for
holy--

Overseer. You had better not, for I am in command here. Furthermore, I
can tell you that they are glad enough to have a chance of tearing down
these hornets' nests for which they themselves have had to pay--and
then, too, they are pretty thankful to earn something during a time of
famine. (He goes toward the background.)

Marten. Let us forget the wickedness and tumult of this world. Let us
enter the sacred place and pray for them.

Abbess. Lord, Lord, the cities of Thy sanctuary are laid waste! Zion is
laid waste, and Jerusalem is lying desolate!

Windrank. 100.--Nobody can get in here!

The Conspirators (within the chapel). We swear!

Marten. Who has dared to invade the chapel?

Windrank. It's no more a chapel since it has become a royal storehouse.

Abbess. That's why the godless one gave us his permission!

[The door of the chapel is thrown open and the conspirators appear;
among them Olof, Lars Andersson, Gert, the German, the Dane, the Man
from Smaland, and others.]

Olof (much excited). What kind of buffoonery is this?

Marten. Make way for the handmaidens of St. Clara!

Olof. Do you think your idols can keep away the plague that God has sent
you as a punishment? Do you think the Lord will find those pieces of
bone you carry in the box there so pleasant that He forgives all your
dreadful sins? Take away that abomination! (He takes the reliquary from
the Abbess and throws it into one of the open graves.) From dust you
have come, and to dust you shall return, even if your name was Sancta
Clara da Spoleto and you ate only three ounces of bread a day and slept
among the swine at night! (The nuns scream.)

Marten. If you fear not what is holy, fear at least your temporal ruler.
Look here! He has still so much respect left for divine things that he
dreads the wrath of the saint. (He shows a document to Olof.)

Olof. Do you know what the Lord did with the king of the Assyrians when
he permitted the worship of idols? He smote him and all his people. Thus
the righteous is made to suffer with the unrighteous. In the name of the
one omnipotent God, I declare this worship of Baal abolished, even if
all the kings of the earth give their permit. The Pope wanted to sell my
soul to Satan, but I tore the contract to pieces--you remember? Should
I then fear a King who wants to sell his people to the Baalim? (He tears
the document to pieces.)

Marten (to his followers). You are my witnesses that he ha