them that the only word of God is the Bible?

Olof. Must that be all?

Gustaf. You are not to mention the name of Luther!

Olof (after some hesitation). Then I will not go.

Gustaf. Would you rather go to your death?

Olof. No, but I know that my sovereign needs me.

Gustaf. It isn't noble to take advantage of my misfortune, Olof. Well,
say anything; you please, but you will have to pardon me if I take back
a part of it afterwards.

Olof. Truth isn't sold by the yard.

Gustaf. 'Sdeath! (Changing tone.) Well, suit yourself!

Olof (kneeling). Then I may say all that is in my mind?

Gustaf. You may.

Olof. Then, if I can only throw a single spark of doubt into the soul of
this sleeping people, my life will not have been wasted.--It is to be a
reformation, then?

Gustaf (after a pause). Yes. (Pause.)

Olof (timidly). And what is to become of the Anabaptists?

Gustaf. Need you ask? They must die.

Olof. Will Your Highness permit me one more question?

Gustaf. Tell me: what do those madmen want?

Olof. The sad thing is that they do not know it themselves, and if I
were to tell you--

Gustaf. Speak out!

[Gert enters quickly, pretending to be insane.]

Gustaf. Who are you to dare intrude here?

Gert. I want most humbly to beseech Your Highness to attest the
correctness of this document.

Gustaf. Wait till you are called.

Gert. Of course, I should like to, but the guards won't wait for me. I
escaped from prison, you see, because my place wasn't there.

Gustaf. Are you one of those Anabaptists?

Gert. Yes, I happened to get mixed up with them, but here I have a
certificate proving that I belong to the asylum, the third department
for incurables, cell number seven.

Gustaf (to Olof). Send word to the guard.

Gert. That isn't necessary, for I want nothing but justice, and it's
something the guard doesn't handle.

Gustaf (looking hard at Gert). I suppose you have had a share in those
outrages in the city churches?

Gert. Of course, I have! No sane person could behave so madly. We wanted
only to make a few minor alterations in the style. They seemed too low
in the ceiling.

Gustaf. What do you really want?

Gert. Oh, we want a great deal, although we haven't got through with
one-half of it yet. Yes, we want so many things and we want them so
quickly, that our reason cannot keep pace with them, and that's why it
has been lagging behind a little. Yes, we wish among other things to
change the