University of Virginia Library

Scene I:

—A bay on the west coast of Thule open to the sea, but enclosed on the landward side by steep cliffs, which on the right are continued seaward, forming a headland. On the left is a cave dimly lit, the lamp being invisible. It is midnight: the full moon shines on the swelling sea; and heavy waves break on the shore. Moored to a low, ruined pier is a large fishing-smack with sail set. Heymar, Thrym, Rolf and others are drenching the smack with paraffin, and rolling tar-barrels into the hold. When they have finished and made fast the helm, they enter the cave and shortly reappear with Sweyn, an old man, whom four of them carry on a bier to the smack. Heymar, Thrym, Rolf, Sweyn and some of the others wear winged helmets and rusty coats of chain mail. All have belts with swords old or new. Heymar, carrying a torch, sings as they go down to the smack. All join in the chorus.
SONG

Sweyn is laid on the deck of the smack with his head and shoulders resting against the mast.
Heymar.
Farewell, great brother, worthiest to be
The pioneer of heroes.

Sweyn.
Though Time devours
The past, my name will stand while names are known
At all.

Heymar.
Your will is steadfast and your mind
At peace?

Sweyn.
Right glad at heart am I: my body's
Strength is sorely shaken, but my sinewy soul,
Pinioned with growing might, will need no help
Of Woden's warrior maids to scale high Heaven.
Before the morning, mates, old Sweyn will reach
Valhalla and the shining grove, the first
Of mortals for a thousand years to cross
The rainbow. I can hear celestial silence,
Alive with beating hearts of gods and heroes,
Burst like a sea let loose, and such a music
Hover among the rafters, as the deep thunder,
Pealing in cloudy caverns overhead,
Hushes the world with.

Heymar.
Thor will welcome you.

Sweyn.
Woden himself from the high gate of Heaven
Will stoop to greet my soul.—Remember, all:
I wait for you in Asgard with the gods
And the old heroes of our race. Farewell.

Heymar throws the lighted torch int the hold; the smack is thrust off; the wind fills the sail, and Sweyn is borne out to sea.

SONG

Ribolt enters from the cave.
Heymar.
Late, Ribolt: why so late?

Ribolt.
I bring great tidings.—
Has Sweyn set sail?

Heymar.
Out there.

Ribolt.
No shroud of fire?
His courage failed him at the last?

Heymar.
Not so!
Behold the smoke of him!

Ribolt.
I'll shout the news:—
Baldur is come again!—Answer me, Sweyn:—
Baldur is come again!

Heymar.
He cannot hear:
The harping wind, the waves, the sooty cloud
Obscure your cry.—And now the gilded flames
Dance in his sight, loll out their tongues and babble
Of death like fiery-hearted madmen!

Ribolt.
Hush!
Together shout:—Baldur is come again!

All.
Baldur is come again! Baldur has come!

A Voice from the Sea.
Delight shall blossom now, and beauty reign:
Baldur, the sinless one, is come again.

Heymar.
What phantom voice is that? Who juggles here?

Ribolt.
No juggler, Heymar; 'twas the Ægir spake.
The world begins anew: Baldur has come.

Heymar.
The moon lifts up the smoke and chastens it
To silver in the mid region.

Thrym.
What news is this
Of Baldur?

Ribolt.
The King's son, Christian—

Heymar.
Him they call
Prince Mammon?

Ribolt.
Prince Mammon:—he is Baldur.

Rolf.
How can that be?

Ribolt.
Baldur must come again.

Rolf.
He must.

Ribolt.
He must come now.

Heymar.
Because we need him?

Ribolt.
Because the time has come.—Sweyn's voyage! Look!
A sable pall beneath purfled with fire;
Above, the horses and the silver arms!
Tramp, tramp to Asgard, choosers of the slain!

Heymar.
The headland hides death's bonfire; and even now
The soul we loved achieves Valhalla's porch.

Ribolt.
Skall to the spirits of the mighty dead!

All.
Skall to the man we loved!

Heymar.
Figure the sky!
The snowy fleece whereon the moon reclines
Is ruddy as a furnace grate below!

Thrym.
'Tis like a double rose of diverse hues—
A white rose and a red hanging from Heaven.

Heymar.
The body and the spirit of all roses.—

Rolf.
But Baldur, Ribolt?

Ribolt.
Presently. We first
Must have a leader.

Rolf.
Ay, a leader!

Thrym.
Sweyn
Appointed Heymar; he named him.

Heymar.
I take command,
Of Sweyn's supremacy and power the chosen
Successor and depositary.

Thrym and Others.
Heymar!

Ribolt.
I, Ribolt, claim the headship.

Heymar.
And found your claim
On jealous rage and morbid vanity.
If you refuse allegiance I strike you down.

Ribolt.
Fight for it, then. I am the better man.
Lend me a sword.

Rolf gives Ribolt his sword.
Ribolt.
Now, Heymar, guard yourself.

Heymar.
This will determine strength and swordsmanship,
But not the better man.

Ribolt.
Will't not? I say
It will. Impulsively you set your power
Upon it, now when you threatened me. Command
Is not in craft and skill alone, but force
Of armies or of arms in every sphere
Is still the arbiter; and will be.—Come!

Heymar.
That I dispute—

Ribolt.
Dispute it, then, with steel!

Thrym.
Fight, Heymar, fight! You're not afraid of Ribolt?

Heymar.
Were I afraid, I should confess it. Mark:
Howe'er this combat ends I hold it wrong
To sift out men by brutal means.

Ribolt.
And I!
Foul wrong—in Christendom; but we conspire
To make wrong right again: the ancient wrong
That lost its title only: beauty and strength
In every age have loved the wrong we seek,
The virtue of our fathers. Discuss no more:
We waste the moonlight.

[Attacks Heymar.
Heymar
[defending himself].
I fight, protesting still.

Ribolt.
To fight is to protest to the uttermost.

Heymar is wounded.
Rolf.
First blood! Enough: Ribolt is leader now

Heymar.
This wound is nothing.

Thrym
[attending to Heymar].
But your arm hangs powerless.

Heymar.
Well, I am beaten then. By Uller's bow,
Your sword seems sticking in my heart!

Ribolt.
But I,
Had I been beaten, would have flung my heart
Upon your weapon: no leader born survives
Defeat.

Thrym.
Oh, many a beaten leader lives
To fight again.

Ribolt.
Against opposing captains;
Not in a contest for the leadership.

Heymar.
I'll not dispute in words what blows have settled.—
What's this of Baldur, Ribolt?

Thrym.
You cannot stand:
You must lie down.

Ribolt.
Carry him to the cave.
Thrym, you shall stay by him. The rest of us
Without a pause to Christianstadt to-night,
Where Baldur lies a captive! As we go,
I shall reveal the purpose of the gods.

Heymar is supported into the cave and all enter it.