"It is not like Gudruda to speak thus," said Eric: "she had ever a stout heart and these are craven words. Koll, I hold that thou liest; and, if indeed I find it so, I"ll wring the head from off thee!"
"Nay, Eric, I lie not. Wherefore should I lie? Hearken: thou hast not heard all my tale. When the lady Gudruda had made an end of speaking she drew something from her breast and gave it me, saying: "Give this to Eric, in witness of my words.""
"Show me the token," said Eric.
Now, many years ago, when they were yet boy and girl, it chanced that Eric had given to Gudruda the half of an ancient gold piece that he had found upon the sh.o.r.e. He had given her half, and half he had kept, wearing it next his heart. But he knew not this, for she feared to tell him, that Gudruda had lost her half. Nor indeed had she lost it, for Swanhild had taken the love-token and hidden it away. Now she brought it forth for Koll to build his lies upon.
Then Koll drew out the half-piece from a leather purse and pa.s.sed it to him. Eric plunged his hand into his breast and found his half. He placed the two side by side, while Swanhild watched him. Lo! they fitted well.
Then Eric laughed aloud, a hard and bitter laugh. "There will be slaying," he cried, "before all this tale is told. Take thy fee and begone, thou messenger of ill," and he cast the broken piece at Koll.
"For once thou hast spoken the truth."
Koll stooped, found the gold and went, leaving Brighteyes and Swanhild face to face.
He hid his brow in his arms and groaned aloud. Softly Swanhild crept up to him--softly she drew his hands away, holding them between her own.
"Heavy tidings, Eric," she said, "heavy tidings for thee and me! She is a murderess who gave me birth and she has slain my own father--my father and thy cousin Unna also. Gudruda is a traitress, a traitress fair and false. I did ill to be born of such a woman; thou didst ill to put thy faith in such a woman. Together let us weep, for our woe is equal."
"Ay, let us weep together," Eric answered. "Nay, why should we weep?
Together let us be merry, for we know the worst. All words are said--all hopes are sped! Let us be merry, then, for now we have no more tidings to fear."
"Ay," Swanhild answered, looking on him darkly, "we will be merry and laugh our sorrows down. Ah! thou foolish Eric, under what unlucky star wast thou born that thou knewest not true from false?" and she called the serving-women, bidding them bring food and wine.
Now Eric sat alone with Swanhild in her bower and made pretence to eat.
But he could eat little, though he drank deep of the southern wine.
Close beside him sat Swanhild, filling his cup. She was wondrous fair that night, and it seemed to Eric that her eyes gleamed like stars.
Sweetly she spoke also and wisely. She told strange tales and she sang strange songs, and ever her eyes shone more and more, and ever she crept closer to him. Eric"s brain was afire, though his heart was cold and dead. He laughed loud and mightily, he told great tales of deeds that he had done, growing boastful in his folly, and still Swanhild"s eyes shone more and more, and still she crept closer, wooing him in many ways.
Now of a sudden Eric thought of his friend, Earl Atli, and his mind grew clear.
"This may not be, Swanhild," he said. "Yet I would that I had loved thee from the first, and not the false Gudruda: for, with all thy dark ways, at least thou art better than she."
"Thou speakest wisely, Eric," Swanhild answered, though she meant not that he should go. "The Norns have appointed us an evil fate, giving me as wife to an old man whom I do not love, and thee for a lover to a woman who has betrayed thee. Ah, Eric Brighteyes, thou foolish Eric! why knewest thou not the false from the true while yet there was time?
Now are all words said and all things done--nor can they be undone. Go hence, Eric, ere ill come of it; but, before thou goest, drink one cup of parting, and then farewell."
And she slipped from him and filled the cup, mixing in it a certain love-portion that she had made ready.
"Give it me that I may swear an oath on it," said Eric.
Swanhild gave him the cup and stood before him, watching him.
"Hearken," he said: "I swear this, that before snow falls again in Iceland I will see Ospakar dead at my feet or lie dead at the feet of Ospakar."
"Well spoken, Eric," Swanhild answered. "Now, before thou drinkest, grant me one little boon. It is but a woman"s fancy, and thou canst scarce deny me. The years will be long when thou art gone, for from this night it is best that we should meet no more, and I would keep something of thee to call back thy memory and the memories of our youth when thou hast pa.s.sed away and I grow old."
"What wouldst have then, Swanhild? I have nothing left to give, except Whitefire alone."
"I do not ask Whitefire, Eric, though Whitefire shall kiss the gift. I ask nothing but one tress of that golden hair of thine."
