Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (81 page)

KING SKULE.
[Wildly.]
Håkon Håkonsson must die.

PETER.
If you will it, then it is right that he die.

KING SKULE.
‘Twill cost blood; but that we cannot heed!

PETER.
The blood is not wasted that flows in your cause.

KING SKULE.
All the might shall be yours when I have built up the kingdom. You shall sit on the throne with the circlet on your brow, with the purple mantle flowing wide over your shoulders; all men in the land shall bow before you —
[The sounds of distant horns are heard.]
Ha! what was that?
[With a cry.]
The Birchleg host! What was it Paul Flida said — ?
[Rushes towards the back.

PAUL FLIDA.
[Enters and cries.]
The hour is upon us, King Skule!

KING SKULE.
[Bewildered.]
The Birchlegs! King Håkon’s host! Where are they?

PAUL FLIDA.
They are swarming in thousands down over the Ekeberg.

KING SKULE.
Sound the call to arms! Sound, sound! Give counsel; where shall we meet them?

PAUL FLIDA.
All the churches stand open for us.

KING SKULE.
‘Tis of the Birchlegs I ask — ?

PAUL FLIDA.
For them all the bridges stand open.

KING SKULE.
Unhappy man, what have you done!

PAUL FLIDA.
Obeyed my King!

KING SKULE.
My son! My son! Woe is me; I have lost your kingdom!

PETER.
No, you will conquer! So great a king’s-thought cannot die!

KING SKULE.
Peace, peace!
[Horns and shouts are heard, nearer at hand.]
To horse! To arms! More is here at stake than the life and death of men!
[Rushes out by the back; the others follow him. A street in Oslo. On each side, low wooden houses, with porches. At the back, St. Hallvard’s churchyard, enclosed by a high wall with a gate. On the left, at the end of the wall, is seen the church, the chief portal of which stands open. It is still night; after a little, the day begins to dawn. The alarmbell is ringing: far away on the right are heard battle-shouts and confused noises.

KING SKULE’S HORNBLOWER.
[Enters from the right, blows his horn, and shouts.]
To arms! To arms, all King Skule’s men!
[Blows his horn again, and proceeds on his way; presently he is heard blowing and shouting in the next street.

A WOMAN.
[Appears at a house door on the right.]
Great God of mercy, what is astir?

A TOWNSMAN.
[Who has come out, half dressed, from a house on the other side of the street.]
The Birchlegs are in the town! Now will Skule have his reward for all his misdeeds.

ONE OF SKULE’S MEN.
[Enters with some others, bearing their cloaks and weapons on their arms, from a side street on the left.]
Whore are the Birchlegs?

ANOTHER OF SKULE’S MEN.
[Coming from a house on the right.]
I know not!

THE FIRST.
Hist! Listen! — They must be down at the Geitebridge!

THE SECOND.
Off to the Geite-bridge then!
[They all rush out to the right; a townsman comes running in from the same side.

THE FIRST TOWNSMAN.
Hey, neighbour, whence come you?

THE SECOND TOWNSMAN.
From down at the Lo-river; there’s ugly work there.

THE WOMAN.
St. Olaf and St. Hallvard! Is it the Birchlegs, or who is it?

THE SECOND TOWNSMAN.
Who else but the Birchlegs! King Håkon is with them; the whole fleet is laying in to the wharves; but he himself landed with his best men out at Ekeberg.

THE FIRST TOWNSMAN.
Then will he take revenge for the slaughter at Lâka!

THE SECOND TOWNSMAN.
Ay, be sure of that.

THE FIRST TOWNSMAN.
See, see! The Varbælgs are flying already!
A troop of
Skule’s
men enter in full flight
,
from the right.

ONE OF THEM.
Into the church! None can stand against the Birchlegs as they lay about them to-night.
[The troop rushes into the church and bars the door on the inside.

THE SECOND TOWNSMAN.
[Looking out to the right.]
I see a standard far down the street; it must be King Håkon’s.

THE FIRST TOWNSMAN.
See, see, how the Varbælgs are running!
A second troop enters from the right.

ONE OF THE FUGITIVES.
Let us take to the church and pray for grace.
[They rush at the door.

SEVERAL VARBÆLGS.
‘Tis barred! ‘tis barred!

THE FIRST.
Up over Martestokke then!

ANOTHER.
Where is King Skule?

THE FIRST.
I know not. Away! yonder I see the Birchlegs’ standard! —
[They flee past the church, out to the left.
Håkon
enters from the right with his Standard-bearer,
Gregorius Jonsson, Dagfinn the Peasant,
and several other men.

DAGFINN.
Hark to the war-cry! Skule is gathering his men behind the churchyard.

AN OLD TOWNSMAN.
[Calls from his porch, to Håkon.]
Take heed for yourself, dear my lord; the Varbælgs are fierce, now they are fighting for life.

HÅKON.
Is it you, old Guthorm Erlendsson? You have fought both for my father and for my grandfather.

THE TOWNSMAN.
Would to God I could fight for you as well.

HÅKON.
For that you are too old, and there is no need; men pour in upon me from all sides.

DAGFINN.
[Pointing off over the wall to the right]
There comes the Duke’s standard!

GREGORIUS JONSSON.
The Duke himself! He rides his white war-horse.

DAGFINN.
We must hinder his passage through the gate here!

