men--alone?

Hamar. Yes.

Signe (throwing her arms round him). You shan't go!

Hamar. Take care, this is loaded!

Signe. What are you going to do with it?

Hamar (in a determined voice, as he shakes himself free of her). Put a
bullet into the poor beast! It is too good for that crew. It shan't be
put up for auction, either in joke or in earnest! (Goes to the farther
window.) I shall get a better aim from here.

Signe (following him, with a cry). You will hit some one!

Hamar. No, I can aim too well for that. (Takes aim.)

Signe. Father! If they hear a shot from here now--

Tjaelde (starting up). The house belongs to my creditors now--and the
revolver too!

Hamar. No, I am past taking orders from you now! (TJAELDE snatches at
the revolver, which goes off. SIGNE screams and rushes to her mother.
Outside, but this time immediately below the window, two cries are
heard: "They are shooting at us! They are shooting at us!" Then the
noise of breaking glass is heard, and stones fly in through the windows,
followed by shouts and ribald laughter. VALBORG, who has rushed in from
the outer office, stands in front of her father to protect him, her face
turned to the window. A voice is heard: "Follow me, my lads!")

Hamar (pointing the revolver at the window). Yes, just you try it!

Mrs. Tjaelde and Signe. They are coming in here!

Valborg. You shan't shoot! (Stands between him and the window.)

Tjaelde. It is Sannaes with the police! (Cries of "Get back, there!" are
heard; then a renewed uproar and a loud voice gradually dominating it;
until at last the noise gradually lessens and ceases.)

Mrs. Tjaelde. Thank God! We were in great danger. (Sinks into a chair.
A pause.) Henning, where are you? (TJAELDE comes up behind her, and
strokes her head with his hand, but turns away immediately to hide his
deep emotion. A pause.)

Signe (on her knees by her mother's side). But won't they come back?
Hadn't we better go away from here?

Mrs. Tjaelde. Where to?

Signe (despairingly). What is to become of us?

Mrs. Tjaelde. What God wills. (A pause. Meanwhile HAMAR, unobserved,
has laid down the revolver on a chair and slipped out of the room by the
door at the back.)

Valborg (softly). Signe, look! (SIGNE gets up, looks round the room, and
gives a little cry.)

Mrs. Tjaelde. What is it?

Signe. I knew he would!

Mrs. Tjaelde (apprehensively). What is it?

Valborg. Every rich family has its tame lieutenant--and our