Part 11
HILDA WANGEL _enters by the hall door. She is of middle height, supple, and delicately built. Somewhat sunburnt. Dressed in a tourist costume, with skirt caught up for walking, a sailor’s collar open at the throat, and a small sailor hat on her head. Knapsack on back, plaid in strap, and alpenstock._
HILDA.
[_Goes straight up to SOLNESS, her eyes sparkling with happiness._] Good evening!
SOLNESS.
[_Looks doubtfully at her._] Good evening——
HILDA.
[_Laughs._] I almost believe you don’t recognise me!
SOLNESS.
No—I must admit that—just for the moment——
DR. HERDAL.
[_Approaching._] But _I_ recognise you, my dear young lady——
HILDA.
[_Pleased._] Oh, is it you that——
DR. HERDAL.
Of course it is. [_To SOLNESS._] We met at one of the mountain stations this summer. [_To HILDA._] What became of the other ladies?
HILDA.
Oh, _they_ went westward.
DR. HERDAL.
They didn’t much like all the fun we used to have in the evenings.
HILDA.
No, I believe they didn’t.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Holds up his finger at her._] And I am afraid it can’t be denied that you flirted a little with us.
HILDA.
Well, that was better fun than to sit there knitting stockings with all those old women.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Laughs._] There I entirely agree with you!
SOLNESS.
Have you come to town this evening?
HILDA.
Yes, I have just arrived.
DR. HERDAL.
Quite alone, Miss Wangel?
HILDA.
Oh yes!
SOLNESS.
Wangel? Is your name Wangel?
HILDA.
[_Looks in amused surprise at him._] Yes, of course it is.
SOLNESS.
Then you must be a daughter of the district doctor up at Lysanger?
HILDA.
[_As before._] Yes, who else’s daughter should I be?
SOLNESS.
Oh, then I suppose we met up there, that summer when I was building a tower on the old church.
HILDA.
[_More seriously._] Yes, of course it was then we met.
SOLNESS.
Well, that is a long time ago.
HILDA.
[_Looks hard at him._] It is exactly the ten years.
SOLNESS.
You must have been a mere child then, I should think.
HILDA.
[_Carelessly._] Well, I was twelve or thirteen.
DR. HERDAL.
Is this the first time you have ever been up to town, Miss Wangel?
HILDA.
Yes, it is indeed.
SOLNESS.
And don’t you know any one here?
HILDA.
Nobody but you. And of course, your wife.
SOLNESS.
So you know _her_, too?
HILDA.
Only a little. We spent a few days together at the sanatorium.
SOLNESS.
Ah, up there?
HILDA.
She said I might come and pay her a visit if ever I came up to town. [_Smiles._] Not that that was necessary.
SOLNESS.
Odd that she should never have mentioned it.
[HILDA _puts her stick down by the stove, takes off the knapsack and lays it and the plaid on the sofa._ DR. HERDAL _offers to help her. SOLNESS stands and gazes at her._
HILDA.
[_Going towards him._] Well, now I must ask you to let me stay the night here.
SOLNESS.
I am sure there will be no difficulty about that.
HILDA.
For I have no other clothes than those I stand in, except a change of linen in my knapsack. And that has to go to the wash, for it’s very dirty.
SOLNESS.
Oh yes, that can be managed. Now I’ll just let my wife know——
DR. HERDAL.
Meanwhile I will go and see my patient.
SOLNESS.
Yes, do; and come again later on.
DR. HERDAL.
[_Playfully, with a glance at HILDA._] Oh that I will, you may be very certain! [_Laughs._] So your prediction has come true, Mr. Solness!
SOLNESS.
How so?
DR. HERDAL.
The younger generation _did_ come knocking at your door.
SOLNESS.
[_Cheerfully._] Yes, but in a very different way from what I meant.
DR. HERDAL.
Very different, yes. That’s undeniable.
[_He goes out by the hall-door._ SOLNESS _opens the door on the right and speaks into the side room._
SOLNESS.
