gurd, my brother,--now art
thou mine at last!

SIGURD. Now less than ever. Here our ways part; for I am a
Christian man.

HIORDIS (appalled). Thou----! Ha, no, no!

SIGURD. The White God is mine; King AEthelstan taught me to know
him; it is to him I go.

HIORDIS (in despair). And I----! (Drops her bow.) Woe! woe!

SIGURD. Heavy has my life been from the hour I tore thee out of my
own heart and gave thee to Gunnar. Thanks, Hiordis;--now am I so light
and free.

(Dies.)

HIORDIS (quietly). Dead! Then truly have I brought my soul to wreck!
(The storm increases; she breaks forth wildly.) They come! I have
bewitched them hither! No, no! I will not go with you! I will not ride
without Sigurd! It avails not--they see me; they laugh and beckon to
me; they spur their horses! (Rushes out to the edge of the cliff at
the back.) They are upon me;--and no shelter no hiding- place! Ay,
mayhap at the bottom of the sea!

(She casts herself over.)
(ORNULF, DAGNY, GUNNAR, with EGIL, followed by SIGURD'S and
ORNULF'S men, gradually enter from the right.)

ORNULF (turning towards the grave-mound). Now may ye sleep in peace;
for ye lie not unavenged.

DAGNY (entering). Father, father--I die of fear--all that bloody
strife--and the storm;--hark, hark!

GUNNAR (carrying EGIL). Peace, and shelter for my child!

ORNULF. Gunnar!

GUNNAR. Ay, Ornulf, my homestead is burnt and my men are slain; I
am in thy power; do with me what thou wilt!

ORNULF. That Sigurd must look to. But in, under roof! It is not
safe out here.

DAGNY. Ay, in, in! (Goes towards the boat-house, catches sight of
SIGURD'S body, and shrieks.) Sigurd, my husband!--They have slain him!
(Throwing herself upon him.)

ORNULF (rushes up). Sigurd!

GUNNAR (sets EGIL down). Sigurd dead!

DAGNY (looks despairingly at the men, who surround the body). No,
no, it is not so;--he must be alive! (Catches sight of the bow.) Ha,
what is that? (Rises.)

ORNULF. Daughter, it is as first thou saidst--Sigurd is slain.

GUNNAR (as if seized by a sudden thought). And Hiordis!--Has Hiordis
been here?

DAGNY (softly and with self-control). I know not; but this I know,
that her bow has been here.

GUNNAR. Ay, I thought as much!

DAGNY. Hush, hush! (To herself.) So bitterly did she hate him!

GUNNAR (aside). She has slain him--the night before the combat; then
she loved me after all.

(A thrill of dread