in his heart to leave his friends at
Ostrat so hastily. He will abide here with me till the tidings
of your victory arrive.

NILS LYKKE (to himself). Devil!

NILS STENSSON (seizes his hand). Trust me--you shall not have
long to wait!

NILS LYKKE. It is well; it is well! (Aside.) All may yet be
saved. If only my message reach Jens Bielke in time----

LADY INGER (to EINAR HUK, the bailiff, pointing to FINN). And
let that man be placed under close guard in the castle dungeon.

FINN. Me?

THE BAILIFF AND THE SERVANTS. Finn!

NILS LYKKE (aside). My last anchor gone!

LADY INGER (imperatively). To the dungeon with him!

(EINAR HUK, BIORN, and a couple of the house-servants lead
FINN out to the left.)

ALL THE REST (except NILS LYKKE, rushing out to the right).
Away! To horse,--to horse! Hail to Lady Inger Gyldenlove!

LADY INGER (passes close to NILS LYKKE as she follows the others).
Who wins?

NILS LYKKE (remains alone). Who? Ay, woe to you;--your victory
will cost you dear. _I_ wash my hands of it. 'Tis not _I_ that
am murdering him.
But my prey is escaping me none the less; and the revolt will
grow and spread!--Ah, 'tis a foolhardy, a frantic game I have been
playing here!
(Listens at the window.)
There they go clattering out through the gateway.--Now 'tis closed
after them--and I am left here a prisoner.
No way of escape! Within half-an-hour the Swedes will be upon
him. 'Twill be life or death.
But if they should take him alive after all?--Were I but free,
I could overtake the Swedes ere they reach the frontier, and make
them deliver him up. (Goes towards the window in the background
and looks out.) Damnation! Guards outside on every hand. Can
there be no way out of this? (Comes quickly forward again;
suddenly stops and listens.)
What is that? Music and singing. It seems to come from Elina's
chamber. Ay, it is she that is singing. Then she is still awake----
(A thought seems to strike him.)
Elina!--Ah, if _that_ could be! If it could but----And why should
I not? Am I not still myself? Says not the song:--

_Fair maidens a-many they sigh and they pine;
"Ah God, that Nils Lykke were mine, mine, mine."_

And she----? ---- ----Elina Gyldenlove shall set me free!

(Goes quickly but stealthily towards the first door on
the left.)

NOTES.

[1] King Christian II. of Denmark (the perpetrator of the massa