Aline! Will you come in here, please. Here is a friend of yours—Miss Wangel.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Appears in the doorway._] Who do you say it is? [_Sees HILDA._] Oh, is it you, Miss Wangel? [_Goes up to her and offers her hand._] So you have come to town after all.
SOLNESS.
Miss Wangel has this moment arrived; and she would like to stay the night here.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Here with us? Oh yes, certainly.
SOLNESS.
Till she can get her things a little in order, you know.
MRS. SOLNESS.
I will do the best I can for you. It’s no more than my duty. I suppose your trunk is coming on later?
HILDA.
I _have_ no trunk.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Well, it will be all right, I daresay. In the meantime, you must excuse my leaving you here with my husband, until I can get a room made a little comfortable for you.
SOLNESS.
Can we not give her one of the nurseries? _They_ are all ready as it is.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh yes. There we have room and to spare. [_To HILDA._] Sit down now, and rest a little.
rj [_She goes out to the right._
[HILDA, _with her hands behind her back, strolls about the room and looks at various objects._ SOLNESS _stands in front, beside the table, also with his hands behind his back, and follows her with his eyes._
HILDA.
[_Stops and looks at him._] Have you several nurseries?
SOLNESS.
There are three nurseries in the house.
HILDA.
That’s a lot. Then I suppose you have a great many children?
SOLNESS.
No. We have no child. But now _you_ can be the child here, for the time being.
HILDA.
For to-night, yes. I shall not cry. I mean to sleep as sound as a stone.
SOLNESS.
Yes, you must be very tired, I should think.
HILDA.
Oh no! But all the same—— It’s so delicious to lie and dream.
SOLNESS.
Do you dream much of nights?
HILDA.
Oh yes! Almost always.
SOLNESS.
What do you dream about most?
HILDA.
I sha’n’t tell you to-night. Another time—perhaps.
[_She again strolls about the room, stops at the desk and turns over the books and papers a little._
SOLNESS.
[_Approaching._] Are you searching for anything?
HILDA.
No, I am merely looking at all these things. [_Turns._] Perhaps I mustn’t?
SOLNESS.
Oh, by all means.
HILDA.
Is it _you_ that write in this great ledger?
SOLNESS.
No, it’s my book-keeper.
HILDA.
Is it a woman?
SOLNESS.
[_Smiles._] Yes.
HILDA.
One you employ here, in your office?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
Is she married?
SOLNESS.
No, she is single.
HILDA.
Oh, indeed!
SOLNESS.
But I believe she is soon going to be married.
HILDA.
That’s a good thing for _her_.
SOLNESS.
But not such a good thing for _me_. For then I shall have nobody to help me.
HILDA.
Can’t you get hold of some one else who will do just as well?
SOLNESS.
Perhaps _you_ would stay here and—and write in the ledger?
HILDA.
[_Measures him with a glance._] Yes, I daresay! No, thank you—nothing of that sort for me.
[_She again strolls across the room, and sits down in the rocking-chair._ SOLNESS _too goes to the table._
HILDA.
[_Continuing._] For there must surely be plenty of other things to be done here. [_Looks smilingly at him._] Don’t you think so, too?
SOLNESS.
Of course. First of all, I suppose, you want to make a round of the shops, and get yourself up in the height of fashion.
HILDA.
[_Amused._] No, I think I shall let _that_ alone!
SOLNESS.
Indeed?
HILDA.
For you must know I have run through all my money.
SOLNESS.
[_Laughs._] Neither trunk nor money, then!
HILDA.
Neither one nor the other. But never mind—it doesn’t matter now.
SOLNESS.
Come now, I like you for _that_.
HILDA.
Only for _that_?
SOLNESS.
For that among other things. [_Sits in the armchair._] Is your father alive still?
HILDA.
Yes, father’s alive.
SOLNESS.
Perhaps you are thinking of studying here?
HILDA.
No, that hadn’t occurred to me.
SOLNESS.
But I suppose you will be staying for some time?
HILDA.
