not know whether your heart was in your speech, and that you have
bravely acknowledged it, I will not take your life. It may also be
that you follow the faith the better the more outspoken you are
against it; and I can also see this, that on the day you let yourself
be baptized of your own free will, several ships' crews will on that
day also take the faith. And I think it likely to happen that your
relations and friends will give much heed to what you speak to them
when you return to Iceland. And it is in my mind that you, Kjartan,
will have a better faith when you return from Norway than you had when
you came hither. Go now in peace and safety wheresoever you like from
the meeting. For the time being you shall not be tormented into
Christianity, for God says that He wills that no one shall come to Him
unwillingly." Good cheer was made at the king's speech, though mostly
from the Christian men; but the heathen left it to Kjartan to answer
as he liked. Kjartan said, "We thank you, king, that you grant safe
peace unto us, and the way whereby you may most surely draw us to
take the faith is, on the one hand, to forgive us great offences, and
on the other to speak in this kindly manner on all matters, in spite
of your this day having us and all our concerns in your power even as
it pleases you. Now, as for myself, I shall receive the faith in
Norway on that understanding alone that I shall give some little
worship to Thor the next winter when I get back to Iceland." Then the
king said and smiled, "It may be seen from the mien of Kjartan that he
puts more trust in his own weapons and strength than in Thor and
Odin." Then the meeting was broken up. After a while many men egged
the king on to force Kjartan and his followers to receive the faith,
and thought it unwise to have so many heathen men near about him. The
king answered wrathfully, and said he thought there were many
Christians who were not nearly so well-behaved as was Kjartan or his
company either, "and for such one would have long to wait." The king