Erling the Bold

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TEN.

  PROVES THAT THE BEST OF FRIENDS MAY QUARREL ABOUT NOTHING, AND THAT WARHAS TWO ASPECTS.

  "Now, Erling," said Glumm, with a face so cheerful, that had theexpression been habitual, he never would have been styled the Gruff, "Iwill go home with thee and wait until thou art busked, after which wewill go together to my house and have a bite and a horn of mead beforesetting out on this expedition. I thank the Stoutheart for suggestingit, for the business likes me well."

  "Thou wert ever prone to court danger, Glumm," said Erling with a laugh,as they hurried towards Haldorstede, "and methinks thou art going to beblessed with a full share of it just now, for this Harald Haarfager isnot a man to be trifled with. Although thou and I could hold our ownagainst some odds, we shall find the odds too much for us in the King'scamp, should he set his face against us. However, the cause is a goodone, and to say truth, I am not sorry that they had the goodness topitch on thee and me to carry out the plan."

  Thus conversing they arrived at Ulfstede, where Herfrida met them at thedoor, and was soon informed of their mission. She immediately went toan inner closet, where the best garments and arms were kept, and broughtforth Erling's finest suit of armour, in order that he might appear withsuitable dignity at court.

  She made him change his ordinary shoes for a pair made of tannedleather, on which he bound a pair of silver spurs, which had been takenfrom a cavalier of southern lands in one of Haldor's viking cruises.She brought, and assisted him to put on, a new suit of mail, every ringof which had been brightly polished by the busy hands of Ingeborg, whowas unusually fond of meddling with everything that pertained to the artof war; also a new sword-belt of yellow leather, ornamented with goldstuds. On his head she placed a gilt helmet with his favourite crest, apair of hawk's wings expanded upwards, and a curtain of leather coveredwith gilt-steel rings to defend the neck. Over his shoulders she flunga short scarlet cloak, which was fastened at the throat by a largesilver brooch, similar to the circular brooches which are still to befound in the possession of the rich bonders of Norway. Then shesurveyed her stalwart son from head to foot, and said that he wouldstand comparison with any king in the land, small or great.

  At this Erling laughed, and asked for his sword.

  "Which one, my son?"

  "The short one, mother. I had indeed thought of taking my good old axewith me, but that would not look well in a man bent on a mission ofpeace. Would it, Glumm? And if I should have to fight, why, my shortsword is not a light one, and by putting to a little more force I canmake it bite deep enough. So now, Glumm, I am ready for the road.Farewell, mother."

  The young men went out and hastened down the valley to Glummstede, nearHorlingend.

  Now it chanced that Hilda and her foster-sister Ada had resolved, aboutthat time of the day, to walk up the dale together, and as there wasonly one road on that side of the river, of necessity they were met bytheir lovers; and it so fell out that the meeting took place in apicturesque part of the dale, where the road passed between two highprecipitous cliffs.

  The instant that Ada's eyes fell on Glumm her active brain conceived theidea of treating him to a disappointment, so she said hurriedly to herfriend:

  "Hilda, wilt thou manage to lead Glumm aside and keep talking to him fora short time, while I speak with Erling? I want to ask him somethingabout that sword-belt which I am making for Glumm, and which I intend tosend him as the gift of an enemy."

  "I will do as ye desire," replied Hilda, with a feeling ofdisappointment; "but with what truth canst thou send it, Ada, as anenemy's gift?"

  "Simple Hilda!" said the other, with a laugh, "am I not an enemy to hispeace of mind? But hush! they will overhear us."

  It chanced that Hilda was on the same side of the road with Erling, andAda on that with Glumm, and both youths observed this fact with secretsatisfaction as they approached and wished the maids "good day"; butjust as they were about to shake hands Ada crossed in front of hercompanion, and taking Erling's outstretched hand said:

  "Erling, I am glad to meet thee, because I have a knotty point which Iwish thine aid to disentangle. I will turn and walk with thee a shortway, because I know thy business is pressing. It is always so with men,is it not?"

  "I know not," answered Erling, smiling at the girl's arch look, despitehis surprise and chagrin at the unexpected turn affairs had taken, forhe had noted the readiness with which Hilda had turned towards Glumm,and almost, as he imagined, led him aside purposely! "But it seems tome, Ada, that, however pressing a man's business may be, woman has thepower to delay it."

