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there is no winter. That's the place for me. Will you come too, Thorstan?" But Thorstan was looking at Gudrid and did not hear him. XI Biorn stayed on some time longer with Eric Red, and had some talk with Gudrid. He had had his eye on her from the beginning, with curious, considering looks. After several attempts, swallowed down by himself with abrupt decision, he did manage to speak out. "It was of you that Thorberg prophesied at the Ness, I expect," he said. "Yes, it was," said rueful Gudrid. He tossed his foot from the knee, and looked at it swinging. "Such things as that make a man thoughtful." Gudrid bent over her needlework. "You may be sure that she made me thoughtful." "Well," said Biorn, "it is a glory to a woman to hear the like of that. But it makes a man think twice. Now, I daresay my father spoke to you about me, with a nod and wink, as we say? He is fond of me, is my father." "And you, certainly, of him," Gudrid said. "You seem to be a loving couple." "He spoke to me about you," Biorn went on, pursuing his own thoughts. "He was much taken with you, and seemed to think you were singled out for great honour. And clearly you are. But I value my life--and so I told my father. And then he spoke scornfully to me, and hurt my feelings." Gudrid found something to smile at in this. But while she scared Biorn she attracted the brothers at Brattalithe, and others besides them. Thorstan Ericsson was exceedingly shy, and would never go into the bower to talk to the girls, nor into kitchen or wash-house when they were working there if he could help it. So he saw very little of Gudrid, and had nothing to say to her when he did see her. Yet he loved her deeply within himself, in an honourable way of worship, with no jealousy about it. Thorwald, his younger brother, was always in and out of the women's quarters, teasing the girls, getting in their way, and making them laugh. He was often outrageous, but they all liked him, and Thorstan trusted in his loyalty. He told Gudrid that Thorstan thought a great deal about her; but she knew that already. She used to sing in the evenings when the hall was full, and everybody praised her except Thorstan; yet she knew that he was more affected than any one. She felt his heavy eyes on her, and used to think of songs which would please him. But Thorstan was dumb, and others were not. One day in the spring Gudrid was sent for. She
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