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"He hoped to drive me from Torvaldsland," said Ivar.
"He has not succeeded in doing so," I said.
Ivar grinned. "He does not know where I am," said he. "If he did, a hundred
ships might enter the inlet."
"How much," asked I, "is the wergild?"
"A hundred stone of gold,'' said Ivar.
"You have taken that much, or more," said I, "in the sack of Kassau's temple."
"And the weight of a full-grown man in the sapphires of Schendi," said the
Forkbeard.
I said nothing.
"Are you not surprised?" asked Ivar.
"It seems a preposterous demand," I admitted, smiling.
"You know, however, what I did in the south?" asked Ivar.
"It is well known," I said, "that you freed Chenbar, the Sea Sleen, Ubar of
Tyros, from the chains of a dungeon of Port Kar, your fee being his weight in
the sapphires of Schendi."
I did not mention to the Forkbeard that it had been I, as Bosk of Port Kar,
admiral of the city, who had been responsible for the incarceration of
Chenbar.
Yet I admired the audacity of the man of Torvaldsland, though his act, in
freeing Chenbar to act against me, had almost cost me my life last year in the
northern forests. Sarus of Tyros, acting under his orders, had struck to
capture both Marlenus of Ar and myself. He had failed to capture me, and I
had, eventually, managed to free Marlenus, his men and mine, and defeat Sarus.
"Now," laughed Ivar Forkbeard, "I expect that these nights Svein Blue Tooth
rests less well in his furs."
"You have already," I said, "accumulated one hundred stone of gold and the
weight of Chenbar of
Tyros, the Sea Sleen, in the sapphires of Schendi."
"But there is one thing more which the Blue Tooth demanded of me," said Ivar.
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"The moons of Gor?" I asked.
"No," said he, "the moon of Scagnar."
"I do not understand," I said.
"The daughter," said he, "of Thorgard of Scagnar, Hilda the Haughty."
I laughed. "Thorgard of Scagnar," I said, "has power comparable to that of the
Blue Tooth himself."
"You are of Port Kar," said Ivar.
"My house is in that city," said I.
"Is Thorgard of Scagnar not an enemy of those of Port Kar?" he asked.
"We of Port Kar," I said, "have little quarrel generally with those oi
Scagnar, but it is true that the ships of this Thorgard have preyed with
devastation upon our shipping. Many men of Port
Kar has he given to the bosom of Thassa."
"Wou!d you say," asked Ivar, "that he is your enemy?"
Yes, I said, "I would say that he is my enemy."
'You hunt one of the Kurii," said Ivar
"Yes," I said.
"It may be dangerous and difflcult," he said
"It is quite possible," I admitted.
"It might be good sport," said he, "to engage in such a hunt.'
"You are welcome to accompany me," I said.
Is it of concern to you whether or not the daughter oi Thorgard of Scagnar
wears a collar?"
"It does not matter to me," said I, "whether she wears a collar or not."
"I think, soon," said he, "his daughter might be fetched to the hal1 of Ivar
Forkbeard."
"It will be difficult and dangerous," I said.
"It is quite possible," said he.
"Am I welcome to accompany you?" I asked.
He grinned. "Gunnhild," said he, "run for a horn of mead.
"Yes, my Jarl," said she, and sped from his side
In a moment, through the dark, smoky hall, returned Gurmhild, bearing a great
horn of mead.
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"My Jarls," said she.
The Forkbeard took from her the horn of mead and, together, we drained it.
We then clasped hands.
"You are welcome to accompany me," said he. Then he rose to his feet behind
the table. "Drink!"
called he to his men. 'Drink mead to Hilda the Haughty, daughter of Thorgard
of Scagnar!"
His men roared with laughter. Bond-maids, collared and naked, fled about,
filling horns with mead.
"Feast!" called Ivar Forkbeard. "Feast!"
Much meat was eaten; many horns were drained.
Though the hall of Ivar Forkbeard was built only of turf and stone, and though
he himself was outlaw, he had met me at lts door, after I had been bidden
wait outside, in his finest garments of scarlet and gold, and carrying a bowl
of water and a towel. "Welcome to the hall of Ivar
Forkbeard," he had said. I had washed my hands and face in the bowl, held by
the master of the house himself, and dried myself on the towel. Then invited
within I had been seated across from him in the place of honor. Then from his
chests, within the hall, he had given me a long, swirling cloak of the fur of
sea sleen; a bronze-headed spear; a shield of painted wood, reinforced with
bosses of iron; the shield was red in color, the bosses enameled yellow; a
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helmet, conical, of iron, with hanging chain, and a steel nosepiece, that
might be raised and lowered in its bands;
and, too, a shirt and trousers of skin; and, too, a broad ax, formed in the
fashion of
Torvaldsland, large, curved, single-bladed; and four rings of gold, that might
be worn on the arm.
"My gratitude," said I.
"You play excellent Kaissa," had said he. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]