HÅKON.
Wind the horn, wind the horn!
[The Hornblower does so.]
You blew better, you whelp, when you blew for money on Bergen wharf.
[The Hornblower winds another blast, louder than the first; many men come rushing in.

A VÂRBÆLG.
[From, the right, fleeing towards the church, pursued by a Birchleg.]
Spare my life! Spare my life!

THE BIRCHLEG.
Not though you sat on the altar!
[Cuts him down.]
‘Tis a costly cloak you wear, methinks ‘twill fit me well.
[Is about to take the cloak, but utters a cry and casts away his sword.]
My lord King! Not another stroke will I strike for you

DAGFINN.
You say that in such an hour as this?

THE BIRCHLEG.
Not another stroke!

DAGFINN.
him down.]
Well, you may e’en let it alone.

THE BIRCHLEG.
[Pointing to the dead Varbœlg.]
Methought I had done enough when I slew my own brother. —
[Dies.

HÅKON.
His brother!

DAGFINN.
What! —
[Goes up to the Varbœla’s body.

HÅKON.
Is it true?

DAGFINN.
I fear me it is.

HÅKON.
[Shaken.]
Here see we what a war we are waging. Brother against brother, father against son; — by God Almighty, this must have an end!

GREGORIUS JONSSON.
There comes the Duke, in full fight with Earl Knut’s troop!

DAGFINN.
Bar the gate against him, king’s men!
On the other side of the wall
,
the combatants come in sight. The Varbælgs are forcing their way towards the left, driving the Birchlegs back, foot by foot.
King Skule
rides his white war-horse, with his sword drawn.
Peter
walks at his side, holding the horse’s bridle, and with his left hand uplifting a
;
crucifix.
Paul Flida
bears
Skule’s
standard, which is blue, with a golden lion rampant, without the axe.

KING SKULE.
Cut them down! Spare no man! There is come a new heir to the throne of Norway!

THE BIRCHLEGS.
A new heir, said he?

HÅKON.
Skule Bårdsson, let us share the kingdom!

KING SKULE.
All or nought!

HÅKON.
Think of the Queen, your daughter!

KING SKULE.
I have a son, I have a son! I think of none but him! Håkon. I too have a son; — if I fall the kingdom will be his! King Skule. Slay the King-child, wherever you find it! Slay it on the throne; slay it at the altar; slay it — slay it in the Queen’s arms!

HÅKON.
There did you utter your own doom!

KING SKULE.
[Slashing about him.]
Slay, slay without mercy! King Skule has a son! Slay, slay!
[The fighting gradually passes away to the left.

GREGORIUS JONSSON.
The Varbælgs are hewing their way through!

DAGFINN.
Ay, but only to flee.

GREGORIUS JONSSON.
Yes, by Heaven, — the other gate stands open; they are fleeing already!

DAGFINN.
Up towards Martestokke.
[Calls out.]
After them, after them, Earl Knut! Take vengeance for the slaughter at Lâka!

HÅKON.
You heard it: he proclaimed my child an outlaw — my innocent child, Norway’s chosen king after me!

THE KING’S MEN.
Ay, ay, we heard it!

HÅKON.
And what is the punishment for such a crime?

THE MEN.
Death!

HÅKON.
Then must he die!
[Raises his hand to make oath.]
Here I swear it: Skule Bårdsson shall die, wherever he be met on unconsecrated ground!

DAGFINN.
‘Tis every true man’s duty to slay him. A Birchleg.
[From the left.]
Duke Skule has taken to flight!

THE TOWNSFOLK.
The Birchlegs have conquered!

HÅKON.
What way?

THE BIRCHLEG.
Past Martestokke, up towards Eidsvold; most of them had horses waiting up in the streets, else had not one escaped with his life.

HÅKON.
Thanks be to God that has helped us yet again! Now may the Queen safely come ashore from the fleet.

GREGORIUS JONSSON.
[Points off to the right.]
She has already landed, my lord; there she comes!

HÅKON.
[To those nearest him.]
The heaviest task is yet before me; she is a loving daughter; — listen — no word to her of the danger that threatens her child. Swear to me, one and all, to keep ward over your King’s son; but let her know nothing.

THE MEN.
[Softly.]
We swear it.

MARGRETE.
[Enters, with ladies and attendants, from the right.]
Håkon, my husband! Heaven has shielded you! you have conquered and are unhurt!

HÅKON.
Yes, I have conquered. Where is the child?

MARGRETE.
On board the King’s ship, in the hands of trusty men.

HÅKON.
Go more of you thither. —
[Some of the men go.

MARGRETE.
Håkon, where is — Duke Skule?

HÅKON.
He has made for the Uplands.

MARGRETE.
He lives, then! — My husband, may I thank God that he lives?

HÅKON.
[In painful agitation.]
Hear me, Margrete: you have been a faithful wife to me, you have followed me through good hap and ill, you have been unspeakably rich in love; — now must I cause you a heavy sorrow; I am loath to do it; but I am King, therefore must I —

MARGRETE.
[In suspense.]
Has it to do with — the Duke?

HÅKON.
Yes. No bitterer lot could befall me than to live my life far from you; but if you think it must be so after what I now tell you — if you feel that you can no longer sit by my side, no longer look at me without turning pale — well, we must even part — live each alone — and I shall not blame you for it.