Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 9).djvu/223

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Arnholm.

Oh, don't mention it. Pray don't stand on ceremony——

Wangel.

Was the water nice and cool to-day?

Ellida.

Cool! Why, the water never is cool here—so tepid and flat. Pah! the water is sickly in here in the fiords.

Arnholm.

Sickly?

Ellida.

Yes, sickly. And I believe it makes one sickly too.

Wangel.

[Smiling.] A nice testimonial for a sea-bathing place.

Arnholm.

I should rather say that you, Mrs. Wangel, stand in a peculiar relation to the sea and all that belongs to it.

Ellida.

Well, you may be right. I almost think so myself. But do you see how the girls have been decorating the place in your honour?

Wangel.

[Embarrassed.] H'm. [Looks at his watch.] I'm afraid I must be going——

Arnholm.

Is it really in my honour?