Henrik Ibsen

“ 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! ”

“ SIGURD. But Egil, thy son—they are slaying him!
HIORDIS. Let him die—my shame dies with him!
SIGURD. And Gunnar—they are taking thy husband's life!
HIORDIS. What care I! A better husband shall I follow home this night! Ay, Sigurd, so must it be; here on this earth is no happiness for me. The White God is coming northward; him will I not meet; the old gods are strong no longer;—they sleep, they sit half shadow- high;—with them will we strive! Out of this life, Sigurd; I will enthrone thee king in heaven, and I will sit at thy side. ”

“ HIORDIS. So be it; but thou canst not. Thou wilt seek to hinder me, but in vain; ere evening falls, Gunnar and Dagny shall know all.
SIGURD. Ha, that wilt thou never do!
HIORDIS. That will I do!
SIGURD. Then must I know thee ill; high-souled have I ever deemed thee.
HIORDIS. Evil days breed evil thoughts; too great has been thy trust in me. I will, I must, go forth by thy side—forth to face life and strife; Gunnar's roof-tree is too low for me.
SIGURD (with emphasis) . But honour between man and man hast thou highly prized. There lack not grounds for strife between me and Gunnar ”

“ 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 ”

“ SIGURD. Well for thee if thy hand has not been too hasty.
GUNNAR. Mayhap, mayhap; but Egil, Egil, my sweet boy!
HIORDIS. Now must we arm us, and seek help among our friends; for
Thorolf has many avengers.
GUNNAR (gloomily) . He will be his own worst avenger; he will haunt
me night and day.
HIORDIS. Thorolf got his reward. Kinsmen must suffer for kinsmen's
deeds.
GUNNAR. True, true; but this I know, my mind was lighter ere this
befell.
HIORDIS. This first night [1] is ever the worst;—Ornulf has sought his revenge by shameful wiles; he would not come against us in open strife ”

“ HIORDIS. Nay, we must not. I love thee, that may I now say unashamed; for my love is no mere dalliance, like a weak woman's; were I a man— by all the Mighty Ones, I could still love thee, even as now I do! Up then, Sigurd! Happiness is worth a daring deed; we are both free if we but will it, and then the game is won.
SIGURD. Free? What meanest thou?
HIORDIS. What is Dagny to thee? What can she be to thee? No more than I count Gunnar in my secret heart. What matters it though two worthless lives be wrecked? ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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! ”

“ HIORDIS. And for such a cause wilt thou lay a burden on thy life! To what end hast thou strength and might, and therewith all noble gifts of the mind? And deemest thou it can now beseem me to dwell beneath Gunnar's roof? Nay, Sigurd, trust me, there are many tasks awaiting such a man as thou. Erik is king of Norway—do thou rise against him! Many goodly warriors will join thee and swear thee fealty; with unconquerable might will we press onward, and fight and toil unresting until thou art seated on the throne of Harfager! ”

“ SIGURD (standing forward) . Well met, Gunnar!
GUNNAR (gladly) . Sigurd—foster-brother! (Shakes his hand.) Now truly, since thou art here, I know that Ornulf comes in peace. (To ORNULF.) Give me thy hand, greybeard! Thy errand here in the north is lightly guessed: it has to do with Hiordis, thy foster-daughter.
ORNULF. As thou sayest; great wrong was done me when thou didst bear her away from Iceland without my will.
GUNNAR. Thy claim is just; what youth has marred, the man must mend. Long have I looked for thee, Ornulf, for this cause; and if amends content thee, we shall soon be at one. ”

“ Then said Sigurd: "It will be hard for me to find the woman that shall be to my mind." Ornulf laughed, and said there was no lack of high-born and well-dowered women in Iceland; but Sigurd answered: "The warrior needs a high-souled wife. She whom I choose must not rest content with a humble lot; no honour must seem to high for her to strive for; she must go with me gladly a-viking; war-weed must she wear; she must egg me on to strife, and never wink her eyes where sword-blades lighten; for if she be faint-hearted, scant honour will befall me." ”

