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Transcript

Brand Act II Part 1 · The Henrik Ibsen Library

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  Speaker 1: Act two part one of brand by henrik ibsen translated
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  Speaker 1: by charles harold here eighteen fifty three to nineteen thirty
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  Speaker 1: one this librivox recording is in the public domain recording
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  Speaker 1: by expatriate in bangor maine act two part one by
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  Speaker 1: the fjord side steep precipices all around the ancient and
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  Speaker 1: tumble-down church stands on a little knoll hard by a
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  Speaker 1: storm is coming on the country folk men women and
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  Speaker 1: children are gathered in knots some on the shore some
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  Speaker 1: on the slopes the mayor sits in the midst on
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  Speaker 1: a stone a clerk is helping him corn and provisions
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  Speaker 1: are being distributed einar and agnes stand surrounded by a
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  Speaker 1: crowd a little apart some boats lie on the beach
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  Speaker 1: brand comes forward unnoticed to the church knoll a man
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  Speaker 1: breaking through the crowd out of the way a woman
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  Speaker 1: i'm first the man thrusting her aside get back pushing
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  Speaker 1: towards the mayor ho look you fill me up my
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  Speaker 1: sack the mayor all in good time the man i
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  Speaker 1: cannot stay i've four five babes of bread bereft the
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  Speaker 1: mayor facetiously you don't know just how many eh the
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  Speaker 1: man one was e'en dying when i left the mayor
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  Speaker 1: hold you are entered are you not examines his papers
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  Speaker 1: no yes you are though well for you to the
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  Speaker 1: clerk give number twenty-nine his lot come come good folks
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  Speaker 1: be patient do nils snemeyer a man ay ay the
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  Speaker 1: mayor we must pare a quarter off your former share
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  Speaker 1: you're fewer now you know the man yes yes my
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  Speaker 1: raniel died yestereen the mayor making a note one less
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  Speaker 1: saving is saving howsoe'er to the man who is retiring
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  Speaker 1: but look you now you needn't run and marry another
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  Speaker 1: on the spot clerk the mayor sharply you laugh your
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  Speaker 1: worship's fun is irresistible the mayor have done this work's
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  Speaker 1: no jesting but the best method with mourners is a
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  Speaker 1: jest einar coming out of the throng with agnes now
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  Speaker 1: my last pocket's clean and bare spent every stiver every
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  Speaker 1: note a very beggar i go afloat and pawn my
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  Speaker 1: watch to pay my fare the mayor yes in good
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  Speaker 1: time you came along what i've collected is a song
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  Speaker 1: by no means answers to the call when needy hand
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  Speaker 1: and mouth ill fed must have the sharing of shared
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  Speaker 1: bread with those who've ne'er a bit at all he
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  Speaker 1: perceives brand and points up to him one more you're
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  Speaker 1: welcome if report of our drought flood and famine curse
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  Speaker 1: has reached you promptly loose your purse if yet unloosen'd
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  Speaker 1: every sort of contribution meets the case our store's nigh
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  Speaker 1: spent five fishes scant in the wide wilderness of want
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  Speaker 1: don't make a square meal nowadays myriads idolatrously given would
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  Speaker 1: lift a soul no nearer heaven the mayor it was
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  Speaker 1: not words i bade you share they're barren when the
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  Speaker 1: belly's bare einar i can't believe that you recall what
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  Speaker 1: long and fierce calamities they've suffered famine drought disease men
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  Speaker 1: die brand i perceive it all each livid circled eye
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  Speaker 1: makes clear who it is holds assizes here the mayor
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  Speaker 1: yet there you stand a very flint brand if life
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  Speaker 1: here ran its sluggish round of common toil and common
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  Speaker 1: stint pity with me your pangs had found who homeward
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  Speaker 1: crawls with earth-set eyes in him the sleeping beast will
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  Speaker 1: rise when days in drowsy calm go by like funerals
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  Speaker 1: at walking pace you well may fear that the most
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  Speaker 1: high has struck you from his book of grace but
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  Speaker 1: unto you he was more good he scattered terror in
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  Speaker 1: your blood he scourged you with the rods that slay
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  Speaker 1: the gifts he gave he took away voices fiercely interrupting
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  Speaker 1: him He mocks us in our bitter need. The mayor.
