en,
and every home but hell.'

_Jorun_.--You will have to fight against terrible odds.

_Einar the Rich_ (_enters with a pair of scales and a gold ring in his
hand_).--Now I shall ride home by the fastest and shall return within a
short while with twenty men.

_Brand_.--That will be excellent, Einar. (_Exeunt_ BRAND _and_ JORUN.)

_Einar_.--Deacon Sigurd, what weighs the ring you wear on your arm
there?

_Sigurd_.--Why do you ask?

_Einar_.--A ring has been paid me for a debt, and I want to weigh it
now.

_Sigurd_.--My ring weighs four ounces.

_Einar_.--Mine was to weigh as much; let me have yours for a moment!

_Sigurd_ (_takes_ THOROLF'S _ring off his arm and gives it to
him_).--But let me have it back at once!

_Einar_ (_weighs the rings. As soon as_ SIGURD _looks away he exchanges
the rings; handing_ SIGURD _the other_).--Thank you, deacon. Here is
your ring! I am astonished that a priest should wear so precious a piece
of gold on his arm.

_Sigurd_.--This ring is not my own. (_Puts it on_.)

_Einar_.--I did not know that. Farewell, friends! (_Exit_.)

_Helgi Skaftason_ (_approaches closely to_ DEACON SIGURD).--I dreamed
last night that I stood out of doors and looked up at the sky, and I
thought I saw streams of blood run over all the sky. And down below
on earth shone flames that licked up to the vault of heaven from all
directions.

_Sigurd_.--You became aware in your sleep that the hut was burning about
you.

_Helgi_.--No! I dreamed this dream three times, and awoke each time and
never became aware of the fire. The end of the dream was most terrible
and always the same.

_Sigurd_.--And what was the end of it?

_Helgi_.--Meseemed Thorolf Bjarnason drowned me in blood, and then I
awoke and thought I was in hell.

_Sigurd_.--Put no faith in that hellish dream. You dreamed about the end
of the world.

_Helgi_.--Yes, my world is at an end. The eyes of Lady Helga marked me
for death, when I dried the blade of my axe on the fringes of her veil.

_Sigurd_.--That was indeed a most unfortunate act!

_Helgi_.--Thorolf had been her lover for many years.

_Sigurd_.--I do not know about that. I am not her father confessor.

_Sigurd_.--No. She has the father devil as father confessor, but not
you.

_Sigurd_.--You speak ill of so great a lady.

_Helgi_.--And I shall have to sell my life and salvation as dearly as I
ever may. (_Sobs_.) Help me, deacon, I sink, I sink!

_Sigurd_ (_taking his r