me. Everything, everything, is extinguished. What is the matter, little
Hadda? Does everything leave you cold? Is this death perhaps? And a
mixed feeling of joy and pain seizes me, for this came so unexpected--it
came so unexpected--it came so unexpected--

INGOLF. What is the matter, Hrafnhild? Are you ill? You are so excited.
Why are you so eager to tell me all this?

HADDA PADDA. Because I don't want you to think I am making any
sacrifice. You think so, but I am not.

INGOLF. I understand.

HADDA PADDA. No, you don't understand. There was still one place where I
was afraid to go, because it meant more to me than any other. I grasped
my heart with fear, and there I seemed to find the place. It was the
Angelica Gorge,--where you had put your life in my hands. I was afraid
that if I went there, I would instantly lose the peace of mind I had
gained. But if I could not bear that, then this peace was nothing but
an illusion. I wanted to be sincere with myself--so I went up there last
night.

INGOLF. We saw you walking up the mountain.

HADDA PADDA. I lay down on the edge of the cliff and looked down into
the depth from which I had seen you come up. "Little heart," I said,
"try to be calm while I am tormenting you: Here it was that he raised
himself up on the rope _I_ held. Here it was that he showed me how well
he loved me." But instead of feeling pain, my whole frame quivered with
trembling joy. Here, too, I had conquered. Tears of gratitude came into
my eyes, I stretched myself farther out on the edge to make my tears of
joy fall into the chasm, down to the very bottom.--Do you see now that
I am not going to make a sacrifice. Now tell all this to Runa, for she
should know it too.

INGOLF [very much moved, throws himself at her feet]. When you have
risen I will kiss the ground your feet have marked.

HADDA PADDA. Then I shall never rise.... Don't lie down like that. Get
up, Ingolf, INGOLF. I will lie down and forget. Let me dream of death
for one moment.

HADDA PADDA. Death! You who are happy!

INGOLF. Death is not unhappiness.

HADDA PADDA. Come, sit down again. I will tell you what death is. Last
night I was only a hair's breadth away from it.

INGOLF [starts, terror stricken, he half arises]. What are you saying?

HADDA PADDA. When I lay there on the edge of the gorge, looking down,
something dazzlingly white flashed before my eyes. Quite instinctively I
reached out for it. It was as if my hands percei