mc.eatersofthedead-第24部分

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uch。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Be　thankful；　for　you　are　fortunate。〃
　I　inquired　the　source　of　my　fortune。　Herger　said　in　reply；　〃If　you　have　the　fear　of　high　places；　then　this　day　you　shall　overe　it；　and　so　you　shall　have　faced　a　great　challenge；　and　so　you　shall　be　adjudged　a　hero。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃I　do　not　want　to　be　a　hero。〃
　At　this　he　laughed　and　said　that　I　expressed　such　an　opinion　only　because　I　was　an　Arab。　Then　also　he　said　that　I　had　a　stiff　head；　by　which　the　Northmen　mean　the　aftermath　of　drinking。　This　was　true；　as　I　have　already　told。
　Also　it　is　true　that　I　was　much　aggrieved　at　the　prospect　of　climbing　down　the　cliff。　Verily　I　felt　in　this　manner：　that　I　should　rather　do　any　action　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；　whether　to　lie　with　a　woman　in　menses；　to　drink　from　a　gold　cup；　to　eat　the　excrement　of　a　pig；　to　put　out　my　eyes；　even　to　die　itself…any　or　all　of　these　things　should　I　prefer　to　the　climbing　of　that　accursed　cliff。　Also　I　was　in　ill　temper。　To　Herger　I　said；　〃You　and　Buliwyf　and　all　your　pany　may　be　heroes　as　suits　your　temper；　but　I　have　no　part　in　this　affair；　and　shall　not　number　as　one　of　you。〃
　At　this　speech；　Herger　laughed。　Then　he　called　to　Buliwyf；　and　spoke　a　rapid　speech；　Buliwyf　answered　him　back；　over　his　shoulder。　Then　Herger　spoke　to　me：　〃Buliwyf　says　that　you　will　do　as　we　do。〃
　In　truth；　now　I　sank　into　despairing；　and　said　to　Herger；　〃I　cannot　do　this　thing。　If　you　force　me　to　do　it；　I　shall　surely　die。〃
　Herger　said；　〃How　shall　you　die？〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃I　shall　lose　my　grip　from　the　ropes。〃
　This　answer　made　Herger　laugh　heartily　yet　again；　and　he　repeated　my　words　to　all　the　Northmen；　and　they　all　laughed　at　what　I　had　said。　Then　Buliwyf　spoke　a　few　words。
　Herger　said　to　me：　〃Buliwyf　says　that　you　shall　lose　your　grip　only　if　you　release　the　ropes　from　your　hands；　and　only　a　fool　would　do　such　a　thing。　Buliwyf　says　you　are　an　Arab；　but　no　fool。〃
　Now；　here　is　a　true　aspect　of　the　nature　of　men：　that　in　his　fashion　Buliwyf　said　that　I　could　climb　the　ropes；　and　that　for　his　speech；　I　believed　it　as　much　as　he；　and　was　cheered　in　my　heart　to　a　slight　degree。　This　Herger　saw；　and　he　spoke　these　words：　〃Each　person　bears　a　fear　which　is　special　to　him。　One　man　fears　a　close　space　and　another　man　fears　drowning；　each　laughs　at　the　other　and　calls　him　stupid。　Thus　fear　is　only　a　preference；　to　be　counted　the　same　as　the　preference　for　one　woman　or　another；　or　mutton　for　pig；　or　cabbage　for　onion。　We　say；　fear　is　fear。〃
　I　was　not　in　a　mood　for　his　philosophies；　this　I　expressed　to　him；　for　in　truth　I　was　growing　closer　to　anger　than　to　fear。　Now　Herger　laughed　at　my　face　and　spoke　these　words：　〃Praise　Allah；　for　he　put　death　at　the　end　of　life；　and　not　at　the　beginning。〃
　Curtly；　I　said　in　reply　that　I　saw　no　benefit　in　hastening　the　end。　〃Indeed；　no　man　does；〃　Herger　responded　to　me；　and　then　he　said；　〃Look　to　Buliwyf。　See　how　he　sits　straight。　See　how　he　rides　forward；　though　he　knows　he　shall　soon　die。〃
