SCENE II: The interior of Egil’s lodge in the
forest; toward twilight.
_The room is roughly built of logs, long cross-beams overhead. From these (in the right corner, back) hang suspended the bodies and skins of antelope, bear, and wild game; and beneath these—piled upon a bench against the wall—a heap of furs and hides. Centre, back, a door. Left, in the earthen floor, a hearth with ashes; above it, a hole in the roof. Beyond this hearth, left, sitting at the open window_, FRIDA, _alone. She looks out dreamily toward the forest, from which horns echo and answer. Suddenly she starts up, gazes intently, gives a low cry, and, dodging down as she passes the window, springs across to the heap of hides, among which she conceals herself. After a pause, the door opens_; EGIL _enters, panting—evidently pursued. His brow is bleeding, and he limps. Turning to bar the door, he lets fall a bloodied wolf’s skin. Immediately he snatches it up caressingly; gazes around, listens enraged to the horns, limps swiftly to the hearth, hesitates; then, as a sudden horn-blast resounds close by, falls on his knees, digs ferociously in the ashes with his two hands like an animal, thrusts the wolf’s skin in the cavity, and covers it over with the ashes, carefully replacing the charred brands on top. Swiftly, then, binding up his bleeding brow and thigh, he unbars the door, seizes a whip from a corner, and springs stealthily out of the window. At the same moment, horses are heard to gallop up to the lodge; the door bursts open_; YORUL _and_ ROLF _appear on the sill._
YORUL He came this way. Look here, Rolf, in the sand— And here: are not these paw-prints?
ROLF May be so. I saw him last back yonder in the forest.
YORUL I saw him slinking hither across the open. Look, here again; here’s blood.
ROLF What! was he wounded?
YORUL Did not you see?
ROLF You know I did not; tell me.
YORUL Twice; once across the eye, once in the shank. ’Twas Ingimund struck both wounds.
ROLF Ingimund!
YORUL Yes, when we left you, Egil rode ahead, I and the others after. We had ridden A half-mile, when I heard our master shout: “Here comes our brother with his bride ahunting.” And sure, there burst into our narrow glen Horse, hound, and horn, the whole bright cavalcade; And Thordis rode ahead, and Arfi next, Last, Ingimund. We reined our horses back—
ROLF Not to pollute the lady with the sight Of your accursed faces, eh?
YORUL Say rather To keep our scanty numbers hid.
ROLF Well—well?
YORUL Well, I had hardly reined back in the wood And Thordis passed me by—Man, it was awful! Under the very hoofs of the dwarf’s horse— Out of the earth, it seemed—there sprang a wolf And bit the stallion’s loin. The horse rolled over— A wolf—a giant wolf!
ROLF What then?
YORUL I say It stood as high as that, Rolf, yet I swear If it were not a wolf, yet what—
ROLF What happened?
YORUL There rang a great shout and the riders all Leapt to the ground where, in the midst of them, Tangled together with the kicking steed, Rolled the huge wolf and Arfi; him the beast Held by the gorge between his grinning jaws, Throttling him like a whelp. But Ingimund—
ROLF Hel have him! Did he save the dwarf?
YORUL He dragged The wolf away, and struck him with his spear Twice, as I told you. But the beast escaped.
ROLF And Arfi lives?
YORUL I know not. I made after The wolf, and met you as I tracked him here.
ROLF But what said Egil?
YORUL I was too amazed To look for him.
ROLF There winds his horn in the wood, And yonder he comes riding with the others. Come; we’ll go meet them. [_Exit._]
[_As Yorul is following Rolf, Frida steps forward._]
FRIDA [_Speaks low._] Yorul!
YORUL _Her_ voice! Frida! Frida!
FRIDA Keep me!
YORUL Stand farther off. O girl, what brings you here? How found you out this solitary place?
FRIDA I left my mistress’ side at dawn, and searched All day the forest.
YORUL Little Frida, thou!
FRIDA Come with me!
