mc.eatersofthedead-第19章

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to　share　in　that　belief；　and　so　it　was　with　me。
　The　women　of　the　North　people　are　pale　as　the　men；　and　equally　as　tall　in　stature；　the　greater　number　of　them　looked　down　upon　my　head。　The　women　have　blue　eyes　and　wear　their　hair　very　long；　but　the　hair　is　fine　and　easily　snarled。　Therefore　they　bundle　it　up　about　their　necks　and　upon　their　heads；　to　aid　in　this；　they　have　fashioned　for　themselves　all　manner　of　clasps　and　pins　of　ornamented　silver　or　wood。　This　constitutes　their　principal　adornment。　Also　the　wife　of　a　rich　man　wears　neck　chains　of　gold　and　silver；　as　I　have　earlier　said；　so；　too；　do　the　women　favor　bracelets　of　silver；　formed　in　the　shape　of　dragons　and　snakes；　and　these　they　wear　upon　the　arm　between　the　elbow　and　shoulder。　The　designs　of　the　North　people　are　intricate　and　interlaced；　as　if　to　portray　the　weaving　of　tree　branches　or　serpents；　these　designs　are　most　beautiful。22
　The　North　people　account　themselves　keen　judges　of　beauty　in　women。　But　in　truth；　all　their　women　seemed　to　my　eyes　to　be　emaciated；　their　bodies　all　angles　and　lumpy　with　bones；　their　faces；　too；　are　bony　and　the　cheeks　set　high。　These　qualities　the　Northmen　value　and　praise；　although　such　a　woman　would　not　attract　a　glance　in　the　City　of　Peace　but　would　be　accounted　no　better　than　a　half…starved　dog　with　protruding　ribs。　The　Northwomen　have　ribs　that　protrude　in　just　such　a　fashion。
　I　do　not　know　why　the　women　are　so　thin；　for　they　eat　lustily；　and　as　much　as　the　men；　yet　gain　no　flesh　upon　their　bodies。
　Also　the　women　show　no　deference；　or　any　demure　behavior；　they　are　never　veiled；　and　they　relieve　themselves　in　public　places；　as　suits　their　urge。　Similarly　they　will　make　bold　advances　to　any　man　who　catches　their　fancy；　as　if　they　were　men　themselves；　and　the　warriors　never　chide　them　for　this。　Such　is　the　case　even　if　the　woman　be　a　slave；　for　as　I　have　said；　the　Northmen　are　most　kind　and　forbearing　to　their　slaves；　especially　the　women　slaves。
　With　the　progression　of　the　day；　I　saw　clearly　that　the　defenses　of　Buliwyf　would　not　be　pleted　by　nightfall；　neither　the　pole　fence　nor　the　shallow　ditch。　Buliwyf　saw　it　also；　and　called　to　King　Rothgar；　who　summoned　the　old　crone。　This　old　crone；　who　was　withered　and　had　the　beard　of　a　man；　killed　a　sheep　and　spread　the　entrails23　on　the　ground。　Then　she　made　a　variety　of　chanting　song；　which　lasted　a　lengthy　time；　and　much　supplication　to　the　sky。
　I　still　did　not　ask　Herger　of　this；　because　of　his　mood。　Instead　I　watched　the　other　warriors　of　Buliwyf；　who　looked　to　the　sea。　The　ocean　was　gray　and　rough；　the　sky　leaden；　but　a　strong　breeze　blew　toward　the　land。　This　satisfied　the　warriors；　and　I　guessed　the　reason：　that　an　ocean　breeze　toward　the　land　would　prevent　the　mist　from　descending　from　the　hills。　This　was　true。
　Upon　nightfall；　work　was　halted　on　the　defenses；　and　to　my　perplexity　Rothgar　held　another　banquet　of　splendid　proportions；　and　this　evening　while　I　watched；　Buliwyf；　and　Herger；　and　all　the　other　warriors　drank　much　mead　and　reveled　as　if　they　lacked　any　worldly　cares；　and　had　their　way　with　the　slavewomen；　and　then　all　sank　into　a　stuporous　droning　sleep。
　Now　this　also　I　learned：　that　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　had　chosen　from　among　the　slavewomen　one　whom　in　particular　they　favored；　although　not　to　the　exclusion　of　others。　In　intoxication；　Herger　said　to　me　of　the　woman　he　had　favored；　〃She　shall　die　with　me；　if　need　be。〃　From　this　I　took　as　the　meaning　that　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　had　selected　some　woman　who　would　die　for　him　upon　the　funeral　pyre；　and　this　woman　they　treated　with　more　courtesy　and　attention　than　the　others；　for　they　were　visitors　to　this　country；　and　had　no　slavewomen　of　their　own　who　could　be　ordered　by　kin　to　do　their　bidding。
　Now；　in　the　early　period　of　my　time　among　the　Venden；　the　Northwomen　would　not　approach　me；　on　account　of　my　darkness　of　skin　and　hair；　but　there　was　much　whispering　and　glancing　in　my　direction；　and　giggles　one　to　another。　I　saw　that　these　unveiled　women　would　nonetheless　make　a　veil　with　their　hands　from　time　to　time；　and　especially　when　they　were　laughing。　Then　I　had　asked　of　Herger：　〃Why　do　they　do　this　thing？〃　for　I　wished　not　to　behave　in　a　manner　contrary　to　the　North　custom。
