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"Nay, Redwald will tell me now," Egil said. "Does this lady speak truth?" "It is true," I answered. "Why should you hinder her going to the duke, her brother, who will seek her at your hands?" Now Emma had been still during these words, looking with hard and scornful eyes at all before her, but now she spoke: "Let the sail be set again that I may go on my way.
Egil took the matter well, and said he had always heard both father and son well spoken of, "and I also know, Hoskuld," said Egil, "that you are a high-born man and of great worth, and Olaf is much renowned on account of his journey, and it is no wonder that such men should look high for a match, for he lacks neither family nor good looks; but yet this must be talked over with Thorgerd, for it is no man's task to get Thorgerd for wife against her will."
Then I had my sword out, for it was time and two men who drew sword on me went down on the deck before me. Sword Foe's Bane smote not amiss. Then was a ring of shouting Danes forming, and I felt someone at my shoulder, and Egil cried out: "Hold, men! the warrior is my man. Let me deal with him."
He failed in his purpose, the thing breaking up in disorder; and Egil, probably finding Norway too hot to hold him, went back to Iceland. If King Erik now fancied he was rid of the turbulent Icelander he was mistaken.
"You have come to the right place, for nowhere in the world could you be more welcome. Only wait and see how Rolf and Egil will receive you!" She gave the thrall a curt shake of her head, as he stepped to her bridle-rein; and they rode off. As Helga had said, the camp was not far away. Once across the river, they turned to the left and wound along the rolling woody banks toward the fiord.
"Egil has well deserved death," replied Erik, "but I cannot buy his death at that price." As he stopped speaking Egil began to sing, chanting his ode in tones that rang loudly through the hall. Famed as a poet, his death song was one of the best he had ever composed, and it praised Erik's valor in all the full, wild strains of the northern verse. Erik heard the song through with unmoved face.
If I take you to Cnut, Streone will have somewhat to say about you and he is a great man with our king just now." "Well, what if he has. He knows me well enough, and cares nought about me," I answered. "Cares enough about you to have told Cnut to hang you as soon as he gets you," Egil said. "I suppose you have offended him in some way." Then Elfric said: "That is so.
He turned ashy pale at the picture Egil had drawn of loss of Cnut's favour. He looked once or twice towards me as if he were trying to frame some excuse, but none would come. "I knew it not," he said, falsely enough. "I am glad you came." Egil only laughed, and with that Streone rode away quickly, and never looked back as he went.
Priests and black cats are aye unlucky passengers, however." I think that I was never so angry as then. To lose all our pains for the safety of the queen, and that by reason of her own foolishness, was hard. Egil left me and went to Bertric; and once more the sail was set, and the ship headed backward for the English coast. We had almost lost sight of it.
"We are peaceful folk who cross the seas. It is the part of a good warrior and viking to let such go unharmed." "Aye, so it is," answered Egil; "but, as it happens, we are looking for certain peaceful folk." "You will not harm us," said Elfric, who knew nought of our queen's foolishness. "It is but a party of church people who go to Normandy." "Put the holy man aside," said Egil to his men.
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