YORUL Stand away! You have forgot I am accurst. This place is Egil’s lodge, And all who dwell here banned and castaway.
FRIDA Where you are must I fear to be?
YORUL Yes, Frida, For Ingimund has cursed me with my master.
FRIDA Leave him.
YORUL Whom?
FRIDA Leave him, Yorul.
YORUL Leave whom, child?
FRIDA Egil, your master.
YORUL [_In amazement._] Frida!
FRIDA Hush! [_She goes to the hearth._]
YORUL [_In scorn._] Desert My lord! His liegeman, I a traitor!
FRIDA Look. [_She brushes back the ashes, revealing the beast’s head._]
YORUL The wolf! By heaven, dead! What—_you_ killed him?
FRIDA No.
YORUL And flayed, the very brute! Here are the marks Of Ingimund, his spear. Saw you the beast Alive?
FRIDA Yes.
YORUL Here?
FRIDA I watched it limping here, Wounded, from out the forest.
YORUL Ha! I said so. Here to the very door-sill?
FRIDA Yes; it pushed The door ajar.
YORUL But—
FRIDA Egil entered.
YORUL Egil!
FRIDA His brow was bleeding and he limped. He buried That thing beneath the ashes, and sprang forth Out at the window.
YORUL Buried this?
FRIDA As dogs Bury their secrets, claw and nozzle.—Yorul!
YORUL You _saw_?
FRIDA I saw. O Yorul, ’tis a werewolf.
YORUL [_Drops the hide and steps back._] Ah! do not name it!
FRIDA Leave him. Come away!
YORUL Bleeding—his brow, you said?
FRIDA Yes; come away!
YORUL So be it.
FRIDA Gracious Odin! he will come.
YORUL Since that wild day he bit your mistress’ hand It hath misgiven me the gods torment him. Once, for seven days, ceaseless he paced this hall, Spoke not, nor ate, but ground and ground his teeth; And in the night, once, when I watched him sleeping, His eyelids lay rolled back and filled with fire.
FRIDA That day the storm burst over Odin’s stone And I beheld those mighty four in flame— Oh, since then, Yorul, they have changed, my mistress Even as your master, save that she has grown Lovelier than herself, and seems to bear About with her the loadstone of desire, For the poor hinds and churls that wait upon her Serve her with souls enamoured. If I thought You would believe my vision, I could tell— But come, Yorul. Yorul! you will not come?
YORUL Never! Stop, Frida; do not name the thing He is. It matters not to me; for me He is my lord, my master; that is all.
FRIDA But if—
YORUL If he were that eternal beast Whom Odin chains until the dawn of doom, Fenris, the wolf—
FRIDA No, say not that!
YORUL I say Still it should matter not; I am his liegeman, His vassal, and his bondslave. I will serve him.
[_Enter, with his followers, Egil, cracking his whip._]
EGIL The wolf! Where is your wolf?
ROLF We tracked him here.
EGIL Lies! lies! He lurks yet in the forest.
ERIC [_Pointing at Yorul, who holds up the skin._] Look!
THE MEN The wolf!
EGIL [_Leaping upon Yorul, flings him to the ground._] Traitor!
YORUL Hold, master—
FRIDA [_Coming forward._] Save him!
ROLF Thou! Thou, maiden, here?
FRIDA Oh, help him!
ERIC [_With the others’ help, separates the two._] Egil! off!
EGIL A ferret, ho! a ferret, earls; hath scent And sight and hearing—what, for rats? No, no, For wolves!
ROLF [_Aside to Eric._] The madness!
YORUL Master, ’tis the wolf. I killed him.
EGIL Killed him? Thou? [_Craftily._] What wolf?
YORUL The beast That bit the dwarf.
EGIL Dead; so ’tis dead. Let see! [_Taking the pelt from Yorul, he drops it on the hearth._] It should, methinks, be buried too. _Thy_ kill?
YORUL Mine, Egil.
EGIL [_With his foot, covering the pelt with the ashes._] Killed and flayed. Huzza, mine earls, For Yorul and his kill.
