One of the godly, eh?— Answer, come!
Solveig
What shall I say?
Peer
Is your father a psalm-singer?
And you and your mother as well, no doubt?
Come, will you speak?
Solveig
Let me go in peace.
Peer
No!
[In a low but sharp and threatening tone.]
I can turn myself into a troll!
I’ll come to your bedside at midnight to-night.
If you should hear some one hissing and spitting,
you mustn’t imagine it’s only the cat.
It’s me, lass! I’ll drain out your blood in a cup,
and your little sister, I’ll eat her up;
ay, you must know I’m a werewolf at night;—
I’ll bite you all over the loins and the back —
[Suddenly changes his tone, and entreats, as if in dread:]
Dance with me, Solveig!
Solveig [looking darkly at him]
Then you were grim.
[Goes into the house.]
The Bridegroom [comes sidling up again]
I’ll give you an ox if you’ll help me!
Peer
Then come!
[They go out behind the house. At the same moment a crowd of men come up from the dancing-green; most of them are drunk. Noise and hubbub. SOLVEIG, HELGA, and their PARENTS appear among a number of elderly people in the doorway.]
The Master-cook [to the SMITH, who is the foremost of the crowd]
Keep peace now!
The Smith [pulling off his jacket]
No, we must fight it out here.
Peer Gynt or I must be taught a lesson.
Some Voices
Ay, let them fight for it!
Others
No, only wrangle!
The Smith
Fists must decide; for the case is past words.
Solveig’s Father
Control yourself, man!
Helga
Will they beat him, mother?
A Lad
Let us rather tease him with all his lies!
Another
Kick him out of the company!
A Third
Spit in his eyes!
A Fourth [to the SMITH]
You’re not backing out, smith?
The Smith [flinging away his jacket]
The jade shall be slaughtered!
Solveig’s Mother [to SOLVEIG]
There, you can see how that windbag is thought of.
Åse [coming up with a stick in her hand]
Is that son of mine here? Now he’s in for a drubbing!
Oh! how heartily I will dang him!
The Smith [rolling up his shirt-sleeves]
That switch is too light for a carcass like his.
The smith will dang him!
Others
Bang him!
The Smith [spits on his hands and nods to ÅSE]
Hang him!
Åse
What? Hang my Peer? Ay, just try if you dare;—
Åse and I, we have teeth and claws!—
Where is he? [Calls across the yard:] Peer!
The Bridegroom [comes running up]
Oh, God’s death on the cross!
Come father, come mother, and —!
His Father
What is the matter?
The Bridegroom
Just fancy, Peer Gynt —!
Åse [screams]
Have they taken his life?
The Bridegroom
No, but Peer Gynt —! Look, there on the hillside —!
The Crowd
With the bride!
Åse [lets her stick sink]
Oh, the beast!
The Smith [as if thunderstruck]
Where the slope rises sheerest
he’s clambering upwards, by God, like a goat!
The Bridegroom [crying]
He’s shouldered her, mother, as I might a pig!
Åse [shaking her fist up at him]
Would God you might fall, and —!
[Screams out in terror.]
Take care of your footing!
The Hegstad Farmer [comes in, bare-headed and white with rage]
I’ll
