Peer.
It was down at the Cape.
The Lean One.
Di Buona Speranza?
Peer.
Just so; but he sails
Very shortly again, if I'm not mistaken
The Lean One.
I must hurry off then without delay.
I only hope I may catch him in time!
That Cape of Good Hope—I could never abide it;—
It's ruined by missionaries from Stavanger.
[He rushes off southwards.
Peer.
The stupid hound! There he takes to his heels
With his tongue lolling out. He'll be finely sold.
It delights me to humbug an ass like that.
He to give himself airs, and to lord it forsooth!
He's a mighty lot, truly, to swagger about!
He'll scarcely grow fat at his present trade;—
He'll soon drop from his perch with his whole apparatus.—
H'm, I' m not over-safe in the saddle either;
I'm expelled, one may say, from self-owning nobility.[1]
[A shooting star is seen; he nods after it.
Greet all friends from Peer Gynt, Brother Starry-Flash!
- ↑ "Selvejer-Adlen." "Selvejer" (literally, "self-owner") means
a freeholder, as opposed to a "husmand" or tenant. There is
of course a play upon words in the original.
