Now it so befell that Helgi was stood in the doorway looking on in this nick of time. He went now to find his friends Thorir and Thorgisl, and they talked together long and low. After that, they went to find Thorgnyr the Lawman. They were somewhat slow in coming to the point with him, but Thorgnyr was pleasant with them and led them on to talk freely. And at length they unlocked to him that which abode in their mind, that it was now the happy hour to pull the bench from under Styrbiorn, and that the means thereto lay ready to hand: namely, to let the King know plainly that it was common talk in the house that Styrbiorn and Sigrid were overgood friends together, and to let him know that Styrbiorn was minded to snatch by force not his own heritage only before his time but the whole kingdom from out of his uncle’s hand: “And that he sitteth openly in the Queen’s bower, and all as if he were already set in the King’s stead, both in bed and hall; and striketh too and spurneth the King’s own son, which crieth out and weepeth pitifully.”
“Which of you will tell this tale to the King?” asked Thorgnyr.
“This was in our mind,” answered Thorir, “that this should be the hopefullest way, if thou wouldst be willing to talk to the King, Thorgnyr: if indeed thou deemest well of our redes.”
“When it cometh all to all,” said Thorgnyr, “is there a word of truth in the whole story?”
“Say there were not,” said Helgi: “ ’twill come true afore the tale be told.”
“Fruit is best gathered when ’tis ripe,” said Thorgnyr. “As for this tale of yours, it will not fill half the nostril of a cat. I’ll have naught to do with it.”
“Come with me,” said Helgi then. “I’ll show it thee through the chink of the Queen’s door.”
“No,” said Thorgnyr. “I am not a pryer into chinks and look-holes.”
So they went out from Thorgnyr very ill content.
“What’s to do next?” said Thorgisl.
“What but to go to the King ourselves?” said Helgi.
“He will not heed us,” said Thorir.
In the end they were of this mind, that may be it was best for them to say naught of it for the present. “Only we will not cease to flatter and egg him forward to some open violence, which shall give the King just pretext to do him away ere a worse thing befall.”
Styrbiorn put off the King’s armour and betook him to the great hall. Here he sat quiet till supper time, and spake to no man. Men deemed it strange to see him so quiet and brooding. Before supper he came to the King. “Lord,” he said, “I did ill to come back before the time. I will ride down to the ships at daybreak and fare abroad again.”
“That is well spoken,” said the King, and took him by both hands.
“It was not to vex you I came hither,” said Styrbiorn. “It was a long time. It seemed to me I could not help but come. You have been good to me; and now I will go away and keep to the bargain.”
They gripped hands and said no more. But there was great content in the King’s eyes as they met Styrbiorn’s.
The King brought Styrbiorn and his men down to the ships next day. They took leave of both parts with great kindness, and the ships rowed out of the Low and were no more seen. The King rode with Thorgnyr on their way home. Thorgnyr held his peace. After a while the King said, “Thou art a wise man, Thorgnyr, but I think I have taught thee somewhat.”
Thorgnyr looked at him awhile in silence. Then he said, “It is not to be denied, King, that you have played well; and you have gotten that you played for.”
The King was like a man that hath borne over long time a difficult burden and, casting it down at length where he would have it, breatheth free and seeth all fair before him. He looked at Thorgnyr with a twinkling eye. “It is hard for thee, Thorgnyr, but thou must own thou wast wrong.”
“I was not wrong,” said Thorgnyr.
“No more,” said the King then in a sudden anger. “Thou wast wrong.”
But that old man looked sullenly before him, riding northward at the King’s side. He said again, under his breath, “I was not wrong.”
VIII
The King and the Queen
It was yet dark winter. Styrbiorn, he and his, sailed south along the land and came, after an ill voyage yet without unhap or loss, to Skaney. Here they put in with their ships and went up to the great house of Strut-Harald the Earl, who gave them noble welcome and kept them with him till winter’s end.
Strut-Harald sat in Skaney in those days in state like unto a king, and was a very magnificent man in his housekeeping and had alway guests coming and going. In all Skaney-side his word went as a king’s, and there was no man there but held him in the greatest worship and esteem and was ready at all tides to do his bidding. He stood no more now in wars and harryings, being very old and unmeet for fighting. Yet was he no whit the more for that thrust into the corner, as sometimes it befalleth to an old man past his strength, for he had powerful sons and sons-in-law and young men of his blood always under his hand honouring him and upholding his state. And he was a man glorious to look upon even in his deep old age, being nowise bowed down as is the manner of old men, but whether walking or sitting, straight-shouldered and broad-chested and with a proud and high carriage of the head. A big man and a tall he was, great-boned,
