Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Heinemann Volume 2).djvu/207



Needless to say, 'twas a dangerous task for a humble priest to rear a king's child. So soon as the child was born, he laid the matter before one of his superiors in the church, and prayed for his counsel. This his superior bade Trond send the true king's son with secrecy to a place of safety, and give Inga another, if she or the Birchlegs should afterwards ask for her child.

[Indignantly.] And who was the hound that gave that counsel?

It was I.

You? Ay, you have ever hated the race of Sverre.

I deemed it not safe for the king's son to fall into your hands.

But the priest?

Promised to do as I bade.

[Seizing him by the arm.] And Håkon is the other child?

If the priest kept his promise.