Ingolf leans back in the
arm-chair and closes his eyes.]

KRISTRUN [jumps on top of the chaise-longue, swings her arms crying].
Ingolf! Ride me pickaback! Right now! [Ingolf looks at her, smiling,
casts a glance at the door and through the window, as he approaches the
chaise-longue. Kristrun sits gracefully down on his shoulder. Her dress
is drawn rather tightly, so that one of her legs shows. He takes hold of
her leg to support her, and starts walking around the table.]

KRISTRUN [raises her head and looks into his eyes]. Will you be a good
boy and take hold above the dress. [Lets go, and raises herself.] You
silly boy, do you think you may hold me by my leg?

INGOLF. Well--I don't want to hold you by your leg!

KRISTRUN [grasps him around the shoulder]. You silly boy! Do you think
you can lower your shoulder! I'm falling, I'm falling, hold on to my
leg! [Ingolf walks on. They hear footsteps.]

KRISTRUN [about to spring down]. Somebody's coming! Oh, it's only the
children. [Doddi and Skuli appear in the doorway.]

DODDI. Isn't father here? [The boys begin to laugh.]

KRISTRUN [clicks with her tongue]. There!--Now my horse must run!--Now
run, my colt! [Strokes his hair.] If he is spirited, I'll call him
Goldmane!--Ge-yap! Ge-yap!... He doesn't want to be called Goldmane?
Skuli, hand me my whip, in the corner there, right by the sideboard.
[Points into the dining-room.]

LITTLE SKULI. To beat Ingolf! No indeed!

KRISTRUN. Doddi dear, you do it! [Doddi runs for the whip, and gives it
to her. She swings the whip around, so that it whizzes in the air.
As Ingolf passes the piano, she runs the knob of the whip along the
key-board.]

LITTLE SKULI. Let's go, Doddi. [They go out.]

KRISTRUN. Are you tired?

INGOLF. I seem to feel lighter, in holding you on my shoulder.

KRISTRUN. Hf--! Lighter?

INGOLF. Yes, certainly!

KRISTRUN. Hf--! In carrying me?

INGOLF. In feeling the weight of your body. In that way, I could bear
you to the end of the world.

KRISTRUN [hops down, looks straight into his eyes]. Really now, I refuse
to listen to such foolishness.... Only look kindly at me once, instead
of bearing me to the end of the world. [Sits down.]

INGOLF. Kindly!--Kristrun, do I deserve the cruelty you have shown
me these last days.--Every moment of the day you have felt my soul
streaming out to you, yet you choose the most common terms to describe
my feelings, and pretend not to recognize them. I have been in