Now Atli was uneasy in his mind, and, saying nothing, he hurried up tothe hall, and through it into Swanhild's bower.
There she sat on a couch, her eyes red with weeping, and her curlinghair unbound.
"What now, Swanhild?" he asked. "Why lookest thou thus?"
"Why look I thus, my lord?" she answered heavily. "Because I have totell thee that which I cannot find words to fit," and she ceased.
"Speak on," he said. "Is aught wrong with Eric?"
Then Swanhild drew near and told him a false tale.
When it was done for a moment or so Atli stood still, and grew whitebeneath his ruddy skin, white as his beard. Then he staggered backagainst the wainscoting of the bower.
"Woman, thou liest!" he said. "Never will I believe so vile a thing ofEric Brighteyes, whom I have loved."
"Would that I could not believe it!" she answered. "Would that I couldthink it was but an evil dream! But alas! Nay, I will prove it. Sufferthat I summon Koll, the Icelander, who was my mother's thrall--Groawho now is dead, for I have that tidings also. He saw something of thisthing, and he will bear me witness."
"Call the man," said Atli sternly.
So Koll was summoned, and told his lies with a bold face. He was so welltaught, and so closely did his story tally with that of Swanhild, thatAtli could find no flaw in it.
"Now I am sure, Swanhild, that thou speakest truth," said the Earl whenKoll had gone. "And now also I have somewhat to say to this Eric. Forthee, rest thyself; that which cannot be mended must be borne," and hewent out.
Now, when Skallagrim came to the house he asked for Eric. The womentold him that Brighteyes had gone down to the sea, fully armed, in themorning, and had not returned.
"Then there must be fighting toward, and that I am loth to miss," saidSkallagrim, and, axe aloft, he started for the south-western rocks at arun. Skallagrim came to the rocks. There he found Eric, sitting in hisharness, looking out across the sea. The evening was wet and windy; therain beat upon him as he sat, but Eric took no heed.
"What seekest thou, lord?" asked the Baresark.
"Rest," said Eric, "and I find none."
"Thou seekest rest helm on head and sword in hand? This is a strangething, truly!"
"Stranger things have been Skallagrim. Wouldst thou hear a tale?" and hetold him all.
"What said I?" asked Skallagrim. "We had fared better in London town.Flying from the dove thou hast found the falcon."
"I have found the falcon, comrade, and she has pecked out my eyes. Now Iwould speak with Atli, and then I go hence."
"Hence go the twain of us, lord. The Earl will be here presentlyand rough words will fly in this rough weather. Is Whitefire sharp,Brighteyes?"
"Whitefire was sharp enough to shear my hair, Skallagrim; but if Atliwould strike let him lay on. Whitefire will not be aloft for him."
"That we shall see," said Skallagrim. "At least, if thou art harmedbecause of this loose quean, my axe will be aloft."
"Keep thou thine axe in its place," said Eric, and as he spoke Atlicame, and with him many men.
Eric rose and turned to meet the Earl, looking on him with sad eyes. ForAtli, his face was as the face of a trapped wolf, for he was mad withrage at the shame that had been put upon him and the ill tale thatSwanhild had told of Eric's dealings with her.
"It seems that the Earl has heard of these tidings," said Skallagrim.
"Then I shall be spared the telling of them," answered Eric.
Now they stood face to face; Atli leaned upon his drawn sword, and hiswrath was so fierce that for a while he could not speak. At length hefound words.
"See ye that man, comrades?" he said, pointing at Eric with the sword."He has been my guest these many months. He has sat in my hall and eatenof my bread, and I have loved him as a son. And wot ye how he hasrepaid me? He has put me to the greatest shame, me and my wife the LadySwanhild, whom I left in his guard--to such shame, indeed, that I cannotspeak it."
"True words, Earl," said Eric, while folk murmured and handled theirswords.
"True, but not all the truth," growled Skallagrim. "Methinks the Earlhas heard a garbled tale."
"True words, thyself thou sayest it," went on Atli "thou hound that Isaved from the sea! 'Ran's gift, Hela's gift,' so runs the saw, and nowfrom Ran to Hela thou shalt go, thou mishandler of defenceless women!"
"Here is somewhat of which I know nothing," said Eric.
