mc.eatersofthedead-第22部分

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oe　or　a　hand　little　more；　and　such　scars　and　injuries　they　bear　indifferently。　But　the　loss　of　a　nose　they　count　equal　to　death　itself；　and　this　even　to　the　loss　of　a　piece　of　the　fleshy　tip；　which　other　people　would　say　is　a　most　minor　injury。
　The　breaking　of　the　bones　of　the　nose；　through　battle　and　blows；　is　no　matter；　many　of　them　have　crooked　noses　for　that　cause。　I　do　not　know　the　reason　for　this　fear　of　cutting　the　nose。35
　Fortified；　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　and　I　among　them　left　our　steeds　upon　the　hill；　but　these　animals　could　not　go　unattended；　so　affrighted　were　they。　One　of　our　party　was　to　remain　with　them；　and　I　had　hopes　to　be　selected　to　this　task；　yet　it　was　Haltaf；　he　being　already　injured　and　of　least　use。　Thus　we　others　warily　descended　the　hill　among　the　sickly　scrub　and　dying　bushes　down　the　slope　to　the　encampment　of　the　wendol。　We　moved　in　stealth；　and　no　alarm　was　raised；　and　soon　we　were　in　the　very　heart　of　the　village　of　the　demons。
　Buliwyf　never　spoke；　but　gave　all　directions　and　orders　with　his　hands。　And　from　him　I　took　the　meaning　that　we　were　to　go　in　groups　of　two　warriors；　each　pair　in　a　different　direction。　Herger　and　I　were　to　attack　the　nearest　of　the　mud　huts；　and　the　others　were　to　attack　others。　All　waited　until　the　groups　were　stationed　outside　the　huts；　and　then；　with　a　howl；　Buliwyf　raised　his　great　sword　Runding　and　led　the　attack。
　I　dashed　with　Herger　into　one　of　the　huts；　blood　pounding　in　my　head；　my　sword　light　as　a　feather　in　my　hands。　Verily　I　was　ready　for　the　mightiest　battle　of　my　life。　I　saw　nothing　inside；　the　but　was　deserted　and　barren　as　well；　save　for　rude　beds　of　straw；　so　clumsy　in　their　appearance　they　seemed　more　to　resemble　nests　of　some　animal。
　We　dashed　outside；　and　attacked　the　next　of　these　mud　huts。　Again　we　found　it　empty。　Verily；　all　the　huts　were　empty；　and　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　sorely　vexed　and　stared　one　to　the　next　with　expression　of　surprise　and　astonishment。
　Then　Ecthgow　called　to　us；　and　we　gathered　at　one　of　these　huts；　larger　than　any　of　the　others。　And　here　I　saw　that　it　was　deserted　as　they　were　all　deserted；　but　the　interior　was　not　barren。　Rather；　the　floor　of　the　hut　was　littered　with　fragile　bones；　which　crunched　underfoot　like　the　bones　of　birds；　delicate　and　frail。　I　was　much　surprised　at　this；　and　stooped　to　see　the　nature　of　these　bones。　With　a　shock；　I　saw　the　curved　line　of　an　eye　socket　here；　and　a　few　teeth　there。　Verily　we　stood　upon　a　carpet　of　the　bones　of　human　faces；　and　for　further　proofs　of　this　ghastly　truth；　piled　high　upon　one　wall　of　the　hut　were　the　head　portions　of　the　human　skulls；　stacked　inverted　like　so　many　pottery　bowls；　but　glistening　white。　I　was　sick；　and　departed　the　hut　to　purge　myself。　Herger　said　to　me　that　the　wendol　eat　the　brains　of　their　victims；　as　a　human　person　might　eat　eggs　or　cheese。　This　is　their　custom；　vile　as　it　is　to　contemplate　such　a　matter；　yet　it　is　true。
