Erling the Bold

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TWO.

  INTRODUCES, AMONG OTHERS, THE HERO AND HEROINE, AND OPENS UP A VIEW OFNORSE LIFE IN THE OLDEN TIME.

  Ulf of Romsdal had a daughter named Hilda. She was fair, and extremelypretty.

  The young men said that her brow was the habitation of the lily, her eyethe mirror of the heavens, her cheek the dwelling-place of the rose.True, in the ardour of their feelings and strength of their imaginationsthey used strong language; nevertheless it was impossible to overpraisethe Norse maiden. Her nut-brown hair fell in luxuriant masses over hershapely shoulders, reaching far below the waist; her skin was fair, andher manners engaging. Hilda was undoubtedly blue-eyed and beautiful.She was just seventeen at this time. Those who loved her (and therewere few who did not) styled her the sunbeam.

  Erling and Hilda had dwelt near each other from infancy. They had beenplaymates, and for many years were as brother and sister to each other.Erling's affection had gradually grown into a stronger passion, but henever mentioned the fact to anyone, being exceedingly shamefaced and shyin regard to love. He would have given his ears to have known that hislove was returned, but he dared not to ask. He was very stupid on thispoint. In regard to other things he was sharp-witted above his fellows.None knew better than he how to guide the "warship" through theintricate mazes of the island-studded coast of Norway; none equalled himin deeds of arms; no one excelled him in speed of foot, in scaling thefells, or in tracking the wolf and bear to their dens; but all beat himin love-making! He was wondrously slow and obtuse at that, and could byno means discover whether or not Hilda regarded him as a lover or abrother. As uncertainty on this point continued, Erling became jealousof all the young men who approached her, and in proportion as thisfeeling increased his natural disposition changed, and his chafingspirit struggled fiercely within him. But his native good sense andmodesty enabled him pretty well to conceal his feelings. As for Hilda,no one knew the state of her mind. It is probable that at this time sheherself had not a very distinct idea on the point.

  Hilda had a foster-sister named Ada, who was also very beautiful. Shewas unusually dark for a Norse maiden. Her akin indeed was fair, buther hair and eyes were black like the raven's wing. Her father was KingHakon of Drontheim.

  It was the custom in those warlike days for parents to send out some oftheir children to be fostered by others--in order, no doubt, to rendernext to impossible the total extirpation of their families at a timewhen sudden descents upon households were common. By thus scatteringtheir children the chances of family annihilation were lessened, and theprobability that some members might be left alive to take revenge wasgreatly increased.

  Hilda and Ada were warmly attached. Having been brought up together,they loved each other as sisters--all the more, perhaps, that incharacter they were somewhat opposed. Hilda was grave, thoughtful,almost pensive. Ada was full of vivacity and mirth, fond of fun, and byno means averse to a little of what she styled harmless mischief.

  Now there was a man in Horlingdal called Glumm, surnamed the Gruff, wholoved Ada fervently. He was a stout, handsome man, of ruddy complexion,and second only to Erling in personal strength and prowess. But bynature he was morose and gloomy. Nothing worse, however, could be saidof him. In other respects he was esteemed a brave, excellent man.Glumm was too proud to show his love to Ada very plainly; but she hadwit enough to discover it, though no one else did, and she resolved topunish him for his pride by keeping him in suspense.

  Horlingdal, where Ulf and Haldor and their families dwelt was, likenearly all the vales on the west of Norway, hemmed in by steep mountainsof great height, which were covered with dark pines and birch trees. Tothe level pastures high up on mountain tops the inhabitants were wont tosend their cattle to feed in summer--the small crops of hay in thevalleys being carefully gathered and housed for winter use.

