Wangel. What do you mean to do, then? You surely do not imagine you can take her from me by force, against her own will?
The Stranger. No. What would be the good of that? If Ellida wishes to be with me she must come freely.
Ellida (starts, crying out). Freely!
Wangel. And you actually believe that--
Ellida (to herself). Freely!
Wangel. You must have taken leave of your senses! Go your ways.
We have nothing more to do with you.
The Stranger (looking at his watch). It is almost time for me to go on board again. (Coming nearer.) Yes, yes, Ellida, now I have done my duty. (Coming still nearer.) I have kept the word I gave you.
Ellida (beseechingly drawing away). Oh! don't touch me!
The Stranger. And so now you must think it over till tomorrow night--Wangel. There is nothing to think over here. See that you get away.
The Stranger (still to ELLIDA). Now I'm going with the steamer up the fjord. Tomorrow night I will come again, and then I shall look for you here. You must wait for me here in the garden, for Iprefer settling the matter with you alone; you understand?
Ellida (in low, trembling tone). Do you hear that, Wangel?
Wangel. Only keep calm. We shall know how to prevent this visit.
The Stranger. Goodbye for the present, Ellida. So tomorrow night--Ellida (imploringly). Oh! no, no! Do not come tomorrow night!
Never come here again!
The Stranger. And should you then have a mind to follow me over the seas--Ellida. Oh, don't look at me like that!
The Stranger. I only mean that you must then be ready to set out.
Wangel. Go up to the house, Ellida.
Ellida. I cannot! Oh, help me! Save me, Wangel!
The Stranger. For you must remember that if you do not go with me tomorrow, all is at an end.
Ellida (looks tremblingly at him). Then all is at an end? Forever?
The Stranger (nodding). Nothing can change it then, Ellida. Ishall never again come to this land. You will never see me again, nor hear from me either. Then I shall be as one dead and gone from you forever.
Ellida (breathing with difficulty). Oh!
The Stranger. So think carefully what you do. Goodbye! (He goes to the fence and climbs over it, stands still, and says.) Yes, Ellida; be ready for the journey tomorrow night. For then Ishall come and fetch you. (He goes slowly and calmly down the footpath to the right.)Ellida (looking after him for a time). Freely, he said; think--he said that I must go with him freely!
Wangel. Only keep calm. Why, he's gone now, and you'll never see him again.
Ellida. Oh! how can you say that? He's coming again tomorrow night!
Wangel. Let him come. He shall not meet you again in any case.
Ellida (shaking her head). Ah, Wangel! Do not believe you can prevent him.
Wangel. I can, dearest; only trust me.
Ellida (pondering, and not listening to him). Now when he's been here tomorrow night--and then when he has gone over seas in the steamer--Wangel. Yes; what then?
Ellida. I should like to know if he will never, never come back again.
Wangel. No, dear Ellida. You may be quite sure of that. What should he do here after this? Now that he has learnt from your own lips that you will have nothing more to do with him. With that the whole thing is over.
Ellida (to herself). Tomorrow, then, or never!
Wangel. And should it ever occur to him to come here again--Ellida. Well?
Wangel. Why, then, it is in our power to make him harmless.
Ellida. Oh! do not think that!
Wangel. It is in our power, I tell you. If you can get rid of him in no other way, he must expiate the murder of the captain.
Ellida (passionately). No, no, no! Never that! We know nothing about the murder of the captain! Nothing whatever!
Wangel. Know nothing? Why, he himself confessed it to you!
Ellida. No, nothing of that. If you say anything of it I shall deny it. He shall not be imprisoned. He belongs out there--to the open sea. He belongs out there!
Wangel (looks at her and says slowly). Ah! Ellida--Ellida!
Ellida (clinging passionately to him). Oh! dear, faithful one--save me from this man!
Wangel (disengaging himself gently). Come, come with me!
(LYNGSTRAND and HILDE, both with fishing tackle, come in from the right, along the pond.)Lyngstrand (going quickly up to ELLIDA). Now, Mrs. Wangel, you must hear something wonderful.
Wangel. What is it?
Lyngstrand. Fancy! We've seen the American!
Wangel. The American?
Hilde. Yes, I saw him, too.
Lyngstrand. He was going round the back of the garden, and thence on board the great English steamer.
Wangel. How do you know the man?
Lyngstrand. Why, I went to sea with him once. I felt so certain he'd been drowned--and now he's very much alive!
Wangel. Do you know anything more about him?
Lyngstrand. No. But I'm sure he's come to revenge himself upon his faithless sailor-wife.
Wangel. What do you mean?
Hilde. Lyngstrand's going to use him for a work of art.
Wangel. I don't understand one word.
Ellida. You shall hear afterwards.
(ARNHOLM and BOLETTE come from the left along the footpath outside the garden.)Bolette (to those in the garden). Do come and see! The great English steamer's just going up the fjord.
(A large steamer glides slowly past in the distance.)Lyngstrand (to HILDE behind the garden fence). Tonight he's sure to come to her.
Hilde (nods). To the faithless sailor-wife--yes.
Lyngstrand. Fancy, at midnight!
Hilde. That must be so fascinating.
Ellida (looking after the ship). Tomorrow, then!
Wangel. And then never again.
Ellida (in a low, imploring tone). Oh! Wangel, save me from myself!
Wangel (looks anxiously at her). Ellida--I feel there is something behind this--Ellida. There is--the temptation!
Wangel. Temptation?
Ellida. The man is like the sea!
(She goes slowly and thoughtfully through the garden, and out to the left. WANGEL walks uneasily by her side, watching her closely.)
