HALLGERD Oh, never: For then they'd swarm upon him from the roof. Leave him up there and he can bay both armies, While the whole dance goes merrily before us And we can warm our hearts at such a flare. RANNVEIG (_turning both ways, while HALLGERD watches her gleefully_) Gunnar, my son, my son! What shall I do? (ORMILD _enters from the left, white and with her hand to her side, and walking as one sick._) HALLGERD Bah--here's a bleached assault.... RANNVEIG Oh, lonesome thing, To be forgot and left in such a night. What is there now--are terrors surging still? ORMILD I know not what has gone: when the men came I hid in the far cowhouse. I think I swooned.... And then I followed the shadow. Who is dead? RANNVEIG Go to the bower: the women will care for you. (ORMILD _totters up the hall from pillar to pillar._) ASTRID (_entering by the dais door_) Now they have found the weather-ropes and lashed them Over the carven ends of the beams outside: They bear on them, they tighten them with levers, And soon they'll tear the high roof off the hall. GUNNAR Get back and bolt the women into the bower. (ASTRID _takes_ ORMILD, _who has just reached her, and goes out with her by the dais door, which closes after them._) Hallgerd, go in: I shall be here thereafter. HALLGERD I will not stir. Your mother had best go in. RANNVEIG How shall I stir? VOICES (_outside and gathering volume_) Ai.... Ai.... Reach harder.... Ai.... GUNNAR Stand clear, stand clear--it moves. THE VOICES It moves.... Ai, ai.... (_The whole roof slides down rumblingly, disappearing with a crash behind the watt of the house. All is dark above. Fine snow sifts down now and then to the end of the play._) GUNNAR (_handling his bow_) The wind has changed: 'tis coming on to snow. The harvesters will hurry in to-morrow. (THORBRAND THORLEIKSSON _appears above the wall-top a little past_ GUNNAR, _and, reaching noiselessly with a sword, cuts_ GUNNAR'S _bowstring._) GUNNAR (_dropping the bow and seizing his bill_) Ay, Thorbrand, is it thou? That's a rare blade, To shear through hemp and gut.... Let your wife have it For snipping needle-yarn; or try it again. THORBRAND (_raising his sword_) I must be getting back ere the snow thickens: So here's my message to the end--or farther. Gunnar, this night it is time to start your journey And get you out of Iceland.... GUNNAR (_thrusting at THORBRAND with the bill_) I think it is: So you shall go before me in the dark. Wait for me when you find a quiet shelter.