RANNVEIG [enters]. The servants want to know how many places to lay for dinner.
LADY ANNA [putting aside her needlework]. Well, I'm coming—[Goes out.]
RANNVEIG [walks slowly to the centre of the room, stands looking at the terra cotta statue]. When you dream something, you don't want to come true, you ought to tell it to some one—better to a stone than to no one. [Hands folded, she walks slowly up to the statue, whispering in its ear,] I dreamed of a beautiful and marvellous diamond palace. I walked around it, but it had no doors. No one could get in. If any one were inside, he could not get out. I heard weeping inside the palace. It seemed to tear my heart. I recognised the weeping?—[She passes her hand over her eyes, looks at the statue a long time, walks away from it, looks back at it once more, and goes out. In the doorway she encounters Hadda, looks at her, pats her cheek, and disappears.]
HADDA PADDA [enters with a water jug in her hand, walks up to a flower in the window].
INGOLF [enters and steals up to her].
INGOLF. Now I know the secret. You are going with me to Copenhagen. Hadda Padda, Hadda Padda, I love you! Let me sing to you. [He takes both her hands and while he sings, wild with joy, she hums the tune.]
You shall stand upon my skis,
In a mad precipitation
We, together, cleave the breeze:
We will,
My daffodil!
To the place where we'll abide
On my white horse you'll be riding:
Clouds of dust the moon will hide—
They will,
My daffodil!
[He lifts her in his arms. The sun is shining through the window and lights up the room.]
HADDA PADDA [stretches her arms toward the light]. It is as though I had wings. [Turns round in his arms, and folds him in her embrace.] I will fly to my happiness.