THE AWARD OF ATONEMENT WITH THORGEIR CRAGGEIR.
Hall of the Side and his son Kol, seven of them in all, rode west over
Loomnip's Sand, and so west over Arnstacksheath, and did not draw bridle
till they came into Myrdale. There they asked whether Thorgeir would be
at home at Holt, and they were told that they would find him at home.
The men asked whither Hall meant to go.
"Thither to Holt," he said.
They said they were sure he went on a good errand.
He stayed there some while and baited their horses, and after that they
mounted their horses and rode to Solheim about even, and they were there
that night, but the day-after they rode to Holt.
Thorgeir was out of doors, and Kari too, and their men, for they had
seen Hall's coming. He rode in a blue cape, and had a little axe studded
with silver in his hand; but when they came into the "town," Thorgeir
went to meet him, and helped him off his horse, and both he and Kari
kissed him and led him in between them into the sitting-room, and sate
him down in the high seat on the dais, and they asked him tidings about
many things.
He was there that night. Next morning Hall raised the question of the
atonement with Thorgeir, and told him what terms they offered him; and
he spoke about them with many fair and kindly words.
"It may be well known to thee," answers Thorgeir, "that I said I would
take no atonement from the Burners."
"That was quite another matter then," says Hall; "ye were then wroth
with fight, and, besides, ye have done great deeds in the way of
manslaying since."
"I daresay ye think so," says Thorgeir, "but what atonement do ye offer
to Kari?"
"A fitting atonement shall be offered him," says Hall, "if he will take
it."
Then Kari said--
"I pray this of thee, Thorgeir, that thou wilt be atoned, for thy lot
cannot be better than good."
"Methinks," says Thorgeir, "it is ill done to take an atonement, and
sunder myself from thee, unless thou takest the same atonement as I."
"I will not take any atonement," says Kari, "but yet I say that we have
avenged the Burning; but my son, I say, is still unavenged, and I mean
to take that on myself alone, and see what I can get done."
But Thorgeir would take no atonement before Kari said that he would take
it ill if he were not atoned. Then Thorgeir handselled a truce to Flosi
and his men, as a step to a meeting for atonement; but Hall did the same
on behalf of Flosi and the sons of Sigfus.
But ere they parted, Thorgeir gave Hall a gold ring and a scarlet cloak,
but Kari gave him a silver brooch, and there were hung to it four
crosses of gold. Hall thanked them kindly for their gifts, and rode away
with the greatest honour. He did not draw bridle till he came to
Swinefell, and Flosi gave him a hearty welcome. Hall told Flosi all
about his errand and the talk he had with Thorgeir, and also that
Thorgeir would not take the atonement till Kari told him he would
quarrel with him if he did not take it; but that Kari would take no
atonement.
"There are few men like Kari," said Flosi, "and I would that my mind
were shapen altogether like his."
Hall and Kol stayed there some while, and afterwards they rode west at
the time agreed on to the meeting for atonement, and met at Headbrink,
as had been settled between them.
Then Thorgeir came to meet them from the west, and then they talked over
their atonement, and all went off as Hall had said.
Before the atonement, Thorgeir said that Kari should still have the
right to be at his house all the same if he chose.
"And neither side shall do the others any harm at my house; and I will
not have the trouble of gathering in the fines from each of the Burners;
but my will is that Flosi alone shall be answerable for them to me, but
he must get them in from his followers. My will also is that all that
award which was made at the Thing about the Burning shall be kept and
held to; and my will also is, Flosi, that thou payest me up my third
share in unclipped coin."
Flosi went quickly into all these terms.
Thorgeir neither gave up the banishment nor the outlawry.
Now Flosi and Hall rode home east, and then Hall said to Flosi--
"Keep this atonement well, son-in-law, both as to going abroad and the
pilgrimage to Rome,[81] and the fines, and then thou wilt be thought a
brave man, though thou hast stumbled into this misdeed, if thou
fulfillest handsomely all that belongs to it."
Flosi said it should be so.
Now Hall rode home east, but Flosi rode home to Swinefell, and was at
home afterwards.