Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 9).djvu/262

 Ellida.

You shall not make yourself unhappy for my sake; especially as it would do us no good, after all.

Wangel.

You have promised to tell me everything—exactly as it stands.

Ellida.

I will tell you as well as I can,—and as far as I understand things.—Come here and sit by me.

[They seat themselves upon the stones.

Wangel. Well, Ellida? Well?

Ellida.

That day when you came out there and asked me if I could and would be yours—you spoke to me frankly and openly about your first marriage. You said it had been very happy.

Wangel. And so it was.

Ellida.

Yes, yes; I do not doubt it, dear. That is not why I speak of it now. I only want to remind you that I, on my side, was frank with you. I told you quite openly that I had once in my life cared for some one else. That it had come to—a sort of betrothal between us.

Wangel. A sort of?

Ellida. Yes, something of the kind. Well, it lasted