Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 11).djvu/124



That is the law of change, Rita.

And that was why you wanted to make a prodigy of poor little Eyolf.

That was not what I wanted. I wanted to make a happy human being of him.—That, and nothing more.

But not out of love for him. Look into yourself! [With a certain shyness of expression.] Search out all that lies under—and behind your action.

[Avoiding her eyes.] There is something you shrink from saying.

And you too.

[Looks thoughtfully at her.] If it is as you say, then we two have never really possessed our own child.

No. Not in perfect love.

And yet we are sorrowing so bitterly for him.