  Every morning, before the birds began to twitter, Hilda set out, withher pail and her wooden box, to climb the mountain to the upland dairyor "saeter", and fetch the milk and butter required by the family duringthe day. Although the maid was of noble birth--Ulf claiming descentfrom one of those who are said to have come over with Odin and histwelve godars or priests from Asia--this was not deemed an inappropriateoccupation. Among the Norsemen labour was the lot of high and low. Hewas esteemed the best man who could fight most valiantly in battle andlabour most actively in the field or with the tools of the smith andcarpenter. Ulf of Romsdal, although styled king in virtue of hisdescent, was not too proud, in the busy summertime, to throw off hiscoat and toss the hay in his own fields in the midst of his thralls[slaves taken in war] and house-carles. Neither he, nor Haldor, nor anyof the small kings, although they were the chief men of the districts inwhich they resided, thought it beneath their dignity to forge their ownspearheads and anchors, or to mend their own doors. As it was with themen, so was it with the women. Hilda the Sunbeam was not despisedbecause she climbed the mountainside to fetch milk and butter for thefamily.

  One morning, in returning from the fell, Hilda heard the loud clatter ofthe anvil at Haldorstede. Having learned that morning that Danishvikings had been seen prowling among the islands near the fiord, sheturned aside to enquire the news.

  Haldorstede lay about a mile up the valley, and Hilda passed it everymorning on her way to and from the saeter. Ulfstede lay near the shoreof the fiord. Turning into the smithy, she found Erling busily engagedin hammering a huge mass of stubborn red-hot metal. So intent was theyoung man on his occupation that he failed to observe the entrance ofhis fair visitor, who set down her milk pail, and stood for a fewminutes with her hands folded and her eyes fixed demurely on her lover.

  Erling had thrown off his jerkin and rolled up the sleeves of his shirtof coarse homespun fabric, in order to give his thick muscular armsunimpeded play in wielding the hammer and turning the mass of glowingmetal on the anvil. He wore woollen breeches and hose, both of whichhad been fashioned by the fingers of his buxom mother, Herfrida. A pairof neatly formed shoes of untanned hide--his own workmanship--protectedhis feet, and his waist was encircled by a broad leathern girdle, fromone side of which depended a short hunting-knife, and from the other aflap, with a slit in it, to support his sword. The latter weapon--aheavy double-edged blade--stood leaning against the forge chimney, alongwith a huge battle-axe, within reach of his hand. The collar of hisshirt was thrown well back, exposing to view a neck and chest whosemuscles denoted extraordinary power, and the whiteness of whichcontrasted strikingly with the ruddy hue of his deeply bronzedcountenance.

  The young giant appeared to take pleasure in the exercise of hissuperabundant strength, for, instead of using the ordinary single-handhammer with which other men were wont to bend the glowing metal to theirwill, he wielded the great forehammer, and did it as easily, too, withhis right arm as if it had been but a wooden mallet. The mass of metalat which he wrought was thick and unyielding, but under his heavy blowsit began to assume the form of an axe--a fact which Hilda noticed with asomewhat saddened brow. Erling's long hair, rolling as it did down hisshoulders, frequently straggled over his face and interfered slightlywith his vision, whereupon he shook it back with an impatient toss, as alion might shake his mane, while he toiled with violent energy at hiswork. To look at him, one might suppose that Vulcan himself hadcondescended to visit the abodes of men, and work in a terrestrialsmithy!

  During one of the tosses with which he threw back his hair, Erlingchanced to raise his eyes, which instantly fell upon Hilda. A gladsmile beamed on his flushed face, and he let the hammer fall with aringing clatter on the anvil, exclaiming:

  "Ha! good morrow to thee, Hilda! Thou comest with stealthy tread, likethe midnight marauder. What news? Does all go well at Ulfstede? Butwhy so sad, Hilda? Thy countenance is not wont to quarrel with themountain air."

  "Truly, no!" replied the girl, smiling, "mountain air likes me well. Ifmy looks are sadder than usual, it is because of the form of the weaponthou art fashioning."

  "The weapon!
" exclaimed Erling, as he raised the handle of the hammer,and, resting his arms on it, gazed at his visitor in some surprise. "Itis but an axe--a simple axe, perchance a trifle heavier than other axesbecause it suits my arm better, and I have a weakness that way. Whatails thee at a battle-axe, Hilda?"

  "I quarrel not with the axe, Erling, but it reminds me of thy love offighting, and I grieve for that. Why art thou so fond of war?"

