not divided
With kith and kin the treasure of her soul,
Her capital to fifty hands confided,
So that not one is debtor for the whole?
From no one has she all things to receive,
For no one has she utterly to live.
O beside my wealth hers is little worth;
I have but one possession upon earth.
My heart was lordless when with trumpet blare
And multitudinous song you came, its king,
The banners of my thought your ensign bear,
You fill my soul with glory, like the spring.
Yes, I must needs thank God, when it is past,
That I was lonely till I found out thee,--
That I lay dead until the trumpet blast
Waken'd me from the world's frivolity.

FALK.
Yes we, who have no friends on earth, we twain
Own the true wealth, the golden fortune,--we
Who stand without, beside the starlit sea,
And watch the indoor revel thro' the pane.
Let the lamp glitter and the song resound,
Let the dance madly eddy round and round;--
Look up, my Svanhild, into yon deep blue,--
There glitter little lamps in thousands, too--

SVANHILD.
And hark, beloved, thro' the limes there floats
This balmy eve a chorus of sweet notes--

FALK.
It is for us that fretted vault's aglow--

SVANHILD.
It is for us the vale is loud below!

FALK.
I feel myself like God's lost prodigal;
I left Him for the world's delusive charms.
With mild reproof He wooed me to His arms;
And when I come, He lights the vaulted hall,
Prepares a banquet for the son restored,
And makes His noblest creature my reward.
From this time forth I'll never leave that Light,--
But stand its armed defender in the fight;
Nothing shall part us, and our life shall prove
A song of glory to triumphant love!

SVANHILD.
And see how easy triumph is for two,
When He's a man--

FALK.
She, woman thro' and thro';--
It is impossible for such to fall!

SVANHILD.
Then up, and to the war with want and sorrow;
This very hour I will declare it all!
[Pointing to FALK's ring on her finger.

FALK [hastily].
No, Svanhild, not to-night, wait till to-morrow!
To-night we gather our young love's red rose;
'Twere sacrilege to smirch it with the prose
Of common day.
[The door into the garden-room opens.
Your mother's coming! Hide!
No eye this night shall see thee as my bride!

[They go out among the trees by the summer-house.
MRS. HALM and GULDSTAD come out on the balcony.

MRS. HALM.
He's really going?

GULDSTAD.
Seems so,