Chapter 2
ORNULF (with annoyance). Nay, let him do as he will; she is worth no better!
DAGNY. That meanest thou not; bethink thee she is thy foster-child.
ORNULF. Woe worth the day when I took her under my roof! Jokul's words are coming true.
SIGURD. Jokul's?
ORNULF. Ay, her father's. When I gave him his death-wound he fell back upon the sward, and fixed his eyes on on me and sang:--
Jokul's kin for Jokul's slayer many a woe shall still be weaving; Jokul's hoard whoe'er shall harry heartily shall rue his rashness.
When he had sung that, he was silent a while, and laughed; and thereupon he died.
SIGURD. Why should'st thou heed his words?
ORNULF. Who knows? The story goes, and many believe it, that Jokul gave his children a wolf's heart to eat, that they might be fierce and fell; and Hiordis has surely had her share, that one can well see. (Breaks off, on looking out towards the right.) Gunnar!--Are we two to meet again!
GUNNAR (enters). Ay, Ornulf, think of me what thou wilt, but I cannot part from thee as thy foe.
ORNULF. What is thy purpose?
GUNNAR. To hold out the hand of fellowship to thee ere thou depart. Hear me all of you: go with me to my homestead, and be my guests as long as ye will. We lack not meat or drink or sleeping-room, and there shall be no talk of our quarrel either to-day or to-morrow.
SIGURD. But Hiordis----?
GUNNAR. Yields to my will; she changed her thought on the homeward way, and deemed, as I did, that we would soon be at one if ye would but be our guests.
DAGNY. Yes, yes; let it be so.
SIGURD (doubtfully). But I know not whether----
DAGNY. Gunnar is thy foster-brother; little I know thee if thou say him nay.
GUNNAR (to SIGURD). Thou hast been my friend where'er we fared; thou wilt not stand against me now.
DAGNY. And to depart from the land, leaving Hiordis with hate in her heart--no, no, that must we not!
GUNNAR. I have done Ornulf a great wrong; until it is made good, I cannot be at peace with myself.
SIGURD (vehemently). All else will I do for thee, Gunnar, but not stay here! (Mastering himself.) I am in King AEthelstan's service, and I must be with him in England ere the winter is out.
DAGNY. But that thou canst be, nevertheless.
GUNNAR. No man can know what lot awaits him; mayhap this is our last meeting, Sigurd, and thou wilt repent that thou didst not stand by me to the end.
DAGNY. And long will it be ere thou see me glad again, if thou set sail to-day.
SIGURD (determined). Well, be it so! It shall be as ye will, although---- But no more of that; here is my hand; I will stay to feast with thee and Hiordis.
GUNNAR (shakes his hand). Thanks, Sigurd, I never doubted thee.--And thou, Ornulf, dost thou say likewise?
ORNULF (unappeased). I shall think upon it. Bitterly has Hiordis wounded me;--I will not answer to-day.
GUNNAR. It is well, old warrior; Sigurd and Dagny will know how to soothe thy brow. Now must I prepare the feast; peace be with you the while, and well met in my hall! (Goes out by the right.)
SIGURD (to himself). Hiordis has changed her thought, said he? Little he knows her; I rather deem that she is plotting---- (interrupting himself and turning to his men.) Come, follow me all to the ships; good gifts will I choose for Gunnar and his household.
DAGNY. Gifts of the best we have. And thou, father--thou shalt have no peace for me until thou yield thee. (She goes with SIGURD and his men down towards the shore at the back.)
ORNULF. Yield me? Ay, if there were no women-folk in Gunnar's house, then---- Oh, if I but knew how to pierce her armour!--Thorolf, thou here!
THOROLF (who has entered hastily). As thou seest. Is it true that thou hast met with Gunnar?
ORNULF. Yes.
THOROLF. And art at enmity with him?
ORNULF. Hm--at least with Hiordis.
THOROLF. Then be of good cheer; soon shalt thou be avenged!
ORNULF. Avenged? Who shall avenge me?
