Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 9).djvu/266

 Ellida. No; we never talked about such things.

Wangel. What did you talk about then?

Ellida. Mainly about the sea.

Wangel. Ah! About the sea?

Ellida.

About storm and calm. About dark nights at sea. About the sea in the glittering sunshine, too. But we talked most about the whales, and the porpoises, and the seals that lie out upon the reefs and bask in the midday sun. And then we spoke of the gulls and the eagles, and all the other sea-birds, you know. And—is it not strange?—when we talked of such things, it seemed to me as though both the sea-animals and the sea-birds were akin to him.

Wangel. And you yourself?

Ellida.

Yes, I almost thought that I, too, was akin to all of them.

Wangel.

Yes, yes.—And that was how you came to betroth yourself to him?

Ellida. Yes; he said I was to do it.