第9章

“Wherewereyoulastnight，brother，thatyoucameinnearthedawn，allcoveredwithmud？“askedRagnar，turninghisbackonIduna，withoutmakinganyanswertoherwords。

“DiggingintheWanderer’sgrave，brother，asIdunachallengedmetodo。“

Nowallthreeofthemturnedonmeeagerly，saveFreydisa，whostoodbythefirelistening，andwithonevoiceaskedifIhadfoundanything。

“Aye，“Ireplied。“IfoundtheWanderer，averynoble-lookingman，“

andIbegantodescribehim。

“PeacetothisdeadWanderer，“brokeinIduna。“Didyoufindthenecklace？“

“Yes，Ifoundthenecklace。Hereitis！“AndIlaidthesplendidthingupontheboard。

ThensuddenlyIlostmyspeech，sincenowforthefirsttimeIsawthat，twistedroundthechainofit，werethreebrokenwiresofgold。

IrememberedhowinmydreamIhadseenthebeautifulwomanbreaksuchwiresereshegavehalfofthejeweltothemaninwhosebreastIhadseemedtodwell，andforamomentgrewsofrightenedthatIcouldsaynomore。

“Oh！“exclaimedIduna，“itisbeautiful，beautiful！Oh！Olaf，Ithankyou，“andsheflungherarmsaboutmeandkissedme，thistimeinearnest。

Thensheseizedthenecklaceandfasteneditroundherthroat。

“Stay，“Isaid，awaking。“Ithinkyouhadbestnottouchthosegems。

Iduna，Ihavedreamedthattheywillbringnolucktoyouortoanywoman，saveone。“

Herethedark-facedFreydisalookedupatme，thendroppedhereyesagain，andstoodlistening。

“Youhavedreamed！“exclaimedIduna。“Icarelittlewhatyouhavedreamed。ItisforthenecklaceIcare，andnotalltheill-luckintheworldshallstaymefromthekeepingofit。“

HereagainFreydisalookedup，butSteinarlookeddown。

“Didyoufindaughtelse？“askedRagnar，interrupting。

“Aye，brother，this！“andfromundermycloakIproducedtheWanderer’ssword。

“Awondrousweapon，“saidRagnarwhenhehadexaminedit，“thoughsomewhatheavyforitslength，andofbronze，afterthefashionofthosethatareburiedinthegravemounds。Ithasseenmuchwearalso，and，Ishouldsay，hasloosedmanyaspirit。Lookatthegoldworkofthehandle。Trulyawondrousweapon，worthallthenecklacesintheworld。Buttellusyourstory。“

SoItoldthem，andwhenIcametotheimagesthatwehadfoundstandingonthecoffin，Iduna，whowaspayinglittleheed，stoppedfromherfondlingofthenecklaceandaskedwheretheywere。

“Freydisahasthem，“Ianswered。“ShowthemtheWanderer’sgods，Freydisa。“

“SoFreydisawaswithyou，wasshe？“saidIduna。

Thensheglancedatthegods，laughedalittleattheirfashionandraiment，andagainfelltofingeringthenecklace，whichwasmoretoherthananygods。

AfterwardsFreydisaaskedmewhatwasthedreamofwhichIhadspoken，andItoldittoher，everyword。

“Itisastrangestory，“saidFreydisa。“Whatdoyoumakeofit，Olaf？“

“Nothingsavethatitwasadream。Andyetthosethreebrokenwiresthataretwistedroundthechain，whichIhadnevernotedtillIsawthenecklaceinIduna’shand！Theyfitwellwithmydream。“

“Aye，Olaf，andthedreamfitswellwithotherthings。Haveyoueverheard，Olaf，thattherearethosewhosaythatmenlivemorethanonceuponthisearth？“

“No，“Ianswered，laughing。“Yetwhyshouldtheynotdoso，astheyliveatall？Ifso，perhapsIamthatWanderer，inwhosebodyIseemedtobe，onlythenIamsurethattheladywiththegoldenshellswasnotIduna。“AndagainIlaughed。

“No，Olaf，shewasnotIduna，thoughperchancetherewasanIduna，allthesame。Tellme，didyouseeaughtofthatpriestesswhowaswiththelady？“

“Onlythatshewastallanddark，oneofmiddleage。Butwhywastewordsonthismidnightmadness？Yetthatroyalwomanhauntsme。I

wouldthatIcouldseeheragain，ifonlyinadream。Also，Freydisa，IwouldthatIdunahadnottakenthenecklace。Ifearlestitshouldbringmisfortune。Whereisshenow？Iwilltellheragain。“

“WanderingwithSteinar，Ithink，andwearingthenecklace。Oh！Olaf，likeyouIfearitwillbringwoe。Icannotreadyourdream——asyet。“

