Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/217

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 209 also ordered the Faroe people of both vessels to be s aga v il summoned, and they appeared at the Thing. Now when the Thing was seated, the king stood up and said, "Here an event has happened which (and it is well that it is so) is very seldom heard of. Here has a good man been put to death, without any cause. Is there any man upon the Thing who can say who has done it ? " Nobody could answer. " Then," said the king, " I cannot conceal my sus- picion that this deed has been done by the Faroe people themselves. It appears to me that it has been done in this way, — that Sigurd Thorlaksson has killed the man, and Thord the Low has cast his com- rade into the sea. I think, too, that the motives to this must have been to hinder Thoralf from telling about the misdeed of which he had information ; namely, the murder which I suspect was committed upon my messengers." When he had ended his speech, Sigurd Thorlaksson stood up, and desired to be heard. " I have never before," said he, " spoken at a Thing, and I do not expect to be looked upon as a man of ready words. But I think there is sufficient necessity before me to reply something to this. I will venture to make a guess that the speech the king has made comes from some man's tongue who is of far less understanding and goodness than he is, and has evidently proceeded from those who are our enemies. It is speaking im- probabilities to say that I could be Thoralf 's mur- derer; for he was my foster-brother and good friend. Had the case been otherwise, and had there been any thing outstanding between me and Thoralf, yet I am surely born with sufficient understanding to have done this deed in the Faroe Islands, rather than here between your hands, sire. But I am ready to clear myself, and my whole ship's crew, of this act, and to VOL. II. p