Christine. Dame Christine!

Mother. Don't make my last moments more bitter. Go away from here!

Lars (coming forward). What do you want, mother?

Mother. Take away that woman! And bring the father confessor--I shall soon die.

Lars. Is not your own son worthy of receiving your last confidences?

Mother. No, he has done nothing to deserve them. Has Mrten come yet?

Lars. Mrten is a bad man.

Mother. O Lord, how terrible Thy punishment! My children standing between myself and Thee! Am I then to be denied the consolations of religion in my last moments? You have taken my life--do you want to destroy my soul, too--the soul of your mother? (She falls into a faint.)

Lars. Do you hear that, Christine! What are we to do? Shall we let her die in the deception practised on her by a miserable wretch like Mrten--and perhaps get her thanks for it--or shall we turn her final prayer into a curse? No, let them come, rather! Or what do you think, Christine?

Christine. I dare not think at all.

Lars (goes out for a moment, but returns quickly). Oh, it is horrible!

They have fallen asleep over their dice and their tumblers. And by such as those my mother is to be prepared for her death!

Christine. But why not tell her the truth?

Lars. She won't believe it, and it is cast back on us as a lie.

Mother. My son, won't you listen to your mother's last request?

Lars (going out). May G.o.d forgive me!

Christine. Olof would never have done that!

(Lars returns with Mrten and Nils, whereupon he leads Christine out of the room.)

Mrten (going up to the bed). She's sleeping.

Nils (places a box on the floor, opens it, and begins to take out aspersorium, censer, chrismatory, palms, and candles). That means we can't go to work yet.

Mrten. If we have waited all this time, we can afford to wait a little longer--provided that d.a.m.ned priest doesn't show up.

Nils. Master Olof, you mean?--Do you think that fellow out there noticed anything?

Mrten. What do I care? As soon as the old woman gives up the coin, I am free.

Nils. You 're a pretty thorough-paced rascal, you are!

Mrten. Yes, but I am getting tired of it. I am beginning to long for peace. Do you know what life is?

Nils. No.

Mrten. Pleasure! "The flesh was G.o.d!" Isn't that the way it's written somewhere?

Nils. "The Word became flesh," you mean?

Mrten. Oh, yes--of course!

Nils. You might have been it pretty big man, with your head!

Mrten. Yes, indeed! That's what they feared, and that's why they whipped the soul out of my body in the convent--for after all I had a soul once! But now there's nothing but body left, and now the body is going to have its turn.

Nils. And I suppose they whipped all conscience out of you at the same time?

Mrten. Well, practically.--But now I want that recipe for spiced Roch.e.l.le which you were talking of when we fell asleep out there.

Nils. Did I say Roch.e.l.le? I meant claret. That is, it can be either the one or the other. Well, you take a gallon of wine and half a pound of cardamom that has been well cleaned--

Mrten. Hush--d.a.m.n you! She is moving. Out with the book!

Nils (keeps on reading in an undertone during the following scene).

Aufer immensam, Deus aufer iram; Et cruentatum cohibe flagellum Nec scelus nostrum proferes ad aequam Pendere lancem.

Mother. Is that you, Mrten?

Mrten. It's Brother Nils praying to the Holy Virgin. (Nils lights the censer without interrupting his reading.)

Mother. What a precious boon to hear the word of the Lord in the sacred tongue!

Mrten. No sweeter sacrifice is known to G.o.d than the prayers of pious souls.

Mother. Like the incense, my heart is set on fire with holy devotion.

Mrten (sprinkling her with holy water). The stains of sin are by your G.o.d washed off!

Mother. Amen!--Mrten, I am pa.s.sing away--The G.o.dlessness of the King makes it impossible for me by earthly gifts to strengthen the Holy Church in her power of saving souls. You are a pious man--take my property and pray for me and for my children. Pray that the Almighty may turn their hearts away from all lies, so that some time we may meet again in heaven.

Mrten (taking the bag of money she hands him). Goodwife, your sacrifice is acceptable to the Lord, and for your sake my prayers will be heard by G.o.d.

Mother. I want to sleep awhile in order to be strong enough to receive the last sacrament.

Mrten. No one shall disturb your final moments--not even those who were your children once.

Mother. It seems cruel, Father Mrten, but it's the will of G.o.d. (She falls asleep; Mrten and Nils withdraw from the bed.)

Mrten (opening the bag and kissing the gold coins). What stores of pleasure lie hidden beneath the hardness of this gold--Ah!

Nils. Are we going now?