[BENGT enters hastily from the back.

BENGT.

  [Entering, calls loudly.] An unlooked-for guest my wife!

MARGIT.

  What guest?

BENGT.

Your kinsman, Gudmund Alfson! [Calls through the doorway on the right.] Let the best guest-room be prepared—­and that forthwith!

MARGIT.

  Is he, then, already here?

BENGT.

[Looking out through the passage-way.] Nay, not yet; but he cannot be far off. [Calls again to the right.] The carved oak bed, with the dragon-heads! [Advances to MARGIT.] His shield-bearer brings a message of greeting from him; and he himself is close behind.

MARGIT.

  His shield-bearer!  Comes he hither with a shield-bearer!

BENGT.

Aye, by my faith he does.  He has a shield-bearer and six armed men in his train.  What would you?  Gudmund Alfson is a far other man than he was when he set forth to seek his fortune.  But I must ride forth to seek him. [Calls out.] The gilded saddle on my horse!  And forget not the bridle with the serpents’ heads! [Looks out to the back.] Ha, there he is already at the gate!  Well, then, my staff—­my silver-headed staff!  Such a lordly knight—­Heaven save us!—­we must receive him with honour, with all seemly honour!

     [Goes hastily out to the back.

MARGIT. [Brooding]

Alone he departed, a penniless swain;
With esquires and henchmen now comes he again. 
What would he?  Comes he, forsooth, to see
My bitter and gnawing misery? 
Would he try how long, in my lot accurst,
I can writhe and moan, ere my heart-strings burst—­
Thinks he that—?  Ah, let him only try! 
Full little joy shall he reap thereby.
     [She beckons through the doorway on the right.  Three
       handmaidens enter.

List, little maids, what I say to you: 
Find me my silken mantle blue. 
Go with me into my bower anon: 
My richest of velvets and furs do on. 
Two of you shall deck me in scarlet and vair,
The third shall wind pearl-strings into my hair. 
All my jewels and gauds bear away with ye!
     [The handmaids go out to the left, taking the ornaments
       with them.

Since Margit the Hill-King’s bride must be,
Well! don we the queenly livery!

     [She goes out to the left.
     [BENGT ushers in GUDMUND ALFSON, through the pent-house
       passage at the back.

BENGT.

  And now once more—­welcome under Solhoug’s roof, my wife’s kinsman.

GUDMUND.

I thank you.  And how goes it with her?  She thrives well in every way, I make no doubt?