I have had my eyes opened. Just you notice;—you’ll see, the deed of gift is only a beginning. Mrs. Sörby has always been a good deal taken up with Hedvig; and now she has the power to do whatever she likes for the child. They can take her from me whenever they please. GREGERS. Hedvig will never, never leave you. HIALMAR. Don’t be so sure of that. If only they beckon to her and throw out a golden bait——! And oh! I have loved her so unspeakably! I would have counted it my highest happiness to take her tenderly by the hand and lead her, as one leads a timid child through a great dark empty room!—I am cruelly certain now that the poor photographer in his humble attic has never really and truly been anything to her. She has only cunningly contrived to keep on a good footing with him until the time came. GREGERS. You don’t believe that yourself, Hialmar. HIALMAR. That is just the terrible part of it—I don’t know what to believe,—I never can know it. But can you really doubt that it must be as I say? Ho-ho, you have far too much faith in the claim of the ideal, my good Gregers! If those others came, with the glamour of wealth about them, and called to the child:—“Leave him: come to us: here life awaits you——!” GREGERS. [_Quickly._] Well, what then? HIALMAR. If I then asked her: Hedvig, are you willing to renounce that life for me? [_Laughs scornfully._] No thank you! You would soon hear what answer I should get. [_A pistol shot is heard from within the garret._ GREGERS. [_Loudly and joyfully._] Hialmar! HIALMAR. There now; he must needs go shooting too. GINA. [_Comes in._] Oh Ekdal, I can hear grandfather blazing away in the garret by hisself. HIALMAR. I'll look in—— GREGERS. [_Eagerly, with emotion._] Wait a moment! Do you know what that was? HIALMAR. Yes, of course I know. GREGERS. No you don’t know. But _I_ do. That was the proof! HIALMAR. What proof? GREGERS. It was a child’s free-will offering. She has got your father to shoot the wild duck. HIALMAR. To shoot the wild duck! GINA. Oh, think of that——! HIALMAR. What was _that_ for? GREGERS. She wanted to sacrifice to you her most cherished possession; for then she thought you would surely come to love her again. HIALMAR. [_Tenderly, with emotion._] Oh, poor child! GINA.