Then said he: "Hiordis is dearer
to me than all women; without her I cannot live." I answered him:
"Then go to her bower; thou knowest the vow she hath sworn." But he
said: "Life is dear to him that loves; if I should assail the bear,
the end were doubtful, and I am loath to lose my life, for then should
I lose Hiordis too." Long did we talk, and the end was that Gunnar
made ready his ship, while I drew my sword, donned Gunnar's harness,
and went to the bower.
DAGNY (with pride and joy). And thou--thou didst slay the bear!
SIGURD. I slew him. In the bower it was dark as under a raven's
wing; Hiordis deemed it was Gunnar that sat by her--she was heated
with the mead--she drew a ring from her arm and gave it to me--it
is that thou wearest now.
DAGNY (hesitating). And thou didst pass the night with Hiordis in
her bower?
SIGURD. My sword lay drawn between us. (A short pause.) Ere the
dawn, I bore Hiordis to Gunnar's ship; she dreamed not or our wiles,
and he sailed away with her. Then went I to thy sleeping-place and
found thee there among thy women;--what followed, thou knowest; I
sailed from Iceland with a fair maid, as I had sworn, and from that
day hast thou stood faithfully at my side whithersoever I might wander.
DAGNY (much moved). My brave husband! And that great deed was
thine!--Oh, I should have known it; none but thou would have dared!
Hiordis, that proud and stately woman, couldst thou have won, yet
didst choose me! Now wouldst thou be tenfold dearer to me, wert
thou not already dearer than all the world.
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