"Do one thing or the other," said Angle; "either be silent this moment and tell me all about your household, or be killed."
Glaum was as silent as if he had been dipped in water.
Thorbjorn said: "Are the brothers in the hut? Why are they not about?"
"That would not be so easy," said Glaum, "for Grettir is sick and nigh to death and Illugi is sitting with him."
Thorbjorn asked about his condition, and what had happened. Then Glaum told him all about Grettir's wound.
Angle laughed and said: "True is the ancient saying that Old friends are the last to break away, and also this, that It is ill to have a thrall for your friend—such a one as you, Glaum! You have shamefully betrayed your liege lord, though there was little good in him."
Then the others cast reproaches at him for his villainy; they beat him almost helpless and left him lying there. Then they went on to the hut and knocked violently at the door.
Illugi said: "Greybelly [1] is knocking at the door, brother."
"He is knocking rather loud," said Grettir; "most unmercifully." Then the door broke in pieces. Illugi rushed to his arms and defended the door so that they could not get in. They assailed it long, but could get nothing in but the points of their spears, all of which Illugi severed from their shafts. Seeing that they could do nothing, they sprang on to the roof and began to break it in. Then Grettir got on to his feet, seized a spear and thrust it between the rafters. It struck Kar, Halldor's man from Hof, and went right through him. Angle told them to go to work warily and be careful of themselves. "We shall only overcome them," he said, "if we act with caution."
Then they laid open the end of one of the timbers and bore upon it until it broke. Grettir was unable to rise from his knees, but he seized the sword Karsnaut at the moment when they all sprang in from the roof, and a mighty fray began. Grettir struck with his sword at Vikar, a man of Hjalti the son of Thord, reaching his left shoulder as he sprang from the roof. It passed across his shoulder, out under his right arm, and cut him right in two. His body fell in two parts on the top of Grettir and prevented him from recovering his sword as quickly as he wished, so that Thorbjorn Angle was able to wound him severely between the shoulders. Grettir said: "Bare is his back who has no brother!"