第 24 节
作者:北方网      更新:2021-02-24 22:10      字数:9322
  … Page 82…
  EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
  times and there。 His strange…looking; unexpected Latin name he got in this
  way: Alfhild;   his   mother;   a   slave   through   ill…luck   of   war;   though   nobly
  born;  was   seen   to   be   in  a   hopeful   way;   and   it   was   known   in   the   King's
  house how intimately Olaf was connected with that occurrence; and how
  much      he    loved    this   〃King's     serving…maid;〃       as   she    was    commonly
  designated。 Alfhild   was   brought   to   bed   late   at   night;   and   all   the   world;
  especially King Olaf was asleep; Olaf's strict rule; then and always; being;
  Don't awaken me:seemingly a man sensitive about his sleep。 The child
  was   a   boy;  of   rather   weakly  aspect;   no   important person   present;   except
  Sigvat; the  King's   Icelandic  Skald;  who happened   to   be still   awake;   and
  the Bishop of Norway; who; I suppose; had been sent for in hurry。 〃What
  is   to   be   done?〃   said   the   Bishop:   〃here   is   an   infant   in   pressing   need   of
  baptism; and we know not what the name is: go; Sigvat; awaken the King;
  and   ask。〃   〃I   dare   not   for   my   life;〃   answered   Sigvat;   〃King's   orders   are
  rigorous on that point。〃 〃But if the child die unbaptized;〃 said the Bishop;
  shuddering;   too   certain;   he   and   everybody;   where   the   child   would   go   in
  that case! 〃I will myself give him a name;〃 said Sigvat; with a desperate
  concentration of all his faculties; 〃he shall be namesake of the greatest of
  mankind;imperial Carolus Magnus; let us call the infant Magnus!〃 King
  Olaf; on the morrow; asked rather sharply how Sigvat had dared take such
  a   liberty;   but   excused   Sigvat;   seeing   what   the   perilous   alternative   was。
  And Magnus; by such accident; this boy was called; and he; not another; is
  the prime origin and introducer of that name Magnus; which occurs rather
  frequently; not among the Norman Kings only; but by and by among the
  Danish and Swedish; and; among the Scandinavian populations; appears to
  be rather frequent to this day。
  Magnus; a youth of great spirit; whose own; and standing at his beck;
  all   Norway   now   was;   immediately   smote   home   on   Denmark;   desirous
  naturally   of   vengeance   for   what   it   had   done   to   Norway;   and   the   sacred
  kindred   of   Magnus。   Denmark;   its   great   Knut   gone;   and   nothing   but   a
  drunken      Harda…Knut;       fugitive    Svein    and    Co。;   there   in  his   stead;   was
  become a weak dislocated Country。 And Magnus plundered in it; burnt it;
  beat   it;   as   often   as   he   pleased;   Harda…Knut   struggling   what   he   could   to
  make      resistance    or  reprisals;    but   never    once   getting    any   victory    over
  82
  … Page 83…
  EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
  Magnus。   Magnus;   I   perceive;   was;   like   his   Father;   a   skilful   as   well   as
  valiant    fighter    by   sea  and    land;   Magnus;      with   good    battalions;    and
  probably backed by immediate alliance with Heaven and St。 Olaf; as was
  then the general belief or surmise about him; could not easily be beaten。
  And the truth is; he never was; by Harda…Knut or any other。 Harda…Knut's
  last   transaction   with   him   was;   To   make   a   firm   Peace   and   even   Family…
  treaty   sanctioned   by   all   the   grandees   of   both   countries;   who   did   indeed
  mainly themselves make it; their two Kings assenting: That there should
  be perpetual Peace;   and no thought   of war more;   between Denmark   and
  Norway; and that; if either of the Kings died childless while the other was
  reigning; the other should succeed him in both Kingdoms。 A magnificent
  arrangement; such as has several times been made in the world's history;
  but    which    in  this  instance;    what    is  very   singular;   took   actual   effect;
  drunken   Harda…   Knut   dying   so   speedily;   and   Magnus   being   the   man   he
  was。 One would like to give the date of this remarkable Treaty; but cannot
  with   precision。   Guess   somewhere   about   1040:'17'   actual   fruition   of   it
  came to Magnus; beyond question; in 1042; when Harda…Knut drank that
