Lona: Yes. Let me help you. (Takes hold of the cords.) I will draw down the curtains on my brother-in-law--though I would much rather draw them up.
Rummel: You can do that too, later on. When the garden is filled with a surging crowd, then the curtains shall be drawn back, and they will be able to look in upon a surprised and happy family.
Citizens' lives should be such that they can live in glass houses! (BERNICK opens his mouth, as though he were going to say something; but he turns hurriedly away and goes into his room.)
Rummel: Come along, let us have a final consultation. Come in, too, Mr. Krap; you must assist us with information on one or two points of detail. (All the men go into BERNICK'S room. LONA has drawn the curtains over the windows, and is just going to do the same over the open glass door, when OLAF jumps down from the room above on to the garden steps; he has a wrap over his shoulders and a bundle in his hand.)
Lona: Bless me, child, how you frightened me!
Olaf (hiding his bundle): Hush, aunt!
Lona: Did you jump out of the window? Where are you going?
Olaf: Hush!--don't say anything. I want to go to Uncle Johan-- only on to the quay, you know--only to say goodbye to him. Good- night, aunt! (Runs out through the garden.)
Lona: No--stop! Olaf--Olaf!
(JOHAN, dressed for his journey, with a bag over his shoulder, comes warily in by the door on the right.)
Johan: Lona!
Lona (turning round): What! Back again?
Johan: I have still a few minutes. I must see her once more; we cannot part like this. (The farther door on the left opens, and MARTHA and DINA, both with cloaks on, and the latter carrying a small travelling bag in her hand, come in.)
Dina: Let me go to him! Let me go to him!
Martha: Yes, you shall go to him, Dina!
Dina: There he is!
Johan: Dina!
Dina: Take me with you!
Johan: What--!
Lona: You mean it?
Dina: Yes, take me with you. The other has written to me that he means to announce to everyone this evening.
Johan: Dina--you do not love him?
Dina: I have never loved the man! I would rather drown myself in the fjord than be engaged to him! Oh, how he humiliated me yesterday with his condescending manner! How clear he made it that he felt he was lifting up a poor despised creature to his own level! I do not mean to be despised any longer. I mean to go away. May I go with you?
Johan: Yes, yes--a thousand times, yes!
Dina: I will not be a burden to you long. Only help me to get over there; help me to go the right way about things at first.
Johan: Hurrah, it is all right after all, Dina!
Lona (pointing to BERNICK'S door): Hush!--gently, gently!
Johan: Dina, I shall look after you.
Dina: I am not going to let you do that. I mean to look after myself; over there, I am sure I can do that. Only let me get away from here. Oh, these women!--you don't know--they have written to me today, too--exhorting me to realise my good fortune-- impressing on me how magnanimous he has been. Tomorrow, and every day afterwards, they would be watching me to see if I were ****** myself worthy of it all. I am sick and tired of all this goodness!
Johan: Tell me, Dina--is that the only reason you are coming away? Am l nothing to you?
Dina: Yes, Johan, you are more to me than any one else in the world.
Johan: Oh, Dina--!
Dina: Every one here tells me I ought to hate and detest you-- that it is my duty; but I cannot see that it is my duty, and shall never be able to.
Lona: No more you shall, my dear!
Martha: No, indeed you shall not; and that is why you shall go with him as his wife.
Johan: Yes, yes!
Lona: What? Give me a kiss, Martha. I never expected that from you!
Martha: No, I dare say not; I would not have expected it myself.
But I was bound to break out some time! Ah, what we suffer under the tyranny of habit and custom! Make a stand against that, Dina.
Be his wife. Let me see you defy all this convention.
Johan: What is your answer, Dina?
Dina: Yes, I will be your wife.
Johan: Dina!
Dina: But first of all I want to work--to make something of myself--as you have done. I am not going to be merely a thing that is taken.
Lona: Quite right--that is the way.
Johan: Very well; I shall wait and hope-Lona: And win, my boy! But now you must get on board!
Johan: Yes, on board! Ah, Lona, my dear sister, just one word with you. Look here-- (He takes her into the background and talks hurriedly to her.)
Martha: Dina, you lucky girl, let me look at you, and kiss you once more--for the last time.
Dina: Not for the last time; no, my darling aunt, we shall meet again.
Martha: Never! Promise me, Dina, never to come back! (Grasps her hands and looks at her.) Now go to your happiness, my dear child--across the sea. How often, in my schoolroom, I have yearned to be over there! It must be beautiful; the skies are loftier than here--a freer air plays about your head--Dina: Oh, Aunt Martha, some day you will follow us.
Martha: I? Never--never. I have my little vocation here, and now I really believe I can live to the full the life that I ought.
Dina: I cannot imagine being parted from you.
Martha: Ah, one can part from much, Dina. (Kisses her.) But I hope you may never experience that, my sweet child. Promise me to make him happy.
Dina: I will promise nothing; I hate promises; things must happen as they will.
Martha: Yes, yes, that is true; only remain what you are--true and faithful to yourself.
Dina: I will, aunt.
Lona (putting into her pocket some papers that JOHAN has given her): Splendid, splendid, my dear boy. But now you must be off.
Johan: Yes, we have no time to waste now. Goodbye, Lona, and thank you for all your love. Goodbye, Martha, and thank you, too, for your loyal friendship.
Martha: Goodbye, Johan! Goodbye, Dina! And may you be happy all your lives! (She and LONA hurry them to the door at the back.
JOHAN and DINA go quickly down the steps and through the garden.
LONA shuts the door and draws the curtains over it.)
Lona: Now we are alone, Martha. You have lost her and I him.
Martha: You--lost him?
Lona: Oh, I had already half lost him over there. The boy was longing to stand on his own feet; that was why I pretended to be suffering from homesickness.