  "Fond of war!" echoed the youth. "Now, out upon thee, Hilda! what werea man fit for if he could not fight?"

  "Nay, I question not thine ability to fight, but I grieve to see thylove for fighting."

  "Truly there seems to me a close relationship between the love of warand the ability to fight," returned the youth. "But to be plain withthee: I _do not_ love war so much as ye think. Yet I utter this inthine ear, for I would not that the blades of the valley knew it, lestthey might presume upon it, and I should have to prove my ability--despite my want of love--upon some of their carcasses."

  "I wish there were no such thing as war," said Hilda with a sigh.

  Erling knitted his brows and gazed into the smithy fire as if he wereengaged in pondering some knotty point. "Well, I'm not sure," said heslowly, and descending to a graver tone of address--"I'm not sure that Ican go quite so far as that. If we had no war at all, perchance ourswords might rust, and our skill, for want of practice, might fail us inthe hour of need. Besides, how could men in that case hope to dwellwith Odin in Valhalla's bright and merry halls? But I agree with theein wishing that we had less of war and more of peace _at home_."

  "I fear," said Hilda, "we seem likely to have more of war and less ofpeace than usual, if rumours be true. Have you heard that Danishvikings have been seen among the islands?"

  "Aye, truly, I have heard of them, and it is that which has sent me tothe smithy this morning to hasten forward my battle-axe; for I love nottoo light a weapon. You see, Hilda, when it has not weight one mustsometimes repeat the blow; especially if the mail be strong. But with aheavy axe and a stout arm there is no need for that. I had begun thisweapon," continued the youth, as if he were musing aloud rather thanspeaking to his companion, "with intent to try its metal on the head ofthe King; but I fear me it will be necessary to use it in cracking aviking's headpiece before it cleaves a royal crown."

  "The King!" exclaimed Hilda, with a look of surprise, not unmingled withterror, "Erling, has ambition led thee to this?"

  "Not so; but self-preservation urges me to it."

  The maiden paused a few seconds, ere she replied in a meditativevoice--"The old man who came among us a year ago, and who calls himselfChristian, tells me that his god is not a god of war, like Odin; he saysthat his god permits no war to men, save that of self-defence; but,Erling, would slaying the King be indeed an act of self-preservation?"

  "Aye, in good sooth would it," replied the youth quickly, while a darkfrown crossed his brow.

  "How can that be?" asked the maiden.

  "Hast such small love for gossip, Hilda, that the foul deeds andambitious projects of Harald Haarfager have not reached thine ear?"

  "I have heard," replied Hilda, "that he is fond of war, which, truly, isno news, and that he is just now more busy with his bloody game thanusual; but what does that matter to thee?"

  "Matter!" cried the youth impatiently, as he seized the lump of metal onwhich he had been at work, and, thrusting it into the smoulderingcharcoal, commenced to blow the fire energetically, as if to relieve hisfeelings. "Know ye not that the King--this Harald Fairhair--is notsatisfied with the goodly domains that of right belong to him, and thekingly rule which he holds, according to law, over all Norway, but thathe means to subdue the whole land to himself, and trample on our necksas he has already trampled on our laws?"

  "I know somewhat of this," said Hilda.

  "No one," pursued Erling vehemently, and blowing the fire into a ferventheat--"no one denies to Harald the right to wear the crown of Norway.That was settled at the Ore Thing [see note 1] in Drontheim long ago;but everyone denies his right to interfere with our established laws andprivileges. Has he not, by mere might and force of arms, slain many,and enslaved others, of our best and bravest men? And now he proposesto reduce the whole land to slavery, or something like it, and allbecause of the foolish speech of a proud girl, who says she will not wedhim until he shall first subdue to himself the whole of Norway, and ruleover it as fully and freely as King Eric rules over Sweden, or King Gormover Denmark. He has sworn that he will neither clip nor comb his hair,until he has subdued all the land with scatt [taxes] and duties anddomains, or die in the attempt. Trust me! he is like to die in theattempt; and since his Kingship is to be so little occupied with hishair, it would please me well if he would use his time and his shears inclipping the tongue of the wench that set him on so foul an errand. Allthis thou knowest, Hilda, as well as I; but thou dost not know that menhave been at the stede to-day, who tell us that the King is advancingnorth, and is victorious everywhere. Already King Gandalf and Hako areslain; the two sons of King Eystein have also fallen, and many of theupland kings have been burned, with most of their men, in a house atRingsager. It is not many days since Harald went up Gudbrandsdal, andnorth over the Doverfielde, where he ordered all the men to be slain,and everything wide around to be given to the flames. King Gryting ofOrkadal and all his people have sworn fidelity to him, and now--worstnews of all--it is said he is coming over to pay us a visit inHorlingdal. Is not here cause for fighting in self-defence, or ratherfor country, and laws and freedom, and wives, and children, and--"

