heimskringla-第98章

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rned　home。　One　night　Stein　left　the　city；　and　his　footboy　with　him。　　They　went　up　Gaularas　and　into　Orkadal。　　One　evening　they　came　to　one　of　the　king's　farms　which　Thorgeir　had　the　management　of；　and　Thorgeir　invited　Stein　to　pass　the　night　there；　and　asked　where　he　was　travelling　to。　　Stein　begged　the　loan　of　a　horse　and　sledge；　for　he　saw　they　were　just　driving　home　corn。

Thorgeir　replies；　〃I　do　not　exactly　see　how　it　stands　with　thy　journey；　and　if　thou　art　travelling　with　the　king's　leave。　　The　other　day；　methinks；　the　words　were　not　very　sweet　that　passed　between　the　king　and　thee。〃

Stein　said；　〃If　it　be　so　that　I　am　not　my　own　master　for　the　king；　yet　I　will　not　submit　to　such　treatment　from　his　slaves；〃　and；　drawing　his　sword；　he　killed　the　landbailiff。　Then　he　took　the　horse；　put　the　boy　upon　him；　and　sat　himself　in　the　sledge；　and　so　drove　the　whole　night。　　They　travelled　until　they　came　to　Surnadal　in　More。　　There　they　had　themselves　ferried　across　the　fjord；　and　proceeded　onwards　as　fast　as　they　could。　　They　told　nobody　about　the　murder；　but　wherever　they　came　called　themselves　king's　men；　and　met　good　entertainment　everywhere。　　One　day　at　last　they　came　towards　evening　to　Giske　Isle；　to　Thorberg　Arnason's　house。　　He　was　not　at　home　himself；　but　his　wife　Ragnhild；　a　daughter　of　Erling　Skjalgson；　was。　　There　Stein　was　well　received；　because　formerly　there　had　been　great　friendship　between　them。　　It　had　once　happened；　namely；　that　Stein；　on　his　voyage　from　Iceland　with　his　own　vessel；　had　come　to　Giske　from　sea；　and　had　anchored　at　the　island。　　At　that　time　Ragnhild　was　in　the　pains　of　childbirth；　and　very　ill；　and　there　was　no　priest　on　the　island；　or　in　the　neighbourhood　of　it。　　There　came　a　message　to　the　merchant…vessel　to　inquire　if；　by　chance；　there　was　a　priest　on　board。　　There　happened　to　be　a　priest　in　the　vessel；　who　was　called　Bard；　but　he　was　a　young　man　from　Westfjord；　who　had　little　learning。　　The　messengers　begged　the　priest　to　go　with　them；　but　he　thought　it　was　a　difficult　matter：　for　he　knew　his　own　ignorance；　and　would　not　go。　　Stein　added　his　word　to　persuade　the　priest。　　The　priest　replies；　〃I　will　go　if　thou　wilt　go　with　me；　for　then　I　will　have　confidence；　if　I　should　require　advice。〃　　Stein　said　he　was　willing；　and　they　went　forthwith　to　the　house；　and　to　where　Ragnhild　was　in　labour。　　Soon　after　she　brought　forth　a　female　child；　which　appeared　to　be　rather　weak。　　Then　the　priest　baptized　the　infant；　and　Stein　held　it　at　the　baptism；　at　which　it　got　the　name　of　Thora；　and　Stein　gave　it　a　gold　ring。　　Ragnhild　promised　Stein　her　perfect　friendship；　and　bade　him　come　to　her　whenever　he　thought　he　required　her　help。　　Stein　replied　that　he　would　hold　no　other　female　child　at　baptism；　and　then　they　parted。　　Now　it　was　come　to　the　time　when　Stein　required　this　kind　promise　of　Ragnhild　to　be　fulfilled；　and　he　told　her　what　had　happened；　and　that　the　king's　wrath　had　fallen　upon　him。　　She　answered；　that　all　the　aid　she　could　give　should　stand　at　his　service；　but　bade　him　wait　for　Thorberg's　arrival。　　She　then　showed　him　to　a　seat　beside　her　son　Eystein　Orre；　who　was　then　twelve　years　old。　　Stein　presented　gifts　to　Ragnhild　and　Eystein。　　Thorberg　had　already　heard　how　Stein　had　conducted　himself　before　he　got　home；　and　was　rather　vexed　at　it。　　Ragnhild　went　to　him；　and　told　him　how　matters　stood　with　Stein；　and　begged　Thorberg　to　receive　him；　and　take　care　of　him。

Thorberg　replies；　〃I　have　heard　that　the　king；　after　sending　out　a　message…token；　held　a　Thing　concerning　the　murder　of　Thorgeir；　and　has　condemned　Stein　as　having　fled　the　country；　and　likewise　that　the　king　is　highly　incensed：　and　I　have　too　much　sense　to　take　the　cause　of　a　foreigner　in　hand；　and　draw　upon　myself　the　king's　wrath。　　Let　Stein；　therefore；　withdraw　from　hence　as　quickly　as　thou　canst。〃

Ragnhild　replied；　that　they　should　either　both　go　or　both　stay。

Thorberg　told　her　to　go　where　she　pleased。　〃For　I　expect；〃　said　he；　〃that　wherever　thou　goest　thou　wilt　soon　come　back；　for　here　is　thy　importance　greatest。〃

