THE PRETENDERS (1863) (continued 3)
Reading edition
Paul Flida.
To be slain, most like. See you not that it is a sin——
Peter.
Nay, it cannot be a sin; for my father doomed the child in Oslo. Sooner or later it must die, for it blocks my father’s path;—my father has a great king’s-thought to carry through; it matters not who or how many fall for its sake.
Paul Flida.
Hapless for you was the day you came to know that you were King Skule’s son. [Listening.] Hist!—cast you flat to the ground; there come people this way.
[All throw themselves down behind stones and stumps; a troop of people, some riding, some on foot, can be seen indistinctly through the mist and between the trees; they come from the left, and pass on to the right.
Peter.
’Tis the Queen!
Paul Flida.
Ay; she is talking with Dagfinn the Peasant. Hush!
Peter.
They are making for Elgesæter. The King-child is with them!
Paul Flida.
And the Queen’s ladies.
316Peter.
But only four men! Up, up, King Skule—now is your kingdom saved!
King Skule.
My kingdom? ’Tis dark, my kingdom—like the angel’s that rose against God.
A party of Monks comes from the right.
A Monk.
Who speaks there? Is it King Skule’s men.
Paul Flida.
King Skule himself.
The Monk.
[To Skule.] God be praised that we met you, dear lord! Some townsmen gave us to know that you had taken the upward path, and we are no less unsafe than you in Nidaros.
Peter.
You have deserved death, you who denied to give forth St. Olaf’s shrine.
The Monk.
The Archbishop forbade it; but none the less we would fain serve King Skule; we have ever held to him. See, we have brought with us robes of our Order for you and your men; put them on, and then can you easily make your way into one convent or another, and can seek to gain grace of Håkon.
317King Skule.
Ay, let me put on the robe; my son and I must stand on consecrated ground. I will to Elgesæter.
Peter.
[Softly, to Paul Flida.] See that my father comes safely thither.
Paul Flida.
Bethink you that there are Birchlegs at Elgesæter.
Peter.
But four men; you may easily deal with them, and once inside the convent walls they will not dare to touch you. I will seek Bård Bratte.
Paul Flida.
Nay, do not so!
Peter.
Not on the King’s ship, but at Elgesæter, must the outlaws save the kingdom for my father.
[Goes quickly out to the right.
A Vårbælg.
[Whispering to another.] Go you to Elgesæter with Skule?
The Other.
Hist; no; the Birchlegs are there!
The First.
Neither will I go; but say nought to the rest.
318The Monk.
And now away, two and two,—one spearman and one monk.
Another Monk.
[Sitting on a stump behind the rest.] I will guide King Skule.
King Skule.
Know you the way?
The Monk.
The broad way.
The First Monk.
Haste you; let us take different paths, and meet outside the convent gate.
[They go out among the trees, to the right; the fog lifts and the comet shows itself red and glowing, through the hazy air.
King Skule.
Peter, my son——! [Starts backwards.] Ha, there is the flaming sword in heaven!
The Monk.
[Sitting behind him on the stump.] And here am I!
King Skule.
Who are you?
The Monk.
An old acquaintance.
King Skule.
Paler man have I never seen.
319The Monk.
But you know me not?
King Skule
’Tis you that are to lead me to Elgesæter.
The Monk.
’Tis I that will lead you to the throne.
King Skule.
Can you do that?
The Monk.
I can, if you but will it.
King Skule.
And by what means?
The Monk.
By the means I have used before;—I will take you up into a high mountain and show you all the glory of the world.
King Skule.
All the glory of the world have I seen ere now, in dreams of temptation.
The Monk.
’Twas I that gave you those dreams.
King Skule.
Who are you?
The Monk.
An envoy from the oldest Pretender in the world.
320King Skule.
From the oldest Pretender in the world?
The Monk.
From the first Earl, who rose against the greatest kingdom, and himself founded a kingdom that shall endure beyond doomsday.
King Skule.
[Shrieks.] Bishop Nicholas!
The Monk.
[Rising.] Do you know me now? We were friends of yore,
and ’tis you that have brought me back;
once the self-same galley our fortunes bore,
and we sailed on the self-same tack.
At our parting I quailed, in the gloom and the blast;
for a hawk in his talons had gripped my soul fast;
I besought them to chant and to ply the bell,
and I bought me masses and prayers as well,—
they read fourteen, though I’d paid but for seven;
yet they brought me no nearer the gates of heaven.
King Skule.