"And here is something of which thou shalt know," answered Atli, and heshook his sword before Eric's eyes. "Guard thyself!"
"Nay, Earl; thou art old, and I have done the wrong--I may not fightwith thee."
"Art thou a coward also?" said the Earl.
"Some have deemed otherwise," said Eric, "but it is true that heavyheart makes weak hand. Nevertheless this is my rede. With thee are tenmen. Stand thou aside and let them fall on me till I am slain."
"The odds are too heavy even for thee," said Skallagrim. "Back to back,lord, as we have stood aforetime, and let us play this game together."
"Not so," cried Atli, "this shame is mine, and I have sworn to Swanhildthat I will wipe it out in Eric's blood. Stand thou before me and draw!"
Then Eric drew Whitefire and raised his shield. Atli the Earl rushed athim and smote a great two-handed blow. Eric caught it on his shield andsuffered no harm; but he would not smite back.
Atli dropped his point. "Niddering art thou, and coward to the last!" hecried. "See, men, Eric Brighteyes fears to fight. I am not come to thisthat I will cut down a man who is too faint-hearted to give blow forblow. This is my word: take ye your spear-shafts and push this coward tothe shore. Then put him in a boat and drive him hence."
Now Eric grew red as the red light of sunset, for his manhood might notbear this.
"Take shield," he said, "and, Earl, on thine own head be thy blood, fornone shall live to call Eric niddering and coward."
Atli laughed in his folly and his rage. He took a shield, and, once morespringing on Brighteyes, struck a great blow.
Eric parried, then whirled Whitefire on high and smote--once and onceonly! Down rushed the bright blade like a star through the night. Swordand shield did Atli lift to catch the blow. Through shield it sheared,and arm that held the shield, through byrnie mail and deep into EarlAtli's side. He fell prone to earth, while men held their breath,wondering at the greatness of that stroke.
But Eric leaned on Whitefire and looked at the old Earl upon the rock.
"Now, Atli, thou hast had thy way," he said, "and methinks things areworse than they were before. But I will say this: would that I lay thereand thou stoodest to watch me die, for as lief would I have slain myfather as thee, Earl Atli. There lies Swanhild's work!"
Atli gazed upwards into Eric's sad eyes and, while he gazed so, his rageleft him, and of a sudden a light brake upon his mind, as even then thelight of the setting sun brake through the driving mist.
"Eric," he said, "draw near and speak with me ere I am sped. Methinksthat I have been beguiled and that thou didst not do this thing thatSwanhild said and Koll bore witness to."
"What did Swanhild say, then, Earl Atli?"
The Earl told him.
"It was to be looked for from her," said Eric, "though I never thoughtof it. Now hearken!" and he told him all.
Atli groaned aloud. "I know this now, Eric," he said: "that thouspeakest truth, and once more I have been deceived. Eric, I forgive theeall, for no man may fight against woman's witchcraft, and witch's wine.Swanhild is evil to the heart. Yet, Eric, I lay this doom upon thee--Ido not lay it of my own will, for I would not harm thee, whom I love,but because of the words that the Norns put in my mouth, for now I amfey in this the hour of my death. Thou hast sinned, and that thou didstsin against thy will shall avail thee nothing, for of thy sin fate shallfashion a handle to the spear which pierces thee. Henceforth thou artaccursed. For I tell thee that this wicked woman Swanhild shall dragthee down to death, and worse than death, and with thee those thoulovest. By witchcraft she brought thee
to Straumey, by lies she laid mehere before thee. Now by hate and might and cruel deeds shall she bringthee to lie more low than I do. For, Eric, thou art bound to her, andthou shalt never loose the bond!"
Atli ceased a while, then spoke again more faintly:
"Hearken, comrades," he cried; "my strength is well-nigh spent. Yeshall swear four things to me--that ye will give Eric Brighteyes andSkallagrim Lambstail safe passage from Straumey. That ye will tellSwanhild the Fatherless, Groa's daughter and Atli's wife, that, at last,I know her for what she is--a murderess, a harlot, a witch and a liar;and that I forgive Eric whom she tricked, but that her I hate and spitupon. That ye will slay Koll the Half-witted, Groa's thrall, who camehither about two days gone, since by his lies he hath set an edge uponthis sword of falsehood. That ye will raise no blood-feud against Ericfor this my slaying, for I goaded him to the deed. Do ye swear?"
