mc.eatersofthedead-第14部分
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ns in his trade。 To give the appearance of poverty； he wears a pair of particularly tawdry； miserable slippers； hoping that people will be fooled； but nobody is。 Instead； the people around him think he is silly and preposterous。
One day； Abu Kassim strikes a particularly favorable bargain in glassware； and decides to celebrate； not in the accepted manner of treating his friends to a feast； but by treating himself to the small selfish luxury of a visit to the public baths。 He leaves his clothes and shoes in the anteroom； and a friend berates him for his worn and inappropriate shoes。 Abu Kassim replies that they are still serviceable； and he enters the bath with his friend。 Later； a powerful judge also es to the baths； and disrobes； leaving behind an elegant pair of slippers。 Meanwhile； Abu Kassim departs from the bath and cannot find his old slippers； in their place he finds a new and beautiful pair of shoes； and； presuming these to be a present from his friend； he puts them on and leaves。
When the judge leaves； his own slippers are missing； and all he can find are a miserable； tawdry pair of slippers； which everyone knows belong to the miser Abu Kassim。 The judge is angry； servants are dispatched to retrieve the missing slippers； and they are soon found upon the very feet of the thief； who is hauled into court before the magistrate and severely fined。
Abu Kassim curses his bad luck； and once home flings the unlucky slippers out of his window； where they fall into the muddy Tigris River。 Some days later； a group of fishermen haul in their catch； and find along with some fish the slippers of Abu Kassim； the hobnails of these slippers have torn their nets。 Enraged； they throw the soggy slippers through an open window。 The window happens to be that of Abu Kassim； the slippers fall upon the newly purchased glassware and smash it all。
Abu Kassim is heartbroken； and grieves as only a stingy miser can。 He vows the wretched slippers shall do him no further harm and； to be certain； goes to his garden with a shovel and buries them。 As it happens； his next…door neighbor sees Abu Kassim digging； a menial task fit only for a servant。 The neighbor assumes that if the master of the house is doing this chore himself； it must be in order to bury treasure。 Thus the neighbor goes to the Caliph and informs on Abu Kassim； for according to the laws of the land； any treasure found in the ground is the property of the Caliph。
Abu Kassim is called before the Caliph； and when he reports that he buried only a pair of old slippers； the court laughs uproariously at the obviousness of the merchant's attempt to conceal his true； and illegal； purpose。 The Caliph is angry to be thought such a fool as to be given this silly lie； and increases the magnitude of his fine accordingly。 Abu Kassim is thunderstruck when sentence is passed； and yet he is obliged to pay。
Abu Kassim is now determined to be rid of his slippers once and for all。 To be certain of no further trouble； he makes a pilgrimage far from town and drops the slippers into a distant pond； watching them sink to the bottom with satisfaction。 But the pond feeds the city's water supply； and eventually the slippers clog the pipe guards dispatched to release the stricture find the slippers and recognize them； for everyone knows the slippers of this notorious miser。 Abu Kassim is again brought before the Caliph； on a charge of befouling the water of the town； and his fine is much greater than before。 The slippers are returned to him。
Now Abu Kassim determines to burn the slippers； but they are still wet； so he sets them on the balcony to dry。 A dog sees them and plays with them； one of the slippers falls from his jaws and drops to the street far below； where it strikes a woman passing by。 The woman is pregnant； and the force of the blow causes a miscarriage。 Her husband runs to the court to seek damages； which are awarded plentifully； and Abu Kassim； now a broken and impoverished man； is obliged to pay。
The slyly literal Arabic moral states that this story illustrates what evils can befall a man who does not change his slippers often enough。 But undoubtedly the undercurrent to the tale； the idea of a man who cannot shake off some burden； was what disturbed the Northmen。
Now the night passed with further celebrations； and all the warriors of Buliwyf disported in a carefree fashion。 I saw the son Wiglif glaring at Buliwyf before leaving the hall； but Buliwyf paid no attention； preferring the ministrations of slave girls and freeborn women。 After a time I slept。