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  Speaker 1: He rails at us who tend and feed. Brand, shaking
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  Speaker 1: his head. oh if the blood of all my heart
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  Speaker 1: could heal you from the hunger smart in welling streams
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  Speaker 1: it should be shed till every vein was a dry
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  Speaker 1: bed but here it were a sin to give god
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  Speaker 1: seeks to pluck you from your bane nations though poor
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  Speaker 1: and sparse that live suck might and marrow from their
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  Speaker 1: pain the purblind sight takes falcon wings sees clear into
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  Speaker 1: the heart of things the faltering will stands stout at
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  Speaker 1: bay and sees the triumph through the fray but men
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  Speaker 1: whom misery has not manned are worthless of the saving
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  Speaker 1: hand a woman yonder a storm breaks on the fiord
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  Speaker 1: as if awakened by his word another woman he tempts
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  Speaker 1: god mark what i foretell your god ne'er wrought a
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  Speaker 1: miracle women see see the storm voices among the throng
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  Speaker 1: stab stone him chase the flinty fellow from the place
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  Speaker 1: the peasants close menacingly round brand the mayor intervenes a
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  Speaker 1: woman wild and dishevelled comes hurriedly down the slopes the
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  Speaker 1: woman crying out towards the throng oh where is help
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  Speaker 1: for jesus grace the mayor what do you need explain
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  Speaker 1: your case the woman nothing i need no alms i
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  Speaker 1: seek but oh the horror horror the mayor speak the
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  Speaker 1: woman i have no voice oh comfort aid where is
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  Speaker 1: the priest the mayor here there is none the woman
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  Speaker 1: i am undone i am undone stern wast thou god
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  Speaker 1: when i was made brand approaching maybe however there is
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  Speaker 1: one the woman seizing his arm then let him come
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  Speaker 1: and swiftly brand tell your need and he will surely
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  Speaker 1: come the woman across the fiord my husband brand the
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  Speaker 1: woman three starving babes and ne'er a crumb say no
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  Speaker 1: he is not sent to hell brand your story first
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  Speaker 1: the woman my breast was dry man sent no help
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  Speaker 1: and god was dumb my babe was dying in agony
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  Speaker 1: cut to the heart his child he slew brand he
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  Speaker 1: slew the throng shuddering his child the woman at once
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  Speaker 1: he knew the horror of his deed of blood his
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  Speaker 1: grief ran brimming like a flood he struck himself the
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  Speaker 1: death-wound too come save him save him from perdition spite
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  Speaker 1: of wild water and wild sky he cannot live and
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  Speaker 1: dare not die there lies he clasping the dead frame
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  Speaker 1: and shrieking on the devil's name brand quietly yes here
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  Speaker 1: is need einar pale great god on high the mayor
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  Speaker 1: he doesn't live in my division brand curtly to the
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  Speaker 1: peasants unmoor a boat and row me there a man
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  Speaker 1: when such a storm is up who dare the mayor
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  Speaker 1: a path goes round the fiord the woman nay nay
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  Speaker 1: there's now no practicable way the foot-bridge as i came
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  Speaker 1: across was broken by the foaming fosse brand unmoor the
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  Speaker 1: boat a man it can't be done or rock and
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  Speaker 1: reef the breakers run another down sweeps a blast see
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  Speaker 1: at a stroke the whole fiord vanishes in smoke a
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  Speaker 1: third with waves so wild and winds so rough the
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  Speaker 1: dean would put the service off a sinful soul that
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  Speaker 1: nears its end waits not until the weather mend goes
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  Speaker 1: down to a boat and looses the sail you'll risk
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  Speaker 1: the boat The owner. I will, but stay. Brand. Now
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  Speaker 1: who will risk his life, I say? A man. I'll
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  Speaker 1: not go with him. Another. No, nor I. Several. It
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  Speaker 1: were just putting out to die. Brand. Your god helps
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  Speaker 1: none across the fjord. Remember, though, that mine's on board.
