Part 6 (2/2)

(Steals over to him and gives him a whack from Master Erik on the back.)

=Jeppe=--Hey! Hey! Help! Help! What is that? Where am I? Who am I? Who hits me? Why do you hit me? Hey!

=Nille=--I shall soon teach you what it is. (Strikes him again and pulls him around by the hair.)

=Jeppe=--Ah, Nille, my dear! Don't strike me any more, you don't know what has happened to me.

=Nille=--Where have you been so long, you drunken dog? Where is the soap you were to buy?

=Jeppe=--I could not get to town, Nille.

=Nille=--Why could you not get to town?

=Jeppe=--I was taken up to Paradise on the way.

=Nille=--To Paradise! (Strikes him.) To Paradise! (Strikes him again.) To Paradise! (Strikes him again.) Are you going to make fun of me besides?

=Jeppe=--Ow! Ow! Ow! As sure as I am an honest man it is not true.

=Nille=--What is true?

=Jeppe=--That I have been in Paradise.

(Nille repeats, ”In Paradise,” and strikes him again.)

=Jeppe=--Ah, Nille, my dear, don't hit me any more.

=Nille=--Quick! Confess where you have been or I will murder you!

=Jeppe=--Ah, I would gladly confess where I have been if you would not strike me any more.

=Nille=--Confess, then!

=Jeppe=--Swear that you will not strike me any more, then.

=Nille=--No.

=Jeppe=--As true as I am an honest man and my name is Jeppe on the Hill, I have been in Paradise and seen things that will make you wonder when you hear them.

(Nille thrashes him again and drags him in by the hair.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: NILLE POUNDING JEPPE.]

Scene 3.

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