第10章

gasped，andstaggeredagainstthedoor-post，whereIstoodlikeonewhohasbeenstruckhelpless。

Ragnarsprangatthemessenger，and，dragginghimfromhishorse，wouldhavekilledhimhadnotsomestayedhishand。Myfather，Thorvald，remainedsilent，buthishalf-brother，thedark-browedpriestofOdin，liftedhishandstoheavenandcalleddownthecurseofOdinuponthetroth-breakers。Thecompanydrewswordsandshoutedforvengeance，demandingtobeledagainstthefalseAthalbrand。Atlengthmyfathercalledforsilence。

“Athalbrandisamanwithoutshame，“hesaid。“SteinarisaviperwhomIhavenursedinmybreast，aviperthathasbittenthehandwhichsavedhimfromdeath；aye，youmenofAgger，youhaveaviperforyourlord。Idunaisalight-of-loveuponwhomallhonestwomenshouldspit，whohasbrokenheroathandsoldherselfforSteinar’swealthandrule。IswearbyThorthat，withyourhelp，myfriendsandneighbours，Iwillbeavengeduponallthreeofthese。Butforsuchvengeancepreparationsmustbemade，sinceAthalbrandandSteinararestrong。

Moreover，theylieinanisland，andcanonlybeattackedbysea。

Further，thereisnohaste，sincethemischiefisdone，andbynowSteinartheSnakeandIdunatheLight-of-lovewillhavedrunktheirmarriage-cup。Come，eat，myfriends，andnottoosadly，seeingthatifmyhousehassufferedshame，ithasescapedworseshame，thatofwelcomingafalsewomanasabrideofoneofus。Doubtless，whenhisbitternessispast，Olaf，myson，willfindabetterwife。“

Sotheysatdownandatethemarriagefeast。Onlytheseatsofthebrideandbridegroomwereempty，forIcouldnottakepartinthatfeast，butwentalonetomysleeping-placeanddrewthecurtains。Mymotheralsowassoovercomethatshedepartedtoherownchamber。

AloneIsatuponmybedandlistenedtothesoundsofthatmarriagefeast，whichmoreresembledsuchaoneasisgivenatfunerals。WhenitwasfinishedIheardmyfatherandRagnarandtheheadmenandchiefsofthecompanytakecounseltogether，afterwhichalldepartedtotheirhomes。

SosoonastheyweregoneFreydisacametome，bringingfoodanddrink。

“Iamashamedman，Freydisa，“Isaid，“andcannolongerstayinthislandwhereIhavebeenmadeoneforchildrentomockat。“

“Itisnotyouwhoareshamed，“answeredFreydisahotly。“ItisSteinarandthat——，“andsheusedaharshwordofIduna。“Oh！Isawitcoming，andyetIdarednotwarnyou。IfearedlestImightbewrongandputdoubtsintoyourheartagainstyourfoster-brotherandyourwifewithoutcause。MayOdindestroythemboth！“

“Speaknotsoroughly，Freydisa，“Isaid。“RagnarwasrightaboutIduna。Herbeautyneverblindedhimasitdidme，andhereadhertruly。Well，shedidbutfollowhernature；andasforSteinar，shefooledhimasshehasthepowertodobyanyman，saveRagnar。

Doubtlesshewillrepentbitterlyereallisdone。AlsoIthinkthatnecklacefromthegraveisanevilmagic。“

“Itislikeyou，Olaf，tofindexcuseevenforsinthatcannotbeforgiven。NotbutwhatIholdwithyouthatSteinarhasbeenledawayagainsthiswill，forIreaditinhisface。Well，hislifemustpaythepriceofit，forsurelyheshallbleedonOdin’saltar。Now，beaman。Comeoutandfaceyourtrouble。Youarenotthefirstthatawomanhasfooled，norwillyoubethelast。Forgetloveanddreamofvengeance。“

“Icannotforgetlove，andIdonotwishforvengeance，especiallyagainstSteinar，whoismyfoster-brother，“Iansweredwearily。

OnthemorrowThorvald，myfather，sentmessengerstotheheadmenofAgger，tellingthemofallthatheandhisHousehadsufferedatthehandsofSteinar，whereofthoseoftheirfolkwhohadbeenpresentatthefeastcouldbearwitness。HeaddedthatiftheystoodbySteinarinhiswickednessandtreachery，thenceforwardheandthemenoftheNorthwouldbetheirfoesandworkthemmischiefbylandandsea。

InduecoursethesemessengersreturnedwiththetalethattheheadmenofAggerhadmettogetheranddeposedSteinarfromhislordshipoverthem，electinganotherman，anephewofSteinar’sfather。AlsotheysentapresentofgoldringsinatonementforthewrongwhichhadbeendonetothehouseofThorvaldbyoneoftheirblood，andprayedthatThorvaldandthenorthernmenwouldbearthemnoillwillforthatinwhichtheywereblameless。

Cheeredbythisanswer，whichhalvedthenumberoftheirfoes，myfather，ThorvaldofAar，andthoseOver-menofwhomhewastheHigh-

lord，begantomaketheirpreparationstoattackAthalbrandonhisIslandofLesso。OfallthesethingsAthalbrandlearnedbyhisspies，andlater，whenthewarshipswerebeingpreparedandmanned，twomessengerscamefromhim，oldmenofrepute，anddemandedtoseemyfather。Thiswasthesubstanceofhismessage，whichwasdeliveredinmyhearing。

