Latest / Bridal Wreath / 023 - Book 3 Chapter 3 Part 1

Transcript

023 - Book 3 Chapter 3 Part 1 · Bridal Wreath

0:00
Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter three, Part one of the Bridal Wreath
0:03
Speaker 1: by cigarede Unset. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
0:07
Speaker 1: Chapter three, Part one. Haugan lay high up in the
0:11
Speaker 1: hills on the west side of the valley this moonlight night.
0:15
Speaker 1: The whole world was white, billow after billow. The white
0:19
Speaker 1: fells lay domed under the pale blue heavens with their
0:23
Speaker 1: thin strewn stars. Even the shadows that peaks and domes
0:28
Speaker 1: stretched forth over the snow slopes seemed strangely thin and light.
0:33
Speaker 1: The moon was sailing so high downward toward the valley.
0:37
Speaker 1: The woods stood fleecy white with snow and rime. Round
0:41
Speaker 1: the white fields of crofts scrolled over with tiny huts
0:45
Speaker 1: and fences. But far down in the valley bottom the
0:48
Speaker 1: shadows thickened into darkness. Lady Oshild came out of the byre,
0:53
Speaker 1: shut the door after her, and stood awhile in the
0:56
Speaker 1: snow white the whole world. Yet it was more than
1:00
Speaker 1: three weeks still to advent clements mess cold, twas like
1:06
Speaker 1: winter had come in earnest already, Aye, Aye. In bad
1:10
Speaker 1: years it was often so. The old woman sighed heavily
1:14
Speaker 1: in the desolate air, winter again, and cold and loneliness.
1:20
Speaker 1: Then she took up the milk pail and went towards
1:22
Speaker 1: the dwelling house. She looked once again down over the valley.
1:27
Speaker 1: Four black dots came out of the woods. Half way
1:30
Speaker 1: up the hillside, four men on horseback, and the moonlight
1:35
Speaker 1: glanced from a spearhead. They were plowing heavily upward. None
1:40
Speaker 1: had come that way since the snowfall. Were they coming hither?
1:46
Speaker 1: Four armed men? Twas not like that any who had
1:50
Speaker 1: a lawful errand here would come so many in company.
1:54
Speaker 1: She thought of the chest with her goods and Biorns
1:56
Speaker 1: in it. Should she hide in the outhouse. She looked
2:01
Speaker 1: out again over the wintry waste about her. Then she
2:04
Speaker 1: went into the living house. The two old hounds that
2:07
Speaker 1: lay before the smoky fireplace smote the floorboards with their tails.
2:12
Speaker 1: The young dogs Biorn had with him in the hills.
2:15
Speaker 1: Oss Hild blew the embers of the fire into flame
2:18
Speaker 1: and laid more wood on them. Filled the iron pot
2:22
Speaker 1: with snow and set it on the fire. Then poured
2:24
Speaker 1: the milk into a wooden bowl and bore it to
2:27
Speaker 1: the closet beside the outer room. Then she doffed her
2:30
Speaker 1: dirty undyed wat mulgown that smelt of the byre and
2:34
Speaker 1: of sweat, put on a dark blue garment, and changed
2:37
Speaker 1: her toe linen hood for a quaff of fine white linen,
2:41
Speaker 1: which she smoothed down fairly round her head and neck.
2:45
Speaker 1: Her shaggy boots of skin she drew off and put
2:48
Speaker 1: on silver buckled shoes. Then she fell to setting her
2:52
Speaker 1: room in order, smoothed the pillows and the skins in
2:55
Speaker 1: the bed where Bjorn had lain that day, wiped the
2:59
Speaker 1: long board clean, and laid the bench cushions straight. When
3:02
Speaker 1: the dogs set up their warning barking, she was standing
3:06
Speaker 1: by the fireplace stirring the supper porridge. She heard horses
3:10
Speaker 1: in the yard and the tread of men in the
3:12
Speaker 1: outer room. Some one knocked on the door with a
3:15
Speaker 1: spear butt. Lady Osild lifted the pot from the fire,
3:19
Speaker 1: settled her dress about her, and with the dogs at
3:22
Speaker 1: her side, went forward to the door and opened. Out.