  "Nay, then, if thine is indeed so pressing just now," said Ada, with atoss of the head (which Glumm, who walked behind with Hilda, tookparticular note of), "I will not presume to--"

  "Now, Ada," said Erling, with a light laugh, "thou knowest that it ismerely waste of time to affect indignation. I know thee too well to bedeceived. Come, what is it that ye would consult me about? not theforging of a battle-axe or spear-head, I warrant me."

  "Nay, but a portion of armour scarce less important, though not sodeadly. What say you to a sword-belt?"

  "Well, I am somewhat skilled in such gear."

  "I am ornamenting one for a friend of thine, Erling, but I will not tellhis name unless I have thy promise not to mention to him anything aboutour conversation."

  "I promise," said Erling, with an amused glance.

  "It is for Glumm."

  "For Glumm!" repeated Erling in surprise; "does Glumm then know--"

  "Know what?" asked Ada, as Erling stopped abruptly.

  "Does he know that thou art making this belt for him?"

  "Know it? why, how could it be a secret if he knew it?"

  "Ah, true, I--well?"

  "Besides," continued Ada, "I am not _making_ it; I said I was going toornament it. Now it is with reference to that I would consult thee."

  Here Ada became so deeply absorbed in the mysteries of ornamental armourthat she constrained Erling at least to appear interested, although,poor man, his heart was behind him, and he had much difficulty inresisting the desire to turn round when he heard Hilda's voice--which,by the way, was heard pretty constantly, for Glumm was so uncommonlygruff and monosyllabic in his replies that she had most of the talkingto herself.

  This unpleasant state of things might have lasted a considerable time,had not the party reached the path which diverged to the left, and,crossing the river over a narrow bridge composed of two tall treesthrown across, led to Glummstede. Here Erling stopped suddenly, andwheeling round, said:

  "I regret that we cannot go farther down the dale to-day, as Glumm and Imust fare with all speed to the Springs to meet King Harald."

  "I trust thine errand is one of peace?" said Hilda in a slightly anxioustone.

  "To judge by their looks," said Ada, glancing expressively at Glumm, "Ishould say that their intentions were warlike!"

  "Despite our looks," replied Erling, with a laugh, "our business withthe King is of a peaceful nature, and as it is pressing, ye will excuseus if--"

  "Oh! it _is_ pressing, after all," cried Ada; "come, sister, let us notdelay them."

  So saying, she hurried away with her friend, and the two youths strodeon to Glummstede in a very unenviable frame of mind.

  Having refreshed themselves with several cuts of fresh salmon--drawnthat morning from the foaming river--and with a deep horn of home-brewedale, the young warriors mounted a couple of active horses, and rode upthe mountain path that led in a zigzag direction over the fells to thevalley of the Springs. They rode in silence at first--partly becausethe nature of the track compelled them to advance in single file, andpartly because each was in the worst possible humour of which his naturewas capable, while each felt indignant at the other, although neithercould have said that his friend had been guilty of any definable sin.

  It may here be mentioned in passing, that Glumm had clothed and armedhimself much in the same fashion as his companion, the chief differencebeing that his he
lmet was of polished steel, and the centre of hisshield was painted red, while that of Erling was white. His onlyoffensive weapons were a dagger and the long two-handed sword which hadbeen forged for him by his friend, which latter was slung across hisback.

  An hour and a half of steady climbing brought the youths to the levelsummit of the hills, where, after giving their steeds a few minutes tobreathe, they set off at a sharp gallop. Here they rode side by side,but the rough nature of the ground rendered it necessary to ride withcare, so that conversation, although possible, was not, in thecircumstances, very desirable. The silence, therefore, was maintainedall the way across the fells. When they came to descend on the otherside they were again obliged to advance in single file, so that thesilence remained unbroken until they reached the base of the mountains.

  Here Erling's spirit revived a little, and he began to realise theabsurdity of the conduct of himself and his friend.

  "Why, Glumm," he exclaimed at last, "a dumb spirit must have got hold ofus! What possesses thee, man?"

  "Truly it takes two to make a conversation," said Glumm sulkily.

  "That is as thou sayest, friend, yet I am not aware that I refused totalk with thee," retorted Erling.

