PEHR. [Alone.] Well, Pehr, you are going out into life! Others before you have probably done likewise. But is it, then, so difficult out there? To be sure I have stood on the church roof and watched the throngs of people down in the street crawl around each other, going and coming. To me they appear so quiet and orderly, and I don't see that they trample on one another, although they are as thick as gnats. That dogs and apprentices fight sometimes, that I have seen, but grown folknever! The old man and I never fight, although we pass each other on the stairs ten times a day. True, he has beaten me, but I have never beaten him; and other people may not be so bad either, if the truth were told. Wasn't there a fire the other day in the house of a rich merchant and didn't a lot of poor wretches come running from all directions, and didn't they go up to the rich man's place and save his goods? Oh, yes, I saw how they took silver pieces from his table and carried them far out of the city, where they hid them behind haystacks so the silver wouldn't be burned up. Wasn't that kind of them? We shall see, we shall see! Meanwhile, my dear Pehr, you shall go out and have a look at the world and make use of your gifts. [Examines ring.] Let's see! What shall I wish for first?
[Old man enters as if through wall.]
PEHR. Oh! so the old man is here. I did not hear your footsteps on the stairs. Which way did you come?
OLD MAN. [Alarmed.] Did you see?
PEHR. No.
OLD MAN. Let me look at you! [Gazes fixedly at him.] Something has happened here
PEHR. Nothingnothing whatever!
OLD MAN. My son, it will soon be midnight. Don't you want to retire to your room so that I may lock you in?
PEHR. You always want to shut me in! Tell me, Father, have you never meant to let me out in the world? Surely you cannot have thought that I should sit here forever, and dry up!
OLD MAN. I have seen life; I know its Sodom applestherefore I wish to shield you.
PEHR. But life is not as sour as you say, perhaps.
OLD MAN. What do you know about it?
PEHR. Oh, I can see things from my high place! Come here and I will show you.
OLD MAN. What can you show me that I do not already know?
PEHR. [Leads Old Man to the window.] Look! Do you see the great house on the square?
OLD MAN. Yes; but make haste! Before the clock strikes twelve, you must be in bed.
PEHR. Do you see the Christmas-tree, with its gold and silver?
OLD MAN. Only paper, boy!
PEHR. And the golden fruits of the tropics?
OLD MAN. Worm-eaten
PEHR. And the sunHappinesshow it shines on the children's faces!
OLD MAN. Between times distorted by envy
PEHR. And the old man who sits there, contented and happy
OLD MAN. It's a lie! He trembles in his heart for the house rent, which must be paid on the new year
PEHR. Hethe rich man?
OLD MAN. Hides his approaching downfall!
PEHR. And those young peopleDo you see how he stretches his arm
OLD MAN. After the father's money bag!
PEHR. Shame on you! Their lips meet
OLD MAN. In lust!
PEHR. What is that?Ah! Now look up there, at the gable window, with the single light
OLD MAN. Prompted by caution, which demands darkness
PEHR. By the glow of contentment's calm light
OLD MAN. Which they stole from the spice stall, and their delight is in planning the next expedition to the city market. I know it, do you hear! And up there, in the palace, where the lights glisten by the thousands and mirror themselves in the wines' sour streamsthere they rollempty heads and empty heartswho say that they think and feel for the people's welfare! There they roll, between bottles and dishes
PEHR. Why do you talk so fast? Let me continue
OLD MAN. No! Away with you and obey, boy!
PEHR. Yes, away from here! I want to go out and see the world. I want to see child-faceseven if they can be clouded by envy's cankerworm! I want to taste the fruit of the tropics even if it is worm-eaten! I would drink the wine though it were gall, and I want to put my arm around a maid's waist, even if a bankrupt father does sit at the hearth stone! I want silver and goldif in the end it is nothing but dross!
OLD MAN. Hell-fire! who's been here?
A VOICE. Curse not Christmas!
PEHR. What can this mean? It is so strange here to-nightstranger than usual. Father, look at me! Why, that's not his face!
OLD MAN. [Kneeling.] My son! Listen to your fatherobey the old man, who wishes you only good; remain within these peaceful walls!
PEHR. It is too late!
OLD MAN. What do I see?that ring! who gave it to you? [Tries to take the ring from Pehr.]
PEHR. Who are you? You are not my father!
OLD MAN. Your guilty, your unhappy father, who is bound by the witchcraft of the Powers! [Old Man is transformed into a big black cat.]
PEHR. Jesu Maria, help! [Bright rays dart out from Virgin's image; clock strikes twelve.]
PEHR. The witch! The witch! Away, unclean spirit! [Cat vanishes.] And now[opens tower shutters] for life! [Fingers ring.] To the forest. [Going through window.] Out!
CURTAIN.
ACT TWO
SCENE ONESnow-clad woods; diagonally across stage is an ice-covered brook. Dawn. Wind blows through the trees as curtain rises. Pehr on.
PEHR. So this is the forest, whither my thoughts have so often flown through the clear air, and this is the snow! Now I want to throw snowballs, as I've seen school boys do. It is supposed to be something uncommonly amusing. [He takes up some snow and casts a few snowballs.] H-m! That's not so wonderful! Once againI think it almost stupid.
But what is it that plays up in the tree tops? The windAh, it sounds rather well. Zoo, zoo, zoo! But one grows sleepy if one listens to that long. Zoo, zoo, zoo! Now it sounds like the gnats on a summer's evening. Strange how short everything is out here in Nature! The dullness in the towerthat was long! Now it's not at all pretty or amusing. [Sees brook.] Why, what is this? Ice! What pleasure can one get from that? Ah, now I rememberone can skate on it. I must try that! [He goes out on the brook; slides; ice cracks; he falls from fright and lies there, stunned.]
[Enter Lisa.]
LISA. [Runs up to Pehr.] There he is! Ahhe sleeps! [Sees something that glitters.] What is that? [Picks up ring, which Pehr dropped when he fell.] A ring! He is sleeping in the snow! What can have happened? He is hurt! What can I do? In the very heart of the forest and right in the snow! Not a human being comes this way. He'll freeze to death if he cannot get away. The good fairy sent me here to look up that boy, but she did not tell me that I should find him half dead in a snow drift! If only it were summer, with the sun shining on the green grass-carpet
[Lisa fingers ring. Transformation: Landscape is changed from winter into summer; brook loses ice-cake and runs forth between the stones; sun shines on the whole.]
LISA. What can be the meaning of this! [Amazed, glances in all directions. Pehr awakens.]
PEHR. [Rubbing his eyes.] Why, what is thisI fly from the church tower, come into a forest of snow, throw snowballs, skate, bump my head on the ice, lose my sensesthen I wake up and find that it is summer! Have I been lying here under the snow six months? No, it doesn't seem likely. [Looks at himself in the brook.] I'm as red as a rose. [Bends over water.] But what do I see down in the deepA blue sky, green trees, white water-lilies, and right in their midsta girl!just like the one the youth had his arm around in the Christmas-home: flowing hair, a mouth like a song, eyes like the dove's!Ah! she nods to meI'm coming, I'm coming! [About to plunge into the brook, when Lisa gives a cry. He turns.] There she is! A moment ago she was down here.