THE VERDICT OF THE SWORD.
A shout of congratulation rose from the ship as the boat drew near
and the anxious watchers counted the fourteen men returned again
with their prisoner. Drink was served round in huge beakers, and
the superstitious fears vanished like the fog as they rowed in
triumph out of the bay.
They could see behind them the flames and smoke rising ever higher
from the burning vessels, and as the ale mounted to their heads
they shouted derisive defiance across the water.
"Where shall we go now?" asked Grim.
"Do you know of any uninhabited holm where we could land by
daybreak?" said Estein.
"There are many such about the Orkneys; one I know well, which
methinks we should reach soon after sunrise. There I shall take
you."
Ketill came up at that moment with a great horn of ale, and cried,
with a joviality only shown when drink flowed freely,--
"Drink, Estein, drink!--drink to the soul of Liot Skulison, which
shall shortly speed to Valhalla. Shall we slay him now, or keep
that sport till we have better light to see him die?"
"I have other work on hand than drinking. Liot and I have an
account to settle at daybreak."
Ketill stared at him in astonishment.
"You mean then in very truth to fight?" he cried. "Well, do as you
wish; but it is a strange spell."
He left the poop with his horn, and Estein seated himself on a
stool, and leaning back against the bulwarks, tried to rest.
His face was set, his mind made up, and he only waited impatiently
for the hour of his trial. Sleep came to him in uneasy snatches,
during which he seemed to pass years of wild adventure, haunted
all the time by strangely distorted Oslas. He woke at last to the
chill of a grey morning and the roll of a Viking ship. With a
little shiver he started to his feet, and began to pace the deck.
Presently Helgi joined him, and laid his hand on his arm.
"Estein," he said, "tempt not your fate too far. Never before have
I seen witchcraft such as this. Why should you fear the wrath of
the gods? I tell you, my brother, you are under a spell; let us
seek some magician who will cure you, and not rashly look for
death when you are wearied with sleepless nights and black magic.
If the wrath of the gods is really on you, it will fall were you
to flee from men and seek refuge in the loneliest cave on all
these coasts. I will slay Liot Skulison for you; in fair fight if
you will, though I think not he deserves such a chance. Was it a
fair fight when he fell on our two ships with his ten?"
"I would slay him, Helgi, like a dog, were it not that something
within me bids me ask in this wise the wishes of Odin."
"'Tis the voice of yon witch."
"She is no witch, Helgi, only the fairest girl in all the North.
Listen, and I will tell you the story of this spell; but remember
it is to you alone I tell it, and never must another know of my
shame."
"Have you ever known me betray your trust?"
"Never, Helgi, my brother, or you would not hear this tale. To me
it seems the story of six years of my life, though it was scarcely
as many weeks; but I shall make it as brief as I may."
"The hour is yet early."
"After the battle, Helgi, I should have been drowned but for that
maid you saw. She saved my life, and that at least I owe her. She
brought me to the abode of her father, the hermit of the Holy
Isle; and there I learned to love her. For six weeks I was no
Viking. I forgot my kinsfolk and my country, forgot all but Osla."
"Call you not that a spell?"
"Did you not say yourself that you had known many spells like
that, cast on men by maids? It was the magic of love that
entangled me."
"Men said the hermit was a wizard."
"No wizard, Helgi, or he had never let me come there. He was a
moody and fitful old man. I pleased him with my songs, talked to
him of the strange religion he professes--for he is what men call
a Christian--and grew in time to think of him as a friend.
(Verily, I think there must have been magic!) All this while I
spoke no word of love to Osla, though I think she was not
indifferent to me."
"It was easy to see that."
"Twice on that island a voice I could not name warned me from
beyond the grave, but I heeded it not. (Can the man have been a
wizard?) One night--it was the night you landed, Helgi--I sat
alone with the hermit. Something had moved him to talk. I remember
now! it was a song I sung myself. He told me a tale of a burning.
"Helgi, he had hardly begun ere I knew the end, and could name my
warning voice. The tale was the burning of Laxafiord, and the
voice was my brother Olaf's."
"And the hermit?"
"Is Thord the Tall, the last of the burners."
"Is! Then you slew him not?"
"My dagger was drawn, I was bending towards him, when I heard
without the steps of Osla. I fled--ask me not what I thought or
what I did. Thord the Tall and I both live, and I would know
whether the gods would have it so. Wherefore I meet Liot this
morning."
"Then you have spared Olaf's burner for the sake of the burner's
daughter?"
"I had eaten his bread and shared his dwelling for six weeks, and
but for that daughter I had never lived to meet him."
"He slew your brother, Estein."
"There is no need to remind me of that."
"Methinks there is; he still lives."
"And I still love his daughter."
Estein turned away as he spoke, and gazed with folded arms over
the grey waters.
Helgi looked at him in silence; then he went up to his side.
"Forgive me, Estein," he said, "and let Odin judge you. I love you
too well to be aught but a friend whatever you may do."
"Helgi! but for you I think I should fall upon my sword."
His friend tried to force a laugh, but it came hard.
"Nay, rather seek a sword for Liot Skulison, for I see we are
nearing the holm."
"I had forgotten Liot," said Estein. "We will loose his bonds, and
let him choose his weapons."
He found Liot sitting in the waist bound hand and foot. His eye
was as firm as if he had been in his own hall, and he looked up
indifferently as Estein approached.
"Do you remember me, Liot?" asked his captor.
