mc.eatersofthedead-第28章

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　Now　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　made　their　descent；　and　all　were　safe；　Ecthgow　being　the　last　to　e　down；　by　brute　force　of　his　arms；　and　when　at　last　he　stood；　his　legs　quivered　without　control　as　a　man　shudders　with　a　death　throe；　we　waited　some　moments　until　he　was　himself　again。
　Then　Buliwyf　spoke：　〃We　shall　descend　into　the　water　and　swim　into　the　cave。　I　shall　be　first。　Carry　your　dagger　in　your　teeth；　so　your　arms　shall　be　free　to　battle　the　currents。〃
　These　words　of　new　madness　came　upon　me　at　a　time　when　I　could　endure　nothing　further。　To　my　eyes；　the　plan　of　Buliwyf　was　folly　beyond　folly。　I　saw　the　waves　crash　in；　bursting　upon　the　jagged　rocks；　I　saw　the　waves　pull　away　again　with　the　tug　of　a　giant's　strength；　only　to　recover　their　power　and　crash　forward　anew。　Verily；　I　watched　and　I　believed　that　no　man　could　swim　in　that　water；　but　rather　he　would　be　dashed　to　bony　splinters　in　an　instant。
　But　I　made　no　protest；　for　I　was　past　any　prehension。　To　my　way　of　thinking；　I　was　close　enough　to　death　that　it　did　not　matter　if　I　came　closer　still。　Thus　I　took　my　dagger；　which　I　jammed　into　my　belt；　for　my　teeth　rattled　too　severely　to　grip　it　in　my　mouth。　Of　the　other　Northmen；　they　gave　no　sign　of　coldness　or　fatigue；　but　rather　greeted　each　wave　as　a　fresh　invigoration；　also　they　smiled　with　the　happy　anticipation　of　the　ing　battle；　and　for　this　last　I　hated　them。
　Buliwyf　watched　the　movement　of　the　waves；　choosing　his　time；　and　then　he　leapt　into　the　surf。　I　hesitated；　and　someone…I　have　always　believed　it　to　be　Herger…pushed　me。　I　fell　deep　in　the　swirling　sea　of　numbing　coldness；　verily　I　was　spun　head　over　feet　and　sideward　also；　I　could　see　nothing　but　green　water。　Then　I　perceived　Buliwyf　kicking　down　in　the　depths　of　the　sea；　and　I　followed　after　him；　and　he　swam　into　a　kind　of　passage　in　the　rocks。　In　all　things；　I　did　as　he。　This　was　the　fashion：
　Upon　one　moment；　the　surf　would　tug　after　him；　trying　to　pluck　him　into　the　wide　ocean；　and　me　also。　At　these　moments；　Buliwyf　gripped　onto　a　rock　with　his　hands　to　hold　against　the　current；　this　also　I　did。　Mightily　I　held　to　the　rocks；　with　my　lungs　bursting。　Then　in　an　instant　the　surge　ran　opposite；　and　I　was　propelled　with　frightful　speed　forward；　bouncing　off　rocks　and　obstructions。　And　then　again；　the　surge　changed；　and　tugged　backward　as　it　had　done　previously；　and　I　was　obliged　to　follow　the　example　of　Buliwyf　and　cling　to　rocks。　Now　it　is　true　that　my　lungs　burned　as　if　afire；　and　I　knew　in　my　heart　that　I　could　not　continue　much　longer　in　this　icy　sea。　Then　the　surge　ran　forward；　and　I　was　flung　headlong；　knocked　here　and　there；　and　then　suddenly　I　was　up　and　breathing　air。
　Verily；　this　transpired　with　such　swiftness　that　I　was　so　surprised　I　did　not　think　to　feel　relief；　which　was　a　proper　feeling；　nor　did　I　think　to　praise　Allah　for　my　good　fortune　in　surviving。　I　gasped　air；　and　all　about　me　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　set　their　heads　above　the　surface　and　gasped　likewise。
　Now；　here　is　what　I　saw：　we　were　in　a　kind　of　pond　or　lake；　inside　a　cave　with　a　smooth　rocky　dome　and　a　seaward　entrance　through　which　we　had　just　traversed。　Directly　ahead　was　a　flat　rocky　space。　I　saw　three　or　four　dark　shapes　squatted　about　a　fire；　these　creatures　chanted　in　high　voices。　Now　also　I　understood　why　this　was　called　the　cave　of　thunder；　for　with　each　crash　of　the　surf　the　sound　in　the　cave　reverberated　with　such　power　that　the　ears　ached　and　the　very　air　seemed　to　shake　and　press。
　In　this　place；　this　cave；　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　made　their　attack；　and　I　joined　in　with　them；　and　with　our　short　daggers　we　killed　the　four　demons　in　the　cave。　I　saw　them　clearly　for　the　first　time；　in　the　flickering　light　of　the　fire；　whose　flames　leapt　madly　with　each　pounding　of　the　thundering　surf。　The　aspect　of　these　demons　was　thus：　they　appeared　to　be　manlike　in　every　respect；　but　not　as　any　man　upon　the　face　of　the　earth。　They　were　short　creatures；　and　broad　and　squat；　and　hairy　on　all　parts　of　their　bodies　save　their　palms；　the　soles　of　their　feet；　and　their　faces。　Their　faces　were　very　large；　with　mouth　and　jaws　large　and　prominent；　and　of　an　ugly　aspect；　also　their　heads　were　larger。　than　the　heads　of　normal　men。　Their　eyes　were　sunk　deep　in　their　heads；　the　brows　were　large；　and　not　by　virtue　of　hairy　brows；　but　of　bone；　also　their　teeth　were　large　and　sharp；　although　it　is　true　the　teeth　of　many　were　ground　down　and　flattened。
