of gold on his arm.

_Sigurd_.--This ring is not my own. (_Puts it on_.)

_Einar_.--I did not know that. Farewell, friends! (_Exit_.)

_Helgi Skaftason_ (_approaches closely to_ DEACON SIGURD).--I dreamed
last night that I stood out of doors and looked up at the sky, and I
thought I saw streams of blood run over all the sky. And down below
on earth shone flames that licked up to the vault of heaven from all
directions.

_Sigurd_.--You became aware in your sleep that the hut was burning about
you.

_Helgi_.--No! I dreamed this dream three times, and awoke each time and
never became aware of the fire. The end of the dream was most terrible
and always the same.

_Sigurd_.--And what was the end of it?

_Helgi_.--Meseemed Thorolf Bjarnason drowned me in blood, and then I
awoke and thought I was in hell.

_Sigurd_.--Put no faith in that hellish dream. You dreamed about the end
of the world.

_Helgi_.--Yes, my world is at an end. The eyes of Lady Helga marked me
for death, when I dried the blade of my axe on the fringes of her veil.