“ SIGURD. What has befallen thee?
HIORDIS. What has befallen? That know I not; but true was it what thou said'st to-day, that Gunnar and Dagny stand between us; we must away from them and from life: then can we be together!
SIGURD. We? Ha, thou meanest——!
HIORDIS (with dignity) . I have been homeless in this world from that day thou didst take another to wife. That was ill done of thee! All good gifts may a man give his faithful friend—all, save the woman he loves; for if he do that, he rends the Norn's secret web, and two lives are wrecked. ”

“ Wouldst thou avenge it?
THOROLF. Ay, so that my vengeance should be told of far and wide.
HIORDIS. Then here I pledge a cup to this, that thou may'st first have a beard on thy chin.
THOROLF. Even a beardless lad is too good to wrangle with women.
HIORDIS. But too weak to fight with men; therefore thy father let thee lie by the hearth at home in Iceland, whilst thy brothers went a-viking.
THOROLF. It had been well had he kept as good an eye on thee; for then hadst thou not left Iceland a dishonoured woman.
GUNNAR AND SIGURD. Thorolf!
DAGNY (simultaneously) . Brother! ”

“ HIORDIS. A deed once done, 'tis wise to praise it. This morning I swore hate and vengeance against Ornulf;—the slaying of Jokul I might have forgotten—all, save that he cast shame upon my lot. He called me a leman; if it be so, it shames me not; for Gunnar is mightier now than thy father; he is greater and more famous than Sigurd, thine own husband!
DAGNY (in wild indignation) . There thou errest, Hiordis—and even now shall all men know that thou dwellest under a weakling's roof! ”

“ Thou sayest I was ungentle and short of speech towards thee; what wouldst thou have a woman do? I could not offer thee my love, for then had I been little worthy of thee. I deemed thee ever the noblest man of men; and then to know thee another's husband—'twas that caused me the bitter pain, that myself I could not understand!
SIGURD (much moved) . A baleful web has the Norn woven around us twain.
HIORDIS. The blame is thine own; bravely and firmly it becomes a man to act. When I set that hard proof for him who should win me, my thought was of thee;—yet could'st thou——! ”

“ I am thought to have done a dastard deed; men hold it a shame to make common cause with me.
SIGURD. It shall not long be held a shame; ere evening comes, thou shalt have men enough to face Kare.
GUNNAR. Sigurd!
HIORDIS (in a low voice, triumphantly) . Ha, I knew it well!
SIGURD (with forced resolution) . But then is there an end to the peace between us; for hearken to my words, Gunnar—thou hast slain Thorolf, my wife's kinsman, and therefore do I challenge thee to single combat [1] to-morrow at break of day. ”

“ 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. ”

“ SIGURD. May hap. (Half towards HIORDIS.) A high-souled woman must ever guard her husband's honour. (To the men in the background.) And do ye, house-carls, now go to Gunnar's neighbours, and say to them that to-morrow he is to ply sword-strokes with me; none dare call that man a dastard who bears arms against Sigurd Viking!
(The House-carls go out by the back.)
GUNNAR (goes quickly up to SIGURD and presses his hands, in strong emotion) . Sigurd, my brave brother, now I understand thee! Thou venturest thy life for my honour, as of old for my happiness! ”

“ 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. ”

“ But thou—thou, Ornulf——?
ORNULF (gloomily) . Six sons followed me into the fight.
GUNNAR (breathlessly) . But homewards——?
ORNULF. None.
GUNNAR (appalled) . None! (Softly.) And Thorolf, Thorolf!
(Deep emotion among the bystanders. HIORDIS shows signs of a violent mental struggle; DAGNY weeps silently by the high-seat on the right. SIGURD stands beside her, painfully agitated.)
ORNULF (after a short pause) . It is hard for a many-branching pine to be stripped in a single storm. But men die and men live;—I will drink to my sons' memory. (One of SIGURD'S men hands him a horn.) ”

“ HIORDIS. Well can I guess what it had to do with; but this I tell thee, foster-father, never shall it be said that Gunnar let himself be cowed because thou camest in arms to the isle. Hadst thou come alone, a single wayfarer, to our hall, the quarrel had more easily been healed.
GUNNAR. Ornulf and his sons come in peace.
HIORDIS. Mayhap; but otherwise will it sound in the mouths of men; and thou thyself, Gunnar, didst show scant trust in the peace yesterday, in sending our son Egil to the southland so soon as it was known that Ornulf's warship lay in the fiord.
SIGURD (to GUNNAR) . ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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 ”