ie down at night while he kept watch by the bed. And so she did.
The poor girl was worn out, and went to sleep almost at once.

About midnight she was awakened. Thorstan Black stood by the bed with
a taper. She gaped at him, cold to the bones.

"Come, my dear," he said. "He is asking for you." She said nothing.
Then in the silence she heard her husband's voice, calling "Gudrid,
Gudrid, Gudrid." She fell trembling, and knew not what she said.
Thorstan Black put his cloak over her, and helped her out of bed. Her
knees shook. "Is he dead? Is he dead? Oh, don't leave me. I'm
frightened--he looks so strange--don't leave me, Thorstan."

"No, my dear, I won't leave you," he said, and put his arm round her,
for she seemed about to fall. "Come," he said, "I'll take you, and
stay by you."

She mastered her fear. "Yes," she said, "I must go. Oh, but you are
so good to me."

"Don't go if you are afraid," said Thorstan. "He may be dead by now."

"No, no," she said, "not yet. I must hear what he says, for it may be
he knows what the course of my life must be. If God will help me, I
will go. But you will come too--you promised."

Thorstan thereupon lifted her up in his arms, and carried her into the
room where Thorstan Ericsson lay. He went to the side of the bed and
sat down, holding Gudrid on his knee. So they waited fearfully for the
dead man to speak.

Thorstan Ericsson sat up in his bed; his eyes were so deep in his head
that nothing showed of them but dark caves. His mouth was open, as if
his jaw had dropped. But no sound came from him.

Then Thorstan Black said: "My namesake, you called to Gudrid, and I
have her here beside you. What do you desire of her?"

The dead man spoke. "Gudrid, are you there?"

"Yes, Thorstan," she said quaking.

"I will tell you, my wife, that you need not grieve for me, nor fear
me, for I shall never hurt you now--nor could I have the heart. I am
come to a good place, and am at peace. Now you are to know that you
will be married to an Icelander who will be kind to you, and give you
what your heart desires. But your life will be longer than his, and
your end will be pious--and that, too, you will desire before you reach
it. And I pray you to take my body back to Ericsfrith and give me holy
burial. Farewell, Gudrid, and have no fear for me."

Gudrid, cold as a stone, sat on Thorstan Black's knee as if she had
been a child, and stared at the figure of her love.