that thy wickedness will win. It may well chance that thou wilt crown
thy crimes with my slaying and the slaying of the man who loves me. But
I tell thee this, traitress--murderess, as thou art--that here the tale
ends not. Not by death, Swanhild, shalt thou escape the deeds of life!
_There_ they shall rise up against thee, and _there_ every shame that
thou hast worked, every sin that thou hast sinned, and every soul that
thou hast brought to Hela's halls, shall come to haunt thee and to drive
thee on from age to age! That witchcraft which thou lovest shall mesh
thee. Shadows shall bewilder thee; from the bowl of empty longings thou
shalt drink and drink, and not be satisfied. Yea! lusts shall mock and
madden thee. Thou shalt ride the winds, thou shalt sail the seas, but
thou shalt find no harbour, and never shalt thou set foot upon a shore
of peace.

"Go on, Swanhild--dye those hands in blood--wade through the river of
shame! Seek thy desire, and finding, lose! Work thy evil, and winning,
fail! I yet shall triumph--I yet shall trample thee; and, in a place
to come, with Eric at my side, I shall make a mock of Swanhild the
murderess! Swanhild the liar, and the wanton, and the witch! Now get
thee gone!"

Swanhild heard. She looked up at Gudruda's face and it was alight
as with a fire. She strove to answer, but no words came. Then Groa's
daughter turned and went, and with her went Gizur.



Now women and thralls came in and drew out the wounded and those who
still breathed from among the dead, taking them to the temple. They bore
away the body of Ospakar also, but they left the rest.