HEMMING. [Who has looked out to the right.] There
comes
Mistress Ingeborg.
HEMMING. [Aside.] How fair she is advancing foremost
in the group!
LADY KIRSTEN. [Slowly to her servants.] You will
keep silent about your errand up here.
A SERVANT. You may be sure of that.
HEMMING. [Aside, sighing, as he continues to look
out to the right.] Ah, happy is Olaf, who will have
her!
* * *
* *
[The Preceding. INGEBORG and the Bridesmaids
come over the bridge.]
INGEBORG. [Still in the background.] Why do you
run away from me? What good will that do?
There can be no wedding anyway before I come.
INGEBORG. [Notices LADY KIRSTEN and her retinue.]
Lady Kirsten! you here? Well, I am glad of
that.
[Casually to the retinue.]
[To LADY KIRSTEN as she looks about.]
LADY KIRSTEN. Olaf!
LADY KIRSTEN. [Aside.] Woe is me! now it will out.
ARNE. Yes, Olaf, indeed! Ha, ha, ha!
I must have been blind; ’tis well the bride
sees better than I; for I have not noticed that the
bridegroom is lacking; but now I understand very well
how it comes that we meet here,—it is he
who is causing—
LADY KIRSTEN. He—you mean—you
know, that—
ARNE. I mean it has grown tedious for him down
there in the festive hall. Aye, aye, I remember
now my own wedding day; at that time I also was young.
He has had a great desire to meet the bride, and
accordingly he prevailed upon you to go with him.
LADY KIRSTEN. He greatly desired, to be sure,
to meet the bride, but—
INGEBORG. But what?
LADY KIRSTEN. Olaf is not here with us.
HEMMING. [Approaches.] Not with you!
ARNE. And why not?
INGEBORG. Speak, I beg you!
LADY KIRSTEN. [Embarrassed and jestingly.] Truly,
it appears the bride also is anxious! Come along,
come along with me down to the bridal hall; there,
I imagine he will be found.
HEMMING. [Whispering to ARNE.] Master! remember
I gave you warning.
ARNE. [Suspiciously to LADY KIRSTEN.] First answer
me; then shall we follow.
LADY KIRSTEN. Well then,—he is ridden
out to the hunt.
LADY KIRSTEN. [As she is about to go.] Come, ’tis
fast growing dark.
INGEBORG. To the hunt?
LADY KIRSTEN. Aye! Does that surprise
you? You know the song
of course:
“The knight likes to ride in the
forest around,
To test his horse and his hound!”
INGEBORG. Does he think so little of his young
bride that he uses the wedding days to go hunting
wild animals?
LADY KIRSTEN. Now you are jesting. Come
along, come along!
ARNE. [Who has in the meantime kept his eye on LADY
KIRSTEN and her retinue.] No, wait, Lady Kirsten!
I hardly dare measure myself in wisdom with you,
but one thing clearly I see, and that is that you
are concealing your real errand up here.
