Oehknschlaegers Hakon Jar! 35 



Thou canst if thou dost choose, disdain report, 

 Contemn reproach. Together we enjoyed 

 Our days as loving-ly as any pair 

 In Freia's hall ; now other things absorb 

 The hero's spirit. Rashly, people here 

 And there have dared to murmur, talk aloud, 

 While pirate ships infest our coasts. All this 

 JMust stop ; and Norway's greatest man must not 

 Be found asleep. The present gives no time 

 For love's sweet jests. My Thora, be content; 

 For yet a while, return to thine estates. 

 The briefest absence strengthens feeble love. 

 We meet again, and doubly fond will be 

 Thy Hakon's love. 



Thora. Thus all is settled, all ! 



This paltry, feeble stream of words requites 

 Thy Thora's loyalty, thy Thora's love ? 

 But I deserve it ; yes, by all the gods. 

 Deserve thy sordid faithlessness. Thou callest 

 Me wise and shrewd? Indeed I'm shrewd enoug'h 

 To see, that words are wasted which would try 

 To lig-ht anew the love within thy icy heart. 

 And yet this prompt audacity, this calm 

 Effrontery — acquired by countless practice — 

 This lack of mercy, lack of modesty, 

 This lack of sympathy for allmy pain. — 

 This crushes me, this drives me mad. [She zee ops. 



Hakon. By Freia ! 



I love thee still, my Thora ! Had I planned 

 To disappoint thee, which thou seem'st to think, 

 I "d ne'er assume this calm repose of mind ; 

 Thou dost mistake. 



Thora. [Excited.'] Thou liest, adulterous man ' 

 By Syn,'*^ thou liest ! Thou dost summon Freia 

 To witness ? Ha ! Swear not by her. She scorns 

 Thy false behavior. Fornicator ! Bah ! 

 Can I have loved thee? Yes. I loved thee once; 



73 



