Canzler— When our fathers died
Unarmed, defenceless, butchered, Hartzel.
Ah, that day hides her face among the years
But cannot hide her hand. Val-father has— (Closing his fingers.)
Her wrist in his grasp and holds that hand aloft
To drip and rouse the North, and it shall drip
Till Ragnarok shall swallow it up at last
And vomit it out to bleed forevermore.
Four thousand and five hundred in one day!
Till set of sun, all day the axes swang,
And when night fell the Aller's waters slipped
Thick through the headless bodies in her bed.
Oh, for once more a day like Dachtelfeld! (He turns away.)
Rudolph—Val-father's spear shall flash again, Canzler.
There shall a horn wind that shall rouse the tribes
And strew those bones again.
Fritz— Let's wind it now.
Hartzel (To Canzler.)—Do you think we should leave here?
Rudolph— Yes.
Fritz— No.
Max— No.
Our Wittikind shall come and—
Canzler— They shall hear
The North's great hammer ringing round the world.
Max, you tell Conrad that we meet to-night.
Have Herman come. (Max goes out left.)
And, Rudolph, you go down—
Hartzel— (Touching, him with his staff.)
Canzler, you said just now the point was not
What they have done.
Canzler— Nor is it.