Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 4).djvu/199

 ed].
 * Liken thee, O earth's great treasure,
 * to a horrible old cat!

PEER
 * Child, from passion's standpoint viewed,
 * may a tom-cat and a prophet
 * come to very much the same.

ANITRA
 * Master, jest like honey floweth
 * from thy lips.

PEER
 * My little friend,
 * you, like other maidens, judge
 * great men by their outsides only.
 * I am full of jest at bottom,
 * most of all when we're alone.
 * I am forced by my position
 * to assume a solemn mask.
 * Duties of the day constrain me;
 * all the reckonings and worry
 * that I have with one and all,
 * make me oft a cross-grained prophet;
 * but it's only from the tongue out.-
 * Fudge, avaunt! En tete-a-tete
 * I'm Peer-well, the man I am.
 * Hei, away now with the prophet;
 * me, myself, you have me here!
 * [Seats himself under a tree, and draws her to him.]
 * Come, Anitra, we will rest us
 * underneath the palm's green fan-shade!
 * I'll lie whispering, you'll lie smiling;
 * afterwards our roles exchange we;