Part 18 (2/2)
Atli laughed aloud, and his bright eyes shone in his wrinkled face ”It pleasesfrom a sound stock
The name of the Priest of Middalhof is famous far south of Iceland; and never that Iceland bred a co, Earl This I charge thee: watch thy wife, and hold her back fros and trolls of darkness She is of Finnish blood and the woiven to such wicked work”
”I set little store by ork, goblins and their kin,” said Atli ”I doubt me much of their power, and I shall soon wean Swanhild from such ways, if indeed she practise the of Swanhild's dower, and that was not sht Eric and Gudruda, and told thelad at the news, though they grieved for Atli the Earl And when Swanhild met Gudruda, she came to her humbly, and humbly kissed her hand, and with tears craved pardon of her evil doing, saying that she had been mad; nor did Gudruda withhold it, for of all wo But to Eric, Swanhild said nothing
The wedding-feast must be held on the third day from this, for Atli would sail on that sa and his shi+p er Blithe was Atli the Earl, and Swanhild was all changed, for now she seeentlest of maids, and, as befitted one about to be h the house with soft words and downcast eyes But Skallagrirey wolf that he had seen by Goldfoss, and this seemed not well to him
”It would be bad now,” he said to Eric, as they rode to Coldback, ”to stand in yon old earl's shoes This woed too fast, and after such a calm there'll come a storm indeed I am now ave herself to Ospakar, and me to shame and bonds”
”Talk not of the raven till you hear his croak,” said Eric
”He is on the wing, lord,” answered Skallagrim
Now Eric came to Coldback in the Marsh, and Saevuna his hter, the betrothed of Ashty deeds and of the overthrow of Ospakar and the slaying of Mord were noised far and wide But at Skallagrim Lambstail they looked askance Still, when they heard of those things that he had wrought on Horse-Head Heights, they welcohts at Coldback, and on the second day Saevuna his -feast of Swanhild the Fatherless But Eric stopped at Coldback that night, saying that he would be at Middalhof within two hours of sunrise, for he must talk with a shepherd who came from the fells
Saevuna and her company came to Middalhof and was asked, first by Gudruda, then by Swanhild, why Brighteyes tarried She answered that he would be there early on the irded on Whitefire, took horse and rode fro lest he should get drunk at the feast and shed soreeted it with little lightsoh they were heavy with tears
At the first light she rose, and, gliding froh the heavy den the path by which Eric must draw near, for she desired to speak with hih she did not know this, and followed on the sa
Now three furlongs or more from the stead stood a vetch stack, and Swanhild waited on the further side of this stack Presently she heard a sound of singing come from behind the shoulder of the fell and of the tras of Eric's helreat bitterness laid hold of her that Eric could be of such a joyous mood on the day when she who loved him must be made the wife of another man
Presently he was before her, and Swanhild stepped from the shadow of the stack and laid her hand upon his horse's bridle
”Eric,” she said humbly and with bowed head, ”Gudruda sleeps yet Canst thou, then, find time to hearken to my words?”
He frowned and said: ”Methinks, Swanhild, it would be better if thou gavest thy words to him who is thy lord”
She let the bridle-rein drop from her hands ”I am answered,” she said; ”ride on”
Now pity stirred in Eric's heart, for Swanhild's mien was most heavy, and he leaped down fro to tell me”
”I have this to tell thee, Eric; that now, before we part for ever, I a--ay, and to wish all joy to thee and thy fair love,” and she sobbed and choked
”Speak no ood deeds cover up the ill, which are not sely, and her face hite with pain
”How then are we so differently fashi+oned that thou, Eric, canst prate to rief? Oh, Eric, I blaly; but I say this: that my heart is dead, as I would that I were dead See those flowers: they sht leaping from Coldback to the sea, from the sea to Westman Isles, and from the Westman crown of rocks far into the wide heavens above It is beautiful, is it not? Yet I tell thee, Eric, that now towinter darkness is every whit as fair Joy is dead within led ue,is left to me, Eric, save this fair body that thou didst scorn, and the dreaather from my hours of scanty sleep, and such shame as befalls a loveless bride”
”Speak not so, Swanhild,” he said, and clasped her by the hand, for, though he loathed her wickedness, being soft-hearted and but young, it grieved hiuish of her mind For it is so withof a fair woh they love her not