Part 7
And now off goes the excursion train, gentlemen! I hope we shall have a lively time, as a certain fair lady puts it.
HEDDA.
Ah, if only the fair lady could be present unseen——!
BRACK.
Why unseen?
HEDDA.
In order to hear a little of your liveliness at first hand, Judge Brack.
BRACK.
[_Laughing._] I should not advise the fair lady to try it.
TESMAN.
[_Also laughing._] Come, you’re a nice one Hedda! Fancy that!
BRACK.
Well, good-bye, good-bye, ladies.
LÖVBORG.
[_Bowing._] About ten o’clock, then.
[BRACK, LÖVBORG, _and_ TESMAN _go out by the hall door. At the same time,_ BERTA _enters from the inner room with a lighted lamp, which she places on the drawing-room table; she goes out by the way she came._
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Who has risen and is wandering restlessly about the room._] Hedda—Hedda—what will come of all this?
HEDDA.
At ten o’clock—he will be here. I can see him already—with vine-leaves in his hair—flushed and fearless——
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh, I hope he may.
HEDDA.
And then, you see—then he will have regained control over himself. Then he will be a free man for all his days.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh God!—if he would only come as you see him now!
HEDDA.
He will come as I see him—so, and not otherwise! [_Rises and approaches THEA._] You may doubt him as long as you please; _I_ believe in him. And now we will try——
MRS. ELVSTED.
You have some hidden motive in this, Hedda!
HEDDA.
Yes, I _have_. I want for once in my life to have power to mould a human destiny.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Have you not the power?
HEDDA.
I have not—and have never had it.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Not your husband’s?
HEDDA.
Do you think _that_ is worth the trouble? Oh, if you could only understand how poor I am. And fate has made _you_ so rich! [_Clasps her passionately in her arms._] I think I must burn your hair off, after all.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Let me go! Let me go! I am afraid of you, Hedda!
BERTA.
[_In the middle doorway._] Tea is laid in the dining-room, ma’am.
HEDDA.
Very well. We are coming.
MRS. ELVSTED.
No, no, no! I would rather go home alone! At once!
HEDDA.
Nonsense! First you shall have a cup of tea, you little stupid. And then—at ten o’clock—Eilert Lövborg will be here—with vine-leaves in his hair.
[_She drags_ MRS. ELVSTED _almost by force towards the middle doorway._
ACT THIRD.
_The room at the_ TESMANS’. _The curtains are drawn over the middle doorway, and also over the glass door. The lamp, half turned down, and with a shade over it, is burning on the table. In the stove, the door of which stands open, there has been a fire, which is now nearly burnt out._
MRS. ELVSTED, _wrapped in a large shawl, and with her feet upon a foot-rest, sits close to the stove, sunk back in the arm-chair._ HEDDA, _fully dressed, lies sleeping upon the sofa, with a sofa-blanket over her._
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_After a pause, suddenly sits up in her chair, and listens eagerly. Then she sinks back again wearily, moaning to herself._] Not yet!—Oh God—oh God—not yet!
BERTA _slips cautiously in by the hall door. She has a letter in her hand._
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Turns and whispers eagerly._] Well—has any one come?
BERTA.
[_Softly._] Yes, a girl has just brought this letter.
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Quickly, holding out her hand._] A letter! Give it to me!
BERTA.
No, it’s for Dr. Tesman, ma’am.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh, indeed.
BERTA.
It was Miss Tesman’s servant that brought it. I’ll lay it here on the table.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes, do.
BERTA.
[_Laying down the letter._] I think I had better put out the lamp. It’s smoking.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes, put it out. It must soon be daylight now.
BERTA.
[_Putting out the lamp._] It is daylight already, ma’am.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes, broad day! And no one come back yet——!
BERTA.
Lord bless you, ma’am—I guessed how it would be.
MRS. ELVSTED.
You guessed?
BERTA.
Yes, when I saw that a certain person had come back to town—and that he went off with them. For we’ve heard enough about that gentleman before now.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Don’t speak so loud. You will waken Mrs. Tesman.
BERTA.
[_Looks towards the sofa and sighs._] No, no—let her sleep, poor thing. Shan’t I put some wood on the fire?
MRS. ELVSTED.
Thanks, not for me.
BERTA.
Oh, very well.
[_She goes softly out by the hall door._
HEDDA.
[_Is wakened by the shutting of the door, and looks up._] What’s that——?
MRS. ELVSTED.
It was only the servant——
HEDDA.
[_Looking about her._] Oh, we’re here——! Yes, now I remember. [_Sits erect upon the sofa, stretches herself, and rubs her eyes._] What o’clock is it, Thea?
