letters from high latitudes-第52章

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Olaveover　his　father's　remains；　and　finished　by　his　uncle　Harald　Hardrada；　is；　or　rather　was；　included　in　the　walls　of　the　cathedral；　and　though　successive　catastrophes　by　fire　have　perhaps　left　but　little　of　the　original　building　standing；　I　like　to　think　that　some　of　these　huge　stones　were　lifted　to　their　place　under　the　eyes　of　Harald　The　Stern。　It　was　on　the　eve　of　his　last　fatal　expedition　against　our　own　Harold　of　England　that　the　shrine　of　St。　Olave　was　opened　by　the　king；　who；　having　clipped　the　hair　and　nails　of　the　dead　saint　（most　probably　as　relics；　efficacious　for　the　protection　of　himself　and　followers）；　then　locked　the　shrine；　and　threw　the　keys　into　the　Nid。　Its　secrets　from　that　day　were　respected　until　the　profane　hands　of　Lutheran　Danes　carried　it　bodily　away；　with　all　the　gold　and　silver　chalices；　and　jewelled　pyxes；　which；　by　kingly　gifts　and　piratical　offerings；　had　accumulated　for　centuries　in　its　treasury。

He　must　have　been　a　fine；　resolute　fellow；　that　Harald　the　Stern；　although；　in　spite　of　much　church…building　and　a　certain　amount　of　Pagan…persecuting；　his　character　did　not　in　any　way　emulate　that　of　his　saintly　brother。　The　early　part　of　his　history　reads　like　a　fairy　tale；　and　is　a　favourite　subject　for　Scald　songs；　more　especially　his　romantic　adventures　in　the　East；

　　　〃Well　worthy　of　the　golden　prime　　　　　Of　good　Haroun　Alraschid。〃

where　Saracens　flee　like　chaff　upon　the　wind　before　him；　and　impregnable　Sicilian　castles　fall　into　his　power　by　impossible　feats　of　arms；　or　incredible　stratagems。　A　Greek　empress；　〃the　mature　Zoe；〃　as　Gibbon　calls　her；　falls　in　love　with　him；　and　her　husband；　Constantine　Monomachus；　puts　him　in　prison；　but　Saint　Olaf　still　protects　his　mauvais　sujet　of　a　brother；　and　inspires　〃a　lady　of　distinction〃　with　the　successful　idea　of　helping　Harald　out　of　his　inaccessible　tower　by　the　prosaic　expedient　of　a　ladder　of　ropes。　　A　boom；　however；　across　the　harbour's　mouth　still　prevents　the　escape　of　his　vessel。　The　Sea…king　is　not　to　be　so　easily　baffled。　Moving　all　his　ballast；　arms；　and　men；　into　the　afterpart　of　the　ship；　until　her　stem　slants　up　out　of　the　sea；　he　rows　straight　at　the　iron　chain。　The　ship　leaps　almost　half…way　over。　The　weight　being　then　immediately　transferred　to　the　fore…part；　she　slips　down　into　the　water　on　the　other　side；having　topped　the　fence　like　an　Irish　hunter。　A　second　galley　breaks　her　back　in　the　attempt。　　After　some　questionable　acts　of　vengeance　on　the　Greek　court；　Harald　and　his　bold　Vaeringers　go　fighting　and　plundering　their　way　through　the　Bosphorus　and　Black　Sea　back　to　Novogorod；　where　the　first　part　of　the　romance　terminates；　as　it　should；　by　his　marriage　with　the　object　of　his　secret　attachment；　Elisof；　the　daughter　of　the　Russian　king。

Hardrada's　story　darkens　towards　the　end；　as　most　of　the　tales　of　that　stirring　time　are　apt　to　do。　His　death　on　English　ground　is　so　striking；　that　you　must　have　patience　with　one　other　short　Saga；　it　will　give　you　the　battle　of　Stanford　Bridge　from　the　Norse　point　of　view。

The　expedition　against　Harold　of　England　commences　ill；　dreams　and　omens　affright　the　fleet；　one　man　dreams　he　sees　a　raven　sitting　on　the　stern　of　each　vessel；　another　sees　the　fair　English　coast；

　　　〃But　glancing　shields　　　　　Hide　the　green　fields；〃

and　other　fearful　phenomena　mar　the　beautiful　vision。　Harald　himself　dreams　that　he　is　back　again　at　Nidaros；　and　that　his　brother　Olaf　meets　him　with　a　prophecy　of　ruin　and　death。　The　bold　Norsemen　are　not　to　be　daunted　by　these　auguries；　and　their　first　successes　on　the　English　coast　seem　to　justify　their　persistence。　But　on　a　certain　beautiful　Monday　in　September　（A。D。　1066；　according　to　the　Saxon　Chronicle）；　part　of　his　army　being　encamped　at　Stanford　Bridge；　〃Hardrada；　HAVING　TAKEN　BREAKFAST；　ordered　the　trumpets　to　sound　for　going　on　shore；〃　but　he　left　half　his　force　behind；　to　guard　the　ships：　and　his　men；　anticipating　no　resistance　from　the　castle；　which　had　already　surrendered；　〃went　on　shore　（the　weather　being　hot）；　with　only　their　helmets；　shields；　and　spears；　and　girt　with　swords；　some　had　bows　and　arrows；and　all　were　very　merry。〃　On　nearing　the　castle；　they　see　〃a　cloud　of　dust　as　from　horses'　feet；　and　under　it　shining　shields　and　bright　armour。〃　English　Harold's　army　is　before　them。　Hardrada　sends　back　to　his　ship　for　succour；　and　sets　up　his　banner；　〃Land　Ravager；〃　undismayed　by　the　inequality　of　his　force；　and　their　comparatively　unarmed　condition。　The　men　on　each　side　are　drawn　up　in　battle　array；　and　the　two　kings　in　presence；　each　gazes　eagerly　to　discover　his　noble　foe　among　the　multitude。　Harald　Hardrada's　black　horse　stumbles　and　falls；　〃the　King　got　up　in　haste；　and　said；　'A　fall　is　lucky　for　a　traveller。'〃