"We swear," said the men.
"Then farewell! And to thee farewell, also, Eric Brighteyes! Now takemy hand and hold it while I die. Behold! I give thee a new name, and bythat name thou shalt be called in story. I name thee _Eric the Unlucky_.Of all tales that are told, thine shall be the greatest. A mighty strokethat was of thine--a mighty stroke! Farewell!"
Then his head fell back upon the rock and Earl Atli died. And as he diedthe last rays of light went out of the sky.
XXI
HOW HALL OF LITHDALE TOOK TIDINGS TO ICELAND
Now on the same night that Atli died at the hand of Eric, Swanhild spakewith Hall of Lithdale, whom she had summoned from the mainland. She badehim do this: take passage in a certain ship that should sail for Icelandon the morrow from the island that is called Westra, and there tell allthese tidings of the ill-doings of Eric and of the slaying of Atli byhis hand.
"Thou shalt say this," she went on, "that Eric had been my love forlong, but that at length the matter came to the ears of Atli, the Earl.Then, holding this the greatest shame, he went on holmgang with Eric andwas slain by him. This shalt thou add to thy tale also, that presentlyEric and I will wed, and that Eric shall rule as Earl in Orkneys. Nowthese tidings must soon come to the ears of Gudruda the Fair, and shewill send for thee, and question thee straightly concerning them, andthou shalt tell her the tale as thou toldest it at first. Then thoushalt give Gudruda this packet, which I send her as a gift, saying, thatI bade her remember a certain oath which Eric took as to the cutting ofhis hair. And when she sees that which is within the packet is somewhatstained, tell her that is but the blood of Atli that is upon it, as hisblood is upon Eric's hands. Now remember thou this, Hall, that if thoufail in the errand thy life shall pay forfeit, for presently I will alsocome to Iceland and hear how thou hast sped."
Then Swanhild gave him faring-money and gifts of wadmal and gold rings,promising that he should have so much again when she came to Iceland.
Hall said that he would do all these things, and went at once; nor didhe fail in his tasks.
Atli being dead, Eric loosed his hand and called to the men to take uphis body and bear it to the hall. This they did. Eric stood and watchedthem till they were lost in the darkness.
"Whither now, lord?" said Skallagrim.
"It matters little," said Eric. "What is thy counsel?"
"This is my counsel. That we take ship and sail back to the King inLondon. There we will tell all this tale. It is a far cry from Straumeyto London town, and there we shall sit in peace, for the King willthink little of the slaying of an Orkney Earl in a brawl about a woman.Mayhap, too, the Lady Elfrida will not set great store by it. Therefore,I say, let us fare back to London."
"In but one place am I at home, and that is Iceland," said Eric."Thither I will go, Skallagrim, though it be but to miss friend fromstead and bride from bed. At the least I shall find Ospakar there."
"Listen, lord!" said Skallagrim. "Was it not my rede that we should bidethis winter through in London? Thou wouldst none of it, and whatcame about? Our ship is sunk, gone are our comrades, thine honour istarnished, and dead is thy host at thine own hand. Yet I say all is notlost. Let us hence south, and see no more of Swanhild, of Gudruda, ofBjoern and Ospakar. So shall we break the spell. But if thou goest toIceland, I am sure of this: that the evil fate which Atli foretold willfall on thee, and the days to come shall be even more unlucky than thedays that have been."
"It may be so," said Eric. "Methinks, indeed, it will be so. HenceforthI am Eric the Unlucky. I will go back to Iceland and there play outthe game. I care little if I live or am slain--I have no more joy in mylife. I stand alone, like a fir upon a mountain-top, and every wind fromheaven and every storm of hail and snow beats upon my head. But I say tothee, Skallagrim: go thy road, and leave a luckless man to his ill fate.Otherwise it shall be thine also. Good friend hast thou been to me; nowlet us part and wend south and north. The King will be glad to greetthee yonder in London, Lambstail."
"But one severing shall we know, lord," said Skallagrim, "and that shallbe sword's work, nor will it be for long. It is ill to speak such wordsas these of the parting of lord and thrall. Bethink thee of the oath Iswore on Mosfell. Let us go north, since it is thy will: in fifty yearsit will count for little which way we wended from the Isles."
