Hertha, Aslaug.

HERTHA

See what a keen and fatal glint it has,
Aslaug.

ASLAUG

Hast thou been haunted by a look,
O Hertha, has a touch bewildered thee,
Compelling memory ?

HERTHA

Then the gods too work.

ASLAUG

A marble statue gloriously designed

Without that breath our cunning maker gives,

One feels it pain to break. This statue breathes!

Out of these eyes there looks an intellect

That claims us all; this marble holds a heart,

The heart holds love. To break it all, to lay

This glory of God's making in the dust!

Why do these thoughts besiege me ? Have I then

No, it is nothing; it is pity works,

It is an admiration physical.

O he is far too great, too beautiful

For a dagger's penetration. It would turn,

The point would turn; it would deny itself

To such a murder.

Page – 503

HERTHA

Aslaug, it is love.

ASLAUG (angrily)

What saidst thou?

HERTHA

When he lays a lingering hand
Upon thy tresses, — Aslaug, for he loves, —
Canst thou then strike ?

ASLAUG

What shakes me? Have I learned
To pity, to tremble ? That were new indeed
In Olaf's race. Give me self-knowledge, gods.
What are these unaccustomed moods you send
Into my bosom? They are foreign here.

                                       Eric enters and regards them. Hertha,
                                                 seeing him, rises to depart.

ERIC

Thou art the other dancing-woman come
From Sweden to King Eric!

HERTHA

He has eyes
That look into the soul. What mean his words ?
But they are common. Let me leave you, Aslaug.

                               She goes out.

ASLAUG

I would have freedom here from thy pursuit.

ERIC

Why shouldst thou anywhere be free from me ?
I am full of wrath against thee and myself.
Come near me.

Page – 504

ASLAUG (to herself)

It is too strange — I am afraid!
Of what? Of what? Am I not Aslaug still?

ERIC

Art thou a sorceress or conspirator ?
But thou art both to seize my throne and heart.
And I will deal with thee, thou dreadful charm,
As with my enemy.

ASLAUG

Let him never touch!

ERIC

I give thee grace no longer; bear thy doom.

ASLAUG

My doom is in my hands, not thine.

ERIC (with sudden fierceness)

Thou err'st,
And thou hast always erred. Dar'st thou imagine
That I who have enveloped in three years
All Norway more rebellious than its storms,
Can be resisted by a woman's strength,
However fierce, however swift and bold ?

ASLAUG

I have seen thy strength. I cherish mine unseen.

ERIC

And I thy weakness. Something yet thou fear'st.

ASLAUG

Nothing at all.

Page – 505

ERIC

Yes, though thy eyes defy me,
Thy colour changes and thy limbs betray thee.
All is not lionlike and masculine there
Within.

                He advances towards her.

ASLAUG

Touch me not!

ERIC

If it's that thou fear'st?
Why dost thou fear it? Is it thine own heart
Thou tremblest at? Aslaug, is it thy heart?

                                         He takes her suddenly into his arms
                                          and kisses her. Aslaug remains like

                                                one stricken and bewildered.

Lift up thine eyes; let me behold thy strength!

ASLAUG

O gods! I love! O loose me!

ERIC

Whatever was thy purpose, thou art taken,

Aslaug, thou sweet and violent soul surprised,

Intended for me when the stars were planned!

Sweetly, O Aslaug, to thy doom consent,

The doom to love, the death of hatred. Draw

No useless curtaining of shamed refusal

Between our yearnings, passionately take

Thy leap of love across the abyss of hate.

Force not thy soul to anger. Leave veils and falterings

For meaner hearts. Between us let there be

A noble daylight.

ASLAUG

Let me think awhile!

Page – 506

Thy arms, thy lips prevent me.

ERIC

              Think not! Only feel,

Love only!

ASLAUG

O Eric, king, usurper, conqueror!

O robber of men's hearts and kingdoms! O

Thou only monarch!

ERIC

Art thou won at last,
O woman who disturb'st the musing stars
With passion? Soul of Aslaug, art thou mine?

ASLAUG {sinking on a seat)

I cannot think. I have lost myself! My heart
Desires eternity in an embrace.

ERIC

Wilt thou deny me anything I claim
Ever, O Aslaug ? Art thou mine indeed ?

ASLAUG

What have I done ? What have I spoken ? I love!

(after a silence, feeling in her bosom)

But what was there concealed within my breast?

ERIC (observing her action)

I take not a divided realm, a crown

That's shared. Thou hadst a purpose in thy heart

I know not, but divine. Thou lov'st at length;

But I have knowledge of the human heart,
What opposite passions wrestle there with gusts

Page – 507

And treacherous surprises. I trust not then
Too sudden a change, but if thou canst be calm,
Yet passionately submit, I will embrace thee
For ever. Think and speak. Art thou all mine ?

ASLAUG

I know no longer if I am my own.

The world swims round me and heaven's points are changed.

A purpose! I had one. I had besides

A brother! Had! What have I now? You gods,

How have you rushed upon me ? Leave me, King.

It is not good to trust a sudden heart.

The blood being quiet, we will speak again

Like souls that meet in heaven, without disguise.

