“How makest thou that out?” says Hauskuld.
“They gave thee a horse which they called a `dark horse,’ and
that they did out of mockery to thee, because they thought thee
too untried. I can tell thee also that they envy thee the
priesthood. Skarphedinn took it up as his own at the Thing when
thou camest not to the Thing at the summoning of the Fifth Court,
and Skarphedinn never means to let it go.”
“That is not true,” says Hauskuld, “for I got it back at the
Folkmote last harvest.”
“Then that was Njal’s doing,” says Mord. “They broke, too, the
atonement about Lyting.”
“I do not mean to lay that at their door,” says Hauskuld.
“Well,” says Mord, “thou canst not deny that when ye two,
Skarphedinn and thou, were going east towards Markfleet, an axe
fell out from under his belt, and he meant to have slain thee
then and there.”
“It was his woodman’s axe,” says Hauskuld, “and I saw how he put
it under his belt; and now, Mord, I will just tell thee this
right out, that thou canst never say so much ill of Njal’s sons
as to make me believe it; but though there were aught in it, and
it were true as thou sayest, that either I must slay them or they
me, then would I far rather suffer death at their hands than work
them any harm. But as for thee, thou art all the worse a man for
having spoken this.”
After that Mord fares home. A little after Mord goes to see
Njal’s sons, and he talks much with those brothers and Kari.
“I have been told,” says Mord, “that Hauskuld has said that thou,
Skarphedinn, hast broken the atonement made with Lyting; but I
was made aware also that he thought that thou hadst meant some
treachery against him when ye two fared to Markfleet. But still,
methinks that was no less treachery when he bade you to a feast
at his house, and stowed you away in an outhouse that was
farthest from the house, and wood was then heaped round the
outhouse all night, and he meant to burn you all inside; but it
so happened that Hogni Gunnar’s son came that night, and naught
came of their onslaught, for they were afraid of him. After that
he followed you on your way and great band of men with him, then
he meant to make another onslaught on you, and set Grani Gunnar’s
son, and Gunnar Lambi’s son to kill thee; but their hearts failed
them, and they dared not to fall on thee.”
But when he had spoken thus, first of all they spoke against it,
but the end of it was that they believed him, and from that day
forth a coldness sprung up on their part towards Hauskuld, and
they scarcely ever spoke to him when they met; but Hauskuld
showed them little deference, and so things went on for a while.
Next harvest Hauskuld fared east to Swinefell to a feast, and
Flosi gave him a hearty welcome. Hildigunna was there too. Then
Flosi spoke to Hauskuld and said, “Hildigunna tells me that there
is great coldness with you and Njal’s sons, and methinks that is
