34 James Christian Lindbcrg 



Thora. How glad I am 



To see thee once again before thou 'rt gone. 



Hakon. Thy charge I left with Karker; he will bring it. 



Thora. Thy slave, thy thrall ! 



Hakon. Even so, my time was brief. 



Thora. O Hakon, Hakon ! 



Hakon. Pain me not with doubts ! 



Thora. Thou lovest me no more ! 



Hakon. And were it so, 



Dost think, perhaps, that thy reproach hath power 

 To light the flame anew, perchance it waned ? 



Thora. And I must suffer this? I whom in all 

 The world thou lovedst the most ? O faithless man ! 

 What honeyed words thy flattering tongue devised I 

 'T was I alone could brighten Hakon's life, 

 'T was I alone could melt his iron heart 

 Or change its fickleness to constancy. 

 And like a fatuous fool I trusted thee. 

 Renounced my house, my home, my honor, yea, 

 My very soul I gave, and now — but I 

 Deserve the shame ! 



Hakon. What shame ! Among the charms, 



Among the excellencies, which I found 

 In thee, was also this, that thou wert free 

 From prejudice. Thou speakest of fickleness, 

 While thou art guilty of the same offense. 

 VN^iere is now thy former optimistic view 

 Of life ? Thou sayest thou gavest thyself to me ? 

 That's true; thou madest me happy. What of that? 

 Was he a youth, whose heart the wily moon 

 Could melt, who won thy love? Didst thou not say 

 That thou didst prize me first among the men 

 Thou 'st known ? What most becomes a man. — to sigh 

 And ever sigh in lover's arms ? Thou wert 

 A charming widow ; slowly came and passed 

 The empty hours. What sacrifice was thine ? 

 Of noble station, independent, rich, 



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