Thathe，Athalbrand，waslittletoblameforwhathadhappened，whichwasduetothemadpassionsoftwoyoungpeoplewhohadblindedandmisledhim。ThatnomarriagehadtakenplacebetweenSteinarandhisdaughter，Iduna，ashewaspreparedandabletoprove，sincehehadrefusedtoallowanysuchmarriage。That，therefore，hewasreadytooutlawSteinar，whoonlydweltwithhimasanunwelcomeguest，andtoreturnhisdaughter，Iduna，tome，Olaf，andwithherafineingoldringsascompensationforthewrongdone，ofwhichtheamountwastobeascertainedbyjudgestobeagreedupon。

Myfatherentertainedthemessengers，butwouldgivethemnoanswertillhehadsummonedacounciloftheUnder-lordswhostoodwithhiminthisbusiness。Atthatcouncil，whereIwaspresent，somesaidthattheinsultcouldonlybewashedoutwithblood。AtlengthIwascalledupontospeakasthemanmostconcerned。WhilealllistenedIroseandsaid:

“Thesearemywords。Afterwhathaschanced，notforallthewealthinDenmarkwouldItakeIdunatheFairtobemywife。LetherstaywithSteinar，whomshehaschosen。Still，Idonotwishtocausethebloodofinnocentmentobespentbecauseofmyprivatewrong。NeitherdoI

wishtowreakvengeanceuponSteinar，whoformanyyearswasmybrother，andwhohasbeenledawaybyawoman，asmaychancetoanyoneofusandhaschancedtomany。ThereforeIsaythatmyfathershouldacceptAthalbrand’sfineinsatisfactionoftheinsulttoourHouse，andletallthismatterbeforgotten。Asformyself，Ipurposetoleavemyhome，whereIhavebeenputtoshame，andtoseekmyfortuneinotherlands。“

Now，themostofthosepresentthoughtthisawisesayingandwerereadytoabidebyit。Yet，unluckilyenough，itwasmadeofnoaccountbywhathadslippedfrommylipsatitsend。Althoughmanyheldmestrangeandfey，allmenlovedmebecauseIhadakindheartandgentleness，alsobecauseofthewrongsthatIhadsufferedandforsomethingwhichtheysawinme，whichtheybelievedwouldonedaymakeofmeagreatskaldandawiseleader。WhensheheardmeannouncethuspubliclythatIwasdeterminedtoleavethem，Thora，mymother，whisperedintheearsofThorvald，myfather，andRagnarandothersalsosaidtoeachotherthatthismightnotbe。ItwasRagnar，theheadlong，whosprangupandspokethefirst。

“Ismybrothertobedrivenfromusandhishomelikeathrallcaughtintheftbecauseatraitorandafalsewomanhaveputhimtoshame？“

hesaid。“IsaythatIaskAthalbrand’sbloodtowashawaythatstain，nothisgold，andthatifneedbeIwillseekitaloneanddieuponhisspears。AlsoIsaythatifOlaf，mybrother，turnshisbackuponthisvengeance，Inamehimniddering。“

’Nomanshallnamemethat，“Isaid，flushing，“andleastofallRagnar。“

So，amidstshouts，fortherehadbeenlongpeaceintheland，andallthefightingmensighedforbattle，itwasagreedthatwarshouldbedeclaredonAthalbrand，thosepresentpledgingthemselvesandtheirdependentstofollowittotheend。

“Gobacktothetroth-breaker，Athalbrand，“saidmyfathertothemessengers。“Tellhimthatwewillnotaccepthisfineofgold，whocometotakeallhiswealth，andwithithislandandhislife。TellhimalsothattheyounglordOlafrefuseshisdaughter，Iduna，sinceithasnotbeenthefashionofourHousetowedwithdrabs。TellSteinar，thewoman-thief，thathewoulddowelltoslayhimself，ortobesurethatheiskilledinbattle，sinceifwetakehimlivingheshallbecastintoapitofvipersorsacrificedtoOdin，thegodofhonour。Begone！“

“Wego，“answeredthespokesmanofthemessengers；“yetbeforewego，Thorvald，wewouldsaytoyouthatyouandyourfolkaremad。Somewronghasbeendonetoyourson，thoughperhapsnotsomuchasyoumaythink。Forthatwrongfullatonementhasbeenoffered，andwithitthehandoffriendshiponwhichyouspit。KnowthenthatthemightylordAthalbranddoesnotfearwar，sinceforeverymanyoucangatherhenumberstwo，allpledgedtohimuntilthedeath。Alsohehasconsultedtheoracle，anditsansweristhatifyoufightwithhim，butoneofyourHousewillbeleftliving。“

“Begone！“thunderedmyfather，“lestpresentlyyoushouldstayheredead。“

Sotheywent。

Thatdaymyheartwasveryheavy，andIsoughtFreydisatotakecounselwithher。

“Troublehoversovermelikeacroakingraven，“Isaid。“Idonotlikethiswarforawomanwhoisworthnothing，althoughshehashurtmesorely。Ifearthefuture，thatitmayproveevenworsethanthepasthasbeen。“

“Thencometolearnit，Olaf，forwhatisknownneednomorebefeared。“

“Iamnotsosureofthat，“Isaid。“Buthowcanthefuturebelearned？“

“Throughthevoiceofthegod，Olaf。AmInotoneofOdin’svirgins，whoknowsomethingofthemysteries？Yonderinhistemplemayhaphewillspeakthroughme，ifyoudaretolisten。“

“Aye，Idare。Ishouldliketohearthegodspeak，truewordsorfalse。“

“Thencomeandhearthem，Olaf。“

Sowewentuptothetemple，andFreydisa，whohadtherightofentry，unlockeditsdoor。WepassedinandlitalampinfrontoftheseatedwoodenimageofOdin，thatforunnumberedgenerationshadrestedtherebehindthealtar。IstoodbythealtarandFreydisacrouchedherselfbeforetheimage，herforeheadlaiduponitsfeet，andmutteredrunes。