  "Nor I with thee," said Glumm sharply, "and thy tongue was glib enoughwhen ye talked with Ada in Horlingdal."

  A light flashed upon Erling as his friend spoke.

  "Why, Glumm," he said lightly, "a pretty girl will make most men'stongues wag whether they will or no."

  Glumm remembered his own obstinate silence while walking with Hilda, anddeeming this a studied insult he became furious, reined up and said:

  "Come, Erling, if ye wish to settle this dispute at once we need fear nointerruption, and here is a piece of level sward."

  "Nay, man, be not so hot," said Erling, with a smile that still moreexasperated his companion; "besides, is it fair to challenge me to fightwith this light weapon while thou bearest a sword so long and deadly?"

  "That shall be no bar," cried the other, unslinging his two-handedsword; "thou canst use it thyself, and I will content me with thine."

  "And pray, how shall we give account of our mission," said Erling, "ifyou and I cut each other's heads off before fulfilling it?"

  "That would then concern us little," said Glumm.

  "Nay, thou art more selfish than I thought thee, friend. For my part, Iwould not that _she_ should think me so regardless of her welfare as toleave undelivered a message that may be the means of preventing the ruinof Horlingdal. My regard for Ada seems to sit more heavily on me thanon thee."

  At this Glumm became still more furious. He leaped off his horse, drewhis sword, and flinging it down with the hilt towards Erling, cried in avoice of suppressed passion:

  "No longer will I submit to be trifled with by man or woman. Choose thyweapon, Erling. This matter shall be settled now and here, and the onewho wins her shall prove him worthy of her by riding forth from thisplain alone. If thou art bent on equal combat we can fall to withstaves cut from yonder tree, or, for the matter of that, we can makeshift to settle it with our knives. What! has woman's love unmannedthee?"

  At this Erling leaped out of the saddle, and drew his sword.

  "Take up thy weapon, Glumm, and guard thee. But before we begin,perhaps it would be well to ask for whose hand it is that we fight."

  "Have we not been talking just now of Ada the Dark-eyed?" said Glummsternly, as he took up his sword and threw himself into a posture ofdefence, with the energetic action of a man thoroughly in earnest.

  "Then is our combat uncalled for," said Erling, lowering his point, "forI desire not the hand of Ada, though I would fight even to the death forher blue-eyed sister, could I hope thereby to win her love."

  "Art thou in earnest?" demanded Glumm in surprise.

  "I never was more so in my life," replied Erling; "would that Hildaregarded me with but half the favour that Ada shows to thee!"

  "There thou judgest wrongly," said Glumm, from whose brow the frown ofanger was passing away like a thundercloud before the summer sun. "Idon't pretend to understand a girl's thoughts, but I have wit enough tosee what is very plainly revealed. When I walked with Hilda to-day Inoticed that her eye followed thee unceasingly, and although she talkedto me glibly enough, her thoughts were wandering, so that she utteredabsolute nonsense at times--insomuch that I would have laughed had I notbeen jealous of what I deemed the mutual love of Ada and thee. No,Erling, thy suit will prosper, depend on't. It is I who have reason todespond, for Ada loves me not."

  Erling, who heard all this with a certain degree of satisfaction,smiled, shook his head, and said:

  "Nay, then, Glumm, thou too art mistaken. The dark-eyed Ada laughs ateveryone, and besides, I have good reason to know that her interest inthee is so great that she consulted me to-day about--about--a--"

  The promise of secrecy that he had made caused Erling to stammer andstop.

  "About what?" asked Glumm.

  "I may not tell thee, friend. She bound me over to secrecy, and I musthold by my promise; but this I may say, that thou hast fully greatercause for hope than I have."

  "Then it is my opinion," said Glumm, "that we have nothing to do butshake hands and proceed on our journey."

  Erling laughed heartily, sheathed his sword, and grasped his friend'shand, after which they remounted and rode forward; but they did not nowride in silence. Their tongues were effectually loosened, and for sometime they discussed their respective prospects with all the warmth andenthusiasm of youthful confidants.

  "But Ada perplexes me," suddenly exclaimed Glumm, in the midst of abrief pause; "I know not how to treat her."

  "If thou wilt take my advice, Glumm, I will give it thee."

