Baard Peters?n stood up abruptly and went over to the bench against the wall.
“May God curse my tongue,” said Sir Munan in a low voice. “I can never remember to keep my mouth shut either. . . .”
Kristin didn’t know what he meant. The dizziness was gone now, but she had such an unpleasant feeling; they all seemed so peculiar. She was glad when the servants brought in the food.
Munan looked at the table and rubbed his hands.
“I didn’t think we’d be disappointed if we came to visit you, Kristin, before we have to gnaw on Lenten food. How have you managed to put together such delicious platters in such a short time? One would almost think you had learned to conjure from your mother. But I see that you’re quick to set forth everything a wife should offer to please her husband.”
They sat down at the table. Velvet cushions had been placed for the guests on the inner benches on either side of the high seat. The servants sat on the outer bench, with Ulf Haldorss?n in the middle, right across from Erlend.
Kristin chatted quietly with the women guests and tried to conceal how ill at ease she felt. Every once in a while Munan Baards?n would interrupt with words that were meant to tease, and it was always about how Kristin was already moving so slowly. She pretended not to hear.
Munan was an unusually stout man. His small, shapely ears were set deep in the ruddy, fat flesh above his neck, and his belly got in his way when he sat down at the table.
“Yes, I’ve often wondered about the resurrection of the body,” he said. “Whether I’m going to rise up with all this fat that I’ve put on when that day arrives. You’ll be slim-waisted again soon enough, Kristin—but it’s much worse for me. You may not believe it, but I was just as slender in the belt as Erlend over there when I was twenty winters old.”
“Stop it now, Munan,” begged Erlend softly. “You’re upsetting Kristin.”
“All right then, if that’s what you want,” replied Munan. “You must be proud now, I can well imagine—presiding over your own table, sitting in the high seat with your wedded wife beside you. And God Almighty knows that it’s about time, too—you’re plenty old enough, my boy! Of course I’ll keep my mouth shut, since that’s what you want. But nobody ever told you . . . to speak or keep still—back when you were sitting at my table. You were often a guest in my house and stayed a long time, and I don’t think I ever noticed that you weren’t welcome.
“But I wonder whether Kristin dislikes it so much that I tease her a little. What do you say, my fair kinswoman? You weren’t as timid in the past. I’ve known Erlend from the time he was only so high, and I think I can venture to say that I’ve wished the boy well all his days. Quick and boyish you are, Erlend, with a sword in your hand, whether on horseback or on board ship. But I’ll ask Saint Olav to cleave me in half with his axe on the day when I see you stand up on your long legs, look man or woman freely in the eye, and answer for what you have done in your thoughtlessness. No, my dear kinsman, then you will hang your head like a bird in a trap and call on God and your kinsmen to help you out of trouble. And you’re such a sensible woman, Kristin, that I imagine you know this. I think you need to laugh a little now; no doubt you’ve seen enough this winter of shameful memories and sorrows and regrets.”
Kristin sat there, her face deep red. Her hands were trembling, and she didn’t dare glance at Erlend. Fury was boiling inside her—here sat the women guests and Orm and the servants. So this was the kind of courtesy shown by Erlend’s rich kinsmen. . . .
Then Sir Baard said so quietly that only those sitting closest could hear him, “I don’t think this is something to banter about—that Erlend has behaved in this way before his marriage. I vouched for you, Erlend, to Lavrans Bj?rgulfs?n.”
“Yes, and that was devilishly unwise of you, my foster father,” said Erlend loudly and fervently. “I can’t understand that you could be so foolish. For you know me well.”
But Munan was completely intractable.
“Now I’m going to tell you why I think this is so funny. Do you remember what you said to me, Baard, when I came to you and said that we had to help Erlend to achieve this marriage? No, I am going to talk about it; Erlend should know what you thought about me. This is the way it stands between them, I said, and if he doesn’t win Kristin Lavransdatter, only God and the Virgin Mary know what madness will result. Then you asked me if that was the real reason I wanted him to marry the maiden he had seduced, because I thought perhaps she was barren since she had managed to escape for so long. But I think you know me, all of you; you know that I’m a faithful kinsman to my kin. . . .” And he broke into tears of emotion.