And scruple not !
HILDING [Angrify.]
Thy bearing is too bold !
Is it thy purpose to affront the King ?
24
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF [Looking at him, for the first time.}
It is my purpose and my fondest wish.
HILDING [With a change of method.}
The Princess serves in Balder s holy shrine ;
When told of Iceland s great necessity,
And peril of approaching war, she said
The people s hopes would all be fixed on thee.
FRITHIOF [To BJORN.]
My Queen, Bjdrn ! Would st thou involve my Queen ?
Come, now I throw myself into the game,
And shall prove crafty in defense of her !
HILDING [Thoroughly angered.}
I am too old to bear with mockery !
Shall not my claim to thine affection gain
Respect, at least? Some answer to my suit?
What, no reply? Then, Frithiof, fare thee well!
FRITHIOF [Rising, and taking HILDING by both hands.}
Father, my answer to King Bele s sons
I have already made. My disrespect
Was for thine enterprise, and not for thee.
[He leads HILDING to a seat ; they talk, aside}
BjORN [Approaching BLAETAND.]
Art thou not Sigurd s son ? And used we not
To sport, together, in bright Aegir s wave ?
25
THE NORSEMAN
BLAETAND
I did not think thou would st remember me !
BJORN
I do recall thee well. A saucy boy !
BLAETAND [Smiling.]
Thou wert a bold one ! There were few, indeed,
Who dared to bait the little Framnas bear !
BJORN
Wert thou a friend to Thorsten ?
BLAETAND
Who was not ?
BJORN
Then thou dost bear his son no hostile will ?
BLAETAND
Nay, I have heard but good of Frithiof.
BJORN
For old times sake, wilt thou the bearer be
Of a brief message from the Framnas bear,
To a white swan, in Sogne ?
26
THE NORSEMAN
BLAETAND [Smiling.]
That I will ! -
If I can find the lovely creature out !
BJORN
T is Krake, Ing borg s maiden. Know st thou her?
BLAETAND [Surprised.]
I know her well !
BJORN
Then I will write a word.
[He goes out.]
HILDING [To FRITHIOF.]
Reflect, O son ! Is there no wiser way ?
FRITHIOF
Father, there seems no other way, at all.
HILDING [Sorrowfully.]
So fair a bud to know this early blight !
Four lovely children, playing round my door,
I see ye, still ! Helge, a silent boy,
And Halfdan, shy and slender as a fawn,
Thou, in thine azure mantle, a full head
Taller than either, and more kinglike, tool
27
THE NORSEMAN
But, ah, the fairest flower of you all
Was Ing borg ! Little Ing borg ! Such a child !
A rose, a lily ! Who could paint her face,
As then it bloomed upon the sunlit world,
A-dance upon its little, snowy stem !
FRITHIOF
Enough, good father ! Do not wring my heart
With the remembrance. T was too sweet a dream
To outlast childhood!
[Including BLAETAND.]
Will you rest yourselves,
Take some refreshment, here, before you go ?
Nay, son ! Our galley waits upon the shore.
Rouse not thine household, for we must be gone
As quickly as we came.
FRITHIOF
Your blessing, then,
O father, for who knows when we shall meet
Again, in this all-transitory world.
\He kneels :~\
HILDING \Laying his hands on FRITHIOF S headJ]
Odin protect thee, my beloved son ;
Our Father guide thee to His lasting good.
28
THE NORSEMAN
[He raises FRITHIOF, and they go out, together, slowly,
by the same door through which HILDING and
BLAETAND came, as BJORN re-enters.~\
BJORN [To BLAETAND.]
Here is the letter ! You 11 deliver it ?
BLAETAND
As sure as I set foot upon the shore !
[They go out, together, in conversation. From the door-
yard, FRITHIOF and BJORN watch HILDING and
BLAETAND depart.~\
FRITHIOF and BJO RN [Re-entering^
Farewell, good Hilding!
Blaetand, fare thee well 1
FRITHIOF
Now, with what heart shall we set out, Bjorn !
O all ye tides, and all ye favoring gales,
Advance my hopes, and fill my eager sails !
CURTAIN
29
THE NORSEMAN
ACT II
SCENE i. At Sognefylke. The holy grove of Balder. In
the background, the temple. Before it, in a little clear-
ingi a g rea t oak, with gnarled trunk and spreading
branches. The clearing is surrounded by thick under
woods. It is night. HELGE and THE HIGH PRIEST
enter.
