It blazed and flared² in there; the red glow scorched³ her face and her white gown. But she kept on adding logs to the fire and could not get warm.

 

Cordt sat in the other chair reading, with his book on his knees and his head leaning on his hands. The book was a large one, with yellow pages and old-fashioned characters.

 

Fru Adelheid looked at him despondently⁴. She regretted that she had come up to the room and would have gone away, had she had the strength to. She sighed and looked into the fire with tired eyes.

 

[53]“Adelheid ... listen.”

 

He pushed his hair with both hands from his forehead and read:

 

“But, when the tidings came to Queen Thyre that Olav Trygvasson was dead, she fell into a swoon and lay thus for long. And, when, at the last, she came to herself again, she was so sorrowful that it was pity for those of her house to behold⁵. When the day was over, she went to a monk⁶ who dwelled near by and was known in all that land for a holy man. Him she asked if folk who died by their own hands sinned against God’s law; since her lord and husband was dead and she had no more liking⁷ for life. But the monk answered and said:

 

“‘Indeed it is a sin. For God has given us life and will take it back again when He thinks right.’

 

“Then the queen wept, because she[54] must sin so grievously. But, early the next morning, she came again and asked the holy man how little one was allowed to eat without angering God. And the monk took pity on her and said:

 

“‘If you eat an apple every day, that will be enough.’

 

“Then Queen Thyre lay down on her couch and bade all her handmaidens leave her, so that she might be alone with her dule and sorrow, bidding them that one of her

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