THOROLF. Listen: as I stood on board the ship, there came a man running, with a staff in his hand, and called to me: "If thou be of Ornulf's shipfolk, then greet him from Kare the Peasant, and say that now am I avenging the twain of us." Thereupon he took a boat and rowed away, saying as he passed: "Twenty outlaws are at haven in the fiord; with them I fare southward, and ere eventide shall Hiordis be childless."
ORNULF. He said that! Ha, now I understand; Gunnar has sent his son away; Kare is at feud with him----
THOROLF. And now he is rowing southward to slay the boy!
ORNULF (with sudden resolution). Up all! That booty will we fight for!
THOROLF. What wilt thou do?
ORNULF. Ask me not; it shall be I, and not Kare, that will take revenge!
THOROLF. I will go with thee!
ORNULF. Nay, do thou follow with Sigurd and thy sister to Gunnar's hall.
THOROLF. Sigurd? Is he in the isle?
ORNULF. There may'st thou see his warships; we are at one--do thou go with him.
THOROLF. Among thy foes?
ORNULF. Go thou to the feast. Now shall Hiordis learn to know old Ornulf! But hark thee, Thorolf, to no one must thou speak of what I purpose; dost hear? to no one!
THOROLF. I promise.
ORNULF (takes his hand and looks at him affectionately). Farewell then, my fair boy; bear thee in courtly wise at the feast-house, that I may have honour of thee. Beware of idle babbling; but what thou sayest, let it be keen as a sword. Be friendly to those that deal with thee in friendly wise; but if thou be taunted, hold not thy peace. Drink not more than thou canst bear; but put not the horn aside when it is offered thee in measure, lest thou be deemed womanish.
THOROLF. Nay, be at ease.
ORNULF. Then away to the feast at Gunnar's hall. I too will come to the feast, and that in the guise they least think of. (Blithely to the rest.) Come, my wolf-cubs; be your fangs keen;--now shall ye have blood to drink.
(He goes off with his elder sons to the right, at the back.) (SIGURD and DAGNY come up from the ships, richly dressed for the banquet. They are followed by two men, carrying a chest, who lay it down and return as they came.)
THOROLF (looking out after his father). Now fare they all forth to fight, and I must stay behind; it is hard to be the youngest of the house.--Dagny! all hail and greetings to thee, sister mine!
DAGNY. Thorolf! All good powers!--thou art a man, grown!
THOROLF. That may I well be, forsooth, in five years----
DAGNY. Ay, true, true.
SIGURD (giving his his hand). In thee will Ornulf find a stout carl, or I mistake me.
THOROLF. Would he but prove me----!
DAGNY (smiling). He spares thee more than thou hast a mind to? Thou wast ever well-nigh too dear to him.
SIGURD. Whither has he gone?
THOROLF. Down to his ships;--he will return ere long.
SIGURD. I await my men; they are mooring my ships and bringing ashore wares.
THOROLF. There must I lend a hand!
(Goes down towards the shore.)
SIGURD (after a moment's reflection). Dagny, my wife, we are alone; I have that to tell thee which must no longer be hidden.
DAGNY (surprised). What meanest thou?
SIGURD. There may be danger in this faring to Gunnar's hall.
DAGNY. Danger? Thinkest thou that Gunnar----?
SIGURD. Nay, Gunnar is brave and true--yet better had it been that I had sailed from the isle without crossing his threshold.
DAGNY. Thou makest me fear! Sigurd, what is amiss?
SIGURD. First answer me this: the golden ring that I gave thee, where hast thou it?
DAGNY (showing it). Here, on my arm; thou badest me wear it.
SIGURD. Cast it to the bottom of the sea, so deep that none may ever set eyes on it again; else may it be the bane of many men.
DAGNY. The ring!
SIGURD (in a low voice). That evening when we carried away thy father's daughters--dost remember it?
DAGNY. Do I remember it!
SIGURD. It is of that I would speak.
DAGNY (in suspense). What is it? Say on!
