heimskringla-第70部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


r。〃

Thorer　replies；　〃I　will　give　thee　the　information　that　thou　needst　not　go　farther　to　buy　corn；　or　travel　about　here　in　Rogaland；　for　I　can　tell　thee　that　thou　must　turn　about；　and　not　travel　farther；　for　the　king　forbids　carrying　corn　out　of　this　to　the　north　of　the　country。　　Sail　back　again；　Halogalander；　for　that　will　be　thy　safest　course。〃

Asbjorn　replies；　〃If　it　be　so；　bonde；　as　thou　sayest；　that　we　can　get　no　corn　here　to　buy；　I　will；　notwithstanding；　go　forward　upon　my　errand；　and　visit　my　family　in　Sole；　and　see　my　relation　Erling's　habitation。〃

Thorer：　〃How　near　is　thy　relationship　to　Erling？〃

Asbjorn：　〃My　mother　is　his　sister。〃

Thorer：　〃It　may　be　that　I　have　spoken　heedlessly；　if　so　be　that　thou　art　sister's　son　of　Erling。〃

Thereupon　Asbjorn　and　his　crew　struck　their　tents；　and　turned　the　ship　to　sea。　　Thorer　called　after　them。　〃A　good　voyage；　and　come　here　again　on　your　way　back。〃　　Asbjorn　promised　to　do　so；　sailed　away；　and　came　in　the　evening　to　Jadar。　　Asbjorn　went　on　shore　with　ten　men；　the　other　ten　men　watched　the　ship。　　When　Asbjorn　came　to　the　house　he　was　very　well　received；　and　Erling　was　very　glad　to　see　him；　placed　him　beside　himself；　and　asked　him　all　the　news　in　the　north　of　the　country。　　Asbjorn　concealed　nothing　of　his　business　from　him；　and　Erling　said　it　happened　unfortunately　that　the　king　had　just　forbid　the　sale　of　corn。　　〃And　I　know　no　man　here。〃　says　he；　〃who　has　courage　to　break　the　king's　order；　and　I　find　it　difficult　to　keep　well　with　the　king；　so　many　are　trying　to　break　our　friendship。〃

Asbjorn　replies；　〃It　is　late　before　we　learn　the　truth。　　In　my　childhood　I　was　taught　that　my　mother　was　freeborn　throughout　her　whole　descent；　and　that　Erling　of　Sole　was　her　boldest　relation；　and　now　I　hear　thee　say　that　thou　hast　not　the　freedom；　for　the　king's　slaves　here　in　Jadar；　to　do　with　thy　own　corn　what　thou　pleasest。〃

Erling　looked　at　him；　smiled　through　his　teeth；　and　said；　〃Ye　Halogalanders　know　less　of　the　king's　power　than　we　do　here；　but　a　bold　man　thou　mayst　be　at　home　in　thy　conversation。　　Let　us　now　drink；　my　friend；　and　we　shall　see　tomorrow　what　can　be　done　in　thy　business。〃

They　did　so；　and　were　very　merry　all　the　evening。　　The　following　day　Erling　and　Asbjorn　talked　over　the　matter　again；　and　Erling　said。　〃I　have　found　out　a　way　for　you　to　purchase　corn；　Asbjorn。　It　is　the　same　thing　to　you　whoever　is　the　seller。〃　　He　answered　that　he　did　not　care　of　whom　he　bought　the　corn；　if　he　got　a　good　right　to　his　purchase。　　Erling　said。　〃It　appears　to　me　probable　that　my　slaves　have　quite　as　much　corn　as　you　require　to　buy；　and　they　are　not　subject　to　law；　or　land　regulation；　like　other　men。〃　Asbjorn　agreed　to　the　proposal。　　The　slaves　were　now　spoken　to　about　the　purchase；　and　they　brought　forward　corn　and　malt；　which　they　sold　to　Asbjorn；　so　that　he　loaded　his　vessel　with　what　he　wanted。　　When　he　was　ready　for　sea　Erling　followed　him　on　the　road；　made　him　presents　of　friendship；　and　they　took　a　kind　farewell　of　each　other。　　Asbjorn　got　a　good　breeze；　landed　in　the　evening　at　Karmtsund；　near　to　Augvaldsnes；　and　remained　there　for　the　night。　　Thorer　Sel　had　heard　of　Asbjorn's　voyage；　and　also　that　his　vessel　was　deeply　laden。　　Thorer　summoned　people　to　him　in　the　night；　so　that　before　daylight　he　had　sixty　men；　and　with　these　he　went　against　Asbjorn　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　and　went　out　to　the　ship　just　as　Asbjorn　and　his　men　were　putting　on　their　clothes。　　Asbjorn　saluted　Thorer；　and　Thorer　asked　what　kind　of　goods　Asbjorn　had　in　the　vessel。