That must depend upon circumstances.
[_She sits awhile rocking herself and looking at him, half seriously, half with a suppressed smile. Then she takes off her hat and puts it on the table in front of her._
HILDA.
Mr. Solness!
SOLNESS.
Well?
HILDA.
Have you a very bad memory?
SOLNESS.
A bad memory? No, not that I am aware of.
HILDA.
Then have you nothing to say to me about what happened up there?
SOLNESS.
[_In momentary surprise._] Up at Lysanger? [_Indifferently._] Why, it was nothing much to talk about, it seems to me.
HILDA.
[_Looks reproachfully at him._] How can you sit there and say such things?
SOLNESS.
Well, then, _you_ talk to me about it.
HILDA.
When the tower was finished, we had grand doings in the town.
SOLNESS.
Yes, I shall not easily forget that day.
HILDA.
[_Smiles._] Will you not? That comes well from _you_.
SOLNESS.
Comes well?
HILDA.
There was music in the churchyard—and many, many hundreds of people. We school-girls were dressed in white; and we all carried flags.
SOLNESS.
All yes, those flags—I can tell you I remember _them_!
HILDA.
Then you climbed right up the scaffolding, straight to the very top; and you had a great wreath with you; and you hung that wreath right away up on the weather-vane.
SOLNESS.
[_Curtly interrupting._] I always did that in those days. It is an old custom.
HILDA.
It was so wonderfully thrilling to stand below and look up at you. Fancy, if he should fall over! He—the master builder himself!
SOLNESS.
[_As if to divert her from the subject._] Yes, yes, yes, that might very well have happened, too. For one of those white-frocked little devils,—she went on in such a way, and screamed up at me so——
HILDA.
[_Sparkling with pleasure._] “Hurra for Master Builder Solness!” Yes!
SOLNESS.
—and waved and flourished with her flag, so that I—so that it almost made me giddy to look at it.
HILDA.
[_In a lower voice, seriously._] That little devil—that was _I_.
SOLNESS.
[_Fixes his eyes steadily upon her._] I am sure of that now. It _must_ have been you.
HILDA.
[_Lively again._] Oh, it was so gloriously thrilling! I could not have believed there was a builder in the whole world that could build such a tremendously high tower. And then, that you yourself should stand at the very top of it, as large as life! And that you should not be the least bit dizzy! It was _that_ above everything that made one—made one dizzy to think of.
SOLNESS.
How could you be so certain that I was not——?
HILDA.
[_Scouting the idea._] No indeed! Oh no! I knew that instinctively. For if you had been, you could never have stood up there and sung.
SOLNESS.
[_Looks at her in astonishment.]_] Sung? Did _I_ sing?
HILDA.
Yes, I should think you did.
SOLNESS.
[_Shakes his head._] I have never sung a note in my life.
HILDA.
Yes indeed, you sang then. It sounded like harps in the air.
SOLNESS.
[_Thoughtfully._] This is very strange—all this.
HILDA.
[_Is silent awhile, looks at him and says in a low voice_:] But then,—it was after that—that the _real_ thing happened.
SOLNESS.
The real thing?
HILDA.
[_Sparkling with vivacity._] Yes, I surely don’t need to remind you of _that_?
SOLNESS.
Oh yes, do remind me a little of _that_, too.
HILDA.
Don’t you remember that a great dinner was given in your honour at the Club?
SOLNESS.
Yes, to be sure. It must have been the same afternoon, for I left the place next morning.
HILDA.
And from the Club you were invited to come round to our house to supper.
SOLNESS.
Quite right, Miss Wangel. It is wonderful how all these trifles have impressed themselves on your mind.
HILDA.
Trifles! I like that! Perhaps it was a trifle, too, that I was _alone_ in the room when you came in?
SOLNESS.
_Were_ you alone?
HILDA.
[_Without answering him._] You didn’t call me a little devil _then_?
SOLNESS.
No, I suppose I did not.
HILDA.
