第82章

"Hearken all men!" said Eric.

"Thrust him out!" quoth Bj?rn.

"Nay, cut him down!" said Ospakar, "he is an outlawed man.""Words first, then deeds," answered Skallagrim. "Thou shalt have thy fill of both, Blacktooth, before day is done.""Let Eric say his say," said Gudruda, lifting her head. "He has been doomed unheard, and it is my will that he shall say his say.""What hast thou to do with Eric?" snarled Ospakar.

"The bride-cup is not yet drunk, lord," she answered.

"To thee, then, I will speak, lady," quoth Eric. "How comes it that, being betrothed to me, thou dost sit there the bride of Ospakar?""Ask of Swanhild," said Gudruda in a low voice. "Ask also of Hall of Lithdale yonder, who brought me Swanhild's gift from Straumey.""I must ask much of Hall and he must answer much," said Eric. "What tale, then, did he bring thee from Straumey?""He said this, Eric," Gudruda answered: "that thou wast Swanhild's love; that for Swanhild's sake thou hadst basely killed Atli the Good, and that thou wast about to wed Swanhild's self and take the Earl's seat in Orkneys.""And for what cause was I made outlaw at the Althing?""For this cause, Eric," said Bj?rn, "that thou hadst dealt evilly with Swanhild, bringing her to shame against her will, and thereafter that thou hadst slain the Earl, her husband.""Which, then, of these tales is true? for both cannot be true," said Brighteyes. "Speak, Swanhild.""Thou knowest well that the last is true," said Swanhild boldly.

"How then comes it that thou didst charge Hall with that message to Gudruda? How then comes it that thou didst send her the lock of hair which thou didst cozen me to give thee?""I charged Hall with no message, and I sent no lock of hair," Swanhild answered.

"Stand thou forward, Hall!" said Eric, "and liar and coward though thou art, dare not to speak other than the truth! Nay, look not at the door: for, if thou stirrest, this spear shall find thee before thou hast gone a pace!"Now Hall stood forward, trembling with fear, for he saw the eye of Skallagrim watching him close, and while Lambstail watched, his fingers toyed with the handle of his axe.

"It is true, lord, that Swanhild charged me with that message which Igave to the Lady Gudruda. Also she bade me give the lock of hair.""And for this service thou didst take money, Hall?""Ay, lord, she gave me money for my faring."

"And all the while thou knewest the tidings false?"Hall made no reply.

"Answer!" thundered Eric--"answer the truth, knave, or by every God that passes the hundred gates I will not spare thee twice!""It is so, lord," said Hall.

"Thou liest, fox!" cried Swanhild, white with wrath and casting a fierce look upon Hall. But men took no heed of Swanhild's words, for all eyes were bent on Eric.

"Is it now your pleasure, comrades, that I should tell you the truth?"said Brighteyes.

The most part of the company shouted "Yea!" but the men of Ospakar stood silent.

"Speak on, Eric," quoth Gudruda.

"This is the truth, then: Swanhild the Fatherless, Atli's wife, has always sought my love, and she has ever hated Gudruda whom I loved.

From a child she has striven to work mischief between us. Ay, and she did this, though till now it has been hidden: she strove to murder Gudruda; it was on the day that Skallagrim and I overcame Ospakar and his band on Horse-Head Heights. She thrust Gudruda from the brink of Golden Falls while she sat looking on the waters, and as she hung there I dragged her back. Is it not so, Gudruda?""It is so," said Gudruda.

Now men murmured and looked at Swanhild. But she shrank back, plucking at her purple cloak.

"It was for this cause," said Eric, "that Asmund, Swanhild's father, gave her choice to wed Atli the Earl and pass over sea or to take her trial in the Doom-Ring. She wedded Atli and went away. Afterwards, by witchcraft, she brought my ship to wreck on Straumey's Isle--ay, she walked the waters like a shape of light and lured us on to ruin, so that all were drowned except Skallagrim and myself. Is it not so, Skallagrim?""It is so, lord. I saw her with my eyes."

Again folk murmured.

"Then we must sit in Atli's hall," said Eric, "and there we dwelt last winter. For a while Swanhild did no harm, till I feared her no more.

But some three months ago, I was left with her: and a man called Koll, Groa's thrall, of whom ye know, came out from Iceland, bringing news of the death of Asmund the priest, of Unna my cousin, and of Groa the witch. To these ill-tidings Swanhild bribed him to add something. She bribed him to add this: that thou, Gudruda, wast betrothed to Ospakar, and wouldst wed him on last Yule Day. Moreover, he gave me a certain message from thee, Gudruda, and, in token of its truth, the half of that coin which I broke with thee long years ago. Say now, lady, didst thou send the coin?""Nay, never!" cried Gudruda; "many years ago I lost the half thou gavest me, though I feared to tell thee.""Perchance one stands there who found it," said Eric, pointing with his spear at Swanhild. "At the least I was deceived by it. Now the tale is short. Swanhild mourned with me, and in my sorrow I mourned bitterly. Then it was she asked a boon, that lock of mine, Gudruda, and, thinking thee faithless, I gave it, holding all oaths broken.