THE SECOND. Whom it woundeth
It shall slay.
ALL THREE. Whom it woundeth
It shall slay.
[ROTA takes the spear. The VALKYRIER and the cavern disappear. The scene appears the same as in the first of this act. The tempest still continues to rage.
HOTHER. Evanished! sunken! sorcery surroundeth
My every step, and ties the arm of Hother.
Fool that I am! the moon will soon break over
Gevar’s high rocks; and I, by Hothbrod’s ashes,
Like one who fearfully will prolong existence,
I’m paying heed to phantoms. Vanfred! Vanfred!
Fiend, who didst vow me friendship I detested!
Say, where is now the spear which kills for certain?
LOKE. Thou saw’st it.
HOTHER. Ha! I saw! I saw! Where is it?
LOKE. Do I not know that Odin’s maids prepar’d it
Only for thee, that fate will only suffer
Thine arm in Balder’s heart to thrust it?
HOTHER. Lately
Thou saidst, think’st thou they wish the death of Balder?
But now against him they the weapon harden;
Now Valhall’s maidens hate the noble half-god.
Hence with thy contradictions, false deceiver!
LOKE. I have already said that I seduced them;
My subtlety, not they, the spear has harden’d.
HOTHER. Good now! thy subtlety! how nobly Hother
Passes the night! Proceed with thy narration.