KARE. If ye be honourable men, ye will grant me refuge among you;
Gunnar Headman's house-carls are hunting me to slay me.
ORNULF. Gunnar's?
SIGURD. Then has thou done him some wrong!
KARE. I have done myself right. Our cattle fed together upon an island, hard by the coast; Gunnar's men carried off my best oxen, and one of them flouted me for a thrall. Then bare I arms against him and slew him.
ORNULF. That was a lawful deed.
KARE. But this morning his men came in wrath against me. By good hap I heard of their coming, and fled; but my foemen are on my tracks, and short shrift can I look for at their hands.
SIGURD. Ill can I believe thee, peasant! In bygone days I knew Gunnar as I know myself, and this I wot, that never did he wrong a peaceful man.
KARE. Gunnar has no part in this wrong-doing; he is in the south- land; nay, it is Hiordis his wife——
DAGNY. Hiordis!
ORNULF (to himself). Ay, ay, 'tis like her!