"Art thou witless," said Angle, "that thou seest not that thy foes are come upon thee, and will slay you all?"
Then Noise answered nought, but yelled out all he might, when he knew the men who they were.
"Do one thing or other," says Angle, "either hold thy peace forthwith, and tell us of your abode, or else be slain of us."
Thereat was Noise as silent as if he had been thrust[238] under water; but Thorbiorn said, "Are they at their hut, those brothers? Why are they not afoot?"
"Scarce might that be," said Noise, "for Grettir is sick and come nigh to his death, and Illugi sits over him."
Then Angle asked how it was with their health, and what things had befallen. So Noise told him in what wise Grettir's hurt had come about.
Then Angle laughed and said, "Yea, sooth is the old saw, Old friends are the last to sever; and this withal, Ill if a thrall is thine only friend, whereso thou art, Noise; for shamefully hast thou bewrayed thy master, albeit he was nought good."
Then many laid evil things to his charge for his ill faith, and beat him till he was well-nigh past booting for, and let him lie there; but they went up to the hut and smote mightily on the door.
"Pied-belly[[19]] is knocking hard at the door, brother," says Illugi.
"Yea, yea, hard, and over hard," says Grettir; and therewithal the door brake asunder.