of after
this day. Know then, Ornulf, that if atonement is to be made for the
carrying away of thy foster-daughter, thou, too, must atone for the
slaying of Jokul my father, and the seizure of his goods and gear.

ORNULF. Jokul was slain in fair fight;[1] thy kinsmen did me a
worse wrong when they sent thee to Iceland and entrapped me into
adopting[2] thee, unwitting who thou wast.

[1] "I aerling holmgang." The established form of duel in the
viking times was to land the combatants on one of the rocky islets
or "holms" that stud the Norwegian coast, and there let them fight
it out. Hence "holmgang"=duel.
[2] "At knaessette"=to knee-set a child, to take it on one's knee,
an irrevocable form of adoption.

HIORDIS. Honour, and now wrong, befell thee in adopting
Jokul's daughter.

ORNULF. Nought but strife hast thou brought me, that I know.

HIORDIS. Sterner strife may be at hand, if----

ORNULF. I came not hither to bandy words with women!--Gunnar, hear
my last word: art willing to make atonement?

HIORDIS (to GUNNAR). Think of thy vow!

GUNNAR (to ORNULF). Thou hearest, I have sworn a vow, and that
must I----

ORNULF (irritated). Enough, enough! Never shall it be said that I
made atonement for slaying in fair fight.

HIORDIS (forcibly). Then we bid defiance to thee and thine.

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!

GUNNAR (vehemently). Ornulf!

HIORDIS (in a wild outburst). Flouted and shamed! (In a quivering
voice.) This--this shalt thou come to rue!

ORNULF (continuing). A woman wedded by force is lawfully no more
than a leman! Wilt thou regain thine honour, then must thou----

HIORDIS (controlling herself). Nay, Ornulf, I know better what is
fitting. 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, O