　reason；　and　then　he　will　add；　〃And　also　for　the　lifting　of　the　mist。〃
　Now；　I　accounted　it　strange　for　such　strong　and　warlike　people　to　be　so　fearful　of　anything　as　to　pretend　a　lack　of　fear；　and　of　all　the　sensible　reasons　for　fear；　mist　or　fog　seemed　to　my　way　of　thinking　very　greatly　inexplicable。
　I　said　to　my　interpreter　that　a　man　could　fear　wind；　or　blasting　storms　of　sand；　or　water　floods；　or　heaving　of　the　ground；　or　thunder　and　lightning　within　the　sky；　for　all　of　these　could　injure　a　man；　or　kill　him；　or　ruin　his　dwelling。　Yet　I　said　that　fog；　or　mist；　contained　no　threat　of　harm；　in　truth　it　was　the　least　of　any　form　of　changing　elements。
　The　interpreter　answered　to　me　that　I　was　lacking　the　beliefs　of　a　sailor。　He　said　that　many　Arab　sailors　agreed　with　the　Northmen；　in　the　matter　of　uneasiness7　within　the　wrapping　of　mist；　so；　also；　he　said　all　seafarers　are　made　anxious　of　any　mist　or　fog；　because　such　a　condition　increases　the　peril　of　travel　upon　the　waters。
　I　said　this　was　sensible；　but　that　when　the　mist　lay　upon　the　land　and　not　the　water；　I　did　not　understand　the　reason　for　any　fear。　To　this　the　interpreter　replied；　〃The　fog　is　always　feared；　whenever　it　es。〃　And　he　said　that　it　made　no　difference；　on　land　or　water；　according　to　the　Northman　view。
　And　then　he　said　to　me　the　Northmen　did　not；　truly；　much　fear　the　mist。　Also　the　interpreter　said　that　he；　as　a　man；　did　not　fear　the　mist。　He　said　that　it　was　only　a　minor　matter；　of　slight　consequence。　He　said；　〃It　is　as　a　minor　ache　inside　a　limb　joint；　which　may　e　with　fog；　but　no　more　important。〃
　By　this　I　saw　that　my　interpreter；　among　the　others；　denied　all　manner　of　concern　for　the　fog；　and　feigned　indifference。
　Now　it　happened　that　the　mist　did　not　lift；　although　it　abated　and　became　thin　in　the　after…part　of　the　day；　the　sun　appeared　as　a　circle　in　the　sky；　but　also　it　was　so　weak　that　I　could　look　directly　to　its　light。
　In　this　same　day　there　arrived　a　Northman　boat；　containing　a　noble　of　their　own　race。　He　was　a　young　man　with　a　thin　beard；　and　he　traveled　with　only　a　small　party　of　pages　and　slaves；　and　no　women　among　them。　Thus　I　believed　he　was　no　trader；　for　in　this　area　the　Northmen　principally　sell　women。
　This　same　visitor　beached　his　boat；　and　remained　standing　with　it　until　nightfall；　and　no　man　came　near　to　him；　or　greeted　him；　although　he　was　a　stranger　and　in　plain　sight　to　all。　My　interpreter　said：　〃He　is　a　kin　of　Buliwyf；　and　will　be　received　at　the　night　banquet。〃
　I　said；　〃Why　does　he　stay　at　his　ship？〃
　〃Because　of　the　mist；〃　answered　the　interpreter。　〃It　is　the　custom　he　must　stand　in　view　for　many　hours；　so　all　can　see　him　and　know　he　is　no　enemy　ing　from　the　mist。〃　This　the　interpreter　said　to　me　with　much　hesitation。
　At　the　night　banquet；　I　saw　the　young　man　e　into　the　hall。　Here　was　he　warmly　greeted　and　with　much　display　of　surprise；　and　in　this　most　especially　by　Buliwyf；　who　acted　as　if　the　young　man　had　just　arrived；　and　had　not　been　standing　by　his　ship　many　hours。　After　the　several　greetings；　the　youth　spoke　a　passionate　speech；　which　Buliwyf　attended　with　unusual　interest：　he　did　not　drink　and　dally　with　the　slave　girls；　but　instead　in　silence　heard　the　youth；　who　spoke　in　a　high　and　cracking　voice。　At　the　finish　of　the　tale；　the　youth　seemed　about　to　have　tears；　and　was　given　a　cup　of　drink。
　I　inquired　of　my　interpreter　what　was　said。　Here　was　the　reply：　〃He　is　Wulfgar；　and　he　is　the　son　of　Rothgar；　a　great　king　in　the　North。　He　is　kin　of　Buliwyf　and　seeks　his　aid　and　support　on　a　hero's　mission。　Wulfgar　says　the　far　country　suffers　a　dread　and　nameless　terror；　which　all　the　peoples　are　powerless　to　oppose；　and　he　asks　Buliwyf　to　make　haste　to　return　to　the　far　country　and　save　his　people　and　the　kingdom　of　his　father；　Rothgar。〃
　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　the　nature　of　this　terror。　He　said　to　me；　〃It　has　no　name　which　I　can　tell。〃8　The　interpreter　seemed　much　disturbed　by　Wulfgar's　words；　and　so　also　were　many　of　the　other　Northmen。　I　saw　on　the　countenance　of　Buliwyf　a　dark　and　gloomy　expression。　I　inquired　of　the　interpreter　details　of　the　menace。
　The　interpreter　said　to　me：　〃The　name　cannot　be　said；　for　it　is　forbidden　to　speak　it；　lest　the　utterance　of　the　name　call　forth　the　demons。〃　And　as　he　spoke　I　saw　that　he　was　fearful　just　to　think　upon　these　matters；　and　his　pallor　was　marked；　and　so　I　ended　my　inquiry。
　Buliwyf；　sitting　at　the　high　stone　throne；　was　silent。　Verily　the　assembled　earls　and　vassals　and　all　the　slaves　and　servants　were　silent；　also。　No　man　in　the　hall　spoke。　The　messenger　Wulfgar　stood　before　the　pany　with　his　head　bowed。　Never　had　I　seen　the　merry　and　rambunctious　North　people　so　subdued。
　Then　into　the　hall　entered　the　old　crone　called　the　angel　of　death；　and　she　sat　beside　Buliwyf。　From　a　hide　bag　she　withdrew　some　bones…whether　human　or　animal　I　do　not　know…and　these　bones　she　cast　upon