r; but one woman only has Sigurd
loved, and that is she who frowned upon him from the first day they
met. Here ends my saga; and now let us part.--Farewell, Gunnar's
wife; never shall we meet again.

HIORDIS (springing up). Stay, stay! Woe to us both; Sigurd, what
hast thou done?

SIGURD (starting). I, done? What ails thee?

HIORDIS. And all this dost thou tell me now! But no--it cannot
be true!

SIGURD. These are my last words to thee, and every word is true.
I would not thou shouldst think hardly of me, therefore I needs
must speak.

HIORDIS (involuntarily clasps her hands together and gazes at him
in voiceless astonishment). Loved--loved me--thou! (Vehemently,
coming close up to him.) I will not believe thee! (Looks hard at
him.) Yes, it is true, and--baleful for us both!

(Hides her face in her hands, and turns away from him.)

SIGURD (terror-stricken). Hiordis!

HIORDIS (softly, struggling with tears and laughter). Nay, heed
me not! This was all I meant, that---- (Lays her hand on his arm.)
Sigurd, thou hast not told thy saga to the end; that proud woman
thou didst tell of--she returned thy love!

SIGURD (starts backwards). Thou?

HIORDIS (with composure). Yes, Sigurd, I have loved thee, at last
I understand it. Thou sayest I was ungentle and short of speech
towards thee; what wouldst thou have a woman do? I could not offer
thee my love, for then had I been little worthy of thee. I deemed
thee ever the noblest man of men; and then to know thee another's
husband--'twas that caused me the bitter pain, that myself I could
not understand!

SIGURD (much moved). A baleful web has the Norn woven around us
twain.

HIORDIS. The blame is thine own; bravely and firmly it becomes a
man to act. When I set that hard proof for him who should win me,
my thought was of thee;--yet could'st thou----!

SIGURD. I knew Gunnar's soul-sickness; I alone could heal it;--was
there aught for me to choose? And yet, had I known what I now know, I
scarce dare answer for myself; for great is the might of love.

HIORDIS (with animation). But now, Sigurd!--A baleful hap has held
us apart all these years; now the knot is loosed; the days to come
shall make good the past to us.

SIGURD (shaking his head). It cannot be; we must part again.

HIORDIS. Nay, we must not. I love thee, that may I now say unashamed;
for my love is no mere dalliance, like a weak woman's; were I a man--
by all the Mighty