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Leila's Books
THE OUTLAW
THE OUTLAW
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an excerpt from the beginning of the first chapter:
THE CURSE ON THE BLADE
IN after days, when men told each other the tale which I am about telling to you, much was made of the curse set upon a spear called Grayflanks, and a good deal of nonsense, with some sound sense, talked about it. In those days, when there were fewer things of handling than there are now, and a sword or spear, if it were a good one, had a character which was known and valued, it would seem that a personal life might very well abide in the thing, so that you could not only instruct it in its course of conduct, but could look back upon it and say: "Well, such or such a deed was to be expected of such or such a thing." There is much to be said both for and against that way of looking at things; but I am not prepared at the moment to argue it out. A serious poet and friend of mine is fond of imputing character to his domestic furniture. He makes allowances for its drawbacks, treats it with a respect which is pleasant to see and very pleasant to read about in his verses. The odds, I believe, are very much on the side of his being right. If this tale should happen under his eye, it will confirm him in the respect he has for his kettle and chest' of drawers, as it has already confirmed me.
Grayflanks was not a spear when the curse was laid, which was long ago when Hakon the Good was King of Norway; in those days it was a sword, and in the secret keeping of a man named Kol, who was a thrall. But Kol had not always been a thrall. He was well-born and had been something of a great man in his own country, before he had the misfortune to engage in warfare with greater men than he, and to lose everything he had, except his sword.
There was one other thing which he did not lose—his character. With that, which was 'of a strong, very honest and resolute man, he impressed himself upon his possessor, Ise, a man of high degree in North Moeren; so much so that he was made foster-father of his master's daughter Ingibiorg, a very handsome girl. She grew up to love him more than her own father, and when she married, which she did as soon as she was marriageable, she took Kol with her, gave him his freedom, and settled him and his sword in a housestead belonging to her husband in Surnadale.
Her husband was a young man called Ari, the eldest of the three sons of Thorkel Goldhelm. The other sons were Gisli and Thorbiorn. Thorkel Goldhelm was rich and a great proprietor. Seeing that Ingibiorg brought a fine dowry with her, he dealt handsomely with the young couple, set them up in a good house and lands and looked to see them prosper. And so they did for a year or more.
Then troubles began, not of their own seeking. There was a stalwart ruffian settled in that part of the country, a fighting man who had a company of cut-throats at his beck. His name was Biorn, and he was called Biorn Black, because he was of that colour and sort. He was said to deal in magic, to be invulnerable and I don't know what not; but the facts were that he was very ready with his weapons, entirely ruthless, and had a mighty appetite for the good things of life and strong disinclination to work for them. No pretty woman was safe from him. He regarded her as lawful plunder. Whether she was gentle or simple, married or maid, she was his for a time. He took her away, kept her as long as he pleased, then sent her back. This outrageous conduct, while it was successful, established two things —a great dread of him, which made his depredations more easy, and a great reputation for him, which almost made them a necessity. If he had continued a little longer, he might have set up a droit de seigneur; but he tried it once too often, and happened to meet his match.
He left Ari and Ingibiorg alone for about a twelvemonth; then went up to the house in force, knocked at the door with a spear-butt and demanded entertainment. By a lucky providence the house was not empty. Besides Ari and his wife there were his two brothers, Gisli and Thorbiorn, there; there was Kol the f reedman, and certain other men, servants of the house. The Baresark had six of his cut-throats with him, but no more.
Ingibiorg served them with drink, and Biorn Black toasted her with effrontery.. "To our next meeting, mistress," he said, "in a ..snugger place than this." She flamed, and left the hall. Ari asked what he meant by insulting the lady of the house. Biorn Black explained himself. "Custom of the country, dear sir," he said. "I claim the rights of a lord of the land so long as I can wield them. Your lady is no worse off than any other man's lady— and I dare avouch she will be the better. As for you, there can be no doubt you will do wisely if you let me have my way."
THE CURSE ON THE BLADE
IN after days, when men told each other the tale which I am about telling to you, much was made of the curse set upon a spear called Grayflanks, and a good deal of nonsense, with some sound sense, talked about it. In those days, when there were fewer things of handling than there are now, and a sword or spear, if it were a good one, had a character which was known and valued, it would seem that a personal life might very well abide in the thing, so that you could not only instruct it in its course of conduct, but could look back upon it and say: "Well, such or such a deed was to be expected of such or such a thing." There is much to be said both for and against that way of looking at things; but I am not prepared at the moment to argue it out. A serious poet and friend of mine is fond of imputing character to his domestic furniture. He makes allowances for its drawbacks, treats it with a respect which is pleasant to see and very pleasant to read about in his verses. The odds, I believe, are very much on the side of his being right. If this tale should happen under his eye, it will confirm him in the respect he has for his kettle and chest' of drawers, as it has already confirmed me.
Grayflanks was not a spear when the curse was laid, which was long ago when Hakon the Good was King of Norway; in those days it was a sword, and in the secret keeping of a man named Kol, who was a thrall. But Kol had not always been a thrall. He was well-born and had been something of a great man in his own country, before he had the misfortune to engage in warfare with greater men than he, and to lose everything he had, except his sword.
There was one other thing which he did not lose—his character. With that, which was 'of a strong, very honest and resolute man, he impressed himself upon his possessor, Ise, a man of high degree in North Moeren; so much so that he was made foster-father of his master's daughter Ingibiorg, a very handsome girl. She grew up to love him more than her own father, and when she married, which she did as soon as she was marriageable, she took Kol with her, gave him his freedom, and settled him and his sword in a housestead belonging to her husband in Surnadale.
Her husband was a young man called Ari, the eldest of the three sons of Thorkel Goldhelm. The other sons were Gisli and Thorbiorn. Thorkel Goldhelm was rich and a great proprietor. Seeing that Ingibiorg brought a fine dowry with her, he dealt handsomely with the young couple, set them up in a good house and lands and looked to see them prosper. And so they did for a year or more.
Then troubles began, not of their own seeking. There was a stalwart ruffian settled in that part of the country, a fighting man who had a company of cut-throats at his beck. His name was Biorn, and he was called Biorn Black, because he was of that colour and sort. He was said to deal in magic, to be invulnerable and I don't know what not; but the facts were that he was very ready with his weapons, entirely ruthless, and had a mighty appetite for the good things of life and strong disinclination to work for them. No pretty woman was safe from him. He regarded her as lawful plunder. Whether she was gentle or simple, married or maid, she was his for a time. He took her away, kept her as long as he pleased, then sent her back. This outrageous conduct, while it was successful, established two things —a great dread of him, which made his depredations more easy, and a great reputation for him, which almost made them a necessity. If he had continued a little longer, he might have set up a droit de seigneur; but he tried it once too often, and happened to meet his match.
He left Ari and Ingibiorg alone for about a twelvemonth; then went up to the house in force, knocked at the door with a spear-butt and demanded entertainment. By a lucky providence the house was not empty. Besides Ari and his wife there were his two brothers, Gisli and Thorbiorn, there; there was Kol the f reedman, and certain other men, servants of the house. The Baresark had six of his cut-throats with him, but no more.
Ingibiorg served them with drink, and Biorn Black toasted her with effrontery.. "To our next meeting, mistress," he said, "in a ..snugger place than this." She flamed, and left the hall. Ari asked what he meant by insulting the lady of the house. Biorn Black explained himself. "Custom of the country, dear sir," he said. "I claim the rights of a lord of the land so long as I can wield them. Your lady is no worse off than any other man's lady— and I dare avouch she will be the better. As for you, there can be no doubt you will do wisely if you let me have my way."
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