GUNNAR (_shaking the bill again_) Ay, brain-biter, waken.... Awake and whisper Out of the throat of dread thy one brief burden. Blind art thou, and thy kiss will do no choosing: Worn art thou to a hair's grey edge, a nothing That slips through all it finds, seeking more nothing. There is a time, brain-biter, a time that comes When there shall be much quietness for thee: Men will be still about thee. I shall know. It is not yet: the wind shall hiss at thee first. Ahui! Leap up, brain-biter; sing again. Sing! Sing thy verse of anger and feel my hands. RANNVEIG Stand thou, my Gunnar, in the porch to meet them, And the great door shall keep thy back for thee. GUNNAR I had a brother there. Brother, where are you.... HALLGERD Nay, nay. Get thou, my Gunnar, to the loft, Stand at the casement, watch them how they come. Arrows maybe could drop on them from there. RANNVEIG 'Tis good: the woman's cunning for once is faithful. GUNNAR (_turning again to the weapons_) 'Tis good, for now I hear a foot that stumbles Along the stable-roof against the hall. My bow--where is my bow? Here with its arrows.... Go in again, you women on the dais, And listen at the casement of the bower For men who cross the yard, and for their words. ASTRID O Gunnar, we shall serve you. (ASTRID, ODDNY, _and_ STEINVOR _go out by the dais door._) RANNVEIG Hallgerd, come; We must shut fast the door, bar the great door, Or they'll be in on us and murder him. HALLGERD Not I: I'd rather set the door wide open And watch my Gunnar kindling at the peril, Keeping them back--shaming men for ever Who could not enter at a gaping door. RANNVEIG Bar the great door, I say, or I will bar it-- Door of the house you rule.... Son, son, command it. GUNNAR (_as he ascends to the loft_) O spendthrift fire, do you waft up again? Hallgerd, what riot of ruinous chance will sate you?... Let the door stand, my mother: it is her way. (_He looks out at the casement._) Here's a red kirtle on the lower roof. (_He thrusts with the bill through the casement._) A MAN'S VOICE (_far off_) Is Gunnar within? THORGRIM THE EASTERLING'S VOICE (_near the casement_) Find that out for yourselves: I am only sure his bill is yet within. (_A noise of falling is heard._) GUNNAR The Easterling from Sandgil might be dying-- He has gone down the roof, yet no feet helped him. (_A shouting of many men is heard: GUNNAR starts back from the casement as several arrows fly in._)