Читать книгу Saga of Halfred the Sigskald - Felix Dahn - Страница 9

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And when the depth of winter was passed, and the spring was come, Halfred sent a message to Upsala, to King Hartstein, that at the midsummer tide Dame Harthild should bear a child.

And the wise women had thrown runic rods over her seven times, and had learned each time by unerring signs that the child should be a son. And already was his name chosen, "Sigurd Sigskaldson."

And Halfred bade the king, and Hartvik and Eigil, and Vandred the Skald, and all the people from the castle at Upsala, as many as the ships would hold, to be his guests at Hamund's hall, twenty nights before the midsummer tide.

And there, at the birth and naming of the boy, a great feast should be held, such as had never before been held in Iceland.

And King Hartstein gave answer that he and all his people, as many as twelve ships could carry, would come as bidden, to the feast.

Thus at the beginning of the month of roses came King Hartstein, and Hartvik, and Eigil, and many hundred men from the castle at Upsala; and people from all parts of Tiunderland.

And among the women who came also, the first that descended from the ship was Sudha. She had begged that she might come, out of longing to see Harthild.

And again there was close friendship between Halfred and his blood-brethren, Hartvik and Eigil. They shared their table and bread and salt.

Thus they waited the birth of the heir of the hall, on the midsummer day, and made ready a great feast in the Mead hall.

Rich hangings of silken and woven stuffs which Halfred had borne away from the islands of Greece were spread upon the wooden walls of the drinking hall; the floor was strewn deep with rushes and clean straw, and the tables and benches were set out in two long rows, and one cross row.

On all the pillars of the walls were hung curiously interlaced weapons, which the Viking had gathered from boarded ships, stormed castles, and victorious battlefields. But on sideboards around were set out the many cups and horns of gold, silver, bronze, amber, and precious horn, which the Sigskald had won, by singing in the halls of kings.

But straight before Halfred towered the lofty candalabrum from Greece, with its seven flaming arms.

Eigil and Hartvik were to sit on his left hand, the guests from Tiunderland and the other strangers on the long benches to the right, the house churls and islanders on the long benches to the left of the dais. And the most honoured guests had even cushions for the back, brought from a pillared marble house which had been burnt on the coast of Rumaberg.

The women, however, were not to come into the hall, but to tarry with Harthild, and await her hour in the chamber of the women.

This was all splendidly ordered, and Halfred himself told me that never, neither as guest nor as host, had he seen such magnificent festival preparations.

Two days before the feast, as Halfred, wearied with the summer heat, lay upon his couch after the mid-day meal, Sudha glided softly through the doorway, and stood before him, and spoke—

"Halfred, skill in song, victory and fame have been thine for twenty years.

A wife hast thou had for one year—an heir shalt thou have but now.

But never hast thou known Freya's gift—Love's Fulness—

Contradict me not—thine eye shuns Dame Harthild's seeking glance;

And when thou dreamingly sweepest the strings of thy harp, thou gazest

Not in Dame Harthild's cold hard face, but upwards towards the stars.

Halfred, not in the clouds dwelleth that for which thou yearnest.

Not from the stars shall it float down upon thee; upon the earth it wanders,

It is a woman, who with love's charm, with woman's magic, can subdue the Singing Swan—

Woe to thee if thou never findest her—

What though thou win all fame with sword and harp—the best is still denied thee.

Askest thou what maketh me so wise, and withal so daring?

Love, love's fulness for thee, thou rich yet poor Sigskald.

Behold, I am but a woman—a captive—but I tell thee there is heroism even for women.

I have sworn by the infernal gods, as I crossed thy threshold,

that here, in Iceland, I will win thy love, or die."

Then Halfred arose from his couch, and spoke—

"Wisdom and madness mingled hast thou spoken. There speaks from thee more than Sudha. There speaks a soul stricken of the gods.

Horror and compassion seize upon me. I will demand thy freedom from King Hartstein. Then journey homewards to Halagoland.

There mayest thou find happiness in the arms of some valiant hero.

But here, let Dame Harthild's rights and hearth be sacred unto thee. Disturb not her happiness."

And he seized his spear and strode out. But Sudha cried after him, so that he still heard her—"Her happiness? Long has she divined her misery. Soon shall she clearly perceive, the haughty one, that she is more unspeakably wretched than Sudha."

Then, the evening of the same day, she called to her Vandrad the Skald, who still always cherished great love for her, to the well in the court, as though she would beg him to draw up for her from the depth the heavy water bucket. This did Vandrad later, when dying, himself tell Halfred.

But when he had raised the bucket to the edge of the well, she lightly laid a finger on his bare arm, and said—

"Vandrad, come hither to-night, just when the star Oervandil is mirrored in this well. Thou shall tell me all that formerly came to pass here, about that oath on the Bragi cup."

Vandrad considered within himself, and he looked doubtingly at her.

Then she said—"Vandrad, I swear to thee by [5]Freya's throat jewels that I will become thy wife when I leave this island. Wilt thou now come and tell me all?"

[5: "Brisingamene," the necklace of Freya, the goddess of love, was the symbol of female charm and attraction.]

Then Vandrad swore to do what she required.