The King heard him out, and was silent for a little space, his countenance clouded. At length, “It agreeth i’ the main,” said he, “with that which I knew hereof already.”
“You did already know?” said the Earl, much wondering.
“Many are the King’s ears. Was Thorgnyr not there to stop them when they made this fair election?” asked the King.
“There was he, it is most certain,” said Earl Wolf. “But he did little enough to stop them.”
“I do trust Thorgnyr in all things else,” said the King, “but not in aught that toucheth Styrbiorn. He hath been ever against him.”
The Earl was silent.
“Was Thorgnyr there,” asked the King, “whenas they fell a-pelting of you with stones and muck to drive you from the Thing, thee and Styrbiorn?”
“You did know that too, King?” said the Earl. “I did think to have told you that later, not to light in a moment too hot a fire of anger in you. And yet, a pretty scout; a pretty shaming. ’Twere well to engrave the memory of those stones on the skin-coat of some of ’em.”
“Thou’st not yet answered me,” said King Eric: “was Thorgnyr in it when they stoned you from the Thing?”
“Lord, I’ll not lie to you,” answered the Earl; “he was not. O’ the contrary, I am apt to think that Thorgnyr, i’ the midst o’ this pother, was like naught so much as an unhandy cook, who, when he had brewed him this kettle full of trouble, did sit it over the fire until it boil, and did find too late he had not power in’s lean scragged arms to lift it off again afore all the mess should bubble over.”
“I must see Thorgnyr,” said the King. “Hast thou a boat here to put us across to Sigtun?”
The Earl brought him down to the water and showed him three ships, enough to take the King and all his company. They two stood together on the bank while the King’s men embarked. Earl Wolf looked angry as a man might be, biting of his moustachios and spitting out the hairs. The King, so long as he thought good, let him abide in this taking; then, wearying of the entertainment, “Let not fear shut thy mouth,” he said. “If I will hear Thorgnyr, how much more thee, which art blameless in this matter?”
“Have my thanks, King, for that,” said the Earl. “He is thy dog, I’ll not gainsay it. But here, where it toucheth Styrbiorn, will you see Thorgnyr? Will you hear this? How? this Lambi, this man of naught, this scurvy shagrag, chosen and proclaimed (flatly ’gainst the law) joint King in your noble young kinsman’s room? and will you see Thorgnyr? will you bandy words with him?”
“Why wilt thou make such faces?” said the King.
“It was not so in Sweden aforetime,” said Earl Wolf, in a hot anger fanned by the breath of his own angry speech. “Did not King Ingiald Evil-heart formerly burn six kings in Upsala, ’cause he would have no man share his dominion? Can you for shame—” but here he came to a full stop in his declaiming, having not so wholly suffered his indignation to master his sober senses that he should not mark that look in the King’s eye suddenly turned upon him, and be cowed by it to submission.
“To shame at that which is not shameworthy,” said the King after a minute, very quiet, “belongeth to a fool, not to a king. And thou, that hast been a famous skipper in thy time! Ay,” said the King: “that was well thought on. Yonder little cock-boat shall serve.” That was a little boat some fifteen foot long, that went with one of the big ships; and the King made the Earl go aboard of her and put off, they two alone. The King made Earl Wolf sit in the stern and steer, and made him hoist sail and steer for Sigtun. “Now I will see somewhat of thy seamanship,” said the King.
The Earl sailed handily, keeping his course as near as man could in that stormy weather; but ever and again, struck broadside by a charging squall, he must slack sail or throw her head into the wind.
“Is it as I think?” said the King, “that thy practice agreeth not with thy so loud babble? Make fast the sheet and keep her on a straight course to Sigtun, or it shall go ill with thee.” Nor would he harken at all to the Earl’s protestings, but threatened him with a great spear with an iron head a foot long; so that the Earl obeyed, and in a moment the boat was swamped and both King and Earl thrown into the water.
When they that were by the ships saw this they were put in a mighty stew and ran out a rowboat, but both King and Earl swam strongly and were come ashore before those others
