Loyally aided him Hartvik and Eigil, his blood brethren, and spared not even their own countrymen and kindred; but thought rather on the blood oath which bound them more closely to Halfred than to their own kinsmen.
And the foe fell back before Halfred and his comrades, from the open field into the dwelling house, which was half burned down, and barricaded it.
And thus he stormed his own house, in which the people from Westgothaland had before overcome the house churls and the East Goths, and slain them all.
Yet a whole hour lasted the conflict. There Halfred, on the threshold of his house, slew the Danish Jarl Sveno, the last chieftain of the enemy who still lived, and pressed into the house with his men.
The people from Westgothaland, Zealand, and Tiunderland, defended themselves like bears at bay. But at last they were all slain. And from thence Halfred returned to the Mead hall, which was still glowing, and searched who there still lived.
And they found the bodies of King Hartstein, and Sudha, and of the Dane Hako, and the two Irishmen, Konal and Kiartan, of the Eastgothic Prince Helge--Helgrimr had fallen on board ship--and of Arngeir and Arnbiorn--Arnolfr had been slain in the dwelling house--and they found Vandrad the Skald at the point of death.
Then he told Halfred how Sudha had prevailed upon him to speak, and begged him to forgive him the death of so many heroes. And Halfred held his hand until he was dead.
But Dame Harthild's body they did not find, although many of her women lay burnt or slain in the dwelling-house.
But many bodies were so burnt and charred they could not be recognised.
And then they turned their search to the ships.
And all the ships of the foreign guests were burnt, and all those of the Icelanders which lay in the bay. For at the last, by reason of Halfred's furious attack, no one had thought any more about extinguishing them.
And Halfred, with his trumpet, hailed the Singing Swan, which floated saved in the moonlight, and went on board with his little troop.
And there lay slain many hundreds of Halfred's Icelanders,
The foreign guests, however, who had come to the midsummer feast, lay all all dead, save only Hartvik and Eigil.
And Halfred counted when he called all hands before the mast still seventy men alive.