He　replied；　〃Corn　and　malt。〃

Thorer　said；　〃Then　Erling　is　doing　as　he　usually　does；　and　despising　the　king's　orders；　and　is　unwearied　in　opposing　him　in　all　things；　insomuch　that　it　is　wonderful　the　king　suffers　it。〃

Thorer　went　on　scolding　in　this　way；　and　when　he　was　silent　Asbjorn　said　that　Erling's　slaves　had　owned　the　corn。

Thorer　replied　hastily；　that　he　did　not　regard　Erling's　tricks。　〃And　now；　Asbjorn；　there　is　no　help　for　it；　ye　must　either　go　on　shore；　or　we　will　throw　you　overboard；　for　we　will　not　be　troubled　with　you　while　we　are　discharging　the　cargo。〃

Asbjorn　saw　that　he　had　not　men　enough　to　resist　Thorer；　therefore　he　and　his　people　landed；　and　Thorer　took　the　whole　cargo　out　of　the　vessel。　　When　the　vessel　was　discharged　Thorer　went　through　the　ship；　and　observed。　〃Ye　Halogalanders　have　good　sails：　take　the　old　sail　of　our　vessel　and　give　it　them；　it　is　good　enough　for　those　who　are　sailing　in　a　light　vessel。〃　　Thus　the　sails　were　exchanged。　　When　this　was　done　Asbjorn　and　his　comrades　sailed　away　north　along　the　coast；　and　did　not　stop　until　they　reached　home　early　in　whiter。　　This　expedition　was　talked　of　far　and　wide；　and　Asbjorn　had　no　trouble　that　winter　in　making　feasts　at　home。　　Thorer　Hund　invited　Asbjorn　and　his　mother；　and　also　all　whom　they　pleased　to　take　along　with　him；　to　a　Yule　feast；　but　Asbjorn　sat　at　home；　and　would　not　travel；　and　it　was　to　be　seen　that　Thorer　thought　Asbjorn　despised　his　invitation；　since　he　would　not　come。　　Thorer　scoffed　much　at　Asbjorn's　voyage。　　〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　evident　that　Asbjorn　makes　a　great　difference　in　his　respect　towards　his　relations；　for　in　summer　he　took　the　greatest　trouble　to　visit　his　relation　Erling　in　Jadar；　and　now　will　not　take　the　trouble　to　come　to　me　in　the　next　house。　　I　don't　know　if　he　thinks　there　may　be　a　Thorer　Sel　in　his　way　upon　every　holm。〃　　Such　words；　and　the　like　sarcasms；　Asbjorn　heard　of；　and　very　ill　satisfied　he　was　with　his　voyage；　which　had　thus　made　him　a　laughing…stock　to　the　country；　and　he　remained　at　home　all　winter；　and　went　to　no　feasts。



