ACT II

(SCENE.--At the "View," a shrub-covered hill behind the town. A
little in the background, a beacon and a vane. Great stones
arranged as seats around the beacon, and in the foreground.
Farther back the outer fjord is seen, with islands and
outstanding headlands. The open sea is not visible. It is a
summer's evening, and twilight. A golden-red shimmer is in the
airand over the mountain-tops in the far distance. A quartette is
faintly heard singing below in the background. Young townsfolk,
ladies and gentlemen, come up in pairs, from the right, and,
talking familiarly, pass out beyond the beacon. A little after,
BALLESTED enters, as guide to a party of foreign tourists with
their ladies. He is laden with shawls and travelling bags.)

Ballested (pointing upwards with a stick). Sehen Sie, meine
Herrschaften, dort, out there, liegt eine andere mountain, That
wollen wir also besteigen, and so herunter. (He goes on with the
conversation in French, and leads the party off to the left.
HILDE comes quickly along the uphill path, stands still, and
looks back. Soon after BOLETTE comes up the same way.)

Bolette. But, dear, why should we run away from Lyngstrand?

Hilde. Because I can't bear going uphill so slowly. Look--look
at him crawling up!

Bolette. Ah! But you know how delicate he is.

Hilde. Do you think it's very--dangerous?