  wassail bowl at the wedding in Lambeth; and fell down dead; which in the
  Saxon   Chronicle   is   dated   3d   June   of   that   year。   Magnus   at   once   went   to
  Denmark   on   hearing   this   event;   was   joyfully   received   by   the   headmen
  there; who indeed; with their fellows in Norway; had been main contrivers
  of   the   Treaty;   both   Countries   longing   for   mutual   peace;   and   the   end   of
  such incessant broils。
  Magnus   was   triumphantly   received   as   King   in   Denmark。   The   only
  unfortunate thing was; that Svein Estrithson; the exile son of Ulf; Knut's
  Brother…in…law; whom Knut; as we saw; had summarily killed twelve years
  before;     emerged     from    his  exile   in  Sweden      in  a  flattering   form;    and
  proposed   that   Magnus   should   make   him   Jarl   of   Denmark;   and   general
  administrator there; in his own stead。 To which the sanguine Magnus; in
  spite of advice to the contrary; insisted on acceding。 〃Too powerful a Jarl;〃
  said Einar Tamberskelverthe same Einar whose bow was heard to break
  in Olaf Tryggveson's last battle (〃Norway breaking from thy hand; King!〃);
  who had now become Magnus's chief man; and had long been among the
  highest chiefs in Norway; 〃too powerful a Jarl;〃 said Einar earnestly。 But
  83
  … Page 84…
  EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
  Magnus   disregarded   it;   and   a   troublesome   experience   had   to   teach   him
  that it was true。 In about a year; crafty Svein; bringing ends to meet; got
  himself declared King of Denmark for his own behoof; instead of Jarl for
  another's: and had to be beaten and driven out by Magnus。 Beaten every
  year;   but   almost   always   returned   next   year;   for   a   new   beating;almost;
  though not altogether; having at length got one dreadful smashing…down
  and   half…killing;   which   held   him   quiet   for   a   while;so   long   as   Magnus
  lived。 Nay in the end; he made good his point; as if by mere patience in
  being   beaten;   and   did   become   King   himself;   and   progenitor   of   all   the
  Kings     that   followed。     King    Svein   Estrithson;     so  called    from   Astrid    or
  Estrith; his mother; the great Knut's sister; daughter of Svein Forkbeard by
  that amazing Sigrid the Proud; who _burnt_ those two ineligible suitors of
  hers   both   at   once;   and   got   a   switch   on   the   face   from   Olaf   Tryggveson;
  which proved the death of that high man。
  But all this fine fortune of the often beaten Estrithson was posterior to
  Magnus's   death;   who   never   would   have   suffered   it;   had   he   been   alive。
  Magnus       was    a  mighty   fighter;    a   fiery   man;   very   proud     and   positive;
  among other qualities; and had such luck as was never seen before。 Luck
  invariably  good; said   everybody;   never  once  was   beaten;which   proves;
  continued   everybody;   that   his   Father   Olaf   and   the   miraculous   power   of
  Heaven were with him  always。 Magnus; I believe;  did put down a   great
  deal of anarchy in those countries。 One of his earliest enterprises was to
  abolish Jomsburg; and trample out that nest of pirates。 Which he managed
  so completely  that Jomsburg   remained a   mere   reminiscence thenceforth;
  and its place is not now known to any mortal。
  One perverse thing did at last turn up in the course of Magnus: a new
  Claimant   for   the   Crown   of   Norway;   and   he   a   formidable   person   withal。
  This was Harald; half…brother of the late Saint Olaf; uncle or half…uncle;
  therefore; of Magnus himself。 Indisputable son of the Saint's mother by St。
  Olaf's     stepfather;    who     was;   himself     descended      straight    from    Harald
  Haarfagr。 This new Harald was already much heard of in the world。 As an
  ardent   Boy   of   fifteen   he   had   fought   at   King   Olaf's   side   at   Stickelstad;
  would not be admonished by the Saint to go away。 Got smitten down there;
  not killed; was smuggled away that night from the field by friendly help;
  84
  … Page 85…
  EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
  got   cured   of   his   wounds;   forwarded   to   Russia;   where   he   grew   to   man's
  estate; under bright auspices and successes。 Fell in love with the Russian
  Princess;      but   could     not   get   her    to   wife;    went    off   thereupon      t