And you come from down yonder——?
The Monk.
Yes, from the kingdom down yonder I’m faring;
the kingdom men always so much miscall.
321I vow ’tis in nowise so bad after all,
and the heat, to my thinking, is never past bearing.
King Skule.
And it seems you have learnt skald-craft, old Bagler-chieftain!
The Monk.
Not only skald-craft, but store of Latinity!
Once my Latin was not over strong, you know;
now few can beat it for ease and flow.
To take any station in yonder vicinity,
ay, even to pass at the gate, for credential
a knowledge of Latin is well-nigh essential.
You can’t but make progress with so many able
and learned companions each day at the table,—
full fifty ex-popes by my side carouse, and
five hundred cardinals, skalds seven thousand.
King Skule.
Greet your Master and give him my thanks for his friendship. Tell him he is the only king who sends help to Skule the First of Norway.
The Monk.
Hear now, King Skule, what brings me to you—
my Master’s henchmen down there are legion,
and each up here is allotted a region;
they gave Norway to me, as the place I best knew.
Håkon Håkonsson serves not my Master’s will;
we hate him, for he is our foeman still—
so he must fall, leaving you at the helm,
the sole possessor of crown and realm.
322King Skule.
Ay, give me the crown! When once I have that, I will rule so as to buy myself free again.
The Monk.
Ay, that we can always talk of later——
we must seize the time if we’d win the fight.
King Håkon’s child sleeps at Elgesæter;
could you once wrap him in the web of night,
then like storm-swept motes will your foes fly routed,
then your victory’s sure and your kingship undoubted!
King Skule.
Think you so surely that the victory were mine?
The Monk.
All men in Norway are sighing for rest;
the king with an heir[46] is the king they love best—
a son to succeed to the throne without wrangling;
for the people are tired of this hundred-years’ jangling.
Rouse you, King Skule! one great endeavour!
the foe must perish to-night or never!
See, to the northward how light it has grown,
see how the fog lifts o’er fiord and o’er valley—
there gather noiselessly galley on galley—
hark! men are marching with rumble and drone!
One word of promise, and all is your own—
hundreds of glittering sails on the water,
thousands of warriors hurtling to slaughter.
323King Skule.
What word would you have?
The Monk.
For raising you highest, my one condition
is just that you follow your heart’s ambition;
all Norway is yours, to the kingship I’ll speed you,
if only you vow that your son shall succeed you!
King Skule.
[Raising his hand as if for an oath.] My son shall—-[Stops suddenly, and breaks forth in terror.] The church-robber! All the might to him! Ha! now I understand;—you seek for his soul’s perdition! Get thee behind me, get thee behind me! [Stretches out his arms to heaven.] Oh have mercy on me, thou to whom I now call for help in my sorest need!
[He falls prone to the earth.
The Monk.
Accursëd! He’s slipped through my fingers at last—
and I thought of a surety I held him so fast!
But the Light, it seems, had a trick in store
that I knew not of—and the game is o’er.
Well, well; what matters a little delay?
Perpetuum mobile’s well under way;
my might is assured through the years and the ages,
the haters of light shall be still in my wages;
in Norway my empire for ever is founded,
though it be to my subjects a riddle unsounded.
[Coming forward.
324While to their life-work Norsemen set out
will-lessly wavering, daunted with doubt,
while hearts are shrunken, minds helplessly shivering,
weak as a willow-wand wind-swept and quivering,—
while about one thing alone they’re united,
namely, that greatness be stoned and despited,—
when they seek honour in fleeing and falling
under the banner of baseness unfurled,—
then Bishop Nicholas ’tends to his calling,
the Bagler-Bishop’s at work in the world!
[He disappears in the fog among the trees.
King Skule.
[After a short pause, half rises and looks around.] Where is he, my black comrade? [Springs up.] My guide, my guide, where are you? Gone!— No matter; now I myself know the way, both to Elgesæter and beyond.
[Goes out to the right.
The courtyard of Elgesæter Convent. To the left lies the chapel, with an entrance from the courtyard; the windows are lighted up. Along the opposite side of the space stretch some lower buildings; in the back, the convent wall with a strong gate, which is locked. It is a clear moonlight night. Three Birchleg Chiefs stand by the gate; Margrete, Lady Ragnhild, and Dagfinn the Peasant come out from the chapel.
Lady Ragnhild.
