"Then a jolly fellow of the court of Charles XII came along and destroyed the whole work of denationalization. The literary language, which up to now had been German, was henceforth to be Swedish: Down with the dog Stjernhjelm!
"What was his name? Edward Stjernström!"
The chairman's hammer came down on the table with a bang. The disturbance grew. "Stop him! Down with the traitor! He's laughing at us!"
"The Swedish nation can scream and brawl, I am aware of that! They can do nothing else! And as you will not allow me to continue my lecture and discuss the Government and the royal copyholds, I will conclude by saying that the servile louts whom I have heard to-night are ripe for the autocracy which they are sure to get. Believe my words: You will have an absolute monarchy before very long!"
A push from the back jerked the words of the speaker out of his throat. He clung to the table:
"And an ungrateful race who will not listen to the truth...."
"Kick him out! Tear him to pieces!"
Olle was dragged from the platform; but to the last moment, while knocks and blows rained down on him, he yelled like a madman: "Long live Charles XII! Down with George Stjernhjelm!"
At last Olle and Arvid were standing in the street.
"Whatever were you thinking of?" asked Falk. "You must have taken leave of your senses!"