Then: “Young blood for gainfulness!”
“New ways for new—”
“Down with old boundaries—”
“Spread out! Spread out!”
“Luck to the new rule!”
The new step being approved by such undoubted authorities, the other old men joined for the first time in the applause; while the young men were brought to the point of handling their cups like gavels, and one whose wine did not sit well upon his wits clambered upon the seat and began to use shields from the wall for cymbals. Even to the women’s cross-bench it sped. Eagerly Yrsa the Lovely spoke to her young mistress by whom she sat.
“Jarl’s sister, do you call to mind how fair and fine we thought that bead-embroidery we saw last trading-day? Now we can get a Skraelling woman to teach us how to do it,—if so be there are women among them,” she added doubtfully.
It seemed that Brynhild spoke because she had been addressed rather than because she heeded what was said to her. Fingering her jewelled necklace, she continued frowning at the fire.
“Never saw I aught to equal it,” she said. “That Magnus should behave so boorishly—And yet that we should have a thrall-born bishop—And yet it seems to me that Helvin behaved well—It must be that the earth is coming loose from its moorings!”
From her place farther down the line, the pretty matron who had laughed at the forester bent forward urgently. “Jarl’s sister, is it your will that we should take our leave now? The amusements are beginning. Yonder deerskin fellow has just beckoned to the harp-bearer.” She motioned with her lace-crowned head. Brynhild’s gaze, however, did not follow the motion, but remained upon her, gathering displeasure.