The Rat-Wife.
[Laughing.] It was my own sweetheart, it was, little heart-breaker! Eyolf. And where is he now, then? The Rat-Wife. [Harshly.] Down where all the rats are. [Resuming her milder tone.] But now I must be off and get to business again. Always on the move. [To Rita.] So your ladyship has no sort of use for me to-day? I could finish it all off while I am about it. Rita. No, thank you; I don't think we require anything. The Rat-Wife. Well, well, your sweet ladyship, you can never tell. If your ladyship should find that there is anything here that keeps nibbling and gnawing, and creeping and crawling, then just see and get hold of me and Mopsëman.—Good-bye, good-bye, a kind good-bye to you all. [She goes out by the door on the right.
Eyolf.
[Softly and triumphantly, to Asta.] Only think, Auntie, now I have seen the Rat-Wife too! [Rita goes out upon the verandah, and fans herself with her pocket-handker-*
