BIORN (following). How can you think----? Mistress Elina, go
to your chamber!
ELINA. Hush; stand still! Do not move; do not let her see you!
Wait--the moon is coming out. Can you not see the black-robed
figure----?
BIORN. By all the holy----!
ELINA. Do you see--she turns Knut Alfson's picture to the wall.
Ha-ha; be sure it looks her too straight in the eyes!
BIORN. Mistress Elina, hear me!
ELINA (going back towards the fireplace). Now I know what I
know!
BIORN (to himself). Then it is true!
ELINA. Who was it, Biorn? Who was it?
BIORN. You saw as plainly as I.
ELINA. Well? Whom did I see?
BIORN. You saw your mother.
ELINA (half to herself). Night after night I have heard her
steps in there. I have heard her whispering and moaning like a
soul in pain. And what says the song---- Ah, now I know! Now
I know that----
BIORN. Hush!
(LADY INGER GYLDENLOVE enters rapidly from the hall, without
noticing the others; she goes to the window, draws the
curtain, and gazes out as if watching for some one on the
high road; after a while, she turns and goes slowly back
into the hall.)
ELINA (softly, following her with her eyes). White as a corpse----!
(An uproar of many voices is heard outside the door on the right.)
BIORN. What can this be?
ELINA. Go out and see what is amiss.
(EINAR HUK, the bailiff, appears in the ante-room, with a crowd
of Retainers and Peasants.)
EINAR HUK (in the doorway). Straight in to her! And see you
lose not heart!
BIORN. What do you seek?
EINAR HUK. Lady Inger herself.
BIORN. Lady Inger? So late?
EINAR HUK. Late, but time enough, I wot.
THE PEASANTS. Yes, yes; she must hear us now!
(The whole rabble crowds into the room. At the same moment,
LADY INGER appears in the doorway of the hall. A sudden
silence.)
LADY INGER. What would you with me?