[Half to herself.] King Skule had to flee into the church, you say! He, he, a fugitive! begging 325at the altar for peace—begging for his life mayhap—oh no, no, that could never be; but God will punish you who dared to let it come to this!
Margrete.
My dear, dear mother, curb yourself; you know not what you say; ’tis your grief that speaks.
Lady Ragnhild.
Hear me, ye Birchlegs! ’Tis Håkon Håkonsson that should lie before the altar, and beseech King Skule for life and peace.
A Birchleg.
It ill beseems loyal men to listen to such words.
Margrete.
Bow your heads before a wife’s sorrow!
Lady Ragnhild.
King Skule doomed! Look to yourselves, look to yourselves all of you, when he regains his power!
Dagfinn.
That will never be, Lady Ragnhild.
Margrete.
Hush, hush!
Lady Ragnhild.
Think you Håkon Håkonsson dare let his doom be fulfilled if the King should fall into his hands?
Dagfinn.
King Håkon himself best knows whether a king’s oath can be broken.
326Lady Ragnhild.
[To Margrete.] And this man of blood have you followed in faith and love! Are you your father’s child? May the wrath of heaven——! Go from me, go from me!
Margrete.
Blessed be your lips, although now they curse me.
Lady Ragnhild.
I must down to Nidaros and into the church to find King Skule. He sent me from him when he sat victorious on the throne; then, truly, he had no need of me—now will he not be wroth if I come to him. Open the gate for me; let me go to Nidaros!
Margrete.
My mother, for God’s pity’s sake——!
[A loud knocking at the convent gate.
Dagfinn.
Who knocks?
King Skule.
[Without.] A king.
Dagfinn.
Skule Bårdsson.
Lady Ragnhild.
King Skule.
Margrete.
My father!
King Skule.
Open, open!
Dagfinn.
We open not here to outlaws.
327King Skule.
’Tis a king who knocks, I tell you; a king who has no roof over his head; a king whose life is forfeit if he reach not consecrated ground.
Margrete.
Dagfinn, Dagfinn, ’tis my father!
Dagfinn.
[Goes to the gate and opens a small shutter.] Come you with many men to the convent?
King Skule.
With all the men that were true to me in my need.
Dagfinn.
And how many be they?
King Skule.
Fewer than one.
Margrete.
He is alone, Dagfinn.
Lady Ragnhild.
Heaven’s wrath fall upon you if you deny him sanctuary!
Dagfinn.
In God’s name, then!
[He opens the gate; the Birchlegs respectfully uncover their heads. King Skule enters the courtyard.
Margrete.
[Throwing herself on his neck.] My father! My dear, unhappy father!
328Lady Ragnhild.
[Interposing wildly between him and the Birchlegs.] Ye who feign reverence for him, ye will betray him, like Judas. Dare not to come near him! Ye shall not lay a finger on him while I live!
Dagfinn.
Here he is safe, for he is on holy ground.
Margrete.
And not one of all your men had the heart to follow you this night!
King Skule.
Both monks and spearmen brought me on the way; but they slipped from me one by one, for they knew there were Birchlegs at Elgesæter. Paul Flida was the last to leave me; he came with me to the convent gate; there he gave me his last hand-grip, in memory of the time when there were Vargbælgs in Norway.
Dagfinn.
[To the Birchlegs.] Get you in, chieftains, and set you as guards about the King-child; I must to Nidaros to acquaint the King that Skule Bårdsson is at Elgesæter; in so weighty a matter ’tis for him to act.
Margrete.
Oh, Dagfinn, Dagfinn, have you the heart for that?
Dagfinn.
Else should I ill serve King and land. [To the men.] Lock the gates after me, watch over the child, and open to none until the King be come. 329[Softly toto Skule.] Farewell, Skule Bårdsson—and God grant you a blessed end.
[Goes out by the gate; the Birchlegs close it after him, and go into the chapel.
Lady Ragnhild.
Ay, let Håkon come; I will not loose you; I will hold you straitly and tenderly in my arms, as I never held you before.
Margrete.
Oh, how pale you are—and aged; you are cold.
King Skule.
I am not cold—but I am weary, weary.
Margrete.
Come in then, and rest you——
King Skule.
Yes, yes; ’twill soon be time to rest.
Sigrid.
[From the chapel.] You come at last, my brother!
King Skule.
Sigrid! you here?
Sigrid.
I promised that we should meet when you were fain of me in your sorest need.
King Skule.
Where is your child, Margrete?
Margrete.
He sleeps, in the sacristy.
330King Skule.
