_Thorolf_.--That you shall be spared life and limb, though you have been
participant in this onslaught on me. (EINAR _gives a start_.)

_Sigurd_.--And any others?

_Thorolf_.--Little I care.

_Einar_ (_aside_).--That ring must I try to get hold of.

(THOROLF _is led out to the left; all the others follow, excepting_
BRODDI _and_ BRAND.)

_Broddi_.--You must not be present at it, Brand! I shall tell you what
is happening. Now Thorolf is shriven; he has but few sins to confess; he
has been absolved but recently.

_Brand_.--If they had not lit the fire we would never have found them.
Better had it been they had not lit it!

_Broddi_.--A pity that brave men such as Thorolf was should not be good
men to work together with, likewise. Now Thorolf kneels down for the
blow. Do not look that way, Brand!

_Brand_.--Has he the crucifix in his hand?

_Broddi_.--No; he reached it to Deacon Sigurd, before kneeling down. Why
does Helgi let a brave man wait so long for the blow?

(_A heavy blow on a body is heard without_. BRAND _starts up, pulls_
THOROLF'S _ring from his arm and gives it to_ BRODDI.)