  The excited youth stopped abruptly, and, seizing the tongs, whirled thewhite mass of semi-molten steel upon the anvil, and fell to belabouringit with such goodwill that a bright shower of sparks drove Hildaprecipitately out of the workshop.

  The wrongs which roused the young Norseman's indignation to such a pitchare matters of history.

  The government of the country at that time involved the democraticelement very largely. No act or expedition of any importance could bedone or undertaken without the previous deliberation and consent of a"Thing", or assembly of landed proprietors. There were many differentThings--such as General Things, District Things, House Things of theKing's counsellors, and Herd Things of the Court, etcetera, and to suchof these there was a distinct and well-known trumpet call. There werealso four great Things which were legislative, while the small districtThings were only administrative. In addition to which there was the OreThing of Drontheim, referred to by Erling. At these Things the Kinghimself possessed no greater power than any of the bonders. He was onlya "Thing-man" at a Thing.

  No wonder, then, that the self-governing and warlike Norsemen could notbring themselves tamely to submit to the tyranny of Harald Haarfager, orFairhair, King of Norway by hereditary right, when he cast aside all therestraints of ancient custom, and, in his effort to obtain more power,commenced those bloody wars with his subjects, which had the effect ofcausing many of his chief men to expatriate themselves and seek newhomes in the islands of the great western sea, and which ultimatelyresulted in the subjugation (at least during that reign) of all thepetty kings of Norway. These small kings, be it observed, were not atthat time exercising any illegal power, or in the occupation of anyunwarrantable position, which could be pleaded by King Harald injustification of his violent proceedings against them. The title ofking did not imply independent sovereignty. They were merely thehereditary lords of the soil, who exercised independent and rightfulauthority over their own estates and households, and modified authorityover their respective districts, subject, however, to the laws of theland--laws which were recognised and perfectly understood by the peopleand the king, and which were admitted by people and king alike to havemore authority than the royal will itself. By law the small kings werebound to attend the meetings of the Stor Things or Parliaments, at thesummons of the sovereign, and to abide by the decisions of thoseassemblies, where all men met on an equal footing, but where, of course,intellectual power and
eloquence led the multitude, for good or forevil, then just as they do now, and will continue to do as long as, andwherever, free discussion shall obtain. To say that the possession ofpower, wealth, or influence was frequently abused to the overawing andcoercing of those assemblies, is simply to state that they were composedof human beings possessed of fallen natures.

  So thoroughly did the Northmen appreciate the importance of having aright to raise their voices and to vote in the national parliaments, andso jealously did they assert and maintain their privileges, that theKing himself--before he could, on his accession, assume the crown--wasobliged to appear at the "Thing", where a freeborn landholder proposedhim, and where his title to the crown was investigated and proved in dueform. No war expedition on a large scale could be undertaken until aThing had been converged, and requisition legally made by the King for asupply of men and arms; and, generally, whenever any act affectingnational or even district interests was contemplated, it was necessaryto assemble a Thing, and consult with the people before anything couldbe done.

  It may be easily understood, then, with what an outburst of indignationa free and warlike race beheld the violent course pursued by HaraldFairhair, who roamed through the country with fire and sword, tramplingon their cherished laws and privileges, subduing the petty kings, andplacing them, when submissive, as Jarls, i.e. earls or governors overthe districts to collect the scatt or taxes, and manage affairs in hisname and for his behoof.