Then is our whole house gathered at Elgesæter to-night.
Sigrid.
Ay, gathered after straying long and far.
King Skule.
Håkon Håkonsson alone is wanting.
Margrete and Lady Ragnhild.
[Cling about him, in an outburst of sorrow.] My father!—My husband!
King Skule.
[Looking at them, much moved.] Have you loved me so deeply, you two? I sought after happiness abroad, and heeded not the home wherein I might have found it. I pursued after love through sin and guilt, little dreaming that ’twas mine already, in right of God’s law and man’s.—And you, Ragnhild, my wife, you, against whom I have sinned so deeply, you take me to your warm, soft heart in the hour of my sorest need; you can tremble and be afraid for the life of the man who has never cast a ray of sunshine upon your path.
Lady Ragnhild.
Have you sinned? Oh, Skule, speak not so; think you I should ever dare accuse you! From the first I was too mean a mate for you, my noble husband; there can rest no guilt on any deed of yours.
King Skule.
Have you believed in me so surely, Ragnhild?
331Lady Ragnhild.
From the first day I saw you.
King Skule.
[With animation.] When Håkon comes, I will beg grace of him! You gentle, loving women,—oh, but it is fair to live!
Sigrid.
[With an expression of terror.] Skule, my brother! Woe to you if you stray from the path this night.
[A loud noise without; immediately afterwards, a knocking at the gate.
Margrete.
Hark, hark! Who comes in such haste?
Lady Ragnhild.
Who knocks at the gate?
Voices.
[Without.] Townsfolk from Nidaros! Open! We know that Skule Bårdsson is within!
King Skule.
Ay, he is within; what would ye with him?
Noisy Voices.
[Without.] Come out, come out! Death to the evil man!
Margrete.
You townsfolk dare to threaten that?
A Single Voice.
King Håkon doomed him at Oslo.
332Another.
’Tis every man’s duty to slay him.
Margrete.
I am the Queen; I command you to depart!
A Voice.
’Tis Skule Bårdsson’s daughter, and not the Queen, that speaks thus.
Another.
You have no power over life and death; the King has doomed him!
Lady Ragnhild.
Into the church, Skule! For God’s mercy’s sake, let not the bloodthirsty caitiffs approach you!
King Skule.
Ay, into the church; I would not fall at the hands of such as these. My wife, my daughter; meseems I have found peace and light; oh, I cannot lose them again so soon!
[Moves towards the chapel.
Peter.
[Without, on the right.] My father, my king. Now will you soon have the victory!
King Skule.
[With a shriek.] He! He!
[Sinks down upon the church steps.
Lady Ragnhild.
Who is it?
333A Townsman.
[Without.] See, see! the church-robber climbs over the convent roof!
Others.
Stone him! Stone him!
Peter.
[Appears on a roof to the right, and jumps down into the yard.] Well met again, my father!
King Skule.
[Looks at him aghast.] You—I had forgotten you——! Whence come you?
Peter.
[Wildly.] Where is the King-child?
Margrete.
The King-child!
King Skule.
[Starts up.] Whence come you, I ask?
Peter.
From Hladehammer; I have given Bård Bratte and the Vargbælgs to know that the King-child lies at Elgesæter to-night.
Margrete.
O God!
King Skule.
You have done that! And now——?
Peter.
He is gathering together his men, and they are 334hasting up to the convent.—Where is the King-child, woman?
Margrete.
[Who has placed herself before the church door.] He sleeps in the sacristy!
Peter.
’Twere the same if he slept on the altar! I have dragged out St. Olaf’s shrine—I fear not to drag out the King-child as well.
Lady Ragnhild.
[Calls to Skule.] And he it is you have loved so deeply!
Margrete.
Father, father! How could you forget us all for his sake?
King Skule.
He was pure as a lamb of God when the penitent woman gave him to me;—’tis his faith in me has made him what he now is.
Peter.
[Without heeding him.] The child must out! Slay it, slay it in the Queen’s arms,—that was King Skule’s word in Oslo!
Margrete.
Oh shame, oh shame!
Peter.
A saint might do it unsinning, at my father’s command! My father is King; for the great king’s-thought is his!
335Townsmen.
[Knocking at the gate.] Open! Come out, you and the church-robber, else will we burn the convent down!
King Skule.
