PRIESTS and COURTIERS.]
CURTAIN
54
THE NORSEMAN
ACT III
SCENE i. A road near Sognefylkc. Midsummer. Enter
a procession of THE PRIESTS of Balder, in festal robes,
and carrying garlands, on their way to the grove of
Balder, to hold the midsummer feast. They arc led
by THE HIGH PRIEST and HELGE.
THE HIGH PRIEST {Halting the procession. }
Here, are the woods well grown with underbrush 1
Disperse, I pray, and gather what you can
To feed great Balder s bale-fire, for its flame
Must leap as high as the midsummer heaven,
To show His glory, and declare His praise !
[THE PRIESTS scatter, obediently, through the woods, to
cut fagots. HELGE and THE HIGH PRIEST talk,
aside. ]
HELGE
What was this sail thou did st report to me,
Having been sighted by some fishermen,
Without the bay, at sunrise ?
THE HIGH PRIEST
Why, t was said
To be a dragon-ship of monstrous size,
Veiled in the mists of morning, phantom-wise.
55
THE NORSEMAN
But, Sire, thou knowest that our simple folk
Are filled with superstition, and do set
A demon-shape astride of every whale !
I doubt me not that t was some merchant-ship,
That loomed mysterious, in the dawning light,
Above their little prows, a-frighting them !
HELGE [In a low voice. ]
Answer me truly. Saw st thou Frithiof s ship
Go down at sea ?
THE HIGH PRIEST
Why, so it seemed to do !
The mist so thickly walled it all about,
I saw it in the lightning s sudden glare,
And then I saw it not ! The people cried
The ship was lost! Sire, what thinkest thou?
HELGE [Grimly.]
I think that it was lost, and must remain
Within the deepest hollows of the sea !
Less do I dread that Frithiof s ghost should walk,
Than that this brawling fellow should return,
To find his mistress wedded to King Ring,
And that our flames had eaten up his house !
For then would he bring down upon our realm
Such dire retaliation and revolt,
56
THE NORSEMAN
As, weakened by this ill-starred war with Ring,
Our royal forces scarce could cope withal.
THE HIGH PRIEST
King Ring is now thine ally, and would send
Thee aid, in such a threatening circumstance !
HELGE
I cannot trust our sister to fulfil
A wifely part that will content him, long !
That maiden hath a strong, continuous will
Toward what she loves. From childhood was it so
And I do sometimes wake and sweat, at night,
Thinking I hear the trumpets of King Ring
Announce, in her, some contumacious act,
Or sudden rashness, that shall end our truce !
THE HIGH PRIEST
Nay, Sire, think not so ! Take heart, I pray 1
We 11 raise a chant, and be upon our way !
He who doth serve the gods, the gods serve well,
And shall cast down his enemies to hell.
HELGE
Thy wise and holy council I 11 obey.
[To himself^
Yet I do feel a cloud upon this day I
57
THE NORSEMAN
THE HIGH PRIEST {Calling to THE PRIESTS ; who
return, laden with fagots.]
Brothers ! Good brothers ! We 11 upon our way !
[As they re-form, in a procession^
Come, raise a chant to Him whom we adore !
THE PRIESTS [Chanting.-]
Brightness of the risen sun,
Thee we worship, Thee we praise,
Glory of the day that s done,
Songs to Thee we II raise I
Master, Maker, Warmth, and foy,
Giver of all Life, we pray,
Weave Thy garland, and Thy crown,
Of our souls, this day !
[They go out, chanting. HILDING^TZ^BLAETAND enter.
HILDING has aged, visibly. He holds FRITHIOF S
dog, Bran, a deerhound, in leashJ]
I knew his sail when yet it was far off,
No man those sombre pinions might mistake !
But, first, I thought it was a phantom ship,
A spectral craft, manned by a ghostly crew,
Whose helmsman was arisen from the dead,
To wreak some frightful vengeance on the King !
58
THE NORSEMAN
You say t is Frithiof ? Frithiof, in the flesh ?
My little lad come back ? Speak certainly !
BLAETAND
T is Frithiof in the flesh ! I saw his crew
Debark, and watched them, from a vantage point,
As thou did st bid me. Not a man is lost,
And all seem most exultant in their mood.
Bjorn and Frithiof like two schoolboys played,
Their men-at-arms seemed no less jubilant.