　Now　another　of　the　warriors　called　to　us；　and　we　entered　another　hut。　Here　I　saw　this：　the　but　was　bare；　except　for　a　large　throne…like　chair；　carved　of　a　single　piece　of　enormous　wood。　This　chair　had　a　high　fanning　back；　carved　into　the　shape　of　snakes　and　demons。　At　the　foot　of　the　chair　were　littered　bones　of　skulls；　and　upon　the　arms　of　the　chair；　where　its　owner　might　rest　his　hands　there　was　blood　and　remnants　of　whitish　cheesy　substance；　which　was　human　brain　material。　The　odor　of　this　room　was　ghastly。
　Placed　all　around　this　chair　there　were　small　pregnant　stone　carvings；　such　as　I　have　described　before；　these　carvings　formed　a　circle　or　perimeter　about　the　chair。
　Herger　said；　〃This　is　where　she　rules；〃　and　his　voice　was　low　and　awed。
　I　was　not　able　to　prehend　his　meaning；　and　was　sick　in　heart　and　stomach。　I　emptied　my　stomach　upon　the　soil。　Herger　and　Buliwyf　and　the　others　were　also　distressed；　though　no　man　purged　himself；　but　rather　they　took　glowing　embers　from　the　fire　and　set　the　huts　aflame。　They　burned　slowly；　for　they　were　damp。
　And　thus　we　climbed　up　the　hill；　mounted　our　horses；　and　left　the　region　of　the　wendol；　and　departed　the　desert　of　dread。　And　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　were　now　sad　of　aspect；　for　the　wendol　had　surpassed　them　in　cunning　and　cleverness；　abandoning　their　lair　in　anticipation　of　the　attack；　and　they　would　count　the　burning　of　their　dwellings　no　great　loss。
　
　THE　COUNSEL　OF　THE　DWARF

　WE　RETURNED　AS　WE　HAD　E；　BUT　RODE　WITH　greater　speed；　for　the　horses　now　were　eager；　and　eventually　came　down　from　the　hills　and　saw　the　flat　plain　and；　in　the　distance；　at　the　ocean's　edge；　the　settlement　and　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar。
　Now　Buliwyf　veered　away　and　led　us　in　another　direction；　toward　high　rocky　crags　swept　by　the　ocean　winds。　I　rode　alongside　Herger　and　inquired　the　reason　for　this；　and　he　said　we　were　to　seek　out　the　dwarves　of　the　region。
　At　this　I　was　much　surprised；　for　the　men　of　the　North　have　no　dwarves　among　their　society；　they　are　never　seen　in　the　streets；　nor　do　any　sit　at　the　feet　of　kings；　nor　are　any　to　be　found　counting　money　or　keeping　records　or　any　of　the　things　that　we　know　of　dwarves。36　Never　had　any　Northman　mentioned　dwarves　to　me；　and　I　had　presumed　that　so　giant　a　people37　would　never　produce　dwarves。
　Now　we　came　to　a　region　of　caves；　hollowed　and　windswept；　and　Buliwyf　dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　did　likewise；　and　proceeded　by　foot。　I　heard　a　hissing　sound；　and　verily　I　saw　puffs　of　steam　issue　from　one　and　another　of　these　several　caves。　We　entered　one　cave　and　there　found　dwarves。
　They　were　in　appearance　thus：　of　the　ordinary　size　of　dwarf；　but　distinguished　by　hands　of　great　size；　and　bearing　features　that　appeared　exceedingly　aged。　There　were　both　male　and　female　dwarves　and　all　had　the　appearance　of　great　age。　The　males　were　bearded　and　solemn；　the　women　also　had　some　hair　upon　the　face；　so　they　appeared　manlike。　Each　dwarf　wore　a　garment　of　fur　or　sable；　each　also　wore　a　thin　belt　of　hide　decorated　with　bits　of　hammered　gold。