Itwasthedaybeforethatofmymarriage。Iseethemmovingabout，theshapesofallthoselong-forgottenmenandwomen，arrayedintheirbravestgarmentsandrudeornamentsofgoldandsilver，foragreatcompanyhadbeenbidden，manyofwhomcamefromfar。Iseemyuncle，Leif，thedark-browedpriestofOdin，passingbetweenthehallandthetemplewhereonthemorrowhemustcelebratethemarriageritesinsuchafashionaswoulddohonourtothegod。IseeIduna，AthalbrandandSteinartalkingtogetherapart。Iseemyselfwatchingallthislifeandstirlikeonewhoismazed，andIknowthatsinceIhadenteredtheWanderer’sgraveallthingshadseemedunrealtome。

Iduna，whomIloved，wasabouttobecomemywife，andyetbetweenmeandIdunacontinuallywasthrustavisionofthewomanofmydream。AttimesIthoughtthattheblowfromthebear’spawhadhurtmybrain；

thatImustbegoingmad。Iprayedtothegodsthatthismightnotbeso，andwhenmyprayersavailedmenothingIsoughtthecounselofFreydisa。

Shelistenedtomystory，thensaidbriefly，“Letbe。Thingswillgoastheyarefated。Youarenomadderthantherestofmen。Icansaynomore。“

Itwasthecustomofthattimeandlandthat，ifpossible，thewifetobeshouldnotpassthenightbeforehermarriageunderthesameroofasherfuturehusband。ThereforeAthalbrand，whosemoodhadbeenstrangeoflate，wentwithIdunatosleepinhisbeachedship。AtmyrequestSteinarwentwiththem，inorderthathemightseethattheywerebroughtbackingoodtimeinthemorning。

“Youwillnotfailmeinthis，Steinar？“Isaid，claspinghishand。

Hetriedtoanswersomething，butthewordsseemedtochokeinhisthroatandheturnedaway，leavingthemunspoken。

“Why，“Iexclaimed，“onemightthinkyouweregoingtobemarried，notI。“

“Aye，“brokeinIdunahurriedly。“ThetruthisthatSteinarisjealousofme。Howisitthatyoucanmakeusallloveyousomuch，Olaf？“

“WouldthatIweremoreworthyofyourlove，“Ianswered，smiling，“asinyearstocomeIhopetoshowmyself。“

Athalbrand，whowaswatching，tuggedathisforkedbeardandmutteredsomethingthatsoundedlikeanoath。Thenherodeoff，kickinghishorsesavagelyandnotnotingmyoutstretchedhand，orsoitseemed。

Ofthis，however，Itooklittleheed，forIwasengagedinkissingIdunainfarewell。

“Benotsad，“shesaid，asshekissedmebackonthelips。“Rememberthatwepartforthelasttime。“Againshekissedmeandwent，laughinghappily。

Themorningcame。Allwasprepared。Fromfarandneartheguestsweregathered，waitingtodohonourtothemarriagefeast。EvensomeofthemenofAggerwerethere，whohadcometopayhomagetotheirnewlord。

Thespringsunshonebrightly，asitshoulduponamarriagemorn，andwithoutthedoorsthetrumpetersblewblastswiththeircurvedhorns。

InthetemplethealtarofOdinwasdecoratedwithflowers，andbyit，alsodecoratedwithflowers，theofferingawaitedsacrifice。Mymother，inherfinestrobe，thesame，intruth，inwhichsheherselfhadbeenwed，stoodbythedoorofthehall，whichwasclearedofkineandsetwithtables，givingandreturninggreetings。Herarmwasroundme，who，asbridegroom，wasclothedinnewgarmentsofwovenwoolthroughwhichranapurplestreak，thebestthatcouldbemadeinalltheland。Ragnarcameup。

“Theyshouldbehere，“hesaid。“Thehourisoverpast。“

“Doubtlessthefairbridehasbeenlongindeckingherself，“answeredmyfather，lookingatthesun。“Shewillcomepresently。“

Stilltimewenton，andthecompanybegantomurmur，whileastrange，coldfearseemedtogripmyheart。Atlengthamanwasseenridingtowardsthehall，andonecried，“Atlast！Herecomestheherald！“

Anotheranswered:“Foramessengerofloveheridesslowlyandsadly。“

Andasilencefellonallthatheardhim。

Theman，astrangertous，arrivedandsaid:

“IhaveamessageforthelordThorvaldfromthelordAthalbrand，whichIwaschargedtodeliveratthishour，neitherbeforenorafter。

ItisthathesailedforLessoattherisingofthemoonlastnight，therepurposingtocelebratethemarriageofhisdaughter，theladyIduna，withSteinar，lordofAgger，andisthereforegrievedthatheandtheladyIdunacannotbepresentatyourfeastthisday。“

Now，whenIheardthesewordsIfeltasthoughaspearhadbeenthrustthroughme。“Steinar！Oh！surelynotwithmybrotherSteinar，“I