I tarried till I saw them take the road,
And then I crossed before them, through the wood,
To warn thee they 11 be here immediately.
HILDING
Some miracle befell them ! We shall hear !
O Frithiof, O my dear-beloved son,
Death had been kinder than this coming home !
How can I put an end to all thy hopes ?
The Norns are cruel, I have lived too long !
BLAETAND
Courage, good Hilding ! E en the bitterest woe
Is softened by the voice of one we love.
Frithiof, indeed, were friendless, wanting thee !
Let us be thankful that the townsfolk flock
Toward the groves, and so desert the shore,
And give us time to fix upon some plan
For Frithiof s safety.
59
THE NORSEMAN
HILDING {Tremulously.}
Thou rt a kindly lad !
\Song, laughter, men s voices, and the tramping of feet
are heard, without. The dog strains wildly on his
leash, breaks from HILDING, and bounds off, to meet
his master}
BLAETAND
Good Bran, I slandered thee ! Thou art a friend
Whom Frithiof will find faithful to the end !
[FRITHIOF, with the dog leaping around him, BJORN,
WARRIORS, and MARINERS, enter, in high spirits}
FRITHIOF {Catching sight 0/" HILDING and BLAETAND.]
Father ! What joy is this ! To meet thee so,
The first of all !
\Embracing him ; BLAETAND greets BJORN.]
Nay, Bran was first of all I
[ Caressing the dog}
Good Bran ! [To HILDING.] How comes he here, so far
from all
The household gods he guards so jealously ?
[As HILDING does not answer}
Father, I came on thee too suddenly,
And have alarmed thee, like a heedless boy !
60
THE NORSEMAN
BLAETAND
We thought thee shipwrecked, lost, with all thy crew.
FRITHIOF
Why, that is strange ! Who brought such doleful news ?
BLAETAND
We watched you, from the shore, the night you sailed,
In the great storm ; your boat was swallowed up,
After a blinding bolt ; your ship went down,
Or so it seemed, whelmed by a dreadful wave.
You have been mourned as dead, among us all.
FRITHIOF
What tale is this? Our galley reached the ship
In safety ; then a heavy mist shut down
And hid the coast from view ; the storm grew less,
And we got safe to sea, and met no more
Adventures till we reached the Faroe Isles.
[To HILDING ; joyfully^
Hear, father, how our further fortunes ran !
They will revive thee with their excellence !
[To HILDING and BLAETAND.]
When we did touch upon Angantyr s Isle,
And came on shore, down-rushing to the strand,
The Viking Atle, with twelve armed men,
To learn our business and condition, came.
61
THE NORSEMAN
I gave my errand, measuring his men,
For, swift, a plan of action smote my mind !
He, like a maddened Berserk heard me out,
Then cried " T is said that Frithiof never prays
For quarter ! Draw thy spell-protected blade,
And, by the gods, prepare to ask it, now ! "
I answered him, " If, with my comrades twelve,
I can outfight and conquer thine and thee,
Wilt thou, with me, to Yarl Angantyr go,
And plead my mission ? " Boastful, he replied,
" That will I ! And do still allow thee choice
Of combat or of flight ! " I laughed aloud !
Then clashing weapons showered fast a hail
Of mighty strokes around us, and the glee
Of battle in our veins ran rapturously !
Oh, these brave comrades, fast and firm they stood,
Each vying to be foremost ! Till, at length,
Keen Angurvadel bit the Viking s blade,
And down I bore him to the earth, and cried,
Kneeling upon his heaving breast, " Who prays
For quarter now ? " And raised my sword on high,
As if to strike, but Atle trembled not,
As he replied " Not I, O Frithiof !
To-morrow, I shall see thee, mid the joys
That, in Valhalla, I shall taste, to-day ! "
I raised him up, and, reconciled, we came
Before Angantyr, where I told my tale
Without concealment, laying bare the whole
Of Helge s malice and foul treachery,
62
THE NORSEMAN
And spoke of my dear Lady. Then the Yarl
Poured out a cup, and said " Full welcome be
To these our halls, in friendship s honoured name 1
Since many a creaming horn, with Thorsten, we
Have emptied here, his son shall be denied
No boon that, by our hand, may be supplied."
