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!