Ellida. And for our children, w.a.n.gel?
w.a.n.gel. You call them ours!
Ellida. They who are not mine yet, but whom I shall win.
w.a.n.gel. Ours! (Gladly and quickly kisses her hands.) I cannot speak my thanks for those words!
(HILDE, BALLESTED, LYNGSTRAND, ARNHOLM, and BOLETTE come into the garden. At the same time a number of young townspeople and visitors pa.s.s along the footpath.)
Hilde (aside to LYNGSTRAND). See! Why, she and father look exactly as if they were a betrothed couple!
Ballested (who has overheard). It is summertime, little Missie.
Arnholm (looking at w.a.n.gEL and ELLIDA). The English steamer is putting off.
Bolette (going to the fence). You can see her best from here.
Lyngstrand. The last voyage this year.
Ballested. Soon all the sea-highways will be closed, as the poet says.
It is sad, Mrs. w.a.n.gel. And now we"re to lose you also for a time.
Tomorrow you"re off to Skjoldviken, I hear.
w.a.n.gel. No; nothing will come of that. We two have changed our mind--tonight.
Arnholm (looking from one to the other). Oh!--really!
Bolette (coming forward). Father, is that true?
Hilde (going towards ELLIDA). Are you going to stay with us after all?
Ellida. Yes, dear Hilde, if you"ll have me.
Hilde (struggling between tears and laughter). Fancy! Have you!
Arnholm (to ELLIDA). But this is quite a surprise--!
Ellida (smiling earnestly). Well, you see, Mr. Arnholm--Do you remember we talked about it yesterday? When you have once become a land-creature you can no longer find your way back again to the sea, nor to the sea-life either.
Ballested. Why, that"s exactly the case with my mermaid.
Ellida. Something like--yes.
Ballested. Only with this difference--that the mermaid dies of it, it, while human beings can acclam--acclimatise themselves. Yes yes. I a.s.sure you, Mrs. w.a.n.gel, they can ac-climatise themselves.
Ellida. In freedom they can, Mr. Ballested.
w.a.n.gel. And when they act on their own responsibility, dear Ellida.
Ellida (quickly holding out her hand to him). Exactly. (The great steamer glides noiselessly out beyond the fjord. The music is heard nearer land.)