3:26
Speaker 1: In the moonlit yard were three young men holding four horses,
3:30
Speaker 1: white with rime. A man that stood before her in
3:33
Speaker 1: the porch cried out joyfully, Master Osild, come you yourself to
3:38
Speaker 1: open to us. Nay, then, must I say Ben Truvey
3:42
Speaker 1: sister's son, is it you? Indeed? Then the same say
3:45
Speaker 1: I to you. Go into the room while I show
3:48
Speaker 1: your men the stable. Are you all alone on the farm?
3:52
Speaker 1: Asked Ereleon. He followed her while she showed the men
3:55
Speaker 1: where to go. Ay, Sir Bjorn and our man are
3:58
Speaker 1: gone into the hills with the sleigh. They are to
4:01
Speaker 1: see and bring home some fodder we have stacked up there,
4:04
Speaker 1: said lady oshild and serving woman. I have none, she said, laughing,
4:10
Speaker 1: a little while after, the four young men were sitting
4:13
Speaker 1: on the outer bench with their backs to the board,
4:15
Speaker 1: looking at the old lady. As busily but quietly she
4:19
Speaker 1: went about making ready their supper. She laid a cloth
4:22
Speaker 1: on the board and set on it a lighted candle.
4:25
Speaker 1: Then brought forth butter, cheese, a bare ham, and a
4:29
Speaker 1: high pile of thin slices of fine bread. She fetched
4:32
Speaker 1: ale and mead up from the cellar below the room,
4:35
Speaker 1: and then poured out the porridge into a dish of
4:38
Speaker 1: fine wood, and bade them sit in to the board
4:41
Speaker 1: and fall too. Tis but little for you, young folk,
4:45
Speaker 1: she said, laughing, I must boil another pot of porridge tomorrow.
4:49
Speaker 1: You shall fare better. But I shut up the kitchen
4:52
Speaker 1: house in the winter, save when I bake or brew.
4:55
Speaker 1: We are few folks on the farm, and I begin
4:58
Speaker 1: to grow old kinsman ere Lon laughed and shook his head.
5:02
Speaker 1: He had marked that his men behaved before the old woman,
5:05
Speaker 1: seemly and modestly, as he had scarce ever seen them
5:09
Speaker 1: bear themselves before. You are a strange woman, Ulster. Mother
5:14
Speaker 1: was ten years younger than you, and she looked older
5:17
Speaker 1: when last we were in your house than you look
5:19
Speaker 1: to day. Aye, mon Hill's youth left her full early,
5:24
Speaker 1: said lady Osild softly. Where are you come from now?
5:29
Speaker 1: She asked, after a while. I have been for a
5:32
Speaker 1: season at a farmstead up north in Lessia, said Arleon.
5:36
Speaker 1: I had hired me lodging there. I know not if
5:39
Speaker 1: you can guess what Errand has brought me to this
5:42
Speaker 1: country side, you would ask, know I that you have
5:46
Speaker 1: had suit made to Lavence Burgelson of Uringard for his daughter,
5:51
Speaker 1: I said, Earlon, I made suit for her in seemly
5:55
Speaker 1: and honorable wise, and Lavenz Brogelsen answered with a churlish no.
6:01
Speaker 1: Now see I know better way, since Kristin and I
6:04
Speaker 1: will not be forced to part, than that I bear
6:07
Speaker 1: her off by the strong hand. I have had a
6:10
Speaker 1: spy in this countryside, and I know that her mother
6:14
Speaker 1: was to be at Sunbu at Clemens Mass and for
6:17
Speaker 1: a while after, and Laverrens has gone to Romsdall with
6:20
Speaker 1: the other men to fetch across the winter's stores to seal.