"Once I swore that none should touch my hair again except Gudruda"s self."
"It will grow long, then, Eric, for now Gudruda tends black locks and thinks little on golden. Broken are all oaths."
Eric groaned. "All oaths are broken in sooth," he said. "Have then thy will;" and, loosing the peace-strings, he drew Whitefire from its sheath and gave her the great war-sword.
Swanhild took it by the hilt, and, lifting a tress of Eric"s yellow hair, she sh.o.r.e through it deftly with Whitefire"s razor-edge, smiling as she sh.o.r.e. With the same war-blade on which Eric and Gudruda had pledged their troth, did Swanhild cut the locks that Eric had sworn no hand should clip except Gudruda"s.
He took back the sword and sheathed it, and, knotting the long tress, Swanhild hid it in her bosom.
"Now drink the cup, Eric," she said--"pledge me and go."
Eric drank to the dregs and cast the cup down, and lo! all things changed to him, for his blood was afire, and seas seemed to roll within his brain. Only before him stood Swanhild like a shape of light and glory, and he thought that she sang softly over him, always drawing nearer, and that with her came a scent of flowers like the scent of the Iceland meads in May.
"All oaths are broken, Eric," she murmured, "all oaths are broken indeed, and now must new oaths be sworn. For cut is thy golden hair, Brighteyes, and not by Gudruda"s hand!"
XX
HOW ERIC WAS NAMED ANEW
Eric dreamed. He dreamed that Gudruda stood by him looking at him with soft, sad eyes, while with her hand she pointed to his hair, and spake.
"Thou hast done ill, Eric," she seemed to say. "Thou hast done ill to doubt me; and now thou art for ever shamed, for thou hast betrayed Atli, thy friend. Thou hast broken thy oath, and therefore hast thou fallen into this pit; for when Swanhild sh.o.r.e that lock of thine, my watching Spirit pa.s.sed, leaving thee to Swanhild and thy fate. Now, I tell thee this: that shame shall lead to shame, and many lives shall pay forfeit for thy sin, Eric."
Eric awoke, thinking that this was indeed an evil dream which he had dreamed. He woke, and lo! by him was Swanhild, Atli"s wife. He looked upon her beauty, and fear and shame crept into his heart, for now he knew that it was no dream, but he was lost indeed. He looked again at Swanhild, and hatred and loathing of her shook him. She had overcome him by her arts; that cup was drugged which he had drunk, and he was mad with grief. Yes, she had played upon his woe like a harper on a harp, and now he was ashamed--now he had betrayed his friend who loved him!
Had Whitefire been to his hand at that moment, Eric had surely slain himself. But the great sword was not there, for it hung in Swanhild"s bower. Eric groaned aloud, and Swanhild turned at the sound. But he sprang away and stood over her, cursing her.
"Thou witch!" he cried, "what hast thou done? What didst thou mix in that cup yestre"en? Thou hast brought me to this that I have betrayed Atli, my friend--Atli, thy lord, who left thee in my keeping!"
He seemed so terrible in his woe and rage that Swanhild shrank from him, and, throwing her hair about her face, peeped at him through its meshes as once she had peeped at Asmund.
"It is like a man," she said, gathering up her courage and her wit; ""tis like a man, having won my love, now to turn upon me and upbraid me. Fie upon thee, Eric! thou hast dealt ill with me to bring me to this."
Now Eric ceased his raving, and spoke more calmly.
"Well thou knowest the truth, Swanhild," he said.
"Hearken, Eric," she answered. "Let this be secret between us. Atli is old, and methinks that not for long shall he bide here in Straumey.
Soon he will die; it is upon my mind that he soon will die, and, being childless, his lands and goods pa.s.s to me. Then, Eric, thou shalt sit in Atli"s hall, and in all honour shall Atli"s wife become thy bride."
Eric listened coldly. "I can well believe," he said, "that thou hast it in mind to slay thy lord, for all evil is in thy heart, Swanhild. Now know this: that if in honour or dishonour my lips touch that fair face of thine again, may the limbs rot from thy trunk, and may I lie a log for ever in the halls of Hela! If ever my eyes of their own will look again upon thy beauty, may I go blind and beg my meat from homestead to homestead! If ever my tongue whisper word of love into thy ears, may dumbness seize it, and may it wither to the root!"
Swanhild heard and sank upon the ground before him, her head bowed almost to her feet.
"Now, Swanhild, fare thee well," said Eric. "Living or dead, may I never see thy face again!"