answered: "Yes, dear sister, I will come straight and help you."

Then the dead girl went to the door, and Elsalill followed her.
But as they stood on the threshold her foster sister paused and
said to Elsalill: "You must put on your cloak. There is a strong
wind outside." And as she said this her voice sounded clearer and
less muffled than before.

Elsalill then took her cloak from the wall and wrapped it around
her. She thought to herself: "My foster sister loves me still. She
wishes me no evil. I am only happy that I may go with her wherever
she may take me."

And then she followed the dead girl through many streets, all the
way from Torarin's cabin, which stood on a rocky slope, down to
the level streets about the harbour and the market place.

The dead girl always walked two paces in front of Elsalill. A
heavy gale was blowing that evening, howling through the streets,
and Elsalill noticed that when a violent gust would have flung her
against the wall, the dead girl placed herself between her and the
wind and screened her as well as she could with her slender body.

When at last they came to the town hall the dead girl went down
the cellar steps and beckoned Elsalill to follow her. But as they
were going down the wind blew out the light in the lantern that
hung in the lobby and they were in darkness. Then Elsalill did not
know where to turn her steps and the dead girl had to put her hand
on hers to lead her. But the dead girl's hand was so cold that
Elsalill started and began to quake with fear. Then the dead girl