would think that we brothers would sooner have
done this deed with the turn of temper that we have."

"Scant apace wilt thou have," says Njal, "ere the like befalls thee; but
need will drive thee to it."

Then they went to meet Gunnar, and told him of the slaying. Gunnar spoke
and said that was little manscathe, "but yet he was a free man".

Njal offered to make peace at once, and Gunnar said yes, and he was to
settle the terms himself. He made his award there and then, and laid it
at one hundred in silver. Njal paid down the money on the spot, and they
were at peace after that.

CHAPTER XLI.

SIGMUND COMES OUT TO ICELAND.

There was a man whose name was Sigmund. He was the son of Lambi, the son
of Sighvat the Red. He was a great voyager, and a comely and a courteous
man; tall too, and strong. He was a man of proud spirit, and a good
skald, and well trained in most feats of strength. He was noisy and
boisterous, and given to jibes and mocking. He made the land east in
Hornfirth. Skiolld was the name of his fellow-traveller; he was a
Swedish man, and ill to do with. They took horse and rode from the east
out of Hornfirth, and did not draw bridle before they came to Lithend,
in the Fleetlithe. Gunnar gave them a hearty welcome, for the bonds of
kinship were close between them. Gunnar begged Sigmund to stay there
that winter, and Sigmund said he would take the offer if Skiolld his
fellow might be there too.

"Well, I have been so told about him," said Gunnar, "that he is no
better of thy temper; but as it is, thou rather needest to have it
bettered. This, too, is a bad house to stay at, and I would just give
both of you a bit of advice, my kinsmen, not to fire up at the egging on
of my wife Hallgerda; for she takes much in hand that is far from my
will."

"His hands are clean who warns another," says Sigmund.

"Then mind the advice given thee," says Gunnar, "for thou art sure to be
sore tried; and go along always with me, and lean upon my counsel."

After that they were in Gunnar's company. Hallgerda was good to Sigmund;
and it soon came about that things grew so warm that she loaded him with
money, and tended him no worse than her own husband; and many talked
about that, and did not know what lay under it.

One day Hallgerda said to Gunnar--"It is not good to be content with
that hundred in silver which thou tookest for my kinsman Brynjolf. I
shall avenge him if I may," she says.

Gunnar said he had