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!