HELGE [In. a low voice.}
How came you by this news ?
THE HIGH PRIEST
Why, t was by chance !
Some of our younger brothers went to bathe,
At daylight, in the sea. Returning home,
They passed before the temple, and beheld
Blaetand, the son of Sigurd, in close talk
With Krake, as she spread the Princess robes
To bleach upon the grass ; and saw her take
A letter from his hand. Thereafter, came
The Princess unto me, and begged to keep
The altar-vigil quite alone, to-night,
Save for her maiden. Viewing all these things
With great suspicion, I have sent to thee
Thrice, before now, but found thee not at court.
3
THE NORSEMAN
HELGE
Thou hast done well ! T is most significant !
This Blaetand went with Hilding, yesterday,
To Frithiof s house. If I could trap them, here !
Hast thou, say, half a score of stalwart men
Who will, to-night, keep watch upon this wood ?
THE HIGH PRIEST
Yes, Sire ! Such as proudly will obey
Thy royal bidding !
HELGE
Then assemble them
With all despatch ! The night wears on apace !
THE HIGH PRIEST
Sire, at once ! I pray thee, come this way!
[HELGE and THE HIGH PRIEST go out. Enter
FRITHIOF and BJORN, cautiously^
FRITHIOF
This is the hour when they should meet us here !
How still the grove and darkened temple lie !
Thou dost not think that Blaetand could have failed ?
BJORN [Interrupting him. ]
Nay, look ! Is that a light within the shrine ?
[A faint light appears within the temple.~\
3 1
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF
We 11 hide ourselves ! Some priest may be astir !
\They conceal themselves. KRAKE comes, cautiously,
out of the temple .]
KRAKE [ In a whisper.}
Bjorn ?
[BJORN and FRITHIOF show themselves.}
BJORN
Krake, we re here ! Is all the world asleep ?
KRAKE
As sound as Rinda ! \To BJORN.] Blaetand brought thy
word
At morning, and the Princess made request
That she and I might tend the altar-fire,
To-night, together, offering special prayer
For Iceland s safe deliverance from her foe.
[They smile. To FRITHIOF.]
Sir, I will go and bring the Princess hither !
FRITHIOF
Do so, with every caution and despatch !
Thou art a faithful maiden !
[KRAKE goes into the temple and returns with INGE-
BORG, who hastens to FRITHIOF.]
32
THE NORSEMAN
INGEBORG {Holding FRITHIOF by the hand; to BJORN.]
Good Bjorn,
Art thou a friend to us in this, as ever ?
BJORN
Madam, till death and after !
INGEBORG
Staunchly said !
Do thou and Krake watch without the wood !
BJORN
We go, at once ! [To FRITHIOF.] If any come this way
Krake will warn thee.
FRITHIOF
Good 1 Be vigilant !
[BJORN and KRAKE go out.~\
INGEBORG
O Best Beloved, art thou come at last ?
FRITHIOF [Taking her in his arms.]
Think what "at last" to thee, must seem to me !
INGEBORG [Smiling tenderly.]
Vain Heart, dost thou lay claim to loving most ?
33
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF
I have loved longer! Thou can st not deny
I dreamed of thee, ere thou did st dream of me !
INGEBORG
Ah, Love, but I did dream myself awake,
Hearing thy voice, that called me, in my sleep !
FRITHIOF
So love is born, the hour that gave him birth
Shall not concern us ! O, my Life and Breath,
So we are one, what matters all the rest ?
\_After a moment ; leading her to a seat among the roots
of the oak-tree, on the side concealed from the tempi e.~\
Sit here, my Princess, on this lowly throne,
And listen to thy least of worshippers,
Who has a weight of words upon his heart,
That must be uttered in a winged hour!
INGEBORG
O Sweet, say on ! For time runs furiously
Away, when thou and I but look on him !
FRITHIOF
Hast thou heard aught of how thy brothers met
The offer of my aid, and scorned my suit
For thy dear hand ?
34
THE N O R S E M A N
INGEBORG
Oh, I have heard ! And, Love,
My heart so burned to venge thy treacherous hurt,
That half I feared it would consume itself !
I would have sent to thee, but have no friend,
Save Krake, I would dare to trust so far.
FRITHIOF
O thou most blessed, generous champion !
