Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen
page 68 of 126 (53%)
page 68 of 126 (53%)
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MANDERS. I!
MRS. ALVING. Yes--when you forced me under the yoke of what you called duty and obligation; when you lauded as right and proper what my whole soul rebelled against as something loathsome. It was then that I began to look into the seams of your doctrines. I wanted only to pick at a single knot; but when I had got that undone, the whole thing ravelled out. And then I understood that it was all machine-sewn. MANDERS. [Softly, with emotion.] And was that the upshot of my life's hardest battle? MRS. ALVING. Call it rather your most pitiful defeat. MANDERS. It was my greatest victory, Helen--the victory over myself. MRS. ALVING. It was a crime against us both. MANDERS. When you went astray, and came to me crying, "Here I am; take me!" I commanded you, saying, "Woman, go home to your lawful husband." Was that a crime? MRS. ALVING. Yes, I think so. MANDERS. We two do not understand each other. MRS. ALVING. Not now, at any rate. MANDERS. Never--never in my most secret thoughts have I regarded you otherwise than as another's wife. |
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