No, I have not. (_Goes toward the gorge._)

_Kari._

It does not matter if you have told it before.

_Halla._

Arnes may be saving them for the winter.

_Kari (rises; lays down his pipe)._

Do you know what you should do? Have a good talk with Arnes. I believe he is getting restless and thinks of leaving us.

_Halla._

I hope not.

_Kari._

I will go and take a bath. You can speak better to him alone, and I need to wash off the sweat. (_Sings on his way out._)

Far in the hills I wandered; softly shone the summer night, And the sun had ne'er a thought of sleeping.

Now will I bring my sweetheart dear the hidden treasure bright, For faithfully my vows I would be keeping.

Heigh, ho!

New and fine my stockings are, new and fine my shoes, And not a care in all the world to plague me!

_Halla (sits silent)._

Is time hanging heavy on you up here?

_Arnes (goes to her)._

No, that is only something Kari has got into his head, because I am not always merry.

_Halla (smiling)._

Once you boasted of being kin to the trolls.

_Arnes._

So I am. (_Halla rises; blows a great puff of smoke into his face; laughs. Arnes takes hold of her wrists._) Once there were two trolls.

They quarrelled and turned each other into stone. One had to stand where all the birds dropped their filth, and the other had to stand where all the winds blew. Which would you rather be?

_Halla (tears herself away)._

I have not been turned to stone yet. (_Laughs._) I thought you had forgotten all your old stories.

_Arnes._

You are strong.

_Halla (sits down on the gra.s.s, leaning on her arm)._

Can you foretell things from the clouds?

_Arnes._

Yes, about the weather.

_Halla._

I don't mean that.

_Arnes (sits down beside her)._

When I was a child, I used to sail my viking ships on the clouds. Do you want me to foretell your fate?

_Halla._

You just said that you could not.

_Arnes._

The clouds tell nothing about our lives. They are only the dreamlands of earth. Will you let me see your arm?

_Halla._

Why?

_Arnes (lifts her arm)._

You think these lines on your arm are nothing but marks drawn by heather and gra.s.s, but if I knew enough, I could read your whole fate in them.

Something, perhaps, I can see. Who would believe that these slender arms could be so strong.

_Halla (laughing)._

And what stands written there?

_Arnes._

You must sit still. Here is a deep, narrow line across your arm, that means sorrow. And there is a big fire. (_Stroking her arm with the tips of his fingers._) I can see the tongues of flame. That means that you are loved.

(_Kisses her arm._)

_Halla (stands up; laughs)._

Did you burn yourself?