　The　dwarves　greeted　our　arrival　politely；　with　no　sign　of　fear。　Herger　said　these　creatures　have　magic　powers　and　need　fear　no　man　on　earth；　however；　they　are　apprehensive　of　horses；　and　for　this　reason　we　had　left　the　mounts　behind　us。　Herger　said　also　that　the　powers　of　a　dwarf　reside　in　his　thin　belt；　and　that　a　dwarf　will　do　anything　to　retrieve　his　belt　if　it　is　lost。
　Herger　said　this　also：　that　the　appearance　of　great　age　among　the　dwarves　was　a　true　thing；　and　that　a　dwarf　lived　beyond　the　span　of　any　ordinary　man。　Also　he　said　to　me　that　these　dwarves　are　virile　from　their　earliest　youth；　that　even　as　infants　they　have　hair　at　the　groin；　and　members　of　unmon　size。　Indeed；　it　is　in　this　way　that　the　parents　first　e　to　know　that　their　infant　child　is　a　dwarf；　and　a　creature　of　magic；　who　must　be　taken　to　the　hills　to　live　with　others　of　his　kind。　This　done；　the　parents　give　thanks　to　the　gods　and　sacrifice　some　animal　or　other；　for　to　give　birth　to　a　dwarf　is　accounted　high　good　fortune。
　This　is　the　belief　of　the　North　people；　as　Herger　spoke　it；　and　I　do　not　know　the　truth　of　the　matter；　and　report　only　what　was　told　to　me。
　Now　I　saw　that　the　hissing　and　steam　issued　from　great　cauldrons；　into　which　hammered…steel　blades　were　plunged　to　temper　the　metal；　for　the　dwarves　make　weapons　that　are　highly　prized　by　the　Northmen。　Indeed；　I　saw　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　looking　about　the　caves　eagerly；　as　any　woman　in　a　bazaar　shop　selling　precious　silks。
　Buliwyf　made　inquiries　of　these　creatures；　and　was　directed　to　the　topmost　of　the　caves；　wherein　sat　a　single　dwarf；　older　than　all　the　others；　with　a　beard　and　hair　of　purest　white；　and　a　creased　and　wrinkled　face。　This　dwarf　was　called　〃tengol；〃　which　means　a　judge　of　good　and　evil；　and　also　a　soothsayer。
　This　tengol　must　have　had　the　magical　powers　that　all　said　he　did；　for　he　immediately　greeted　Buliwyf　by　his　name；　and　bade　him　sit　with　him。　Buliwyf　sat；　and　we　gathered　a　short　distance　away；　standing。
　Now　Buliwyf　did　not　present　the　tengol　with　gifts；　the　Northmen　make　no　obeisance　to　the　little　people；　they　believe　that　the　favors　of　the　dwarves　must　be　freely　given；　and　it　is　wrong　to　encourage　the　favors　of　a　dwarf　with　gifts。　Thus　Buliwyf　sat；　and　the　tengol　looked　at　him；　and　then　closed　his　eyes　and　began　to　speak；　rocking　back　and　forth　as　he　sat。　The　tengol　spoke　in　a　high　voice　as　a　child；　and　Herger　told　me　the　meaning　was　thus：
　〃O　Buliwyf；　you　are　a　great　warrior　but　you　have　met　your　match　in　the　monsters　of　the　mist；　the　eaters　of　the　dead。　This　shall　be　a　struggle　to　the　death；　and　you　shall　need　all　your　strength　and　wisdom　to　overe　the　challenge。〃　And　he　went　on　in　this　manner　for　some　good　time；　rocking　back　and　forth。　The　import　was　that　Buliwyf　faced　a　difficult　adversary；　which　I　already　knew　well　enough　and　so　did　Buliwyf　himself。　Yet　Buliwyf　was　patient。
　Also　I　saw　that　Buliwyf　took　no　offense　when　the　dwarf　laughed　at　him；　which　frequently　he　did。　The　dwarf　spoke：　〃You　have　e　to　me　because　you　attacked　the　monsters　in　the　brackish　marsh　and　tarn；　and　this　availed　you　nothing。　Therefore　you　e　to　me　for　advice　and　admonishment；　as　a　child　to　his　father；　saying　what　shall