Ay, out with the Danish sheriffs! Out with the foreign masters! Out with the Councillors’ lackeys! LADY INGER. [_To herself._] Ah, there is metal in them; and yet, yet——! BIÖRN. [_To himself._] She is of two minds. [_To Elina._] What say you now, Mistress Elina—have you not sinned in misjudging your mother? ELINA. Biörn—if my eyes have lied to me, I could tear them out of my head! EINAR HUK. See you not, my noble lady, King Gustav must be dealt with first. Were _his_ power once gone, the Danes cannot long hold this land—— LADY INGER. And then? EINAR HUK. Then we shall be free. We shall have no more foreign masters, and can choose ourselves a king, as the Swedes have done before us. LADY INGER. [_With animation._] A king for ourselves! Are you thinking of the Sture[13] stock? EINAR HUK. King Christiern and others after him have swept bare our ancient houses. The best of our nobles are outlaws on the mountain paths, if so be they still live. Nevertheless, it might still be possible to find one or other shoot of the old stems—— LADY INGER. [_Hastily._] Enough, Einar Huk, enough! [_To herself._] Ah, my dearest hope! [_Turns to the_ PEASANTS _and_ RETAINERS. I have warned you, now, as well as I can. I have told you how great is the risk you run. But if you are fixed in your purpose, ’twere folly in me to forbid what I have no power to prevent. EINAR HUK. Then we have your leave to——? LADY INGER. You have your own firm will; take counsel with _that_. If it be as you say, that you are daily harassed and oppressed——I know but little of these matters. I will not know more! What can I, a lonely woman—? Even if you were to plunder the Banquet Hall—and there’s many a good weapon on the walls—you are the masters at Östråt to-night. You must do as seems good to you. Good-night! [_Loud cries of joy from the multitude. Candles are lighted; the_ RETAINERS _bring out weapons of different kinds from the hall._ BIÖRN. [_Seizes_ LADY INGER’S _hand as she is going._] Thanks, my noble and high-souled mistress! I, that have known you from childhood up—I have never doubted you. LADY INGER.