What have I done?

these words, they shake my mind

there will be no peace tonight

for neither him nor I

I can see him sitting now

breaking, as he tries to grasp

as assumed eternity, abruptly lost

the ugly truth behind the mask

a strange pallor casts over that room

moon's sickly light barely piercing the gloom

there a beam falls on a masquerade dress

left crumpled on the floor- treachery at its best

and him still sitting, waiting

still ready to play

though he knows all too well now

we've thrown that away

so see him stagger, drunken

stumbling through the streets

up, up, up to the tallest bridge in town

high above the rivers' meet

see it now, his corpse in the spring

painting the waters red

hair falling out, teeth a-rot

fine body gray and dead

and moments later he's back to the house

sound asleep within the hour

to think! of what people would say

his final reputation- a coward!

"We are men, we are men,

we are manly, manly men!"

"Ah, no-

I can't imagine it either now.

It's not at all like my fine Torvald Helmer

to have so much guts-"

Torvald is sound asleep

(does he dream tonight?)

the doctor- at rest as well

Nils and Linde are on the mend and I?

sit vigil through this longest night

not daring to mourn what I've killed.