eave it to end
here. You, Glaum, must in future guard the ladder every day and pull it
up in the evening. Do this trustily, for much depends thereon. If you
betray us your end will be a short one."

Glaum promised most faithfully. The weather now became severe. A
north-easterly wind set in and it was very cold. Every evening Grettir
asked if the ladder was drawn in.

"Are we now to look for men?" said Glaum. "Is any man so anxious to take
your life that he will lose his own for it? This weather is much worse
than impossible. Your warlike mood seems to have left you utterly if you
think that everything is coming to kill you."

"You will always bear yourself worse than either of us," said Grettir,
"whatever happens. But now you must mind the ladder however unwilling
you may be."

They drove him out every morning, much to his disgust. The pain of
the wound increased, and the whole leg was swollen; the thigh began
to fester both above and below the wound, which spread all round, and
Grettir thought he was likely to die. Illugi sat with him night and day,
paying no heed to anything else. They were now in the second week of his
illness.

CHAPTER LXXXI. THORBJORN AGAIN VISITS DRANGEY

Thorbjorn Angle was now at home in Vidvik, much put out at not having
been able to overcome Grettir. When about a week had passed from the
day when the old woman had bewitched the log, she came to speak with
Thorbjorn and asked whether he did not mean to visit Grettir. He said
there was nothing about which he was more determined.

"But do you wish to meet him, foster-mother?" he asked.

"I have no intention of meeting him," she said; "I have sent him my
greeting, which I expect he has received. But I advise you to set off
at once and go quickly to see him, otherwise it will not be your fate to
overcome him."

He replied: "I have made so many inglorious journeys there that I am not
going again. This weather is reason enough; it would not be possible,
however pressing it were."

"You are indeed without counsel if you see not through these wiles. Now,
I will advise you. First go and collect men; ride to your brother-in-law
Halldor in Hof and get help from him. Is it too wild a thing to suppose
that I may have to do with this breeze that is now playing?"

Thorbjorn thought it might be that the woman saw further than he
supposed, so he sent through the country for men. Answer came very
quickly that none of those who had given up