ALLMERS. Throw yourself away, do you say?
RITA. Yes, that I will. I'll throw myself straight into the arms of--of
the first man that comes in my way--
ALLMERS. [Looking tenderly at her and shaking his head.] That you will
never do--my loyal, proud, true-hearted Rita!
RITA. [Putting her arms round his neck.] Oh, you don't know what I might
come to be if you--if you did not love me any more.
ALLMERS. Did not love you, Rita? How can you say such a thing!
RITA. [Half laughing, lets him go.] Why should I not spread my nets for
that--that road-maker man that hangs about here?
ALLMERS. [Relieved.] Oh, thank goodness--you are only joking.
RITA. Not at all. He would do as well as anyone else.
ALLMERS. Ah, but I suspect he is more or less taken up already.
RITA. So much the better! For then I should take him away from someone
else; and that is just what Eyolf has done to me.
ALLMERS. Can you say that our little Eyolf has done that?
RITA. [Pointing with her forefinger.] There, you see! You see! The
moment you mention Eyolf's name, you grow tender and your voice quivers!
[Threateningly, clenching her hands.] Oh, you almost tempt me to wish--
ALLMERS. [Looking at her anxiously.] What do I tempt you to wish,
Rita?--
RITA. [Vehemently, going away from him.] No, no, no--I won't tell you
that! Never!
ALLMERS. [Drawing nearer to her.] Rita! I implore you--for my sake and
for your own--do not let yourself be tempted into evil.
[BORGHEIM and ASTA come up from the garden. They both show signs of
restrained emotion. They look serious and dejected. ASTA remains out on
the verandah. BORGHEIM comes into the room.]
BORGHEIM. So that is over--Miss Allmers and I have had our last walk
together.
RITA. [Looks at him with surprise.] Ah! And there is no longer journey
to follow the walk?
BORGHEIM. Yes, for me.
RITA. For you alone?
BORGHEIM. Yes, for me alone.
RITA. [Glances darkly at ALLMERS.] Do you hear that? [Turns to
BORGHEIM.] I'll wager it is someone with the evil eye that has played
you this trick.
BORGHEIM. [Looks at her.] The evil eye?
RITA. [Nodding.] Yes, the evil eye.
BORGHEIM. Do you believe in the evil eye, Mrs. Allmers?
RITA. Yes. I have begun to believe in the evil eye. Especially in a
child's evil eye.
ALLMERS. [Shocked, whispers.] Rita--how can you--?
RITA. [Speaking low.] It is you that make me so wicked and hateful,
Alfred.
[Confused cries and shrieks are heard in the distance, from the
direction of the fiord.]
BORGHEIM. [Going to the glass door.] What noise is that?
ASTA. [In the doorway.] Look at all those people running down to the
pier!
ALLMERS. What can it be? [Looks out for a moment.] No doubt it's those
street urchins at some mischief again.
BORGHEIM. [Calls, leaning over the verandah railings.] I say, you boys
down there! What's the matter?
[Several voices are heard answering indistinctly and confusedly.]
RITA. What do they say?
BORGHEIM. They say it's a child that's drowned.
ALLMERS. A child drowned?
ASTA. [Uneasily.] A little boy, they say.
ALLMERS. Oh, they can all swim, every one of them.
RITA. [Shrieks in terror.] Where is Eyolf?
ALLMERS. Keep quiet--quiet. Eyolf is down in the garden, playing.
ASTA. No, he wasn't in the garden.
RITA. [With upstretched arms.] Oh, if only it isn't he!
BORGHEIM. [Listens, and calls down.] Whose child is it, do you say?
[Indistinct voices are heard. BORGHEIM and ASTA utter a suppressed cry,
and rush out through the garden.]
ALLMERS. [In an agony of dread.] It isn't Eyolf! It isn't Eyolf, Rita!
RITA. [On the verandah, listening.] Hush! Be quiet! Let me hear what
they are saying!
[RITA rushes back with a piercing shriek, into the room.]
ALLMERS. [Following her.] What did they say?
RITA. [Sinking down beside the armchair on the left.] They said: "The
crutch is floating!"
ALLMERS. [Almost paralysed.] No! No! No!
RITA. [Hoarsely.] Eyolf! Eyolf! Oh, but they must save him!
ALLMERS. [Half distracted.] They must, they must! So precious a life!
[He rushes down through the garden.]