re?

Brask. What is worse than anything else--all this heresy!

Gustaf. No concern of mine! I am not the Pope.

Brask. I have to warn Your Highness that the Church must look out for
her own rights, even if doing so should bring her into conflict--

Gustaf. With whom?

Brask. With the State.

Gustaf. Your Church can go to the devil! There, I have said it!

Brask. I knew it.

Gustaf. And you were only waiting for me to say so?

Brask. Exactly.

Gustaf. Take care! You travel with a following of two hundred men, and
you eat from silver, when the people are living on bark.

Brask. Your Highness takes too narrow a view of the matter.

Gustaf. Have you heard of Luther? You are a well-informed man. What kind
of a phenomenon is he? What have you to say of the movements that are
now spreading throughout Europe?

Brask. Progress backward! Luther is merely destined to serve as a
purging fire for what is ancient, descended from untold ages and well
tried, so that it may be cleansed and by the struggle urged on to
greater victories.

Gustaf. I care nothing for your learned arguments.

Brask. But Your Highness is extending protection to criminals and
interfering with the privileges of the Church; for the Church has been
grievously wronged by Master Olof.

Gustaf. Well, put him under the ban.

Brask. It has been done, and yet he remains in the service of Your
Highness.

Gustaf. What more do you want done to him? Tell me? (Pause.)

Brask. Furthermore, he has gone so far as to marry secretly in violation
of the Canon Law.

Gustaf. Is that so? That's quick action.

Brask. It doesn't concern Your Highness? Good and well! But if he stirs
up the people?

Gustaf. Then I'll step in. Anything more?

Brask (after a pause). I ask you for heaven's sake not to plunge the
country into disaster again. It is not yet ripe for a new faith. We are
but reeds in the wind and can be bent--but when it comes to the faith,
or the Church--never!

Gustaf (holding out his hand to the Bishop). Maybe you are right! But
let us be enemies rather than false friends, Bishop Hans!

Brask. Be it so! But do not do what you will regret. Every stone you
tear out of the Church will be thrown at you by the people.

Gustaf. Don't force me to extremes, Your Grace, for then we shall have
the same horrible spectacle here as in Germany. For the last time: are
you willing to make concessions if the welfare of the country is at
stake?

Brask. The