Part 10
_That_! Why I am going to build that myself.
BROVIK.
Oh _you_ don’t much care about doing it.
SOLNESS.
[_Flaring up._] Don’t care! I! Who dares to say that?
BROVIK.
You said so yourself just now.
SOLNESS.
Oh, never mind what I _say_.—Would they give Ragnar the building of that villa?
BROVIK.
Yes. You see, he knows the family. And then—just for the fun of the thing—he has made drawings and estimates and so forth——
SOLNESS.
Are they pleased with the drawings? The people who will have to live in the house?
BROVIK.
Yes. If you would only look through them and approve of them——
SOLNESS.
Then they would let Ragnar build their home for them?
BROVIK.
They were immensely pleased with his idea. They thought it exceedingly original, they said.
SOLNESS.
Oho! Original! Not the old-fashioned stuff that _I_ am in the habit of turning out!
BROVIK.
It seemed to them _different_.
SOLNESS.
[_With suppressed irritation._] So it was to see Ragnar that they came here—whilst I was out!
BROVIK.
They came to call upon you—and at the same time to ask whether you would mind retiring——
SOLNESS.
[_Angrily._] Retire? I?
BROVIK.
In case you thought that Ragnar’s drawings——
SOLNESS.
I! Retire in favour of your son!
BROVIK.
Retire from the agreement, they meant.
SOLNESS.
Oh, it comes to the same thing. [_Laughs angrily._] So that is it, is it? Halvard Solness is to see about retiring now! To make room for younger men! For the very youngest, perhaps! He must make room! Room! Room!
BROVIK.
Why, good heavens! there is surely room for more than one single man——
SOLNESS.
Oh, there’s not so _very_ much room to spare either. But, be that as it may—I will never retire! I will never give way to anybody! Never of my own free will. Never in this world will I do _that_!
BROVIK.
[_Rises with difficulty._] Then I am to pass out of life without any certainty? Without a gleam of happiness? Without any faith or trust in Ragnar? Without having seen a single piece of work of his doing? Is that to be the way of it?
SOLNESS.
[_Turns half aside, and mutters._] H’m—don’t ask more just now.
BROVIK.
I must have an answer to this one question. Am I to pass out of life in such utter poverty?
SOLNESS.
[_Seems to struggle with himself; finally he says, in a low but firm voice_:] You must pass out of life as best you can.
BROVIK.
Then be it so. [_He goes up the room._
SOLNESS.
[_Following him, half in desperation._] Don’t you understand that I _cannot_ help it? I am what I am, and I cannot change my nature!
BROVIK.
No, no; I suppose you can’t. [_Reels and supports himself against the sofa-table._] May I have a glass of water?
SOLNESS.
By all means. [_Fills a glass and hands it to him._
BROVIK.
Thanks. [_Drinks and puts the glass down again._
[SOLNESS _goes up and opens the door of the draughtsmen’s office._
SOLNESS.
Ragnar—you must come and take your father home.
RAGNAR _rises quickly. He and_ KAIA _come into the work-room._
RAGNAR.
What is the matter, father?
BROVIK.
Give me your arm. Now let us go.
RAGNAR.
Very well. You had better put your things on, too, Kaia.
SOLNESS.
Miss Fosli must stay—just for a moment. There is a letter I want written.
BROVIK.
[_Looks at SOLNESS._] Good night. Sleep well—if you can.
SOLNESS.
Good night.
[BROVIK _and_ RAGNAR _go out by the hall-door._ KAIA _goes to the desk._ SOLNESS _stands with bent head, to the right, by the arm-chair._
KAIA.
[_Dubiously._] _Is_ there any letter——?
SOLNESS.
[_Curtly._] No, of course not. [_Looks sternly at her._] Kaia!
KAIA.
[_Anxiously, in a low voice._] Yes!
SOLNESS.
[_Points imperatively to a spot on the floor._] Come here! At once!