　In　other　respects　of　their　bodily　features　and　as　to　the　organs　of　sex　and　the　several　orifices；　they　were　also　as　men。42　One　of　the　creatures　was　slow　to　die；　and　with　its　tongue　formed　some　sounds；　which　had　to　my　ear　a　quality　of　speech；　but　I　cannot　know　if　this　was　so；　and　I　tell　it　again　with　no　conviction　of　the　matter。
　Now　Buliwyf　surveyed　these　four　dead　creatures；　with　their　thick　matted　fur；　then　we　heard　a　ghostly；　echoing　chant；　a　sound　rising　and　falling　in　time　to　the　thunder　pounding　of　the　surf；　and　this　sound　came　from　the　recesses　of　the　cave。　Buliwyf　led　us　into　the　depths。
　There　we　came　upon　three　of　the　creatures；　prostrate　upon　the　ground；　faces　pressed　to　the　earth　and　their　hands　raised　in　supplication　to　an　old　creature　lurking　in　the　shadows。　These　suppliants　were　chanting；　and　did　not　perceive　our　arrival。　But　the　creature　saw　us；　and　screamed　hideously　at　our　approach。　This　creature　I　took　to　be　the　mother　of　the　wendol；　but　if　she　was　female；　I　saw　no　sign；　for　she　was　old　to　the　point　of　being　sexless。
　Buliwyf　alone　fell　upon　the　suppliants　and　killed　them　all；　while　the　mother…creature　moved　back　into　the　shadows　and　screamed　horribly。　I　could　not　see　her　well；　but　this　much　is　true：　that　she　was　surrounded　by　serpents；　which　coiled　at　her　feet；　and　upon　her　hands；　and　around　her　neck。　These　serpents　hissed　and　flicked　their　tongues；　and　as　they　were　all　about　her；　upon　her　body　and　also　on　the　ground；　none　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　dared　make　an　approach。
　Then　Buliwyf　attacked　her；　and　she　gave　a　fearful　scream　as　he　plunged　his　dagger　deep　into　her　breast；　for　he　was　heedless　of　the　snakes。　Many　times　he　struck　the　mother　of　the　wendol　with　his　dagger。　Never　did　this　woman　collapse；　but　always　did　she　stand；　though　the　blood　poured　from　her　as　if　from　a　fountain；　and　from　the　several　wounds　Buliwyf　inflicted　upon　her。　And　all　the　time　she　screamed　a　most　frightful　sound。
　Then　at　the　last　she　toppled；　and　lay　dead；　and　Buliwyf　turned　to　face　his　warriors。　Now　we　saw　that　this　woman；　the　mother　of　the　eaters　of　the　dead；　had　wounded　him。　A　silver　pin；　such　as　a　pin　for　hair；　was　buried　in　his　stomach；　this　same　pin　trembled　with　each　heartbeat。　Buliwyf　plucked　it　forth；　and　there　was　a　gush　of　blood。　Yet　he　did　not　sink　to　his　knees　mortally　wounded；　but　rather　he　stood　and　gave　the　order　to　leave　the　cave。
　This　we　did；　by　the　second　and　landward　entrance；　this　entrance　had　been　guarded；　but　all　the　wendol　guards　had　fled　before　the　screams　of　their　dying　mother。　We　departed　without　harassment。　Buliwyf　led　us　from　the　caves；　and　back　to　our　horses；　and　then　did　he　collapse　upon　the　ground。
　Ecthgow；　with　a　face　of　sadness　most　unmon　among　the　Northmen；　directed　the　fashioning　of　a　stretcher43　and　with　this　we　carried　Buliwyf　back　across　the　fields　to　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　And　all　the　while　Buliwyf　was　of　good　cheer；　and　merry；　many　of　the　things　he　spoke　I　did　not　prehend；　but　one　time　I　heard　him　say：　〃Rothgar　will　not　be　happy　to　see　us；　for　he　must　set　out　yet　another　banquet；　and　by　now　he　is　a　most　depleted　host。〃　The　warriors　laughed　at　this　and　other　words　of　Buliwyf。　I　saw　their　laughter　was　honest。
　Now　we　came　to　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar；　where　we　were　greeted　with　cheers　and　happiness；　and　no　sadness；　although　Buliwyf　was　direly　injured；　and　his　flesh　turned　gray；　and　his　body　shook；　and　his　eyes　were　lit　by　the　gleam　of　a　sick　and　fevered　soul。　These　signs　did　I　know　full　well；　and　so；　too；　did　the　North　people。
　A　bowl　of　onion　broth　was　brought　for　him；　and　he　refused　it；　saying；　〃I　have　the　soup　illness；　do　not　trouble　yourselves　on　my　account。〃　Then　he　called　for　a　celebration；　and　insisted　that　he　preside　over　it；　sitting　propped　up　on　a　stone　couch　at　the　side　of