The Death of Balder Part 14

NANNA. Ah, joy! the joy of heaven, Entices forth these tears! My Hother liveth!

HOTHER (mournfully). Still liveth!

NANNA (affectionately and sorrowfully). Still!

HOTHER (turning away his face). O cruel, cruel fortune!

Yet I have sworn?

NANNA. Fright me not, my Hother!

Affright me not! What mean'st thou? Mighty powers!

Thine eyes thou turnest from thy bride!

HOTHER (looking upon her with tenderness). Ah, Nanna!

NANNA. Ha! tears on Hother's cheeks! Oh, save me, Freya!

What means this? Oh, I die!

HOTHER (he embraces her with violence). Oh, dearest Nanna!

NANNA. Oh heaven! say--

HOTHER (embraces her again). Once more, my bride!

NANNA. I tremble What means this?

HOTHER. Canst thou bury in oblivion Thy Hother's cruel doubt? Say, canst thou pardon His only crime?

NANNA. Think'st thou I can remember That Hother e'er has err'd?

HOTHER. How n.o.bly spoken!

Farewell, my bride! farewell, for ever.

[He embraces her for the third time, and is going; but she holds fast his arm.

NANNA. Cruel!

If thou hast ever lov'd me--

HOTHER. Canst thou doubt it?

By Odin, more than the best light! Can Hother's Tears not make bare to thee his heart?

NANNA Then wherefore Wouldst thou fly from me!

HOTHER. Honour calleth--Honour!

And that--forgive me--that is more than Nanna.

Ha! I must fly from thee! Each tear thou sheddest Enfeebles but my heart, and makes death bitter.

[He is going.

NANNA.. If thou regard'st my vow--regard'st my terror, Wouldst thou not see me die, and die distracted--

HOTHER. What wilt thou?

NANNA. Ah! a prayer!--oh how I tremble-- But if thou meetest Balder--

HOTHER. I avoid him!

NANNA (astonished, and calmer). What! thou avoid'st him?

HOTHER. Think'st thou I bear hatred 'Gainst one who yielded thee a glimpse of pleasure?

One--nearly one of Hother's days? He gave me My life, and shall I slay him in requital?

Oh! Nanna, . . . I've the mighty thought imagined; But with it trembles yet my lip--oh, canst thou Pay virtue its reward--forget for ever thy Hother, And--in course of time--love Balder?

NANNA. Oh, hus.h.!.+ oh, hus.h.!.+ my Hother!

HOTHER. He is virtuous, He loves thee well, and Odin is his father.

NANNA. How cruel!

HOTHER. I must fly from thee for ever!

NANNA. Oh horror! Whither? What is thy intention?

HOTHER. To die! Thou know'st my oath! Ha! the sun hastens!

Seest thou how high? I swore by Hothbrod's ashes With Balder not to live a day! Release me!

Ha! seest thou how high--

NANNA. And I have sworn too, By tenderness, by Freya, by my bosom, I'll not release thee; I thy track will follow In the black night of death! This arm I'll cling to, And my tear-moisten'd eye, until it bursteth, Shall gaze on thee, shall gaze on thee, its Hother!

HOTHER. Then be courageous--of thy Hother worthy!

Think on his oath, and--

NANNA (she releases him). Ah, what wilt thou, Hother?

HOTHER. And see him die!

[He lifts his spear to stab himself. At that same moment the frantic BALDER rushes upon the scene.

BALDER, HOTHER, NANNA.

BALDER (he runs directly up to NANNA). Come! follow me now, Nanna!

Our bridal festival's prepar'd in Haelheim, In Asgaard. Follow me, thou murky daughter Of joy! Ha, quick! Of dastard love I dream not.

Jotuns await my arm. Hurrah! thou stayest!

Thou stayest! Come!

[He seizes her by the arm, and seeks to drag her away by force. HOTHER steps between, and endeavours to thrust him aside with his hand.

NANNA. Oh, save me! save me, Hother!