KAIA.
[_Hesitatingly._] Yes.
SOLNESS.
[_As before._] Nearer!
KAIA.
[_Obeying._] What do you want with me?
SOLNESS.
[_Looks at her for a while._] Is it you I have to thank for all this?
KAIA.
No, no, don’t think that!
SOLNESS.
But confess now—you want to get married!
KAIA.
[_Softly._] Ragnar and I have been engaged for four or five years, and so——
SOLNESS.
And so you think it time there were an end of it. Is not that so?
KAIA.
Ragnar and Uncle say I _must_. So I suppose I shall have to give in.
SOLNESS.
[_More gently._] Kaia, don’t you really care a little bit for Ragnar, too?
KAIA.
I cared very much for Ragnar once—before I came here to you.
SOLNESS.
But you don’t now? Not in the least?
KAIA.
[_Passionately, clasping her hands and holding them out towards him._] Oh, you know very well there is only one person I care for now! One, and one only, in all the world! I shall never care for any one else.
SOLNESS.
Yes, you say that. And yet you go away from me—leave me alone here with everything on my hands.
KAIA.
But could I not stay with you, even if Ragnar——?
SOLNESS.
[_Repudiating the idea._] No, no, that is quite impossible. If Ragnar leaves me and starts work on his own account, then of course he will need you himself.
KAIA.
[_Wringing her hands._] Oh, I feel as if I _could_ not be separated from you! It’s quite, quite impossible!
SOLNESS.
Then be sure you get those foolish notions out of Ragnar’s head. Marry him as much as you please—[_Alters his tone._] I mean—don’t let him throw up his good situation with me. For then I can keep _you_ too, my dear KAIA.
KAIA.
Oh yes, how lovely that would be, if it could only be managed!
SOLNESS.
[_Clasps her head with his two hands and whispers._] For I cannot get on without you, you see. I must have you with me every single day.
KAIA.
[_In nervous exaltation._] My God! My God!
SOLNESS.
[_Kisses her hair._] Kaia—Kaia!
KAIA.
[_Sinks down before him._] Oh, how good you are to me! How unspeakably good you are!
SOLNESS.
[_Vehemently._] Get up! For goodness’ sake get up! I think I hear some one!
[_He helps her to rise. She staggers over to the desk._
MRS. SOLNESS _enters by the door on the right. She looks thin and wasted with grief, but shows traces of bygone beauty. Blonde ringlets. Dressed with good taste, wholly in black. Speaks somewhat slowly and in a plaintive voice._
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_In the doorway._] Halvard!
SOLNESS.
[_Turns._] Oh, are you there, my dear——?
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_With a glance at KAIA._] I am afraid I am disturbing you.
SOLNESS.
Not in the least. Miss Fosli has only a short letter to write.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, so I see.
SOLNESS.
What do you want with me, Aline?
MRS. SOLNESS.
I merely wanted to tell you that Dr. Herdal is in the drawing-room. Won’t you come and see him, Halvard?
SOLNESS.
[_Looks suspiciously at her._] H’m—is the doctor so very anxious to talk to me?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Well, not exactly anxious. He really came to see me; but he would like to say how-do-you-do to you at the same time.
SOLNESS.
[_Laughs to himself._] Yes, I daresay. Well, you must ask him to wait a little.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Then you will come in presently?
SOLNESS.
Perhaps I will. Presently, presently, dear. In a little while.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Glancing again at KAIA._] Well now, don’t forget, Halvard.
[_Withdraws and closes the door behind her._
KAIA.
[_Softly._] Oh dear, oh dear—I am sure Mrs. Solness thinks ill of me in some way!
SOLNESS.
Oh, not in the least. Not more than usual at any rate. But all the same, you had better go now, Kaia.
KAIA.
Yes, yes, now I _must_ go.
SOLNESS.
[_Severely._] And mind you get that matter settled for me. Do you hear?
KAIA.
