Lavrans sat in silence for a moment before he replied.
“Yes, that sort of thing sounds so beautiful when we hear it in a courtly tale from the southern lands. But we are not in Bretland,1 and surely you would demand more of a man you intend to take as a son-in-law than that he had made your daughter swoon with love before everyone’s eyes.”
The other two didn’t speak, and then Lavrans continued, “I think, good sirs, that if Erlend Nikulauss?n had not so greatly diminished both his property and his reputation, then you would not be sitting here, asking so earnestly for a man of my circumstances to give my daughter to him. But I won’t have it said about Kristin that she was honored by coming to Husaby through marriage to a man belonging to this country’s best lineage—after that man had disgraced himself so badly that he could neither expect a better match nor maintain his family’s distinction.”
He stood up abruptly and paced back and forth across the floor.
But Sir Munan jumped up. “No, Lavrans, if you’re going to talk about bringing shame upon oneself, then by God you should know that you’re being much too proud—”
Sir Baard cut him off. He went over to Lavrans and said, “And proud you are, Lavrans. You’re like those landowners in the past we’ve heard about, who refused to accept titles from the kings because their sense of pride could not tolerate hearing people say that they owed anything to anyone but themselves. I must tell you that if Erlend had possessed all the honor and wealth that the boy was born with, I would still not consider it disparaging to myself when I asked a man of good lineage and good circumstances to give his daughter to my foster son, if I could see that it would break the hearts of these two young people to be kept apart. Especially,” he said softly, placing his hand on the other man’s shoulder, “if things were such that it was best for the health of both their souls if they were allowed to marry.”
Lavrans shook off Baard’s hand. His face grew stony and cold. “I don’t know what you mean, sir.”
The two men looked at each other for a moment. Then Sir Baard said, “I mean that Erlend has told me that they have sworn themselves to each other with the most solemn of oaths. Perhaps you think you have the authority to release your child, since she has sworn without your consent. But you cannot release Erlend. And I can’t see that there is anything standing in the way except your pride—and your abhorrence of sin. But in this it seems to me that you wish to be harsher than God Himself, Lavrans Bj?rgulfs?n!”
Lavrans answered somewhat uncertainly, “You may be right in what you say, Sir Baard. But I have mainly opposed this marriage because Erlend seemed to me an unreliable man to whom I would not want to entrust my daughter.”
“I think I can vouch for my foster son now,” said Baard in a subdued tone of voice. “He loves Kristin so much that if you give her to him, I am convinced he will conduct himself in such a manner that you will have no cause to complain of your son-in-law.”
Lavrans didn’t reply at once.
Then Sir Baard said imploringly, holding out his hand, “In God’s name, Lavrans Bj?rgulfs?n, give your consent!”
Lavrans gave his hand to Sir Baard. “In God’s name.”
Ragnfrid and Kristin were called to the loft, and Lavrans told them of his decision. Sir Baard graciously greeted the two women. Sir Munan shook Ragnfrid’s hand and spoke courteously to her, but he greeted Kristin in the foreign manner with kisses, and he took his time about it. Kristin noticed that her father was looking at her as he did this.
“How do you like your new kinsman, Sir Munan?” he asked with derision when he was alone with her for a moment that evening.
Kristin gave her father an imploring look. Then he stroked her face several times and said nothing more.
When Sir Baard and Sir Munan had gone to bed, the latter said, “What wouldn’t I give to see the face of this Lavrans Bj?rgulfs?n if he ever learned the truth about his precious daughter. Here you and I had to beg on our knees for Erlend to win a woman as his wife whom he has had with him up at Brynhild’s inn so many times.”
“You keep quiet about that,” replied Sir Baard bitterly. “It was the worst thing Erlend could have done when he enticed the child to such a place. And never let Lavrans get word of this; it will be best for everyone if those two can be friends.”
It was agreed that the betrothal celebration would be held that same autumn. Lavrans said that he could not offer a grand banquet because the previous year had been so bad in the valley; but he would, on the other hand, host the wedding and hold it at J?rundgaard with all appropriate splendor. He mentioned again the bad year as his reason for demanding that the betrothal period should last a year.