ERIC

I do not leave thee, for thou art ominous
Of an abysm uncrossed.¹

ASLAUG

It would be best,²
For there has been too much between us once
And now too little. Leave me. King, awhile
To wrestle with myself and calmly know
In this strange strife the gods have brought me to,
Which thing of these in me must live and which
Be dumb for ever.

ERIC

Something still resists.
I will not leave thee till I know it and tame.
For, Aslaug, thou wast won.

ASLAUG

King, thou art wise
In war and counsel, not in women's hearts.

¹Of something unachieved. ²Yet that were best,

Page – 508

Thou hast surprised a secret that my soul

Kept tremblingly from my own knowledge. Yet,

If thou art really wise, thou wilt avoid

To touch with a too rude and sudden hand

The direr god who made my spirit fear

To own its weakness.

ERIC

Art thou wise thyself?
I take thee not for counsellor.

ASLAUG

        Yet beware,
There was a gulf between my will and heart
Which is not bridged yet.

ERIC

Break thy will, unless
Thou wouldst have me break it for thee.
The older Aslaug rises now against the new.

ASLAUG

It rises, rises. Let it rise. Leave me
My freedom.

ERIC

Aslaug, no, for free thou roam'st
A lioness midst thy passions.

ASLAUG (with a gesture)

                 Do then, O King,
Whatever Fate commands.

ERIC

                I am master of my Fate.

Page – 509

ASLAUG

Too little, who are not masters of ourselves!

ERIC

Art thou that dancing-woman, Aslaug, yet?

ASLAUG

I am the dancing-girl who sought thee, yet,
Eric.

ERIC

It may be still the swiftest way.
Let then my dancing-woman dance for me
Tonight in my chambers. I will see the thing
Her dancing means and tear its mystery out.

ASLAUG

If thou demandest it, then Fate demands.

ERIC

Thy god grows sombre and he menaces,
It seems! For afterwards I can demand
Whatever soul and body can desire
Twixt man and woman?

ASLAUG

If thy Fate permits.
Thy love, it seems, communes not with respect.

ERIC

The word exists not between thee and me.

It is burned up in too immense a fire.

Wilt thou persist ? Even after thou hast lain

Upon my bosom thou claimest my respect?

Yet art a dancing-woman, so thou say'st.

Aslaug, let not the darker gods prevail.

Put off thy pride and take up truth and love.

Page – 510

ASLAUG {sombre)

I am a dancing-woman, nothing more.

ERIC

The hate love struck down rises in thy heart.
But I will have it out, by violence,
Unmercifully.

                                                  He strides upon her, and she half
                                                         cowers from him, half defies.

(taking her violently into his arms)

Thus blotted into me
Thou shalt survive the end of Time. Tonight!

                                           He goes out.

ASLAUG

How did it come ? What was it leaped on me
And overpowered ? O torn distracted heart,
Wilt thou not pause a moment and give leave
To the more godlike brain to do its work ?
Can the world change within a moment ? Can
Hate suddenly be love ? Love is not here.
I have the dagger still within my heart.
O he is terrible and fair and swift!
He is not mortal. Yet, be silent, yet
Give the brain leave. O marble brilliant face!
O thou art Odin, thou art Thor on earth!
What is there in a kiss, the touch of lips,
That it can change creation ? There's a wine
That turns men mad; have I not drunk of it ?
To be his slave, know nothing but his will!
Aslaug and Eric! Aslaug, sister of Swegn,
Who makes his bed on the inclement snow
And with the reindeer herds, that was a king.
Who takes his place ? Eric and Aslaug rule.
Eric who doomed him to the death, if seized,

Page – 511

Aslaug, the tyrant, the usurper's wife,
Who by her brother's murder is secured
In her possession. Wife! The concubine,
The slave of Eric, — that his pride intends.
What was it seized on me, O heavenly powers ?
I have given myself, my brother's throne and life,
My pride, ambition, hope, and grasp, and keep
Shame only. Tonight! What happens then tonight ?
I dance before him, — royal Olaf's child
Becomes the upstart Eric's dancing-girl!
What happens else tonight? One preys upon
Aslaug of Norway! O, I thank thee, heaven,
That thou restores! me to sanity.
It was his fraudulent and furious siege;

And something in me proved a traitor. Fraud ?
O beauty of the godlike brilliant eyes!
O face expressing heaven's supremacy!
No, I will put it down, I put it down.
Help me, you gods, help me against my heart. .
I will strike suddenly, I will not wait.
'Tis a deceit, his majesty and might,
His dreadful beauty, his resistless brain.
It will be very difficult to strike!
But I will strike. Swegn strikes, and Norway strikes,
My honour strikes, the gods, and all his life
Offends each moment.

(to Hertha who enters)

Hertha, I strike tonight.

HERTHA

Why, what has happened ?

ASLAUG

That thou shalt not know.

I strike tonight.

                                      She goes out.

Page – 512

HERTHA

                           It is not difficult
To know what drives her. I must act at once,
Or this may have too suddenly a tragic close.
Not blood, but peace, not death, you Gods, but life,
But tranquil sweetness!  

Page – 513