　I　answered；　〃I　do　not　know　he　shall　die。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Herger　said；　〃but　Buliwyf　knows。〃　Then　Herger　spoke　nothing　further　to　me；　and　we　rode　onward　for　a　goodly　period　of　time；　until　the　sun　was　high　and　bright　in　the　sky。　Then　at　last　Buliwyf　gave　the　signal　to　halt；　and　all　the　horsemen　dismounted；　and　prepared　to　enter　the　thunder　caves。
　Now；　well　I　knew　that　these　Northmen　are　brave　to　a　fault；　but　as　I　looked　at　the　precipice　of　the　cliff　below　us；　my　heart　twisted　over　inside　my　chest；　and　I　thought　I　should　be　purging　myself　at　any　instant。　Verily；　the　cliff　was　absolutely　sheer；　lacking　the　least　grip　for　hand　or　feet；　and　it　descended　for　the　distance　of　perhaps　four　hundred　paces。　Verily；　the　crashing　waves　were　so　far　beneath　us　that　they　appeared　as　miniature　waves；　tiny　as　the　most　delicate　drawing　of　an　artist。　Yet　I　knew　them　to　be　large　as　any　waves　on　earth；　once　one　descended　to　that　level　far　below。
　To　me；　the　climbing　down　of　these　cliffs　was　madness　beyond　the　madness　of　a　foaming　dog。　But　the　Northmen　proceeded　in　normal　fashion。　Buliwyf　directed　the　pounding　of　stout　wooden　stakes　into　the　earth；　around　these　the　sealskin　ropes　were　bound；　and　the　trailing　ends　flung　over　the　sides　of　the　cliffs。
　Verily；　the　ropes　were　not　long　enough　for　so　distant　a　descent；　and　thus　had　to　be　hauled　up　again；　and　two　ropes　fastened　together　to　make　a　single　length　to　reach　the　waves　at　the　bottom。
　In　due　time；　we　had　two　such　ropes　that　reached　down　the　side　of　the　cliff　face。　Then　Buliwyf　spoke　to　his　gathering：　〃First　I　shall　proceed；　so　that　when　I　reach　the　bottom　all　shall　know　that　the　ropes　are　stout　and　the　journey　can　be　acplished。　I　await　you　at　the　bottom；　on　the　narrow　ledge　you　see　below。〃
　I　looked　to　this　narrow　ledge。　To　call　it　narrow　is　to　call　a　camel　kind。　It　was；　in　truth；　the　barest　strip　of　flat　rock；　continually　washed　and　pounded　by　the　surf。
　〃When　all　have　reached　the　bottom；〃　Buliwyf　said；　〃we　can　attack　the　mother　of　the　wendol　in　the　thunder　caves。〃　Thus　he　spoke；　in　a　voice　as　ordinary　as　that　which　he　would　mand　a　slave　in　the　preparation　of　some　ordinary　stew　or　any　other　household　chore。　And　without　further　speech；　he　went　over　the　side　of　the　cliff。
　Now；　here　is　the　manner　of　his　descent；　which　I　found　remarkable；　but　the　Northmen　account　it　no　particular　thing。　Herger　told　me　they　use　this　method　for　gathering　of　sea…bird　eggs　at　certain　times　of　the　year；　when　the　sea　birds　build　their　nests　on　the　cliff　face。　It　is　done　in　this　fashion：　a　sling　is　placed　around　the　waist　of　the　descending　man；　and　all　the　fellows　strain　to　lower　him　down　the　cliff。　Meanwhile；　this　same　man　grips；　for　support；　on　to　the　second　rope；　which　dangles　on　the　cliff　face。　Further；　the　descending　man　carries　a　stout　staff　of　oaken　wood；　fitted　at　one　end　with　a　leather　thong；　or　strap；　about　his　wrist；　this　staff　he　employs　for　a　prod　to　push　himself　hither　and　yon　as　he　moves　down　the　rocky　surface。41
　As　Buliwyf　went　down；　being　ever　smaller　to　my　eyes；　I　saw　that　he　maneuvered　with　the　sling；　the　rope；　and　the　stick　very　agilely；　but　I　was　not　deceived　into　thinking　this　some　trivial　matter；　for　I　saw　it　to　be　difficult　and　requiring　practice。
