Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/61

 OLAF TRYGGVESON. 51 it the whole country. Hakon's insolent messengers are cut in pieces ; Hakon finds he cannot fly under cover too soon. With a single slave he flies that same night ; — but whitherward ? Can think of no safe place, except to some old mistress of his, who lives retired in that neighbourhood, and has some pity or regard for the wicked old Hakon. Old mistress does receive him, pities him, will do all she can to protect and hide him. But how, by what uttermost stretch of female artifice hide him here ; everyone will search here first of all ! Old mistress, by the slave's help, extemporises a cellar under the floor of her pig-house ; sticks Hakon and slave into that, as the one safe seclusion she can contrive. Hakon and slave, begrunted by the pigs above them, tortured by the devils within and about them, passed two days in circumstances more and more horrible. For they heard, through their light-slit and breathing-slit, the triumph of Tryggveson proclaiming itself by Trygg- veson's own lips, who had mounted a big boulder near by and was victoriously speaking to the people, winding up with a promise of honours and rewards to whoever should bring him wicked old Hakon' s head. B 2