BALDER. Ah, torment!

Ha! I can end thee! [He lifts his sword again.

NANNA. Let my tears prevent thee!

HOTHER. By heavens! she's mocking thee! If thou delayest, She'll laugh full at thee in the arms of Hother.

NANNA. Believe him not, but virtue--thine own bosom!

BALDER (sheathing his sword). Live, Hother! live!

HOTHER. Ha! have I begged for mercy?

BALDER. No! Live; forget our strife, thou dauntless warrior!

Embrace thy friend, and be, as erst, unshackled!

HOTHER. Ha! cruel, proud, and all too n.o.ble en'my!

Thou know'st, thou feelest but too well thy triumph!

Ha! thou hast overcome, hast humbled Hother!

And think'st thou he can live? Heard, heard has heaven My oath, that I or Balder die!

[He grasps his dagger, and is about to stab himself with it, but BALDER wrests it out of his hand.

BALDER. Bethink thee!

HOTHER. Ye heavens! Hother! ah! how art thou fallen!

NANNA (affectionately). My Hother!

HOTHER. Ah! farewell for ever, Nanna!

[He goes hastily away. NANNA attempts to follow him, but BALDER detains her.

NANNA, BALDER.

NANNA. Woe's me! he will destroy himself.

BALDER. By Odin!

He shall not! Be composed! believe, I've power To hinder it! Believe thy Balder, Nanna!

NANNA (she takes with fervour his hand and bends herself for some time over it). I do believe thee, n.o.ble one, I know thee!

I feel all thy exaltedness. Thy virtues I hold in reverence. Oh! that all my friendship, That these hot tears were able to reward thee!

BALDER (casts himself upon his knees before her). Oh glimpse! Oh wave of hope, in which I'm drowning!

NANNA (agitated). What hopest thou?

BALDER. Let not thy lips, oh Nanna Awaken Balder from his dream of rapture; Let him enjoy it; let him read his destiny, His hope, his life, in yonder precious tear-drops.

NANNA. Ah, what avails it 'gainst one's fate to struggle?

My heart can ne'er of Balder be deserving.

BALDER. Ah, that I but--

NANNA. Excuse me now; thou knowest I've--Ah! a miserable friend to comfort.

[She tears herself away from him, gives a friendly look and goes. He follows her for some time with his eyes.

BALDER. Yet will I hope! Hear, hear ye rocks! that Balder Ventures to hope!--stern fate is now contented!

Blunted is Surtur's spear, and Nanna wavers!

Oh virtue! which, when blood rag'd high didst triumph, How sure, how n.o.bly thou reward'st thy lover!

Ye rocks which so lately gave ear to my groans, Now hear of my hope and my gladness the tones, And reply ye proud woods that no longer seem drear; In vain fate and heaven, oh Balder, have cas'd, With vigour the bosom thou lovest, and placed In the hand of the hero the sorcerer's spear.

Oh virtue! thou still dost thy servant befriend; Ye echoes the triumph of true love extend, And virtue's fair guerdon proclaim far and near.

THOR, BALDER.

THOR. Boldly resounds thy song, thou friend of battle!

So bl.u.s.ter from the hero's lips the b.l.o.o.d.y Hard-gotten vict'ries, and the slain foes' praises, Whilst he surveys the lonely field of slaughter, Thou smilest, pleasure from thine eye is flashing, Like Odin's, when he freed the earth from danger By watering it with blood of savage giants.

BALDER. Ha, friend! press thou thy breast unto this bosom, And feel what lip but feebly can interpret, Feel heaven's rapture in my soul!

THOR. Thou ravest!

BALDER. Ah! Nanna, friend!--

THOR. Ha! now I understand thee.

And well it is, full well, that Odin's Balder At length by tears has soften'd Gevar's daughter!

This triumph--

BALDER. Thou art mocking!

THOR. No, thy vict'ry Shall to me be as one of my most prais'd ones, As that I won from Nagaard's gloomy demon!

Ha! it is great! It takes from me and Odin The dastard fear which has too long tormented Our bosoms. I no more thine ear shall weary With vain advice. Enough! the maiden loveth.

BALDER. She loveth--yes, by Hael! she loveth Hother.

THOR. Ha! Balder, dost thou mock me? Whom? What Hother?

BALDER. Hast Thor forgotten then the valiant Leir-King?

THOR (in thought). No!--by my hammer, no!--I saw him battle At Rolf, the Daneman's festival; I saw him, Strong in his arm.

BALDER. But yet it lost the falchion.

THOR (yet in thought). Before his spear the copper hauberk yielded Like softest wax. Shall he--But scarce a mortal Avails thereto--But then if fate--

BALDER. Banish, oh banish, These murky thoughts, oh Thor! and share my pleasure.

THOR. Thy pleasure! Do I dream? Loves Nanna, Hother?