early kings of norway-第15部分

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　in　effect　such；to　the　wonder　of　mankind；　for　he　had　not　had　one　victory　to　cheer　him　on；　or　any　good　luck　or　merit　that　one　sees；　except　that　of　surviving　longer　than　some　others。　　Nevertheless　he　came　to　be　the　Restorer；　so　called；　of　Danish　independence；　sole　remaining　representative　of　Knut　（or　Knut's　sister）；　of　Fork…beard；　Blue…tooth；　and　Old　Gorm；　and　ancestor　of　all　the　subsequent　kings　of　Denmark　for　some　400　years；　himself　coming；　as　we　see；　only　by　the　Distaff　side；　all　of　the　Sword　or　male　side　having　died　so　soon。　　Early　death；　it　has　been　observed；　was　the　Great　Knut's　allotment；　and　all　his　posterity's　as　well；fatal　limit　（had　there　been　no　others；　which　we　see　there　were）　to　his　becoming　〃Charlemagne　of　the　North〃　in　any　considerable　degree！　Jarl　Ulf；　as　we　have　seen；　had　a　sister；　Gyda　by　name；　wife　to　Earl　Godwin　（〃Gudin　Ulfnadsson；〃　as　Snorro　calls　him）　a　very　memorable　Englishman；　whose　son　and　hers；　King　Harald；　_Harold_　in　English　books；　is　the　memorablest　of　all。　　These　things　ought　to　be　better　known　to　English　antiquaries；　and　will　perhaps　be　alluded　to　again。

This　pretty　little　victory　or　affront；　gained　over　Knut　in　_Lymfjord_；　was　among　the　last　successes　of　Olaf　against　that　mighty　man。　　Olaf；　the　skilful　captain　he　was；　need　not　have　despaired　to　defend　his　Norway　against　Knut　and　all　the　world。　　But　he　learned　henceforth；　month　by　month　ever　more　tragically；　that　his　own　people；　seeing　softer　prospects　under　Knut；　and　in　particular　the　chiefs　of　them；　industriously　bribed　by　Knut　for　years　past；　had　fallen　away　from　him；　and　that　his　means　of　defence　were　gone。　　Next　summer；　Knut's　grand　fleet　sailed；　unopposed；　along　the　coast　of　Norway；　Knut　summoning　a　Thing　every　here　and　there；　and　in　all　of　them　meeting　nothing　but　sky…high　acclamation　and　acceptance。　　Olaf；　with　some　twelve　little　ships；　all　he　now　had；　lay　quiet　in　some　safe　fjord；　near　Lindenaes；　what　we　now　call　the　Naze；　behind　some　little　solitary　isles　on　the　southeast　of　Norway　there；　till　triumphant　Knut　had　streamed　home　again。　　Home　to　England　again　〃Sovereign　of　Norway〃　now；　with　nephew　Hakon　appointed　Jarl　and　Vice…regent　under　him！　　This　was　the　news　Olaf　met　on　venturing　out；　and　that　his　worst　anticipations　were　not　beyond　the　sad　truth　all；　or　almost　all；　the　chief　Bonders　and　men　of　weight　in　Norway　had　declared　against　him；　and　stood　with　triumphant　Knut。

Olaf；　with　his　twelve　poor　ships；　steered　vigorously　along　the　coast　to　collect　money　and　force；if　such　could　now　anywhere　be　had。　　He　himself　was　resolute　to　hold　out；　and　try。　　〃Sailing　swiftly　with　a　fair　wind；　morning　cloudy　with　some　showers；〃　he　passed　the　coast　of　Jedderen；　which　was　Erling　Skjalgson's　country；　when　he　got　sure　notice　of　an　endless　multitude　of　ships；　war…ships；　armed　merchant　ships；　all　kinds　of　shipping…craft；　down　to　fishermen's　boats；　just　getting　under　way　against　him；　under　the　command　of　Erling　Skjalgson；　the　powerfulest　of　his　subjects；　once　much　a　friend　of　Olaf's　but　now　gone　against　him　to　this　length；　thanks　to　Olaf's　severity　of　justice；　and　Knut's　abundance　in　gold　and　promises　for　years　back。　　To　that　complexion　had　it　come　with　Erling；　sailing　with　this　immense　assemblage　of　the　naval　people　and　populace　of　Norway　to　seize　King　Olaf；　and　bring　him　to　the　great　Knut　dead　or　alive。

