Part 31 (2/2)
”In an ill hour indeed, Earl Atli,” she answered, ”an ill hour for thee and e yokefellows and pull different paths Arise now, Earl, for I have dreamed a dream”
”Tell it to me on the morrow, then,” quoth Atli; ”there is small joyousness in thy dreah evil of late”
”Nay, lord, my rede reat dragon of war has been cast away upon Strau into the shore, and lie there senseless, to perish of the cold Arise, therefore, take o at daybreak,” said Atli, letting his head fall upon the pillow ”I have little faith in such visions, and it is too late for shi+ps of war to try the passage of the Firth”
”Arise, I say,” answered Swanhild sternly, ”and do o to search the rocks”
Then Atli rose gru, and shook the heavy sleep fro folk he ar to the hall where ht was bitter, he awoke so those men whom he called was Hall of Lithdale, Hall theto return to Iceland, had coreat fight between Eric and Ospakar's roell of his hurt or die Then Atli, not knowing that the carle lied, had bid him welcome for Eric's sake, for he still loved Eric above all s to search for shi+pwrecked men of whom the Lady Swanhild had chanced to dreaain Still, certain of Atli's folk rose at his bidding, and they went together down to the south-western rocks
But Swanhild, a cloak thrown over her night-gear, sat herself in the high seat of the hall and fixing her eyes, now upon the dying fires and now upon the blood-ht was cold and windy, but the ht Atli and his people made their way to the south-western rocks, on which the sea beatto sos that lay beneath them upon the rock, cast there by the waves A h it were cut in steps, and then cried aloud:
”A shi+p's mast, new broken, lord”
”It seems that Swanhild dreams true,” muttered Atli; ”but I am sure of this: that none have come ashore alive in such a sea”
Presently the ain:
”Here lie two great men, locked in each other's arms They seem to be dead”
Now all the h the spray wets theh old in years, and he comes first to where the two lie He as underolden hair that flowed across it
”Man's body indeed, but woman's locks,” said Atli as he put out his hand and drew the hair away, so that the light of the ered back against the rock
”By Thor!” he cried, ”here lies the corpse of Eric Brighteyes!” and Atli wrung his hands and wept, for he loved Eric much
”Be not so sure that the reat carle riain ”Up with them, lads--see, yonder lies a plank--and away to the hall I will give twenty in silver to each of you if Eric lives,” and he unclasped his cloak and threw it over both of therip of the two riht men bore Eric up the cliff between theh the Earl held his head, fro like seaweed froth they ca the la has come to pass, Swanhild, and thou dost drearim Lambstail They were locked like lovers in each other's ar”
Noanhild started and came on swiftly Had the Fa? Was Eric taken froiven dead? She bent over hi keenly on his face Then she spoke
”He is not dead but senseless Bring dry clothes, anddown, she loosed Eric's helirded Whitefire fro Swanhild and Atli tended Eric at one fire, and the serving woririm stirred, and Atli with others ran to see At this moment also the eyes of Eric were unsealed, and Swanhild saw the at her dimly from beneath Moved to it by her passion and her joy that he yet lived, Swanhild let her face fall till his was hidden in her unbound hair, and kissed hi heavily, and presently he was asleep They bore his upon hi at his side, gave him hot mead to drink
”Do I dream?” said Eric, ”or is it Earl Atli who tendsover me?”
”It is no dream, Eric, but the truth Thou hast been cast away here on my isle of Straumey”