The Lady From The Sea [31]
Both with word and in deed. You may count upon it. Then you accept? Well? Do you agree?
Bolette. Do I agree! To get away--to see the world--to learn something thoroughly! All that seemed to be a great, beautiful impossibility!
Arnholm. All that may now become a reality to you, if only you yourself wish it.
Bolette. And to all this unspeakable happiness you will help me! Oh, no! Tell me, can I accept such an offer from a stranger?
Arnholm. You can from me, Bolette. From me you can accept anything.
Bolette (seizing his hands). Yes, I almost think I can! I don't know how it is, but--(bursting out) Oh! I could both laugh and cry for joy, for happiness! Then I should know life really after all. I began to be so afraid life would pass me by.
Arnholm. You need not fear that, Bolette. But now you must tell me quite frankly--if there is anything--anything you are bound to here.
Bolette. Bound to? Nothing.
Arnholm. Nothing whatever?
Bolette. No, nothing at all. That is--I am bound to father to some extent. And to Hilde, too. But--
Arnholm. Well, you'll have to leave your father sooner or later. And some time Hilde also will go her own way in life. That is only a question of time. Nothing more. And so there is nothing else that binds you, Bolette? Not any kind of connection?
Bolette. Nothing whatever. As far as that goes, I could leave at any moment.
Arnholm. Well, if that is so, dear Bolette, you shall go away with me!
Bolette (clapping her hands). 0h God! What joy to think of it!
Arnholm. For I hope you trust me fully?
Bolette. Indeed, I do!
Arnholm. And you dare to trust yourself and your future fully and confidently into my hands, Bolette? Is that true? You will dare to do this?
Bolette. Of course; how could I not do so? Could you believe anything else? You, who have been my old teacher--my teacher in the old days, I mean.
Arnholm. Not because of that. I will not consider that side of the matter; but--well, so you are free, Bolette! There is nothing that binds you, and so I ask you, if you could--if you could-- bind yourself to me for life?
Bolette (steps back frightened). What are you saying?
Arnholm. For all your life, Bolette. Will you be my wife?
Bolette (half to herself). No, no, no! That is impossible, utterly impossible!
Arnholm. It is really so absolutely impossible for you to--
Bolette. But, surely, you cannot mean what you are saying, Mr. Arnholm! (Looking at him.) Or--yet--was that what you meant when you offered to do so much for me?
Arnholm. You must listen to me one moment, Bolette. I suppose I have greatly surprised you!
Bolette. Oh! how could such a thing from you--how could it but-- but surprise me!
Arnholm. Perhaps you are right. Of course, you didn't--you could not know it was for your sake I made this journey.
Bolette. Did you come here for--for my sake?
Arnholm. I did, Bolette. In the spring I received a letter from your father, and in it there was a passage that made me think-- hm-- that you held your former teacher in--in a little more than friendly remembrance.
Bolette. How could father write such a thing?
Arnholm. He did not mean it so. But I worked myself into the belief that here was a young girl longing for me to come again-- No, you mustn't interrupt me, dear Bolette! And--you see, when a man like myself, who is no longer quite young, has such a belief- - or fancy, it makes an overwhelming impression. There grew within me a living, a grateful affection for you; I thought I must come to you, see you again, and tell you I shared the feelings that I fancied you had for me.
Bolette. And now you know it is not so!--that it was a mistake!
Arnholm. It can't be helped, Bolette. Your image, as I bear it within myself, will always be coloured and stamped with the impression that this mistake gave me. Perhaps you cannot understand this; but still it is so.
Bolette. I never thought such a thing possible.
Arnholm. But now you have seen that it is possible, what do you say now, Bolette? Couldn't you make up your
Bolette. Do I agree! To get away--to see the world--to learn something thoroughly! All that seemed to be a great, beautiful impossibility!
Arnholm. All that may now become a reality to you, if only you yourself wish it.
Bolette. And to all this unspeakable happiness you will help me! Oh, no! Tell me, can I accept such an offer from a stranger?
Arnholm. You can from me, Bolette. From me you can accept anything.
Bolette (seizing his hands). Yes, I almost think I can! I don't know how it is, but--(bursting out) Oh! I could both laugh and cry for joy, for happiness! Then I should know life really after all. I began to be so afraid life would pass me by.
Arnholm. You need not fear that, Bolette. But now you must tell me quite frankly--if there is anything--anything you are bound to here.
Bolette. Bound to? Nothing.
Arnholm. Nothing whatever?
Bolette. No, nothing at all. That is--I am bound to father to some extent. And to Hilde, too. But--
Arnholm. Well, you'll have to leave your father sooner or later. And some time Hilde also will go her own way in life. That is only a question of time. Nothing more. And so there is nothing else that binds you, Bolette? Not any kind of connection?
Bolette. Nothing whatever. As far as that goes, I could leave at any moment.
Arnholm. Well, if that is so, dear Bolette, you shall go away with me!
Bolette (clapping her hands). 0h God! What joy to think of it!
Arnholm. For I hope you trust me fully?
Bolette. Indeed, I do!
Arnholm. And you dare to trust yourself and your future fully and confidently into my hands, Bolette? Is that true? You will dare to do this?
Bolette. Of course; how could I not do so? Could you believe anything else? You, who have been my old teacher--my teacher in the old days, I mean.
Arnholm. Not because of that. I will not consider that side of the matter; but--well, so you are free, Bolette! There is nothing that binds you, and so I ask you, if you could--if you could-- bind yourself to me for life?
Bolette (steps back frightened). What are you saying?
Arnholm. For all your life, Bolette. Will you be my wife?
Bolette (half to herself). No, no, no! That is impossible, utterly impossible!
Arnholm. It is really so absolutely impossible for you to--
Bolette. But, surely, you cannot mean what you are saying, Mr. Arnholm! (Looking at him.) Or--yet--was that what you meant when you offered to do so much for me?
Arnholm. You must listen to me one moment, Bolette. I suppose I have greatly surprised you!
Bolette. Oh! how could such a thing from you--how could it but-- but surprise me!
Arnholm. Perhaps you are right. Of course, you didn't--you could not know it was for your sake I made this journey.
Bolette. Did you come here for--for my sake?
Arnholm. I did, Bolette. In the spring I received a letter from your father, and in it there was a passage that made me think-- hm-- that you held your former teacher in--in a little more than friendly remembrance.
Bolette. How could father write such a thing?
Arnholm. He did not mean it so. But I worked myself into the belief that here was a young girl longing for me to come again-- No, you mustn't interrupt me, dear Bolette! And--you see, when a man like myself, who is no longer quite young, has such a belief- - or fancy, it makes an overwhelming impression. There grew within me a living, a grateful affection for you; I thought I must come to you, see you again, and tell you I shared the feelings that I fancied you had for me.
Bolette. And now you know it is not so!--that it was a mistake!
Arnholm. It can't be helped, Bolette. Your image, as I bear it within myself, will always be coloured and stamped with the impression that this mistake gave me. Perhaps you cannot understand this; but still it is so.
Bolette. I never thought such a thing possible.
Arnholm. But now you have seen that it is possible, what do you say now, Bolette? Couldn't you make up your