early kings of norway-第16部分

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y　not　at　rest。　　Jarl　Hakon；　under　the　high　patronage　of　his　uncle；　had　lasted　there　but　a　little　while。　　I　know　not　that　his　government　was　especially　unpopular；　nor　whether　he　himself　much　remembered　his　broken　oath。　　It　appears；　however；　he　had　left　in　England　a　beautiful　bride；　and　considering　farther　that　in　England　only　could　bridal　ornaments　and　other　wedding　outfit　of　a　sufficiently　royal　kind　be　found；　he　set　sail　thither；　to　fetch　her　and　them　himself。　　One　evening　of　wildish…looking　weather　he　was　seen　about　the　northeast　corner　of　the　Pentland　Frith；　the　night　rose　to　be　tempestuous；　Hakon　or　any　timber　of　his　fleet　was　never　seen　more。　　Had　all　gone　down；broken　oaths；　bridal　hopes；　and　all　else；　mouse　and　man；into　the　roaring　waters。　There　was　no　farther　Opposition…line；　the　like　of　which　had　lasted　ever　since　old　heathen　Hakon　Jarl；　down　to　this　his　grandson　Hakon's　_finis_　in　the　Pentland　Frith。　　With　this　Hakon's　disappearance　it　now　disappeared。

Indeed　Knut　himself；　though　of　an　empire　suddenly　so　great；　was　but　a　temporary　phenomenon。　　Fate　had　decided　that　the　grand　and　wise　Knut　was　to　be　short…lived；　and　to　leave　nothing　as　successors　but　an　ineffectual　young　Harald　Harefoot；　who　soon　perished；　and　a　still　stupider　fiercely…drinking　Harda…Knut；　who　rushed　down　of　apoplexy　（here　in　London　City；　as　I　guess）；　with　the　goblet　at　his　mouth；　drinking　health　and　happiness　at　a　wedding…feast；　also　before　long。

Hakon　having　vanished　in　this　dark　way；　there　ensued　a　pause；　both　on　Knut's　part　and　on　Norway's。　　Pause　or　interregnum　of　some　months；　till　it　became　certain；　first；　whether　Hakon　were　actually　dead；　secondly；　till　Norway；　and　especially　till　King　Knut　himself；　could　decide　what　to　do。　　Knut；　to　the　deep　disappointment；　which　had　to　keep　itself　silent；　of　three　or　four　chief　Norway　men；　named　none　of　these　three　or　four　Jarl　of　Norway；　but　bethought　him　of　a　certain　Svein；　a　bastard　son　of　his　own；who；　and　almost　still　more　his　English　mother；　much　desired　a　career　in　the　world　fitter　for　him；　thought　they　indignantly；　than　that　of　captain　over　Jomsburg；　where　alone　the　father　had　been　able　to　provide　for　him　hitherto。　　Svein　was　sent　to　Norway　as　king　or　vice…king　for　Father　Knut；　and　along　with　him　his　fond　and　vehement　mother。　　Neither　of　whom　gained　any　favor　from　the　Norse　people　by　the　kind　of　management　they　ultimately　came　to　show。

Olaf　on　news　of　this　change；　and　such　uncertainty　prevailing　everywhere　in　Norway　as　to　the　future　course　of　things；　whether　Svein　would　come；　as　was　rumored　of　at　last；　and　be　able　to　maintain　himself　if　he　did；thought　there　might　be　something　in　it　of　a　chance　for　himself　and　his　rights。　　And；　after　lengthened　hesitation；　much　prayer；　pious　invocation；　and　consideration；　decided　to　go　and　try　it。　The　final　grain　that　had　turned　the　balance；　it　appears；　was　a　half…waking　morning　dream；　or　almost　ocular　vision　he　had　of　his　glorious　cousin　Olaf　Tryggveson；　who　severely　admonished；　exhorted；　and　encouraged　him；　and　disappeared　grandly；　just　in　the　instant　of　Olaf's　awakening；　so　that　Olaf　almost　fancied　he　had　seen　the　very　figure　of　him；　as　it　melted　into　air。　　〃Let　us　on；　let　us　on！〃　thought　Olaf　always　after　that。　　He　left　his　son；　not　in　Russia；　but　in　Sweden　with　the　Queen；　who　proved　very　good　and　carefully　helpful　in　wise　ways　to　him：in　Russia　Olaf　had　now　nothing　more　to　do　but　give　his　grateful　adieus；　and　get　ready。