  "What is that?" asked Glumm.

  "There is nothing like fighting a woman with her own weapons."

  "A pretty speech," said Glumm, "to come from the lips of a man who neverregards the weapons of his foes, and can scarce be prevailed on to carryanything but a beloved battle-axe."

  "The case is entirely the reverse when one fights with woman," repliedErling. "In war I confess that I like everything to be straightforwardand downright, because when things come to the worst a man can eitherhew his way by main force through thick and thin, or die. Truly, Iwould that it were possible to act thus in matters of love also, butthis being impossible--seeing that women will not have it so, and insiston dallying--the next best thing to be done is to act on their ownprinciples. Fight them with their own weapons. If a woman is outspokenand straightforward, a man should be the same--and rejoice, moreover,that he has found a gem so precious. But if she _will_ play fast andloose, let a man--if he does not give her up at once--do the same. GiveAda a little taste of indifference, Glumm, and thou wilt soon bring herdown. Laugh at her as well as with her. Show not quite so muchattention to her as has been thy wont; and be more attentive to theother girls in the dale--"

  "To Hilda, for instance," said Glumm slyly.

  "Aye, even so, an it please thee," rejoined Erling; "but rest assuredthou wilt receive no encouragement in that quarter; for Hilda theSunbeam is the very soul of innocence, truth, and straightforwardness."

  "Not less so is Ada," said Glumm, firing up at the implied contrast.

  Erling made a sharp rejoinder, to which Glumm made a fierce reply; andit is probable that these hot-blooded youths, having quarrelled becauseof a misunderstanding in regard to their mistresses, would have come toblows about their comparative excellence, had they not come suddenlyupon a sight which, for the time, banished all other thoughts from theirminds.

  During the discussion they had been descending the valley whichterminated in the plain where the recent battle of the Springs had beenfought. Here, as they galloped across the field, which was still strewnwith the bodies of the slain, they came upon the blackened ruins of ahut, around which an old hag was moving, actively engaged, apparently,in raking among the ashes with a forked stick for anything that shecould draw forth.

/>   Near to her a woman, who had not yet reached middle age, was seated onthe burnt earth, with her hands tightly clasped, and her bloodshot eyesgazing with a stony stare at a blackened heap which lay on her lap. Asthe young men rode up they saw that part of the head and face of a childlay in the midst of the charred heap, with a few other portions of thelittle one that had been only partially consumed in the fire.

  The Northmen did not require to be told the cause of what they saw. Thestory was too plainly written in everything around them to admit ofuncertainty, had they even been ignorant of the recent fight and itsconsequences. These were two of the few survivors of that terriblenight, who had ventured to creep forth from the mountains and searchamong the ashes for the remains of those whose smiles and voices hadonce made the sunshine of their lives. The terrible silence of thesevoices and the sight of these hideous remains had driven the grandmotherof the household raving mad, and she continued to rake among the stillsmouldering embers of the old house, utterly regardless of the twowarriors, and only complaining, in a querulous tone now and then, thather daughter should sit there like a stone and leave her unaided to dothe work of trying to save at least some of the household from theflames. But the daughter neither heard nor cared for her. She hadfound what was left of her idol--her youngest child--once a ruddy,fearless boy, with curly flaxen hair, who had already begun to carvemodel longships and wooden swords, and to talk with a joyous smile andflashing eye of war! but now--the fair hair gone, and nothing left savea blackened skull and a small portion of his face, scarcely enough--yetto a mother far more than enough--to recognise him by.

  Erling and Glumm dismounted and approached the young woman, but receivedno glance of recognition. To a remark made by Erling no reply wasgiven. He therefore went close to her, and, bending down, laid hislarge hand on her head, and gently smoothed her flaxen hair, while hespoke soothingly to her. Still the stricken woman took no notice of himuntil a large hot tear, which the youth could not restrain, dropped uponher forehead, and coursed down her cheek. She then looked suddenly upin Erling's face and uttered a low wail of agony.

  "Would ye slay her too?" shrieked the old woman at that moment, comingforward with the pole with which she had been raking in the ashes, as ifshe were going to attack them.

  Glumm turned aside the point of the pole, and gently caught the oldwoman by the arm.

