“I have thought of that too,” answered Löwenborg; “but my opinion is, that you do not rightly comprehend the matter. To act with the thought of our own mean advantage was forbidden us; but not to act as love or honor or our own salvation demanded. I think that Sintram has lost.” “Perhaps you are right.” “I tell you that I know it. I have heard his sleigh-bells the whole evening, but they are not real bells. We shall soon have him here.” And the little old man sat and stared through the smithy door, which stood open, out at the bit of blue sky studded with stars which showed through it. After a little while he started up. “Do you see him?” he whispered. “There he comes creeping. Do you not see him in the doorway?” “I see nothing,” replied Eberhard. “You are sleepy, that is the whole story.” “I saw him so distinctly against the sky. He had on his long wolfskin coat and fur cap. Now he is over there in the dark, and I cannot see him. Look, now he is up by the furnace. He is standing close to Christian Bergh; but Christian seems not to see him. Now he is bending down and is throwing something into the fire. Oh, how wicked he looks! Take care, friends, take care!” As he spoke, a tongue of flame burst out of the furnace, and covered the smiths and their assistants with cinders and sparks. No one, however, was injured. “He wants to be revenged,” whispered Löwenborg. “You too are mad!” cried Eberhard. “You ought to have had enough of such things.” “Do you not see how he is standing there by the prop and grinning at us? But, verily, I believe that he has unfastened the hammer.” He started up and dragged Eberhard with him. The second after the hammer fell thundering down onto the anvil. It was only a clamp which had given way; but Eberhard and Löwenborg had narrowly escaped death. “You see that he has no power over us,” said Löwenborg, triumphantly. “But it is plain that he wants to be revenged.” And he called Gösta Berling to him. “Go up to the women, Gösta. Perhaps he will show himself to them too. They are not so used as I to seeing such things. They may be frightened. And take care of yourself, Gösta, for he has a special grudge against you, and perhaps he has power over you on account of that promise.”