Eternal war, than that the Saints at peace Lifts us beyond the lie. not Kiss me- - thou art A holy sister yet, my girl, to fear There might be more than brother in my kiss, And more than sister in thine own. EDITH. I dare not. HAROLD. Scared by the church-"Love for a whole life HAROLD. Their anthems of no church, how sweet they are! Nor kingly priest, nor priestly king to cross Their billings ere they nest. EDITH. They are but of spring, They fly the winter change-not so with us— No wings to come and go, HAROLD. But wing'd souls flying Beyond all change and in the eternal distance To settle on the Truth. EDITH. They are not so true, They change their mates. HAROLD. Do they? I did not know it. EDITH. They say thou art to wed the Lady Aldwyth. HAROLD. They say, they say. EDITH. If this be politic, And well for thee and England-and for her Care not for me who love thee. GURTH (calling). Harold, Harold! HAROLD. The voice of Gurth! (Enter GURTH) Good even, my good brother! GURTH. Good even, gentle Edith. EDITH. Good even, Gurth. GURTH. Ill news hath come! Our hapless brother, TostigHe, and the giant King of Norway, Harold Hardrada-Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Orkney, Are landed North of Humber, and in a field - So packt with carnage that the dykes and brooks Were bridged and damm'd with dead, have over HAROLD. Well then, we will to the North. GURTH. Ay, but worse news: this William sent to Rome, His master, heard him, and have sent him back Of Peter, and all France, all Burgundy, Poitou, all Christendom is raised against thee; He hath cursed thee, and all those who fight for thee, And given thy realm of England to the bastard. Ha! ha! HAROLD. EDITH. Oh! laugh not! . . . Strange and ghastly in the gloom |