14 James Christian I.iiidbcrg 



Gndntii. O gods ! 



Hakon. Oh gods ? How now ? Proud Norway's doughty Jarl, 

 Soon Norway's king, is he denied a kiss ? 

 Must I so long entreat ? 



Gadiiiu. I die from fear. 



[He forces a kiss front her. She hastens ozvay.] 



Hakon. Ha ! Like a hind she flees ; and this okl bear 

 No longer swift, can only look and long. 

 But wait ! Aye, wait ! 



Thorer. . My Hakon ! Sir ! 



Hakon. O what 



A charming- creature ! Saw you not her hair, — 

 Those heavy golden braids, with firicts bound ? 

 And then her arm ! How plump ! What tender eyes 

 Of quiet blue ! Her ample bosom heaved 

 As if 't would burst the silver chain that clung 

 About her throat. 



Thorer. My lord ! :\Iy Earl ! 



Hakon. O what 



To this is Berglioth's-^ beauty ; where, alas, 

 Com]:)ared with Gudrun's lies our Thora's charm ? ^ 



Thorer. By Odin, she is fair. But noble lord, 

 Forget not why we came ; rcmeml)er, thou 

 Didst come to tell thy servant secret things 

 Of state, of larger import. 



Hakon. Larger import ? 



Tbou frozen lump of ice ! Ts 't possible 

 No spark of passion smolders in thy l)reast? 

 Ha, feel of mine ! There 's yet the lust\' stroke 

 Of youth. And why desu'e to be tlie lord 

 Of this extensive realm, unless — unless 

 To satisfy my craving, — yea", my right. 

 To pluck the flower no matter where it grows. 



Thorer. But Olaf, noble lord ! 



Hakon. Ah, that is true ! 



'T was well I saw her then, and vet she vowed 



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