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

See Fernando! These worlds
Prance in heaven's ballroom
Because they twinkle eternally,
Eternally, without life and warmth.
What is all this glitter worth
Against the longing of the heart,
Against a warm tear of ardor,
Against a woman's silent fidelity?
Now, pay heed to that, Clara!
Now that you're changing your language...
Now you choose the Count del Fuente,
Choose the dead glitter of a star,
Wrap yourself in its cold beams
And, smiling with pity, look
Down on love and fidelity!
CLARA.
I cannot take this any longer;
Will you kill me, Fernando?
Are you saying that I forget!
I forget. I, who have nothing in this world
Except the memory that remains
Of my youthful love!
This is my life, Fernando:
Mornings without hope or pleasure,
Nights without rest or sleep,
Days, long, endlessly long
Like days and nights in the Sahara desert.
I do not see anyone except stupid,
Insensitive, indolent slaves,
I have nobody, from whose lips
I can drink the balm of talk!
Yes, I can be driven so far
That I yearn, I can even yearn
For my hated husband!
But then when he comes
With his cold snake-like gaze,
With his scornful smile fixed on his lips,
With his tongue's uncouth speech;
Oh! Then the heart shrivels,
The blood freezes in every vein
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