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_ ACT II - SCENE VI
SCENE--A hall in Count HELMAAR'S Castle.--Peasants rising from supper in the back scene.
1st Peasant.
Here's a health to the poor man's friend;
and may every poor man, every poor honest man
--and there are none other in Sweden
--find as good a friend as Count Helmaar.
Enter CHARLES, eagerly.
Charles.
Count Helmaar! is he here?
Omnes.
Heyday! Charles, the sleeper, broad awake! or is he walking in his sleep?
Charles.
Where's Count Helmaar, I say?
--I'd walk in my sleep, or any way, to get a sight of him.
1st Peasant.
Hush! stand back!
--here's some of the quality coming, who are not thinking of you.
[The peasants all retire to the back scene. Count HELMAAR, CHRISTINA, and ELEONORA, appear, looking from a gallery. Enter ALEFTSON and CATHERINE at one door, Mrs. ULRICA at the opposite door, with CHRISTIERN, followed by the two children.]
Cath.
(springs forward.)
Christiern! my husband! alive!--is it a dream?
Christiern
(embracing her).
Your own Christiern, dearest Catherine.
[The children clap their hands, and run to their father.]
Ulric.
Why, I thought he was my father; only he did not shake hands with me.
Kate.
And Mrs. Ulrica hid me hold my tongue.
Christiern.
My Ulric! my little Kate!
Mrs. Ulrica.
Ay, my little Kate, you may speak now as much as you will.
--(Their father kisses them eagerly.)
--Ay, kiss them, kiss them; they are as good children as ever were born
--and as honest: Kate, show him the purse, and ask him if it be his.
Kate.
Is it yours, father?--(holds up the purse).
Christiern.
'Tis mine; 'twas in my knapsack; but how it came here, Heaven knows.
Ulric.
We found it in the wood, father, as we were going home,
just at the foot of a tree.
Charles
(comes forward).
Why, mayhap, now I recollect, I might have dropped it there
--more shame for me, or rather more shame for them
--(looking back at his companions)
--that were playing the fool with me, and tumbled out all the things on the ground. Master, I hope there's no harm done: we poor peasant fellows have brought home all the other knapsacks safe and sound to the relations of them that died; and yours came by mistake, it seems.
Christiern.
It's a very lucky mistake; for I wouldn't have lost a waistcoat which there is in that knapsack for all the waistcoats in Sweden. My Catherine, 'twas that which you gave me the day before I went abroad--do you remember it?
Charles.
Ay, that she does; it had like to have been the death of her--for she thought you must be dead for certain when he saw it brought home without you--but I knew he was not ead, mistress--did not I tell you, mistress, not to give way to sorrow while there was hope left?
Cath.
O joy! joy!--too much joy!
Aleft.
Now are you sorry you came with me when I bade you?
--but I'm a fool!--I'm a fool!
Ulric.
But where's the cap and coat you used to wear?
Kate.
You are quite another man, uncle.
Aleft.
The same man, niece, only in another coat.
Mrs. Ulrica
(laughing).
How they stare!
----Well, Christiern, you are not angry with my master and me for keeping you now?--but angry or not, I don't care, for I wouldn't have missed seeing this meeting for any thing in the whole world.
Enter Count HELMAAR, ELEONOKA, and CHRISTINA.
Christina.
Nor I.
Eleon
Nor I.
Helmaar.
Nor I.
The Peasants.
Nor any of us
Helmaar
(to little Ulric).
My honest little boy, is that the purse which you found in the wood?
Ulric.
Yes, and it's my own father's.
Helmaar.
And how much money is there in it?
[The child opens the purse, and spreads the money on the floor.]
Ulric
(to Mrs. Ulrica).
Count you, for I can't count so much.
Mrs. Ulrica
(counts).
Eight ducats, five rixdollars, and let me see how many--sixteen carolines[2]:--'twould have been pity, Catherine, to have lost all this treasure, which Christiern has saved for you.
[Footnote 2: A rixdollar is 4s. 6d. sterling; two rixdollars are equal in value to a ducat; a caroline is 1s. 2d.]
Helmaar.
Catherine, I beg that all the money in this purse
may be given to these honest peasants.
(To Kate)
Here, take it to them, my little modest girl. As for you and your children, Catherine, you may depend upon it that I will not neglect to make you easy in the world: your own good conduct, and the excellent manner in which you have brought up these children, would incline me to serve you, even if your husband had not saved my life.
Cath.
Christiern, my dear husband,
and did you save Count Helmaar's life?
Mrs. Ulrica.
Ay, that he did.
Cath.
(embracing him.)
I am the happiest wife, and
--(turning to kiss her children)
--the happiest mother upon earth.
Charles
(staring up in Count Helmaar's face).
God bless him! I've seen him face to face at last;
and now I wish in my heart I could see his wife.
Christina.
And so do I most sincerely: my dear brother,
who has been all his life labouring for the happiness of others,
should now surely think of making himself happy.
Eleonora
(giving her hand to Helmaar).
No, leave that to me, for I shall think of nothing else all my life.
[THE END]
Maria Edgeworth's play: The Knapsack
_
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