An opening in the land was reported next day, and as they drew near
they could make out a firth and a muffled ship lying at anchor within
it. The tide serving, Thorstan ran in between low hills all smothered
in snow. A settlement of white, muffled houses lay on the shore of a
bay, a deserted quay, a few boats drawn up on the beach: not a soul was
to be seen; the winter swoon was over all.

He drew up within hail of the silent ship and anchored in that black
water. The rattling of the chain and splash of the anchor echoed among
the hills, but awoke no man. "Are we, dying, come to a city of the
dead?" he thought. The chill lay on his heart like lead; the thought
of Gudrid gave him a dull ache; even the passion of desire to save her
was dead within him. He did what came up before him to be done, but
could not provide nor foresee.

"Here we must see the winter out," he said, and had the boat out so
that he might go ashore and seek quarters. First he went below to see
Gudrid.

He found her in the bed, rigid with cold, almost too cold to shiver.
He leaned over her in an agony of pity. "Oh my heart! Oh my poor
heart!" She looked up at him and smiled in his face. She was not able
to speak.

"I shall see the winter out here," he told her. "I must find out where
we are--I believe that we have beaten back to Greenland. If that be
so, then we may be able to reach home; but if that is not possible,
then we stay here. I will get quarters for the men, and for ourselves,
please God. My love, trust me to do for the best--and wait for me
here."

She nodded her head two or three times, but her eyes were shut and she
did not look at him again. He dared not kiss her for fear of finding
out how cold she was. How could it be that men were allowed to suffer
so? He found some more covering for her bed before he left her.

The boat took him ashore; he went to the nearest house he saw and
thumped on the door. There was no light to be seen, and for long there
was no sound to be heard inside; but at last he heard the bolts drawn
back. A white-faced woman peered at him through a crack.

"Let me in, for the love of God," said Thorstan. Then she beckoned him
in.

A sick man lay muttering in a bed; children huddled about a turf fire.
The place was very nearly dark, but he made out some six souls to be
there. He found out that he was come to Lucefrith in West Greenland;
the winter sickness was heavy on the place. The