Then Sir Archie came yet closer to Elsalill and put his arm around
her. "Do you hear how the wind howls without?" said he. "That
means that soon the ice will break up, and that ships again will
be free to sail over to my native land. Tell me now, Elsalill,
will you come with me, so that I may make good to you the evil I
have done to another?"

Sir Archie continued to whisper to Elsalill of the glorious life
that awaited her, and Elsalill began to think to herself: "Alas,
if only I did not know what evil he had done! Then I would go with
him and live happily."

Sir Archie came closer and closer to her, and when Elsalill looked
up she saw that his face was bending over her and that he was
about to kiss her on the forehead. Then she remembered the dead
girl who had so lately been with her and kissed her. She tore
herself free from Sir Archie and said: "No, Sir Archie, I will
never go with you."

"Yes," said Sir Archie, "you must come with me, Elsalill, or else
I shall be drawn down to my destruction."

He began to whisper to the girl ever more tenderly, and again she
thought to herself: "Were it not more pleasing to God and men that
he be allowed to atone for his evil life and become a righteous
man? Whom can it profit if he be punished with death?"

As these thoughts were in Elsalill's mind two men came by on their
way to the tavern. When Sir Archie marked that they cast curious