Day out, day in, must you hold carouse--
God help her who mates with you.
God help the maiden you lure or buy
With gold and with forests green--
Soon will her sore heart long to lie
Still in the grave, I ween.


ERIK.

Aye, aye--true enough--Knut Gesling lives not overpeaceably. But
there will soon come a change in that, when he gets him a wife in
his hall.


KNUT.

And this I would have you mark, Dame Margit: it may be a week
since, I was at a feast at Hegge, at Erik's bidding, whom here
you see. I vowed a vow that Signe, your fair sister, should be
my wife, and that before the year was out. Never shall it be said
of Knut Gesling that he brake any vow. You can see, then, that
you must e'en choose me for your sister's husband--be it with your
will or against it.


MARGIT.

Ere that may be, I must tell you plain,
You must rid yourself of your ravening train.