Part 15 (1/2)

Christine. It will soon be impossible.

Mother. I will save you, child, for you can still be saved. I will offer the Lord the greatest sacrifice of all if a single soul can be saved from perdition--my son!

Christine. Olof?

Mother. He's lost, I tell you, and I, his mother, have to tell you so!

Christine. Lost?

Mother. He is a prophet of lies. The Devil has taken possession of his soul.

Christine (pa.s.sionately). It isn't true!

Mother. G.o.d grant that you are right!

Christine. Why--why haven't you told me this before?--But, of course, it's a lie! (She goes to the door leading into the church and pushes it ajar.) Look at him, mother--there he is! Can that be an evil spirit speaking out of his mouth? Can that be a h.e.l.lish flame burning in his eyes? Can lies be told with trembling lips? Does darkness shed light--can't you see the halo about his head? You are wrong! I feel it within me! I don't know what he preaches--I don't know what he denies--but he is right! He is right, and the Lord is with him!

Mother. You don't know the world, my child. You don't know the tricks of the Devil. Beware! (She pulls Christine away from the door.) You mustn't listen to him. There is no strength in your soul, and he's the apostle of Antichrist!

Christine. Who is Antichrist?

Mother. He is a Luther!

Christine. You have never told me who Luther is, but if Olof is his apostle, then Luther must be a great man.

Mother. Luther is possessed of the Devil!

Christine. Why didn't you tell me before? Now I can't believe you!

Mother. I am telling you now--Alas, I wanted to save you from the world's wickedness, and so I kept you in ignorance--

Christine. I don't believe you! Let me go! I must see him--I must listen to him--for he doesn't talk like the rest.

Mother. Jesus, my Saviour! Are you, too, possessed by the unclean spirit?

Christine (at the door). ”Bind not the souls,” he said--did you hear?

”You are free, for the Lord has set you free.” See how the people shudder at his words--now they rise up--they mutter. ”You want no freedom--woe unto you! For that is the sin against the Holy Ghost!”

[Enter s.e.xton.]

s.e.xton. I don't think it's well for you to stay here any longer, my good ladies. The people are getting restless. This will never end well for Master Olof.

Mother. Jesu Maria! What are you saying?

Christine. Fear not! The spirit of the Lord is with him!

s.e.xton. Well, I don't know about that, but he's a wonder at preaching.

Old sinner that I am, I couldn't keep from crying where I was sitting in the organ-loft. I don't understand how it can be possible for a heretic and an Antichrist to talk like that. That man Luther, I must say, I--(Cries are heard from the church.) There, there! Now something dreadful is going to happen again! And to think that the King should be gone just now!

Mother. Let us get away from here. If the Lord is with him, they can do him no harm. If it be the Devil--then Thy will be done, O Lord--but forgive him!