THE MEN [_Gather round Yorul._] Huzza!
EGIL ’Tis buried. [_Aside._] He knows, he knows; I will avenge me. [_Looks keenly at Rolf._] Well, What art thou gazing on?
ROLF On nothing.
EGIL Liest, Liest; art gazing on my brow. What, what? ’Tis bandaged, ah! What then? What then, I say?
ERIC Why, he is wounded.
EGIL Traitors! traitors all! Aha, by Loki, but you lie. I fell— You lie! My horse was diked. I fell and gashed me, My brow, my thigh. Why not my brow and thigh? May not a huntsman fall from ’s saddle? Liars! I limp, but not for that. I _will_ limp! [_Suddenly changing._] Hark! [_He springs to the window._]
YORUL What dost thou hear?
EGIL They smell the blood. They come To dig it up. Their nozzles scour the gorse. Yorul! Yorul!
YORUL [_To whom Egil clings._] ’Tis nothing.
EGIL They have found The scent. You cannot make them lose it, Yorul. You loop and loop for miles, plunge in the lake, Swim over, double through the thickets, spring All-feet from rock to rock in the ravine, Crouch in the fern and listen: still you hear them Belling behind you, all their big chests panting, Their red tongues lolled, the great hot breathing,—bloodhounds! Bloodhounds!
ROLF [_At the window._] By Odin, see, yonder the dogs Of Ingimund; he hath them in the leash; Behind him, on a litter, they are bringing Arfi, the dwarf.
EGIL Yorul! Keep back the hounds! Mercy! Thou art no kin of theirs. They have No feud of blood with thee. Keep back the hounds! Mercy!
ERIC [_Aside to men._] Still madder!
ROLF They are twoscore men, And we a handful; shall we fight?
EGIL Fight, madmen? Have ye not heard the hounds? Keep back the hounds. Go forth and bind their leashes to the trees. Bind them, and guard them, every slave of you! Go! Go!
ROLF What! fear their dogs?
ERIC Yorul, his eyes— They burn!
YORUL Be patient, master!
EGIL Treachery! You’ve lured ’em on. They come to dig it out; They smell the wounds. Ye have betrayed me.
YORUL Men, Come forth and let us bind the hounds.
EGIL [_Swinging his whip._] Slaves! cowards! Traitors! the lash shall teach you. [_Striking Rolf._] Bind the hounds!
ROLF This goes too far.
YORUL [_Imploring._] Come!
EGIL Mercy! Ah! their fangs! Their fangs! Devils, go forth and bind the hounds. [_Follows the men, lashing them._]
ERIC By Loki!
YORUL [_Aside._] Humour him.
[_The men go forth, whipped wildly by_ EGIL, _who sinks exhausted by the closed door_.]
EGIL Keep back the hounds— Their fangs!
YORUL [_Outside._] Fear nothing; we will bind them.
FRIDA [_Starts for the door._] Yorul!
[EGIL, _rolling in her way, gazes at her, and rises, panting; she draws back_.]
EGIL Thou art the maid of Yorul.
FRIDA I am his.
EGIL Who hid the wolf—he knows.
FRIDA He knows.
EGIL His maiden! Shalt make a fair revenge.
FRIDA Ah! Save me, Yorul! [_She faints._]
EGIL Yorul, a dear revenge! [_Lifting her in his arms, he bears her off, left._] A lair! a lair!
[_A pause; sunset glows through the window; the outer door is partly opened by Rolf, who calls in._]
ROLF O Egil! Ingimund demands to enter And rest here for the night. Thy brother’s wound Grows worse; they doubt his life. Shall we resist them, Or welcome? They are armed.—Egil!—Not here?
[_Exit, closing the door. Another pause; the room grows dimmer; Egil slowly reënters, left._]
EGIL Now will I sleep.—The time is strangely sweet, Blank, and untroubled. Soon it will be starlight. My limbs are filled with peace, mine ears with sounds Of brooks and breezy leafage murmurous, Mine eyes with slumber. Well, I will lie down And sleep.
