happiness; she does her duty-and I know mine. (Turns toward the tent.)

Sølvi. Are you going?

Ljot. It is better that we two should not meet again—it would only cause us suffering. (Moves away.)

Sølvi (following her). You don't realize what you are about to do! You will be committing a terrible crime— against all the wonderful days that life meant us two to have together. For you do care for me, Ljot, don't you? (Ljot is silent.) I thought you cared for me. When you spoke to me this morning you blushed, and I thought it was your heart that gave me its promise. The joy of it overwhelmed

me.

Ljot. It matters little whom I care for. I have given my word.

Sølvi. You think it is your duty to keep your word, but there is another duty that is far greater, and that is to open your arms to happiness when it comes. There is no greater duty. It is the meaning of our existence. You must feel that, you who have grown like a flower out of the earth!

Ljot. It is not only that I have given my word. If I had neither father nor mother, I should break my promise, but I know that it would grieve my parents. This morning father said to me that it was the happiest day of his life since he got my mother, and I know it was true.

Sølvi. You must tell your parents that you cannot keep your word. You must do it for my sake. (Kneeling.) You are the only one I care for in all the world.

Ljot. I can't deal such a blow to my father. No other living being has been so good to me as my father.

Sølvi (rising). You do not care for me at all.

Ljot. You think it is easy for me! (With tears in her eyes.)

I own a spring-I cleanse it every Saturday. I have told your name. (Goes to the tent.)

it

Sølvi. You are going! (Turns away from Ljot, sits down on one of the rocks, covers his face.)

Ljot (stands silent for a long time, then goes over to him and takes his hands from his face). I love you.

(Sølvi takes her face between his hands and kisses her.) Enter Jakobina.

Jakobina (coming slowly from the tent). We are not all asleep in there.

(Sølvi and Ljot rise.)

Sølvi (holding Ljot by the hand). Let us go out on the hraun and look for Einar.

Ljot (runs to Jakobina, puts her arms around Jakobina's neck and holds her close). I know that you care for me. (Gues to Sølvi and takes his hand.) Come!

[They go toward the "hraun." (Jakobina stands still, following them with her eyes, then shakes her head and turns toward the tent.)

ACT III

The farm-house is in ruins. Only the farther side of the "badstofa" is standing. It looks like a dark cavern. The servants have gathered near the wreckage; they are bare-headed, the men in their shirt-sleeves. Sveinungi is standing near the dark opening. It is night.

Sveinungi (to Jon). You dare not go in.

Jon (peering into the gloom). I don't know. There's only one post that holds the roof, and it may snap at any mo

ment.

Sveinungi. It won't. It is drift-timber, which never

rots.

Jon. And besides, it stands aslant; the slightest push would make it go with a crash, and there would be no getting out alive if the heavy roof came down.

Sveinungi. You are afraid. Is there anybody else who dares?

Jorunn. You cannot ask any man to go in there.

Sveinungi (to Jon). It would take you but a moment to bring out those few things. There's my tall chest—you know where it stands—and my old clock; you can unscrew it from the wall with your knife.

Jon. I am not going in there.

Sveinungi. Get drunk and brag—that you know how to do, all of you. (Starts into the ruins.)

Jon. Is master going in there?

Sveinungi. Do you think I will let my things be ruined, because you are a coward?

Jon. Then I will

go with you. It's easier for two. [Sveinungi and Jon disappear from view.

Jorunn. No matter what happens to that man, he will never learn to bend. (Goes to the ruins; looks in.) Can you see anything in there? Is it not too dark?

(Silence.)

Sveinungi and Jon appear, carrying the tall chest.

Sveinungi. Indridi and you, Helgi, come here and take it from us. Set it over there.

[Sveinungi and Jon disappear again. Indridi (to Jorunn, as the men carry the chest out into the open). Can we leave it here?

Jorunn. Yes. (She peers into the ruins again.)

Enter Jakobina from the direction of the tent.

Jakobina (goes to Jorunn, lays her hand on Jorunn's shoulder). I must feel that you are indeed safe and sound. (Stroking her arm.) When you went home, I was afraid that you would never come out of that house again. I thought your husband must be struck with blindness.

Jorunn. You don't know where Einar and Ljot have gone?

Jakobina. I saw Ljot going out on the hraun.

Sveinungi and Jon appear, carrying the clock.

Sveinungi. You will have to be a little careful, the glass is broken. (Steps out into the open. To Jon.) I dare say you have had enough of this.

Jon. I can't say it was any too cheerful in there.

Sveinungi (to the men). You can carry the clock into the tent; the dampness here might be bad for it. And you, Bjørg, go and get a blanket to spread over the chest.

[Exeunt Servants, Bjørn running, Indridi and Helgi carrying the clock, Jakobina following them.

Jorunn. You are lucky, Sveinungi, that you have not come to grief with your foolhardiness.

Sveinungi. It is nothing but my duty to care as best I can for what is mine. I have risked my life before in a good deal worse dangers than this. But I must send some one to look after the boy. He may have lost all the sheep. Will you go, Jon?

Jon. I will.

Sveinungi. You had better drive the sheep home.

Jorunn. And if you should see Ljot and Einar, tell them

to hurry.

Jon. I will.

Sveinungi. Where are they?

Jorunn. They are out on the hraun.

Enter Bjørg, carrying a blanket.

Bjørg. Here is the blanket.

[Exit.

Sveinungi. Why did they go out there? (Takes the blanket, goes to the chest, and runs his hand over it.) Here it's been bruised. (Throws the blanket over it.) I did not think you would have all this to go through. (Takes a long breath.) It is pretty hard when one has grown as old as I am to see one's work destroyed.

Jorunn. That is true.

Sveinungi. My only comfort is that I shall have a capable man to help me put up the buildings again. (Gazing over the "hraun.") What can it be that is keeping Ljot out there? Has she been gone long?

Rannveig. I don't know.

Sveinungi. I hope she has not gone down into one of the fissures. One can't tell what may happen. The walls might cave in, or they might close overhead.