King Lear's Wife; The Crier by Night; The Riding to Lithend; Midsummer-Eve Part 15

GUNNAR HAMUNDSSON.

HALLGERD LONGCOAT, his wife.

RANNVEIG, his mother.

ODDNY, ASTRID, and STEINVOR, Hallgerd's house-women.

ORMILD, a woman thrall.

BIARTEY, JOFRID, and GUDFINN, beggar-women.

GIZUR THE WHITE, MORD VALGARDSSON, THORGRIM THE EASTERLING, THORBRAND THORLEIKSSON and ASBRAND his brother, AUNUND, THORGEIR and HROALD, riders.

Many other Riders and voices of Riders

In Iceland, A.D. 990.

THE RIDING TO LITHEND

_The scene is the hall of Gunnar's house at Lithend in South Iceland.

The portion shewn is set on the stage diagonally, so that to the right one end is seen while, from the rear corner of this, one side runs down almost to the left front._

_The side wall is low and wainscotted with carved panelling on which hang weapons, s.h.i.+elds, and coats of mail. In one place a panel slid aside shews a shut bed._

_In front of the panelling are two long benches with a carved high-seat between them. Across the end of the hall are similar panellings and the seats, with corresponding tables, of the women's das; behind these and in the gable wall is a high narrow door with a rounded top._

_A timber roof slopes down to the side wall and is upheld by cross-beams and two rows of tall pillars which make a rather narrow nave of the centre of the hall. One of these rows runs parallel to the side wall, the pair of pillars before the high-seat being carved and ended with images; of the other row only two pillars are visible at the extreme right._

_Within this nave is the s.p.a.ce for the hearths; but the only hearth visible is the one near the women's das. In the roof above it there is a louvre: the fire glows and no smoke rises. The hall is lit everywhere by the firelight._

_The rafters over the women's das carry a floor at the level of the side walls, forming an open loft which is reached by a wide ladder fixed against the wall: a bed is seen in this loft. Low in the roof at intervals are shuttered cas.e.m.e.nts, one being above the loft: all the shutters are closed._

_Near the fire a large s.h.a.ggy hound is sleeping; and ORMILD, in the undyed woollen dress of a thrall, is combing wool._

_ODDNY stands spinning at the far side; near her ASTRID and STEINVOR sit st.i.tching a robe which hangs between them._

ASTRID.

NIGHT is a Winter long: and evening falls.

Night, night and Winter and the heavy snow Burden our eyes, intrude upon our dreams, And make of loneliness an earthly place.

ORMILD.

This bragging land of freedom that enthralls me Is still the fastness of a secret king Who treads the dark like snow, of old king Sleep.

He works with night, he has stolen death's tool frost That makes the breaking wave forget to fall.

ASTRID.

Best mind thy comb-pot and forget our king Before the Longcoat helps at thy awaking....

I like not this forsaken quiet house.

The house-men out at harvest in the Isles Never return. Perhaps they went but now, Yet I am sore with fearing and expecting Because they do not come. They will not come.

I like not this forsaken quiet house, This late last harvest, and night creeping in.

ODDNY.

I like not dwelling in an outlaw's house.

Snow shall be heavier upon some eyes Than you can tell of--ay, and unseen earth Shall keep that snow from filling those poor eyes.

This void house is more void by brooding things That do not happen than by absent men.

Sometimes when I awaken in the night My throbbing ears are mocking me with rumours Of crackling beams, beams falling, and loud flames.

ASTRID, _pointing to the weapons by the high-seat._ The bill that Gunnar won in a far sea-fight Sings inwardly when battle impends; as a harp Replies to the wind thus answers it to fierceness, So tense its nature is and the spell of its welding; Then trust ye well that while the bill is silent No danger thickens, for Gunnar dies not singly.

STEINVOR.

But women are let forth free when men go burning?

ODDNY.

Fire is a hurrying thing, and fire by night Can see its way better than men see theirs.

ASTRID.

The land will not be n.o.bler or more holpen If Gunnar burns and we go forth unsinged.

Why will he break the atonement that was set?

That wise old Njal who has the second sight Foretold his death if he should slay twice over In the same kin or break the atonement set: Yet has he done these things and will not care.

Kolskegg, who kept his back in famous fights, Sailed long ago and far away from us Because that doom is on him for the slayings; Yet Gunnar bides although that doom is on him And he is outlawed by defiance of doom.

STEINVOR.

Gunnar has seen his death: he is spoken for.

He would not sail because, when he rode down Unto the s.h.i.+p, his horse stumbled and threw him, His face toward the Lithe and his own fields.

Olaf the Peac.o.c.k bade him be with him In his new mighty house so carven and bright, And leave this house to Rannveig and his sons: He said that would be well, yet never goes.

Is he not thinking death would ride with him?

Did not Njal offer to send his sons, Skarphedin ugly and brave and Hauskuld with him, To hold this house with Gunnar, who refused them Saying he would not lead young men to death?

I tell you Gunnar is done.... His fetch is out.

ODDNY.

Nay, he's been topmost in so many fights That he believes he shall fight on untouched.

STEINVOR.

He rides to motes and Things before his foes.

He has sent his sons harvesting in the Isles.

He takes deliberate heed of death--to meet it, Like those whom Odin needs. He is fey, I tell you-- And if we are past the foolish ardour of girls For heroisms and profitless loftiness We shall get gone when bedtime clears the house.

'Tis much to have to be a hero's wife, And I shall wonder if Hallgerd cares about it: Yet she may kindle to it ere my heart quickens.

I tell you, women, we have no duty here: Let us get gone to-night while there is time, And find new harbouring ere the laggard dawn, For death is making narrowing pa.s.sages About this hushed and terrifying house.

_RANNVEIG, an old wimpled woman, enters as if from a door at the unseen end of the hall._

ASTRID.

He is so great and manly, our master Gunnar, There are not many ready to meet his weapons: And so there may not be much need of weapons.

He is so n.o.ble and clear, so swift and tender, So much of Iceland's fame in foreign places, That too many love him, too many honour him To let him die, lest the most gleaming glory Of our grey country should be there put out.

RANNVEIG.

My son has enemies, girl, enemies, Who will not lose the joy of hurting him.

This little land is no more than a lair That holds too many fiercenesses too straitly, And no man will refuse the rapture of killing When outlawry has made it cheap and righteous.

So long as any one perceives he knows A bare place for a weapon on my son His hand shall twitch to fit a weapon in.

Indeed he shall lose nothing but his life Because a woman is made so evil fair, Wasteful and white and proud in harmful acts.

I lose two sons when Gunnar's eyes are still, For then will Kolskegg never more turn home....

If Gunnar would but sail three years would pa.s.s; Only three years of banishment said the doom-- So few, so few, for I can last ten years With this unshrunken body and steady heart.