Part 19 (1/2)
”Yea, I will speak out all my mind before I seal it up for ever See, Eric, this is my state and thou hast set this crown of sorrow on o weeping o'er the sea! I am not all so ill at heart It was love of thee that drove ht otherwise have liftedthee as thou seest, this day I wed a dotard, and go his chattel and his bride across the sea, and leave thee singing on the fell, and by thy side her who is reater shalt thou do; yet but as echoes they shall reach my ears Thou wilt be to me as one dead, for it is Gudruda's to bind the byrnie on thy breast when thou goest forth to war, and hers to loose the winged helm fro”
Noanhild ceased, and choked with grief; then spoke again:
”So now farewell; doubtless I weary thee, and--Gudruda waits Nay, look not on ht else is she sure! While I live, Eric, ht of thee shall coht by night thy memory shall pass as at eve he passes froain in dreams For, Eric, 'tis thee I wed to-day--at heart I am thy bride, thine and thine only; and when shalt thou find a ho holds thee so dear as that Swanhild whom once thou knewest? So now farewell!
Yes, this time thou shalt kiss away my tears; then let them stream for ever Thus, Eric! and thus! and thus! do I take farewell of thee”
And now she clung about his neck, gazing on hie and dim, and he must kiss her if only for her love and tender beauty's sake And so he kissed, and it chanced that as they clung thus, Gudruda, passing by this path to give her betrothed greeting, came upon the her hands to her head, fled back swiftly to the stead, and waited there, great anger burning in her heart; for Gudruda had this fault, that she was very jealous
Now Eric and Swanhild did not see her, and presently they parted, and Swanhild wiped her eyes and glided thence
As she drew near the stead she found Gudruda watching
”Where hast thou been, Swanhild?” she said
”To bid farewell to Brighteyes, Gudruda”
”Then thou art foolish, for doubtless he thrust thee from him”
”Nay, Gudruda, he drew oand fair, and hitherto thou hast overcome me But I am also fair, and, if I find space to strike in, I also have a show of strength Pray thou that I find not space, Gudruda Now is Eric thine Perchance one day he may be mine It lies in the lap of the Norns”
”Fair words from Atli's bride,” mocked Gudruda
”Ay, Atli's bride, but never Atli's love!” said Swanhild, and swept on
A while after Eric rode up He was shamefaced and vexed at heart, because he had yielded thus to Swanhild's beauty, and been melted by her tender words and kissed her Then he saw Gudruda, and at the sight of her all thought of Swanhild passed from him, for he loved Gudruda and her alone He leapt down froht, she stood with dark flashi+ng eyes and fair face set in anger
Still, he would have greeted her loverwise; but she lifted her hand and waved him back, and fear took hold of hi
”What now, Eric?” she answered, faltering not ”Hast seen Swanhild?”
”Yea, I have seen Swanhild She came to bid farewell to me What of it?”
”What of it? Why '_thus! and thus! and thus!_' didst thou bid farewell to Atli's bride Ay, 'thus and thus,' with clinging lips and twined arms Warm and soft was thy farewell kiss to her ould have slain h how thou sawest I know not Think no ill of it, and scourge rief and the music of her talk”
”It is shame to thee so to speak of her whorief and the music of the talk of her ould have murdered me thou wast melted into kisses, Eric!--for I saith these eyes Knowest thou what I am minded to say to thee? It is this: 'Go hence and see me no more;' for I have little wish to cleave to such a feather-man, to one so blown about by the first breath of wo”
”Yet, methinks, Gudruda, I have withstood some such winds I tell thee that, hadst thou been in my place, thyself hadst yielded to Swanhild and kissed her in farewell, for she was more than woman in that hour”