Oh, if it only depended on _me_——
SOLNESS.
I _will_ have it settled, I say! And to-morrow too—not a day later!
KAIA.
[_Terrified._] If there’s nothing else for it, I am quite willing to break off the engagement.
SOLNESS.
[_Angrily._] Break it off. Are you mad? Would you think of breaking it off?
KAIA.
[_Distracted._] Yes, if necessary. For I _must_—I _must_ stay here with you! I _can’t_ leave you! That is utterly—utterly impossible!
SOLNESS.
[_With a sudden outburst._] But deuce take it—how about Ragnar then! It’s Ragnar that I——
KAIA.
[_Looks at him with terrified eyes._] It is chiefly on Ragnar’s account, that—that you——?
SOLNESS.
[_Collecting himself._] No, no, of course not! You don’t understand me either. [_Gently and softly._] Of course it is _you_ I want to keep—you above everything, KAIA. But for that very reason, you must prevent Ragnar, too, from throwing up his situation. There, there,—now go home.
KAIA.
Yes, yes—good-night, then.
SOLNESS.
Good night. [_As she is going._] Oh, stop a moment! Are Ragnar’s drawings in there?
KAIA.
I did not see him take them with him.
SOLNESS.
Then just go and find them for me. I might perhaps glance over them, after all.
KAIA.
[_Happy._] Oh yes, please do!
SOLNESS.
For your sake, Kaia dear. Now, let me have them at once, please.
[KAIA _hurries into the draughtsmen’s office, searches anxiously in the table-drawer finds a portfolio and brings it with her._
KAIA.
Here are all the drawings.
SOLNESS.
Good. Put them down there on the table.
KAIA.
[_Putting down the portfolio._] Good night, then. [_Beseechingly._] And please, please think kindly of me.
SOLNESS.
Oh, that I always do. Good-night, my dear little Kaia. [_Glances to the right._] Go, go now!
MRS. SOLNESS _and_ DR. HERDAL _enter by the door on the right. He is a stoutish, elderly man, with a round, good-humoured face, clean shaven, with thin, light hair, and gold spectacles._
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Still in the doorway._] Halvard, I cannot keep the doctor any longer.
SOLNESS.
Well then, come in here.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_To KAIA, who is turning down the desk-lamp._] Have you finished the letter already, Miss Fosli?
KAIA.
[_In confusion._] The letter——?
SOLNESS.
Yes, it was quite a short one.
MRS. SOLNESS.
It must have been very short.
SOLNESS.
You may go now, Miss Fosli. And please come in good time to-morrow morning.
KAIA.
I will be sure to. Good-night, Mrs. Solness.
[_She goes out by the hall door._
MRS. SOLNESS.
She must be quite an acquisition to you, Halvard, this Miss Fosli.
SOLNESS.
Yes, indeed. She is useful in all sorts of ways.
MRS. SOLNESS.
So it seems.
DR. HERDAL.
Is she good at book-keeping too?
SOLNESS.
Well—of course she has had a good deal of practice during these two years. And then she is so nice and willing to do whatever one asks of her.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, that must be very delightful——
SOLNESS.
It is. Especially when one is not too much accustomed to that sort of thing.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_In a tone of gentle remonstrance._] Can _you_ say that, Halvard?
SOLNESS.
Oh, no, no, my dear Aline; I beg your pardon.
MRS. SOLNESS.
There’s no occasion.—Well then, doctor, you will come back later on, and have a cup of tea with us?
DR. HERDAL.
I have only that one patient to see, and then I’ll come back.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Thank you.
[_She goes out by the door on the right._
SOLNESS.
Are you in a hurry, doctor?
DR. HERDAL.
No, not at all.
SOLNESS.
May I have a little chat with you?
DR. HERDAL.
With the greatest of pleasure.
SOLNESS.
Then let us sit down. [_He motions the doctor to take the rocking-chair, and sits down himself in the arm-chair. Looks searchingly at him._] Tell me—did you notice anything odd about Aline?