Erling　had　a　grand　new　ship　of　his　own；　which　far　outsailed　the　general　miscellany　of　rebel　ships；　and　was　visibly　fast　gaining　distance　on　Olaf　himself；who　well　understood　what　Erling's　puzzle　was；　between　the　tail　of　his　game　（the　miscellany　of　rebel　ships；　namely）　that　could　not　come　up；　and　the　head　or　general　prize　of　the　game　which　was　crowding　all　sail　to　get　away；　and　Olaf　took　advantage　of　the　same。　　〃Lower　your　sails！〃　said　Olaf　to　his　men　（though　we　must　go　slower）。

〃Ho　you；　we　have　lost　sight　of　them！〃　said　Erling　to　his；　and　put　on　all　his　speed；　Olaf　going；　soon　after　this；　altogether　invisible；behind　a　little　island　that　he　knew　of；　whence　into　a　certain　fjord　or　bay　（Bay　of　Fungen　on　the　maps）；　which　he　thought　would　suit　him。　　〃Halt　here；　and　get　out　your　arms；〃　said　Olaf；　and　had　not　to　wait　long　till　Erling　came　bounding　in；　past　the　rocky　promontory；　and　with　astonishment　beheld　Olaf's　fleet　of　twelve　with　their　battle…axes　and　their　grappling…irons　all　in　perfect　readiness。　These　fell　on　him；　the　unready　Erling；　simultaneous；　like　a　cluster　of　angry　bees；　and　in　a　few　minutes　cleared　his　ship　of　men　altogether；　except　Erling　himself。　　Nobody　asked　his　life；　nor　probably　would　have　got　it　if　he　had。　　Only　Erling　still　stood　erect　on　a　high　place　on　the　poop；　fiercely　defensive；　and　very　difficult　to　get　at。　　〃Could　not　be　reached　at　all；〃　says　Snorro；　〃except　by　spears　or　arrows；　and　these　he　warded　off　with　untiring　dexterity；　no　man　in　Norway；　it　was　said；　had　ever　defended　himself　so　long　alone　against　many；〃an　almost　invincible　Erling；　had　his　cause　been　good。　　Olaf　himself　noticed　Erling's　behavior；　and　said　to　him；　from　the　foredeck　below；　〃Thou　hast　turned　against　me　to…day；　Erling。〃　　〃The　eagles　fight　breast　to　breast；〃　answers　he。　　This　was　a　speech　of　the　king's　to　Erling　once　long　ago；　while　they　stood　fighting；　not　as　now；　but　side　by　side。　　The　king；　with　some　transient　thought　of　possibility　going　through　his　head；　rejoins；　〃Wilt　thou　surrender；　Erling？〃　　〃That　will　I；〃　answered　he；　took　the　helmet　off　his　head；　laid　down　sword　and　shield；　and　went　forward　to　the　forecastle　deck。　　The　king　pricked；　I　think　not　very　harshly；　into　Erling's　chin　or　beard　with　the　point　of　his　battle…axe；　saying；　〃I　must　mark　thee　as　traitor　to　thy　Sovereign；　though。〃　　Whereupon　one　of　the　bystanders；　Aslak　Fitiaskalle；　stupidly　and　fiercely　burst　up；　smote　Erling　on　the　head　with　his　axe；　so　that　it　struck　fast　in　his　brain　and　was　instantly　the　death　of　Erling。　〃Ill…luck　attend　thee　for　that　stroke；　thou　hast　struck　Norway　out　of　my　hand　by　it！〃　cried　the　king　to　Aslak；　but　forgave　the　poor　fellow；　who　had　done　it　meaning　well。　　The　insurrectionary　Bonder　fleet　arriving　soon　after；　as　if　for　certain　victory；　was　struck　with　astonishment　at　this　Erling　catastrophe；　and　being　now　without　any　leader　of　authority；　made　not　the　least　attempt　at　battle；　but；　full　of　discouragement　and　consternation；　thankfully　allowed　Olaf　to　sail　away　on　his　northward　voyage；　at　discretion；　and　themselves　went　off　lamenting；　with　Erling's　dead　body。

