Towards winter's end Thorbeorn roused himself. He had made up his mind
to face his troubles, and now saw a way of doing so with nobility. He
would break up his homestead, sell his estates, pay his debts, and go
abroad. That would be at once just and of good appearance in the world.
But he would not go east where he would find a life ready made for him,
with the same state to maintain, and be no better off than he had been
at home. It was for Greenland he intended, a new country with but few
settlers in it yet. An old friend of his, one Eric Red, had gone out
there for good reasons some years ago, and had often sent him messages
begging him to join his colony. Now he would do it. The thought
warmed him.
He set the business afoot at once, and sold the whole of his estate for
a good price. When he had paid his creditors, which he did very
particularly and with a great air, he had a good sum over and above the
cost of his ship. His spirits rose, his taste for splendid hospitality
revived. He resolved to give a great feast to all his friends and
acquaintances, such a feast as should make men say that nobody had ever
confronted misfortune more gallantly than Thorbeorn of Bathbrink.
It was a noble feast, lasting three days and nights; the greatest there
had been made within the memory of men. Everybody came, for enmities
were all forgotten. Orme was there from Erne Pillar, and Halldis was
with him. Good Halldis embraced Gudrid, kissed her on both cheeks, and
held her closely, very ready to revive memories. "And what have you to
say to it? And how will you face the hardships of the strange land?"
Gudrid was very guarded in her answers. "I shall like to see
Greenland," she said; "we used to talk about it at Erne Pillar." It
was true, Einar had told them of it, and of his friend Biorn who had
found his father out there after seven weeks at sea.
"And you go out there without a husband?" said Halldis, with sympathy
ready and waiting in her kindly eyes.
Gudrid said, "Why not? It is not I who have the wedding of myself."
She would not meet Halldis half-way, nor any part of the way. Halldis
felt the chill.
But Gudrid and her maidens did the last hospitalities of Bathbrink
sweetly and diligently. They say that the qualities of the mistress
are reflected in the maids. Gudrid was owned a beauty on all hands,
but it was agreed that her manners enhanced her good looks, as a fair
setting will show off a jewel. To see her at her service, you would
have thought her without a care in the world. She could laugh and talk
with one and all, she could be grave with the grave and gentle with
those who mourned. But she would not let any know that she mourned
herself. Any hint towards Einar turned her to smooth stone. She had
that kind of pride from her father, the kind that is tender of itself.
As for Thorbeorn, he was splendid, and the more splendid he was the
more he felt himself to be so. On the last night of his feast, when
the hall was full, the horns nearly empty, and the torchlight getting
low, he thumped the high table with the hilt of his dagger, and stood
up in a dead silence.
"Neighbours," he said, "it is time I should bid you farewell. In this
good land, where my fathers have lived before me, I too have lived my
life out, and kept my customs, and good faith with all men; and have
made many friends, and no enemies that I know of. As I have served
mankind, so has mankind served me. To you, friends and guests, I say
that we have proved each other and seen good days. But now, so it is
that I at least must see some doubtful days. I have been pinched and
straitened in many ways. I have had to consider whether I should stay
on here in a mean way of life or move out into freer quarters. Old as
I am, I choose to go abroad; nor do I think you will blame me if I can
go away honourably, leaving no man the worse for my departure. Now my
good friend Eric Red has asked me to share quarters with him in
Greenland, where he has a settlement and keeps a great train--and
thither I intend to go. And I shall go this very summer, if all turn
out as I expect, and take, as I hope, your friendship with me. In any
case let this feast stand to you as a token of my goodwill to every man
here."
He stood for a moment looking forth upon the crowded tables, and at the
women clustered about the doors. He was much moved by the force and
plainness of his own words, and for a while every one kept silence,
thinking that he had more to say. But he had not, and presently sat
down in his seat. That was the signal for uproar. The men stood on
the benches and shouted "Hail" to him; they helped the women up, too,
who waved their hands or scarves, or whatever came handy. Gudrid saw
Orme's hand held out to her, and took it, standing with the rest, with
Orme's arm round her. In the excitement of everybody the emotions get
loose. Orme held Gudrid closely to him and whispered in her ear, "If
he would let you stay with us, Gudrid, how happy we should be!" She
turned him her pale face, smiling into his; but Fate held her fast, and
she did not even answer him. "Shall I have at him again, for Einar's
sake?" said the good Orme, eager to procure happiness for somebody. At
that she shook her head. "He would not have it. I am sure of that."
So was Orme in his sober mind.
Meantime the neighbours were thronging about Thorbeorn, pledging him in
horns of mead and ale. Many of them offered him stock or provision for
the voyage; many cried that they would go with him to the new
settlement. They would never thole a new master, they said, and fully
believed it. Some thirty souls did actually go on the voyage. This
was the greatest day of Thorbeorn's life so far.