Thorolf.—­I have ever been faithful to you.

Helga.—­Will you be obedient to me, Thorolf?

Thorolf.—­Yes, gladly (kisses her hand), now as always before.

Helga (gently).—­You have always been true to me, and that shall be rewarded as soon as ever I can.

(Enter BRAND KOLBEINSSON, BRODDI, DEACON SIGURD, EINAR THE RICH, ALF, HELGI SKAFTASON, together with six others.)

Brand.—­Hail, lady!

Helga.—­Hail, my nephew!  Hail, all of you!  My husband has been expecting you with impatience.

Einar (aside).—­Now we shall see how sick a man Kolbein is.

Helga.—­We pray you all to say the least possible about the infirmity of my husband; I have no more than sixty armed men about me.

Broddi.—­And who is their leader?

Helga.—­Thorolf Bjarnason, Asbjorn Illugason, and Haf Bjarnason.

Broddi.—­And Thorolf Bjarnason remains here?

Thorolf.—­First I shall return to my estate to give orders as to my affairs.

Helga (aside to THOROLF).—­You speak incautiously, to tell them where you mean to go.  I read your death in their eyes.

Alf.—­You will not refuse me to keep you company on the way home?

Thorolf.—­No; I care not to have your company, you insolent fool!

Helga.—­You will remain here with us, Thorolf, on account of the infirmity of my husband and our defencelessness otherwise; you can send some one else to arrange matters on your estate.

(LADY HELGA and those about her exeunt by door.  BRODDI, ALF, and EINAR THE RICH remain behind in the foreground.)

Broddi.—­Lady Helga has become suspicious of us.

Einar.—­Sharp are the eyes of my Lady Helga whenever Thorolf is concerned.

Alf.—­He has slipped from our grasp, the hellhound!

(KOLBEIN THE YOUNG, pale and weak, is borne in on shields by ASBJORN ILLUGASON, HAF BJARNASON, and others.  BISHOP BOTOLF and SALVOR enter with them.)

Kolbein.—­Hail to you all!

Botolf.—­Pax vobiscum!

(They bow to KOLBEIN and the BISHOP.  KOLBEIN is borne to the high seat.  HELGA stands beside him, also SALVOR keeps near him always.)

Brand (coming forward).—­How stands matters with you, kinsman Kolbein?

Kolbein.—­Not so very well.

Broddi (coming forward).—­You have but a small body-guard about you to-day, brother-in-law!

Kolbein (pointing to BISHOP BOTOLF).—­This body-guard alone has been sufficient for some time.

Brand.—­You have summoned us to meet you.

Kolbein.—­I wanted, with the assistance of my kinsmen and of others, to make such provisions for our dominions as would most likely result in peace for the district.