(He goes to the left, followed by the hound.  In the meantime HALLGERD has seated herself in the high-seat near the sewing women, turning herself away and tugging at a strand of her hair, the end of which she bites.)

      RANNVEIG (intercepting him)
  Nay, let me take him. 
  It is not safe—­there may be men who hide.... 
  Hallgerd, look up; call Gunnar to you there: 

  (HALLGERD is motionless.)
  Lad, she beckons.  I say you shall not come.

      GUNNAR (laughing)
  Fierce woman, teach me to be brave in age,
  And let us see if it is safe for you.

  (Leads RANNVEIG out, his hand on her shoulder; the hound goes
  with them.)

                        STEINVOR
  Mistress, my heart is big with mutinies
  For your proud sake:  does not your heart mount up? 
  He is an outlaw now and could not hold you
  If you should choose to leave him.  Is it not law? 
  Is it not law that you could loose this marriage—­
  Nay, that he loosed it shamefully years ago
  By a hard blow that bruised your innocent cheek,
  Dishonouring you to lesser women and chiefs? 
  See, it burns up again at the stroke of thought. 
  Come, leave him, mistress; we will go with you. 
  There is no woman in the country now
  Whose name can kindle men as yours can do—­
  Ay, many would pile for you the silks he grudges;
  And if you did withdraw your potent presence
  Fire would not spare this house so reverently.

                        HALLGERD
  Am I a wandering flame that sears and passes? 
  We must bide here, good Steinvor, and be quiet. 
  Without a man a woman cannot rule,
  Nor kill without a knife; and where’s the man
  That I shall put before this goodly Gunnar? 
  I will not be made less by a less man. 
  There is no man so great as my man Gunnar: 
  I have set men at him to show forth his might;
  I have planned thefts and breakings of his word
  When my pent heart grew sore with fermentation
  Of malice too long undone, yet could not stir him. 
  Oh, I will make a battle of the Thing,
  Where men vow holy peace, to magnify him. 
  Is it not rare to sit and wait o’ nights,
  Knowing that murderousness may even now
  Be coming down outside like second darkness
  Because my man is greater?

      STEINVOR (shuddering)
  Is it not rare.

                        HALLGERD
  That blow upon the face
  So long ago is best not spoken of. 
  I drave a thrall to steal and burn at Otkell’s
  Who would not sell to us in famine time
  But denied Gunnar as if he were suppliant: 
  Then at our feast when men rode from the Thing
  I spread the stolen food and Gunnar knew. 
  He smote me upon the face—­indeed he smote me. 
  Oh, Gunnar smote me and had shame of me