cultural resources in henrik ibsen's early environment - Ibsen.net

I listened silently, quite silently
To the distant bell, which softly
Tinkled, like a fountain of love,
In a dark corner of the garden.
That was the sign he was there!
And, when it had grown late,
With joy and anxiety I stole
To the place, which only two knew.
Donna Clara! Donna Clara!
It sounded from the dark hedges.
Don Fernando! Don Fernando!
Do you remember that Clara lives?
While you were in distant lands
She was compelled to marry
This proud, dark grandee,
This cunning gallego.
He brought his young wife
To his deserted fortress by the sea;
He keeps her buried there,
Jealous of every stone in the wall.
But she wastes away and yearns,
Yearns to go back to her home
To her garden's dark hedges,
To Seville, to Fernando!
It is so hot and humid, so stifling in here.
I'll open the window, so that the fresh sea-Beeze
Can strengthen the heart from its salty chalice.
(She opens the window and looks out.)
How vast, how airy! It does the captive good
To see the wide, dusky horizon,
And the sea, which rolls with deep breaths
Heavily toward the shore's black cliffs.
I spy a ship yonder through the darkness!
The white sails billow out ready to fly,
And the night-signal gleams high on the mast
And calls the passengers to get on board.
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