can you say that? He's coming again tomorrow night!

Wangel. Let him come. He shall not meet you again in any case.

Ellida (shaking her head). Ah, Wangel! Do not believe you can prevent
him.

Wangel. I can, dearest; only trust me.

Ellida (pondering, and not listening to him). Now when he's been here
tomorrow night--and then when he has gone over seas in the steamer--

Wangel. Yes; what then?

Ellida. I should like to know if he will never, never come back again.

Wangel. No, dear Ellida. You may be quite sure of that. What should he
do here after this? Now that he has learnt from your own lips that you
will have nothing more to do with him. With that the whole thing is
over.

Ellida (to herself). Tomorrow, then, or never!

Wangel. And should it ever occur to him to come here again--

Ellida. Well?

Wangel. Why, then, it is in our power to make him harmless.

Ellida. Oh! do not think that!

Wangel. It is in our power, I tell you. If you can get rid of him in no
other way, he must expiate the murder of the captain.

Ellida (passionately). No, no, no! Never that! We know nothing about the
murder of the captain! Nothing whatever!

Wangel. Know nothing? Why, he himself confessed it to you!

Ellida. No, nothing of that. If you say anything of it I shall deny it.
He shall not be imprisoned. He belongs out there--to the open sea. He
belongs out there!

Wangel (looks at her and says slowly). Ah! Ellida--Ellida!

Ellida (clinging passionately to him). Oh! dear, faithful one--save me
from this man!

Wangel (disengaging himself gently). Come, come with me! (LYNGSTRAND
and HILDE, both with fishing tackle, come in from the right, along the
pond.)

Lyngstrand (going quickly up to ELLIDA). Now, Mrs. Wangel, you must hear
something wonderful.

Wangel. What is it?

Lyngstrand. Fancy! We've seen the American!

Wangel. The American?

Hilde. Yes, I saw him, too.

Lyngstrand. He was going round the back of the garden, and thence on
board the great English steamer.

Wangel. How do you know the man?

Lyngstrand. Why, I went to sea with him once. I felt so certain he'd
been drowned--and now he's very much alive!

Wangel. Do you know anything more about him?

Lyngstrand. No. But I'm sure he's come to revenge himself upon his
faithless sailor-wife.

Wangel. What do you mean?

Hilde. Lyngstrand's going to use him for a work of art.

Wangel. I don't understand one word.

Ellida. You shall hear afterwar