Jeppe on the Hill Part 10

=Magnus=--Why didn't you stay there longer?

=Jeppe=--Is that any of your business?

=Magnus=--Ay, tell us something about your journey.

=Jeppe=--Let me go, I tell you; or I shall do something to you.

=Magnus=--Ay, Jeppe, I am so anxious to find out something about it.

=Jeppe=--Jakob Skomager! Help! Will you let people be attacked in your house?

=Magnus=--I am doing you no harm, Jeppe. I only ask what you saw in the other world.

=Jeppe=--Hey! Help! Help!

=Magnus=--Did you see any of my ancestors there?

=Jeppe=--No, your ancestors must be in the other place, where I hope you and other rascals will go when you die. (Struggles with Magnus and gets away.)

Scene 6.

Baron. His secretary. Valet. Two lackeys.

=Baron=--Ha, ha, ha! That joke is worth a good deal; I had not thought that it would have had such good effect. If you can amuse me as well again, Erik, you shall stand very high in my regard.

=Erik=--No, gracious lord, I dare not risk such comedy again; for if he had struck my lord, as he threatened to do, there might have been a terrible tragedy.

=Baron=--That is, by my faith, true enough. I myself feared it somewhat, but I was so interested in the outcome that I would rather have allowed myself to be struck,--yes, I believe I would rather have allowed myself to be hanged by him, Erik, than to have given the story away. You were probably of the same mind.

=Erik=--No, my lord! It would be rather strange to allow one's self to be hanged in jest, for that pleasure would be too costly.

=Baron=--Ay! Such things happen every day. If not in that manner, then in some other, do people lose their lives through some jest. For example, if a man has a weak will and knows that he is likely to lose both life and health from too much drink, still he is likely to overtask his strength and risk both for the sake of an evening's pleasure. I am convinced, Erik, that it would have been better if you had allowed yourself to be hanged rather than to have spoiled such a splendid comedy.