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_ ACT II - SCENE V
SCENE--An apartment in Count HELMAAR'S Castle.--ELEONORA.-- CHRISTINA.--Little KATE and ULRIC asleep on the floor.
Eleon.
Poor creatures! they were quite tired by sitting up so late:
is their mother come yet?
Christina.
Not yet; but she will soon be here, for my brother told Aleftson to make all possible haste. Do you know where my brother is?--he is not among the dancers. I expected to have found him sighing at the Lady Eleonora's feet.
Eleon.
He is much better employed than in sighing at any body's feet; he is gone down into the great hall, to see and reward some poor peasants who have brought home the knapsacks of those unfortunate soldiers who fell in the last battle:--your good Mrs. Ulrica found out that these peasants were in the village near us--she sent for them, got a plentiful supper ready, and the count is now speaking to them.
Christina.
And can you forgive my ungallant brother for thinking of vulgar boors, when he ought to be intent on nothing but your bright eyes?--then all I can say is, you are both of you just fit for one another: every fool, indeed, saw that long ago.
[A cry behind the scenes of "Long line Count Helmaar! Long live the good count! long live the poor man's friend!"]
Christina
(joins the cry).
Long live Count Helmaar!
--join me, Eleonora--long live the good count! long live the poor man's friend!
[The little children waken, start up, and stretch themselves.]
Eleon.
There, you have wakened these poor children.
Ulric.
What's the matter? I dreamed father was shaking hands with me.
Enter Mrs. ULRICA.
Little Kate.
Mrs. Ulrica! where am I?
I thought I was in my little bed at home
--I was dreaming about a purse, I believe.
Mrs. Ulrica.
Was it about this purse you were dreaming?
--(shows the purse which the children found in the wood)
--Come, take it into your little hands, and waken and rouse yourselves, for you must come and give this purse back to the rightful owner; I've found him out for you
--(Aside to Christina and Eleonora).
And now, ladies, if you please to go up into the gallery,
you'll see something worth looking at.
[Exeunt.] _
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