DR. HERDAL.
Do you mean just now, when she was here?
SOLNESS.
Yes, in her manner to me. Did you notice anything?
DR. HERDAL.
[_Smiling._] Well, I admit—one couldn’t well avoid noticing that your wife—h’m——
SOLNESS.
Well?
DR. HERDAL.
—that your wife is not particularly fond of this Miss Fosli.
SOLNESS.
Is that all? I have noticed that myself.
DR. HERDAL.
And I must say I am scarcely surprised at it.
SOLNESS.
At what?
DR. HERDAL.
That she should not exactly approve of your seeing so much of another woman, all day and every day.
SOLNESS.
No, no, I suppose you are right there—and Aline too. But it’s impossible to make any change.
DR. HERDAL.
Could you not engage a clerk?
SOLNESS.
The first man that came to hand? No, thank you—that would never do for me.
DR. HERDAL.
But now, if your wife——? Suppose, with her delicate health, all this tries her too much?
SOLNESS.
Even then—I might almost say—it can make no difference. I _must_ keep Kaia Fosli. No one else could fill her place.
DR. HERDAL.
No one else?
SOLNESS.
[_Curtly._] No, no one.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Drawing his chair closer._] Now listen to me my dear Mr. SOLNESS. May I ask you a question, quite between ourselves?
SOLNESS.
By all means.
DR. HERDAL.
Women, you see—in certain matters, they have a deucedly keen intuition——
SOLNESS.
They have, indeed. There is not the least doubt of that. But——?
DR. HERDAL.
Well, tell me now—if your wife can’t endure this Kaia Fosli——?
SOLNESS.
Well, what then?
DR. HERDAL.
—may she not have just—just the least little bit of reason for this instinctive dislike?
SOLNESS.
[_Looks at him and rises._] Oho!
DR. HERDAL.
Now don’t be offended—but _hasn’t_ she?
SOLNESS.
[_With curt decision._] No.
DR. HERDAL.
No reason of any sort?
SOLNESS.
No other reason than her own suspicious nature.
DR. HERDAL.
I know you have known a good many women in your time.
SOLNESS.
Yes, I have.
DR. HERDAL.
And have been a good deal taken with some of them, too.
SOLNESS.
Oh yes, I don’t deny it.
DR. HERDAL.
But as regards Miss Fosli, then? There is nothing of that sort in the case?
SOLNESS.
No; nothing at all—on _my_ side.
DR. HERDAL.
But on her side?
SOLNESS.
I don’t think you have any right to ask that question, doctor.
DR. HERDAL.
Well, you know, we were discussing your wife’s intuition.
SOLNESS.
So we were. And for that matter—[_lowers his voice_]—Aline’s intuition, as you call it—in a certain sense, it has not been so far astray.
DR. HERDAL.
Aha! there we have it!
SOLNESS.
[_Sits down._] Doctor Herdal—I am going to tell you a strange story—if you care to listen to it.
DR. HERDAL.
I like listening to strange stories.
SOLNESS.
Very well then. I daresay you recollect that I took Knut Brovik and his son into my employment—after the old man’s business had gone to the dogs.
DR. HERDAL.
Yes, so I have understood.
SOLNESS.
You see, they really are clever fellows, these two. Each of them has talent in his own way. But then the son took it into his head to get engaged; and the next thing, of course, was that he wanted to get married—and begin to build on his own account. That is the way with all these young people.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Laughing._] Yes, they have a bad habit of wanting to marry.
SOLNESS.
Just so. But of course that did not suit _my_ plans; for I needed Ragnar myself—and the old man too. He is exceedingly good at calculating bearing-strains and cubic contents—and all that sort of devilry, you know.
DR. HERDAL.
Oh yes, no doubt that’s indispensable.
SOLNESS.
