KERSTI'S RELATIVES. Peace!
MATS'S RELATIVES. War! War on life and death!
PASTOR. Peace!
MATS'S RELATIVES. War!
The VERGER comes running from the porch, seizes the bell-rope and begins to toll the bell.
At the first stroke, all oars are lowered, the boats are brought to the landing and tied up side by side. The PASTOR is the first one to leave the boat at the left. He is followed by MATS, who carries a small white coffin trimmed with lace. Then the relatives and friends of MATS gradually step on shore.
The SOLDIER leaves the other boat ahead of all the rest and is followed by his wife. Then come the relatives and friends of KERSTI.
The people on both sides adjust their clothing while throwing angry glances at their opponents.
At last MATS with the coffin leads the way up to the church, followed by the PASTOR.
MATS. [Whose face shows intense despair, stops in front of KERSTI] Here is the little one now. He's so light—as light as the mind of a bad woman. He's asleep—and soon you will be sleeping, too.
KERSTI. [Raising her head so that the hood falls back] O!
Mats. "O," indeed! It's the end, while A is the beginning. Between those two lie many letters, but the last one of all is O. Cry "O" again—the last time of all—so that the little one may hear it. He will tell the Lord and the Saviour, and ask them to forgive you! No? Well, kiss his white coffin then—kiss it where his small feet are resting—the small, small feet that never had a chance to tread this sinful earth! [KERSTI kisses the coffin] That's right! Now we'll take him into the church and play and sing and toll the bells over him—but no clergyman can read him into his grave—because of you! I will speak the words myself when we get to the grave. We'll plant him in the sod like a seed in order that he may sprout and grow into a winged blossom. Some day, perhaps, he will spread his wings and fly to heaven—lifted by the wind when the midsummer sun is shining!
PASTOR. [Taking MATS by the arm and drawing him toward the church] That's enough, Mats! Come now!
MATS. I am coming.