You said I was lovely in my white dress, and that I looked like a little princess.
SOLNESS.
I have no doubt you did, Miss Wangel.—And besides—I was feeling so buoyant and free that day——
HILDA.
And then you said that when I grew up I should be _your_ princess.
SOLNESS.
[_Laughing a little._] Dear, dear—did I say _that_ too?
HILDA.
Yes, you did. And when I asked how long I should have to wait, you said that you would come again in ten years—like a troll—and carry me off—to Spain or some such place. And you promised you would buy me a kingdom there.
SOLNESS.
[_As before._] Yes, after a good dinner one doesn’t haggle about the halfpence. But did I really _say_ all that?
HILDA.
[_Laughs to herself._] Yes. And you told me, too, what the kingdom was to be called.
SOLNESS.
Well, what was it?
HILDA.
It was to be called the kingdom of Orangia,[26] you said.
SOLNESS.
Well, that was an appetising name.
HILDA.
No, I didn’t like it a bit; for it seemed as though you wanted to make game of me.
SOLNESS.
I am sure _that_ cannot have been my intention.
HILDA.
No, I should hope not—considering what you did next——
SOLNESS.
What in the world did I do next?
HILDA.
Well, that’s the finishing touch, if you have forgotten _that_ too. I should have thought no one could help remembering such a thing as that.
SOLNESS.
Yes, yes, just give me a hint, and then perhaps——Well?
HILDA.
[_Looks fixedly at him._] You came and kissed me, Mr. SOLNESS.
SOLNESS.
[_Open-mouthed, rising from his chair._] _I_ did!
HILDA.
Yes, indeed you did. You took me in both your arms, and bent my head back, and kissed me—many times.
SOLNESS.
Now really, my dear Miss Wangel——!
HILDA.
[_Rises._] You surely cannot mean to deny it?
SOLNESS.
Yes, I do. I deny it altogether!
HILDA.
[_Looks scornfully at him._] Oh, indeed!
[_She turns and goes slowly close up to the stove, where she remains standing motionless, her face averted from him, her hands behind her back. Short pause._
SOLNESS.
[_Goes cautiously up behind her._] Miss Wangel——!
HILDA.
[_Is silent and does not move._]
SOLNESS.
Don’t stand there like a statue. You must have dreamt all this. [_Lays his hand on her arm._] Now just listen——
HILDA.
[_Makes an impatient movement with her arm._]
SOLNESS.
[_As a thought flashes upon him._] Or——! Wait a moment! There is something under all this, you may depend!
HILDA.
[_Does not move._]
SOLNESS.
[_In a low voice, but with emphasis._] I must have _thought_ all that. I must have _wished_ it—have _willed_ it—have _longed_ to do it. And then——. May not that be the explanation?
HILDA.
[_Is still silent._]
SOLNESS.
[_Impatiently._] Oh very well, deuce take it all—then I _did_ do it, I suppose.
HILDA.
[_Turns her head a little, but without looking at him._] Then you admit it now?
SOLNESS.
Yes—whatever you like.
HILDA.
You came and put your arms round me?
SOLNESS.
Oh yes!
HILDA.
And bent my head back?
SOLNESS.
Very far back.
HILDA.
And kissed me?
SOLNESS.
Yes, I did
HILDA.
Many times?
SOLNESS.
As many as ever you like.
HILDA.
[_Turns quickly towards him and has once more the sparkling expression of gladness in her eyes._] Well, you see, I got it out of you at last!
SOLNESS.
[_With a slight smile._] Yes—just think of my forgetting such a thing as that.
HILDA.
[_Again a little sulky, retreats from him._] Oh, you have kissed so many people in your time, I suppose.
SOLNESS.
No, you mustn’t think _that_ of me. [_HILDA seats herself in the arm-chair. SOLNESS stands and leans against the rocking-chair. Looks observantly at her._] Miss Wangel!
HILDA.
Yes!
SOLNESS.
How _was_ it now? What came of all this—between us two?
HILDA.