SIGURD. Thou knowest there had been a feast; thou didst seek thy chamber betimes; but Hiordis still sat among the men in the feast-hall. The horn went busily round, and many a great vow was sworn. I swore to bear away a fair maid with me from Iceland; Gunnar swore the same as I, and passed the cup to Hiordis. She grasped it and stood up, and vowed this vow, that no warrior should have her to wife, save he who should go to her bower, slay the white bear that stood bound at the door, and carry her away in his arms.
DAGNY. Yes, yes; all this I know!
SIGURD. All men deemed that it might not be, for the bear was the fiercest of beasts; none but Hiordis might come near it, and it had the strength of twenty men.
DAGNY. But Gunnar slew it, and by that deed won fame throughout all lands.
SIGURD (in a low voice). He won the fame--but--_I_ did the deed!
DAGNY (with a cry). Thou!
SIGURD. When the men left the feast-hall, Gunnar prayed me to come with him alone to our sleeping-place. Then said he: "Hiordis is dearer to me than all women; without her I cannot live." I answered him: "Then go to her bower; thou knowest the vow she hath sworn." But he said: "Life is dear to him that loves; if I should assail the bear, the end were doubtful, and I am loath to lose my life, for then should I lose Hiordis too." Long did we talk, and the end was that Gunnar made ready his ship, while I drew my sword, donned Gunnar's harness, and went to the bower.
DAGNY (with pride and joy). And thou--thou didst slay the bear!
SIGURD. I slew him. In the bower it was dark as under a raven's wing; Hiordis deemed it was Gunnar that sat by her--she was heated with the mead--she drew a ring from her arm and gave it to me--it is that thou wearest now.
DAGNY (hesitating). And thou didst pass the night with Hiordis in her bower?
SIGURD. My sword lay drawn between us. (A short pause.) Ere the dawn, I bore Hiordis to Gunnar's ship; she dreamed not or our wiles, and he sailed away with her. Then went I to thy sleeping-place and found thee there among thy women;--what followed, thou knowest; I sailed from Iceland with a fair maid, as I had sworn, and from that day hast thou stood faithfully at my side whithersoever I might wander.
DAGNY (much moved). My brave husband! And that great deed was thine!--Oh, I should have known it; none but thou would have dared! Hiordis, that proud and stately woman, couldst thou have won, yet didst choose me! Now wouldst thou be tenfold dearer to me, wert thou not already dearer than all the world.
SIGURD. Dagny, my sweet wife, now thou knowest all--that is needful. I could not but warn thee; for that ring--Hiordis must never set eyes on it! Wouldst thou do my will, then cast it from thee--into the depths of the sea.
DAGNY. Nay, Sigurd, it is too dear to me; is it not thy gift? But be thou at ease, I shall hide it from every eye, and never shall I breathe a word of what thou hast told me.
(THOROLF comes up from the ships, with SIGURD'S men.)
THOROLF. All is ready for the feast.
DAGNY. Come then, Sigurd--my brave, my noble warrior!
SIGURD. Beware, Dagny--beware! It rests with thee now whether this meeting shall end peacefully or in bloodshed. (Cheerfully to the others.) Away then, to the feast in Gunnar's hall!
(Goes out with DAGNY to the right; the others follow.)
ACT SECOND.
(The feast-room in GUNNAR'S house. The entrance-door is in the back; smaller doors in the side-walls. In front, on the left, the greater high-seat; opposite it on the right, the lesser. In the middle of the floor, a wood fire is burning on a built-up hearth. In the background, on both sides of the door, are daises for the women of the household. From each of the high-seats, a long table, with benches, stretches backwards, parallel with the wall. It is dark outside; the fire lights the room.)
(HIORDIS and DAGNY enter from the right.)
DAGNY. Nay, Hiordis, I cannot understand thee. Thou hast shown me all the house; I know not what thing thou lackest, and all thou hast is fair and goodly;--then why bemoan thy lot?
HIORDIS. Cage an eagle and it will bite at the wires, be they of iron or of gold.