Ingeborg, I fear no fate in all the world,
Save that some fate may part us ! I have had,
Of late, a cruel vision, in my sleep,
Of being sundered from thee, hopelessly,
By some rude trick of baleful destiny,
And, from my separate exile, I have waked
With tear-blind eyes, and clenched, despoiled hands !
INGEBORG [/ alarm, soothing him.]
Nay, dearest, speak not so ! The gods may hear !
Yet t is not strange that, twixt these stressful days,
You should have dreamed so, for your daytime thoughts
Were filled with pondering on our unfixed fate,
And sleep, that drugs the will, did but unleash
The fears your waking self was master of.
FRITHIOF
O little hand, O little, starry hand,
To bear such certain soothing in a touch !
35
THE NORSEMAN
Yet for this very purpose am I come,
That this small hand may put great fears to rest !
Bravest and truest, wilt thou come away,
Before the sun shall wake this fitful world
To one more day of our uncertainty ?
Our good ship frets at anchor, in the bay ;
The tide s at flood, and she will bear us far
From all pursuers, to bright, southern shores,
Where I shall found a kingdom, for my Queen,
More rich and rare than any Northern throne,
We are beset by desperate circumstance,
Grave war impends, and threatens our escape ;
To halt in our design, may mean to lose
All that makes man and woman godlike, free,
Yea, all life s hope of best and tenderest.
Dear, thou wilt come ? Thou wilt adventure so,
With one whose life doth hang upon thy love ?
INGEBORG
To-day and now, Beloved of my Soul !
FRITHIOF
Seems, then, "to-day" a day too soon for love?
INGEBORG
Nay, dear my lord, to love s impatient sense,
Seconds seem ages that delay our bliss !
Yet, were we leaving any way untried
That seems less headlong! Frithiof, thinkest thou
My brothers wills might ever softened be ?
36
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF
Never to give consent to thee and me.
INGE BO RG [Rising.]
Then come, bright day, and smile upon a love
Too strong for fate to sunder or compel ! [To FRITHIOF.]
Through all the world, beyond the farthest sea,
Whither thou goest, I will go with thee !
FRITHIOF [Embracing her, rapturously.]
Now am I made of all Earth s sons most blest!
[Taking from his arm a ring of massive and antique
pattern, surmounted by a cluster of rubies ^\
Dear Bride, Pure Soul, put on this golden ring.
Long has it been an heirloom in my race ;
T is said that Valund forged and fashioned it ;
Heroes have worn it, magic is its power.
T will serve as pledge and symbol of our love,
The shining circle of our minds and souls,
Lit with the fiery jewels of our blood !
[He places the ring on her arm. ]
INGEBORG
When I part from it may my frame be cold,
And blind my vision to this mortal scene !
[The first ; faint light begins to appear in the East. A
bird twitters^]
37
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF [Startled.]
Day dawns ! Make haste, O Sunlight of my Soul !
Thy faithful Krake 11 go with thee !
INGEBORG [Smiling.}
It is most certain, for she loves Bjorn !
FRITHIOF
Scarce more than thee, I d swear ! I 11 fetch them both.
Hast thou a heavy mantle ? It is cold
Within the galley, on the morning sea.
INGEBORG [Going.}
I 11 get a few necessities together.
FRITHIOF
Dearest, make haste ! The light grows all too fast !
INGEBORG
I shall be ready when you come again !
[She goes into the temple. FRITHIOF runs off in the
direction BJORN and KRAKE have taken. A com
pany of THE PRIESTS of Balder, led by HELGE and
THE HIGH PRIEST, silently enter, and surround the
clearing}
THE HIGH PRIEST [To HELGE.]
Sire, they are returning, hide thyself !
38
THE NORSEMAN
HELGE [To THE PRIESTS.]
Remember to disarm them suddenly !
[All conceal themselves in ambush. FRITHIOF, BJORN,
and KRAKE re-enter. ]
KRAKE [Anxiously.]
Did you not hear a sound within the wood ?
BJORN \Re-assuringly ^
Why, waking woods are full of rustling sound !
KRAKE
Nay, this was different ! It grows too light !
Conceal yourselves within the temple-gate,
While I go fetch my mistress ! Come this way !
BJORN
T is sacrilege for us to enter there !
FRITHIOE
We 11 take thy maid s good counsel ! Come, Bjorn !
Great Balder is the god of human joy,
And pure loves will not offend his shrine.
