But he checked himself with many learned saws,
and on a day when the weather had grown fair, and they sat alone, he
told her that his ship was bound for Orkney Isles.
Then, as though by chance, Swanhild laid her white hand in his, and on a
sudden looked deep into his eyes, and said with trembling lips, "Ah, go
not yet, lord!--I pray thee, go not yet!"--and, turning, she fled away.
But Atli was much moved, and he said to himself: "Now a strange thing
is come to pass: a fair maid loves an old man; and yet, methinks, he
who looks into those eyes sees deep waters," and he beat his brow and
thought.
But Swanhild in her chamber laughed till the tears ran from those same
eyes, for she saw that the great fish was hooked and now the time had
come to play him.
For she did not know that it was otherwise fated.
Gudruda, too, saw all these things and knew not how to read them, for
she was of an honest mind, and could not understand how a woman may love
a man as Swanhild loved Eric and yet make such play with other men,
and that of her free will. For she guessed little of Swanhild's
guilefulness, nor of the coldness of her heart to all save Eric; nor of
how this was the only joy left to her: to make a sport of men and put
them to grief and shame. Atli said to himself that he would watch this
maid well before he uttered a word to Asmund, and he deemed himself very
cunning, for he was wondrous cautious after the fashion of those about
to fall.
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