DAGNY. In one thing at least thou art richer than I; thou hast Egil, thy little son.
HIORDIS. Better no child, than one born in shame.
DAGNY. In shame?
HIORDIS. Dost thou forgot thy father's saying? Egil is the son of a leman; that was his word.
DAGNY. A word spoken in wrath--why wilt thou heed it?
HIORDIS. Nay, nay, Ornulf was right; Egil is weak; one can see he is no freeborn child.
DAGNY. Hiordis, how canst thou----?
HIORDIS (unheeding). Thus is shame sucked into the blood, like the venom of a snake-bite. Of another mettle are the freeborn sons of mighty men. I have heard of a queen that took her son and sewed his kirtle fast to his flesh, yet he never blinked an eye. (With a look of cruelty.) Dagny, that will I try with Egil!
DAGNY (horrified). Hiordis, Hiordis!
HIORDIS (laughing). Ha-ha-ha! Dost thou think I meant my words? (Changing her tone.) But, believe me or not as thou wilt, there are times when such deeds seem to lure me; it must run in the blood,-- for I am of the race of the Jotuns,[1] they say.--Come, sit thou here, Dagny. Far hast thou wandered in these five long years; tell me, thou hast ofttimes been a guest in the halls of kings?
[1] The giants or Titans of Scandinavian mythology.
DAGNY. Many a time--and chiefly with AEthelstan of England.
HIORDIS. And everywhere thou hast been held in honour, and hast sat in the highest seats at the board?
DAGNY. Doubtless. As Sigurd's wife----
HIORDIS. Ay, ay--a famous man is Sigurd--though Gunnar stands above him.
DAGNY. Gunnar?
HIORDIS. One deed did Gunnar do that Sigurd shrank from. But let that be! Tell me, when thou didst go a-viking with Sigurd, when thou didst hear the sword-blades sing in the fierce war-game, when the blood streamed red on the deck--came there not over thee an untameable longing to plunge into the strife? Didst thou not don harness and take up arms?
DAGNY. Never! How canst thou think it? I, a woman!
HIORDIS. A woman, a woman,--who knows what a woman may do!--But one thing thou canst tell me, Dagny, for that thou surely knowest: when a man clasps to his breast the woman he loves--is it true that her blood burns, that her bosom throbs--that she swoons in a shuddering ecstasy?
DAGNY (blushing). Hiordis, how canst thou----!
HIORDIS. Come, tell me----!
DAGNY. Surely thou thyself hast known it.
HIORDIS. Ay once, and only once; it was that night when Gunnar sat with me in my bower; he crushed me in his arms till his byrnie burst, and then, then----!
DAGNY (exclaiming). What! Sigurd----!
HIORDIS. Sigurd? What of Sigurd? I spoke of Gunnar--that night when he bore me away----
DAGNY (collecting herself). Yes, yes, I remember--I know well----
HIORDIS. That was the only time; never, never again! I deemed I was bewitched; for that Gunnar could clasp a woman---- (Stops and looks at DAGNY.) What ails thee? Methinks thou turnest pale and red!
DARNY. Nay, nay!
HIORDIS (without noticing her). The merry viking-raid should have been _my_ lot; it had been better for me, and--mayhap for all of us. That were life, full and rich life! Dost thou not wonder, Dagny, to find me here alive? Art not afraid to be alone with me in the hall? Deem'st thou not that I must have died in all these years, and that it is my ghost that stands at thy side?
DAGNY (painfully affected). Come--let us go--to the others.
HIORDIS (seizing her by the arm). No, stay! Seems it not strange to thee, Dagny, that any woman can yet live after five such nights?
DAGNY. Five nights?
HIORDIS. Here in the north each night is a whole winter long. (Quickly and with an altered expression.) Yet the place is fair enough, doubt it not! Thou shalt see sights here such as thou hast not seen in the halls of the English king. We shall be together as sisters whilst thou bidest with me; we shall go down to the sea when the storm begins once more; thou shalt see the billows rushing upon the land like wild, white-maned horses--and then the whales far out in the offing! They dash one against another like steel-clad knights! Ha, what joy to be a witching-wife and ride on the whale's back--to speed before the skiff, and wake the storm, and lure men to the deeps with lovely songs of sorcery!
