Part 23 (2/2)

”I know not what is become of your hardihood,” says Kjartan; ”but I will venture it myself.”

”That you may, if you please,” says Bolli.

Kjartan dives into the river, and so out to the man that swam better than all the rest; him he takes hold of and dives under with him, and holds him under for a time, and then lets him go. After that they swam for a little, and then the stranger takes Kjartan and goes under with him, and holds him under, none too short a time, as it seemed to Kjartan. Then they came to the top, but there were no words between them. They dived together a third time, and were down longer than before. Kjartan thought it hard to tell how the play would end; it seemed to him that he had never been in so tight a place in his life.

However, they come up at last, and strike out for the land.

Then says the stranger: ”Who may this man be?”

Kjartan told his name.

The townsman said: ”You are a good swimmer; are you as good at other sports as at this?”

Kjartan answers, but not very readily: ”When I was in Iceland it was thought that my skill in other things was much of a piece; but now there is not much to be said about it.”

The townsman said: ”It may make some difference to know with whom you have been matched; why do you not ask?”

Kjartan said: ”I care nothing for your name.”

The townsman says: ”For one thing you are a good man of your hands, and for another you bear yourself otherwise than humbly; none the less shall you know my name and with whom you have been swimming; I am Olaf Tryggvason, the king.”

Kjartan makes no answer, and turns to go away. He had no cloak, but a coat of scarlet cloth. The king was then nearly dressed. He called to Kjartan to wait a little; Kjartan turned and came back, rather slowly.

Then the king took from his shoulders a rich cloak and gave it to Kjartan, saying he should not go cloakless back to his men. Kjartan thanks the king for his gift, and goes to his men and shows them the cloak. They did not take it very well, but thought he had allowed the king too much of a hold on him.

Things were quiet for a s.p.a.ce; the weather began to harden with frost and cold. The heathen men said it was no wonder they had ill weather that autumn; it was all the king's newfangledness and the new law that had made the G.o.ds angry.

The Icelanders were all together that winter in the town; and Kjartan took the lead among them. In time the weather softened, and men came in numbers to the town at the summons of King Olaf. Many men had taken the Christian faith in Throndheim, but those were more in number who were against it. One day the king held an a.s.sembly in the town, out on the point of Eyre, and declared the Faith with many eloquent words.

The Thronds had a great mult.i.tude there, and offered battle to the king on the spot. The king said they should know that he had fought against greater powers than to think of scuffling with clowns in Throndheim. Then the yeomen were cowed, and gave in wholly to the king, and many men were christened; then the a.s.sembly broke up.

That same evening the king sends men to the Icelanders' inn to observe and find out how they talked. When the messengers came there, there was a loud sound of voices within.

Kjartan spoke, and said to Bolli: ”Kinsman, are you willing to take this faith of the king's?”

”I am not,” says Bolli, ”for it seems to me a feeble, pithless thing.”

Says Kjartan: ”Seemed the king to you to have no threats for those that refused to accept his will?”

Says Bolli: ”Truly the king seemed to us to come out clearly and leave no shadow on that head, that they should have hard measure dealt them.”

”No man's underling will I be,” says Kjartan, ”while I can keep my feet and handle a sword; it seems to me a pitiful thing to be taken thus like a lamb out of the pen, or a fox out of the trap. I hold it a far better choice, if one must die, to do something first that shall be long talked of after.”

”What will you do?” says Bolli.

”I will not make a secret of it,” says Kjartan; ”burn the king's house, and the king in it.”

”I call that no mean thing to do,” says Bolli; ”but yet it will not be, for I reckon that the king has no small grace and good luck along with him; and he keeps a strong watch day and night.”

Kjartan said that courage might fail the stoutest man; Bolli answered that it was still to be tried whose courage would hold out longest.

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