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Looks at her watch._] It’s past seven.
HEDDA.
When did Tesman come home?
MRS. ELVSTED.
He has not come.
HEDDA.
Not come home yet?
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Rising._] No one has come.
HEDDA.
Think of our watching and waiting here till four in the morning——
MRS. ELVSTED.
[_Wringing her hands._] And _how_ I watched and waited for him!
HEDDA.
[_Yawns, and says with her hand before her mouth._] Well well—we might have spared ourselves the trouble.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Did you get a little sleep?
HEDDA.
Oh yes; I believe I have slept pretty well. Have you not?
MRS. ELVSTED.
Not for a moment. I couldn’t, Hedda!—not to save my life.
HEDDA.
[_Rises and goes towards her._] There there there! There’s nothing to be so alarmed about. I understand quite well what has happened.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Well, what do you think? Won’t you tell me?
HEDDA.
Why, of course it has been a very late affair at Judge Brack’s——
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes, yes—that is clear enough. But all the same——
HEDDA.
And then, you see, Tesman hasn’t cared to come home and ring us up in the middle of the night. [_Laughing._] Perhaps he wasn’t inclined to show himself either—immediately after a jollification.
MRS. ELVSTED.
But in that case—where can he have gone?
HEDDA.
Of course he has gone to his Aunts’ and slept there. They have his old room ready for him.
MRS. ELVSTED.
No, he can’t be with _them_; for a letter has just come for him from Miss Tesman. There it lies.
HEDDA.
Indeed? [_Looks at the address._] Why yes, it’s addressed in Aunt Julia’s own hand. Well then, he has remained at Judge Brack’s. And as for Eilert Lövborg—he is sitting, with vine leaves in his hair, reading his manuscript.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh Hedda, you are just saying things you don’t believe a bit.
HEDDA.
You really are a little blockhead, Thea.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh yes, I suppose I am.
HEDDA.
And how mortally tired you look.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes, I am mortally tired.
HEDDA.
Well then, you must do as I tell you. You must go into my room and lie down for a little while.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh no, no—I shouldn’t be able to sleep.
HEDDA.
I am sure you would.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Well, but your husband is certain to come soon now; and then I want to know at once——
HEDDA.
I shall take care to let you know when he comes.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Do you promise me, Hedda?
HEDDA.
Yes, rely upon me. Just you go in and have a sleep in the meantime.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Thanks; then I’ll try to.
[_She goes off through the inner room._
[HEDDA _goes up to the glass door and draws back the curtains. The broad daylight streams into the room. Then she takes a little hand-glass from the writing-table, looks at herself in it, and arranges her hair. Next she goes to the hall door and presses the bell-button._
ce BERTA _presently appears at the hall door._
BERTA.
Did you want anything, ma’am?
HEDDA.
Yes; you must put some more wood in the stove. I am shivering.
BERTA.
Bless me—I’ll make up the fire at once. [_She rakes the embers together and lays a piece of wood upon them; then stops and listens._] That was a ring at the front door, ma’am.
HEDDA.
Then go to the door. I will look after the fire.
BERTA.
It’ll soon burn up.
[_She goes out by the hall door._
[HEDDA _kneels on the foot-rest and lays some more pieces of wood in the stove._
_After a short pause,_ GEORGE TESMAN _enters from the hall. He looks tired and rather serious. He steals on tiptoe towards the middle doorway and is about to slip through the curtains._
HEDDA.
[_At the stove, without looking up._] Good morning.
TESMAN.
[_Turns._] Hedda! [_Approaching her._] Good heavens—are you up so early? Eh?
HEDDA.
Yes, I am up very early this morning.
TESMAN.
And I never doubted you were still sound asleep. Fancy that, Hedda!
HEDDA.
Don’t speak so loud. Mrs. Elvsted is resting in my room.
TESMAN.
Has Mrs. Elvsted been here all night?
HEDDA.
Yes, since no one came to fetch her.
TESMAN.
Ah, to be sure.
HEDDA.
[_Closes the door of the stove and rises._] Well, did you enjoy yourselves at Judge Brack’s?
TESMAN.
Have you been anxious about me? Eh?
HEDDA.
No, I should never think of being anxious. But I asked if you had enjoyed yourself.
TESMAN.
Oh yes,—for once in a way. Especially the beginning of the evening; for then Eilert read me part of his book. We arrived more than an hour too early—fancy that! And Brack had all sorts of arrangements to make—so Eilert read to me.
HEDDA.
[_Seating herself by the table on the right._] Well? Tell me, then——
TESMAN.