DAGNY. Fie, Hiordis, how canst thou talk so!
HIORDIS. Canst thou sing sorceries, Dagny?
DAGNY (with horror). I!
HIORDIS. I trow thou canst; how else didst thou lure Sigurd to thee?
DAGNY. Thou speakest shameful things; let me go!
HIORDIS (holding her back). Because I jest! Nay, hear me to the end! Think, Dagny, what it is to sit by the window in the eventide and hear the kelpie[1] wailing in the boat-house; to sit waiting and listening for the dead men's ride to Valhal; for their way lies past us here in the north. They are the brave men that fell in fight, the strong women that did not drag out their lives tamely, like thee and me; they sweep through the storm-night on their black horses, with jangling bells! (Embraces DAGNY, and presses her wildly in her arms.) Ha, Dagny! think of riding the last ride on so rare a steed!
[1] "Draugen," a vague and horrible sea-monster.
DAGNY (struggling to escape). Hiordis, Hiordis! Let me go! I will not hear thee!
HIORDIS (laughing). Weak art thou of heart, and easily affrighted.
(GUNNAR enters from the back, with SIGURD and THOROLF.)
GUNNAR. Now, truly, are all things to my very mind! I have found thee again, Sigurd, my brave brother, as kind and true as of old. I have Ornulf's son under my roof, and the old man himself follows speedily after; is it not so?
THOROLF. So he promised.
GUNNAR. Then all I lack is that Egil should be here.
THOROLF. 'Tis plain thou lovest the boy, thou namest him so oft.
GUNNAR. Truly I love him; he is my only child; and he is like to grow up fair and kindly.
HIORDIS. But no warrior.
GUNNAR. Nay--that thou must not say.
SIGURD. I marvel thou didst send him from thee----
GUNNAR. Would that I had not! (Half aside.) But thou knowest, Sigurd, he who loves overmuch, takes not always the manliest part. (Aloud.) I had few men in my house, and none could be sure of his life when it was known that Ornulf lay in the cove with a ship of war.
HIORDIS. One thing I know that ought first to be made safe, life afterwards.
THOROLF. And that is----?
HIORDIS. Honour and fame among men.
GUNNAR. Hiordis!
SIGURD. It shall not be said of Gunnar that he has risked his honour by doing this.
GUNNAR (sternly). None shall make strife between me and Ornulf's kinsfolk!
HIORDIS (smiling). Hm; tell me, Sigurd--can thy ship sail with any wind?
SIGURD. Ay, when it is cunningly steered.
HIORDIS. Good! I too will steer my ship cunningly, and make my way whither I will.
(Retires towards the back.)
DAGNY (whispers, uneasily). Sigurd, let us hence--this very night!
SIGURD. It is too late now; it was thou that----
DAGNY. Then I held Hiordis dear; but now----; I have heard her speak words I shudder to think of.
(SIGURD'S men, with other guests, men and women, house-carls and handmaidens, enter from the back.)
GUNNAR (after a short pause for the exchange of greetings and so forth). Now to the board! My chief guest, Ornulf of the Fiords, comes later; so Thorolf promises.
HIORDIS (to the house-folk). Pass ale and mead around, that hearts may wax merry and tongues may be loosened.
(GUNNAR leads SIGURD to the high-seat on the right. DAGNY seats herself on SIGURD'S right, HIORDIS opposite him at the other side of the same table. THOROLF is in like manner ushered to a place at the other table, and thus sits opposite GUNNAR, who occupies the greater high-seat. The others take their seats further back.)
HIORDIS (after a pause in which they drink with each other and converse quietly across the tables). It seldom chances that so many brave men are seated together, as I see to-night in our hall. It were fitting, then, that we should essay the old pastime: Let each man name his chief exploit, that all may judge which is the mightiest.
