It sounded to me as though she said:—“Almost I fear he has already tarried too long at Östråt.” LADY INGER. And the knight? Where is he? BIÖRN. In his chamber belike, in the gate-wing. LADY INGER. It is well. What I have to send by him is ready. Go to him and say I await him here in the hall. [BIÖRN _goes out to the right._ OLAF SKAKTAVL. Know you, Lady Inger,—’tis true that in such things I am blind as a mole; yet seems it to me as though——h’m! LADY INGER. Well? OLAF SKAKTAVL. ——as though Nils Lykke bore a mind to your daughter. LADY INGER. Then ’twould seem you are not so blind after all; for I am the more deceived if you be not right. Marked you not at the supper-board how eagerly he listened to the least word I let fall concerning Elina? OLAF SKAKTAVL. He forgot both food and drink. LADY INGER. And our secret affairs as well. OLAF SKAKTAVL. Ay, and what is more—the papers from Peter Kanzler. LADY INGER. And from all this you conclude——? OLAF SKAKTAVL. From all this I chiefly conclude that, as you know Nils Lykke and the name he bears, especially in all that touches women—— LADY INGER. ——I should be right glad to know him outside my gates? OLAF SKAKTAVL. Ay; and that as soon as may be. LADY INGER. [_Smiling._] Nay—the case is just the contrary, Olaf Skaktavl! OLAF SKAKTAVL. How mean you? LADY INGER. If things be as we both think, Nils Lykke must in nowise depart from Östråt yet awhile. OLAF SKAKTAVL. [_Looks at her with disapproval._] Are you again embarked on crooked courses, Lady Inger? What guile are you now devising? Something that may increase your own power at the cost of our—— LADY INGER. Oh this blindness, that makes you all do me such wrong! I see well you think I purpose to make Nils Lykke my daughter’s husband. Were such a thought in my mind, why had I refused to take part in what is afoot in Sweden, when Nils Lykke and all the Danish crew seem willing to support it? OLAF SKAKTAVL.