Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Heinemann Volume 2).djvu/293



[Enters from the back.] Forgive my coming, lord King

You come to my wish, Skald!

I overheard some townsfolk at my lodging talking darkly of

Let that wait. Tell me, Skald: you who have fared far abroad in strange lands, have you ever seen a woman love another's child? Not only have kindness for it—'tis not that I mean; but love it, love it with the warmest passion of her soul.

That do only those women who have no child of their own to love.

Only those women?

And chiefly women who are barren.

Chiefly the barren? They love the children of others with all their warmest passions?

That will oftentimes befall.

And does it not sometimes befall that such a