so with thee who may."

Then Thorhalla said--

"This is another parting between me and Helgi than I thought of a while
ago; but still I will egg on my father and brothers to avenge this
manscathe which is wrought here."

"Go, and good go with thee," said Njal, "for thou art a brave woman."

After that she went out and much folk with her.

Then Astrid of Deepback said to Helgi Njal's son--

"Come thou out with me, and I will throw a woman's cloak over thee, and
tire thy head with a kerchief."

He spoke against it at first, but at last he did so at the prayer of
others.

So Astrid wrapped the kerchief round Helgi's head, but Thorhilda,
Skarphedinn's wife, threw the cloak over him, and he went out between
them, and then Thorgerda Njal's daughter, and Helga her sister, and many
other folk went out too.

But when Helgi came out Flosi said--

"That is a tall woman and broad across the shoulders that went yonder,
take her and hold her."

But when Helgi heard that, he cast away the cloak. He had got his sword
under his arm, and hewed at a man, and the blow fell on his shield and
cut off the point of it, and the man's leg as well. Then Flosi came up
and hewed at Helgi's neck, and took off his head at a stroke.

Then Flosi went to the door and called out to Njal, and said he would
speak with him and Bergthora.

Now Njal does so, and Flosi said--

"I will offer thee, master Njal, leave to go out, for it is unworthy
that thou shouldst burn indoors."

"I will not go out," said Njal, "for I am an old man, and little fitted
to avenge my sons, but I will not live in shame."

Then Flosi said to Bergthora--

"Come thou out, housewife, for I will for no sake burn thee indoors."

"I was given away to Njal young," said Bergthora, "and I have promised
him this, that we would both share the same fate."

After that they both went back into the house.

"What counsel shall we now take?" said Bergthora.

"We will go to our bed," says Njal, "and lay us down; I have long been
eager for rest."

Then she said to the boy Thord, Kari's son--

"Thee will I take out, and thou shalt not burn in here."

"Thou hast promised me this, grandmother," says the boy, "that we should
never part so long as I wished to be with thee; but methinks it is much
better to die with thee and Njal than to live after you."

Then she bore the boy to her bed, and Njal spoke to his steward and
said--

"Now shalt thou see where we lay us down, and