Wherewith, he called his daughter, and she went
Forth from the hall, in haste, and soon returned,
Bearing this silken purse, with ruby clasp,
And golden tassels,
[Holding the purse before them.~\
which her father filled,
Quite to the brim, with gold from foreign lands,
[Jingling it, boyishly^
And gave to me, and said "O welcome guest,
I pay no tribute for my race is free;
Let Bele s sons come take it with their swords,
If they demand it ! Thorsten I held dear ;
Take, in his name, this gift, as thou wilt
Do with it." Whereupon he made us free
Of his great house, and entertained us all,
Full royally, till we embarked again,
And safely voyaged homeward with light hearts.
[Pausing; then, astonished, as HILDING does not speak, ,]
Father, no word of praise, no smile of joy
For these good fortunes? \_Alarmed.~] Hast thou some
dark news,
That doth extinguish so, and overspread
Our bright adventures? Let me know the whole !
63
THE NORSEMAN
HILDING [ With a great effort.}
Frithiof the dog thou did st exclaim to see
Him here, so far from Framnas and his home.
He has no home. I found him mournfully
Howling about the ashes of thy house,
The sole remaining tenant of those halls
We loved so well O son, I can no more !
[He covers his face with his hands. A furious outcry
from THE WARRIORS.]
FRITHIOF \Half-stupified^
My house in ashes ! [To BLAETAND.] Who has done this
thing ?
BLAETAND
Twas Helge. Wreaking malice on thy goods,
That nothing might remain to speak of thee.
FRITHIOF
Rage burns me up ! But this can wait awhile 1
[To HILDING, grimly. ,]
There s more behind thy grief than blackened fields
And ruined homesteads ! Where is Ingeborg?
Frithiof, be patient ! Try to bear this thing !
King Ring attacked. His shields were five to one.
64
THE NORSEMAN
In Disar s vale, beside the brook, they fought,
And dyed its waters red, where she and thou
So oft have played ! Halfdan fought valiantly,
I was full proud ! but we were vanquished.
Ing borg was made the price
[FRITHIOF utters a terrible cry.~\
They gave her up !
Ring would have seized the crown. She was more dead,
Than living, in that hour! Now Ring hath led
Her home, his bride.
FRITHIOF [Drawing his sword ; with the Berserker
rage upon him ; in a trumpet-like voiceJ\
Now, comrades, follow me !
[THE WARRIORS gather, tumultuously, around him.
To BLAETAND.]
Where may the King be found ? Is not to-night
Balder s midsummer feast ?
BLAETAND {Reluctantly^
Yea, in the grove,
Thou It find the King preparing for the rite,
But go not thither in so rash a mood
FRITHIOF {Interrupting him ; to his comrades^
Come!
65
THE NORSEMAN
BJORN
Mine is the right to venge thee, Frithiof !
\They rush out, leaving HILDING and BLAETAND. The
dog follows FRITHIOF.]
HILDING
Where will this madness lead ? My son ! my son !
This outworn frame how gladly would I give,
That those I love might be restored to joy !
\To BLAETAND.]
Give me thine arm, for I must follow him !
\They go out ; HILDING leaning heavily upon BLAE
TAND.]
CURTAIN
66
THE NORSE M A N
SCENE 2. The grove of Balder. A sacrificial altar is
arranged under the great oak. A golden image of
Balder, wearing FRITHIOFV ring upon its arm.
THE PRIESTS go busily in and out of the temple. Sev
eral aged seers, with flint-stone knives in their hands,
are preparing the sacrifice. HELGE, crowned, and richly
appareled, is serving by the altar, with THE HIGH
PRIEST. An alarm is heard without. FRITHIOF,
BJORN, WARRIORS, and SEAMEN enter, furiously. THE
PRIESTS throng out of the temple.
FRITHIOF [To HELGE.]
Here is the tribute I was sent to fetch
From overseas ! Thou It stoop to gather it,
Thou and thy moonshine prophets! Take it thus !
\He tears the purse from his girdle, and throws it in
HELGE S /#<:<?, the coin is scattered in every direction.
HELGE, for the moment, is half-stunned, and THE
PRIESTS too startled to act. FRITHIOF catches sight
of the ring, on the arm of Balder s image J\
Why, now, bright god, who has arrayed thee thus,
In splendor stolen from a helpless maid ?
