ion? I should say she was capable of choosing for herself.

ALLMERS. Yes, we must hope so, Rita.

RITA. For my part, I don't think at all ill of Borgheim.

ALLMERS. No, dear--no more do I--quite the contrary. But all the same--

RITA. [Continuing.] And I should be very glad indeed if he and Asta were
to make a match of it.

ALLMERS. [Annoyed.] Oh, why should you be?

RITA. [With increasing excitement.] Why, for then she would have to go
far, far away with him! Anal she could never come out here to us, as she
does now.

ALLMERS. [Stares at her in astonishment.] What! Can you really wish Asta
to go away?

RITA. Yes, yes, Alfred!

ALLMERS. Why in all the world--?

RITA. [Throwing her arms passionately round his neck.] For then, at
last, I should have you to myself alone! And yet--not even then!
Not wholly to myself! [Bursts into convulsive weeping.] Oh, Alfred,
Alfred--I cannot give you up!

ALLMERS. [Gently releasing himself.] My dearest Rita, do be reasonable!

RITA. I don't care a bit about being reasonable! I care only for you!
Only for you in all the world! [Again throwing her arms round his neck.]
For you, for you, for you!

ALLMERS. Let me go, let me go--you are strangling me!

RITA. [Letting him go.] How I wish I could! [Looking at him with
flashing eyes.] Oh, if you knew how I have hated you--!

ALLMERS. Hated me--!

RITA. Yes--when you shut yourself up in your room and brooded over your
work--till long, long into the night. [Plaintively.] So long, so late,
Alfred. Oh, how I hated your work!

ALLMERS. But now I have done with that.

RITA. [With a cutting laugh.] Oh yes! Now you have given yourself up to
something worse.

ALLMERS. [Shocked.] Worse! Do you call our child something worse?

RITA. [Vehemently.] Yes, I do. As he comes between you and me, I call
him so. For the book--the book was not a living being, as the child is.
[With increasing impetuosity.] But I won't endure it, Alfred! I will not
endure it--I tell you so plainly!

ALLMERS. [Looks steadily at her, and says in a low voice.] I am often
almost afraid of you, Rita.

RITA. [Gloomily.] I am often afraid of myself. And for that very reason
you must not awake the evil in me.

ALLMERS. Why, good Heavens, do I do that?

RITA. Yes, you do--when you tear to shreds the holiest bonds between us.

ALLMERS. [Urgently.] Think what you're saying, Rita. It is your own
child--our only child, that you are speaking of.

RITA. The child