Small Catechism 第38章

InthecastleofSirBiornoftheFieryEyes，Christmas-evehadnotpassedsobrightlyandhappily;butyet，theretooallhadgonevisiblyaccordingtoGodswill.

Folko，attheentreatyofthelordofthecastle，hadallowedGabrielletosupporthimintothehall;andthethreenowsatattheroundstonetable，whereonasumptuousmealwaslaid.Oneithersidetherewerelongtables，atwhichsattheretainersofbothknightsinfullarmour，accordingtothecustomoftheNorth.Torchesandlampslightedtheloftyhallwithanalmostdazzlingbrightness.

Midnighthadnowbegunitssolemnreign，andGabriellesoftlyremindedherwoundedknighttowithdraw.Biornheardher，andsaid:

"Youareright，fairlady;ourknightneedsrest.Onlyletusfirstkeepuponemoreoldhonourablecusto"Andathissignfourattendantsbroughtinwithpompagreatboarshead，whichlookedasifcutoutofsolidgold，andplaceditinthemiddleofthestonetable.Biornsretainersrosewithreverence，andtookofftheirhelmets;Biornhimselfdidthesame.

"Whatmeansthis?"askedFolkoverygravely.

"WhatthyforefathersandminehavedoneoneveryYulefeast，"answeredBiorn."Wearegoingtomakevowsontheboarshead，andthenpassthegobletroundtotheirfulfilment.""WenolongerkeepwhatourancestorscalledtheYulefeast，"saidFolko;"wearegoodChristians，andwekeepholyChristmas-tide.""Todotheone，andnottoleavetheotherundone，"answeredBiorn.

"Iholdmyancestorstoodeartoforgettheirknightlycustoms.

Thosewhothinkotherwisemayactaccordingtotheirwisdom，butthatshallnothinderme.Iswearbythegoldenboarshead--"Andhestretchedouthishand，tolayitsolemnlyuponit.

ButFolkocalledout，"InthenameofourholySaviour，forbear.

WhereIam，andstillhavebreathandwill，noneshallcelebrateundisturbedtheritesofthewildheathens."BiornoftheFieryEyesglaredangrilyathiThemenofthetwobaronsseparatedfromeachother，withahollowsoundofrattlingarmour，andrangedthemselvesintwobodiesoneithersideofthehall，eachbehinditsleader.Alreadyhereandtherehelmetswerefastenedandvisorsclosed.

"Bethinktheeyetwhatthouartdoing，"saidBiorn."IwasabouttovowaneternalunionwiththehouseofMontfaucon，nay，eventobindmyselftodoitgratefulhomage;butifthoudisturbmeinthecustomswhichhavecometomefrommyforefathers，looktothysafetyandthesafetyofallthatisdeartothee.Mywrathnolongerknowsanybounds."FolkomadeasigntothepaleGabrielletoretirebehindhisfollowers，sayingtoher，"Beofgoodcheer，mynoblewife，weakerChristianshavebraved，forthesakeofGodandofHisholyChurch，greaterdangersthannowseemtothreatenus.Believeme，theLordofMontfauconisnotsoeasilyensnared."Gabrielleobeyed，somethingcomfortedbyFolkosfearlesssmile，butthissmileinflamedyetmorethefuryofBiorn.Heagainstretchedouthishandtowardstheboarshead，asifabouttomakesomedreadfulvow，whenFolkosnatchedagauntletofBiornsoffthetable，withwhichhe，withhisunwoundedleftarm，strucksopowerfulablowonthegiltidol，thatitfellcrashingtotheground，shiveredtopieces.Biornandhisfollowersstoodasifturnedtostone.Butsoonswordsweregraspedbyarmedhands，shieldsweretakendownfromthewalls，andanangry，threateningmurmursoundedthroughthehall.

AtasignfromFolko，abattle-axewasbroughthimbyoneofhisfaithfulretainers;heswungithighinairwithhispowerfullefthand，andstoodlookinglikeanavengingangelashespokethesewordsthroughthetumultwithawfulcalmness:"Whatseekye，0deludedNorthman?Whatwouldstthou，sinfullord?Yeareindeedbecomeheathens;andIhopetoshowyou，bymyreadinessforbattle，thatitisnotinmyrightarmalonethatGodhasputstrengthforvictory.Butifyecanyethear，listentomywords.Biorn，onthissameaccursed，andnow，byGodshelp，shiveredboarshead，thoudidstlaythyhandwhenthoudidstsweartosacrificeanyinhabitantsoftheGermantownsthatshouldfallintothypower.AndGotthardLenzcame，andRudliebcame，drivenontheseshoresbythestor

Whatdidstthouthendo，0savageBiorn?Whatdidyedoathisbidding，yewhowerekeepingtheYulefeastwithhim?Tryyourfortuneonme.TheLordwillbewithme，asHewaswiththoseholymen.Toarms，and--"（heturnedtohiswarriors）"letourbattle-crybeGotthardandRudlieb!"ThenBiornletdrophisdrawnsword，thenhisfollowerspaused，andnoneamongtheNorwegiansdaredlifthiseyesfromtheground.Bydegrees，theyonebyonebegantodisappearfromthehall;andatlastBiornstoodquitealoneoppositetothebaronandhisfollowers.

Heseemedhardlyawarethathehadbeendeserted，buthefellonhisknees，stretchedouthisshiningsword，pointedtothebrokenboarshead，andsaid，"Dowithmeasyouhavedonewiththat;Ideservenobetter.Iaskbutonefavour，onlyone;donotdisgraceme，noblebaron，byseekingshelterinanothercastleofNorway.""Ifearyounot，"answeredFolko，aftersomethought;"and，asfarasmaybe，Ifreelyforgiveyou."ThenhedrewthesignofthecrossoverthewildformofBiorn，andleftthehallwithGabrielle.TheretainersofthehouseofMontfauconfollowedhimproudlyandsilently.