ORNULF. I came not hither to bandy words with women!--Gunnar, hear
my last word: art willing to make atonement?
HIORDIS (to GUNNAR). Think of thy vow!
GUNNAR (to ORNULF). Thou hearest, I have sworn a vow, and that
must I----
ORNULF (irritated). Enough, enough! Never shall it be said that I
made atonement for slaying in fair fight.
HIORDIS (forcibly). Then we bid defiance to thee and thine.
ORNULF (in rising wrath). And who has the right to crave atonement
for Jokul? Where are his kinsmen? There is none alive! Where is his
lawful avenger?
HIORDIS. That is Gunnar, on my behalf.
ORNULF. Gunnar! Ay, hadst thou been betrothed to him with thy
foster-father's good-will, or had he made atonement for carrying
thee away, then were he thy father's lawful avenger; but----
DAGNY (apprehensive and imploring). Father, father!
SIGURD (quickly). Do not speak it!
ORNULF (raising his voice). Nay, loudly shall it be spoken! A
woman wedded by force has no lawful husband!
GUNNAR (vehemently). Ornulf!
HIORDIS (in a wild outburst). Flouted and shamed! (In a quivering
voice.) This--this shalt thou come to rue!
ORNULF (continuing). A woman wedded by force is lawfully no more
than a leman! Wilt thou regain thine honour, then must thou----
HIORDIS (controlling herself). Nay, Ornulf, I know better what is
fitting. If I am to be held as Gunnar's leman--well and good, then
must he win me honour by his deeds--by deeds so mighty that my shame
shall be shame no more! And thou, Ornulf, beware! Here our ways part,
and from this day I shall make war upon thee and thine whensoever and
wheresoever it may be; thou shalt know no safety, thou, or any whom
thou---- (Looking fiercely at KARE.) Kare! Ornulf has stood thy
friend, forsooth, and there is peace between us; but I counsel thee
not to seek thy home yet awhile; the man thou slewest has many
avengers, and it well might befall---- See, I have shown thee the
danger; thou must e'en take what follows. Come, Gunnar, we must gird
ourselves for the fight. A famous deed didst thou achieve in Iceland,
but greater deeds must here be done, if thou wouldst not have thy--
thy leman shrink with shame from thee and from herself!
GUNNAR. Curb thyself, Hiordis; it is unseemly to bear thee thus.
DAGNY (imploringly). Stay, foster-sister--stay; I will appease
my father.
HIORDIS (without listening to her). Homewards, homewards! Who could
have foretold me that I should wear out my life as a worthless leman?
But if I am to bear this life of shame, ay, even a single day longer,
then must my husband do such a deed--such a deed as shall make his name
more famous than all other names of men.
(Goes out to the right.)
GUNNAR (softly). Sigurd, this thou must promise me, that we shall
have speech together ere thou leave the land.
(Goes out with his men to the right.)
(The storm has meanwhile ceased; the mid-day sun is now visible,
like a red disc, low upon the rim of the sea.)
ORNULF (threateningly). Dearly shalt thou aby this day's work,
foster-daughter!
DAGNY. Father, father! Surely thou wilt not harm her!
ORNULF. Let me be! Now, Sigurd, now can no amends avail between
Gunnar and me.
SIGURD. What thinkest thou to do?
ORNULF. That I know not; but far and wide shall the tale be told
how Ornulf of the Fiords came to Gunnar's hall.
SIGURD (with quiet determination). That may be; but this I tell
thee, Ornulf, that thou shalt never bear arms against him so long
as I am alive.
ORNULF. So, so! And what if it be my will to?
SIGURD. It shall not be--let thy will be never so strong.
ORNULF (angrily). Go then; join thou with my foes; I can match the
twain of you!
SIGURD. Hear me out, Ornulf; the day shall never dawn that shall
see thee and me at strife. There is honourable peace between us,
Dagny is dearer to me than weapons or gold, and never shall I forget
that thou art her nearest kinsman.
ORNULF. There I know thee again, brave Sigurd!
SIGURD. But Gunnar is my foster-brother; faith and friendship have
we sworn each other. Both in war and peace have we faced fortune
together, and of all men he is dearest to me. Stout though he be, he
loves not war;--but as for me, ye know, all of you, that I shrink not
from strife; yet here I stand forth, Ornulf, and pray for peace on
Gunnar's behalf. Let me have my will!
ORNULF. I cannot; I should be a scoff to all brave men, were I to
fare empty-handed back to Iceland.
SIGURD. Empty-handed shalt thou not fare. Here in the cove my two
long-ships are lying, with all the wealth I have won in my viking-
ventures. There are many costly gifts from outland kings, good
weapons by the chestful, and other priceless chattels. Take thou one
of the ships; choose which thou wilt, and it shall be thine with all
it contains--be that the atonement for Hiordis, and let Gunnar be
at peace.
ORNULF. Brave Sigurd, wilt thou do this for Gunnar?
SIGURD. For a faithful friend, no man can do too much.
ORNULF. Give half thy goods and gear!
SIGURD (urgently). Take the whole, take both my ships, take all
that is mine, and let me fare with thee to Iceland as the poorest
man in thy train. What I give, I can win once more; but if thou and
Gunnar come to strife, I shall never see a glad day again. Now Ornulf,
thy answer?
ORNULF (reflecting). Two good long-ships, weapons and other chattels
--too much gear can no man have; but---- (vehemently) no, no!--
Hiordis has threatened me; I will not! It were shameful for me to
take thy goods!