(Enter the Lieutenant.)

Lieutenant.  Come, now, pull off that black coat and put on this red one. (Montanus cries while they put on his uniform.) Oh, come, it looks bad for a soldier to cry.  You are far better off than you were before.—­Drill him well, now, Niels.  He is a learned fellow, but he is raw yet in his exercises. (Niels the Corporal leads Montanus about, drilling him and beating him.) [Exeunt the Lieutenant and Jesper.]

SCENE 4

(Enter the Lieutenant.)

Lieutenant.  Well, Niels, can he go through the drill?

Niels.  He’ll learn in time, but he is a lazy dog.  He has to be beaten every minute.

Montanus (crying).  Oh, gracious sir, have mercy on me.  My health is weak and I cannot endure such treatment.

Lieutenant.  It seems a little hard at first, but when your back has once been well beaten and toughened, it won’t hurt so much.

Montanus (crying).  Oh, would that I had never studied!  Then I never should have got into this trouble.

Lieutenant.  Oh, this is only a beginning.  When you have sat a half score of times on the wooden horse, or stood on the stake, then you will think this sort of thing is a mere bagatelle. (Montanus weeps again.)

SCENE 5

(Enter Jeronimus, Magdelone, Jeppe, and Nille.)

Jeronimus.  Are you sure of it?

Jeppe.  Indeed I am; the bailiff told me a moment ago.  Ah, now my anger is turned to pity.

Jeronimus.  If we could only get him back to the true faith, I should be glad to buy him off.

Lisbed (rushing in).  Oh, poor wretch that I am!

Jeronimus.  Don’t raise a hubbub, daughter, you won’t gain anything by that.

Lisbed. Oh, father dear, if you were as much in love as I am, you wouldn’t ask me to keep quiet.

Jeronimus.  Fie, fie, it is not proper for a girl to show her feelings like that.  But there he is, I do believe.  Look here, Rasmus Berg!  What is going on?

Montanus.  Oh, my dear Monsieur Jeronimus, I’ve become a soldier.

Jeronimus.  Yes, now you have something else to do, besides turning men into beasts and deacons into cocks.

Montanus.  Oh, alas!  I lament my former folly, but all too late.

Jeronimus.  Listen, my friend.  If you will give up your former foolishness, and not fill the land with disagreements and disputations, I shall not fail to do everything in my power to get you off.

Montanus.  Oh, I don’t deserve anything better, after threatening my old parents with blows.  But if you will have pity on me and work for my release, I swear to you, that hereafter I shall live a different life, devote myself to some business, and never bother any one with disputations any more.