Her　son　Eystein　Orre　then　stood　forward；　and　said　he　would　not　stay　behind　if　Ragnhild　goes。

Thorberg　said　that　they　showed　themselves　very　stiff　and　obstinate　in　this　matter。　　〃And　it　appears　that　ye　must　have　your　way　in　it；　since　ye　take　it　so　near　to　heart；　but　thou　art　reckoning　too　much；　Ragnhild；　upon　thy　descent；　in　paying　so　little　regard　to　King　Olaf's　word。〃

Ragnhild　replied；　〃If　thou　art　so　much　afraid　to　keep　Stein　with　thee　here；　go　with　him　to　my　father　Erling；　or　give　him　attendants；　so　that　he　may　get　there　in　safety。〃　　Thorberg　said　he　would　not　send　Stein　there；　〃for　there　are　enough　of　things　besides　to　enrage　the　king　against　Erling。〃　　Stein　thus　remained　there　all　winter　（A。D。　1027）。

After　Yule　a　king's　messenger　came　to　Thorberg；　with　the　order　that　Thorberg　should　come　to　him　before　midsummer；　and　the　order　was　serious　and　severe。　　Thorberg　laid　it　before　his　friends；　and　asked　their　advice　if　he　should　venture　to　go　to　the　king　after　what　had　taken　place。　　The　greater　number　dissuaded　him；　and　thought　it　more　advisable　to　let　Stein　slip　out　of　his　hands　than　to　venture　within　the　king's　power：　but　Thorberg　himself　had　rather　more　inclination　not　to　decline　the　journey。　　Soon　after　Thorberg　went　to　his　brother　Fin；　told　him　the　circumstances；　and　asked　him　to　accompany　him。　　Fin　replied；　that　he　thought　it　foolish　to　be　so　completely　under　woman's　influence　that　he　dared　not；　on　account　of　his　wife；　keep　the　fealty　and　law　of　his　sovereign。

〃Thou　art　free；〃　replied　Thorberg；　〃to　go　with　me　or　not；　but　I　believe　it　is　more　fear　of　the　king　than　love　to　him　that　keeps　thee　back。〃　　And　so　they　parted　in　anger。

Then　Thorberg　went　to　his　brother　Arne　Arnason；　and　asked　him　to　go　with　him　to　the　king。　　Arne　says；　〃It　appears　to　me　wonderful　that　such　a　sensible；　prudent　man；　should　fall　into　such　a　misfortune；　without　necessity；　as　to　incur　the　king's　indignation。　　It　might　be　excused　if　it　were　thy　relation　or　foster…brother　whom　thou　hadst　thus　sheltered；　but　not　at　all　that　thou　shouldst　take　up　an　Iceland　man；　and　harbour　the　king's　outlaw；　to　the　injury　of　thyself　and　all　thy　relations。〃

Thorberg　replies；　〃It　stands　good；　according　to　the　proverb；　　a　rotten　branch　will　be　found　in　every　tree。　　My　father's　greatest　misfortune　evidently　was　that　he　had　such　ill　luck　in　producing　sons　that　at　last　he　produced　one　incapable　of　acting；　and　without　any　resemblance　to　our　race；　and　whom　in　truth　I　never　would　have　called　brother；　if　it　were　not　that　it　would　have　been　to　my　mother's　shame　to　have　refused。〃

Thorberg　turned　away　in　a　gloomy　temper；　and　went　home。　Thereafter　he　sent　a　message　to　his　brother　Kalf　in　the　Throndhjem　district；　and　begged　him　to　meet　him　at　Agdanes；　and　when　the　messengers　found　Kalf　he　promised；　without　more　ado；　to　make　the　journey。　　Ragnhild　sent　men　east　to　Jadar　to　her　father　Erling；　and　begged　him　to　send　people。　　Erling's　sons；　Sigurd　and　Thord；　came　out；　each　with　a　ship　of　twenty　benches　of　rowers　and　ninety　men。　　When　they　came　north　Thorberg　received　them　joyfully；　entertained　them　well；　and　prepared　for　the　voyage　with　them。　　Thorberg　had　also　a　vessel　with　twenty　benches；　and　they　steered　their　course　northwards。　　When　they　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　Throndhjem　fjord　Thorberg's　two　brothers；　Fin　and　Arne；　were　there　already；　with　two　ships　each　of　twenty　benches。　　Thorberg　met　his　brothers　with　joy；　and　observed　that　his　whetstone　had　taken　effect；　and　Fin　replied　he　seldom　needed　sharpening　for　such　work。　　Then　they　proceeded　north　with　all　their　forces　to　Throndhjem；　and　Stein　was　along　with　them。　　When　they　came　to　Agdanes；　Kaff　Arnason　was　there　before　them；　and　he　also　had　a　wellmanned　ship　of　twenty　benches。　　With　this　war…force　they　sailed　up　to　Nidaros；　where　they　lay　all　night。　　The　morning　after　they　had　a　consultation　with　each　other。　　Kalf　and　Erling's　sons　were　for　attacking　the　town　with　all　their　forces；　and　leaving　the　event　to　fate；　but　Thorberg　wished　that　they　should　first　proceed　with　moderation；　and　make　an　offer；　in　which　opinion　Fin　and　Arne　also　concurred。　　It　was　accordingly　resolved　that　Fin　and　Arne；　with　a　few　men；　sh