[_Sitting on a footstool near the stove._] Oh Hedda, you can’t conceive what a book that is going to be! I believe it is one of the most remarkable things that have ever been written. Fancy that!
HEDDA.
Yes, yes; I don’t care about that——
TESMAN.
I must make a confession to you, Hedda. When he had finished reading—a horrid feeling came over me.
HEDDA.
A horrid feeling?
TESMAN.
I felt jealous of Eilert for having had it in him to write such a book. Only think, Hedda!
HEDDA.
Yes, yes, I am thinking!
TESMAN.
And then how pitiful to think that he—with all his gifts—should be irreclaimable, after all.
HEDDA.
I suppose you mean that he has more courage than the rest?
TESMAN.
No, not at all—I mean that he is incapable of taking his pleasures in moderation.
HEDDA.
And what came of it all—in the end?
TESMAN.
Well, to tell the truth, I think it might best be described as an orgie, Hedda.
HEDDA.
Had he vine-leaves in his hair?
TESMAN.
Vine-leaves? No, I saw nothing of the sort. But he made a long, rambling speech in honour of the woman who had inspired him in his work—that was the phrase he used.
HEDDA.
Did he name her?
TESMAN.
No, he didn’t; but I can’t help thinking he meant Mrs. Elvsted. You may be sure he did.
HEDDA.
Well—where did you part from him?
TESMAN.
On the way to town. We broke up—the last of us at any rate—all together; and Brack came with us to get a breath of fresh air. And then, you see, we agreed to take Eilert home; for he had had far more than was good for him.
HEDDA.
I daresay.
TESMAN.
But now comes the strange part of it, Hedda; or, I should rather say, the melancholy part of it. I declare I am almost ashamed—on Eilert’s account—to tell you——
HEDDA.
Oh, go on——!
TESMAN.
Well, as we were getting near town, you see, I happened to drop a little behind the others. Only for a minute or two—fancy that!
HEDDA.
Yes yes yes, but——?
TESMAN.
And then, as I hurried after them—what do you think I found by the wayside? Eh?
HEDDA.
Oh, how should I know!
TESMAN.
You mustn’t speak of it to a soul, Hedda! Do you hear! Promise me, for Eilert’s sake. [_Draws a parcel, wrapped in paper, from his coat pocket._] Fancy, dear—I found this.
HEDDA.
Is not that the parcel he had with him yesterday?
TESMAN.
Yes, it is the whole of his precious, irreplaceable manuscript! And he had gone and lost it, and knew nothing about it. Only fancy, Hedda! So deplorably——
HEDDA.
But why did you not give him back the parcel at once?
TESMAN.
I didn’t dare to—in the state he was then in——
HEDDA.
Did you not tell any of the others that you had found it?
TESMAN.
Oh, far from it! You can surely understand that, for Eilert’s sake, I wouldn’t do that.
HEDDA.
So no one knows that Eilert Lövborg’s manuscript is in your possession?
TESMAN.
No. And no one _must_ know it.
HEDDA.
Then what did you say to him afterwards?
TESMAN.
I didn’t talk to him again at all; for when we got in among the streets, he and two or three of the others gave us the slip and disappeared. Fancy that!
HEDDA.
Indeed! They must have taken him home then.
TESMAN.
Yes, so it would appear. And Brack, too, left us.
HEDDA.
And what have you been doing with yourself since?
TESMAN.
Well, I and some of the others went home with one of the party, a jolly fellow, and took our morning coffee with him; or perhaps I should rather call it our night coffee—eh? But now, when I have rested a little, and given Eilert, poor fellow, time to have his sleep out, I must take this back to him.
HEDDA.
[_Holds out her hand for the packet._] No—don’t give it to him! Not in such a hurry, I mean. Let me read it first.
TESMAN.
No, my dearest Hedda, I mustn’t, I really mustn’t.
HEDDA.
You must not?
TESMAN.
No—for you can imagine what a state of despair he will be in when he wakens and misses the manuscript. He has no copy of it, you must know! He told me so.
HEDDA.
[_Looking searchingly at him._] Can such a thing not be reproduced? Written over again?
TESMAN.
No, I don’t think that would be possible. For the inspiration, you see——
HEDDA.
Yes, yes—I suppose it depends on that——[_Lightly._] But, by-the-bye—here is a letter for you.
TESMAN.
Fancy——!
HEDDA.
[_Handing it to him._] It came early this morning.
TESMAN.
It’s from Aunt Julia! What can it be? [_He lays the packet on the other footstool, opens the letter, runs his eye through it, and jumps up._] Oh, Hedda—she says that poor Aunt Rina is dying!
