“We’ll have Grimur drowning his lice in floods of tears,” grumbled the Bishop. “See them swimming around and saying their prayers, Amen!”
“You, Bishop,” said Grimur warningly—“well for you this good man’s here. If it weren’t for him, I’d send you swimming and saying your prayers in earnest for less than you’ve said.”
“Filthy beast,” said Gudda scornfully, and spat at the Bishop, who only laughed.
Guest the One-eyed turned to him with a keen glance.
“Have you ever thought,” he said quietly, “that one day must be your last—that your tongue may be silent for ever after any word you have spoken?”
“Ho, yes. And I’ve got it all ready what I’m going to say. When I get to the Gates of Heaven—if the Devil hasn’t pinched my soul all hot on the way—I’ll say to the Lord: ‘Here you are; Behold the Son of Man!’ That’s my words.”
“You also are my brother,” said Guest the One-eyed. And he held out his hand.
Guest the One-eyed stood silent gazing at his extended hand. Then he sat down and sobbed.
The Bishop’s laugh of derision died away. He stood for a moment breathing heavily, then slunk out of the shed and went away.
The other three stood silently watching, afraid to look at each other, uncertain what to do.
After a little Guest the One-eyed regained his self-control, and, looking up at them, he said quietly:
“Friends, do not hate him; believe that he is not worse than others. Only, the way to his heart is longer and harder to find.”
“I have far to go,” he said, after a pause. “Good-bye.”
“God’s blessing,” murmured the others as he left.
He stood for a moment outside the shed, uncertain which way to turn. He would have liked to go to Hof, to the vicarage on the other side of the fjord, but it was too far to walk. This was his last day, and already a good part of it was gone, though he had lost no time.
He hobbled down to the beach to see if there might chance to be a boat going across. Just as he neared the slope, he perceived a little group of people gathered round something he could not see. Close by, a small rowing-boat was drawn up on the sand. Going closer, he saw a man bending over a heap of clothes. Presently the man rose up, and said:
Those near bared their heads and made the sign of the cross.