"Ay, Estein. You, methinks, are one of the bairns I thought I had
slain. Well was it for you that the Orkney tides run strong. But
the luck has changed, I see; and you were a bold man, Estein
Hakonson, to change it as you did. Why did you not burn us out?"
"Because I wanted you alone."
"Ay, torture is a pleasant game for the torturers. How do you
intend that I shall die?"
"By my sword, if the gods will it. In an hour, Liot, we fight to
the death. Our battle-ground is yonder holm, the weapons you may
choose yourself; and meanwhile I shall loose your bonds, and if
you wish to eat or drink you may."
A look of blank astonishment came over the Viking captain's face.
"This is a merry jest, Estein," he said.
"It is no jest.--Loose his bonds, men."
Liot gave a shout of joy.
"Estein," he cried, "you are a brave man, but I think you are
fey."
"That will soon be seen."
The Viking's cool indifference gave place to the most exuberant
excitement. Like everybody else he thought that Estein was either
mad or the victim of some enchantment; but so long as he was going
to strike a good blow for life, he cared not how the chance had
come. He called for ale and meat, and with the eye of an old
soldier carefully picked his weapons; while the men around him
muttered to each other that Estein was surely fey.
All this time they had been sailing eastwards before a light
breeze. The sun had long been up, but the whole sky was obscured
by light clouds, and there was an early morning feel in the air.
Nearly the whole length of the wide and lonely firth that divides
Orkney from the Scottish coast lay behind them, and close ahead
they saw the little island that Grim had chosen for the meeting-place.
When they had reached the holm they anchored the ship close
inshore, and two boat-loads of men were first sent to prepare the
field of battle. Then when all was ready the two combatants,
attended by Helgi and Ketill, were rowed ashore.
Liot was gay and cheerful as a man going to a feast; while Estein
sat silent in the stern, his thoughts busy with a landing at
another island.
"You need ale, Estein," said his opponent; "a man going to fight
should be gay."
"It is more fitting," replied Helgi, "for the man who comes back
to be cheerful."
"Well said," said Ketill.
Liot only laughed, and springing ashore before the boat had
touched the rocks, cried,--
"I had little thought to have such a pleasant morning. We will
finish what we began before, Estein."
"Ay, we will finish," said Estein.
They found a wide ring marked off with stones, and in this the two
champions took their stand. Each was armed with a helmet and a
coat of ring-mail, and bore in his right hand a sword, and in his
left a long, heart-shaped shield. Round their waists another sword
was girded, though there was likely to be little time to draw
this. In height and build they were very equally matched, but men
noticed that Estein moved more lightly on his feet.
In a loud voice Ketill proclaimed that whoever should withdraw
outside the ring of stones should ever after bear the name of
dastard.
Then all went outside the circle, and with a shout Liot sprang at
his foe. Estein caught the sword on his shield, and in return
delivered such a storm of blows that Liot got no chance for a blow
in return. He began to give ground, Estein pressing him hotly, his
blade flashing so fast that men could not follow it. It was easily
seen that in quickness and dexterity with his weapon Liot was
inferior to his foe; but with wary eye and cool head he kept well
covered with his shield, shifting his ground all the time. Twice
he was nearly driven over the line, but each time saved himself by
a rapid side movement.
"I fear that Estein will tire," muttered Helgi.
"Ay; he has started too hard," replied Ketill.
It seemed as if they were right. Estein's blows became less
frequent, and Liot in turn attacked hotly. He made as little
impression, however, as Estein, and then by mutual consent both
men stopped for a minute's breathing-space.
"You seem tired, Estein," said Liot.
"Guard yourself," was the reply, and the fight began again. As
before, Estein attacked hotly, Liot steadily giving ground.
"Too hard, too hard! after two sleepless nights he cannot fight
long like this," exclaimed Helgi.
So thought Liot, and he bided his time with patience. He was
opposed, however, by one of the best and most determined swordsmen
in Norway, and Estein as well as any one knew the risk he ran. He
rained in his blows like a hailstorm; but fast though they came,
he was sparing his strength, and there was less vigour in his
attack than there seemed. He bent all his energies on driving Liot
back on the ring, shifting his ground as fast as his foe, heading
off his attempts to move round, and all the while watching keenly
for an opening.
"He wins, Ketill! he wins!" cried Helgi.
"Ay," said the black-bearded captain; "there is little skill we
can teach Estein."
As they neared the stones, Estein's onset became more furious than
ever; sword and shield had to shift up and down, right and left,
to guard his storm of blows, and all the while Liot was being
driven back the faster towards one place where larger stones than
usual had been used to make the ring. In vain he sprang suddenly
to one side; Estein was before him, and his blade nearly found its
way home. Two paces more Liot gave way, and then his heel struck a
boulder. For an instant he lost his balance, and that moment was
his last on earth. As the shield shifted, Estein's sword came full
on his neck, and it was only the bairn-slayer's body that fell
without the ring.
"Bring the spades!" cried Ketill--"a fitting enough epitaph for
Liot Skulison."
His conqueror was already in Helgi's arms.
"I thought I should have had to avenge you, Estein. My heart is
light again."
"Odin has answered me, Helgi."
"And the spell is broken?"
"No; that spell, I fear, will break only with my death-wound."
Helgi laughed out of pure light-heartedness.
"There are fair maids in the south lands," he said.
"I go to Norway," replied Estein. "I would fain see the pine woods
again."
That evening they saw the Orkneys faint and far away astern, and
Estein, as he watched them fade into the dusk, would have given
all Norway to hear again the roost run clamorous off the Holy
Isle.