[FRITHIOF, BJORN, and KRAKE, enter the temple. THE
PRIESTS draw closer, in waiting. It grows lighter^
39
THE NORSEMAN
THE HIGH PRIEST [In a low voice.]
Be ready, now ! The King will give the sign !
[FRITHIOF and INGEBORG, BJORN and KRAKE re-enter,
ready for flight ; the women are closely veiled, and
wrapped in dark mantles.]
INGEBORG [Turning, for a last look at the temple.}
Farewell, Bright Balder, may thy blessing fall
On us, thy homeless children, faring forth
To love s divine adventure !
[ They all turn, reverently, toward the temple. As they
do so, HELGE steps out, behind them, giving the
signal to THE PRIESTS. They throw themselves upon
FRITHIOF and BJORN, who struggle fiercely, but are
overcome by numbers, and the suddenness of the at
tack, and bound, before they can draw their swords.
As THE PRIESTS form a circle around their prisoners,
and the two women, who cling to them, panic-stricken,
the sun rises in full splendour, and the birds begin to
sing, in the forest]
HELGE [To FRITHIOF, tauntingly]
How now, young braggart, thou who would st defend
Our Kingdom with the might of thy strong arm ?
Had st thou not wit enough to steal a maid
From these unwarlike zealots, holy men,
Whose lives are spent in quietude and prayer ?
40
THE NORSEMAN
A poor accounting for a hero ! Come !
Could st thou not keep thy booty with that sword
Which, in thy speech, was so invincible ?
FRITHIOF
This hour is thine, O Helge ! It may be,
An hour will dawn when I shall answer thee ! \_Furious ly.~\
Loose but these bonds, and I will drive thy crew
Of hangdog priests, before thee, to the sea,
To drown like rats ! Yea, with this single sword !
\In a frenzy of helpless anger J]
Thou dar st not, Helge ! Dar st not set me free !
HELGE
Peace, ruffian ! \To INGEBORG, grimly.~\
Now, fair sister, come with me !
[Zfe pulls her away from FRITHIOF, and THE PRIESTS
close in around the prisoners, as the curtain falls :]
CURTAIN
THE N O R S E M A N
SCENE 2. The sea-coast near Sognefylke ; a stormy sunset,
at the end of the same day. A twelve-oared galley is
drawn up on the beach. The Ellida is not seen.
HELGE and HALFDAN enter. HALFDAN, a slender
youth, carries a falcon on his wrist.
HALFDAN {Petulantly^
I 11 have no words with these malignant hags !
HELGE
I will instruct them. Be more satisfied !
Statescraft does not absorb thee overmuch !
I would thy sports were sterner !
HALFDAN [Impatiently^
Dost thou so ?
And I that thine were less mischievous ! Come !
I do not like this mixture of thy brew,
Witchcraft, and spying priests in ambuscade 1
Frithiof was e er an honest lad, enow,
Why not pronounce him banished, honestly ?
HELGE [Sternly.}
And loose the foremost foeman in the North
Against our Kingdom ? Folly sits most plain
In lofty places ! Why, thou silly boy,
Iceland would be in arms for Frithiof,
42
THE NORSE M A N
Ere Halfdan could exchange his hunting-spear
For stouter weapons ! Thorsten was the source
Of Iceland s valor ; Frithiof bears his bow ;
Ere he can bend it, we must vanquish him !
HALFDAN
He would have cast his vantage in thy scale.
HELGE
And robbed me, after, of pre-eminence !
Of such pretensions will I strip him bare,
And cast him forth like scum upon the tide !
HALFDAN
I would not be my brother s enemy !
HELGE [ With meaning.^
See to it, then, that thou remain st his friend !
Keep to thy falcon-flying ! I will steer
Our ship of state among these transient shoals.
HALFDAN
T would take small wit to presage for the barque
A tortuous passage!
HELGE
Peace ! Who comes this way ?
43
THE NORSEMAN
HALFDAN \ReeonnoiteringI\
Methinks they are the beauteous maids with whom
We have an assignation. Now, Sir King !
\_He throws himself on the shingle, and gives his atten
tion to teasing the falcon. HELGE turns away, with
an angry gesture, to meet HAM and HEID, who enter.
HAM is gaunt and tall, with streaming hair and
fluttering rags. HEID is squat, and hoary with age,
gnarled and bent into grot<sque postures.]
HELGE
How now, good dames ? Are you inclined to serve
Your King, discreetly, with your magic arts ?
