_Helga_ (_approaching him, eagerly_).--What message? What message? Was that just before he was slain? _Einar_.--Yes, just before that! _Helga_.--And the message? Are you tongue-tied? _Einar_.--That I should be spared, life and limb, although I had been among his assailants. _Helga_.--Did Thorolf mention any others to be spared beside you? _Einar_.--No, none! _Helga_.--The ring is the right sign. If Thorolf has forgiven you, why should I not do likewise? (_Leads him out_.) Wait here in that corner; I shall spare you. _Asbjorn_ (_comes in hurriedly_).--Are you in danger, lady? _Helga_.--No. A man's life was given me which I did not wish to take, though. _Asbjorn_.--I feared it might be some attack by Broddi and his men. _Helga_.--Broddi will soon become peacefully inclined. (_Enter_ KOLBEIN THE YOUNG, BISHOP BOTOLF _in his pontifical robes_, HAF, _and_ SALVOR, _bearing two big, stout tapers which are lit. The hall becomes half filled with armed men_.) _Botolf_.--Pax tecum, filia! _Helga_ (_bows before the bishop and leads him to the higher seat of honor_).--Be seated on this higher seat of honor this evening, my lord. To-morrow an army of my husband's will accompany you to Holar and re-establish you in your see, as soon as we shall have driven from thence Broddi's and Brand's troop of rebels. _Botolf_.--A captive bishop is content to be seated on the lower high seat, my daughter! _Helga_.--As you wish, my lord. (_Leads him to the lower seat of honor, where he is seated_. SALVOR _moves the table to the lower high seat and puts the tapers upon it. Most of the men are sitting; drink-horns and ale are brought in_.) _Kolbein_ (_is given a drinking-horn_, BOTOLF _another, from whom they are passed on from man to man_. KOLBEIN _seats himself on the higher seat of honor_).--There is courage in our men; they all are minded to do battle in order to be rid of that horde of rebels. _Botolf_.--You take much power upon yourself, Kolbein, to begin war and kill so many men without law and its decrees. _Kolbein_.--Why do you speak thus, my lord? You freed the slayers of Thorolf from the interdict; and yet they slew him without the law and its decrees. _Botolf_.--It is a labor of love for the Holy Church to pardon the guilty. We do it for God's sake. _Kolbein_.--And it is the task of chieftains to administer the laws themselves, and to begin hostilities in order to make others submit to their will. (_The horns pass around until_ HAF _has finished reciting his lay_.) _Botolf_.--An ill task and a disastrous one. To me it seems that parliament ought to administer the laws and pronounce judgment according to them. _Kolbein_.--We chieftains have all power over law and decrees in parliament. It would only delay sentence to seek a decision there. _Botolf_.--It has come to my ears that Brand Kolbeinsson owns by rights the greater part of the dominions you now govern, and that, for this reason you are not rightfully chieftain here.