6:24
Speaker 1: Lady Oshilt sat silent. Awhile that council hereland, you had
6:29
Speaker 1: best let be, said she. I deem not either that
6:33
Speaker 1: the maid will go with you willingly, and I trow
6:36
Speaker 1: you would not use force, Aye, but she will. We
6:40
Speaker 1: have spoken of it many times. She has prayed me
6:43
Speaker 1: herself many times to bear her away, Kristin, has said
6:48
Speaker 1: Lady Osilt. Then she laughed, oh, none the less. I
6:53
Speaker 1: would not have you make too sure that the maid
6:55
Speaker 1: will follow when you come to take her at her word. Aye,
6:59
Speaker 1: but she will, said Erlen. And moster my thought was this,
7:04
Speaker 1: that you send word to Yungarde and bid Christen come
7:07
Speaker 1: and be your guest a week or so while her
7:10
Speaker 1: father and mother are from home. Then could we be
7:13
Speaker 1: at Hamar before any news she was gone? He added.
7:17
Speaker 1: Lady Osild answered, still smiling, and had you thought as well,
7:22
Speaker 1: what we should answer Sir Bjorn and I. When Laverns
7:25
Speaker 1: comes and calls us to account for his daughter, I said, Erlon,
7:30
Speaker 1: we are four well armed men, and the maid was willing.
7:34
Speaker 1: I will not help you in this, said the lady hotly.
7:38
Speaker 1: Laverren's has been a trusty man to us for many
7:41
Speaker 1: a year. He and his wife are honorable folk, and
7:44
Speaker 1: I will not be art or part in deceiving them
7:48
Speaker 1: or be shaming their child. Leave the maid in peace,
7:51
Speaker 1: here Lon. Twill soon be high time too that your
7:54
Speaker 1: kin should hear of other deeds of yours than running
7:56
Speaker 1: in and out of the land with stolen women. I'm
8:00
Speaker 1: uh speak with you alone, lady, said Erlon. Shortly, Lady
8:04
Speaker 1: Osil took a candle, led him too the closet, and
8:07
Speaker 1: shut the door behind them. She sat herself down on
8:10
Speaker 1: a corn bin. Erelon stood with his hands thrust into
8:13
Speaker 1: his belt, looking down at her. You may say this
8:17
Speaker 1: too to lavnz Bjorgelsen, that Sierra Joan of Gerderu joined
8:21
Speaker 1: us in Wedlock. Ere we went on our way to
8:23
Speaker 1: Lady Ingeborg Howkin's daughter in Sweden. Say you so, said
8:29
Speaker 1: lady Osild, Are you well assured that lady Ingeborg will
8:33
Speaker 1: welcome you when you come thither. I spoke with her
8:37
Speaker 1: at Tunsburg, said Erlon. She greeted me as her dear kinsman,
8:42
Speaker 1: and thanked me when I proffered her my service, either
8:45
Speaker 1: here or in Sweden. And Munin hath promised me letters
8:49
Speaker 1: to her. And know you not, said Osild, that even
8:53
Speaker 1: should you find a priest that will wed you, yet
8:56
Speaker 1: will Kristin have cast away all right to the heritage
9:00
Speaker 1: of her father's lands and goods. Nor can her children
9:04
Speaker 1: be your lawful heirs. Much I doubt if she will
9:07
Speaker 1: be counted as your lawfully wedded wife, not in this land.
9:12
Speaker 1: Maybe tis therefore we fly to Sweden. Her forefather, Lawrencius Logmand,
9:17
Speaker 1: was never wed to the lady Binkta in any other sort.
9:21
Speaker 1: They could never win her brother's consent. Yet was she
9:24
Speaker 1: counted as a wedded lady? There were no children, said Osild.
9:30
Speaker 1: Think you my sons will hold their hands from your heritage.
9:34
Speaker 1: If Christen be left a widow with children, and their
9:37
Speaker 1: lawful birth can be cast in dispute, you do Moonin wrong,
9:42
Speaker 1: said Rlon. I know but little of your other children.
9:46
Speaker 1: I know indeed that you have little cause to judge
9:49
Speaker 1: them kindly. But Moonin has ever been my trusty kinsman.
9:53
Speaker 1: He is fain to have me wed twas he went
9:56
Speaker 1: to Lawren's with my wooing. Besides, afterwards, by course of law,
10:01
Speaker 1: I can assure our children their heritage and writes aye,
10:05
Speaker 1: and thereby mark their mother as your concubine, said lady Oshilt.
