O Halfred," she wailed, in a low tone of heart-rending anguish, "O
Halfred--how distracted thy looks--how fearfully tangled hair and
beard! Ah! how thine eye rolls--and half naked--like a Berseker, in
shaggy wolf's skin. And how stained thou art with the blood of
guiltless men. And why threatenest thou the fair-haired shepherd the
light-hearted boy? Beware--beware the sling--guard thyself--turn thy
head--the swing whistles--the stone flies--O Halfred--thine eye." And
bending far forward she stretched, as though she would protect, both
arms into the air. Now she must fall--so it seemed.

"Fall not, Thora!" cried Halfred upwards.

Then, as though lightning struck, swift as an arrow, with a wild
shriek, she fell downwards from the giddy height of the mast.

The white forehead struck upon the deck, her head and golden hair were
bathed in blood.

"Thora! Thora!" cried Halfred, and raised her up, and looked into
her eyes. Then he fell senseless with her upon his face among the
flowers--for she was dead.

CHAPTER XV.

When Halfred raised himself again--he had already long since recovered
consciousness, but not the power to rise--the sun was fast going down.

He called the six seamen, who had held themselves shyly aloof in the
stern and lower deck, and spoke, but his voice, he himself told me,
sounded strange to him like that of another person.

"She is dead. Slain for the sins of others.

"There are no Gods.

"Were there Gods I must have dashed out the brains of all of them, one
by one, with this hammer.

"The whole world, heaven and sea, and hell, I must have burned with
consuming fire.

"Nothing should any longer be, since Thora no longer is.

"The world can I not destroy.

"But the ships, and all that is upon it, I will burn--a great funereal
pile for Thora.

"Do as I say to ye."

And he embedded with gentle hands, the dead Thora in the flower mound,
so that almost nothing of her form and clothing were to be seen.

And by his orders the six men were obliged to bring upon deck all the
weapons, treasures, clothing, and provisions, which were stored in the
hold of the Singing Swan.

And Halfred heaped them around the mast upon the flower mound, and
purple clothing, linen cloth, silken stuff, golden vessels, and soft
cushions, he piled up all round about.

Then he poured ship's tar over all, and covered it with withered
brushwood, and dry chips from the kitchen.