I understand.
THORFINN. Be ready--they come.
ORM. Be not hard with the child, Thorfinn, or you will have me to
reckon with.
[Valgerd and Gunloed enter. The latter heavy with sleepiness.]
GUNLOED. Welcome home, father.
THORFINN. Do you speak truthfully?
GUNLOED. [Silent.]
THORFINN. You are ill, are you not?
GUNLOED. I am not quite myself.
THORFINN. I fear so.
ORM [Waning a drinking horn over the fire]. Come, Gunloed, and empty
this sacred horn to Odin who saved your father from shipwreck.
[All empty their horns except Gunloed.]
THORFINN [Tremblingly]. Drink, Gunloed.
[Gunloed throws the horn on floor and goes to Thorfinn and buries
her head in his lap.]
GUNLOED. Hear me, father. I am a Christian. Do with me what you
will--my soul you cannot destroy. God and the Saints will protect
it.
[Thorfinn is beside himself with grief and rage. Rises and pushes
Gunloed away from him and tries to speak, but words fail him. Sits
on his high bench again in silence. Orm goes to the women and
speaks quietly to them. They go toward door. Suddenly Gunloed
turns.]
GUNLOED. No! I won't go. I must speak that you, my father, may not
go to the grave with a lie--for your whole life has been a lie! I
shall sacrifice the child's respect--love I have never felt--and
prove to you what terrible guilt you have gathered on your head.
Know then, you have taught me to hate--for when did you ever give
me love--you taught me to fear the great Erl Thorfinn and you have
succeeded, because I tremble before your harshness.
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