  It is no wonder that Erling the Bold gathered his brow into an ominousfrown, pressed his lips together, tossed his locks impatiently while hethought on these things and battered the iron mass on his anvil with theamount of energy that he would have expended in belabouring the head ofKing Harald himself, had opportunity offered.

  Erling's wrath cooled, however, almost instantly on his observingHilda's retreat before the fiery shower. He flung down his hammer,seized his battle-axe, and throwing it on his shoulder as he hurriedout, speedily overtook her.

  "Forgive my rude manners," he said. "My soul was chafed by the thoughtsthat filled my brain, and I scare knew what I did."

  "Truly, thou man of fire," replied the girl, with an offended look, "Iam of half a mind not to pardon thee. See, my kirtle is destroyed bythe shower thou didst bestow upon me so freely."

  "I will repay thee that with such a kirtle as might grace a queen thenext time I go on viking cruise."

  "Meantime," said Hilda, "I am to go about like a witch plucked somewhathastily from the fire by a sympathising crone."

  "Nay; Herfrida will make thee a new kirtle of the best wool atHaldorstede."

  "So thy mother, it seems, is to work and slave in order to undo thymischief?"

  "Then, if nothing else will content thee," said Erling gaily, "I willmake thee one myself; but it must be of leather, for I profess not toknow how to stitch more delicate substance. But let me carry thypitcher, Hilda. I will go to Ulfstede to hold converse with thy fatheron these matters, for it seemed to me that the clouds are gatheringsomewhat too thickly over the dale for comfort or peace to remain longwith us."

  As the young man and maiden wended their way down the rocky path thatskirted the foaming Horlingdal river, Hilda assumed a more serious tone,and sought to convince her companion of the impropriety of being toofond of fighting, in which attempt, as might be supposed, she was notvery successful.

  "Why, Hilda," said the youth, at the close of a speech in which his faircompanion endeavoured to point out the extreme sinfulness of vikingcruises in particular, "it is, as thou sayest, unjust to take fromanother that which belongs to him if he be our friend; but if he is ourenemy, and the enemy of our country, that alters the case. Did not thegreat Odin himself go on viking cruise and seize what prey he chose?"

  Erling said this with the air of a man who deemed his remarkunanswerable.

  "I know not," rejoined Hilda. "There seems to me much mystery in ourthoughts about the gods. I have heard it said that there is no such godas Odin."

  The maiden uttered this in a subdued voice, and her cheek paled a littleas she glanced up at Erling's countenance. The youth gazed at her withan expression of extreme surprise, and for a few minutes they walkedslowly forward without speaking.

  There was reason for this silence on both sides. Hilda was naturally ofa simple and trustful nature. She had been brought up in the religionof her fathers, and had listened with awe and with deep interest on manya long winter night to the wild legends with which the scalds, or poetsof the period, were wont to beguile the evening hours in her father'smansion; but about a year before the time of which we write, an agedstranger had come from the south, and taken up his abode in the valley,in a secluded and dilapidated hut, in which he was suffered to dwellunmolested by its owner, Haldor the Fierce; whose fierceness, by theway, was never exhibited except in time of war and in the heat ofbattle!

  With this hermit Hilda had held frequent converse, and had listened withhorror, but with a species of fascination which she could not resist, tohis calm and unanswerable reasoning on the fallacy of the religion ofOdin, and on the truth of that of Jesus Christ. At first she resolvedto fly from the old man, as a dangerous enemy, who sought to seduce herfrom the paths of rectitude; but when she looked at his grave, sad face,and listened to the gentle and--she knew not why--persuasive tones ofhis voice, she changed her mind, and resolved to hear what he had tosay. Without being convinced of the truth of the new religion--of whichshe had heard rumours from the roving vikings who frequentedHorlingdal--she was much shaken in regard to the truth of her own, andnow, for the first time, she had ventured to hint to a human being whatwas passing in her mind.

