Chapter 5Act II, Scene 1

Act II

A room in Eric’s house.

Scene 1 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.

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.

seeing him, rises to depart.

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.

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

ASLAUG (to herself)

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

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!

I give thee grace no longer; bear thy doom.

ASLAUG My doom is in my hands, not thine.

Thou errst, 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.

And I thy weakness. Something yet thou fearst.

ASLAUG Nothing at all.

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!

It is that thou fearst? 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!

Thou art taken. Whatever was thy purpose, thou art mine, 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 Betwixt our yearnings, passionately take The 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! Thy arms, thy lips prevent me.

Think not! Only feel, Love only!

ASLAUG

O Eric, king, usurper, conqueror! O robber of men’s hearts and kingdoms! O Thou only monarch!

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

ASLAUG Thine, Eric? Eric! Whose am I, by whom am held?

(sinking on a seat) I cannot think. I have lost myself! My heart Desires eternity in an embrace.

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?

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 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.

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

ASLAUG

Yet that were best. 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.

Something yet 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. 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.

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.

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.

Aslaug, no, for free thou roamst A lioness midst thy passions.

ASLAUG (with a gesture)

Do then, O King, Whatever Fate commands.

I am master of my Fate.

ASLAUG Too little, who are not masters of ourselves!

Art thou that dancing-woman, Aslaug, yet?

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

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.

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 sayst? Aslaug, let not the darker gods prevail. Put off thy pride and take up truth and love.

ASLAUG (sombre) I am a dancing-woman, nothing more.

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. 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 restorest 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.

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!