64 James Christian Lindbcrg 



ACT IV 



Scene I 

 HIade 



Hakon Jarl. a Messenger. 



Hakon. Now tell me all, and speak without reserve 

 Or fear. How goes it ? Are the peasants gathering ? 



Messenger. My lord ! Exasperation drives them on. 

 In four directions from his farmstead, Orm 

 Hath sent his messengers of war and prayed 

 That each should arm himself against thy life. 

 At Skaerdingstad-'''^ the tidings came to Haldor, 

 And he in turn has further spread the call. 

 To him has Sigurd strongly joined himself, 

 Thy former mistress's beauteous Bryniolf's husband, 

 As also Alf and Skialm from Rimol, who 

 Have come to avenge their sister Thora's wrongs. 

 These two with Orm and Haldor lead the army. 

 They gather in the vale of Ork. 



Hakon. I trust 



Completely in my sturdy warrior lads. 

 With few well-armed, and brave war-hardened men, 

 A horde of untrained farmer folk can soon 

 Be put to flight. 



Messenger. But, sir, their force is large, 

 Increases day by day ; they 're strongly armed, 

 Exasperate — 



Hakon. With momentary rage. 



Which vanishes at sight of Hakon 's sword. 

 Aught more ? Has Olaf's fleet approached the shore ? 



Messenger. It has, my lord ; he 's entered Throndhiem's fiord. 



Hakon. In Throndhiem's fiord ? W^as not the entrance barred 

 By Eriand ?^^ Did my son not meet him there ? 



Messenger. Ah, yes, my lord ! 



Hakon. And why that sighing? Speak! 



102 