[As if seized by a strong resolution.] The great king’s-thought! ’Tis that has poisoned your young loving soul! Pure and blameless I was to give you back; ’tis faith in me that drives you thus wildly from crime to crime, from deadly sin to deadly sin! Oh, but I can save you yet: I can save us all! [Calls toward the background.] Wait, wait, ye townsmen without there: I come!
Margrete.
[Seizing his hand in terror.] My father! what would you do?
Lady Ragnhild.
[Clinging to him with a shriek.] Skule!
Sigrid.
[Tears them away from him, and calls with wild, radiant joy.] Loose him, loose him, women;—now his thought puts forth wings!
King Skule.
[Firmly and forcibly, to Peter.] You saw in me the heaven-chosen one,—him who should do the great king’s-work in the land. Look at me better, misguided boy! The rags of kingship I have decked myself withal, they were borrowed and stolen—now I put them off me, one by one.
336Peter.
[In dread.] My great, my noble father, speak not thus!
King Skule.
The king’s-thought is Håkon’s, not mine; to him alone has the Lord granted the power that can act it out. You have believed in a lie; turn from me, and save your soul.
Peter.
[In a broken voice.] The king’s-thought is Håkon’s!
King Skule.
I yearned to be the greatest in the land. My God! my God! behold, I abase myself before thee, and stand as the least of all men.
Peter.
Take me from the earth, O Lord! Punish me for all my sin; but take me from the earth; for here am I homeless now!
[Sinks down upon the church steps.
King Skule.
I had a friend who bled for me at Oslo. He said: A man can die for another’s life-work; but if he is to go on living, he must live for his own.—I have no life-work to live for, neither can I live for Håkon’s,—but I can die for it.
Margrete.
Nay, nay, that shall you never do!
King Skule.
[Takes her hand, and looks at her tenderly.] Do you love your husband, Margrete?
337Margrete.
Better than the whole world.
King Skule.
You could endure that he should doom me; but could you also endure that he should let the doom be fulfilled?
Margrete.
Lord of heaven, give me strength!
King Skule.
Could you, Margrete?
Margrete.
[Softly and shuddering.] No, no—we should have to part,—I could never see him more!
King Skule.
You would darken the fairest light of his life and of yours;—be at peace, Margrete,—it shall not be needful.
Lady Ragnhild.
Flee from the land, Skule; I will follow you whithersoever you will.
King Skule.
[Shaking his head.] With a mocking shade between us?—To-night have I found you for the first time; there must fall no shade between me and you, my silent, faithful wife;—therefore must we not seek to unite our lives on this earth.
Sigrid.
My kingly brother! I see you need me not;—I see you know what path to take.
338King Skule.
There are men born to live, and men born to die. My desire was ever thitherward where God’s finger pointed not the way for me; therefore I never saw my path clear, till now. My peaceful home-life have I wrecked; I can never win it back again. My sins against Håkon I can atone by freeing him from a kingly duty which must have parted him from his dearest treasure. The townsfolk stand without; I will not wait for King Håkon! The Vargbælgs are near; so long as I live they will not swerve from their purpose; if they find me here, I cannot save your child, Margrete.—See, look upwards! See how it wanes and pales, the flaming sword that has hung over my head! Yes, yes,—God has spoken and I have understood him, and his wrath is appeased. Not in the sanctuary of Elgesæter will I cast me down and beg for grace of an earthly king;—I must into the mighty church roofed with the vault of stars and ’tis the King of Kings I must implore for grace and mercy over all my life-work.
Sigrid.
Withstand him not! Withstand not the call of God! The day dawns; it dawns in Norway and it dawns in his restless soul! Have not we trembling women cowered long enough in our secret rooms, terror-stricken and hidden in the darkest corners, listening to all the horror that was doing without, listening to the bloody pageant that stalked over the land from end to end! Have we not lain pale and stone-like in the churches, not daring to look forth, even as Christ’s disciples lay in Jerusalem on the Great Good Friday when 339the Lord was led by to Golgotha! Use thy wings, and woe to them who would bind thee now!
Lady Ragnhild.
Fare forth in peace, my husband; fare thither, where no mocking shade shall stand between us, when we meet.
[Hastens into the chapel.
Margrete.
My father, farewell, farewell,—a thousand times farewell!
[Follows Lady Ragnhild.
Sigrid.
[Opens the church door and calls in.] To your knees, all ye women! Assemble yourselves in prayer; send up a message in song to the Lord, and tell him that now Skule Bårdsson comes penitent home from his rebellious race on earth.
King Skule.