　At　length；　he　safely　reached　the　bottom　and　stood　on　the　narrow　ledge　with　the　surf　crashing　over　him。　In　truth；　he　was　so　diminished　we　could　hardly　see　him　wave　his　hand；　in　signal　that　he　was　safe。　Now　the　sling　was　hauled　up；　and　also　with　it；　the　oaken　staff。　Herger　turned　tome；　speaking：　〃You　shall　go　next。〃
　I　said　that　I　was　feeling　poorly。　Also　I　said　I　wished　to　see　another　man　descend；　in　order　better　to　study　the　manner　of　the　descent。
　Herger　said；　〃it　is　more　difficult　with　each　descent；　because　there　are　fewer　here　above　to　lower　a　man　down。　The　last　man　must　descend　without　the　sling　at　all；　and　that　shall　be　Ecthgow；　for　his　arms　are　iron。　It　is　a　mark　of　our　favor　which　allows　you　to　be　the　second　man　to　descend。　Go　now。〃
　I　saw　in　his　eyes　that　there　was　no　hope　of　delay；　and　so　I　was　myself　fitted　into　the　sling；　and　I　gripped　the　stout　staff　in　my　hands；　which　were　slippery　with　sweat；　and　my　whole　body　likewise　was　slippery　with　sweat；　and　I　shivered　in　the　wind　as　I　went　over　the　side　of　the　cliff；　and　for　the　last　time　saw　the　five　Northmen　straining　at　the　rope；　and　then　they　were　lost　from　view。　I　made　my　descent。
　I　had　in　my　mind　to　make　many　prayers　to　Allah；　and　also　to　record　in　the　eye　of　my　mind；　in　the　memory　of　my　soul；　the　many　experiences　that　a　man　must　undergo　as　he　dangles　from　ropes　down　such　a　wind…torn　rocky　cliff。　Once　out　of　sight　of　my　Northmen　friends　above；　I　forgot　all　my　intentions；　and　whispered；　〃Allah　be　praised；〃　over　and　over；　like　a　mindless　person；　or　one　so　old　his　brain　no　longer　functions；　or　a　child；　or　a　fool。
　In　truth；　I　remember　little　from　all　that　transpired。　Only　this：　that　the　wind　blows　a　person　back　and　forth　across　the　rock　at　such　speed　the　eye　cannot　focus　on　the　surface；　which　is　a　gray　blur；　and　that　many　times　I　struck　the　rock；　jarring　my　bones；　splitting　my　skin；　and　once　I　banged　my　head　and　saw　brilliant　white　spots　like　stars　before　my　eyes；　and　I　thought　I　would　be　faint；　but　I　was　not。　And　in　due　time；　which　in　truth　seemed　as　the　whole　duration　of　my　life；　and　more；　I　reached　the　bottom；　and　Buliwyf　clapped　me　on　the　shoulder　and　said　I　had　done　well。
　Now　the　sling　was　raised　up；　and　the　waves　crashed　over　me　and　over　Buliwyf　at　my　side。　Now　I　fought　to　hold　my　balance　upon　this　slippery　ledge；　and　this　so　occupied　my　attention　I　did　not　watch　the　others　ing　down　the　cliff。　My　only　desire　was　this：　to　keep　from　being　swept　away　into　the　sea。　Verily　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　that　the　waves　were　taller　than　three　men　standing　one　atop　another；　and　when　each　wave　struck；　I　was　for　a　moment　senseless　in　a　swirl　of　chilled　water　and　spinning　force。　Many　times　was　I　knocked　from　my　feet　by　these　waves；　I　was　drenched　over　my　whole　body；　and　shivering　so　badly　that　my　teeth　clattered　like　a　galloping　horse。　I　could　not　speak　words　for　the　clacking　of　my　teeth。
　Now　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　made　their　descent；　and　all　were　safe；　Ecthgow　being　the　last　to　e　down；　by　brute　force　of　his　arms；　and　w