early kings of norway(古挪威的国王)-第23章
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along the coast of Norway; Knut summoning a Thing every here and there;
and in all of them meeting nothing but sky…high acclamation and
acceptance。 Olaf; with some twelve little ships; all he now had; lay quiet in
some safe fjord; near Lindenaes; what we now call the Naze; behind some
little solitary isles on the southeast of Norway there; till triumphant Knut
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had streamed home again。 Home to England again 〃Sovereign of Norway〃
now; with nephew Hakon appointed Jarl and Vice…regent under him! This
was the news Olaf met on venturing out; and that his worst anticipations
were not beyond the sad truth all; or almost all; the chief Bonders and men
of weight in Norway had declared against him; and stood with triumphant
Knut。
Olaf; with his twelve poor ships; steered vigorously along the coast to
collect money and force;if such could now anywhere be had。 He himself
was resolute to hold out; and try。 〃Sailing swiftly with a fair wind;
morning cloudy with some showers;〃 he passed the coast of Jedderen;
which was Erling Skjalgson's country; when he got sure notice of an
endless multitude of ships; war…ships; armed merchant ships; all kinds of
shipping…craft; down to fishermen's boats; just getting under way against
him; under the command of Erling Skjalgson; the powerfulest of his
subjects; once much a friend of Olaf's but now gone against him to this
length; thanks to Olaf's severity of justice; and Knut's abundance in gold
and promises for years back。 To that complexion had it come with Erling;
sailing with this immense assemblage of the naval people and populace of
Norway to seize King Olaf; and bring him to the great Knut dead or alive。
Erling had a grand new ship of his own; which far outsailed the
general miscellany of rebel ships; and was visibly fast gaining distance on
Olaf himself;who well understood what Erling's puzzle was; between the
tail of his game (the miscellany of rebel ships; namely) that could not
come up; and the head or general prize of the game which was crowding
all sail to get away; and Olaf took advantage of the same。 〃Lower your
sails!〃 said Olaf to his men (though we must go slower)。
〃Ho you; we have lost sight of them!〃 said Erling to his; and put on all
his speed; Olaf going; soon after this; altogether invisible;behind a little
island that he knew of; whence into a certain fjord or bay (Bay of Fungen
on the maps); which he thought would suit him。 〃Halt here; and get out
your arms;〃 said Olaf; and had not to wait long till Erling came bounding
in; past the rocky promontory; and with astonishment beheld Olaf's fleet of
twelve with their battle…axes and their grappling…irons all in perfect
readiness。 These fell on him; the unready Erling; simultaneous; like a
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cluster of angry bees; and in a few minutes cleared his ship of men
altogether; except Erling himself。 Nobody asked his life; nor probably
would have got it if he had。 Only Erling still stood erect on a high place on
the poop; fiercely defensive; and very difficult to get at。 〃Could not be
reached at all;〃 says Snorro; 〃except by spears or arrows; and these he
warded off with untiring dexterity; no man in Norway; it was said; had
ever defended himself so long alone against many;〃an almost invincible
Erling; had his cause been good。 Olaf himself noticed Erling's behavior;
and said to him; from the foredeck below; 〃Thou hast turned against me
to…day; Erling。〃 〃The eagles fight breast to breast;〃 answers he。 This was a
speech of the king's to Erling once long ago; while they stood fighting; not
as now; but side by side。 The king; with some transient thought of
possibility going through his head; rejoins; 〃Wilt thou surrender; Erling?〃
〃That will I;〃 answered he; took the helmet off his head; laid down sword
and shield; and went forward to the forecastle deck。 The king pricked; I
think not very harshly; into Erling's chin or beard with the point of his
battle…axe; saying; 〃I must mark thee as traitor to thy Sovereign; though。〃
Whereupon one of the bystanders; Aslak Fitiaskalle; stupidly and fiercely
burst up; smote Erling on the head with his axe; so that it struck fast in his
brain and was instantly the death of Erling。 〃Ill…luck attend thee for that
stroke; thou hast struck Norway out of my hand by it!〃 cried the king to
Aslak; but forgave the poor fellow; who had done it meaning well。 The
insurrectionary Bonder fleet arriving soon after; as if for certain victory;
was struck with astonishment at this Erling catastrophe; and being now
without any leader of authority; made not the least attempt at battle; but;
full of discouragement and consternation; thankfully allowed Olaf to sail
away on his northward voyage; at discretion; and themselves went off
lamenting; with Erling's dead body。
This small victory was the last that Olaf had over his many enemies at
present。 He sailed along; still northward; day after day; several important
people joined him; but the news from landward grew daily more ominous:
Bonders busily arming to rear of him; and ahead; Hakon still more busily
at Trondhjem; now near by; 〃and he will end thy days; King; if he have
strength enough!〃 Olaf paused; sent scouts to a hill…top: 〃Hakon's
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armament visible enough; and under way hitherward; about the Isle of
Bjarno; yonder!〃 Soon after; Olaf himself saw the Bonder armament of
twenty…five ships; from the southward; sail past in the distance to join that
of Hakon; and; worse still; his own ships; one and another (seven in all);
were slipping off on a like errand! He made for the Fjord of Fodrar; mouth
of the rugged strath called Valdal;which I think still knows Olaf and has
now an 〃Olaf's Highway;〃 where; nine centuries ago; it scarcely had a path。
Olaf entered this fjord; had his land…tent set up; and a cross beside it; on
the small level green behind the promontory there。 Finding that his twelve
poor ships were now reduced to five; against a world all risen upon him;
he could not but see and admit to himself that there was no chance left;
and that he must withdraw across the mountains and wait for a better time。
His journey through that wild country; in these forlorn and straitened
circumstances; has a mournful dignity and homely pathos; as described by
Snorro: how he drew up his five poor ships upon the beach; packed all
their furniture away; and with his hundred or so of attendants and their
journey…baggage; under guidance of some friendly Bonder; rode up into
the desert and foot of the mountains; scaled; after three days' effort (as if
by miracle; thought his attendants and thought Snorro); the well…nigh
precipitous slope that led across; never without miraculous aid from
Heaven and Olaf could baggage…wagons have ascended that path! In short;
How he fared along; beset by difficulties and the mourn