Now we must take up the story and say, that Atli asked Bergthora
what work he should do that day?
"I have thought of some work for thee," she says; "thou shalt go
and look for Kol until thou find him; for now shalt thou slay him
this very day, if thou wilt do my will."
"This work is well fitted," says Atli, "for each of us two are
bad fellows; but still I will so lay myself out for him that one
or other of us shall die."
"Well mayst thou fare," she says, "and thou shalt not do this
deed for nothing."
He took his weapons and his horse, and rode up to Fleetlithe, and
there met men who were coming down from Lithend. They were at
home east in the Mark. They asked Atli whither he meant to go?
He said he was riding to look for an old jade. They said that
was a small errand for such a workman, "but still 'twould be
better to ask those who have been about last night."
"Who are they?" says he.
"Killing-Kol," say they, "Hallgerda's house-carle, fared from the
fold just now, and has been awake all night."
"I do not know whether I dare to meet him," says Atli, "he is
bad-tempered, and may be that I shall let another's wound be my
warning."
"Thou bearest that look beneath the brows as though thou wert no
coward," they said, and showed him where Kol was.
Then he spurred his horse and rides fast, and when he meets Kol,
Atli said to him, "Go the pack-saddle bands well," says Atli.
"That's no business of thine, worthless fellow, nor of any one
else whence thou comest."
Atli said, "Thou hast something behind that is earnest work, but
that is to die."
After that Atli thrust at him with his spear, and struck him
about his middle. Kol swept at him with his axe, but missed him,
and fell off his horse, and died at once.
Atli rode till he met some of Hallgerda's workmen, and said, "Go
ye up to the horse yonder, and look to Kol, for he has fallen
off, and is dead."
"Hast thou slain him?" say they.
"Well, 'twill seem to Hallgerda as though he has not fallen by
his own hand."
After that Atli rode home and told Bergthora; she thanked him for
this deed, and for the words which he had spoken about it.
"I do not know," says he, "what Njal will think of this."
"He will take it well upon his hands," she says, "and I will tell
thee one thing as a token of it, that he has carried away with
him to the Thing the price of that thrall which we took last
spring, and that money will now serve for Kol; but though peace
be made thou must still be ware of thyself, for Hallgerda will
keep no peace."
"Wilt thou send at all a man to Njal to tell him of the slaying?"
"I will not," she says, "I should like it better that Kol were
unatoned."
Then they stopped talking about it.
Hallgerda was told of Kol's slaying, and of the words that Atli
had said. She said Atli should be paid off for them. She sent a
man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of Kol's slaying; he answered
little or nothing, and sent a man to tell Njal. He too made no
answer, but Skarphedinn said, "Thralls are men of more mettle
than of yore; they used to fly at each other and fight, and no
one thought much harm of that; but now they will do naught but
kill," and as he said this he smiled.
Njal pulled down the purse of money which hung up in the booth,
and went out: his sons went with him to Gunnar's booth.
Skarphedinn said to a man who was in the doorway of the booth,
"Say thou to Gunnar that my father wants to see him."
He did so, and Gunnar went out at once and gave Njal a hearty
welcome. After that they began to talk.
"'Tis ill done," says Njal, "that my housewife should have broken
the peace, and let thy house-carle be slain."
"She shall not have blame for that," says Gunnar.
"Settle the award thyself," says Njal.
"So I will do," says Gunnar, "and I value those two men at an
even price, Swart and Kol. Thou shalt pay me twelve ounces in
silver."
Njal took the purse of money and handed it to Gunnar. Gunnar
knew the money, and saw it was the same that he had paid Njal.
Njal went away to his booth, and they were just as good friends
as before. When Njal came home, he blamed Bergthora; but she
said she would never give way to Hallgerda. Hallgerda was very
cross with Gunnar, because he had made peace for Kol's slaying.
Gunnar told her he would never break with Njal or his sons, and
she flew into a great rage; but Gunnar took no heed of that, and
so they sat for that year, and nothing noteworthy happened.