Valet.  We are glad that his lordship is in such good humor to-day as to deign to jest.  But, God help us, why does my lord weep?

Jeppe.  I’m not your lordship.  I can take my oath on it, for, as far as I can remember, I am Jeppe Nielsen of the Hill, and one of the baron’s peasants.  If you will send for my wife, she’ll bear witness to it, but don’t let her bring Master Eric along.

Eric.  This is strange.  What is the matter?  Perhaps my lord is not awake, for he is not accustomed to joke like this.

Jeppe.  Whether I am awake or not, I can’t say, but I do know and can say that I am one of my lord’s peasants, who is called Jeppe of the Hill, and I never have been a baron nor a count in all my life.

Valet.  Eric! what can this mean?  I am afraid my lord has been taken ill.

Eric.  I imagine he is walking in his sleep, for it often happens that people get out of bed, dress, talk, eat, and drink—­all while they are still asleep.

Valet.  No, Eric!  I think that his lordship is having hallucinations brought on by an illness, run quickly and fetch some doctors. (Exit Eric.) Oh, my lord, pray drive such thoughts from your head.  His lordship will otherwise strike fear into the whole household.  Does not my lord know me?

Jeppe.  I don’t even know myself, so how should I know you?

Valet.  Is it possible that I should hear such words from my gracious lord’s mouth and see him in such a plight!  Alas, our unlucky house, to be plagued with an evil spell!  Does not my lord remember what he did yesterday, when he went out hunting?

Jeppe.  I have never done any hunting or poaching, for I know that’s a thing that will get a man hard labor; no living soul can prove that I ever hunted as much as a hare in my lord’s woods.

Valet.  Why, my gracious lord, I was out hunting with you myself yesterday.

Jeppe.  Yesterday I was at Jacob Shoemaker’s, and I drank twelve pennyworth of brandy, so how could I have been hunting?

Valet.  Oh, I beg his gracious lordship on my bare knees to stop talking such nonsense.  Eric! have the doctors been sent for?

Eric.  Yes, they are coming immediately.

Valet.  Then let us put on his lordship’s dressing-gown, for perhaps he might feel better if we took him out into the open air.  Will my lord be so good as to put on his dressing-gown?

Jeppe.  With all my heart.  You may do what you like with me, so long as you don’t kill me, for I am as innocent as a babe unborn.

SCENE 3

(Enter Eric with two Doctors.)

First doctor.  We hear with the greatest sorrow that his lordship is indisposed.

Valet.  Yes, Doctor.  He is in a serious condition.