handful of hair!"

SIGURD. There is a strange might in all thy speech. (Approaches her.)

HIORDIS (looks coldly at him). Wouldst sit beside me?

SIGURD. Thou deemest my heart is bitter towards thee. Hiordis, this
is the last time we shall have speech together; there is something
that gnaws me like a sore sickness, and thus I cannot part from thee;
thou must know me better.

HIORDIS. What wouldst thou?

SIGURD. Tell thee a saga.

HIORDIS. Is it sad?

SIGURD. Sad, as life itself.

HIORDIS (bitterly). What knowest thou of the sadness of life?

SIGURD. Judge when my saga is over.

HIORDIS. Then tell it me; I shall work the while.

(He sits on a low stool to her right.)

SIGURD. Once upon a time there were two young vikings, who set
forth from Norway to win wealth and honour; they had sworn each other
friendship; and held truly together, how far soever thy might fare.

HIORDIS. And the two young vikings hight Sigurd and Gunnar?

SIGURD. Ay, we may call them so. At last they came to Iceland; and
there dwelt an old chieftain, who had come forth from Norway in King
Harald's days. He had two fair women in his house; but one, his
foster-daughter, was the noblest, for she was wise and strong of
soul; and the vikings spoke of her between themselves, and never
had they seen a fairer woman, so deemed they both.

HIORDIS (in suspense). Both? Wilt thou mock me?

SIGURD. Gunnar thought of her night and day, and that did Sigurd no
less; but both held their peace, and no man could say from her bearing
whether Gunnar found favour in her eyes; but that Sigurd misliked her,
that was easy to discern.

HIORDIS (breathlessly). Go on, go on----!

SIGURD. Yet ever the more must Sigurd dream of her; but of that wist
no man. Now it befell one evening that there was a drinking-feast;
and then swore that proud woman that no man should possess her save
he who wrought a mighty deed, which she named. High beat Sigurd's
heart for joy; for he felt within him the strength to do that deed;
but Gunnar took him apart and told him of his love;--Sigurd said
naught of his, but went to the----

HIORDIS (vehemently). Sigurd, Sigurd! (Controlling herself.) And
this saga--is it true?

SIGURD. True it is. One of us had to yield; Gunnar was my friend;
I could do aught else. So thou becamest Gunnar's wife, and I wedded
another woman.

HIORDIS. And came to love her!

SIGURD. I learned to prize he