Why, nothing more came of it. You know that quite well. For then the other guests came in, and then—bah!
SOLNESS.
Quite so! The others came in. To think of my forgetting _that_ too!
HILDA.
Oh, you haven’t really forgotten anything: you are only a little ashamed of it all. I am sure one doesn’t forget things of that kind.
SOLNESS.
No, one would suppose not.
HILDA.
[_Lively again, looks at him._] Perhaps you have even forgotten what day it was?
SOLNESS.
What day——?
HILDA.
Yes, on what day did you hang the wreath on the tower? Well? Tell me at once!
SOLNESS.
H’m—I confess I have forgotten the particular day. I only know it was ten years ago. Some time in the autumn.
HILDA.
[_Nods her head slowly several times._] It was ten years ago—on the 19th of September.
SOLNESS.
Yes, it must have been about that time. Fancy your remembering that too! [_Stops._] But wait a moment——! Yes—it’s the 19th of September to-day.
HILDA.
Yes, it is; and the ten years are gone. And you didn’t come—as you had promised me.
SOLNESS.
Promised you? Threatened, I suppose you mean?
HILDA.
I don’t think there was any sort of threat in _that_.
SOLNESS.
Well then, a little bit of fun.
HILDA.
Was _that_ all you wanted? To make fun of me?
SOLNESS.
Well, or to have a little joke with you! Upon my soul, I don’t recollect. But it must have been something of that kind; for you were a mere child then.
HILDA.
Oh, perhaps I wasn’t quite such a child either. Not such a mere chit as you imagine.
SOLNESS.
[_Looks searchingly at her._] Did you really and seriously expect me to come again?
HILDA.
[_Conceals a half-teasing smile._] Yes, indeed! I did expect _that_ of you.
SOLNESS.
That I should come back to your home, and take you away with me?
HILDA.
Just like a troll—yes.
SOLNESS.
And make a princess of you?
HILDA.
That’s what you promised.
SOLNESS.
And give you a kingdom as well?
HILDA.
[_Looks up at the ceiling._] Why not? Of course it need not have been an actual, every-day sort of a kingdom.
SOLNESS.
But something else just as good?
HILDA.
Yes, at least as good. [_Looks at him a moment._] I thought, if you could build the highest church-towers in the world, you could surely manage to raise a kingdom of one sort or another as well.
SOLNESS.
[_Shakes his head._] I can’t quite make you out, Miss Wangel.
HILDA.
Can you not? To me it seems all so simple.
SOLNESS.
No, I can’t make up my mind whether you mean all you say, or are simply having a joke with me.
HILDA.
[_Smiles._] Making fun of you, perhaps? I, too?
SOLNESS.
Yes, exactly. Making fun—of both of us. [_Looks at her._] Is it long since you found out that I was married?
HILDA.
I have known it all along. Why do you ask me _that_?
SOLNESS.
[_Lightly._] Oh, well, it just occurred to me. [_Looks earnestly at her, and says in a low voice._] What have you come for?
HILDA.
I want my kingdom. The time is up.
SOLNESS.
[_Laughs involuntarily._] What a girl you are!
HILDA.
[_Gaily._] Out with my kingdom, Mr. Solness! [_Raps with her fingers._] The kingdom on the table!
SOLNESS.
[_Pushing the rocking-chair nearer and sitting down._] Now, seriously speaking—what have you come for? What do you really want to do here?
HILDA.
Oh, first of all, I want to go round and look at all the things that you have built.
SOLNESS.
That will give you plenty of exercise.
HILDA.
Yes, I know you have built a tremendous lot.
SOLNESS.
I have indeed—especially of late years.
HILDA.
Many church-towers among the rest? Immensely high ones?
SOLNESS.
No. I build no more church-towers now. Nor churches either.
HILDA.
What _do_ you build then?
SOLNESS.
Homes for human beings.
HILDA.
[_Reflectively._] Couldn’t you build a little—a little bit of a church-tower over these homes as well?
SOLNESS.