  At this period Christianity had not penetrated into Norway, but anoccasional wanderer or hermit had found his way thither from time totime to surprise the inhabitants with his new doctrines, and then,perchance, to perish as a warlock because of them. Erling had heard ofthis old man, and regarded him with no favour, for in his sea rovings hehad met with so-called Christians, whose conduct had not prepossessedhim in their favour. As for their creed, he knew nothing whatever aboutit.

  His mind, however, was of that bold, straightforward, self-reliant, andmeditative cast, which happily has existed in all ages and in allclimes, and which, in civilised lands, usually brings a man to honourand power, while in barbarous countries and ages, if not associated withextreme caution and reticence, it is apt to bring its possessor intotrouble.

  It was with astonishment that Erling heard sentiments which had longbeen harboured in his own mind drop from the lips of one whose naturalcharacter he knew to be the reverse of sceptical in matters of faith, orspeculative in matters of opinion. Instead of making a direct reply toHilda's remark, he said, after a pause:

  "Hilda, I have my doubts of the old man Christian; men say he is awarlock, and I partly believe them, for it is only such who shun thecompany of their fellows. I would caution thee against him. Hebelieves not in Odin or Thor, which is matter of consideration mainly tohimself, but methinks he holdeth fellowship with Nikke, [Satan, or theEvil One] which is matter of consideration for all honest men, aye, andwomen too, who would live in peace; for if the Evil Spirit exists atall, as I firmly believe he does, in some shape or other, it were wellto keep as far from him as we may, and specially to avoid those erringmortals who seem to court his company."

  "The old man is misjudged, believe me," replied the girl earnestly; "Ihave spoken much with him and oft. It may be he is wrong in somethings--how can a woman judge of such matters?--but he is gentle, andhas a kind heart."

  "I like him not," was Erling's curt reply.

  The youth and maiden had now reached a part of the valley where a smallfootpath diverged from the main track which led to Ulf's dwelling. Thepath ran in the direction of the hayfields that bordered the fiord.Just as they reached it, Hilda observed that her father was labouringthere with his thralls.

  "See," she exclaimed, stopping abruptly, and taking her pitcher fromErling, "my father is in the hayfield."
<
br />   The youth was about to remonstrate and insist on being allowed to carrythe pitcher to the house before going to the field; but on secondthoughts he resigned his slight burden, and, saying "farewell", turnedon his heel and descended the path with rapid step and a somewhatburdened heart.

  "She loves me not," he muttered to himself, almost sternly. "I am abrother, nothing more."

  Indulging in these and kindred gloomy reflections, he advanced towards arocky defile where the path diverged to the right. Before taking theturn he looked back. Hilda was standing on the spot where they hadparted, but her face was not directed towards her late companion. Shewas looking steadily up the valley. Presently the object whichattracted her attention appeared in view, and Erling felt a slightsensation of anger, he scarce knew why, on observing the old man who hadbeen the subject of their recent conversation issue from among therocks. His first impulse was to turn back, but, checking himself, hewheeled sharply round and hurried away.

  Scarcely had he taken three steps, however, when he was arrested by asound that resembled a crash of thunder. Glancing quickly upwards, hebeheld an enormous mass of rock, which had become detached from themountain side, descending in shattered fragments into the valley.

  The formation of Horlingdal at that particular point was peculiar. Themountain ranges on either side, which rose to a height of at least fourthousand feet, approached each other abruptly, thus forming a darkgloomy defile of a few hundred yards in width, with precipitous cliffson either side, and the river roaring in the centre of the pass. Thewater rushed in white-crested billows through its rock-impeded bed, andterminated in a splendid foss, or fall, forty or fifty feet high, whichplunged into a seething caldron, whence it issued in a troubled streamto the plain that opened out below. It here found rest in the levelfields of Ulfstede, that lay at the head of the fiord. The openamphitheatre above this pass, with its circlet of grand glacier-cappedmountains, was the abode of a considerable number of small farmers, inthe midst of whose dwellings stood the residence of Haldor, where themeeting in the smithy just described took place.

  It was in this narrow defile that the landslip happened, a catastrophewhich always has been and still is of frequent occurrence in themountain regions of Norway.