GUNNAR. That is an ill custom at a drinking-feast; it will oft breed strife.
HIORDIS. Little did I deem that Gunnar was afraid.
SIGURD. That no one deems; but it were long ere we came to an end, were we all to tell of our exploits, so many as we be. Do thou rather tell us, Gunnar, of thy journey to Biarmeland; 'tis no small exploit to fare so far to the north, and gladly would we hear of it.
HIORDIS. The journey to Biarmeland is chapman's work, and little worth to be named among warriors. Nay, do thou begin, Sigurd, if thou would'st not have me deem that thou shrinkest from hearing my husband's praise! Say on; name that one of thy deeds which thou dost prize the highest.
SIGURD. Well, since thou will have it so, so must it be. Let it be told, then, that I lay a-viking among the Orkneys; there came foemen against us, but we swept them from their ships, and I fought alone against eight men.
HIORDIS. Good was that deed; but wast thou fully armed?
SIGURD. Fully armed, with axe, spear, and sword.
HIORDIS. Still the deed was good. Now must thou, my husband, name that which thou deemest the greatest among thy exploits.
GUNNAR (unwillingly). I slew two berserkers who had seized a merchant-ship; and thereupon I sent the captive chapmen home, giving them there ship freely, without ransom. The King of England deemed well of that deed; he said that I had done hounourably, and gave me thanks and good gifts.
HIORDIS. Nay truly, Gunnar, a better deed than that couldst thou name.
GUNNAR (vehemently). I will boast of no other deed! Since last I fared from Iceland I have lived at peace and traded in merchandise. No more word on this matter!
HIORDIS. If thou thyself wilt hide thy renown, thy wife shall speak.
GUNNAR. Peace, Hiordis--I command thee!
HIORDIS. Sigurd fought with eight men, being fully armed; Gunnar came to my bower in the black night, slew the bear that had twenty men's strength, and yet had but a short sword in his hand.
GUNNAR (violently agitated). Woman, not a word more!
DAGNY (softly). Sigurd, wilt thou bear----?
SIGURD (likewise). Be still!
HIORDIS (to the company). And now, ye brave men--which is the mightier, Sigurd or Gunnar?
GUNNAR. Silence!
HIORDIS (loudly). Speak out; I have the right to crave your judgement.
AN OLD MAN (among the guests). If the truth be told, then is Gunnar's deed greater than all other deeds of men; Gunnar is the mightiest warrior, and Sigurd is second to him.
GUNNAR (with a glance across the table). Ah, Sigurd, Sigurd, didst thou but know----!
DAGNY (softly). This is too much--even for a friend!
SIGURD. Peace, wife! (Aloud, to the others.) Ay truly, Gunnar is the most honourable of all men; so would I esteem him to my dying day, even had he never done that deed; for that I hold more lightly than ye.
HIORDIS. There speaks thy envy, Sigurd Viking!
SIGURD (smiling). Mightily art thou mistaken. (Kindly, to GUNNAR, drinking to him across the table.) Hail, noble Gunnar; our friendship shall stand fast, whosoever may seek to break it.
HIORDIS. No one, that I wot of, has such a thought.
SIGURD. Say not that; I could almost find it in me to think that thou hadst bidden us hither to stir up strife.
HIORDIS. That is like thee, Sigurd; now art thou wroth that thou may'st not be held the mightiest man at the feast-board.
SIGURD. I have ever esteemed Gunnar more highly than myself.
HIORDIS. Well, well--second to Gunnar is still a good place, and---- (with a side-glance at THOROLF) had Ornulf been here, he could have had the third seat.
THOROLF. Then would Jokul, thy father, find a low place indeed; for he fell before Ornulf.
(The following dispute is carried on, by both parties, with rising and yet repressed irritation.)
HIORDIS. That shalt thou never say! Ornulf is a skald, and men whisper that he has praised himself for greater deeds than he has done.
THOROLF. Then woe to him who whispers so loudly that it comes to my ear!
HIORDIS (with a smile of provocation). Wouldst thou avenge it?