[_As Egil goes to the hearth, enter_ INGIMUND, THORDIS, WULDOR, _and a number of Arfi’s men, carrying a litter, on which lies_ ARFI; _these accompanied by Yorul, Rolf, Eric, and Egil’s men_.]
INGIMUND Slow; bear him softly, Wuldor. Let The others stay without, and place our men Most carefully on guard. For this one night, Yorul, thy master’s bann shall be suspended. The need is great.
THORDIS [_By the litter._] Father, he hath grown paler.
INGIMUND Here set him down.
EGIL [_Gazing at Thordis._] Dreaming!
THORDIS Gently! his side.
WULDOR Lady, what more to do?
ARFI’S MEN [_Some kneel, some kiss her robe; all give to her their eyes and hearts unconsciously._] What more?
THORDIS Bring water.
YORUL [_Aside._] Master, the hounds are tethered. Where is Frida?
EGIL Dreaming! still dreaming!
YORUL Frida?
EGIL Wake me not.
THORDIS Arfi! O gentle earl, look up! Let not Your ears be as the turf to our great sorrow. Arfi! I love you; live!
YORUL [_To Rolf._] Hast thou seen Frida?
ROLF No. [_Exit Yorul, left; Egil approaches Arfi’s litter._]
EGIL Will he die?
INGIMUND The virus of the wolf Corrupts his blood; yet he may live.
EGIL May live.
WULDOR O God! I could take heart to bear this woe But that the damnèd beast that bit my master Still breathes.
INGIMUND I wounded him.
WULDOR Yet he escaped us.
ROLF You, Wuldor, but not us. The wolf is dead; Behold his skin! [_Reënter Yorul. He staggers forward._]
INGIMUND Who killed him?
ERIC Egil’s man Yorul.
INGIMUND Hail, Yorul! This deed shall atone For much of thy defiance and thy master’s. Well done!
YORUL [_Wildly._] A lie! a lie! the wolf still lives.
ALL Lives?
YORUL There!
EGIL [_Crouching back._] Ai! anarch!
YORUL [_Grappling Egil, tears off his bandages._] Look! Look, Ingimund! The wounds: you struck them with your hunting-spear.
INGIMUND
Forehead and thigh!
YORUL He sprang on Arfi’s horse, And bit his brother’s throat—his murderer. There lies his changeling skin. He buried it Here in the ashes.
THE MEN [_Falling away._] Werewolf! Werewolf!
INGIMUND Earl, Thou art accused of sin unnameable. Speak: art thou guilty?
EGIL [_Glares about him in fear and rage._] Ai! Ai! anarch!
INGIMUND Demon!
YORUL Ah, Frida! Master—Frida!
ROLF What of her? Not dead?
YORUL No, no; would God she were, and I! Frida! [_Exit, left._]
INGIMUND Destroy the wolf.
THORDIS [_To Wuldor, who is about to attack Egil with a spear._] Stop, earl! Your master; He has heard all.
ARFI [_Raises his body painfully on the litter._] My brother—Egil—spare him.
WULDOR But ’tis a werewolf!
INGIMUND He has sought your life.
ARFI The life he sought to take I give to him. My strength is little; if you love me, spare him.
WULDOR ’Tis madness!
THORDIS Nay, ’tis mercy, but to you Reason is vengeance. Father, look; he sinks Again. Will you deny the prayer of him— [_Lowering her voice._] Perchance who dies.
ARFI [_Faintly._] Egil!
INGIMUND Egil shall live; So much I grant thee, Arfi, but no more. Henceforth thy brother shall be cast in chains, Until the demon-beast that plagues his body Is exorcised and tamed.—Lay on the chains.
[_As the men approach with fetters, Egil seizes a chain from one, and, springing fearfully to Thordis’s side, there crouches and lifts it to her._]
EGIL Not those—but thou!
[_Thordis puts the chain upon Egil._]