Olaf Liljekrans

[LADY KIRSTEN and HEMMING enter from the left.]

HEMMING. Here he was;—why—now he is gone!

LADY KIRSTEN. And he said he was waiting for the bride who was to come?

HEMMING. Yes, but whom he had in mind I could not quite make out; for his speech was strangely incoherent. Ingeborg he did not mean,—that is certain.

LADY KIRSTEN. Say nothing, good Hemming! say nothing of what he just said! You did well to let me alone know he was here. You shall be richly rewarded for this, but first we must find him again—

HEMMING. [As he looks out to the right.] See,—see there, in the moonlight, on the hill near the river,—yes, surely I think—

LADY KIRSTEN. Hush, hush, it is Olaf!

HEMMING. There are two; a woman is with him—

LADY KIRSTEN. Heavenly saints!

HEMMING. He is pointing out the village as if—there they go!

LADY KIRSTEN. Call Lord Arne and our people! We will meet again here; I bring Olaf with me!

HEMMING. But dare you then—?

LADY KIRSTEN. Do as I say; but say nothing of what you have heard and seen. You can say that Olaf came up here to hunt deer and bear, and that he went astray in the mountain.

HEMMING. You can rely on me, Lady Kirsten!

[Goes out to the left.]

LADY KIRSTEN. Is it true, then? Have evil sprites gained control over him? Yes, so I can pretend to Arne of Guldvik, but little I believe it myself;—and yet it is said it happened often enough in the days gone by. But it is elfen maids no doubt of flesh and blood that—. There he goes down to the river,—I must hasten!

[Goes out to the right in the background.]

CHORUS. [From the forest to the left.]

  With ringing of bells we hurry along,
  We wander in field and in dell!
  O Christian, come, give heed to our song,
  Wake up from your magic spell!