  "Oh! spare her," she cried, falling on her knees and clasping herwithered hands; "spare her, she is the last left--the last. I tried tosave the others--but, but, they are gone--all gone. Will ye not spare_her_?"

  "They won't harm us, mother," said the younger woman huskily. "They arefriends. I _know_ they are friends. Come, sit by me, mother."

  The old woman, who appeared to have been subdued by exhaustion, crept onher hands and knees to her side, and laying her head on her daughter'sbreast, moaned piteously.

  "We cannot stay to aid thee," said Erling kindly; "but that matters notbecause those will soon be here who will do their best for thee. Yet ifthou canst travel a few leagues, I will give thee a token which willensure a good reception in my father's house. Knowest thou Haldorstedein Horlingdal?"

  "I know it well," answered the woman.

  "Here is a ring," said Erling, "which thou wilt take to Herfrida, thewife of Haldor, and say that her son Erling sent thee, and would havethee and thy mother well cared for."

  He took from his finger, as he spoke, a gold ring, and placed it in thewoman's hand, but she shook her head sadly, and said in an absent tone:"I dare not go. Swart might come back and would miss me."

  "Art thou the wife of Swart of the Springs?"

  "Yes; and he told me not to quit the house till he came back. But thatseems so long, long ago, and so many things have happened since, that--"

  She paused and shuddered.

  "Swart is dead," said Glumm.

  On hearing this the woman uttered a wild shriek, and fell backward tothe earth.

  "Now a plague on thy gruff tongue," said Erling angrily, as he raisedthe woman's head on his knee. "Did you not see that the weight wasalready more than she could bear? Get thee to the spring for water,man, as quickly as may be."

  Glumm, whose heart had already smitten him for his inconsiderate haste,made no reply, but ran to a neighbouring spring, and quickly returnedwith his helmet full of water. A little of this soon restored the poorwoman, and also her mother.

  "Now haste thee to Horlingdal," said Erling, giving the woman a share ofthe small supply of food with which he had supplied himself for thejourney. "There may be company more numerous than pleasant at theSprings to-morrow, and a hearty welcome awaits thee at Haldorstede."

  Saying this he remounted and rode away.

  "I was told last night by Hilda," said Erling, "that, when we were outafter the Danes, and just before the attack was made by the men of theircutter on Ulfstede, the hermit had been talking to the women in awonderful way about war and the God whom he worships. He thinks thatwar is an evil thing; that to fight in self-defence--that is, in defenceof home and country--is right, but that to go on viking cruise is wrong,and displeasing to God."

  "The hermit is a fool," said Glumm bluntly.

  "Nay, he is no fool," said Erling. "When I think of these poor women, Iam led to wish that continued peace were possible."

  "But it is, happily, _not_ possible; therefore it is our business tolook upon the bright side of war," said Glumm.

  "That may be thy business, Glumm, but it is my business to look upon_both_ sides of everything. What would it avail thee to pitch and paintand gild the outside of thy longship, if no attention were given to thetimbering and planking of the inside?"

  "That is a different thing," said Glumm.

  "Yes, truly; yet not different in this, that it has two sides, both ofwhich require to be looked at, if the ship is to work well. I wouldthat I knew what the men of other lands think on this point, for thehermit says that there are nations in the south where men practisechiefly defensive warfare, and often spend years at a time withoutdrawing the sword."

  "Right glad am I," said Glumm, with a grim smile, "that my lot has notfallen among these."

  "Do you know," continued Erling, "that I have more than once thought ofgoing off on a cruise far and wide over the world to hear and see whatmen say and do? But something, I know not what, prevents me."

  "Perchance Hilda could tell thee!" said Glumm.

  Erling laughed, and said there was some truth in that; but checkedhimself suddenly, for at that moment a man in the garb of a thrallappeared.

  "Ho! fellow," cried Glumm, "hast heard of King Harald Haarfager oflate?"

  "The King is in guest-quarters in Updal," answered the thrall, "in thehouse of Jarl Rongvold, my master."

  "We must speed on," said Erling to Glumm, "if we would speak with theKing before supper-time."

  "If you would speak with the King at all," said the thrall, "the lessyou say to him the better, for he is in no mood to be troubled just now.He sets out for the Springs to-morrow morning."

  Without making a reply the youths clapped spurs to their horses andgalloped away.