Yes, it is. But Ragnar was absolutely bent on setting to work for himself. He would hear of nothing else.
DR. HERDAL.
But he has stayed with you all the same.
SOLNESS.
Yes, I’ll tell you how that came about. One day this girl, Kaia Fosli, came to see them on some errand or other. She had never been here before. And when I saw how utterly infatuated they were with each other, the thought occurred to me: if I could only get her into the office here, then perhaps Ragnar too would stay where he is.
DR. HERDAL.
That was not at all a bad idea.
SOLNESS.
Yes, but at the time I did not breathe a word of what was in my mind. I merely stood and looked at her—and kept on wishing intently that I could have her here. Then I talked to her a little, in a friendly way—about one thing and another. And then she went away.
DR. HERDAL.
Well?
SOLNESS.
Well then, next day, pretty late in the evening, when old Brovik and Ragnar had gone home, she came here again, and behaved as if I had made an arrangement with her.
DR. HERDAL.
An arrangement? What about?
SOLNESS.
About the very thing my mind had been fixed on. But I hadn’t said one single word about it.
DR. HERDAL.
That was most extraordinary.
SOLNESS.
Yes, was it not? And now she wanted to know what she was to do here—whether she could begin the very next morning, and so forth.
DR. HERDAL.
Don’t you think she did it in order to be with her sweetheart?
SOLNESS.
That was what occurred to me at first. But no, that was not it. She seemed to drift quite away from _him_—when once she had come here to me.
DR. HERDAL.
She drifted over to you, then?
SOLNESS.
Yes, entirely. If I happen to look at her when her back is turned, I can tell that she feels it. She quivers and trembles the moment I come near her. What do you think of _that_?
DR. HERDAL.
H’m—that’s not very hard to explain.
SOLNESS.
Well, but what about the other thing? That she believed I had said to her what I had only wished and willed—silently—inwardly—to myself? What do you say to _that_? Can you explain that, Dr. Herdal?
DR. HERDAL.
No, I won’t undertake to do that.
SOLNESS.
I felt sure you would not; and so I have never cared to talk about it till now.—But it’s a cursed nuisance to me in the long run, you understand. Here have I got to go on day after day pretending——. And it’s a shame to treat her so, too, poor girl. [_Vehemently._] But I _cannot_ do anything else. For if _she_ runs away from me—then Ragnar will be off too.
DR. HERDAL.
And you have not told your wife the rights of the story?
SOLNESS.
No.
DR. HERDAL.
Then why on earth don’t you?
SOLNESS.
[_Looks fixedly at him, and says in a low voice_:] Because I seem to find a sort of—of salutary self-torture in allowing Aline to do me an injustice.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Shakes his head._] I don’t in the least understand what you mean.
SOLNESS.
Well, you see—it is like paying off a little bit of a huge, immeasurable debt——
DR. HERDAL.
To your wife?
SOLNESS.
Yes; and that always helps to relieve one’s mind a little. One can breathe more freely for a while, you understand.
DR. HERDAL.
No, goodness knows, I don’t understand at all——
SOLNESS.
[_Breaking off, rises again._] Well, well, well—then we won’t talk any more about it. [_He saunters across the room, returns, and stops beside the table. Looks at the doctor with a sly smile._] I suppose you think you have drawn me out nicely now, doctor?
DR. HERDAL.
[_With some irritation._] Drawn you out? Again I have not the faintest notion what you mean, Mr. Solness.
SOLNESS.
Oh come, out with it; I have seen it quite clearly, you know.
DR. HERDAL.
_What_ have you seen?
SOLNESS.
[_In a low voice, slowly._] That you have been quietly keeping an eye upon me.
DR. HERDAL.
That _I_ have! And why in all the world should I do _that_?
SOLNESS.
Because you think that I——[_Passionately._] Well, devil take it—you think the same of me as Aline does.
DR. HERDAL.
And what does _she_ think about you?
SOLNESS.
