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.