NILS STENSSON. Well?
NILS LYKKE. ----She will not own you for her son.
NILS STENSSON. Will not own me? But she _is_ my mother.--Oh,
if there be no other way--(takes out a ring which he wears on a
cord round his neck)--show her this ring. I have worn it since
my earliest childhood; she must surely know its history.
NILS LYKKE. Hide the ring, man! Hide it, I say!
You mistake me. Lady Inger doubts not at all that you are her
child; but--ay, look about you; look at all this wealth; look at
these mighty ancestors and kinsmen whose pictures deck the walls
both high and low; look lastly at herself, the haughty dame, used
to bear sway as the first noblewoman in the kingdom. Think you
it can be to her mind to take a poor ignorant youth by the hand
before all men's eyes and say: Behold my son!
NILS STENSSON. Ay, you are right, I am poor and ignorant. I
have nought to offer her in return for what I crave. Oh, never
have I felt my poverty weigh on me till this hour! But tell me--
what think you I should do to win her love? Tell me, dear Sir;
sure you must know.
NILS LYKKE. You must win your father's kingdom. But until that
may be, look well that you wound not her ears by hinting at kinship
or the like. She will bear her as though she believed you to be
the real Count Sture, until you have made yourself worthy to be
called her son.
NILS STENSSON. Oh, but tell me----!
NILS LYKKE. Hush; hush!
LADY INGER (rises and hands him a paper). Sir Knight--here is
my promise.
NILS LYKKE. I thank you.
LADY INGER (notices NILS STENSSON). Ah,--this young man is----?
NILS LYKKE. Ay, Lady Inger, he is Count Sture.
LADY INGER (aside, looks at him stealthily). Feature for
feature;--ay, by God,--it is Sten Sture's son!
(Approaches him and says with cold courtesy.)
I bid you welcome under my roof, Count! It rests with you whether
or not we shall bless this meeting a year hence.
NILS STENSSON. With me? Oh, do but tell me what I must do!
Trust me, I have courage and good-will enough----
NILS LYKKE (listens uneasily). What is this noise and uproar,
Lady Inger? There are people pressing hitherward. What does this
mean?
LADY INGER (in a loud voice). 'Tis the spirits awaking!
(OLAF SKAKTAVL, EINAR HUK, BIORN, FINN, and a number of Peasants
and Retainers come in from the back, on the right.)
THE PEASANTS AND RETAINERS. Hail to Lady Inger Gyldenlove!
LADY INGER (to OLAF SKAKTAVL). Have you told them what is in
hand?
OLAF SKAKTAVL. I have told them all they need to know.
LADY INGER (to the Crowd). Ay, now, my faithful house-folk and
peasants, now must ye arm you as best you can and will. What I
forbade you to-night you have now my fullest leave to do. And
here I present to you the young Count Sture, the coming ruler of
Sweden--and Norway too, if God will it so.
THE WHOLE CROWD. Hail to him! Hail to Count Sture!
(General excitement. The Peasants and Retainers choose out
weapons and put on breastplates and helmets, amid great noise.)
NILS LYKKE (softly and uneasily). The spirits awaking, she said?
I but feigned to conjure up the devil of revolt--'twere a cursed
spite if he got the upper hand of us.
LADY INGER (to NILS STENSSON). Here I give you the first earnest
of our service--thirty mounted men, to follow you as bodyguard.
Trust me--ere you reach the frontier many hundreds will have ranged
themselves under my banner and yours. Go, then, and God be with
you!
NILS STENSSON. Thanks,--Inger Gyldenlove! Thanks--and be sure
that you shall never have cause to shame you for--for Count Sture!
If you see me again I shall have won my father's kingdom.
NILS LYKKE (to himself). Ay, _if_ she see you again!
OLAF SKAKTAVL. The horses wait, good fellows! Are ye ready?
THE PEASANTS. Ay, ay, ay!
NILS LYKKE (uneasily, to LADY INGER). What? You mean not to-
night, even now----?
LADY INGER. This very moment, Sir Knight!
NILS LYKKE. Nay, nay, impossible!
LADY INGER. I have said it.
NILS LYKKE (softly, to NILS STENSSON). Obey her not!