CHAPTER XII. A WEDDING AT HWAMM.

SO parted they, and Thord is as wroth as wroth may be, deeming himself bemocked of them; but they ride to Gunnarstead first, thinking how they have played their game well to have brought Thord into the case, and right joyous are they. They rode not south as yet, but bade men to the feast, and made for Hwamm at the time appointed. There had Thord a many guests, and marshalled men to their seats in the evening : he himself sat on one bench with Gunnar his brother-in-law and his men, but Thorkel Welt sat beside the bridegroom on the other bench with their guests ; the women filled the dais-bench.

So when the boards were set, Herstein the bridegroom leapt up and over the board to where was a certain stone; then he set one foot upon the stone, and spake : " This oath I swear hereby, that before the Althing is over this summer I shall have had Arngrim the priest made fully guilty, or gained self-doom else. 3 ' Then back he strode to his seat.

Then sprang forth Gunnar and spake : " This oath swear I, that before the Althing is over this summer I shall have Thorwald Oddson to outlawry, or else self-doom to our side."

Then he stepped back and sat himself down at the board, and saith to Thord : " Why sittest thou there, Thord, and vowest nought of thine own about it ? we wot thou hast e'en such things in thy heart as we

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Thord answers : " It shall lie quiet, though, for this time/'

Answers Gunnar : " If thou wilt that we speak for thee, then are we ready thereto, and we wot thou art minded to take Odd-a-Tongue."

Thord said : " Ye may rule your own speech, but I will be master over my words ; bring that ye have spoken to a good end."

Noughtmoreto tell of befell at the feast, but it went on in noble fashion, and when it came to an end, each went about his own business, and winter wore away.

But in springtide they gathered men, and fared south to Burgfirth, and, coming to Northtoiigue, summoned Arngrim and Hen Thorirto the Thing of Thingness : but Herstein parted company from them with thirty men to go thither whereas he said he had heard tell of Thorwald Oddson's last nightharbour; for Thorwald was fc gone from his winter guest-quarters. So the countryside is astir, and there is much talk, and mustering of men on either side.