Kalf.—­You slap me?  I who am Kolbein the Young?  So you think he will allow himself to be slapped with impunity by a woman?

Jorun.—­How does this lion’s whelp come among us?  I had rather not live than bring up rovers.  Never more play war, Kalf!  Protect those that are weak! (Embraces THORGEIR, leads the boys to the door, and calls out:) Put Kalf into the dark room for a while!

Broddi (shouts from without).—­I must get to speak with you, Brand Kolbeinsson!  Quick, quick!

Jorun.—­Broddi here!  There comes war incarnate mailed from head to foot.  May God have pity on all wives!

(Enter BRAND without arms and BRODDI all armed.)

Broddi.—­You have collected a good and well-armed body of men?

Brand.—­I have had great difficulty in gathering troops.  I have only my tenants and my servants, altogether eighty men.

Broddi.—­And whilst I make the fort at Holar unconquerable, whilst I break up the frozen ground, whilst I pour water over all the ramparts of our stronghold so that they become like slippery ice—­meanwhile you have done nothing.  You sing hymns in the churches, beat your breast, and chant ‘Miserere.’  Your conduct is not becoming a chieftain.

Jorun.—­You speak harshly to my husband because he wants peace before all things.

Broddi.—­Peace!  Whoever heard of peace after violent dissensions, except the battles be won or—­lost?

Brand.—­You know, Broddi, that I egged on neither you nor others to take Thorolf Bjarnason’s life.  And yet have I done all in my power to collect many men.  I sent Deacon Sigurd and Helgi Skaftason——­

Broddi.—­The priest and the executioner?—­and, of course, only these two?

Brand.—­Yes, I had but few men at home, at that time.

Broddi.—­You do not know how to get a body of men together!  You send the priest with the crucifix in his hand.  All know that he wishes peace, and no one rises for him.  You send the hangman with the axe on his shoulder to remind people of his business, but you forget that with such a fellow no one will speak.  In such wise you will not get a pack of dogs to follow you.  But if you want to raise a great host you will have to go out yourself with sixty men and kill two or three of the first that refuse to follow you.  Thus did Kolbein the Young collect his troops at first, and because Kalf Guttormsson would not bear arms against Sighvat, his good friend, both he and his son were slain.

Jorun.—­How often the murder of my father and brother is mentioned, and no one cares though I hear it.

Brand.—­I have been heavily oppressed with care.  I have been summoned before the tribunal of God because of having violated a pledged truce; and my kinswoman Helga will be intent on making me follow that summons.  And now the priest in my house has dreamed thrice in the same night that I stood by his bedside and prayed God to receive my soul.