ment for my blackest sin.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Repelling the idea.] A sin towards a stranger only. Remember
the sin towards me! [Looking triumphantly at them both.] But he
will not obey you! When I cry out to him in my need, he will come
to me! It is with me that he will remain! With me, and never
with any one else. [Suddenly listens, and cries.] I hear him!
He is here, he is here! Erhart!

[ERHART BORKMAN hastily tears open the hall door, and enters
the room. He is wearing an overcoat and has his hat on.

ERHART.
[Pale and anxious.] Mother! What in Heaven's name----! [Seeing
BORKMAN, who is standing beside the doorway leading into the
garden-room, he starts and takes off his hat. After a moment's
silence, he asks:] What do you want with me, mother? What has
happened?

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Stretching her arms towards him.] I want to see you, Erhart!
I want to have you with me, always!

ERHART.
[Stammering.] Have me----? Always? What do you mean by that?

MRS. BORKMAN.
I will have you, I say! There is some one who wants to take
you away from me!

ERHART.
[Recoiling a step.] Ah--so you know?

MRS. BORKMAN.
Yes. Do you know it, too?

ERHART.
[Surprised, looking at her.] Do _I_ know it? Yes, of course.

MRS. BORKMAN.
Aha, so you have planned it all out! Behind my back! Erhart!
Erhart!

ERHART.
[Quickly.] Mother, tell me what it is you know!

MRS. BORKMAN.
I know everything. I know that your aunt has come here to take
you from me.

ERHART.
Aunt Ella!

ELLA RENTHEIM.
Oh, listen to me a moment, Erhart!

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Continuing.] She wants me to give you up to her. She wants
to stand in your mother's place to you, Erhart! She wants you
to be her son, and not mine, from this time forward. She wants
you to inherit everything from her; to renounce your own name
and take hers instead!

ERHART.
Aunt Ella, is this true?

ELLA RENTHEIM.
Yes, it is true.

ERHART.
I knew nothing of this. Why do you want to have me with you
again?

ELLA RENTHEIM.
Because I feel that I am losing you here.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Hardly.] You are losing him to me--yes. And that is just as
it should be.

ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Looking beseechingly at him.] Erhart, I cannot afford to lose
you. For, I must tell you I am a lonely--dying woman.

ERHART.
Dying----?

ELLA RENTHEIM.
Yes, dying. Will you came and be with me to the end? Attach