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  Speaker 1: The woman wringing her hands. He'll die unsaved. Brand calling
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  Speaker 1: from the boat. one will avail to bail the leakage
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  Speaker 1: shift the sail come one of you that lately gave
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  Speaker 1: give now to death and to the grave several shrinking
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  Speaker 1: back never ask such like of us one menacingly land
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  Speaker 1: tis overbold to tempt god's hand several voices see the
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  Speaker 1: storm thickens others the ropes break brand holding himself fast
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  Speaker 1: with the boat-hook and calling to the strange woman good
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  Speaker 1: come then you but speedily the woman i where no
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  Speaker 1: others brand let them be the woman i cannot brand
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  Speaker 1: cannot the woman my babe's sake brand scornfully laughing you
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  Speaker 1: build upon a quaking sand agnes turns with glowing cheeks
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  Speaker 1: to einar lays her hand on his arm and says
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  Speaker 1: did you hear all einar a valiant heart agnes thank
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  Speaker 1: god einar you see your part calls to brand see
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  Speaker 1: here is one man brave and true to go the
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  Speaker 1: saving way with you brand come on then einar pale
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  Speaker 1: i agnes i give you go mine eyes are lifted
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  Speaker 1: that were low einar ere i found you with willing
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  Speaker 1: feet i would have followed where he led agnes but
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  Speaker 1: now einar my life is new and sweet i cannot
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  Speaker 1: go agnes what have you said einar i dare not
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  Speaker 1: go agnes now roars a sea of sweeping flood and
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  Speaker 1: surging foam world-wide world-deep twixt you and me to brand
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  Speaker 1: i will go with you brand good then come einar
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  Speaker 1: clutching desperately after her agnes the whole throng hurrying towards
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  Speaker 1: her come back come back women in terror as she
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  Speaker 1: springs into the boat help lord brand where does the
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  Speaker 1: house lie women pointing by the fiord behind yon black
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  Speaker 1: and jutting brink the boats put out einar calling after
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  Speaker 1: them your home your mother agnes think oh save yourself
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  Speaker 1: agnes we are three on board the boat sails the
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  Speaker 1: people crowd together on the slopes and watch in eager
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  Speaker 1: suspense a man he clears the headland another nay the
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  Speaker 1: first yes see astern he has it and in lee
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  Speaker 1: another a squall it's caught them the mayor look at
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  Speaker 1: that the wind has swept away his hat a woman
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  Speaker 1: black as a rook's wing his wet hair streams backward
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  Speaker 1: on the angry air first man all seethes and surges
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  Speaker 1: einar what a yell rang through the storm a woman
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  Speaker 1: twas from the fell another pointing up see there stands
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  Speaker 1: gerd upon the cliff hallooing at the passing skiff first
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  Speaker 1: woman she's flinging pebbles like witch-corn and blowing through a
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  Speaker 1: twisted horn second woman now she has slung it like
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  Speaker 1: a wand and pipes upon her hollowed hand a man
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  Speaker 1: ay pipe away thou troll abhorred he has a guide
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  Speaker 1: and guard on board another in a worse storm with
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  Speaker 1: him to steer i'd put to sea and never fear
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  Speaker 1: first man to einar what is he einar a priest
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  Speaker 1: second man what is he nay that's plain he is
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  Speaker 1: a man i say strong will is in him and
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  Speaker 1: bold deed first man that were the very priest we
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  Speaker 1: need many voices ay ay the very priest we need
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  Speaker 1: they disperse along the slopes the mayor collecting his books
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  Speaker 1: and papers well tis opposed to all routine to labour
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  Speaker 1: in a strange vocation intrusively to risk one's skin without
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  Speaker 1: an adequate occasion i do my duty with precision but
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  Speaker 1: always in my own division goes outside the hut on
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  Speaker 1: the ness late afternoon the fiord is smooth and gleaming
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  Speaker 1: agnes is sitting by the beach presently brand comes out
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  Speaker 1: of the hut brand that was death the horror rifted
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  Speaker 1: bosom at its touch grew whole now he looks a
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  Speaker 1: calm great soul all illumined and uplifted as a false
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  Speaker 1: illusion might out of gloom to win such light out
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  Speaker 1: of his devil's deed he saw nothing but the outward
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  Speaker 1: flaw that of it which tongue can tell and to
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  Speaker 1: hands is palpable that for which his name's reviled the
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  Speaker 1: brute slang of his child but those too that sat
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  Speaker 1: and gazed with great frightened eyes amazed speechless like two
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  Speaker 1: closely couching birdlets in the ingle crouching who but looked
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  Speaker 1: and looked and ever looked unwitting upon what in whose
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  Speaker 1: souls a poison spot bit and sank which they shall
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  Speaker 1: never even as old men bent and grey in time's
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  Speaker 1: turmoil wear away they whose tide of life proceeds from
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  Speaker 1: this fountain of affright who by dark and dreadful deeds
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  Speaker 1: must be nurtured into light nor by any purging flames
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  Speaker 1: may that carrion thought consume this he saw not being
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  Speaker 1: blind that the direst of the doom was the doom
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  Speaker 1: he left behind and from them shall haply rise linked
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  Speaker 1: offences one by one wherefore the abyss replies from the
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  Speaker 1: father sprang the son what shall be by love erased
