The women, however, were not to come into the hall, but to tarry with Harthild, and await her hour in the chamber of the women.
This was all splendidly ordered, and Halfred himself told me that never, neither as guest nor as host, had he seen such magnificent festival preparations.
Two days before the feast, as Halfred, wearied with the summer heat, lay upon his couch after the mid-day meal, Sudha glided softly through the doorway, and stood before him, and spoke--
"Halfred, skill in song, victory and fame have been thine for twenty years. A wife hast thou had for one year--an heir shalt thou have but now. But never hast thou known Freya's gift--Love's Fulness-- Contradict me not--thine eye shuns Dame Harthild's seeking glance; And when thou dreamingly sweepest the strings of thy harp, thou gazest Not in Dame Harthild's cold hard face, but upwards towards the stars. Halfred, not in the clouds dwelleth that for which thou yearnest. Not from the stars shall it float down upon thee; upon the earth it wanders, It is a woman, who with love's charm, with woman's magic, can subdue the Singing Swan-- Woe to thee if thou never findest her-- What though thou win all fame with sword and harp--the best is still denied thee. Askest thou what maketh me so wise, and withal so daring? Love, love's fulness for thee, thou rich yet poor Sigskald. Behold, I am but a woman--a captive--but I tell thee there is heroism even for women. I have sworn by the infernal gods, as I crossed thy threshold, that here, in Iceland, I will win thy love, or die."
Then Halfred arose from his couch, and spoke--
"Wisdom and madness mingled hast thou spoken. There speaks from thee more than Sudha. There speaks a soul stricken of the gods. Horror and compassion seize upon me. I will demand thy freedom from King Hartstein. Then journey homewards to Halagoland. There mayest thou find happiness in the arms of some valiant hero. But here, let Dame Harthild's rights and hearth be sacred unto thee. Disturb not her happiness."
And he seized his spear and strode out. But Sudha cried after him, so that he still heard her--"Her happiness? Long has she divined her misery. Soon shall she clearly perceive, the haughty one, that she is more unspeakably wretched than Sudha."