had told him that he
himself had the sight. "I had thought as much," he said, "and now I
know that I have."
Gudrid became very much interested, but not enough to dare probe any
further. Indeed, she asked him not to tell her what he had seen.
Thorstan looked away. "I would not tell you even if I knew anything,"
he said; "I would die sooner." She felt that she might become very
fond of this moody and melancholy Thorstan, as a woman readily will of
a man who, through no fault of his own, seems marked out for
misfortune. She could not find that he had any faults. While very
manly, and of great strength and courage--for he was untiring at
hunting, could swim like a seal, and was believed to be afraid of
nothing--with all this he was as gentle as a woman. She knew that he
was a poet, though he would not sing her any of the verses he made.
She thought to herself, "I could make him if I cared"; and the thought
gave her joy. She told herself that if ever she loved a man again, as
she had once understood love, it would be this man. And upon the heels
of that thought came another, which she instantly put away, What and if
Thorstan was to be her second husband? She put that out of her mind
for Thore's sake--Thore's, who had freed her and made her happy. It
was odd that Thore, whom she could never love, had made her happy,
while Thorstan whom she could have loved, it was certain, would never
do that.
In the course of that year the great event was the home-coming of Leif,
Eric Red's eldest son. He sailed up the frith in the early morning of
a June day, and when Eric came out of doors, there was Leif's fine ship
in the anchorage, and many boats about it.
He had been away more than two years, adventuring greatly; but those
adventures of his do not belong to this tale. He had been in Orkney
for some time, and had fallen in love with a high lady whose name was
Thorgunna. He knew her to be of great descent, and that she had the
gift. He was much taken with her and she with him, and they set no
bounds upon their intercourse, it is understood. When it came to the
day before he sailed, Thorgunna said that she would go with him. Leif
said that could not be, because her kindred would never allow it.
"Maybe my people are as good as yours," he said, "but yours would not
believe it, and I have to make my way in the world." "Think nothing of
my people," she said, "but take me." But Leif would not. So then she
told him
|