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So Svend showed her his dagger, but not the crown; and she asked many questions concerning Siur the smith, about his way of talking and his face, the colour of his hair even, till the boys wondered, she questioned them so closely, with beaming eyes and glowing cheeks, so that Svend thought he had never before seen his mother look so beautiful.
There sat the seven brothers in the council chamber, waiting for the king, speaking no word, only thinking drearily; and under the pavement of the great church Cissela lay, and by the side of her tomb stood two men, old men both, Valdemar the king, and Siur.
Then within a while they left the chapel, and walked as in a dream between the dazzling lights of the hall, where the knights sat now, and between those lights sat down together, dreaming still the same dream each of them; while all the knights shouted for Siur and Cissela.
But Siur, when he had gazed at him for awhile, stole away quietly, as we do when we fear to waken a sleeper; and the king never turned his head, but still sat there, never moving, scarce breathing, it seemed.
'Well, for what? said Svend, somewhat shortly, for he thought Siur was going back from his promise, which was ugly to him. 'Nay, be not angry, prince, said the armourer, 'only I pray you to satisfy this whim of mine; it is the first favour I have asked of you: will you ask the fair, noble lady, your mother, from Siur the smith, if she is happy now?
'Did he, Svend, this man with brown hair, grizzled as you say it is now? Is his hair soft then, this Siur, going down on to his shoulders in waves? and his eyes, do they glow steadily, as if lighted up from his heart? and how does he speak? Did you not tell me that his words led you, whether you would or no, into dreamland? Ah well! tell him I am happy, but not so happy as we shall be, as we were.
O knight Siur, something strikes through me; I pray you kneel and pray. He looked steadily at her for a long time without answering, as if he were trying once for all to become indeed one with her; then said: 'Yes, it is possible; in no other way could you give up everything.
So the king, after that he had gazed awhile on the carven face of her he had loved well, said at last: 'And now, Sir Carver, must you carve me also to lie there. And he pointed to the vacant space by the side of the fair alabaster figure. 'O king, said Siur, 'except for a very few strokes on steel, I have done work now, having carved the queen there; I cannot do this thing for you.
Only they say, that at the last we may be saved from utter destruction by a woman; I know not. God grant it may be so. Then she said, 'Father, brother, and you, Siur, come with me to the chapel; I wish you to witness me make an oath.
'O love, she cried, 'you have loosed my hand; take it again, or I shall die, Siur! He took both her hands, he held them fast to his lips, to his forehead; he said: 'No, God does not allow such things: truth does not lie; you are truth; this need not be prayed for. She said: 'Oh, forgive me! yet yet this old chapel is damp and cold even in the burning summer weather.
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