HAM
Sire, an we may.
HEID
An it should be a case
Wherein our arts may serve thee.
HELGE
Such it is.
You know how Frithiof, Thorsten s lawless son,
Was found, at morn, in Balder s holy grove,
Wooing the Princess at the very shrine.
44
THE NORSEMAN
He has been sentenced, for this sacrilege,
To sail, to-night, bound for the Faroe Isles,
There to collect a tribute, from their Earl,
That formerly was paid to Iceland s King.
[Pointing off stage. ]
His ship lies in the offing, rigged to sail !
THE WITCHES
Ho, Ho! A wily King!
A crafty Prince !
[They distort themselves with laughter,]
HALFDAN [From his couch, on the sand ; with
feigned humility.]
Nay, worthy charmers ! Softly, by your leaves !
It was our brother s plan ! I would not seem
To deck myself in borrowed artifice.
HELGE [Sternly.]
Peace, trifler ! [To THE WITCHES.] Prithee, save your
merriment
For some more sportive and more fit occasion.
HAM [Fawning.]
Sire, if we were merry, t was to think
How soundly thou had st dealt with this young knave.
45
THE NORSE M A N
HEID [Chuckling.}
To take, with twenty men, from the proud Yarl,
Angantyr, tribute which has not been paid
Since antique times ! There 11 not be left so much
As hide or hair of any of his crew !
HELGE [Darkly.]
Of that I would make surer ! Frithiof bears
A magic sword, and steers a charmed ship !
Warfare is full of fortunes and escapes
Miraculous, attended by the gods !
[To HEID ; fiercely}
Hast thou a spell to raise the ocean-bed,
And bid it sink again, sucking all things
Less than itself into a maelstrom dark
Of sure annihilation ?
HEID [Gloating.}
Such a storm,
My arts can summon up !
HELGE [To HAM.]
Can st thou array
All the relentless forces of the air
Against the strength of man, till ships are strewn
Upon the hungry waters, horribly ?
46
THE NORSEMAN
HAM [Exulting.]
Such havoc can I loose upon the void !
HELGE {Dropping his voice.]
Frithiof, but now, has promised to set sail
At sundown, be the weather foul or fair ;
Call up a storm that shall make sure his death,
And I 11 reward your cunning, liberally.
THE WITCHES [Greedily.]
What shall we have ?
What shall our payment be?
HELGE
Gold, gold, and gold again, and yet more gold !
[Aside.]
Hate makes a spendthrift of a frugal man !
THE WITCHES
Sire, t is done !
We 11 do thy royal will !
HALFDAN [Rising with a shudder^
I have no mind or temper for such means
To dire ends ! The gods be merciful !
47
THE NORSEMAN
[HELGE and HALFDAN stand aside. THE WITCHES,
after a glance at the sky, grimace at each other, and
draw two circles in the sand, within which they carve
runes, with their staffs. They begin a weird dance.
It grows darker^
HAM [Chanting.}
Gust, and squall, and biting gale
Fret and tear the Norseman s sail ;
Tempest fierce and hurricane,
Dive into the pallid main,
And with dreadful pinions sweep
Billows high as hell is deep ;
Powers of death, bestride the wave,
To his dim, unfathomed grave
Draw the luckless seaman down,
Like a trap-held rat to drown.
[Threatening masses of cloud begin to drive across the
sky.]
[HEID Chanting. ]
Gloom and horrid darkness spread
O er the Norseman s fated head ;
Numbing cold and stinging hail
Freeze his blood and tear his sail ;
Ashen mists obscure his way ;
Thunder roll and lightning play ;
Demons fright his desperate crew
48
THE NORSEMAN
With phantom shapes and terrors new ;
Cast his barque, with fatal shock
On the sharp and rending rock,
Whelmed and done, to fill and sink,
O er the whirlpool s yawning brink.
[The sea rises. Lightning and distant thunder. HALF-
DAN buries his face in his doak.~\
HELGE
How now, thou craven Prince? Hold up thy head!
T is not thy knell these ghostly sibyls sound !
Here comes the Court ! Now, show thyself a man !
[HALFDAN recovers himself. THE WITCHES go out.
FRITHIOF, BJORN, and MARINERS, led by THE
PRIESTS of Balder, enter, followed by HUNVOR,
INGEBORG, KRAKE, HILDING, BLAETAND, and
COURTIERS. FRITHIOF and BJORN are still bound.
