a _legal manner_, and the good that has
flowed from his wise and legal measures (for I hold that a king is not
entitled to pass even wise laws illegally) has been apparent to us ever
since. But now all this is to be overturned--with or without the
consent of the Things--because a foolish woman, forsooth, has the power
to stir up the vanity of a foolish king! Shall this be so? Is our
manhood to be thus riven from us, and shall we stand aloof and see it
done, or, worse still, be consenting unto it? Let death be our portion
first! It has been rumoured that the people of southern lands have done
this--that they have sold themselves to their kings, so that one man's
voice is law, and paid troops of military slaves are kept up in order
that this one man may have his full swing, while his favourites and his
soldier-slaves bask in his sunshine and fatten on the people of the
land! It is impossible for us of Norway to understand the feelings or
ideas of the men who have thus sold themselves--for we have never known
such tyranny--having, as the scalds tell us, enjoyed our privileges,
held our Things, and governed ourselves by means of the collective
wisdom of the people ever since our forefathers came from the East; but
I warn ye that if this man, Harald Haarfager, is allowed to have his
will, our institutions shall be swept away, our privileges will depart,
our rights will be crushed, and the time will come when it shall be said
of Norsemen that they have utterly forgotten that they once were free!
Again I ask, shall we tamely stand aside and suffer this to be? Shall
our children ever have it in their power to say, `There was a time when
our mean-spirited forefathers might have easily stopped the leak that
caused the flood by which we are now borne irresistibly downward?' I
repeat, let us rather perish! Let us go armed to the Springs and tell
the King that he--equally with ourselves--is subject to the laws of the
land!"

Erling delivered the last sentence in a voice of thunder, and with a
fierce wave of the hand, that drew forth shouts of enthusiastic
applause.

Instantly Glumm started up, forgetful, in the heat of the moment, of the
jealousy that had so recently sprung up between him and his friend.

"I am not a speaker," he shouted gruffly, "but poor is the man who
cannot back up and egg on his friend. Erling speaks the truth; and all
I have to suggest is that he should be sent by us to tell all this to
King Haral