Spare me thine anger, but I take mine own !
\_He tries boldly to pull the ring from the arm of the
god. It sticks fast, and becoming loosened, suddenly,
the image is thrown down upon the altar, extinguish
ing the sacred flame. In the horror and confusion
67
THE NORSEMAN
which ensue, THE PRIESTS attack FRITHIOF, with
their knives, in fanatical frenzy , FRITH IOF S men, in
turn, attacking THE PRIESTS.]
FRITHIOF [Slipping the ring on his arm, and
drawing his swordJ]
T is shame for Angurvadel to dispatch
Such pallid semblances of men as you !
Betake yourselves to flight, and, while you may,
Save such poor sap as in your veins doth flow !
[HELGE steals up behind FRITHIOF, as he speaks, and is
about to stab him, but is discovered by BJORX, who
steals upon HELGE.]
HELGE [Raising his knife to strike FRITHIOF.]
So are the mouths of foul blasphemers stopped !
BjORN [Stabbing HELGE.]
And so die traitors, in their treachery !
[HELGE _/tf//JV BJORIST kneels upon his body ; stabbing
him.~\
This blow for Framnas ! [Stabbing him.]
This, for Ingeborg !
HELGE [Faintly.]
I am undone ! T is even as she prayed !
[He dies.}
68
THE NORSEMAN
BjORN [Shouting to FRITHIOF.]
The King is dead, and men may breathe again !
THE PRIESTS [Terrified,- taking up the cry.}
The King is dead !
The King!
The King is slain !
[FRITHIOF and his men drive out the panic-stricken
Priests, before them; FRITH IOF S magic sword, An-
gurvadel, filming redly, in the thick of the onset.
THE HIGH PRIEST, with several others, is cut off,
and pursued by a WARRIOR into the temple. HILD
ING and BLAETAND enter]
HILDING
What scene is this! Great Balder s self pulled down
Upon his altar, and its flame put out !
BLAETAND [Stooping over the body of HELGE ; with
a cry.]
The King is slain !
[HILDING falls on his knees before the altar. THE
HIGH PRIEST rushes out of the temple, pursued by
THE WARRIOR.]
THE HIGH PRIEST [Fleeing; to BLAETAND.]
The temple burns ! Pour water water! Pour
[BLAETAND hastens into the temple.]
69
THE NORSEMAN
HILDING
What can /right, an old man, of this wrong ?
[ With sudden determination^
I can replace the god upon his throne !
[ With an access of superhuman strength, he lifts the
fallen image, and replaces it upon its pedestal ; then
gropes blindly, and falls dead before it. FRITHIOF
re-enters, hot from the pursuit^
FRITHIOF [Seeing HILDING.]
Father ! What doest thou here ?
[Trying to raise him. ]
Nay dead ? Not dead ?
\_He is overcome with grief. .]
The last of all my kindred ! Shall I fall
Upon this faithful blade, and make an end
Of this dark riddle of unanswered hope ?
O Ing borg, Ing borg, wilt thou need again,
This sword to shield thee, free thee, it may hap,
From life s imprisonment, too bitter grown ?
Ye Fates make answer
BLAETAND [Rushing out of the temple^
T is in vain ! In vain !
The flames take all ! The grove is summer-dried,
And soon must follow !
70
THE NORSEMAN
[Seeing FRITHIOF.]
See, the temple burns !
\The flames begin to glow, within the temple^
Some priests sought sanctuary, in the shrine,
Thy Warrior caught and slew them ruthlessly,
And strewed the altar-embers all about
[Catching sight of HILDING S body.~\
Now, what is this! Good Hilding, speak, I pray!
FRITHIOF
Hilding will speak no more. I found him dead,
Before the feet of Balder. He had raised,
I think, the image, to its former place,
And his great heart, that urged him to the task,
Had burst in its performance. Thou wilt bear
His body safely hence ?
BLAETAND
Yea, Frithiof, yea !
I never should have left him ! Woeful day !
[BjORN re-enters, in haste.}
BJORN
Brother, away, away ! The priests recruit
The nobles and the townsfolk, and will soon
Cut off escape ! Our men are on the shore ;
We 11 through the wood, and join them instantly !
THE NORSEMAN
\_Aghast ; as he sees the body of HILDING, and the
flames devouring the temple]
Good Hilding dead ! The temple set on fire !
