Hak. He is sprung from Harald, Surnam'd the Yellow-lock'd-Know'st thou the Norsemen ? A powerful, strong, heroic race, yet full Tho. Can this be so? Hak. I know my people.-And shall this enthusiast, This traitor to his country (who has serv'd Tho. Who dare think so? Hak. I think so, friend, and Olaf too Now mark me: He is the last descendant of King Harald; The speech of the earl is here in terrupted by the discovery that he is overheard by a beautiful virgin, who had concealed herself behind one of the consecrated trees. This maiden VOL. VII. Gudrun, daughter of the old Smith Bergthor, has come thither to make an offering to the Goddess Freya, of her nuptials is at hand. The earl -for she is a bride, and the day is captivated by her beauty, and immediately begins to urge the suit of a tyrant with tyrannic boldness; but the arrival of Carlsofut and Jostein, two more of his friends, constrains him to resume his conversation concerning Olaf, and the maiden makes her escape for the present. Hak. Enough. I call'd you to this meet- That I may speak in friendly confidence: My name has spread o'er Norway with re May fill the seas with terror. I have them Thor. 'Tis no more than justice. Hak. Olaf alone is left of the old line; And think'st thou he is tranquil now in Ireland ? What would'st thou say, wise Thorer, if I told thee, In one brief word, that he is here? Tho. Here? Hak. Aye. Carls. What, here in Norway? is it possible! Hak. (to Thorer.) I could not choose but smile, when thou to-day, Long stories told us of thy pious friend Olaf, in Dublin,-even as if mine eyes Have not long since been watching him! I heard Your words in silence then,—but now 'tis time Freely to speak. This morning news arrived, That Olaf with a fleet had sail'd from Dublin, To visit Russia, but meanwhile has landed K Tho. That, indeed, I know, Hakon; at which instant the marble statue of Odin falls to the ground. Hakon endeavours to persuade them that the marble has long been in a state of decay; but after their departure, expresses, in a soliloquy, his sensibility to the event as a disastrous omen. The concluding scene of the first act has been much approved by a contemporary critic, Francis Horn. In it, Hakon is represented as visiting the old Smith already alluded to. After expressing his admiration of Gudrun, (whom her father by this time has locked up in a cellar with iron doors) he tries on his crown, which, being framed on an old measure of the Norwegian kings, is too large, and falls down over his eyes. He threatens the unsuccessful maker, and gives him three days to complete his work;-on which Bergthor observes: Hakon's rewards are princely,-yet without The kingdom is disordered ;-and his son, Iman, my friend, defends the Christian faith. I hasten to his aid in war and council,With soldiers, priests, and ships. We sail'd right onward; I had no thought of Norway.-Yet behold Out of the sea, from far, the well-known rocks Rose on my sight. There with their massy boughs The dark tall pine trees seem'd to beckon to me! Then all at once, the azure waves that play'd Around our ship were chang'd to fairy forms; Their dashing sound was music; and they sung To me alone a half-forgotten lay Of early childhood.-The full swelling sails Heav'd their white bosoms, amorously to gain The much lov'd shore. The streamer gaily Spreading its red wings like a bird on high, The mast, and flutter to the land. Oh then, But rarely mid the rocks are found. Yet ramparts Whereon the proud sun moderates his Only to shine within the vales more warmly, Thor. The wretch is hated as he hath de- Olef. Yet undisturb'd has reigned for eighteen years? Thor. Such reign he owes all to his former His luck in war-and the rash choice of Who had no better ruler. Olaf. But has prudence Deserted him? Thor. Nay he deserted her ;- Jarl Hakon! (it was said)-He is indeed The warlike powers of Jomsburg rooted out! What may resist his prowess?-By such fame No more respected from their sacred homes Brought wives and daughters to return dishonour'd. What need of more? At once in many The flames of insurrection 'gan to blaze- master To hurl the robber from the throne. Can this be possible? Thor. Your cousins here, The rest of this fine scene gradually My heart is melted by the thought-Oh Am I indeed the humble instrument Father! I do resign all will but thine- (Rising up with animation.) Mine arm is strong-my bosom swells with I shall be thine apostle.-With this sword My flocks paternally. Where Odin's temple Now shall the clouds of incense float around; On downy wings, exalt the soul to heaven.