at occasion I was forced to avoid
trouble. (_Advances on the floor and mounts with one foot on the dais on
which_ HELGA _is seated_.) Here I place my foot on the beam and make a
vow that I shall never flee before Broddi Thorleifsson. (_Returns to his
seat_.)

_Asbjorn_.--And here I place my foot on the beam and make a vow that
if battle there will be I shall exchange blows with Broddi Thorleifsson
until one of us fall dead.

_Helga_.--Well spoken, Asbjorn!

_Haf_ (_comes from the door_).--Brand Kolbeinsson is approaching with an
armed band.

_Kolbein_.--Is my kinsman beside himself?

_Helga_.--To arms! To arms!

_Kolbein_ (_laughs_).--Why, it seems as if the people of Oddi want to
enter the fray!

_Helga_.--You have forgotten, my husband, that my father threw down the
glove single-handed to all the burghers of Bergentown, because of the
drowning of my brother Paul.

(_The men are standing with drawn swords along both sides of the hall,
leaving a lane in the middle_. BRAND, BRODDI, ALF, _and the other
slayers of_ THOROLF _pass up it_. LADY JORUN _in a man's apparel and_
DEACON SIGURD _follow them. Last of all_ HELGI SKAFTASON.)

_Helga_.--There we see each other again, Helgi Skaftason! (_Points down
with the thumb of her right hand_. HELGI _is killed and dragged out
without the other slayers of_ THOROLF _becoming aware of it_. EINAR THE
RICH _enters again with the men of_ KOLBEIN, _who dragged out_ HELGI.
_He joins the band of_ BRAND. _The axe of_ HELGI _remains lying on the
spot where he fell_.)

_Brand_.--Hail, Kolbein kinsman!

_Broddi_.--Hail, brother-in-law! What truce shall we have?

_Helga_.--The same as had Thorolf Bjarnason!

_Broddi_.--I care not to quarrel with women about my life!

_Helga_.--It is too late for the fox to fight for life, once he has gone
into the trap.

_Kolbein_.--Why, Brand Kolbeinsson, did you attack and slay Thorolf, our
friend?

_Broddi_.--I did more to incite men to that than did Brand Kolbeinsson,
and we offer to atone for his slaying with much money, if you are
willing.

_Helga_.--More will be needful than only money.

_Brand_.--I thought there was great necessity to do away with Thorolf.

_Helga_.--'Perjured men, murder-wolves.'[A] Jorun, your wife, egged you
on to take revenge for her father and her brother.

[Footnote A: Quotation from the Eddic poem Voluspo.]

_Brand_.--It is entirely untrue that my wife Jorun egged me on to
revenge either her father or