The　English　King　said　to　the　Northmen　who　were　with　him；　〃Do　you　know　the　stout　man　who　fell　from　his　horse；　with　the　blue　kirtle；　and　beautiful　helmet？〃

〃That　is　the　Norwegian　King；〃　said　they。

English　Harold　replied；　〃A　great　man；　and　of　stately　appearance　is　he；　but　I　think　his　luck　has　left　him。〃

And　now　twenty　gallant　English　knights　ride　out　of　their　ranks　to　parley　with　the　Northmen。　One　advances　beyond　the　rest　and　asks　if　Earl　Toste；　the　brother　of　English　Harold　（who　has　banded　with　his　enemy　against　him）；　is　with　the　army。

The　Earl　himself　proudly　answers；　〃It　is　not　to　be　denied　that　you　will　find　him　here。〃

The　Saxon　says；　〃Thy　brother；　Harold；　sends　his　salutation；　and　offers　thee　the　third　part　of　his　kingdom；　if　thou　wilt　be　reconciled　and　submit　to　him。〃

The　Earl　replies；　at　the　suggestion　of　the　Norse　King；　〃What　will　my　brother　the　King　give　to　Harald　Hardrada　for　his　trouble？〃

〃He　will　give　him；〃　says　the　Knight；　〃SEVEN　FEET　OF　ENGLISH　GROUND；　OR　AS　MUCH　MORE　AS　HE　MAY　BE　TALLER　THAN　OTHER　MEN。〃

〃Then；〃　says　the　Earl；　〃let　the　English　King；　my　brother；　make　ready　for　battle；　for　it　never　shall　be　said　that　Earl　Toste　broke　faith　with　his　friends　when　they　came　with　him　to　fight　west　here　in　England。〃

When　the　knights　rode　off；　King　Harald　Hardrada　asked　the　Earl；　〃Who　was　the　man　who　spoke　so　well？〃

The　Earl　replied；　〃That　knight　was　Harold　of　England。〃

The　stern　Norwegian　King　regrets　that　his　enemy　had　escaped　from　his　hands；　owing　to　his　ignorance　of　this　fact；　but　even　in　his　first　burst　of　disappointment；　the　noble　Norse　nature　speaks　in　generous　admiration　of　his　foe；　saying　to　the　people　about　him；　〃That　was　but　a　little　man；　yet　he　sat　firmly　in　his　stirrups。〃

The　fierce；　but　unequal　combat　is　soon　at　an　end；　and　when　tardy　succour　arrives　from　the　ships；　Harald　Hardrada　is　lying　on　his　face；　with　the　deadly　arrow　in　his　throat；　never　to　see　Nidaros　again。　Seven　feet　of　English　earth；　and　no　more；　has　the　strong　arm　and　fiery　spirit　conquered。

But　enough　of　these　gallant　fellows；　I　must　carry　you　off　to　a　much　pleasanter　scene　of　action。　After　a　very　agreeable　dinner　with　Mr。　K；　who　has　been　most　kind　to　us；　we　adjourned　to　the　ball。　The　room　was　large　and　well　lightedplenty　of　pretty　faces　adorned　it；the　floor　was　smooth；　and　the　scrape　of　the　fiddles　had　a　festive　accent　so　extremely　inspiriting；　that　I　besought　Mr。　K　to　present　me　to　one　of　the　fair　personages　whose　tiny　feet　were　already　tapping　the　floor　with　impatience　at　their　own　inactivity。

I　was　led　up　in　due　form　to　a　very　pretty　lady；　and　heard　my　own　name；　followed　by　a　singular　sound　purporting　to　be　that　of　my　charming　partner；　Madame　Hghelghghagllaghem。　For　the　pronunciation　of　this　polysyllabic　cognomen；　I　can　only　give　you　a　few　plain　instructions；　commence　it　with　a　slight　cough；　continue　with　a　gurgling　in　the　throat；　and　finish　with　the　first　convulsive　movement　of　a　sneeze；　imparting　to　the　whole　operation　a　delicate　nasal　twang。　　If　the　result　is　not　something　approaching　to　the　sound　required；　you　must　relinquish　all　hope　of　achieving　it；　as　I　did。　Luckily；　my　business　was　to　dance；　and　not　to　apostrophize　the　lady；　and　accordingly；　when　the　waltz　struck　up；　I　hastened　to　claim；　in　the　dumbest　show；　the　honour　of　her　hand。　Although　my　dancing　qualifications　have　rather　rusted　during　the　last　two　or　three　years；　I　remembered　that　the　time　was　not　so　very　far　distant　when　even　the　fair　Mademoiselle　E