Part 44 (1/2)
Gudruda sat alone in the haunted hall of Middalhof and brooded on her love and on her fate Eric, too, sat in Mosfell cave and brooded on his evil chance His heart was sick with sorrow, and there was little that he could do except think about the past He would not go to foray, after the fashi+on of outlaws, and there was no need of this For the talk of his h the land, so that the people spoke of little else And the men of his quarter were so proud of these deeds of Eric's that, though soht of Middalhof and sorim, yet they spoke of hiifts of food and clothing and arms, as many as his people could carry away, and laid them in a booth that is on the plain near the foot of Mosfell, which thenceforth was named Ericsfell Further, they bade his thralls tell hiood shi+p of war to take him from Iceland--ay, and h Jon his thrall, but answered that he wished to die here in Iceland
Nohen Eric had sat two , he learned that Gizur and Swanhild had reat company of men ere sworn to slay hiathered
They told him no; that Gudruda stayed with her thralls and wo for Bjorn her brother Fros Eric took soainst hi, if indeed she yet loved him, that Gudruda would send him some word or token of her love But no word came, since between thes Skallagrim spoke to Eric
”This is ht and fall on the folk of Gizur at Coldback, and burn the stead over the here like an eagle in a cage”
”Such is no counsel ofhere, indeed; but I a men to their death I will shed no more blood, unless it is to save my own head When the people of Gizur came to seek o to theririm,” said Eric, ”the heart is out of me Yet I ride from Mosfell to-day”
”Whither, lord?”
”To Middalhof, to have speech with Gudruda the Fair”
”Like enough, then, thou wilt be silent thereafter”
”It well may be,” said Eric ”Yet I will ride I can bear this doubt no longer”
”Then I shall corim
”As thou wilt,” answered Eric
So at rim rode away from Mosfell in a storm of rain The rain was so heavy that those of Gizur's spies atched the mountain did not see the they carim to stay with the horses and let theet speech with Gudruda This the Baresark did, though he gru lest Eric should be done to death, and he not there to die with him
Now Eric walked to within tshots of the house, then sat down in a dell by the river, froe of which he could see those who passed in and out Presently his heart gave a leap, for there came out from the woolden hair that flowed about her breast It was Gudruda, and he saw that she bore a napkin in her hand Then Eric knew, according to her custos, that she came alone to bathe in the river, as she had always done from a child It was her habit to bathe here in this place: for at the bottorew thick, and the water lay in a basin of rock and was clear and still For at this spot a hot spring ran into the river
Eric went down the dell, hid himself close in the bushes and waited, for he feared to speak with Gudruda in the open field A while passed, and presently the shadow of the lady crept over the edge of the dell, then she came herself in that beauty which since her day has not been known in Iceland Her face was sad and sweet, her dark and lovely eyes were sad On she cath of where Eric lay, crouched in the bush, and looking at her through the hedge of reeds Here a flat rock overhung the water, and Gudruda sat herself on this rock, and, shaking off her shoes, dipped her white feet in the water Then suddenly she threw aside her cloak, baring her ar upon the shadow of her beauty in the ain, while Eric looked at her with a bursting heart, for as yet he could find no words to say
Now she spoke aloud ”Of what use to be so fair?” she said ”Oh, wherefore was I born so fair to bring death to olden hair about her ar the napkin to her eyes, wept softly But it seemed to Eric that between her sobs she called upon his naht of Gudruda weeping While she wept, hiding her eyes, he rose from behind the screen of reeds and stood beside her in such fashi+on that his shadow fell upon her She felt the sunlight pass and looked up Lo! it was no cloud, but the shape of Eric, and the sun glittered on his golden helm and hair
”Eric!” Gudruda cried; ”Eric!” Then, re her cloak, she threw it about her arms and thrust her wet feet into her shoes ”Out upon thee!” she said; ”is it not enough, then, that thou shouldst break thy troth for Swanhild's sake, that thou shouldst slay my brother and turn my hall to shaht that thou didst weep and call upon ht art thou here to hearken to e that I should speak the nae that I should weep over that brother whohteyes, before I call my folk to kill thee!”
”Call on, Gudruda I set little price upon my life I laid it in the hands of chance when I came from Mosfell to speak with thee, and noill pay it down if so it pleases thee Fear not, thy thralls shall have an easy task: for I shall scarcely care to hold my own Say, shall I call for thee?”
”Hush!+ Speak not so loud! Folk er--I would say that, then shall ill things be told of me, because I am found with him who slew my brother?”
”I slew Ospakar too, Gudruda Surely the death of him by whose side thou didst sit as wife is more to thee than the death of Bjorn?”
”The bride-cup was not yet drunk, Eric; therefore I have no blood-feud for Ospakar”