His　march　towards　Sweden；　and　from　that　towards　Norway　and　the　passes　of　the　mountains；　down　Vaerdal；　towards　Stickelstad；　and　the　crisis　that　awaited；　is　beautifully　depicted　by　Snorro。　　It　has；　all　of　it；　the　description　（and　we　see　clearly；　the　fact　itself　had）；　a　kind　of　pathetic　grandeur；　simplicity；　and　rude　nobleness；　something　Epic　or　Homeric；　without　the　metre　or　the　singing　of　Homer；　but　with　all　the　sincerity；　rugged　truth　to　nature；　and　much　more　of　piety；　devoutness；　reverence　for　what　is　forever　High　in　this　Universe；　than　meets　us　in　those　old　Greek　Ballad…mongers。　　Singularly　visual　all　of　it；　too；　brought　home　in　every　particular　to　one's　imagination；　so　that　it　stands　out　almost　as　a　thing　one　actually　saw。

Olaf　had　about　three　thousand　men　with　him；　gathered　mostly　as　he　fared　along　through　Norway。　　Four　hundred；　raised　by　one　Dag；　a　kinsman　whom　he　had　found　in　Sweden　and　persuaded　to　come　with　him；　marched　usually　in　a　separate　body；　and　were；　or　might　have　been；　rather　an　important　element。　　Learning　that　the　Bonders　were　all　arming；　especially　in　Trondhjem　country；　Olaf　streamed　down　towards　them　in　the　closest　order　he　could。　　By　no　means　very　close；　subsistence　even　for　three　thousand　being　difficult　in　such　a　country。　His　speech　was　almost　always　free　and　cheerful；　though　his　thoughts　always　naturally　were　of　a　high　and　earnest；　almost　sacred　tone；　devout　above　all。　　Stickelstad；　a　small　poor　hamlet　still　standing　where　the　valley　ends；　was　seen　by　Olaf；　and　tacitly　by　the　Bonders　as　well；　to　be　the　natural　place　for　offering　battle。　　There　Olaf　issued　out　from　the　hills　one　morning：　　drew　himself　up　according　to　the　best　rules　of　Norse　tactics；　rules　of　little　complexity；　but　perspicuously　true　to　the　facts。　　I　think　he　had　a　clear　open　ground　still　rather　raised　above　the　plain　in　front；　he　could　see　how　the　Bonder　army　had　not　yet　quite　arrived；　but　was　pouring　forward；　in　spontaneous　rows　or　groups；　copiously　by　every　path。　　This　was　thought　to　be　the　biggest　army　that　ever　met　in　Norway；　〃certainly　not　much　fewer　than　a　hundred　times　a　hundred　men；〃　according　to　Snorro；　great　Bonders　several　of　them；　small　Bonders　very　many；all　of　willing　mind；　animated　with　a　hot　sense　of　intolerable　injuries。　　〃King　Olaf　had　punished　great　and　small　with　equal　rigor；〃　says　Snorro；　〃which　appeared　to　the　chief　people　of　the　country　too　severe；　and　animosity　rose　to　the　highest　when　they　lost　relatives　by　the　King's　just　sentence；　although　they　were　in　reality　guilty。　　He　again　would　rather　renounce　his　dignity　than　omit　righteous　judgment。　　The　accusation　against　him；　of　being　stingy　with　his　money；　was　not　just；　for　he　was　a　most　generous　man　towards　his　friends。　　But　that　alone　was　the　cause　of　the　discontent　raised　against　him；　that　he　appeared　hard　and　severe　in　his　retributions。　　Besides；　King　Knut　offered　large　sums　of　money；　and　the　great　chiefs　were　corrupted　by　this；　and　by　his　offering　them　greater　dignities　than　they　had　possessed　before。〃　　On　these　grounds；　against　the　intolerable　man；　great　and　small　were　now　pouring　along　by　every　path。

