Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 11).djvu/373

 *bours' children out to play with me, in the woods and on the mountains.

[Looking hard at him.] Perhaps you only wanted to lure me out to play, as well?

[Passing it off as a jest.] Well, has it not been a tolerably amusing game, Maia?

[Coldly.] I did not go with you only to play.

No, no, I daresay not.

And you never took me up with you to any high mountain, or showed me

[With irritation] —all the glory of the world? No, I did not. For, let me tell you something: you are not really born to be a mountain-climber, little Maia.

[Trying to control herself.] Yet at one time you seemed to think I was.

Four or five years ago, yes. [''Stretching himself in his chair.''] Four or five years—it's a long, long time, Maia.