Then stop your digging. It is useless.
HADDA PADDA [looks at him, puzzled].
INGOLF. You must understand that we will not stand by, and let you
go down with only a loose stone to hold you up.
HADDA PADDA. True, I wouldn't be as nervous, if I knew you were
holding the rope. [Puts the spade aside, and looks down into the
gorge.]
INGOLF [unties the rope from the stone].
HADDA PADDA. I don't know whether I dare go down, Ingolf.
INGOLF. Don't go--give it up.
HADDA PADDA. I never saw the gorge so hushed. How it stretches its
cold, greedy stone-fingers into the air!--But imagine my finding
the pearls! [Determined.] I must go down. Is the rope safe?
STEINDOR [standing near them]. Even if there were three Hadda
Paddas--
HADDA PADDA. Ingolf! I am not afraid to be lowered down by your
hands. [Lies down with her feet over the edge.]
STEINDOR. There are others beside Ingolf, to be sure, who could
hold up one woman.
INGOLF. I hate to see you go down.
HADDA PADDA [is silent for an instant, turns abruptly around,
looks down the gorge, gets up and takes the spade]. You aren't
sitting safely, Ingolf.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88