"I cannot think that Gunnhild, even if she be a witch, can have bided in sight of the village all this time without being found." "No man dares go near the place," I said.
"Well, whence has she her food unless from the village?
I think she cannot be so near," he replied, and there was reason in his question.
I was cast down at this, for I had made so sure that I had found out the secret that was so carefully kept from me.

When there is mystery made, which is, or seems, needless, there is pleasure and a feeling of mastery in finding it out unaided, and I was losing that.
I will say this, however, that I was more vexed in this way than with the thought that I should not find Hertha, for in my own mind I began already to own that Ailwin and Gunnhild were in the right about our not meeting yet.
Olaf saw that I was vexed now, and put forward a plan which he thought would be pleasant to me, for he was certain that I should not be satisfied until I had seen if I was right.
"There is no reason why we should not go to the mere and see if Gunnhild is there," he said.

"If she is, maybe it will be well for you to speak with her.

And if not--why, then we know at least that she has a good hiding place elsewhere." That was a plan that pleased me well, for though I had no fear of going to that lonely place so long as I had made myself certain that I should meet Gunnhild, now that it seemed not quite so sure but that I should find myself alone there, the thought of the quest was not quite so pleasant to me.
"Then we may as well go at once," Olaf said.

"How like you the thought, Ottar ?" "I like not such places, my king," the scald answered honestly.
"There are chills that come over one, and rising of the hair." "Aye, there are," answered Olaf.