Now Flosi said to Eyjolf, "What counsel is to be taken now?"

Then Eyjolf said, "Now we must make the best of a bad business;

but still we will bide our time, for now I guess that they will

make a false step in their suit, for Mord prayed for judgment at

once in the suit, but they ought to call and set aside six men

out of the court, and after that they ought to offer us to call

and set aside six other men, but we will not do that, for then

they ought to call and set aside those six men, and they will

perhaps overlook that; then all their case has come to naught if

they do not do that, for three twelves have to judge in every

cause."

"Thou art a wise man, Eyjolf," said Flosi, "so that few can come

nigh thee."

Mord Valgard's son took witness. "I take witness," he said "to

this, that I call and set aside these six men out of the court"

-- and named them all by name -- "I do not allow you to sit in

the court; I call you out and set you aside by the rightful

custom of the Althing, and the law of the land."

After that he offered Eyjolf and Flosi, before witnesses, to call

out by name and set aside other six men, but Flosi and Eyjolf

would not call them out.

Then Mord made them pass judgment in the cause; but when the

judgment was given, Eyjolf took witness, and said that all their

judgment had come to naught, and also everything else that had

been done, and his ground was that three twelves and one half had

judged, when three only ought to have given judgment.

"And now we will follow up our suits before the Fifth Court,"

said Eyjolf, "and make them outlaws."

Then Gizur the White said to Mord Valgard's son, "Thou hast made

a very great mistake in taking such a false step, and this is

great ill-luck; but what counsel shall we now take, kinsman

Asgrim?" says Gizur.

Then Asgrim said, "Now we will send a man to my son Thorhall,

and know what counsel he will give us."

The Story of Burnt Njal: The Great Icelandic Tribune, Jurist, and Counsellor · 第 228 / 252 题