  Hilda and the old man (whom we shall henceforth call Christian) casttheir eyes hastily upwards on hearing the sound that had arrestedErling's steps so suddenly. The enormous mass of rock was detached fromthe hill on the other side of the river, but the defile was so narrowthat falling rocks often rebounded quite across it. The slip occurredjust opposite the spot on which Hilda and the old man stood, and as theterrible shower came on, tearing down trees and rocks, the heaviermasses being dashed and spurned from the hillside in innumerablefragments, it became evident that to escape beyond the range of thechaotic deluge was impossible.

  Hilda understood the danger so well that she was panic stricken androoted to the spot. Erling understood it also, and, with a sudden cry,dashed at full speed to the rescue. His cry was one almost of despair,for the distance between them was so great that he had no chance, heknew, of reaching her in time.

  In this extremity the hermit looked round for a crevice or a rock whichmight afford protection, but no such place of safety was at hand. Theside of the pass rose behind them like a wall to a height of severalhundred feet. Seeing this at a glance the old man planted himselffirmly in front of Hilda. His lips moved, and the single word "Jesus"dropped from them as he looked with a calm steady gaze at the avalanche.

  Scarcely had he taken his stand when the first stones leaped across thegorge, and, striking on the wall of rock behind, burst into fragmentsand fell in a shower around them. Some of the smaller _debris_ struckthe old man's breast, and the hands which he had raised to protect hisface; but he neither blanched nor flinched. In another instant thegreater part of the hurling rubbish fell with a terrible crash and toreup the earth in all directions round them. Still they stood unhurt!The height from which the ruin had descended was so great that themasses were scattered, and although they flew around over, and close tothem, the great shock passed by and left them unscathed.

  But the danger was not yet past. Several of the smaller masses, whichhad been partially arrested in their progress by bushes, still camethundering down the steep. The quick eye of the hermit observed one ofthese flying straight towards his head. Its force had been broken by atree on the opposite hill, but it still retained tremendous impetus. Heknew that there was no escape for him. To have moved aside would haveexposed Hilda to almost certain destruction. Once again he murmured theSaviour's name, as he stretched out both hands straight before his face.The rock struck full against them, beat them down on his forehead, andnext instant old man and maid were hurled to the ground.

  Well was it for Erling that all this occurred so quickly that the dangerwas past before he reached the spot. Part of the road he had totraverse was strewn so thickly with the rocky ruin that his destruction,had he been a few seconds sooner on the ground, would have beeninevitable. He reached Hilda just in time to assist her to rise. Shewas slightly stunned by the shock, but otherwise unhurt.

  Not so the hermit. He lay extended where he had fallen; his grey beardand thin scattered locks dabbled with blood that flowed from a gash inhis forehead. Hilda kneeled at his side, and, raising his head, shelaid it in her lap.

  "Now the gods be praised," said Erling, as he knelt beside her, andendeavoured to stanch the flow of blood from the wound; "I had thoughtthy last hour was come, Hilda; but the poor old man, I fear much he willdie."

  "Not so; he recovers," said the girl; "fetch me some water from thespring."

  Erling ran to a rill that trickled down the face of the rock at hisside, dipped his leathern bonnet into it, and, quickly returning,sprinkled a little on the old man's face, and washed the wound.

  "It is not deep," he remarked, after having examined the cut. "Hishands are indeed badly bruised, but he will live."

  "Get thee to the stede, Erling, and fetch aid," said Hilda quickly; "theold man is heavy."

  The youth smiled. "Heavy he is, no doubt, but he wears no armour;methinks I can lift him."

  So saying Erling raised him in his strong arms and bore him away toUlfstede, where, under the tender care of Hilda and her foster-sisterAda, he speedily revived.

  Erling went out meanwhile to assist in the hayfield.

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  Note 1. The great assembly, or parliament, which was considered theonly "Thing" which could confer the sovereignty of the whole of Norway,the other Things having no right or powers beyond their circles. It wasconvened only for the special purpose of examining and proclaiming theright of the aspirant to the crown, but the King had still to repair toeach Law Thing or Small Thing to obtain its acknowledgement of his rightand the power of a sovereign within its jurisdiction.