n no disgrace from
them; but now ye have the greatest risk of it, and so it will go on ever
growing and growing with your disgrace, that ye will never get rid of it
until ye bring yourselves into a strait, and have to fight your way out
with weapons; but in that there is a long and weary night in which ye
will have to grope your way."

After that they ceased speaking about it; but the matter became the
daily talk of many men.

One day it happened that those brothers spoke to Kari and bade him go to
Gritwater. Kari said he thought he might go elsewhither on a better
journey, but still he would go if that were Njal's counsel. So after
that Kari fares to meet Thrain, and then they talk over the matter, and
they did not each look at it in the same way.

Kari comes home, and Njal's sons ask how things had gone between Thrain
and him. Kari said he would rather not repeat the words that had passed,
"but," he went on, "it is to be looked for that the like words will be
spoken when ye yourselves can hear them".

Thrain had fifteen house-earles trained to arms in his house, and eight
of them rode with him whithersoever he went. Thrain was very fond of
show and dress, and always rode in a blue cloak, and had on a guilded
helm, and the spear--the Earl's gift--in his hand, and a fair shield,
and a sword at his belt. Along with him always went Gunnar Lambi's son,
and Lambi Sigurd's son, and Grani, Gunnar of Lithend's son. But nearest
of all to him went Killing-Hrapp. Lodinn was the name of his
serving-man, he too went with Thrain when he journeyed; Tjorvi was the
name of Loddin's brother, and he too was one of Thrain's band. The worst
of all, in their words against Njal's sons, were Hrapp and Grani; and it
was mostly their doing that no atonement was offered to them.

Njal's sons often spoke to Kari that he should ride with them; and it
came to that at last, for he said it would be well that they heard
Thrain's answer.

Then they busked them, four of Njal's sons, and Kari the fifth, and so
they fare to Gritwater.

There was a wide porch in the homestead there, so that many men might
stand in it side by side. There was a woman out of doors, and she saw
their coming, and told Thrain of it; he bade them to go out into the
porch, and take their arms, and they did so.

Thrain stood in mid-door, Killing-Hrapp and Grani Gunnar's son stood on
either hand of him; then next stood Gunnar Lambi's son, then Lodinn and
Tjorvi, then Lambi