So they went together down to the shore, and, finding a boat and men whoas yet knew nothing of what had chanced to Atli, they sailed across thefirth at the rising of the moon.
Two days afterwards they found a ship at Wick that was bound for Fareys,and sailed in her, Eric buying a passage with the half of a gold ringthat the King had given him in London.
Here at Fareys they sat a month or more; but not in the Earl's hall aswhen Eric came with honour in the Gudruda, but in a farmer's stead.For the tale of Eric's dealings with Atli and Atli's wife had reachedFareys, and the Earl there had been a friend of Atli's. Moreover,Eric was now a poor man, having neither ship nor goods, nor friends.Therefore all looked coldly on him, though they wondered at his beautyand his might. Still, they dared not to speak ill or make a mock of him;for, two men having done so, were nearly slain of Skallagrim, who seizedthe twain by the throat, one in either hand, and dashed their headstogether. After that men said little.
They sat there a month, till at length a chapman put in at Fareys, boundfor Iceland, and they took passage with him, Eric paying the other halfof his gold ring for ship-room. The chapman was not willing to give themplace at first, for he, too, had heard the tale; but Skallagrim offeredhim choice, either to do so or to go on holmgang with him. Then thechapman gave them passage.
Now it is told that when his thralls and house-carles bore the corpse ofAtli the Earl to his hall in Straumey, Swanhild met it and wept over it.And when the spokesman among them stood forward and told her those wordsthat Atli had bidden them to say to her, sparing none, she spoke thus:
"My lord was distraught and weak with loss of blood when he spoke thus.The tale I told him was true, and now Eric has added to his sin byshedding the blood of him whom he wronged so sorely."
And thereafter she spoke so sweetly and with so much gentleness, craft,and wisdom that, though they still doubted them, all men held her wordsweighty. For Swanhild had this art, that she could make the false soundtrue in the ears of men and the true sound false.
Still, being mindful of their oath, they hunted for Koll and foundhim. And when the thrall knew that they would slay him he ran thencescreaming. Nor did Swanhild lift a hand to save his life, for shedesired that Koll should die, lest he should bear witness against her.Away he ran towards the cliffs, and after him sped Atli's house-carles,till he came to the great cliffs that edge in the sea. Now they wereclose upon him and their swords were aloft. Then, sooner than know thekiss of steel, the liar leapt from the cliffs and was crushed, dyingmiserably on the rocks below. This was the end of Koll the Half-witted,Groa's thrall.
Swanhild sat in Straumey for a while, and took all Atli's heritage intoher keeping, for he had no male kin; nor did any say her nay. Also shecalled in the moneys that he had out at interest, and that was a greatsum, for Atli was
a careful and a wealthy man. Then Swanhild made readyto go to Iceland. Atli had a great dragon of war, and she manned thatship and filled it with stores and all things needful. This done, sheset stewards and grieves over the Orkney lands and farms, and, when theEarl was six weeks dead, she sailed for Iceland, giving out that shewent thither to set a blood-suit on foot against Eric for the death ofAtli, her lord. There she came in safety just as folk rode to the Thing.
Now Hall of Lithdale came to Iceland and told his tale of the doingsof Eric and the death of Atli. Oft and loud he told it, and soon peoplegossiped of it in field and fair and stead. Bjoern, Asmund's son, heardthis talk and sent for Hall. To him also Hall told the tale.
"Now," said Bjoern, "we will go to my sister Gudruda the Fair, and learnhow she takes these tidings."
So they went in to where Gudruda sat spinning in the hall, singing asshe span.
"Greeting, Gudruda," said Bjoern; "say, hast thou tidings of EricBrighteyes, thy betrothed?"
"I have no tidings," said Gudruda.
"Then here is one who brings them."
Now for the first time Gudruda the Fair saw Hall of Lithdale. Up shesprang. "Thou hast tidings of Eric, Hall? Ah! thou art welcome, for notidings have come of him for many a month. Speak on," and she pressedher hand against her heart and leaned towards him.
"My tidings are ill, lady."
"Is Eric dead? Say not that my love is dead!"
"He is worse than dead," said Hall. "He is shamed."
"There thou liest, Hall," she answered. "Shame and Eric are thingsapart."