Part 26 (1/2)
”Swift and sure across the Swan's Bath Sped Sea-stag on Raven's track, Heav'd Ran's breast in raging billows, Streah the sky!
Yet did Eric the war-eager Leap with Baresark-mate aboard, Fierce their onset on the foerapnel-chain?”
Hall heard and slunk back, for now he saw that these were indeed Eric and Skallagrim come up alive from the sea, and that they knew his baseness
Eric looked at hiain:
”Swift away sped shi+p Gudruda, Left her lord in foehteyes back to back with Baresark Held his head 'gainst , Ospakar's shi+eld-carles were rolled
Holy peace at length they handselled, Eric must in bonds be laid!
”Came the Grey Rat, ca'd wolves roused the Tore their fetter from its hold
Now they watch upon their weapons; Now they weep and pray for life; Now they leap forth like a torrent-- Swept away in foe days they steer and sail, Till the waters, welling upwards, Wash dead on, Barely may they win the boat: Safe they stand on shi+p Gudruda-- Say, who cut the grapnel-chain?”
XV
HOW ERIC DWELT IN LONDON TOWN
Men stood astonished, but Hall the mate slunk back
”Hold, cos cannot carry Hearken, my shi+eld-mates: ore to be true to each other, even to death: is it not so? What then shall be said of that man who cut loose the Gudruda and left us two to die at the foeman's hand?”
”Who was the man?” asked a voice
”That man was Hall of Lithdale,” said Eric
”It is false!” said Hall, gathering up his courage; ”the cable parted beneath the straining of the shi+p, and afterwards we could not put about because of the great sea”
”Thou art false!” roared Skallagrim ”With my eyes I saw thee let thine axe fall upon the cable Liar art thou and dastard! Thou art jealous also of Brighteyes thy lord, and this was in thy mind: to let him die upon the Raven and then to bind his shoes upon thy cowardly feet Though none else saw, I saw; and I say this: that if I , to the prow in that sarew very white and his knees trembled beneath him ”It is true,” he said, ”that I cut the chain, but not froht of evil
Had I not cut it the vessel must have sunk and all been lost”
”Did we not swear, Hall,” said Eric sternly, ”together to fight and together to fall--together to fare and, if need be, together to cease fro, and dost thou read the oath thus? Say, ood fellowshi+p to us and his tenderness for your lives?”
As with one voice the men answered ”_Death!_”
”Thou hearest, Hall?” said Eric ”Yet I would deal ently with one to whoone from our coone, I say, before I repent of , Hall took his weapons and without a word slunk into the boat of the Raven that lay astern, and rowed ashore; nor did Eric see his face for many months
”Thou hast done foolishly, lord, to let that weasel go,” said Skallagriood or evil, he is gone,” said Eric, ”and now I am worn out and desire to sleep”