brother, even if men have told you so,
Kolbein. About absent people most things can be told. But for this
reason was Thorolf deprived of life, because you had set him as
chieftain over the Eyafirth, to succeed you.

_Kolbein_.--Never did I do that!

_Brand_.--Helga, your wife, affirmed that you had done so.

_Helga_.--Certainly you did, my husband. But, well it may be that at the
time you were not in full possession of your senses.

_Einar_.--I heard it, my lord, how you set Thorolf chieftain over
Eyafirth. And so no one dare blame Lady Helga for having misheard or
mis-stated the matter.

_Sigurd_.--You here, Einar the Rich!

_Brand_.--Notwithstanding Thorolf's low descent you gave him preference
over chieftains, you gave him authority over men, and you let him
journey with you to Rome. No peacemaker was your Thorolf among men; but
a bad companion he was, and me he nicknamed.

_Kolbein_.--All that has Thorolf atoned for with his life. Why, Broddi,
did you attack my friend Thorolf?

_Broddi_.--I am your brother-in-law, Kolbein, and I owed it to you to
avenge insults heaped upon you. Long had he been faithless to you and
cunningly served both you and been a treacherous follower to you both
here and abroad.

_Helga_.--Easy it is to perceive that Thorolf no longer dwells among
the living since he is thus slandered. For this reason you killed him,
because you thought Kolbein to be dead and that Eyafirth had gotten too
brave a leader in him.

_Brand_.--It casts no good light upon you, my lady, to praise Thorolf
Bjarnason thus highly!

_Kolbein_.--And what moved you, Alf, to attack Thorolf, my friend?

_Alf_.--My hatred of the dog!

_Helga_.--Little hope I see of a reconciliation. One of Thorolf's
slayers dried his blood on the fringes of my veil. And you, Alf of Grof,
you reviled me like the worst witch; you wanted to have a sack pulled
over my head.

_Kolbein_ (_furious_).--Boor!--have a sack pulled over her! A sack,--you
devilish fiend! What did you cattle mean? I shall have your skin flayed
off you and pull it over your ears after you are dead! I shall never
make peace with Alf of Grof!

_Helga_.--A loutish rustic should never take part in the dealings of men
of great account!

_Alf_.--I offer all my property as ransom!

_Broddi_.--Silence, you coward--all your property!

_Alf_.--Have I no right to live, if I can?

_Helga_.--I cannot see what use there is in your living, Alf!

_Kolbein_.--Alf of