Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/238

 230 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA VII. concealed themselves when it was daylight. In the morning they were missed. There was chase made with dogs to trace the footsteps all round the house ; but the hounds always came back to the house, for they had the smell of the reindeer hoofs, and followed the scent back on the road that the hoofs had left, and therefore could not find the right direction. Thoroclcl and his comrade wandered long about in the desert forest, and came one evening to a small house, and went in. A man and a woman were sitting by the fire. The man called himself Thorer, and said it was his wife who was sitting there, and the hut be- longed to them. The peasant asked them to stop there, at which they were well pleased. He told them that he had come to this place, because he had fled from the inhabited district on account of a murder. Thorodd and his comrade were well received, and they all got their supper at the fireside ; and then the benches were cleared for them, and they lay down to sleep, but the fire was still burning with a clear light. Thorodd saw a man come in from another house, and never had he seen so stout a man. He was dressed in a scarlet cloak beset with gold clasps, and was of very hand- some appearance. Thorodd heard him scold them for taking guests, when they had scarcely food for them- selves. The housewife said, " Be not angry, brother ; seldom such a thing happens; and rather do them some good too, for thou hast better opportunity to do so than we." Thorodd heard also the stout man named by the name of Arnliot Gallina, and ob- served that the woman of the house was his sister. Thorodd had heard speak of Arnliot as the greatest of robbers and malefactors. Thorodd and his com- panion slept the first part of the night, for they were wearied with walking ; but when a third of the night was still to come, Arnliot woke them, told them to get up, and make ready to depart. They arose immediately,