Sigrid, my faithful sister, greet King Håkon from me; tell him that even in my last hour I know not whether he be king-born; but this I know of a surety: he it is whom God has chosen.
Sigrid.
I will bear him your greeting.
King Skule.
And yet another greeting must you bear. There dwells a penitent woman in the north, in Halogaland; tell her that her son has gone before; he went with me when there was great danger for his soul.
340Sigrid.
That will I.
King Skule.
Tell her, it was not with the heart he sinned; pure and blameless shall she surely meet him again.
Sigrid.
That will I. [Points towards the background.] Hark! they are breaking the lock!
King Skule.
[Points towards the chapel.] Hark! they are singing loud to God of salvation and peace!
Sigrid.
Hark again! All the bells in Nidaros are ringing——!
King Skule.
[Smiles mournfully.] They are ringing a king to his grave.
Sigrid.
Nay, nay, they ring for your true crowning! Farewell, my brother, let the purple robe of blood flow wide over your shoulders; under it may all sin be hidden! Go forth, go into the great church and take the crown of life.
[Hastens into the chapel.
[Chanting and bell-ringing continue during what follows.
Voices.
[Outside the gate.] The lock has burst! Force us not to break the peace of the church!
341King Skule.
I come.
The Townsmen.
And the church-robber must come too!too!
King Skule.
Ay, the church-robber shall come too. [Goes over to Peter.] My son, are you ready?
Peter.
Ay, father, I am ready.
King Skule.
[Looks upwards.] O God, I am a poor man, I have but my life to give; but take that, and keep watch over Håkon’s great king’s-thought.—See now, give me your hand.
Peter.
Here is my hand, father.
King Skule.
And fear not for that which is now to come.
Peter.
Nay, father, I fear not, when I go with you.
King Skule.
A safer way have we two never trodden together. [He opens the gate; the Townsmen stand without with upraised weapons.] Here are we; we come of our own free will;—but strike him not in the face.
[They pass out, hand in hand; the gate glides to.
342A Voice.
Aim not, spare not;—strike them where ye can.
King Skule’s Voice.
’Tis base to deal thus with chieftains.
[A short noise of weapons; then a heavy fall is heard; all is still for a moment.
A Voice.
They are dead, both of them!
[The King’s horn sounds.
Another Voice.
There comes King Håkon with all his guard!
The Crowd.
Hail Håkon Håkonsson; now have you no longer any foemen.
Gregorius Jonsson.
[Stops a little before the corpses.] So I have come too late!
[Enters the convent yard.
Dagfinn.
It had been ill for Norway had you come sooner. [Calls out.] In here, King Håkon!
Håkon.
[Stopping.] The body lies in my way!
Dagfinn.
If Håkon Håkonsson would go forward, he must pass over Skule Bårdsson’s body!
Håkon.
In God’s name then!
[Steps over the corpse and comes in.
343Dagfinn.
At last you can set about your king’s-work with free hands. In there are those you love; in Nidaros they are ringing in peace in the land; and yonder he lies who was your direst foe.
Håkon.
All men misjudged him, reading not his secret.
Dagfinn.
His secret?
Håkon.
[Seizes him by the arm, and says softly.] Skule Bårdsson was God’s step-child on earth; that was the secret.
[The song of the women is heard more loudly from the chapel; all the bells are still ringing in Nidaros.
THE END.
Printed by Ballantyne & Co. Limited
Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London
Transcriber’s Note
There are quite a few instances of missing punctuation. The conventional period following the character’s name is sometimes missing and has been added for consistency’s sake without further comment. Those missing from setting and stage direction are also added without comment, since there is no obvious purpose to be served by the omission. However, the restoration of punctuation missing from dialogue is noted below, since the punctuation is frequently expressive.
Volume I of this series included errata for each succeeding volume. Some, but not all of the corrections indicated there had been made before this printing. Those that remained unchanged have been corrected here, and noted as such.
Other errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original. The following issues should be noted, along with the resolutions.
63.16 If Thorol[d/f] is slain Replaced, per Errata.
63.18 If Thorol[d/f] is slain Replaced, per Errata.
82.29 Whither wilt thou[?] Added.
118.12 H[a/å]kon’s marshal. Replaced.
123.32 The old name for Trondh[ie/ei]m. Transposed.
161.27 the full strength of my youth[;/.] Replaced.
279.13 what have you done[?] Added.
329.1 [Softly [to] Skule.] Farewell, Skule Bårdsson Added.
341.4 And the church-robber must come too[!] Added.