OLAF TRYGGVESON. 49 spy did completely accomplish, — by no means to Hakon's profit ! The mysterious ' Ole ' proved to be no other than Olaf^ son of Tryggve, destined to blow Hakon Jarl suddenly into destruction, and become famous among the heroes of the Norse world. Of Olaf Tryggveson one always hopes there might, one day, some real outline of a biography be written ; fished from the abysses where (as usual) it welters deep in foul neighbourhood for the present. Farther on we intend a few words more upon the matter. But in this place all that concerns us in it limits itself to the two following facts : first, that Hakon's confiden- tial spy * found Ole in Dublin ' ; picked acquaintance with him, got him to confess that he was actually Olaf, son of Tryggve (the Tryggve, whom Blood-axe's fierce widow and her sons had murdered) ; got him gradually to own that perhaps an expedition into Norway might have its chances ; and finally that, under such a wise and loyal guidance as his (the confidential spy's, whose friendship for Tryggveson was so indubitable), he (Tryggveson) would actually try it upon Hakon Jarl, the dissolute old scoundrel. Fact second is, that about the time they two set sail
