UNNA GOES TO SEE GUNNAR.
Now it must be told how Unna had lost all her ready money. She made her
way to Lithend, and Gunnar greeted his kinswoman well. She stayed there
that night, and the next morning they sat out of doors and talked. The
end of their talk was that she told him how heavily she was pressed for
money.
"This is a bad business," he said.
"What help wilt thou give me out of my distress?" she asked.
He answered--"Take as much money as thou needest from what I have out at
interest".
"Nay," she said, "I will not waste thy goods."
"What then dost thou wish?"
"I wish thee to get back my goods out of Hrut's hands," she answered.
"That, methinks, is not likely," said he, "when thy father could not get
them back, and yet he was a great lawyer, but I know little about law."
She answered--"Hrut pushed that matter through rather by boldness than
by law; besides, my father was old, and that was why men thought it
better not to drive things to the uttermost. And now there is none of my
kinsmen to take this suit up if thou hast not daring enough."
"I have courage enough," he replied, "to get these goods back; but I do
not know how to take the suit up."
"Well!" she answered, "go and see Njal of Bergthorsknoll, he will know
how to give thee advice. Besides, he is a great friend of thine."
"'Tis like enough he will give me good advice, as he gives it to every
one else," says Gunnar.
So the end of their talk was, that Gunnar undertook her cause, and gave
her the money she needed for her housekeeping, and after that she went
home.
Now Gunnar rides to see Njal, and he made him welcome, and they began to
talk at once.
Then Gunnar said--"I am come to seek a bit of good advice from thee".
Njal replied--"Many of my friends are worthy of this, but still I think
I would take more pains for none than for thee".
Gunnar said--"I wish to let thee know that I have undertaken to get
Unna's goods back from Hrut".
"A very hard suit to undertake," said Njal, "and one very hazardous how
it will go; but still I will get it up for thee in the way I think
likeliest to succeed, and the end will be good if thou breakest none of
the rules I lay down; if thou dost, thy life is in danger."
"Never fear; I will break none of them," said Gunnar.
Then Njal held his peace for a little while, and after that he spoke as
follows:--