10:11
Speaker 1: But tis past my understanding how that meek and holy
10:15
Speaker 1: man Yon Helgeson will dare to brave his bishop by
10:19
Speaker 1: wedding you against the law. I confessed all to him
10:24
Speaker 1: last summer, said Erelon in a low voice. He promised
10:29
Speaker 1: then to wed us if all other ways should fail.
10:33
Speaker 1: Is it even so, said lady Oshilt, slowly. A heavy
10:39
Speaker 1: sin have you laid upon your soul, Erelen Nicholson. Twas well,
10:43
Speaker 1: with Kristin at home with her father and mother, a
10:46
Speaker 1: good marriage was agreed for her with a comely and
10:49
Speaker 1: honorable man of good Kindred Christin hath told me herself
10:53
Speaker 1: how you said once that she and I would match
10:57
Speaker 1: well together, and that Simon Andreson was no husband for her. Oh,
11:03
Speaker 1: I have said, and I have said, Osilt, broke In.
11:08
Speaker 1: I have said so many things in my time neither
11:12
Speaker 1: can I understand at all that you can have gained
11:15
Speaker 1: your will with Kristen so lightly. So many times you
11:19
Speaker 1: cannot have met together, And never could I have thought
11:22
Speaker 1: that maid had been so light to win. We met
11:27
Speaker 1: at Oshlow, said Arleon. Afterward, she was dwelling out at
11:31
Speaker 1: Gerderude with her father's brother. She came out and met
11:34
Speaker 1: me in the woods. He looked down and spoke very low.
11:39
Speaker 1: I had her alone to myself out there. Lady Oshilt
11:43
Speaker 1: started up. Erellon bent his head yet lower. And after
11:49
Speaker 1: that she still was friends with you, she asked, unbelievingly.
11:55
Speaker 1: A Relon smiled, a weak, wavering smile. We were friends still,
12:02
Speaker 1: and twas not so bitterly against her. But no blame
12:05
Speaker 1: lies on her. Twas then she would have had me
12:08
Speaker 1: take her away. She was loth to go back to
12:10
Speaker 1: her kin, but you would not. No, I was minded
12:16
Speaker 1: to try to win her for my wife with her
12:18
Speaker 1: father's will. Is it long since, asked lady Osilt. Twas
12:24
Speaker 1: a year last, Lawrence Mass answered, here Lon, you have
12:29
Speaker 1: not hasted over much with your wooing, said the other.
12:33
Speaker 1: She was not free before from her first betrothal, and
12:37
Speaker 1: since then you have not come nigh, her, asked Osilt.
12:42
Speaker 1: We managed so that we met once and again once more.
12:46
Speaker 1: The wavering smile flitted over the man's face. In a
12:49
Speaker 1: house in the town in God's name, said lady Osilt.
12:55
Speaker 1: I will help you and her as best I may.
12:58
Speaker 1: I can see it well. Not long could Kristin bear
13:02
Speaker 1: to live there with her father and mother hiding such
13:05
Speaker 1: a thing as this. Is there yet more? She asked
13:09
Speaker 1: of a sudden not that I have heard, said here Lon.
13:13
Speaker 1: Shortly have you bethought? You? Asked the lady in a while,
13:18
Speaker 1: that Kristin has friends and kinsmen dwelling all down the dale.
13:23
Speaker 1: We must journey as secretly as we can, said Herelen,
13:26
Speaker 1: And therefore it behooves us to make no delay in
13:29
Speaker 1: setting out, that we may be well on the way
13:31
Speaker 1: before her father comes home. You must lend us your
13:34
Speaker 1: sleigh moster. Osild shrugged her shoulders. Then is there her
13:39
Speaker 1: uncle at Skulk? What if he here that you are
13:42
Speaker 1: holding your wedding with his brother's daughter at Gerderud. Osmond
13:46
Speaker 1: has spoken for me to Lavern's, said Herelen. He would
13:50
Speaker 1: not be privy to our counsels, but tis like he
13:53
Speaker 1: will wink an eye. We must come to the priest
13:56
Speaker 1: by night, and journey onward by night, and afterward I
14:00
Speaker 1: trow well Osmond will put it to Lawrens that it
14:03
Speaker 1: befits not a god fearing man like him to part them,
14:06
Speaker 1: that a priest has wedded, and that twill be best
14:09
Speaker 1: for him to give his consent that we may be
14:12
Speaker 1: lawful wedded man and wife. And you must say the
14:15
Speaker 1: like to the man. Must he may set what terms
14:18
Speaker 1: he will for atonement between us, and ask all such
14:21
Speaker 1: amends as he deems just. I trow la Prince Byorgovsen
14:26
Speaker 1: will be no easy man to guide in this matter,
14:29
Speaker 1: said Lady Osild. And God and Saint Olaf, no sister's son.
