letters from high latitudes-第46部分

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Then　they　both　kept　themselves　awake；　〃THE　ONE；　AS　IT　WERE；　WATCHING　UPON　THE　OTHER。〃　But　towards　day；　the　Jarl　dropped　asleep；　and　in　his　unquiet　slumber　he　drew　his　heels　under　him；　and　raised　his　neck　as　if　going　to　rise；　〃and　shrieked　fearfully。〃　On　this；　Karker；　〃dreadfully　alarmed；〃　drew　a　knife　from　his　belt；　stuck　it　into　the　Jarl's　throat；　and　cut　off　his　head。　Late　in　the　day　he　came　to　Lade；　brought　the　Jarl's　head　to　Olaf；　and　told　his　story。

It　is　a　comfort　to　know　that　〃the　red　ring〃　was　laid　round　the　traitor's　neck：　Olaf　caused　him　to　be　beheaded。

What　a　picture　that　is；　in　the　swine…stye；　those　two　haggard　faces；　travel…stained　and　worn　with　want　of　rest；　watching　each　other　with　hot；　sleepless　eyes　through　the　half　darkness；　and　how　true　to　nature　is　the　nightmare　of　the　miserable　Jarl！

It　was　on　my　return　from　Lade；　that　I　found　your　letters；　and　that　I　might　enjoy　them　without　interruption；　I　carried　them　off　to　the　churchyard（such　a　beautiful　place！）to　read　in　peace　and　quiet。　The　churchyard　was　NOT　〃populous　with　young　men；　striving　to　be　alone；〃　as　Tom　Hood　describes　it　to　have　been　in　a　certain　sentimental　parish；　so　I　enjoyed　the　seclusion　I　anticipated。

I　was　much　struck　by　the　loving　care　and　ornament　bestowed　on　the　graves；　some　were　literally　loaded　with　flowers；　and　even　those　which　bore　the　date　of　a　long　past　sorrow　had　each　its　own　blooming　crown；　or　fresh　nosegay。　　These　good　Throndhjemers　must　have　much　of　what　the　French　call　la　religion　des　souvenirs；　a　religion　in　which　we　English　（as　a　nation）　are　singularly　deficient。　I　suppose　no　people　in　Europe　are　so　little　addicted　to　the　keeping　of　sentimental　anniversaries　as　we　are；　I　make　an　exception　with　regard　to　our　living　friends'　birthdays；　which　we　are　ever　tenderly　ready　to　cultivate；　when　called　on；　turtle；　venison；　and　champagne；　being　pleasant　investments　for　the　affections。　But　time　and　business　do　not　admit　of　a　faithful　adherence　to　more　sombre　reminiscences；　a　busy　gentleman　〃on　'Change〃　cannot　conveniently　shut　himself　up；　on　his　〃lost　Araminta's　natal…day；〃　nor　will　a　railroad　committee　allow　of　his　running　down　by　the　10。25　A。M。；　to　shed　a　tear　over　that　neat　tablet　in　the　new　Willow…cum…Hatband　Cemetery。　He　is　necessarily　content　to　regret　his　Araminta　in　the　gross；　and　to　omit　the　petty　details　of　a　too　pedantic　sorrow。

The　fact　is；　we　are　an　eminently　practical　people；　and　are　easily　taught　to　accept　〃the　irrevocable；〃　if　not　without　regret；　at　least　with　a　philosophy　which　repudiates　all　superfluous　methods　of　showing　it。　DECENT　is　the　usual　and　appropriate　term　applied　to　our　churchyard　solemnities；　and　we　are　not　only　〃content　to　dwell　in　decencies　for　ever；〃　but　to　die；　and　be　buried　in　them。

The　cathedral　loses　a　little　of　its　poetical　physiognomy　on　a　near　approach。　Modern　restoration　has　done　something　to　spoil　the　outside；　and　modern　refinement　a　good　deal　to　degrade　the　interior　with　pews　and　partitions；　but　it　is　a　very　fine　building；　and　worthy　of　its　metropolitan　dignity。　　I　am　told　that　the　very　church　built　by　Magnus　the　Good；son　of　Saint　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　kni