oice answered:

"Who passes there?"

"I, Gudruda, Asmund's daughter."

The form came nearer; now Swanhild could hear the snorting of a horse,
and now a man leapt from it, and that man was Eric Brighteyes.

"Is it thou indeed, Gudruda!" he said with a laugh, and his great shape
showed darkly on the snow mist.

"Oh, is it thou, Eric?" she answered. "I was never more joyed to see
thee; for of a truth thou dost come in a good hour. A little while and I
had seen thee no more, for my eyes grow heavy with the death-sleep."

"Nay, say not so. Art lost, then? Why, so am I. I came out to seek three
horses that are strayed, and was overtaken by the snow. May they
dwell in Odin's stables, for they have led me to thee. Art thou cold,
Gudruda?"

"But a little, Eric. Yea, there is place for thee here on the rock."

So he sat down by her on the stone, and Swanhild crept nearer; for now
all weariness had left her. But still the snow fell thick.

"It comes into my mind that we two shall die here," said Gudruda
presently.

"Thinkest thou so?" he answered. "Well, I will say this, that I ask no
better end."

"It is a bad end for thee, Eric: to be choked in snow, and with all thy
deeds to do."

"It is a good end, Gudruda, to die at thy side, for so I shall die
happy; but I grieve for thee."

"Grieve not for me, Brighteyes, worse things might befall."

He drew nearer to her, and now he put his arms about her and clasped her
to his bosom; nor did she say him nay. Swanhild saw and lifted herself
up behind them, but for a while she heard nothing but the beating of her
heart.

"Listen, Gudruda," Eric said at last. "Death draws near to us, and
before it comes I would speak to thee, if speak I may."

"Speak on," she whispers from his breast.

"This I would say, then: that I love thee, and that I ask no better fate
than to die in thy arms."

"First shalt thou see me die in thine, Eric."

"Be sure, if that is so, I shall not tarry for long. Oh! Gudruda, since
I was a child I have loved thee with a mighty love, and now thou art all
to me. Better to die thus than to live without thee. Speak, then, while
there is time."

"I will not hide from thee, Eric, that thy words are sweet in my ears."

And now Gudruda sobs and the tears fall fast from her dark eyes.

"Nay, weep not. Dost thou, then, love me?"

"Ay, sure enough, Eric."

"Then kiss me before we pass. A man should not die thus, and yet men
have died worse."

And so