Come 1 For each moment here is perilous !
[Grimly.]
A fearful bale-fire this, for Balder s feast !
\_He goes out.]
FRITHIOF [Going.]
Blaetand my dog when we approached the wood,
I drove him back. Thou It find and shelter him ?
[Smiling faintly]
A Viking s life, upon the rolling sea,
Would poorly suit a rangey, land-bred hound !
BLAETAND
It shall be done ! For Hilding s sake, and thine !
[They clasp hands, and FRITHIOF hastens out, after
BJORN. BLAETAND raises the body of HILDING in
his arms, and bears it out. HELGE S body lies before
the darkened altar. The flames begin to roar and
crackle. They cast a lurid light through the grove,
and play upon the image of Balder, which seems to
blink and smile]
CURTAIN
72
THE NORSEMAN
ACT IV
SCENE i. RINGRIC. The feasting-hall in KING RING S
Palace. On a golden high-seat, at the head of the board,
KING RING and INGEBORG are seated. The little
PRINCE stands, sturdily, by his mother s knee. Around
the board sit the COURTIERS and WARRIORS of RING.
At the lower benches, the PAGES and poor retainers. As
the curtain rises, all are feasting and merry-making,
save INGEBORG, who is quiet and unsmiling, except with
the little PRINCE, for whom her sadness lightens.
RING [71? INGEBORG, aside. ~\
A goodly feast !
[INGEBORG rests her head on her hand, and sighs,
absently. Observing her, angrily.]
What ! sighing, evermore !
Will nothing serve to shake thy discontent ?
INGEBORG [In a low voice.]
Have I not striven to be dutiful ?
What do I leave undone ?
RING
No special thing 1
Yet thou dost nothing in the name of love,
73
THE N O R S E M A N
That perfumes all life s meanest usages,
And, being absent, turns to very dross
A King s possessions !
INGEBORG [Coldly.]
That thou may st not have !
Did I not freely show thee all my heart,
Before my brothers gave me unto thee ?
I have no love to give to any man,
Save Frith iof, son of Thorsten, who doth keep
The pledge and single passion of my life.
RING
This man destroyed the temple of thy god,
And slew thy brother ! Wilt thou love him still ?
In these four years, his face has not been seen !
He may be dead !
INGEBORG [Quietly.]
He is not dead to me !
RING [JBitterly]
So be it, then ! His ghost shall evermore
Extinguish all the brightness of my house ;
Sit at my feasts; outweigh my benefits;
And quaff the subtle wine of my content !
[A disturbance is heard, without. FRITHIOF enters, in
the disguise of an aged salt-burner. He is enveloped,
74
T H E NORSEMAN
from head to foot, in a shaggy bear-skin, and walks
bent and wearily, leaning upon a heavy staff, not
withstanding which, his unusual height is apparent.
He seats himself at the lowest bench, beside the door.
The underlings, headed by HALVAR, the KING S
jester, begin to tease and mock him.]
HALVAR
Come to the baiting ! Ho, an aged bear !
\The underlings laugh boisterously, and jostle FRITHIOF.
A PAGE attempts to trip his staffl\
FRITH IOF [ Catching the PAGE by the waist, and tlumght-
fully turning him on his head, with one hand]
This fellow s wit lies not within his head !
Perchance his heels are nimbler ! Heels o er head,
Take thy wit hence, young master !
[Sends him sprawling. He gets up ruefully. The rest
fall back, in astonishment.]
THE CROWN PRINCE
Mother ! Oh !
What noise is that ? Why do they tease a bear ?
[INGEBORG quiets him. ]
RING [Rising to his feet, angrily.]
What means this uproar? Who disturbs our peace,
With common brawling ?
75
THE NORSEMAN
HALVAR
Sire, /would say
That t was uncommon brawling. This old man
Has more strength left, in one of his old hands,
Than half these youngsters have in both of theirs !
RING [To FRITHIOF.]
Greybeard, come hither. Answer when I speak.
What is thy name, and where thy fatherland ?
Why com st thou here ?
FRITHIOF [Approaching.]
O King, thou askest much
[At his first words, INGEBORG listens intently .]
Grief is my name. I dwell in Sorrow s land,
To thee I come, to learn my further fate.
