ut I must
ride forth to seek him. [Calls out.] The gilded saddle on my horse!
And forget not the bridle with the serpents' heads! [Looks out to
the back.] Ha, there he is already at the gate! Well, then, my
staff--my silver-headed staff! Such a lordly knight--Heaven save
us!--we must receive him with honour, with all seemly honour!

[Goes hastily out to the back.

MARGIT. [Brooding]

Alone he departed, a penniless swain;
With esquires and henchmen now comes he again.
What would he? Comes he, forsooth, to see
My bitter and gnawing misery?
Would he try how long, in my lot accurst,
I can writhe and moan, ere my heart-strings burst--
Thinks he that--? Ah, let him only try!
Full little joy shall he reap thereby.
[She beckons through the doorway on the right. Three
handmaidens enter.

List, little maids, what I say to you:
Find me my silken mantle blue.
Go with me into my bower anon:
My richest of velvets and furs do on.
Two of you shall deck me in scarlet and vair,
The third shall wind pearl-strings into my hair.
All my jewels and gauds bear away with ye!
[The handmaids go out to the left, taking the ornaments
with them.

Since Margit the Hill-King's bride must be,
Well! don we the queenly livery!

[She goes out to the left.
[BENGT ushers in GUDMUND ALFSON, through the pent-house
passage at the back.

BENGT.

And now once more--welcome under Solhoug's roof, my wife's kinsman.

GUDMUND.

I thank you. And how goes it with her? She thrives well in
every way, I make no doubt?

BENGT.

Aye, you may be sure she does. There is nothing she lacks. She
has five handmaidens, no less, at her beck and call; a courser
stands ready saddled in the stall when she lists to ride abroad.
In one word, she has all that a noble lady can desire to make her
happy in her lot.

GUDMUND.

And Margit--is she then happy?

BENGT.

God and all men would think that she must be; but, strange
to say--

GUDMUND.

What mean you?

BENGT.

Well, believe it or not as you list, but it seems to me that
Margit was merrier of heart in the days of her poverty, than since
she became the lady of Solhoug.

GUDMUND.

[To himself.] I knew it; so it must be.

BENGT.

What say you, kinsman?

GUDMUND.

I say that I wonder greatly at what you tell me of your wife.

BENGT.

Aye, you may be sure I wonder at it too. On the f