[_Having recovered his self-control._] She has begun to think that I am—that I am—ill.
DR. HERDAL.
Ill! _You_! She has never hinted such a thing to me. Why, what can she think is the matter with you?
SOLNESS.
[_Leans over the back of the chair and whispers._] Aline has made up her mind that I am mad. _That_ is what she thinks.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Rising._] Why, my dear good fellow——!
SOLNESS.
Yes, on my soul she does! I tell you it is so. And she has got you to think the same! Oh, I can assure you, doctor, I see it in your face as clearly as possible. You don’t take me in so easily, I can tell you.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Looks at him in amazement._] Never, Mr. Solness—never has such a thought entered my mind.
SOLNESS.
[_With an incredulous smile._] Really? Has it not?
DR. HERDAL.
No, never! Nor your wife’s mind either, I am convinced. I could almost swear to that.
SOLNESS.
Well, I wouldn’t advise you to. For, in a certain sense, you see, perhaps—perhaps she is not so far wrong in thinking something of the kind.
DR. HERDAL.
Come now, I really must say——
SOLNESS.
[_Interrupting, with a sweep of his hand._] Well, well, my dear doctor—don’t let us discuss this any further. We had better agree to differ. [_Changes to a tone of quiet amusement._] But look here now, doctor—h’m——
DR. HERDAL.
Well?
SOLNESS.
Since you don’t believe that I am—ill—and crazy—and mad, and so forth——
DR. HERDAL.
What then?
SOLNESS.
Then I daresay you fancy that I am an extremely happy man.
DR. HERDAL.
Is _that_ mere fancy?
SOLNESS.
[_Laughs._] No, no—of course not! Heaven forbid! Only think—to be Solness the master builder! Halvard Solness! What could be more delightful?
DR. HERDAL.
Yes, I must say it seems to me you have had the luck on your side to an astounding degree.
SOLNESS.
[_Suppresses a gloomy smile._] So I have. I can’t complain on _that_ score.
DR. HERDAL.
First of all that grim old robbers’ castle was burnt down for you. And _that_ was certainly a great piece of luck.
SOLNESS.
[_Seriously._] It was the home of Aline’s family. Remember that.
DR. HERDAL.
Yes, it must have been a great grief to _her_.
SOLNESS.
She has not got over it to this day—not in all these twelve or thirteen years.
DR. HERDAL.
Ah, but what followed must have been the worst blow for her.
SOLNESS.
The one thing with the other.
DR. HERDAL.
But you—yourself—_you_ rose upon the ruins. You began as a poor boy from a country village—and now you are at the head of your profession. Ah, yes, Mr. Solness, you have undoubtedly had the luck on your side.
SOLNESS.
[_Looking at him with embarrassment._] Yes, but that is just what makes me so horribly afraid.
DR. HERDAL.
Afraid? Because you have the luck on your side!
SOLNESS.
It terrifies me—terrifies me every hour of the day. For sooner or later the luck must turn, you see.
DR. HERDAL.
Oh nonsense! What should make the luck turn?
SOLNESS.
[_With firm assurance._] The younger generation.
DR. HERDAL.
Pooh! The younger generation! You are not laid on the shelf yet, I should hope. Oh no—your position here is probably firmer now than it has ever been.
SOLNESS.
The luck _will_ turn. I know it—I feel the day approaching. Some one or other will take it into his head to say: Give _me_ a chance! And then all the rest will come clamouring after him, and shake their fists at me and shout: Make room—make room—make room! Yes, just you see, doctor—presently the younger generation will come knocking at my door——
DR. HERDAL.
[_Laughing._] Well, and what if they do?
SOLNESS.
What if they do? Then there’s an end of Halvard Solness.
[_There is a knock at the door on the left._
SOLNESS.
[_Starts._] What’s that? Did you not hear something?
DR. HERDAL.
Some one is knocking at the door.
SOLNESS.
[_Loudly._] Come in.