I thought that the trees spread their branches so
wide,
That I might walk in the shade;
I thought there was life in the mountain side.
A sorry mistake I have made.
Now I know better;—for man alone
Can revel in joy, can suffer despair.
In tree and in flower, friend there is none,—
My sorrow alone I must bear.
[She rises.]
ALFHILD. Away then! Up midst the ice and
the snow,—
The grave is the only shelter below!
[She starts to leave.]
* * *
* *
[ALFHILD, LADY KIRSTEN, ARNE, WEDDING GUESTS, PEASANTS
and SERVANTS from various sides. Later OLAF
LILJEKRANS.]
LADY KIRSTEN. There she is! Stand still,
Alfhild! Do not try to escape,—else
we shall shoot you.
ALFHILD. What do you want of me?
LADY KIRSTEN. That you shall learn soon enough.
LADY KIRSTEN. [Points to her bundle.] What is this
you are carrying?
ALFHILD. My mother’s treasures!
LADY KIRSTEN. Give it here! See, see!
A crown of silver! Indeed, Alfhild! If
you are your mother’s only daughter I am very
much afraid the bridal crown will nevermore be needed
in her family.
LADY KIRSTEN. [To the Servants.] Bind her!
She stands there and pretends to be sad; no one can
know what she is scheming.
[ALFHILD is bound.]
LADY KIRSTEN. [Aloud and with suppressed passion.]
The court is ready. As you all know, I have
a legal and prescriptive right to protect my dominions,
to pass judgment in accordance with the law of the
realm on every one who does me harm on my own lands.
This is what you, Alfhild, have presumed to do, and
it is therefore that you now stand here accused before
your judge. Defend yourself if you can, but
do not forget it is a matter of life and death.
ARNE. But listen, Lady Kirsten!
LADY KIRSTEN. Excuse me, Lord Arne! I
am within my rights here, and I intend to insist on
them.
LADY KIRSTEN. [To ALFHILD.] Come forward and answer
me!
ALFHILD. Do you but question me,—I
shall answer!
LADY KIRSTEN. Many and grievous are the charges
that are directed against you. First and foremost
I charge you here with having beguiled my son, Olaf
Liljekrans, with your unholy arts, so that he turned
heart and soul away from his betrothed to whom he
was pledged,—so that he, sick in heart,
never at any time found peace in his home, but came
up here to this unknown valley where you have had
your home. All this could not have happened
in any ordinary way; you are therefore accused of
witchcraft,—defend yourself if you can.
ALFHILD. I have little to say in answer to this.
Witchcraft you call that strange power that drew
Olaf up here. Perhaps you are right; but this
witchcraft was not of evil;—every hour that
Olaf has been here God must surely have witnessed!
Each thought that I have had of Olaf the angels of
God must have known! And they had no occasion
to blush.