14:34
Speaker 1: I like this business but ill, but I see well
14:38
Speaker 1: tis the last way left you to make good the
14:41
Speaker 1: harm you have wrought Christin tomorrow, will I ride myself
14:45
Speaker 1: to Urngard. If so be, you will lend me one
14:48
Speaker 1: of your men, and I must get ingrid of the
14:51
Speaker 1: craft above us here to see to my cattle. Lady
14:54
Speaker 1: Osild came to Uringard next evening, just as the moonlight
14:58
Speaker 1: was struggling with the last gleams of day. She saw
15:01
Speaker 1: how pale and hollow cheeked Kristin was when the girl
15:05
Speaker 1: came out into the courtyard to meet her guest. The
15:08
Speaker 1: lady sat by the fireplace, playing with the two children.
15:11
Speaker 1: Now and then she stole keen glances at Christin as
15:15
Speaker 1: she went about and set the supper board. Thin. She
15:18
Speaker 1: was truly and still in her bearing. She had ever
15:23
Speaker 1: been still, But it was a stillness of another kind
15:26
Speaker 1: that was on the girl now. Lady Osild guessed at
15:30
Speaker 1: all the straining and the stubborn defiance that lay behind
15:35
Speaker 1: tis like you have heard, said Christin, coming over to her.
15:39
Speaker 1: What befell here this last autumn ay that my sister's
15:44
Speaker 1: son has made suit for you? Mind? You asked Kristin,
15:48
Speaker 1: how you said once he and I would match well together,
15:52
Speaker 1: only that he was too rich and great of kin
15:55
Speaker 1: for me. Aye, hear that Lavern's is of another mind,
16:00
Speaker 1: said the lady dryly. There was a gleam in Christin's eyes,
16:04
Speaker 1: and she smiled a little. She will do no question,
16:09
Speaker 1: thought Lady Osild, little as she liked it. She must
16:12
Speaker 1: hearken to Herelon and give the helping hand he had asked.
16:16
Speaker 1: Christen made ready her parents bed for the guest, and
16:20
Speaker 1: Lady Osild asked that the girl should sleep with her.
16:23
Speaker 1: After they had lain down and the house was silent,
16:26
Speaker 1: Lady Osild brought forth her errand she grew strangely heavy
16:31
Speaker 1: at heart as she saw that this child seemed to
16:33
Speaker 1: think not at all on the sorrow she would bring
16:36
Speaker 1: on her father and mother. Yet I lived with Bard
16:40
Speaker 1: for more than twenty years in sorrow and torment. She thought, well,
16:46
Speaker 1: maybe tis so with all of us. It seemed Christin
16:50
Speaker 1: had not even seen how Oulfield had fallen away this autumn.
16:55
Speaker 1: Tis little like, thought Osilt, that she will see her
16:59
Speaker 1: little sister any more. But she said not of this.
17:03
Speaker 1: The longer Christin could hold to this mood of wild
17:07
Speaker 1: and reckless gladness, the better would it be, No doubt.
17:12
Speaker 1: Kristin rose up in the dark and gathered together her
17:15
Speaker 1: ornaments in a little box, which she took with her
17:18
Speaker 1: into the bed. Then Lady Ossild could not keep herself
17:21
Speaker 1: from saying, Yet, methinks, Kristin, the best way of all
17:26
Speaker 1: would be that Erland ride hither when your father comes home,
17:30
Speaker 1: that he confess openly he hath done you a great wrong,
17:34
Speaker 1: and put himself in Lavern's hands. I trow that then
17:38
Speaker 1: father would kill Erlon, said Kristen. That would not Laverren's
17:44
Speaker 1: if Erlon refused to draw steel against his love's father.