[_Starting._] What do you mean by _that_?
HILDA.
I mean—something that points—points up into the free air. With the vane at a dizzy height.
SOLNESS.
[_Pondering a little._] Strange that you should say _that_—for that is just what I am most anxious to do.
HILDA.
[_Impatiently._] Why don’t you do it, then?
SOLNESS.
[_Shakes his head._] No, the people will not have it.
HILDA.
Fancy their not wanting it!
SOLNESS.
[_More lightly._] But now I am building a new home for myself—just opposite here.
HILDA.
For yourself?
SOLNESS.
Yes. It is almost finished. And on that there is a tower.
HILDA.
A high tower?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
Very high?
SOLNESS.
No doubt people will say it is _too_ high—too high for a dwelling-house.
HILDA.
I’ll go out and look at that tower the first thing to-morrow morning.
SOLNESS.
[_Sits resting his check on his hand, and gazes at her._] Tell me, Miss Wangel—what is your name? Your Christian name, I mean?
HILDA.
Why, Hilda, of course.
SOLNESS.
[_As before._] Hilda? Indeed?
HILDA.
Don’t you remember _that_? You called me Hilda yourself—that day when you misbehaved.
SOLNESS.
Did I really?
HILDA.
But then you said “_little_ Hilda”; and I didn’t like that.
SOLNESS.
Oh, you didn’t like that, Miss Hilda?
HILDA.
No, not at such a time as that. But—“Princess Hilda”—that will sound very well, I think.
SOLNESS.
Very well indeed. Princess Hilda of—of—what was to be the name of the kingdom?
HILDA.
Pooh! I won’t have anything to do with _that_ stupid kingdom. I have set my heart upon quite a different one!
SOLNESS.
[_Has leaned back in the chair, still gazing at her._] Isn’t it strange——? The more I think of it now, the more it seems to me as though I had gone about all these years torturing myself with—h’m——
HILDA.
With what?
SOLNESS.
With the effort to recover something—some experience, which I seemed to have forgotten. But I never had the least inkling of what it could be.
HILDA.
You should have tied a knot in your pocket-handkerchief, Mr. Solness.
SOLNESS.
In that case, I should simply have had to go racking my brains to discover what the knot could mean.
HILDA.
Oh yes, I suppose there are trolls of _that_ kind in the world, too.
SOLNESS.
[_Rises slowly._] What a good thing it is that _you_ have come to me now.
HILDA.
[_Looks deeply into his eyes._] _Is_ it a good thing!
SOLNESS.
For I have been so lonely here. I have been gazing so helplessly at it all. [_In a lower voice._] I must tell you—I have begun to be so afraid—so terribly afraid of the younger generation.
HILDA.
[_With a little snort of contempt._] Pooh—is the younger generation a thing to be afraid of?
SOLNESS.
It is indeed. And that is why I have locked and barred myself in. [_Mysteriously_] I tell you the younger generation will one day come and thunder at my door! They will break in upon me!
HILDA.
Then I should say you ought to go out and open the door to the younger generation.
SOLNESS.
Open the door?
HILDA.
Yes. Let them come in to you on friendly terms, as it were.
SOLNESS.
No, no, no! The younger generation—it means retribution, you see. It comes, as if under a new banner, heralding the turn of fortune.
HILDA.
[_Rises, looks at him, and says with a quivering twitch of her lips._] Can _I_ be of any use to you, Mr. Solness?
SOLNESS.
Yes, you can indeed! For you, too, come—under a new banner, it seems to me. Youth marshalled against youth——!
_DR. HERDAL comes in by the hall-door._
DR. HERDAL.
What—you and Miss Wangel here still?
SOLNESS.
Yes. We have had no end of things to talk about.
HILDA.
Both old and new.
DR. HERDAL.
Have you really?
HILDA.
Oh, it has been the greatest fun. For Mr. Solness—he has such a miraculous memory. All the least little details he remembers instantly.
_MRS. SOLNESS enters by the door on the right._
MRS. SOLNESS.