The clamour of that wild hunt died away, and we breathed more
freely. Soon the wild lights burned up across the north again, and
then Bertric spoke.
"Sink yonder thing in the fjord, Asbiorn. Gerda should not see it
thus."
Therewith we went back to the guest hall, and there was naught to
disturb the quiet of the night. Asbiorn saw to that matter
straightway.
Men say now that when the northern fires light the sky, across the
fjord drifts the wraith of Arnkel, and that ever the wild hunt
comes up from the sea and hounds him hence. I have heard the bay of
those terrible hounds more than once indeed, but I have seen
naught, and round our hall is no unrest.
In the sunshine of next day Gerda would hear what had become of
Arnkel, supposing that he was kept safely somewhere. I think that
the hurt to me, small as it was, angered her against him more than
the wrongs he had done to herself.
"He is dead," I told her. "He died at the hand of Asbiorn and the
men of the place, in all justice. He may be forgotten."
She did not ask more, for the way in which he ended she would not
wish to hear. Only she sighed, and said:
"Let us forget him then. I would have forgiven him. He tried to
take even my life from me indeed, but instead he has given me all I
could long for.
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