17:49
Speaker 1: I have no mind that Erelon should be humbled in
17:51
Speaker 1: such wise, said Kristin, And I would not. Father should
17:56
Speaker 1: know that Erlon had touched me before he asked for
17:59
Speaker 1: me seemliness and honor. Think you Lawrence will be less wroth,
18:04
Speaker 1: asked Osild, when he hears that you have fled from
18:08
Speaker 1: his house with Arlon, and think you twall be a
18:11
Speaker 1: lighter sorrow for him to bear. So long as you
18:15
Speaker 1: live with Arlon and your father has not given you
18:18
Speaker 1: to him, you can be naught. But his paramour before
18:22
Speaker 1: the law tis another thing, said Kristen. If I be
18:26
Speaker 1: here Lon's paramour after he has tried in vain to
18:30
Speaker 1: win me for his lawful wife, Lady Osild was silent.
18:35
Speaker 1: She thought of her meeting with lavrens Burgelsen when he
18:38
Speaker 1: came home and learnt that his daughter had been stolen away.
18:42
Speaker 1: Then Cristen said, I see well, Lady Osild, I seem
18:46
Speaker 1: to you an evil, thankless child, But so has it
18:51
Speaker 1: been in this house ever since father came from the
18:53
Speaker 1: Haugathing that every day has been a torment to him
18:58
Speaker 1: and to me. Tis best for all that there be
19:01
Speaker 1: an end of this matter. They rode from Jurengard Betimes
19:05
Speaker 1: the next day and came to Hagen a little after
19:08
Speaker 1: nones Erlon met them in the courtyard, and Kristin threw
19:11
Speaker 1: herself into his arms, paying no heed to the man
19:15
Speaker 1: who was with her and Lady Oshild. In the house,
19:19
Speaker 1: she greeted Bjorn Gunnerson, and then greeted Arlon's two men
19:23
Speaker 1: as though she knew them well already. Lady Osild could
19:26
Speaker 1: see no sign in her of bashfulness or fear. And after,
19:31
Speaker 1: when they sat at the board and Herelon set forth
19:34
Speaker 1: his plan, Kristin put her word in with the others
19:37
Speaker 1: and gave counsel about the journey. That they should ride
19:40
Speaker 1: forth from Hagen next evening, so late that they should
19:44
Speaker 1: come to the gorge when the moon was setting, and
19:46
Speaker 1: should pass in the dark through seal to beyond Lopsgard,
19:50
Speaker 1: thence up along the Ota stream to the bridge, and
19:54
Speaker 1: from thence along the west side of the Ota and
19:57
Speaker 1: the Login over by paths through the way as far
20:00
Speaker 1: as the horses could bear them. They must lie resting
20:03
Speaker 1: through the day at one of the empty spring satyrs
20:06
Speaker 1: on the hillside there. For till we are out of
20:09
Speaker 1: the Holidis country, there is ever fear that we may
20:12
Speaker 1: come upon folk that know me. Have you thought of
20:15
Speaker 1: fodder for the horses? Said Osilt, You cannot rob folks
20:20
Speaker 1: satyr in a year like this, even if soby there
20:24
Speaker 1: is fodder there, and you know none in all the
20:27
Speaker 1: dale has fodder to sell this year. I have thought
20:31
Speaker 1: of that, answered Christen, you must lend us three days
20:35
Speaker 1: food and fodder. Tis a reason the more why we
20:38
Speaker 1: must not journey in so strong a troop. Erlin must
20:41
Speaker 1: send Yon back to Husseby the year has been better
20:45
Speaker 1: on the Trondheim side, and surely some loads can be
20:48
Speaker 1: got across the hills before the Yule tide snows. There
20:52
Speaker 1: are some poor folk dwelling southward in the parish, Lady Osilt,
20:55
Speaker 1: that I would feigin you should help with a gift
20:58
Speaker 1: of fodder for Arelawn and me. Bjorn set up an uncanny,
21:02
Speaker 1: mirthless horse laugh. Lady Osilt shook her head, but Erlon's
21:08
Speaker 1: man Ulf lifted his keen swarthy visage and looked at
21:11
Speaker 1: Kristin with his bold smile. At Hussby. There is never abundance,
21:16
Speaker 1: Kristin Lavren's daughter, neither in good years nor in bad.