In the morning； I awoke to the sounds of hammering and； venturing from the great hall of Hurot； I found all the peoples of the kingdom of Rothgar at work on defenses。 These were being laid out in preliminary fashion： horses drew up quantities of fence posts； which warriors sharpened to points； Buliwyf himself directed the placement of defense works； by marking scratches in the ground with the tip of his sword。 For this he did not use his great sword Runding； but rather some other sword； I do not know if there was a reason for this。
Upon the middle portion of the day； the woman who was called the angel of death20 came and cast bones on the ground； and made incantations over them； and announced that the mist would e that night。 Upon hearing this； Buliwyf called for all work to cease； and a great banquet to be prepared。 In this matter； all the people concurred； and ceased their efforts。 I inquired of Herger why there should be a banquet； but he replied to me that I had too many questions。 It is also true that I had timed my inquiry badly； for he was posturing before a blond slave girl who smiled warmly in his direction。
Now； in the later part of the day； Buliwyf called together all his warriors and said to them； 〃Prepare for battle；〃 and they agreed； and wished luck one to another； while all about us the banquet was being made ready。
The night banquet was much as the previous one； although there were fewer of Rothgar's nobles and earls。 Indeed； I learned that many nobles would not attend at all； for fear of what would happen in the Hurot Hall that night； for it seemed that this place was the center of the fiend's interest in the area； that he coveted Hurot Hall； or some similar thing…I could not be sure of the meaning。
This banquet was not enjoyable to me； for reason of my apprehension of ing events。 However； this event occurred： one of the elderly nobles spoke some Latin； and also some of the Iberian dialects； for he had traveled to the region of the caliphate of Cordova as a younger man； and I engaged him in conversation。 In this circumstance； I feigned knowledge that I did not have； as you shall see。
He spoke to me thus： 〃So you are the foreigner who shall be the number thirteen？〃 And I said that I was such。 〃You must be exceedingly brave；〃 the old man said； 〃and for your bravery I salute you。〃 To this I made some trifling polite response； of the sense that I was a coward pared to the others of Buliwyf's pany； which indeed was more than true。
〃No matter；〃 said the old man； who was deep in his cups； having drunk the liquor of the region…a vile substance they call mead； yet it is potent…〃you are still a brave man to face the wendol。〃
Now I sensed that I might finally learn some matters of substance。 I repeated to this old man a saying of the Northmen； which Herger had once said to me。 I said； 〃Animals die； friends die； and I shall die； but one thing never dies； and that is the reputation we leave behind at our death。〃
The old man cackled toothlessly at this； he was pleased I knew a Northman proverb。 He said； 〃That is so； but the wendol have a reputation； too。〃 And I replied； with the utmost indifference： 〃Truly？ I am not aware of it。〃
At this the old man said that I was a foreigner； and he would consent to enlighten me； and he told me this： the name of 〃wendol；〃 or 〃windon；〃 is a very ancient name； as old as any of the peoples of the North country； and it means 〃the black mist。〃 To the Northmen； this means a mist that brings； under cover of night； black fiends who murder and kill and eat the flesh of human beings。21 The fiends are hairy and loathsome to touch and smell； they are fierce and cunning； they speak no language of any man and yet converse among themselves； they e with the night fog； and disappear by day…to where； no man durst follow。
The old man said to me thus： 〃You can know the regions where dwell the fiends of the black mist by many ways。 From time to time； warriors on horse may hunt a stag with dogs； chasing the stag over hill and dale for many miles of forest and open land。 And then the stag es to some marshy tarn or brackish swamp； and here it will halt； preferring to be torn to bits by the hounds rather than enter that loathsome region。 Thus we know of the areas where the wendol live； and we know that even the animals will not enter thence。〃
I expressed over…great wonderment at his tale； in order to draw further words from the old man。 Herger saw me then； gave me a menacing look； but I paid him no heed。
The old man continued thus： 〃In olden days； the black mist was feared by all the Northmen of every region。 Since my father and his father and his father before； no Northman has seen