124。　MURDER　OF　THORER　SEL。

Asbjorn　had　a　long…ship　standing　in　the　noust　（shipshed）；　and　it　was　a　snekke　（cutter）　of　twenty　benches；　and　after　Candlemas　（February　2；　1023）；　he　had　the　vessel　put　in　the　water；　brought　out　all　his　furniture；　and　rigged　her　out。　　He　then　summoned　to　him　his　friends　and　people；　so　that　he　had　nearly　ninety　men　all　well　armed。　　When　he　was　ready　for　sea；　and　got　a　wind；　he　sailed　south　along　the　coast；　but　as　the　wind　did　not　suit；　they　advanced　but　slowly。　　When　they　came　farther　south　they　steered　outside　the　rocks；　without　the　usual　ships'　channel；　keeping　to　sea　as　much　as　it　was　possible　to　do　so。　　Nothing　is　related　of　his　voyage　before　the　fifth　day　of　Easter　（April　18；　1023）；　when；　about　evening；　they　came　on　the　outside　of　Karmt　Island。　　This　island　is　so　shaped　that　it　is　very　long；　but　not　broad　at　its　widest　part；　and　without　it　lies　the　usual　ships'　channel。　　It　is　thickly　inhabited；　but　where　the　island　is　exposed　to　the　ocean　great　tracts　of　it　are　uncultivated。　　Asbjorn　and　his　men　landed　at　a　place　in　the　island　that　was　uninhabited。　　After　they　had　set　up　their　ship…tents　Asbjorn　said；　〃Now　ye　must　remain　here　and　wait　for　me。　　I　will　go　on　land　in　the　isle；　and　spy　what　news　there　may　be　which　we　know　nothing　of。〃　　Asbjorn　had　on　mean　clothes；　a　broadbrimmed　hat；　a　fork　in　his　hand；　but　had　girt　on　his　sword　under　his　clothes。　　He　went　up　to　the　land；　and　in　through　the　island；　and　when　he　came　upon　a　hillock；　from　which　he　could　see　the　house　on　Augvaldsnes；　and　on　as　far　as　Karmtsund；　he　saw　people　in　all　quarters　flocking　together　by　land　and　by　sea；　and　all　going　up　to　the　house　of　Augvaldsnes。　This　seemed　to　him　extraordinary；　and　therefore　he　went　up　quietly　to　a　house　close　by；　in　which　servants　were　cooking　meat。　From　their　conversation　he　discovered　immediately　that　the　king　Olaf　had　come　there　to　a　feast；　and　that　he　had　just　sat　down　to　table。　　Asbjorn　turned　then　to　the　feasting…room；　and　when　he　came　into　the　ante…room　one　was　going　in　and　another　coming　out；　but　nobody　took　notice　of　him。　　The　hall…door　was　open；　and　he　saw　that　Thorer　Sel　stood　before　the　table　of　the　high…seat。　　It　was　getting　late　in　the　evening；　and　Asbjorn　heard　people　ask　Thorer　what　had　taken　place　between　him　and　Asbjorn；　and　Thorer　had　a　long　story　about　it；　in　which　he　evidently　departed　from　the　truth。　　Among　other　things　he　heard　a　man　say；　〃How　did　Asbjorn　behave　when　you　discharged　his　vessel？〃　　Thorer　replied；　〃When　we　were　taking　out　the　cargo　he　bore　it　tolerably；　but　not　well；　and　when　we　took　the　sail　from　him　he　wept。〃　　When　Asbjorn　heard　this　he　suddenly　drew　his　sword；　rushed　into　the　hall；　and　cut　at　Thorer。　　The　stroke　took　him　in　the　neck；　so　that　the　head　fell　upon　the　table　before　the　king；　and　the　body　at　his　feet；　and　the　table…cloth　was　soiled　with　blood　from　top　to　bottom。　　The　king　ordered　him　to　be　seized　and　taken　out。　　This　was　done。　They　laid　hands　on　Asbjorn；　and　took　him　from　the　hall。　　The　table…furniture　and　table…cloths　were　removed；　and　also　Thorer's　corpse；　and　all　the　blood　wiped　up。　　The　king　was　enraged　to　the　highest；　but　remained　quiet　in　speech；　as　he　always　was　when　in　anger。



125。　OF　SKJALG；　THE　SON　OF　ERLING　SKJALGSON。

Skjalg　Erlingson　stood　up；　went　before　the　king；　and　said；　〃Now　may　it　go；　as　it　often　does；　that　every　case　will　admit　of　alleviation。　　I　will　pay　thee　the　mulct　for　the　bloodshed　on　account　of　this　man；　so　that　he　may　retain　life　and　limbs。　　All　the　rest　determine　and　do；　king；　according　to　thy　pleasure。〃

The　king　replies；　〃Is　it　not　a　matter　of　death；　Skjalg；　that　a　man　break　the　Easter　peace；　and　in　the　next　place　that　he　kills　a　man　in　the　king's　lodging；　and　in　the　third　that　he　makes　my　feet　his　execution…block；　although　that　may　appear　a　small　matter　to　thee　and　thy　father？〃

Skjalg　replies；　〃It　is　ill　done；　king；　in　as　far　as　it　displeases　thee；　but　the　deed　is；　otherwise；　done　excellently　well。　　But　if　the　deed　appear　to　thee　so　important；　and　be　so　contrary　to　thy　will；　yet　may　I　expect　something　for　my　services　from　thee；　and　certainly　there　are　many　who　will　say　that　thou　didst　well。〃

The　king　replies；　〃Although　thou　hast　made　me　greatly　indebted　to　thee；　Skjalg；　for　thy　services；　yet　I　will　not　for　thy　sake　break　the　law；　or　cast　away　my　own　dignity。〃

Then　Skjalg　turned　round；　and　went　out　of　the　hall。　　Twelve　men　who　had　come　with　Skjalg　all　followed　him；　and　many　others　went　out　with　him。　　Skjalg　said　to　Thorarin　Nefiulfson；　〃If　thou　wilt　have　me　for　a　friend；　take　care　that　this　man　be　not　killed　before　Sunday。〃　　Thereupon　Skjalg　and　his　men