dson, bethink thee, thou
art weaponless, and we are seventy."

Halfred was silent. Fearfully swelled his temple veins; but he thought
of Thora. "She sleeps," he whispered. "Say softly what ye have to say.
I listen."

"Halfred, our dear blood brother," continued Hartvik softly. "Thou
liest spell bound in the toils of a woman who--I will verily not revile
her, for I love her more ardently than my own heart's blood--whatever
she may be, a mortal woman undoubtedly is not.

"Here works one of the strongest spells which ever witchcraft wove, and
ever befooled the senses of men.

"I blame her not as do many of our comrades.

"She can do no otherwise. This is her very nature.

"She is in truth an Elfin woman, or what the Irish call their white half
Goddesses.

"In the old Sagas it is told that there are such magic women, who,
whether they will or not, wherever they come, bewitch the eyes and
hearts of all men. In Herjadal lived such an one, seventy years ago,
and there was no peace in the land until they had hung a mill stone
about her neck, and sunk her where the Fjord is deepest.

"That this woman is no mortal woman can any one see who only looks once
in her white face, through which all the veins shine blue, and in the
selfish glittering golden eyes. This alone were enough, without that
which many among us have seen; how, lately, when the moon was full, she
rose unperceived from thy side, and floated up upon deck and with
closed eyes danced up and down upon the slightest wing feathers of the
Singing Swan, like an elf in the moon rays. And when the moon went
behind a cloud she glided just as lightly down to thee.

"But this is the smallest part of her magic.

"Not thee alone has her beauty ensnared. She hath so crazed all the
ship's crew that they forget work and duty to gaze after her as she
floats along.

"Yes, even among us, blood friends, hath she kindled frightful sinister
thoughts against thee, and against each other. I, who care not for
women, and Eigil, who never thought of any woman save my burnt sister,
we have lately by night confessed to each other that this silent white
elf woman hath so fearfully crazed our senses, that each of us has
already wished thy death, yes, would even have contrived it, in order
to win this golden haired enchantress.

"And when we confessed these same thoughts to each other, we were filled
with shame.

"Yet nevertheless each of us has plotted the death of the other.

"