The Son Avenger Read Free Page A

binding act between her father and my father while we were yet of tender age, and afterwards her kinsmen tried to set at naught the rights of us two fatherless children.
You
will lose neither honour nor rights if you fail to win the first young maid you have cast your eyes upon, without your kinsmen so much as knowing what you have in mind.
    “No, no,” said Olav hotly; “your father shall never have leave to say of me that I received you when you came hither, a friendlessoutlaw, and then treated with you, a young lad under age, for the hand of my daughter, without even knowing whether your kinsfolk were minded to ally themselves with my house.”
    “You know yourself,” replied Aslak coolly, “’tis not likely my father woud be loath to see me wed the daughter of Olav Audunsson of Hestviken. I know not what you mean! Is it on account of those rumours that were abroad concerning you at the time when your marriage with Ingunn Steinfinnsdatter was at issue? So much water has flowed into the fiord since then that no man cares any more what you did or left undone in your young days—for since that time you have lived peaceably for more than twenty years and have won renown for honourable conduct in both peace and war.”
    Olav felt his heart beating with terrible force. But he broke off, cold as ice: “That is well and good, Aslak—but ’tis vain for you to say more on this subject. For Cecilia I have other designs.”
    “Of that she knows nothing!” exclaimed Aslak hotly.
    “Is it so” —Olav felt relieved at being given just cause for breaking out in anger—“that you have made bold to woo my daughter behind my back?”
    “You surely do not believe that of me. Not one word have I spoken to Cecilia with which you could have found fault. But that I like her she has seen; and I have seen that she likes me—neither of us can help that, such things cannot be hid. If you would listen to us, Olav, Cecilia would give her consent without sorrow—so much I have guessed.”
    Olav said: “Nor will it bring so much sorrow upon either of you if I refuse to listen to your suit. The maid is but a child—and you are not so old either.”
    “Say you so! You yourself and her mother held fast to each other for ten years or more and would not suffer her kinsmen to part the love that was between you—I have heard you spoken of it at home, Olav, as patterns of loyalty in love!”
    Olav was silent a moment. The boy’s words went strangely to his heart—while at the same time he was yet more unshakably determined that he would never have Cecilia married to a man from that part of the country. Then he replied in a low and faltering voice:
    “That was different, Aslak—I had a
right
to her. And we had grown up together like two berries on a twig—loved each otheras brother and sister from early childhood. You two, Cecilia and you, have known each other for one winter, and there is no compact between you. So it cannot be so great a grief to either of you if you now must part.”
    Aslak flushed deeply. He stood for a moment with bowed head, his hand on his breast, his fingers plucking at his brooch.
    “For your daughter I cannot answer,” he then said shortly. “I—” He shrugged his shoulders, then turned on his heel and went out.
    Next day he was already prepared for the road. He took it with a good grace, thanked Olav in well-chosen words for the help and friendship he had shown, and bade him farewell. He went round and took leave of all his fellows. Privily Olav kept an anxious watch on the two young people when they said farewell to each other. But they took it well: they did not look at each other, and their hands dropped with a strange slackness after they had joined them; otherwise there was no sign, for one who did not know.
    Then Aslak rode away from Hestviken.
    Olav continually watched his daughter in secret. But Cecilia was like her usual self, and her father tried to make himself believe that she did not