The sun sets, as the procession approaches, and the
storm begins to increase in violence. HALFDAN gives
the falcon to a pagc.~\
THE HIGH PRIEST
Sire, the prisoner has agreed to pay
The penalty thy mercy doth impose.
HELGE [To FRITHIOF.]
Wilt thou embark, at once, upon this quest,
Pledging thine oath that thou wilt not return
To Iceland, till this tribute is secured ?
49
THE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF
Shall I be freely pardoned, if I do
Succeed in this ?
HELGE
All will be pardoned thee.
FRITHIOF
Loose, then, these bonds, and we 11 essay the task !
[THE PRIESTS release FRITHIOF and BJORN.]
FIRST MARINER [To FRITHIOF ; aside.}
We shall take death aboard, if we embark
In such a gale !
SECOND MARINER [Aside.]
Good master, be advised !
FRITHIOF [To THE MARINERS.]
My word is pledged. Our Warriors are on board.
If ye fear death, withdraw from this emprise,
If not, go launch the galley with all speed.
[THE MARINERS go down to the shore, and prepare to
launch the galley. The storm increases in fury}
5
INGEBORG [Throwing herself, suddenly, on her knees,
before HELGE.]
Brother, a little mercy ! In this sky ?
Delay them till to-morrow ! Be implored !
Sweet brother, till to-morrow ! I 11 engage
My life upon their going !
HELGE [Dragging her, roughly, to her feet .]
Wayward girl !
Thou frail betrayer of thy sacred trust,
And queenly office, get thee from my sight !
Lest I withdraw, in looking on thy shame,
The mercy I have shown !
\_He pushes her from him. She is received into the
arms of KRAKE. FRITHIOF is restrained, by
BJORN, from drawing his sword against HELGE.
To FRITHIOF.]
And now, begone,
Thou ravisher of shrines ! Thou plotter thou !
Thou foul blasphemer of the most high gods !
FRITHIOF [Proudly^
I have blasphemed no god, nor wronged no shrine.
HELGE
Why, now, thou lay st a lie upon thy sin !
We took thee in the very temple-gate !
5 1
T HE NORSEMAN
FRITHIOF
Temples are man-made stuff! The gods do dwell
In honest hearts, in fields, and tranquil air ;
Where er good actions are, the gods are there !
[To INGEBORG.]
Farewell, dear love, dear life, dear bride, dear friend i
Nay, grieve not so ! I shall behold again
Thy face illumed with joy ! Faith tells rne so !
\To HILDING, putting INGEBORG into his arms.]
Father, thy child ! Good Krake, fare thee well !
\He runs down to the shore, and leaps into the galley .]
BJORN \To KRAKE.]
Sweet girl, keep faith ! Think on thy rough Bjorn !
KRAKE
As I do live, I 11 never love but thee !
[BjORN follows FRITHIOF. The galley is launched,
through the surf, with great difficulty. KRAKE
waves them a farewell, and tries to encourage INGE
BORG, who is weeping, bitterly, in HILDING S arms.
As the boat disappears, the company follow, to the
water s edge. The storm reaches its height^\
HALFDAN
How do they live, at all, in such a sea ?
52
THE NORSEMAN
HUNVOR
They will not reach the ship !
[A blinding and terrible thunder-bolt .]
Great Thor defend !
A CONFUSION OF VOICES
The boat is gone !
The ship is swallowed up !
They re lost !
God s mercy on them !
Woeful fate !
[A blinding mist settles down over the sea. The storm
begins to subside^
INGEBORG {Confronting HEI.GE.]
Now curses be upon thee and thy house !
Be thou undone, as thou hast dealt with me !
Make me thy bride, O Aegir !
[She attempts to throiv herself into the sea, but is
deterred by HILDING and HALFDAN, who lay her
down, in a swoon, at the feet of HELGE.]
HELGE \Lifting INGEBORG S arm, which has become
bared, in the struggle^
Hunvor, see !
What ring is this ? Yon dead man s lover s pledge ?
Here, keep it safe !
S3
THE NORSEMAN
[ffe takes the ring from INGERORG S arm, and gives it
to HUNVOR. To HALFDAN and HILDING.]
Come, bear the maid away !
[HALFDAN and HILDING bear out the insensible body of
INGEBORG, followed by KRAKE, weeping, and THE