Author: H. Rider Haggard
Category: Adventure
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So that dream ended. When I, Olaf, awoke in the morning, it was to findthat already everyone was astir, for I had overslept myself. In thehall were gathered Ragnar, Steinar, Iduna and Freydisa; the elders weretalking together elsewhere on the subject of the forthcoming marriage.I went to Iduna to embrace her, and she proffered me her cheek, speakingall the while over her shoulder to Ragnar.
"Where were you last night, brother, that you came in near the dawn,all covered with mud?" asked Ragnar, turning his back on Iduna, withoutmaking any answer to her words.
"Digging in the Wanderer's grave, brother, as Iduna challenged me todo."
Now all three of them turned on me eagerly, save Freydisa, who stood bythe fire listening, and with one voice asked if I had found anything.
"Aye," I replied. "I found the Wanderer, a very noble-looking man," andI began to describe him.
"Peace to this dead Wanderer," broke in Iduna. "Did you find thenecklace?"
"Yes, I found the necklace. Here it is!" And I laid the splendid thingupon the board.
Then suddenly I lost my speech, since now for the first time I sawthat, twisted round the chain of it, were three broken wires of gold.I remembered how in my dream I had seen the beautiful woman break suchwires ere she gave half of the jewel to the man in whose breast I hadseemed to dwell, and for a moment grew so frightened that I could say nomore.
"Oh!" exclaimed Iduna, "it is beautiful, beautiful! Oh! Olaf, I thankyou," and she flung her arms about me and kissed me, this time inearnest.
Then she seized the necklace and fastened it round her throat.
"Stay," I said, awaking. "I think you had best not touch those gems.Iduna, I have dreamed that they will bring no luck to you or to anywoman, save one."
Here the dark-faced Freydisa looked up at me, then dropped her eyesagain, and stood listening.
"You have dreamed!" exclaimed Iduna. "I care little what you havedreamed. It is for the necklace I care, and not all the ill-luck in theworld shall stay me from the keeping of it."
Here again Freydisa looked up, but Steinar looked down.
"Did you find aught else?" asked Ragnar, interrupting.
"Aye, brother, this!" and from under my cloak I produced the Wanderer'ssword.
"A wondrous weapon," said Ragnar when he had examined it, "thoughsomewhat heavy for its length, and of bronze, after the fashion of thosethat are buried in the grave mounds. It has seen much wear also, and,I should say, has loosed many a spirit. Look at the gold work of thehandle. Truly a wondrous weapon, worth all the necklaces in the world.But tell us your story."
So I told them, and when I came to the images that we had found standingon the coffin, Iduna, who was paying little heed, stopped from herfondling of the necklace and asked where they were.
"Freydisa has them," I answered. "Show them the Wanderer's gods,Freydisa."
"So Freydisa was with you, was she?" said Iduna.
Then she glanced at the gods, laughed a little at their fashion andraiment, and again fell to fingering the necklace, which was more to herthan any gods.
Afterwards Freydisa asked me what was the dream of which I had spoken,and I told it to her, every word.
"It is a strange story," said Freydisa. "What do you make of it, Olaf?"
"Nothing save that it was a dream. And yet those three broken wiresthat are twisted round the chain, which I had never noted till I saw thenecklace in Iduna's hand! They fit well with my dream."
"Aye, Olaf, and the dream fits well with other things. Have you everheard, Olaf, that there are those who say that men live more than onceupon this earth?"
"No," I answered, laughing. "Yet why should they not do so, as they liveat all? If so, perhaps I am that Wanderer, in whose body I seemed to be,only then I am sure that the lady with the golden shells was not Iduna."And again I laughed.
"No, Olaf, she was not Iduna, though perchance there was an Iduna, allthe same. Tell me, did you see aught of that priestess who was with thelady?"
"Only that she was tall and dark, one of middle age. But why waste wordson this midnight madness? Yet that royal woman haunts me. I would thatI could see her again, if only in a dream. Also, Freydisa, I wouldthat Iduna had not taken the necklace. I fear lest it should bringmisfortune. Where is she now? I will tell her again."
"Wandering with Steinar, I think, and wearing the necklace. Oh! Olaf,like you I fear it will bring woe. I cannot read your dream--as yet."