Brand.—­And no one wanted to follow me?

Helgi.—­They all said that you always suffered the most disgraceful reverses, while victory was perched on the helmet of Kolbein.

Brand.—­I did not have the hardness and the ruthlessness of my kinsman Kolbein to kill men.

Jorun.—­And it is better not to be ruthless.

Helgi.—­I went to the peasants in the West, but got the worst reception.  Often I did not even get food.  I was allowed to stay overnight only in the outhouses.  At Bolstadahlid the hut burned down in which I slept.  I do not know whether the farmer intended to burn me in it, but three armed men were standing outside when I made my escape from the fire.  They did nothing to put out the fire, but neither did they attack me.  Maybe that they were not minded to seek a night’s shelter under my axe.  After that I was not allowed to come into the house.  I stood under the house wall during the remainder of the night, with my axe on my shoulder, and looking into the fire.  Now I have come here!

Brand.—­Our cause is altogether lost.  Yeoman Thorvard tries to murder my messenger! (Murmurs to himself.) Thorolf said, ’He shall shun churches and Christian people, the houses of God and the houses of men, and every home but hell.’

Jorun.—­You will have to fight against terrible odds.

Einar the Rich (enters with a pair of scales and a gold ring in his hand).—­Now I shall ride home by the fastest and shall return within a short while with twenty men.

Brand.—­That will be excellent, Einar. (Exeunt BRAND and JORUN.)

Einar.—­Deacon Sigurd, what weighs the ring you wear on your arm there?

Sigurd.—­Why do you ask?

Einar.—­A ring has been paid me for a debt, and I want to weigh it now.

Sigurd.—­My ring weighs four ounces.

Einar.—­Mine was to weigh as much; let me have yours for a moment!

Sigurd (takes THOROLF’S ring off his arm and gives it to him).—­But let me have it back at once!

Einar (weighs the rings.  As soon as SIGURD looks away he exchanges the rings; handing SIGURD the other).—­Thank you, deacon.  Here is your ring!  I am astonished that a priest should wear so precious a piece of gold on his arm.

Sigurd.—­This ring is not my own. (Puts it on.)

Einar.—­I did not know that.  Farewell, friends! (Exit.)

Helgi Skaftason (approaches closely to DEACON SIGURD).—­I dreamed last night that I stood out of doors and looked up at the sky, and I thought I saw streams of blood run over all the sky.  And down below on earth shone flames that licked up to the vault of heaven from all directions.

Sigurd.—­You became aware in your sleep that the hut was burning about you.