Helga.—­Of little worth I hold your life, Jorun; but in order to keep my promise I shall take it instead of your husband’s life. (Calls out.) Take my prisoner away from Brand Kolbeinsson!

Broddi.—­Let us protect her with our bodies!

Brand.—­Look you, Helga my kinswoman, you will not reach your prisoner so very easily for the first. (DEACON SIGURD picks up HELGI SKAFTASON’S axe, for he is weaponless.  They take JORUN in their midst.)

Helga.—­To arms!  Wrest my prisoner from among them!

Broddi.—­Hold my place for a moment, my men, if it should be vacant a short while.—­Is it really so, Kolbein the Young, that your wife has made you so senselessly mad that you are about to attack us in order to butcher a woman?

Kolbein.—­Lady Helga’s matter this is, not mine.  If we cannot reach terms of peace, it is because of Helgi Skaftason and Alf of Grof!

Broddi.—­And you let her attack us in order to butcher a woman?

Kolbein.—­I let it come as it may.

Broddi.—­Then more will have to come as it may.  Be on your guard, Kolbein!

(KOLBEIN has been sitting in his high seat without drawing his sword, but has had it lying on his knees and now and then unsheathed it halfways.  BRODDI rushes at him to deliver a blow; KOLBEIN dodges the blow and grasps BRODDI’S wrist with both hands, so that his sword drops on the floor.  Then he forces BRODDI to sit beside him on the high seat.)

Kolbein.—­Be calm now, Broddi!  The slaying of Thorolf was an ill deed and a needless one.

Broddi.—­Let go of me, you hell-hound!

Kolbein (laughs).—­How furious you are now, brother-in-law!

Helga.—­What fell there to the floor?

Kolbein.—­The action for avenging Thorolf Bjarnason, which slipped from your hands, lady!

Helga.—­That would not have made so great a sound.

Brand.—­Lady Helga! you who once were my mother’s sister!  I shall surrender my arms and myself to you if all others will then be granted to make atonement for the slaying of Thorolf.

Helga.—­Keep your arms yourself, for no one does less harm with them than you.  My promise to your wife I shall keep; I wonder only that she goes not herself voluntarily from among your midst, in order to save us difficulties.

Jorun.—­I cannot, for they hold me.

Helga (calls out).—­Fetch my captive Jorun from among them! (HAF ASBJORN and the men of KOLBEIN surround BRAND and his followers.)

Asbjorn.—­We shall set upon you now!

Botolf.—­Bide a little. (Takes the candles from the table.) Now I shall lay in the Norse language the interdict on Kolbein and Helga.