Ah, of course! (Goes to the
door and unlocks it.)
Signe (rushing to MRS. TJAELDE and falling on her knees beside
her). Mother!
Mrs. Tjaelde. Yes, dear, the day of our trial has come! And I am
afraid--afraid that it may find us all too weak.
Signe. Mother, what is to become of us?
Mrs. Tjaelde. We are in God's hands.
Signe. I will go with Hamar to his aunt's. We will go at once.
Mrs. Tjaelde. It is possible that his aunt may not be willing to
have you now.
Signe. Aunt Ulla! What do you mean?
Mrs. Tjaelde. I mean that you have been the rich man's daughter;
and you do not know what the world is.
Signe. Hamar, do you think Aunt Ulla would refuse to have me?
Hamar (after a moment's thought). I don't know.
Mrs. Tjaelde. You hear that, my child. In the next few hours you
will learn more than you have learnt in all your life.
Signe (in a horrified whisper). Do you mean that even--?
Mrs. Tjaelde. Hush! (SIGNE hides her face in her mother's lap. A
loud burst of laughter is heard outside.)
Hamar (going to the nearest window). What is that? (SANNAES comes
in through the right-hand door and goes to the other window.
TJAELDE, SIGNE and MRS. TJAELDE get up.) The bay horse! They have
got hold of it.
Sannaes.
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