Olaf　perceived　it　would　still　be　some　time　before　the　Bonder　army　was　in　rank。　　His　own　Dag　of　Sweden；　too；　was　not　yet　come　up；　he　was　to　have　the　right　banner；　King　Olaf's　own　being　the　middle　or　grand　one；　some　other　person　the　third　or　left　banner。　　All　which　being　perfectly　ranked　and　settled；　according　to　the　best　rules；　and　waiting　only　the　arrival　of　Dag；　Olaf　bade　his　men　sit　down；　and　freshen　themselves　with　a　little　rest。　　There　were　religious　services　gone　through：　　a　matins…worship　such　as　there　have　been　few；　sternly　earnest　to　the　heart　of　it；　and　deep　as　death　and　eternity；　at　least　on　Olaf's　own　part。　　For　the　rest　Thormod　sang　a　stave　of　the　fiercest　Skaldic　poetry　that　was　in　him；　all　the　army　straightway　sang　it　in　chorus　with　fiery　mind。　　The　Bonder　of　the　nearest　farm　came　up；　to　tell　Olaf　that　he　also　wished　to　fight　for　him　〃Thanks　to　thee；　but　don't；〃　said　Olaf；　〃stay　at　home　rather；　that　the　wounded　may　have　some　shelter。〃　To　this　Bonder；　Olaf　delivered　all　the　money　he　had；　with　solemn　order　to　lay　out　the　whole　of　it　in　masses　and　prayers　for　the　souls　of　such　of　his　enemies　as　fell。　　〃Such　of　thy　enemies；　King？〃　　〃Yes；　surely；〃　said　Olaf；　〃my　friends　will　all　either　conquer；　or　go　whither　I　also　am　going。〃

At　last　the　Bonder　army　too　was　got　ranked；　three　commanders；　one　of　them　with　a　kind　of　loose　chief　command；　having　settled　to　take　charge　of　it；　and　began　to　shake　itself　towards　actual　advance。　　Olaf；　in　the　mean　while；　had　laid　his　head　on　the　knees　of　Finn　Arneson；　his　trustiest　man；　and　fallen　fast　asleep。　　Finn's　brother；　Kalf　Arneson；　once　a　warm　friend　of　Olaf；　was　chief　of　the　three　commanders　on　the　opposite　side。　　Finn　and　he　addressed　angry　speech　to　one　another　from　the　opposite　ranks；　when　they　came　near　enough。　　Finn；　seeing　the　enemy　fairly　approach；　stirred　Olaf　from　his　sleep。　　〃Oh；　why　hast　thou　wakened　me　from　such　a　dream？〃　said　Olaf；　in　a　deeply　solemn　tone。　　〃What　dream　was　it；　then？〃　asked　Finn。　　〃Idreamt　that　there　rose　a　ladder　here　reaching　up　to　very　Heaven；〃　said　Olaf；　〃I　had　climbed　and　climbed；　and　got　to　the　very　last　step；　and　should　have　entered　there　hadst　thou　given　me　another　moment。〃　　〃King；　I　doubt　thou　art　_fey_；　I　do　not　quite　like　that　dream。〃

The　actual　fight　began　about　one　of　the　clock　in　a　most　bright　last　day　of　July；　and　was　very　fierce　and　hot；　especially　on　the　part　of　Olaf's　men；　who　shook　the　others　back　a　little；　though　fierce　enough　they　too；　and　had　Dag　been　on　the　ground；　which　he　wasn't　yet；　it　was　thought　victory　might　have　been　won。　　Soon　after　battle　joined；　the　sky　grew　of　a　ghastly　brass　or　copper　color；　darker　and　darker；　till　thick　night　involved　all　things；　and　did　not　clear　away　again　till　battle　was　near　ending。　　Dag；　with　his　four　hundred；　arrived　in　the　darkness；　and　made　a　furious　charge；　what　was　afterwards；　in　the　speech　of　the　people；　called　〃Dag's　storm。〃　　Which　had　nearly　prevailed；　but　could　not　quite；　victory　again　inclining　to　the　so　vastly　larger　party。　　It　is　uncertain　still　how　the　matter　would　have　gone；　for　Olaf　himself　was　now　fighting　with　his　own　hand；　and　doing　deadly　execution　on　his　busiest　enemies　to　right　and　to　left。　　But　one　of　these　chief　rebels；　Thorer　Hund　（thought　to　have　learnt　magic　from　the　Laplanders；　whom　he　long　traded　with；　and　made　money　by）；　mysteriously　would　not　fall　for　Olaf's　best　strokes。　　Best　strokes　brought　only　dust　from　the　（enchanted）　deer…skin　coat　of　the　fellow；　to　Olaf's　surprise；when　another　of　the　rebel　chiefs　rushed　forward；　struck　Olaf　with　his　battle…axe；　a　wild　slashing　wound；　and　miserably　broke　his　thigh；　so　that　he　staggered　or　was　supported　back　to　the　nearest　stone；　and　there　sat　down；　lamentably　calling　on　God　to　help　him