This　small　victory　was　the　last　that　Olaf　had　over　his　many　enemies　at　present。　　He　sailed　along；　still　northward；　day　after　day；　several　important　people　joined　him；　but　the　news　from　landward　grew　daily　more　ominous：　　Bonders　busily　arming　to　rear　of　him；　and　ahead；　Hakon　still　more　busily　at　Trondhjem；　now　near　by；　〃and　he　will　end　thy　days；　King；　if　he　have　strength　enough！〃　　Olaf　paused；　sent　scouts　to　a　hill…top：　　〃Hakon's　armament　visible　enough；　and　under　way　hitherward；　about　the　Isle　of　Bjarno；　yonder！〃　　Soon　after；　Olaf　himself　saw　the　Bonder　armament　of　twenty…five　ships；　from　the　southward；　sail　past　in　the　distance　to　join　that　of　Hakon；　and；　worse　still；　his　own　ships；　one　and　another　（seven　in　all）；　were　slipping　off　on　a　like　errand！　　He　made　for　the　Fjord　of　Fodrar；　mouth　of　the　rugged　strath　called　Valdal；which　I　think　still　knows　Olaf　and　has　now　an　〃Olaf's　Highway；〃　where；　nine　centuries　ago；　it　scarcely　had　a　path。　　Olaf　entered　this　fjord；　had　his　land…tent　set　up；　and　a　cross　beside　it；　on　the　small　level　green　behind　the　promontory　there。　Finding　that　his　twelve　poor　ships　were　now　reduced　to　five；　against　a　world　all　risen　upon　him；　he　could　not　but　see　and　admit　to　himself　that　there　was　no　chance　left；　and　that　he　must　withdraw　across　the　mountains　and　wait　for　a　better　time。

His　journey　through　that　wild　country；　in　these　forlorn　and　straitened　circumstances；　has　a　mournful　dignity　and　homely　pathos；　as　described　by　Snorro：　　how　he　drew　up　his　five　poor　ships　upon　the　beach；　packed　all　their　furniture　away；　and　with　his　hundred　or　so　of　attendants　and　their　journey…baggage；　under　guidance　of　some　friendly　Bonder；　rode　up　into　the　desert　and　foot　of　the　mountains；　scaled；　after　three　days'　effort　（as　if　by　miracle；　thought　his　attendants　and　thought　Snorro）；　the　well…nigh　precipitous　slope　that　led　across；　never　without　miraculous　aid　from　Heaven　and　Olaf　could　baggage…wagons　have　ascended　that　path！　　In　short；　How　he　fared　along；　beset　by　difficulties　and　the　mournfulest　thoughts；　but　patiently　persisted；　steadfastly　trusted　in　God；　and　was　fixed　to　return；　and　by　God's　help　try　again。　　An　evidently　very　pious　and　devout　man；　a　good　man　struggling　with　adversity；　such　as　the　gods；　we　may　still　imagine　with　the　ancients；　do　look　down　upon　as　their　noblest　sight。

He　got　to　Sweden；　to　the　court　of　his　brother…in…law；　kindly　and　nobly　enough　received　there；　though　gradually；　perhaps；　ill…seen　by　the　now　authorities　of　Norway。　　So　that；　before　long；　he　quitted　Sweden；　left　his　queen　there　with　her　only　daughter；　his　and　hers；　the　only　child　they　had；　he　himself　had　an　only　son；　〃by　a　bondwoman；〃　Magnus　by　name；　who　came　to　great　things　afterwards；　of　whom；　and　of　which；　by　and　by。　　With　this　bright　little　boy；　and　a　selected　escort　of　attendants；　he　moved　away　to　Russia；　to　King　Jarroslav；　where　he　might　wait　secure　against　all　risk　of　hurting　kind　friends　by　his　presence。　He　seems　to　have　been　an　exile　altogether　some　two　years；such　is　one's　vague　notion；　for　there　is　no　chronology　in　Snorro　or　his　Sagas；　and　one　is　reduced　to　guessing　and　inferring。　　He　had　reigned　over　Norway；　reckoning　from　the　first　days　of　his　landing　there　to　those　last　of　his　leaving　it　across　the　Dovrefjeld；　about　fifteen　years；　ten　of　them　shiningly　victorious。

The　news　from　Norway　were　naturally　agitating　to　King　Olaf　and；　in　the　fluctuation　of　events　there；　his　purposes　and　prospects　varied　much。　He　sometimes　thought　of　pilgriming　to　Jerusalem；　and　a　henceforth　exclusively　religious　life；　but　for　most　part　his　pious　thoughts　themselves　gravitated　towards　Norway；　and　a　stroke　for　his　old　place　and　task　there；　which　he　steadily　considered　to　have　been　committed　to　him　by　God。　　Norway；　by　the　rumors；　was　evidently　not　at　rest。　　Jarl　Hakon；　under　the　high　patronage　of　his　uncle；　had　lasted　there　but　a　little　whi