Where I stay, I work for my upkeep; and as I am
strong as a man and hardy as an ox, they that have had the keeping of me
were the better pleased." It was a hard job for Aud to keep her countenance, for she was like to
have wept. And yet she felt it would be unseemly to eat her invitation;
and like a shallow woman and one that had always led her husband by the
nose, she told herself she would find some means to cajole Thorgunna and
come by her purpose after all. So she put a good face on the thing, had
Thorgunna into the boat, her and her two great chests, and brought her
home with her to the hall by the beach. All the way in she made much of the wife; and when they were arrived gave
her a locked bed-place in the hall, where was a bed, a table, and a
stool, and space for the two chests. "This shall be yours while you stay here," said Aud. And she attended on
her guest. Now Thorgunna opened the second chest and took out her bedding--sheets of
English linen, the like of it never seen, a cover of quilted silk, and
curtains of purple wrought with silver. At the sight of these Aud was
like one distracted, greed blinded her mind; the cry rose strong in her
throat, it must out. "What will you sell your bedding for?" she cried, and her cheeks were
hot. Thorgunna looked upon her with a dusky countenance. "Truly you are a
courteous hostess," said she, "but I will not sleep on straw for your
amusement." At that Aud's two ears grew hot as her cheeks; and she took Thorgunna at
her word; and left her from that time in peace. The woman was as good as her spoken word. Inside the house and out she
wrought like three, and all that she put her hand to was well done. When
she milked, the cows yielded beyond custom; when she made hay, it was
always dry weather; when she took her turn at the cooking, the folk
licked their spoons. Her manners when she pleased were outside
imitation, like one that had sat with kings in their high buildings. It
seemed she was pious too, and the day never passed but she was in the
church there praying. The rest was not so well. She was of few words,
and never one about her kin and fortunes. Gloom sat on her brow, and she
was ill to cross. Behind her back they gave her the name of the Waif
Woman or the Wind Wife; to her face it must always be Thorgunna. And if
any of the young men called her _mother_, she would speak no more that
day, but sit apart in the hall and mutter with her lips. "This is a queer piece of goods that we have gotten," says Finnward
Keelfarer, "I wish we get no harm by her! But the good wife's pleasure
must be done," said he, which was his common word. When she was at work, Thorgunna wore the rudest of plain clothes, though
ever clean as a cat; but at night in the hall she was more dainty, for
she loved to be admired. No doubt she made herself look well, and many
thought she was a comely woman still, and to those she was always
favourable and full of pleasant speech. But the more that some pleased
her, it was thought by good judges that they pleased Aud the less. When midsummer was past, a company of young men upon a journey came to
the house by Frodis Water. That was always a great day for Aud, when
there were gallants at table; and what made this day the greater, Alf of
the Fells was in the company, and she thought Alf fancied her. So be
sure Aud wore her best. But when Thorgunna came from the bed-place, she
was arrayed like any queen and the broad brooch was in her bosom. All
night in the hall these women strove with each other; and the little
maid, Asdis, looked on, and was ashamed and knew not why. But Thorgunna
pleased beyond all; she told of strange things that had befallen in the
world; when she pleased she had the cue to laughter; she sang, and her
voice was full and her songs new in that island; and whenever she turned,
the eyes shone in her face and the brooch glittered at her bosom. So
that the young men forgot the word of the merchants as to the woman's
age, and their looks followed her all night. Aud was sick with envy. Sleep fled her; her husband slept, but she sat
upright beside him in the bed, and gnawed her fingers. Now she began to
hate Thorgunna, and the glittering of the great brooch stood before her
in the dark. "Sure," she thought, "it must be the glamour of that
brooch! She is not so fair as I; she is as old as the dead in the
hillside; and as for her wit and her songs, it is little I think of
them!" Up she got at that, took a light from the embers, and came to her
guest's bed-place. The door was locked, but Aud had a master-key and
could go in. Inside, the chests were open, and in the top of one the
light of her taper shone upon the glittering of the brooch. As a dog
snatches food she snatched it, and turned to the bed. Thorgunna lay on
her side; it was to be thought she slept, but she talked the while to
herself, and her lips moved. It seemed her years returned to her in
slumber, for her face was grey and her brow knotted; and the open eyes of
her stared in the eyes of Aud. The heart of the foolish woman died in
her bosom; but her greed was the stronger, and she fled with that which
she had stolen. When she was back in bed, the word of Thorgunna came to her mind, that
these things were for no use but to be shown. Here she had the brooch
and the shame of it, and might not wear it. So all night she quaked with
the fear of discovery, and wept tears of rage that she should have sinned
in vain. Day came, and Aud must rise; but she went about the house like
a crazy woman. She saw the eyes of Asdis rest on her strangely, and at
that she beat the maid. She scolded the house folk, and, by her way of
it, nothing was done aright. First she was loving to her husband and
made much of him, thinking to be on his good side when trouble came. Then
she took a better way, picked a feud with him, and railed on the poor man
till his ears rang, so that he might be in the wrong beforehand. The
brooch she hid without, in the side of a hayrick. All this while
Thorgunna lay in the bed-place, which was not her way, for by custom she
was early astir. At last she came forth, and there was that in her face
that made all the house look one at the other and the heart of Aud to be
straitened. Never a word the guest spoke, not a bite she swallowed, and
they saw the strong shudderings take and shake her in her place. Yet a
little, and still without speech, back she went into her bad-place, and
the door was shut. "That is a sick wife," said Finnward, "Her weird has come on her." And at that the heart of Aud was lifted up with hope. All day Thorgunna lay on her bed, and the next day sent for Finnward. "Finnward Keelfarer," said she, "my trouble is come upon me, and I am at
the end of my days." He made the customary talk. "I have had my good things; now my hour is come; and let suffice," quoth
she. "I did not send for you to hear your prating." Finnward knew not what to answer, for he saw her soul was dark.