ith forced coldness). If that be so--then know--I _have_
loved thee; it is past now;--I have forgot those days.

HIORDIS. Sigurd, in that thou liest! So much at least am I worth,
that if thou hast loved me once, thou canst never forget it.

SIGURD (vehemently). I must; and now I will.

HIORDIS. So be it; but thou _canst_ not. Thou wilt seek to hinder
me, but in vain; ere evening falls, Gunnar and Dagny shall know all.

SIGURD. Ha, that wilt thou never do!

HIORDIS. That will I do!

SIGURD. Then must I know thee ill; high-souled have I ever deemed
thee.

HIORDIS. Evil days breed evil thoughts; too great has been thy
trust in me. I will, I must, go forth by thy side--forth to face
life and strife; Gunnar's roof-tree is too low for me.

SIGURD (with emphasis). But honour between man and man hast thou
highly prized. There lack not grounds for strife between me and
Gunnar; say, now, that he fell by my hand, wouldst thou still make
all known and follow me?

HIORDIS (starting). Wherefore askest thou?

SIGURD. Answer me first: what wouldst thou do, were I to thy husband
his bane.

HIORDIS (looks hard at him). Then must I keep silence and never rest
until I had seen thee slain.

SIGURD (with a smile). It is well, Hiordis--I knew it.

HIORDIS (hastily). But it can never come to pass!

SIGURD. It must come to pass; thou thyself hast cast the die for
Gunnar's life and mine.

(GUNNAR, with some House-carls, enters from the back.)

GUNNAR (gloomily, to HIORDIS). See now; the seed thou hast sown is
shooting bravely!

SIGURD (approaching). What is amiss with thee?

GUNNAR. Sigurd, is it thou? What is amiss? Nought but what I might
well have foreseen. As soon as Dagny, thy wife, had brought tidings
of Kare the Peasant, I took horse and rode to my neighbours to crave
help against him.

HIORDIS (eagerly). Well?

GUNNAR. I was answered awry where'er I came: my dealings with Kare
had been little to my honour, it was said;--hm, other things were said
to boot, that I will not utter.--I am spurned at by all; I am thought
to have done a dastard deed; men hold it a shame to make common cause
with me.

SIGURD. It shall not long be held a shame; ere evening comes, thou
shalt have men enough to face Kare.

GUNNAR. Sigurd!

HIORDIS (in a low voice, triumphantly). Ha, I knew it well!

SIGURD (with forced resolution). But then is there an end to the
peace between us; fo