HEDDA.
Well, we were prepared for that.
TESMAN.
And that if I want to see her again, I must make haste. I’ll run in to them at once.
HEDDA.
[_Suppressing a smile._] Will you run?
TESMAN.
Oh, my dearest Hedda—if you could only make up your mind to come with me! Just think!
HEDDA.
[_Rises and says wearily, repelling the idea._] No, no, don’t ask me. I _will_ not look upon sickness and death. I loathe all sorts of ugliness.
TESMAN.
Well, well, then——! [_Bustling around._] My hat——? My overcoat——? Oh, in the hall——. I do hope I mayn’t come too late, Hedda! Eh?
HEDDA.
Oh, if you run———
[_BERTA appears at the hall door._
BERTA.
Judge Brack is at the door, and wishes to know if he may come in.
TESMAN.
At this time! No, I can’t possibly see him.
HEDDA.
But I can. [_To BERTA._] Ask Judge Brack to come in.
[_BERTA goes out._
HEDDA.
[_Quickly, whispering._] The parcel, Tesman!
[_She snatches it up from the stool._
TESMAN.
Yes, give it to me!
HEDDA.
No, no, I will keep it till you come back.
[_She goes to the writing-table and places it in the bookcase._ TESMAN _stands in a flurry of haste, and cannot get his gloves on._
_JUDGE BRACK enters from the hall._
HEDDA.
[_Nodding to him._] You are an early bird, I must say.
BRACK.
Yes, don’t you think so? [_To TESMAN._] Are you on the move, too?
TESMAN.
Yes, I _must_ rush off to my aunts’. Fancy—the invalid one is lying at death’s door, poor creature.
BRACK.
Dear me, is she indeed? Then on no account let me detain you. At such a critical moment——
TESMAN.
Yes, I must really rush——Good-bye! Good-bye!
[_He hastens out by the hall door._
HEDDA.
[_Approaching._] You seem to have made a particularly lively night of it at your rooms, Judge Brack.
BRACK.
I assure you I have not had my clothes off, Mrs. Hedda.
HEDDA.
Not you, either?
BRACK.
No, as you may see. But what has Tesman been telling you of the night’s adventures?
HEDDA.
Oh, some tiresome story. Only that they went and had coffee somewhere or other.
BRACK.
I have heard about that coffee-party already. Eilert Lövborg was not with them, I fancy?
HEDDA.
No, they had taken him home before that.
BRACK.
Tesman too?
HEDDA.
No, but some of the others, he said.
BRACK.
[_Smiling._] George Tesman is really an ingenuous creature, Mrs. Hedda.
HEDDA.
Yes, heaven knows he is. Then is there something behind all this?
BRACK.
Yes, perhaps there may be.
HEDDA.
Well then, sit down, my dear Judge, and tell your story in comfort.
[_She seats herself to the left of the table. BRACK sits near her, at the long side of the table._
HEDDA.
Now then?
BRACK.
I had special reasons for keeping track of my guests—or rather of some of my guests—last night.
HEDDA.
Of Eilert Lövborg among the rest, perhaps?
BRACK.
Frankly—yes.
HEDDA.
Now you make me really curious——
BRACK.
Do you know where he and one or two of the others finished the night, Mrs. Hedda?
HEDDA.
If it is not quite unmentionable, tell me.
BRACK.
Oh no, it’s not at all unmentionable. Well, they put in an appearance at a particularly animated soirée.
HEDDA.
Of the lively kind?
BRACK.
Of the very liveliest——
HEDDA.
Tell me more of this, Judge Brack——
BRACK.
Lövborg, as well as the others, had been invited in advance. I knew all about it. But he had declined the invitation; for now, as you know, he has become a new man.
HEDDA.
Up at the Elvsteds’, yes. But he went after all, then?
BRACK.
Well, you see, Mrs. Hedda—unhappily the spirit moved him at my rooms last evening——
HEDDA.
Yes, I hear he found inspiration.
BRACK.
Pretty violent inspiration. Well, I fancy that altered his purpose; for we menfolk are unfortunately not always so firm in our principles as we ought to be.
HEDDA.
Oh, I am sure _you_ are an exception, Judge Brack. But as to Lövborg——?
BRACK.
To make a long story short—he landed at last in Mademoiselle Diana’s rooms.
HEDDA.
Mademoiselle Diana’s?
BRACK.
It was Mademoiselle Diana that was giving the soirée, to a select circle of her admirers and her lady friends.
HEDDA.
Is she a red-haired woman?
BRACK.
Precisely.
HEDDA.
A sort of a—singer?
BRACK.
