Whew !! I had no trouble with
Hallgerð's nonsense this time Grace, (bless) after Eysteinns warning that
she became a theiving murderous bitch - I was looking out for it - and shall
warmly await developments
I am somewhat put-about over this
buisiness of the place you have at table - this is a Family Gathering - or is it
just Bergthora's time for asserting her authority
35. kafli
Það var siðvenja þeirra Gunnars og Njáls að sinn vetur þá
hvor þeirra
heimboð að öðrum og veturgrið fyrir vináttu sakir.
That was their custom of Gunnar and Njal at one's
(?refl.poss) winter homefeast or to another and Winter-stay for friendship's
sake (I wrestled with the word order - and thought they took turns)
Nú átti Gunnar að þiggja
veturgrið að Njáli og fóru þau Hallgerður til
Bergþórshvols.
Now had Gunnar to accept winter-feast with Njal and
they went (he with Halgerð) to Bergthor's Knoll
Þá voru þau
Helgi eigi heima. Njáll tók vel við þeim Gunnari. Og þá er
þau höfðu þar
verið nokkura hríð kom Helgi heim og Þórhalla kona hans.
Then Helgi (pl, and his Thorhalla) were not at
home.
Njal took well with the Gunnars ( made them
welcome.) and thenafter a while Helgi came home and his wife
Thorhalla
Þá gekk Bergþóra að pallinum og Þórhalla með henni
og mælti Bergþóra til
Hallgerðar: "Þú skalt þoka fyrir konu þessi."
Then went Bergthora (approached) the pall/dais and
Thorhalla with her and there spoke Bergthora to Hallgerð "You shall move (give
place) to this woman"
(yes she had to say it Alan - in this script - I want
to be Bergthora)
Hún svarar: "Hvergi mun eg þoka því að engi hornkerling vil eg vera."
She replied "In no way shall I give place - for (this
reason) no old hag in the corner will I be (I see hag here - for the Scot's
Dialect carling - an old witch)
"Eg skal hér ráða," sagði
Bergþóra.
"I shall here Rule" sadi Bergthora (woman after mine
own heart)
Síðan settist Þórhalla niður.
Afterwards - Thorhalla set herself
down
Bergþóra gekk að borðinu með handlaugar.
Bergthora went to table with hand-water (for
washing)
Hallgerður tók höndina Begþóru og mælti: "Ekki er þó
kosta munur með ykkur
Njáli. Þú hefir kartnagl á hverjum fingri en hann er
skegglaus."
Hallgerð took the hand of Bergthora and said "There is
no difference (to choose) between you and Njal - you have sick nails on each
finger and he is beardless.
"Satt er það," sagði Bergþóra, "en hvortgi okkart gefur það öðru að
sök. En
eigi var skegglaus Þorvaldur bóndi þinn og réðst þú þó honum
bana."
"True it is" said Bergthora "but no way does one fault
the other for that, but though not beardless was Thorvald your husband - just
the same you ordered his death"
"Fyrir lítið kemur mér," segir
Hallgerður, "að eiga þann mann er vaskastur
er á Íslandi ef þú hefnir eigi
þessa Gunnar."
"It comes but little to me" says Hallgerð"to have that
man who in (all) Iceland is most valiant if you do not avenge this
Gunnar"
Hann spratt upp og steig fram yfir borðið og mælti: "Heim
mun eg fara og er
það maklegast að þú sennir við heimamenn þína en eigi í
annarra manna
híbýlum enda á eg Njáli marga sæmd að launa og mun eg ekki vera
eggjanarfífl
þitt."
He sprang up (to his feet) and stepped over the table
and said"I will go home and it is most proper that you chatter/squabble with
your servants amd not in another mans house besides I have so much
honour in debt to Njal and I will not be urged on by you.
Alan - my thought was in respect of past friendship and
loyalty he "owes" Njal
Síðan fóru þau heim.
Then they went home
"Mun þú það
Bergþóra," sagði Hallgerður, "að við skulum eigi skildar."
"you must remember that Bergthora " said Hallgerð "that
we shall not be kept apart" (i.e. - we shall meet again)
Bergþóra
sagði að ekki skyldi hennar hlutur batna við það.
Bergthora said that her (H's) luck would not improve
for it (it would be at a disadvantage to Hallgerð)
Gunnar lagði ekki
til
Gunnar did not add anything to (that)
og fór heim til Hlíðarenda og var heima allan þann vetur í gegnum.
Líður
nú á sumarið og allt til þings framan.
and went home to Hliðarenda (high ridge?) and was
home all of the Winter.
It passes now to Summer and right forward to
Thing-Time