In bygone days, I rode the ocean free;
A mighty ship, with sombre sails, I had ;
I lost her in the frozen seas, and now,
Grown old and weak, I get my daily bread
By burning salt. I came to thee from far,
Hearing thy fame and wisdom widely spread,
Yon grinning fools did mock me, and I paid
Their insults back. I m grown too old for scorn 1
RING
Thy bold words do not sit upon thee ill !
76
THE NORSEMAN
All men should honour age. Come here, by me.
Throw off thy heavy cloak, and be at ease.
[FRITH IOF lets the bear s hide fall from him, and stands
fort h, gorgeously arrayed in a mantle of azure velvet,
belted with a great silver girdle. He displays INGE-
BORG S ring on his bare arm ; his sword hangs at
his side. INGEBORG utters a cry of recognition, and
recovers herself with difficulty I\
THE CROWN PRINCE
Mother, the shining one ! Is t Balder s self ?
[/ the smile that runs round the board, the COURTIERS
recover from their astonishment. FRITHIOF beams
upon the little PRINCE, who returns his look, en
thralled.]
RING
What prince art thou, that cometh so disguised ?
FRITHIOF
I am a nameless and a banished man,
Unless thy portals can embrace me, so,
Unknown, conditionless, I must go forth,
Once more to roam about the pathless sea.
RING
Preserve what mask thou wilt. Be welcome here.
[Motioning FRITHIOF to a seat, beside him. To the
Court.]
77
T HE N O R S E M A N
Now let the horn be blown, and I will make
My vow to Frey, this coming has delayed.
[A horn is blown, for silence, and a boards head, decked
with flowers, and holding a golden apple in its
month, is borne in, on a great silver dish, by four
PAGES. RING touches the forehead of the boar, and
raises his eyes, solemnly, to heaven}
That Viking bold, by whom, of late, the seas
Are ravaged, and our merchant-ships despoiled,
By Frey, Thor, and Almighty Odin, I
Do swear to conquer !
FRITHIOF
[Leaping up, and striking the board a ringing blow,
with his sword, that makes the startled COURTIERS
jump, in their places .]
Hear my vow, O King !
\_He touches the boar s head}
I swear to shield that Viking, with this blade,
From any foeman in the North arrayed.
For that he is my kinsman and my friend.
Frey, Thor, and Odin to this vow attend !
\_The frightened PAGES place the boar s head on the
table.}
RING [/ amazement.}
Thy words are bold ! But while thou art my guest,
Thou may st with perfect freedom speak thy mind !
78
THE NORSEMAN
[To INGEBORG.]
Fill, for this stranger, now, a horn of wine ;
We 11 drink to his long tarrying, in our midst.
[INGEBORG Jills the mead-horn which stands before her,
and carries it to FRITHIOF. As she offers it to him,
she spills a little of the wine, as if through awkward
ness, and looks him in the face, for the first time]
INGEBORG
Forgive me ! It was past my help I
FRITHIOF [Tenderly; in a low voice.]
I know /
[Aloud.]
I drink the health of this most gentle Queen !
\He empties the horn]
And to requite her hospitality,
So freely, to a doubtful stranger shown,
I humbly pray her to accept this ring,
In token of my deepest fealty.
[ffe takes the ring from his arm, and puts it upon
INGEBORG S.]
INGEBORG [Blushing with joy ; pressing the ring
to her arm.]
She doth receive and wear it, thankfully !
[FRITHIOF leads her, again, to her place.]
79
THE NORSEMAN
RING \_2o FRITHIOF, observing him intently^
Wilt thou not tell some tale of that far land,
From whence thou comest ? Or recount some deed
Of hero-valor, to thy forbears known,
For our diversion ?
FRITHIOF
Gladly, O King Ring !
I will relate the story of the gem
By wearing which, the Queen doth honor me.
[He seafs himself on the steps of the high-seat, at the
feet 0/"lNGEBORG.]
Back, through my mother s line, the ring is said
To trace its source unto the halting god, Valunder,
Who did forge and fashion it.
By plundering Sote, once, twas stolen away,
Who, in the olden times, did cruise the sea,
Widely, through all the North ; then vanished ;
And rumor whispered that, on Britain s coast,
He had interred, within a lofty tomb,
Himself, his ship, and treasure.
\The curtain falls on the moving tableau?^