21:20
Speaker 1: But maybe things will be changed when you come to
21:23
Speaker 1: be mistress. There By your speech a man would deem
21:27
Speaker 1: you are the housewife that Erln needs. Kristin nodded to
21:31
Speaker 1: the man calmly, and went on. They must keep clear
21:35
Speaker 1: of the high road as far as might be, and
21:37
Speaker 1: she deemed it not wise to take the way that
21:39
Speaker 1: led through Homer. But Erelon put in Mounin was there,
21:43
Speaker 1: and the letter to the Duchess they must have. Then
21:47
Speaker 1: Ulf must part from us at Fageberg and ride to
21:50
Speaker 1: Sir Mounin, while we hold on west of Muosen and
21:54
Speaker 1: make our way by land and the by roads through
21:57
Speaker 1: hadaland down to Hakkadal. Thence there goes a waste way
22:01
Speaker 1: south to Margarettadal. I have heard my uncle say, tware
22:05
Speaker 1: not wise for us to pass through Realmrica in these
22:08
Speaker 1: days when a great wedding feast is toured at Differn,
22:13
Speaker 1: she said, with a smile. Arlon went round and laid
22:17
Speaker 1: his arm about her shoulders, and she leaned back to him,
22:20
Speaker 1: paying no heed to the others who sat by looking
22:22
Speaker 1: on lady Oshild said angrily. None would believe aught else
22:28
Speaker 1: than that you are well used to running away, And
22:31
Speaker 1: Sir Bjorn broke again into his hoarse laugh. In a
22:35
Speaker 1: little while, Lady osildt stood up to go to the
22:37
Speaker 1: kitchen house and see to the food. She had made
22:40
Speaker 1: up the kitchen fire so that Arlon's men could sleep
22:42
Speaker 1: there at night. She bade Kristin go with her, for
22:46
Speaker 1: I must be able to swear to lavenz Burgelsen that
22:49
Speaker 1: you were never a moment alone together in my house,
22:53
Speaker 1: she said wrathfully. Kristin laughed and went with the lady.
22:58
Speaker 1: Soon after, Arlon came strolling in after them. Drew a
23:01
Speaker 1: stool forward to the hearth and sat there hindering the
23:04
Speaker 1: women in their work. He caught hold of Kristen every
23:07
Speaker 1: time she came nigh him as she hurried about her work.
23:11
Speaker 1: At last he drew her down on his knee. Tis Iven,
23:14
Speaker 1: Azolf said, I trow you are the housewife I need, hi, aye,
23:20
Speaker 1: said Osild with a vexed laugh. She will serve your
23:23
Speaker 1: turn well enough, tis she that stakes all in this adventure?
23:28
Speaker 1: You hazard not much you speak truth, said ere Lon,
23:33
Speaker 1: But I WoT well I have shown I had the
23:36
Speaker 1: will to come to her by the right road. Be
23:39
Speaker 1: not so angry, muster asild, I do well to be angry,
23:44
Speaker 1: said the lady. Scarce. Have you set your house in order,
23:48
Speaker 1: but you must needs guide things so that you have
23:50
Speaker 1: to run from it all again with a woman you
23:54
Speaker 1: must bear in mind, kinswoman. So hath it ever been
23:58
Speaker 1: that twas not the worst man who fell in to
24:00
Speaker 1: trouble for a woman's sake. I'll Saugust tell us that,
24:04
Speaker 1: oh God help us, all, said Osilt. Her face grew
24:09
Speaker 1: young and soft. That tale have I heard before? Rilen.
24:14
Speaker 1: She laid her hand on his head and gave his
24:16
Speaker 1: hair a little tug. At that moment, ulf Halderson tore
24:20
Speaker 1: open the door and shut it quickly behind him. Here
24:23
Speaker 1: is come yet another guest, ereleon, the one you are
24:26
Speaker 1: least fain to see. I trow is it, Lawrence Burgelsen,
24:31
Speaker 1: said Erlen, starting up. Well, if it were, said the
24:36
Speaker 1: man tis Elena ORMs daughter. End of Chapter three, Part one,