Oh yes—in her leisure moments. And moreover a mighty huntress—of men—Mrs. Hedda. You have no doubt heard of her. Eilert Lövborg was one of her most enthusiastic protectors—in the days of his glory.
HEDDA.
And how did all this end?
BRACK.
Far from amicably, it appears. After a most tender meeting, they seem to have come to blows——
HEDDA.
Lövborg and she?
BRACK.
Yes. He accused her or her friends of having robbed him. He declared that his pocket-book had disappeared—and other things as well. In short, he seems to have made a furious disturbance.
HEDDA.
And what came of it all?
BRACK.
It came to a general scrimmage, in which the ladies as well as the gentlemen took part. Fortunately the police at last appeared on the scene.
HEDDA.
The police too?
BRACK.
Yes. I fancy it will prove a costly frolic for Eilert Lövborg, crazy being that he is.
HEDDA.
How so?
BRACK.
He seems to have made a violent resistance—to have hit one of the constables on the head and torn the coat off his back. So they had to march him off to the police-station with the rest.
HEDDA.
How have you learnt all this?
BRACK.
From the police themselves.
HEDDA.
[_Gazing straight before her._] So that is what happened. Then he had no vine-leaves in his hair.
BRACK.
Vine-leaves, Mrs. Hedda?
HEDDA.
[_Changing her tone._] But tell me now, Judge—what is your real reason for tracking out Eilert Lövborg’s movements so carefully?
BRACK.
In the first place, it could not be entirely indifferent to me if it should appear in the police-court that he came straight from my house.
HEDDA.
Will the matter come into court then?
BRACK.
Of course. However, I should scarcely have troubled so much about that. But I thought that, as a friend of the family, it was my duty to supply you and Tesman with a full account of his nocturnal exploits.
HEDDA.
Why so, Judge Brack?
BRACK.
Why, because I have a shrewd suspicion that he intends to use you as a sort of blind.
HEDDA.
Oh, how can you think such a thing!
BRACK.
Good heavens, Mrs. Hedda—we have eyes in our head. Mark my words! This Mrs. Elvsted will be in no hurry to leave town again.
HEDDA.
Well, even if there should be anything between them, I suppose there are plenty of other places where they could meet.
BRACK.
Not a single _home_. Henceforth, as before, every respectable house will be closed against Eilert Lövborg.
HEDDA.
And so ought mine to be, you mean?
BRACK.
Yes. I confess it would be more than painful to me if this personage were to be made free of your house. How superfluous, how intrusive, he would be, if he were to force his way into——
HEDDA.
——into the triangle?
BRACK.
Precisely. It would simply mean that I should find myself homeless.
HEDDA.
[_Looks at him with a smile._] So you want to be the one cock in the basket[24]—that is your aim.
BRACK.
[_Nods slowly and lowers his voice._] Yes, that is my aim. And for that I will fight—with every weapon I can command.
HEDDA.
[_Her smile vanishing._] I see you are a dangerous person—when it comes to the point.
BRACK.
Do you think so?
HEDDA.
I am beginning to think so. And I am exceedingly glad to think—that you have no sort of hold over me.
BRACK.
[_Laughing equivocally._] Well well, Mrs. Hedda—perhaps you are right there. If I had, who knows what I might be capable of?
HEDDA.
Come come now, Judge Brack! That sounds almost like a threat.
BRACK.
[_Rising._] Oh, not at all! The triangle, you know, ought, if possible, to be spontaneously constructed.
HEDDA.
There I agree with you.
BRACK.
Well, now I have said all I had to say; and I had better be getting back to town. Good-bye, Mrs. Hedda.
[_He goes towards the glass door._
HEDDA.
[_Rising._] Are you going through the garden?
BRACK.
Yes, it’s a short cut for me.
HEDDA.
And then it is a back way, too.
BRACK.
Quite so. I have no objection to back ways. They may be piquant enough at times.
HEDDA.
When there is ball practice going on, you mean?
BRACK.
[_In the doorway, laughing to her._] Oh, people don’t shoot their tame poultry, I fancy.
HEDDA.
[_Also laughing._] Oh no, when there is only one cock in the basket——
[_They exchange laughing nods of farewell. He goes. She closes the door behind him._
[HEDDA, _who has become quite serious, stands for a moment looking out. Presently she goes and peeps through the curtain over the middle doorway. Then she goes to the writing-table, takes_ LÖVBORG’S _packet out of the bookcase, and is on the point of looking through its contents._ BERTA _is heard speaking loudly in the hall._ HEDDA _turns and listens. Then she hastily locks up the packet in the drawer, and lays the key on the inkstand._