　Herger　made　this　reply：　〃The　women　believe　that　the　Arabs　are　as　stallions；　for　so　they　have　heard　as　a　rumor。〃　Nor　was　this　any　amazement　to　me；　for　this　reason：　in　all　the　lands　I　have　traveled；　and　so　also　within　the　round　walls　of　the　City　of　Peace；　verily　in　every　location　where　men　gather　and　make　for　themselves　a　society；　I　have　learned　these　things　to　be　truths。　First；　that　the　peoples　of　a　particular　land　believe　their　customs　to　be　fitting　and　proper　and　better　than　any　other。　Second；　that　any　stranger；　a　man　or　also　a　woman；　is　accounted　inferior　in　all　ways　save　in　the　matter　of　generation。　Thus　the　Turks　believe　the　Persians　gifted　lovers；　the　Persians　stand　in　awe　of　the　black…skinned　peoples；　and　they　in　turn　of　some　others；　severally；　and　so　it　continues；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　proportion　of　genitalia；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　endurance　in　the　act；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　especial　skill　or　posturing。
　I　cannot　say　whether　the　Northwomen　truly　believe　as　Herger　spoke；　but　verily　I　discovered　that　they　were　much　amazed　at　me　by　virtue　of　my　surgery；24　which　practice　is　unknown　among　them；　as　they　are　dirty　heathens。　Of　the　manner　of　thrusting；　these　women　are　noisy　and　energetic；　and　of　such　odor　that　I　was　obliged　to　stop　my　breath　for　the　duration；　also　they　are　given　to　bucking　and　twisting；　scratching　and　biting；　so　that　a　man　may　be　thrown　from　his　mount；　as　the　Northmen　speak　of　it。　For　myself　I　accounted　the　whole　business　more　pain　than　pleasure。
　The　Northmen　say　of　the　act；　〃I　did　battle　with　such　a　woman　or　another；〃　and　proudly　show　their　blue　marks　and　abrasions　to　their　rades；　as　if　these　were　true　wounds　of　warfare。　However；　the　men　never　did　injury　to　any　woman　that　I　could　see。
　Now　this　night；　while　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　slept；　I　was　too　afraid　to　drink　or　laugh；　I　feared　the　return　of　the　wendol。　Yet　they　did　not　return；　and　I　also　eventually　slept；　but　fitfully。
　Now　in　the　following　day　there　was　no　wind；　and　all　the　people　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　worked　with　dedication　and　fear；　there　was　talk　everywhere　of　the　Korgon；　and　the　certainty　that　it　would　attack　upon　the　night。　The　clawmark　wounds　on　my　face　now　pained　me；　for　they　pinched　as　they　healed；　and　ached　whenever　I　moved　my　mouth　to　eat　or　speak。　Also　it　is　true　that　my　warrior's　fever　had　left　me。　I　was　afraid　once　more；　and　I　worked　in　silence　alongside　the　women　and　old　men。
　Toward　the　middle　time　of　the　day；　I　was　visited　by　the　old　and　toothless　noble　whom　I　had　spoken　to　in　the　banquet　hall。　This　old　noble　sought　me　out；　and　said　thus　in　Latin；　〃I　will　have　words　with　you。〃　He　led　me　to　step　a　few　paces　apart　from　the　workers　at　the　defenses。　Now　he　made　a　great　show　of　examining　my　wounds；　which　in　truth　were　not　serious；　and　while　he　examined　these　cuts　he　said　to　me；　〃I　have　a　warning　for　your　pany。　There　is　unrest　in　the　heart　of　Rothgar。〃　This　he　spoke　in　Latin。
　〃What　is　the　cause？〃　I　said。
　〃It　is　the　herald；　and　also　the　son　Wiglif；　who　stands　at　the　ear　of　the　King；〃　the　old　nobleman　said。　〃And　also　the　friend　of　Wiglif。　Wiglif　speaks　to　Rothgar　that　Buliwyf　and　his　pany　plan　to　kill　the　King　and　rule　the　kingdom。〃
　〃That　is　not　the　truth；〃　I　said；　although　I　did　not　know　this。　In　honest　fact；　I　had　thought　upon　this　matter　from　time　to　time；　Buliwyf　was　young　and　vital；　and　Rothgar　old　and　weak；　and　while　it　is　true　that　the　ways　of　the　Northmen　are　strange；　it　is　also　true　that　all　men　are　the　same。
　〃The　herald　and　Wiglif　are　envious　of　Buliwyf；〃　the　old　noble　spoke　to　me。　〃They　poison　the　air　in　the　ear　of　the　King。　All　this　I　tell　to　you　so　that　you　may　tell　the　others　to　be　wary；　for　this　is　a　matter　fit　for　a　basilisk。〃　And　then　he　pronounced　my　wounds　to　be　minor；　and　turned　away。
　Then　the　noble　came　back　once　more。　He　said；　〃The　friend　of　Wiglif　is　Ragnar；〃　and　he　went　away　a　second　time；　not　looking　back　upon　me　further。
　In　great　consternation；　I　dug