Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/78

 70 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. King Okf was neglected from fear of the Swedish king. Thou hast that birth, strength of relations, a ncT other means, that here in the Swedish land it is free to thee to tell thy mind, if it be right and worthy of being heard, whether it be listened to by few or many, great or little people, or by the king himself." The earl replies, "It is known to every one how thou urgest me : it may be, according to thy coun- sel, that I should promise the king's men to follow them, so that they may get their errand laid before the Swedish king, whether he take it ill or take it well. But I will have my own counsel followed, and will not run hastily into Biorn's or any other man's mea- sures, in such a highly important matter. It is my will that ye all remain here with me, so long as I think it necessary for the purpose of rightly forwarding this mission." Now as the earl had thus given them to understand that he would support them in the busi- ness, Biorn thanked him most kindly, and with the assurance that his advice should rule them altogether. Thereafter Biorn and his fellow-travellers remained very long in the earl's house. Chapper Ingeborg was particularly kind to them ; and lxix. j>i orn often spoke with her about the matter, and was Of the con- > . versation of ill at ease that their journey was so long delayed. ingebo^, Hialte and the others often spoke together also about Tryggve's the matter ; and Hialte said, " I will go to the king daughter. vl % t -i it ye like ; for I am not a man of Norway, and the Swedes can have nothing to say to me. I have heard that there are Iceland men in the king's house who are my acquaintances, and are well treated ; namely, the scalds Gissur Black and Ottar Black. From them I shall get out what I can about the Swedish king ; and if the business will really be so difficult as it now appears, or if there be any other way of promoting it, I can easily devise some errand that may appear suit- able for me."