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

Such a thought were surely madness!
Yet, his fury . . .
(She sees the letter, which the duke in his rage has tossed away involuntarily.)
Ha! See there . . .
A paper, crumpled together,
It is the letter! He has forgotten it,
Thrown it away in his fury . . .
It is mine!
(After unfolding it.)
(She reads.)
Jesus! Mary!
Is that not Fernando's handwriting?
He is saved! Still, it could
Have been written before he came here;
Heaven! Give me the strength to read!
"Donna Clara! God has taken
Away a carnal sin from your head!
Your Fernando is delivered,
Even though he was prepared to suffer
Silently for you the worst possible agony of death.
The wall was all closed around me,
The air already became stifling, and the darkness
Dense like inside a coffin...
I was buried alive!
Then, while in prayer and sorrow
I pressed myself against the madonna's
Miniature statue . . . See! then it glided
Easily aside, and I felt
The night's fresh air breathe
On me from an opening
To a winding staircase, which
I found hidden in the wall.
Quickly, spontaneously I descended
Down the dilapidated winding staircase in the wall,
Until by the foot of the tower
Towards the garden I found an exit,
Hidden between underbrush and stones!
I was free! As light as a bird
I hurried over the outer fortifications,
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