(The hall in GUNNAR'S house. It is day.)
(HIORDIS sits on the bench in front of the smaller high-seat busy
weaving a bow-string; on the table lie a bow and some arrows.)
HIORDIS (pulling at the bow-string). It is tough and strong; (with
a glance at the arrows) the shaft is both keen and well-weighted--
(lets her hands fall in her lap) but where is the hand that----!
(Vehemently.) Befooled, befooled by him--by Sigurd! I must hate him
more than others, that can I well mark; but ere many days have passed
I will---- (Meditating.) Ay, but the arm, the arm that shall do the
deed----?
(GUNNAR enters, silent and thoughtful, from the back.)
HIORDIS (after a short pause). How goes it with thee, my husband?
GUNNAR. Ill, Hiordis; I cannot away with that deed of yesterday; it
lies heavy on my heart.
HIORDIS. Do as I do; get thee some work to busy thee.
GUNNAR. Doubtless I must.
(A pause; GUNNAR paces up and down the hall, notices what HIORDIS
is doing, and approaches her.)
GUNNAR. What dost thou there?
HIORDIS (without looking up). I am weaving a bow-string; canst
thou not see?
GUNNAR. A bow-string--of thine own hair?
HIORDIS (smiling). Great deeds are born with every hour in these
times; yesterday thou didst slay my foster-brother, and I have woven
this since day-break.
GUNNAR. Hiordis, Hiordis!
HIORDIS (looking up). What is amiss?
GUNNAR. Where wast thou last night?
HIORDIS. Last night?
GUNNAR. Thou wast not in the sleeping-room.
HIORDIS. Know'st thou that?
GUNNAR. I could not sleep; I tossed in restless dreams of that--
that which befell Thorolf. I dreamt that he came---- No matter; I
awakened. Then meseemed I heard a strange, fair song through all the
house; I arose; I stole hither to the door; here I saw thee sitting
by the log-fire--it burned blue and red--fixing arrow-heads, and
singing sorceries over them.
HIORDIS. The work was not wasted; for strong is the breast that
must be pierced this day.
GUNNAR. I understand thee well; thou wouldst have Sigurd slain.
HIORDIS. Hm, mayhap.
GUNNAR. Thou shalt never have thy will. I shall keep peace with
Sigurd, howe'er thou goad me.
HIORDIS (smiling). Dost think so?
SIGURD. I know it!
HIORDIS (hands him the bow-string). Tell me, Gunnar--canst loose
this knot?
GUNNAR (tries it). Nay it is too cunningly and firmly woven.
HIORDIS (rising). The Norns[1] weave yet more cunningly; their web
is still harder to unravel.
[1] The "Nornir" were the Fates of northern mythology.
GUNNAR. Dark are the ways of the Mighty Ones;--neither thou nor I
know aught of them.
HIORDIS. Yet one thing I know surely: that to both of us must
Sigurd's life be baleful.
(A pause; GUNNAR stands lost in thought.)
HIORDIS (who has been silently watching him). Of what thinkest thou?
GUNNAR. Of a dream I had of late. Methought I had done the deed
thou cravest; Sigurd lay slain on the earth; thou didst stand beside
him, and thy face was wondrous pale. Then said I: "Art thou glad,
now that I have done thy will?" But thou didst laugh and answer:
"Blither were I didst thou, Gunnar, lie there in Sigurd's stead."
HIORDIS (with forced laughter). Ill must thou know me if such a
senseless dream can make thee hold thy hand.
GUNNAR. Hm!--Tell me, Hiordis, what thinkest thou of this hall?
HIORDIS. To speak truly, Gunnar,--it sometimes seems to me to be
straitened.
GUNNAR. Ay, ay, so I have thought; we are one too many.
HIORDIS. Two, mayhap.
GUNNAR (who has not heard her last words). But that shall be
remedied.
HIORDIS (looks at him interrogatively). Remedied? Then thou art
minded to----?
GUNNAR. To fit out my warships and put to sea; I will win back the
honour I have lost because thou wast dearer to me than all beside.
HIORDIS (thoughtfully). Thou wilt put to sea? Ay, so it may be
best for us both.
GUNNAR. Even from the day we sailed from Iceland, I saw that it
would go ill with us. Thy soul is strong and proud; there are times
when I well nigh fear thee; yet, it is strange--chiefly for that do
I hold thee so dear. Dread enwraps thee like a spell; methinks thou
could'st lure me to the blackest deeds, and all would seem good to
me that thou didst crave. (Shaking his head reflectively.)
Unfathomable is the Norn's rede; Sigurd should have been thy husband.
HIORDIS (vehemently). Sigurd!
GUNNAR. Yes, Sigurd. Vengefulness and hatred blind thee, else
would'st thou prize him better. Had I been like Sigurd, I could
have made life bright for thee.
HIORDIS (with strong but suppressed emotion). That--that deemest
thou Sigurd could have done?
GUNNAR. He is strong of soul, and proud as thou to boot.
HIORDIS (violently). If that be so--(Collecting herself.) No
matter, no matter! (With a wild outburst.) Gunnar, take Sigurd's
life!
GUNNAR. Never!
HIORDIS. By fraud and falsehood thou mad'st me thy wife--that
shall be forgotten! Five joyless years have I spent in this house--
all shall be forgotten from the day when Sigurd lives no more!
GUNNAR. From my hand he need fear no harm. (Shrinks back
involuntarily.) Hiordis, Hiordis, tempt me not!
HIORDIS. Then must I find another avenger; Sigurd shall not live
long to flout at me and thee! (Clenching her hands in convulsive
rage.) With her--that simpleton--with her mayhap he is even now
sitting alone, dallying, and laughing at us; speaking of the bitter
wrong that was done me when in thy stead he bore me away; telling
how he laughed over his guile as he stood in my dark bower, and I
knew him not!
GUNNAR. Nay, nay, he does not so!
HIORDIS (firmly). Sigurd and Dagny must die! I cannot breathe
till they are gone! (Comes close up to him, with sparkling eyes,
and speaks passionately, but in a whisper.) Would'st thou help
me with _that_, Gunnar, then should I live in love with thee; then
should I clasp thee in such warm and wild embraces as thou hast
never dreamt of!