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  Speaker 1: what be quietly effaced where oh where does guilt begin
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  Speaker 1: in our heritage of sin what assizes what assessors when
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  Speaker 1: that judgment is declared who shall question who be heard
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  Speaker 1: where were all alike transgressors who will venture then to
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  Speaker 1: plead his foul borrowed title-deed will the old answer profit
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  Speaker 1: yet from my father dates my debt oh abysmal as
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  Speaker 1: the night riddle who can read thee right but the
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  Speaker 1: people dance light-footed heedless by the dizzy brink where the
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  Speaker 1: soul should cry and shrink none has vision to perceive
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  Speaker 1: what uptowering guilt is rooted in that little word we
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  Speaker 1: live some men of the community come from behind the
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  Speaker 1: house and approach brand a man we were to meet
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  Speaker 1: again you see brand his need of human help has
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  Speaker 1: ceased the man yes he is ransomed and released but
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  Speaker 1: in the chamber still sit three brand and what then
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  Speaker 1: the man of the scraps we got together a few
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  Speaker 1: crumbs we brought brand though you give all and life
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  Speaker 1: retain i tell you that your gift is vain the
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  Speaker 1: man had he to-day who now lies dead by mortal
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  Speaker 1: peril been bested and i had heard his foundering cry
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  Speaker 1: i also would have dared to die brand but peril
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  Speaker 1: of the soul you slight the man well we're but
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  Speaker 1: drudgers day by day brand then from the downward streaming
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  Speaker 1: light turn your eyes utterly away and cease to cast
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  Speaker 1: the left askance at heaven while with the right you
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  Speaker 1: glance down at the mould where crouching loath self harnessed
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  Speaker 1: in the yoke you go the man i thought you'd
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  Speaker 1: say we ought to shake us free of the yoke
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  Speaker 1: we toil in brand yea if you are able the
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  Speaker 1: man you can make us brand can i the man
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  Speaker 1: full many have been sent who told us truly of
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  Speaker 1: the way the path they pointed to you went brand,
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  Speaker 1: you mean, the man, a thousand speeches brand less deeply
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  Speaker 1: than one dint of deed, here in our fellow's name
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  Speaker 1: we stand, we see a man is what we need, brand, uneasily,
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  Speaker 1: what will you with me, the man, be our priest, brand, I, here,
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  Speaker 1: the man, you may be heard it told, there is
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  Speaker 1: no pasture for this fold brand yes i recall the
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  Speaker 1: man the place of old was large which now is
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  Speaker 1: of the least when evil seasons froze the field And
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  Speaker 1: blight unheard in herdsmen fell, When want struck down the man,
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  Speaker 1: And sealed the spirit with its drowsing spell. When there
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  Speaker 1: was dearth of beef and brew, Then came a dearth
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  Speaker 1: of parsons too. Brand. Aught else? But this ye must
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  Speaker 1: not ask. I'm summoned to a greater task. The great
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: world's open ear I seek. Through life's vast organ I
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: must speak. What should I hear? By mountains pent the
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: voice of man falls impotent. the man by mountains echoed
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  Speaker 1: longer heard is each reverberating word brand who in a
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  Speaker 1: cavern would be bound when broad meads beckon all around
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  Speaker 1: who'll sweat to plough the barren land when there are
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: fruitful fields at hand who'll rear his fruitage from the
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: seed when orchards ripen to the skies who'll struggle on
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: with daily need when vision gives him wings and eyes
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  Speaker 1: the man shaking his head Your deed I fathomed, not
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  Speaker 1: your word. Brand going. Question no more. On board, on board.
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  Speaker 1: The man barring his way. This calling that you must fulfill,
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  Speaker 1: this work whereon you've set your will, is it so
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: precious to you, say? Brand. It is my very life.
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  Speaker 1: The man. Then stay. Pointedly. though you give all and
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  Speaker 1: life retain remember that your gift is vain brand one
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  Speaker 1: thing is yours you may not spend your very inmost
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  Speaker 1: self of all you may not bind it may not
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  Speaker 1: bend nor stem the river of your call to make
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  Speaker 1: for ocean is its end the man though tarn and
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: moorland held it fast as dew twould reach the sea
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  Speaker 1: at last brand looking fixedly at him who gave you
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: power to answer thus the man you by your deed
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  Speaker 1: you gave it us when wind and water raged and
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: roared and you launched out through wind and wave when
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: a poor sinning soul to save you set your life
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: upon a board deep into many a heart it fell
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: like wind and sunshine cold and hot rang through them
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: like a chiming bell with lowered voice to-morrow haply all's
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: forgot and furled the kindling banner bright you just now
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: lifted in our sight brand duty is not where power
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: is not sternly if you cannot be what you ought
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: be in good earnest what you may be heart and
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: soul a man of clay the man after gazing on
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: him a moment woe you who quench the lamp you
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: lit and us who had a glimpse of it he
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: goes the others silently follow end of act two part
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: one recording by expatriate in bangor