- Away with hatred, violence and blood! In the next scene, Hakon, cased in armour, meets by accident with Thora, his principal favourite among many mistresses, and the only one by whom, as it afterwards appears, he had been really beloved. Irritated by the circumstances in which he now finds himself, he speaks to her with coldness, levity, and disdain; which provokes, on her part, severe complaints and reproaches. In truth, the charms of Gudrun (betrothed to Orm of Lyrgia) seem to have wholly effaced in the mind of Hakon his love for the unfortunate Thora. She is left to the care of servants, with commands that she shall be carried to Rimol, where she afterwards receives and protects the faithless Jarl, in a situation which will be fully developed in the fifth act. After her exit, Einar (an archer) comes on the stage (the scene is a wood), and after sitting on the stump of a tree, and adjusting his bow, looks about for some object to shoot at, when he perceives Hakon Jarl walking at a distance, and shoots an arrow right through the plume of his helmet. The Dialogue here is given with great spirit. Hakon, who at first accuses Einar of intended assassination, is afterwards convinced, by trials of his superior skill, not only that no injury was intended, but that such a marksman will be of infinite advantage in his army; and, of course, engages Einar as one of his most valuable adhe rents. The second act concludes with a powerful and effective scene at the wedding feast of Gudrun, where, according to a common practice of the tyrant Jarl, a band of soldiers enter, and endeavour, by violence, to carry off the bride. This insult, however, meets at last with due punishment. The vile emissaries of Hakon are repulsed, and all the wedding party solemnly swear implacable revenge against the usurper. In the beginning of the third act, the scene of which is on the island Moster, Grib, the servant of Thorer, informs Carlshofut and Jostein, that Hakon has arrived privately, and moored his vessel in a small bay, under covert of the wood. They are surprised that Olaf has not encountered him on the water, as he had appointed to sail round with his fleet to the same side of the island; but it appears that Hakon had come before day-light. Grib then discloses to the two young men an abominable plot for the private assassination of Olaf, contrived by his master Thorer and Hakon, which he had overheard in their private conversation together. He also describes the powerful insurrection against the tyrant, in consequence of his attempt to carry off the bride, Gudrun, from the marriage festival. Filled with horror and indignation, they consider themselves absolved from every former engagement, and all three join in resolving to protect king Olaf; and to render futile the vile plot which the watchfulness of Grib had discovered. Meanwhile a sound of choral music is heard from the now-approaching ships of Olaf, who is soon afterwards seen to land with a large white banner, on which a red cross is woven, in his hand; and, after a solemn hymn by his priests, he lifts it on high, and then strikes it into the ground, with the following address: Olaf. What means this kneeling? Carl. Basely we have betray'd thee. It cannot be. Is all then but a dream? Jos. Fear nothing, sire. Olaf. I fear not hell itself-far less Jarl Rise up!--Why should'st thou kneel?-If thou hast sinn'd, Kneel before God, and tremble at the thought Of Heaven's avenging sword! The rest of this scene is occupied with a full disclosure to Olaf of the snares which had been laid for him; and Jostein satisfactorily accounts for his own and his brother's former participation in Hakon's plans, and for their determination now to become his most decided enemies. They suggest to Olaf that Hakon is now in his power, having arrived at the island with a force infinitely inferior to that of the king. After their disappearance, Thorer, carrying a basket and a dagger, enters, followed by Grib, in whom he still supposes himself to possess an obedient and faithful adherent. We regret not having room for the spirited and effective dialogue which passes between them. Thorer gives the poisoned dagger to Grib, and instructs him, that when they have come up with, and entered into conversation with Olaf, he shall suddenly plunge the weapon into his heart, and afterwards cut off his head, and carry it in the basket to Hakon, who will be waiting to receive it, and to reward the murderer with liberty and a sword of honour. The slave listens, with affected obsequiousness and inward contempt, to all the discourse of Thorer, (which is skilfully protracted) till at last, in a paroxysm of indignation, he renders his master the victim of his own treacherous plans, by stabbing him to the heart. Olaf, who happens to return immediately after the death of Thorer, rewards Grib (who is thenceforward called Greif or Griffin) with those honours which had been promised to him as an adherent of Hakon. The scene then changes to another part of the wood. That he has not himself brought Olaf's head. He sends me here as his ambassador. Hak. Well, go, and in the earth let it be buried, Deep, deep, I say!-I cannot bear to see it. Mine eyes abhor the sight. In waking dreams, In sleep it floats before me. Olaf. Thorer is now asleep. |