ready to depart; I should wait for you through the next winter, if next summer you were more free to go away than you are now.  But I cannot help thinking that the king will on no account let you go free.  I also take it to be the truth that you yourself call to mind but few of the things that afford pastime in Iceland when you sit talking to Ingibjorg, the king’s sister.”  She was at the court of King Olaf, and the most beautiful of all the women who were at that time in the land.  Kjartan said, “Do not say such things, but bear my greeting to both my kinsfolk and friends.”

CHAP.  XLII

Bolli makes love to Gudrun, A.D. 1000

After that Kjartan and Bolli parted, and Gizor and Hjalti sailed from Norway and had a good journey, and came to the Westmen’s Isles at the time the Althing was sitting, and went from thence to the mainland, and had there meetings and parleys with their kinsmen. [Sidenote:  Bolli goes to Laugar] Thereupon they went to the Althing and preached the faith to the people in an harangue both long and telling, and then all men in Iceland received the faith.  Bolli rode from the Thing to Herdholt in fellowship with his uncle Olaf, who received him with much loving-kindness.  Bolli rode to Laugar to disport himself after he had been at home for a short time, and a good welcome he had there.  Gudrun asked very carefully about his journey and then about Kjartan.  Bolli answered right readily all Gudrun asked, and said there were no tidings to tell of his journey.  “But as to what concerns Kjartan there are, in truth, the most excellent news to be told of his ways of life, for he is in the king’s bodyguard, and is there taken before every other man; but I should not wonder if he did not care to have much to do with this country for the next few winters to come.” [Sidenote:  He talks with Gudrun] Gudrun then asked if there was any other reason for it than the friendship between Kjartan and the king.  Bolli then tells what sort of way people were talking about the friendship of Kjartan with Ingibjorg the king’s sister, and said he could not help thinking the king would sooner marry Ingibjorg to Kjartan than let him go away if the choice lay between the two things.  Gudrun said these were good tidings, “but Kjartan would be fairly matched only if he got a good wife.”  Then she let the talk drop all of a sudden and went away and was very red in the face; but other people doubted if she really thought these tidings as good as she gave out she thought they were.  Bolli remained at home in Herdholt all that summer, and had gained much honour from his journey; all his kinsfolk and acquaintances set great store by his valiant bearing; he had, moreover, brought home with him a great deal of wealth.  He would often go over to Laugar and while away time talking to Gudrun.  One day Bolli asked Gudrun what she would answer if he were to ask her in marriage.  Gudrun replied at once, “No