Part 19 (1/2)
”Yea, I will speak out all my mind before I seal it up for ever. See, Eric, this is my state and thou hast set this crown of sorrow on my brows: and thou comest singing down the fell, and I go weeping o'er the sea! I am not all so ill at heart. It was love of thee that drove me down to sin, as love of thee might otherwise have lifted me to holiness.
But, loving thee as thou seest, this day I wed a dotard, and go his chattel and his bride across the sea, and leave thee singing on the fell, and by thy side her who is my foe. Thou hast done great deeds, Brighteyes, and still greater shalt thou do; yet but as echoes they shall reach my ears. Thou wilt be to me as one dead, for it is Gudruda's to bind the byrnie on thy breast when thou goest forth to war, and hers to loose the winged helm from thy brow when thou returnest, battle-worn and conquering.”
Now Swanhild ceased, and choked with grief; then spoke again:
”So now farewell; doubtless I weary thee, and--Gudruda waits. Nay, look not on my foolish tears: they are the heritage of woman, of naught else is she sure! While I live, Eric, morn by morn the thought of thee shall come to wake me as the sun wakes yon snowy peak, and night by night thy memory shall pa.s.s as at eve he pa.s.ses from the valleys, but to dawn again in dreams. For, Eric, 'tis thee I wed to-day--at heart I am thy bride, thine and thine only; and when shalt thou find a wife who holds thee so dear as that Swanhild whom once thou knewest? So now farewell!
Yes, this time thou shalt kiss away my tears; then let them stream for ever. Thus, Eric! and thus! and thus! do I take farewell of thee.”
And now she clung about his neck, gazing on him with great dewy eyes till things grew strange and dim, and he must kiss her if only for her love and tender beauty's sake. And so he kissed, and it chanced that as they clung thus, Gudruda, pa.s.sing by this path to give her betrothed greeting, came upon them and stood astonished. Then she turned and, putting her hands to her head, fled back swiftly to the stead, and waited there, great anger burning in her heart; for Gudruda had this fault, that she was very jealous.
Now Eric and Swanhild did not see her, and presently they parted, and Swanhild wiped her eyes and glided thence.
As she drew near the stead she found Gudruda watching.
”Where hast thou been, Swanhild?” she said.
”To bid farewell to Brighteyes, Gudruda.”
”Then thou art foolish, for doubtless he thrust thee from him.”
”Nay, Gudruda, he drew me to him. Hearken, I say, thou sister. Vex me not, for I go my ways and thou goest thine. Thou art strong and fair, and hitherto thou hast overcome me. But I am also fair, and, if I find s.p.a.ce to strike in, I also have a show of strength. Pray thou that I find not s.p.a.ce, Gudruda. Now is Eric thine. Perchance one day he may be mine. It lies in the lap of the Norns.”
”Fair words from Atli's bride,” mocked Gudruda.
”Ay, Atli's bride, but never Atli's love!” said Swanhild, and swept on.
A while after Eric rode up. He was shamefaced and vexed at heart, because he had yielded thus to Swanhild's beauty, and been melted by her tender words and kissed her. Then he saw Gudruda, and at the sight of her all thought of Swanhild pa.s.sed from him, for he loved Gudruda and her alone. He leapt down from his horse and ran to her. But, drawn to her full height, she stood with dark flas.h.i.+ng eyes and fair face set in anger.
Still, he would have greeted her loverwise; but she lifted her hand and waved him back, and fear took hold of him.
”What now, Gudruda?” he asked, faltering.
”What now, Eric?” she answered, faltering not. ”Hast seen Swanhild?”
”Yea, I have seen Swanhild. She came to bid farewell to me. What of it?”
”What of it? Why '_thus! and thus! and thus!_' didst thou bid farewell to Atli's bride. Ay, 'thus and thus,' with clinging lips and twined arms. Warm and soft was thy farewell kiss to her who would have slain me, Brighteyes!”
”Gudruda, thou speakest truth, though how thou sawest I know not. Think no ill of it, and scourge me not with words, for, sooth to say, I was melted by her grief and the music of her talk.”
”It is shame to thee so to speak of her whom but now thou heldest in thine arms. By the grief and the music of the talk of her who would have murdered me thou wast melted into kisses, Eric!--for I saw it with these eyes. Knowest thou what I am minded to say to thee? It is this: 'Go hence and see me no more;' for I have little wish to cleave to such a feather-man, to one so blown about by the first breath of woman's tempting.”
”Yet, methinks, Gudruda, I have withstood some such winds. I tell thee that, hadst thou been in my place, thyself hadst yielded to Swanhild and kissed her in farewell, for she was more than woman in that hour.”
”Nay, Eric, I am no weak man to be led astray thus. Yet she is more than woman--troll is she also, that I know; but less than man art thou, Eric, thus to fall before her who hates me. Time may come when she shall woo thee after a stronger sort, and what wilt thou say to her then, thou who art so ready with thy kisses?”
”I will withstand her, Gudruda, for I love thee only, and this is well known to thee.”
”Truly I know thou lovest me, Eric; but tell me of what worth is this love of man that eyes of beauty and tongue of craft may so readily bewray? I doubt me of thee, Eric!”