k as far as their room,
as the manner is at weddings, and went back himself to bed elsewhere.

But Erik suffered Alfhild, who was destined for Frode, to lie apart, and
embraced Gunwar as usual, thus outwitting the king. So Gotar passed a
sleepless night, revolving how he had been apparently deluded with
a dazed and wandering mind: for it seemed to him no mere likeness of
looks, but sameness. Thus he was filled with such wavering and doubtful
judgment, that though he really discerned the truth he thought he must
have been mistaken. At last it flashed across his mind that the
wall might have been tampered with. He gave orders that it should be
carefully surveyed and examined, but found no traces of a breakage: in
fact, the entire room seemed to be whole and unimpaired. For Erik, early
in the night, had patched up the damage of the broken wall, that his
trick might not be detected. Then the king sent two men privily into
the bedroom of Erik to learn the truth, and bade them stand behind the
hangings and note all things carefully. They further received orders
to kill Erik if they found him with Gunwar. They went secretly into the
room, and, concealing themselves in the curtained corners, beheld
Erik and Gunwar in bed together with arms entwined. Thinking them only
drowsy, they waited for their deeper sleep, wishing to stay until a
heavier slumber gave them a chance to commit their crime. Erik snored
lustily, and they knew it was a sure sign that he slept soundly; so they
straightway came forth with drawn blades in order to butcher him. Erik
was awakened by their treacherous onset, and seeing their swords hanging
over his head, called out the name of his stepmother, (Kraka), to which
long ago he had been bidden to appeal when in peril, and he found a
speedy help in his need. For his shield, which hung aloft from the
rafter, instantly fell and covered his unarmed body, and, as if on
purpose, covered it from impalement by the cutthroats. He did not fail
to make use of his luck, but, snatching his sword, lopped off both feet
of the nearest of them. Gunwar, with equal energy, ran a spear through
the other: she had the body of a woman, but the spirit of a man.

Thus Erik escaped the trap; whereupon he went back to the sea and made
ready to sail off by night. But Roller sounded on his horn the signal
for those who had been bidden to watch close by, to break into the
palace. When the king heard this, he thought it meant that the en