Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (272 page)

Hedda.
[Crossing the room.]
Oh, do be quiet — !

Miss Tesman.
[Who has stopped and turned.]
Filled out?

Tesman.
Of course you don’t notice it so much now that she has that dress on. But I, who can see —

Hedda.
[At the glass door, impatiently.]
Oh, you can’t see anything.

Tesman.
It must be the mountain air in the Tyrol —

Hedda.
[Curtly, interrupting.]
I am exactly as I was when I started.

Tesman.
So you insist; but I’m quite certain you are not. Don’t you agree with me, Auntie?

Miss Tesman.
[Who has been gazing at her with folded hands.]
Hedda is lovely — lovely — lovely.
[Goes up to her, takes her head between both hands, draws it downwards, and kisses her hair.]
God bless and preserve Hedda Tesman — for George’s sake.

Hedda.
[Gently freeing herself.]
Oh — ! Let me go.

Miss Tesman.
[In quiet emotion.]
I shall not let a day pass without coming to see you.

Tesman.
No you won’t, will you, Auntie? Eh?

Miss Tesman.
Good-bye — good-bye!

She goes out by the hall door.
Tesman
accompanies her. The door remains half open.
Tesman
can be heard repeating his message to Aunt Rina and his thanks for the slippers.

In the meantime,
Hedda
walks about the room, raising her arms and clenching her hands as if in desperation. Then she flings back the curtains from the glass door, and stands there looking out.

Presently,
Tesman
returns and closes the door behind him.

Tesman.
[Picks up the slippers from the floor.]
What are you looking at, Hedda?

Hedda.
[Once more calm and mistress of herself.]
I am only looking at the leaves. They are so yellow — so withered.

Tesman.
[Wraps up the slippers and lays them on the table.]
Well, you see, we are well into September now.

Hedda.
[Again restless.]
Yes, to think of it! — already in-in September.

Tesman.
Don’t you think Aunt Julia’s manner was strange, dear? Almost solemn? Can you imagine what was the matter with her? Eh?

Hedda.
I scarcely know her, you see. Is she not often like that?

Tesman.
No, not as she was today.

Hedda.
[Leaving the glass door.]
Do you think she was annoyed about the bonnet?

Tesman.
Oh, scarcely at all. Perhaps a little, just at the moment —

Hedda.
But what an idea, to pitch her bonnet about in the drawing-room! No one does that sort of thing.

Tesman.
Well you may be sure Aunt Julia won’t do it again.

Hedda.
In any case, I shall manage to make my peace with her.

Tesman.
Yes, my dear, good Hedda, if you only would.

Hedda.
When you call this afternoon, you might invite her to spend the evening here.

Tesman.
Yes, that I will. And there’s one thing more you could do that would delight her heart.

Hedda.
What is it?

Tesman.
If you could only prevail on yourself to say
du
to her. For my sake, Hedda? Eh?

Hedda.
No, no, Tesman — you really mustn’t ask that of me. I have told you so already. I shall try to call her “Aunt”; and you must be satisfied with that.

Tesman.
Well well. Only I think now that you belong to the family, you —

Hedda.
H’m — I can’t in the least see why —

She goes up towards the middle doorway.

Tesman.
[After a pause.]
Is there anything the matter with you, Hedda? Eh?

Hedda.
I’m only looking at my old piano. It doesn’t go at all well with all the other things.

Tesman.
The first time I draw my salary, we’ll see about exchanging it.

Hedda.
No, no — no exchanging. I don’t want to part with it. Suppose we put it there in the inner room, and then get another here in its place. When it’s convenient, I mean.

Tesman.
[A little taken aback.]
Yes — of course we could do that.

Hedda.
[Takes up the bouquet from the piano.]
These flowers were not here last night when we arrived.

Tesman.
Aunt Julia must have brought them for you.

Hedda.
[Examining the bouquet.]
A visiting-card.
[Takes it out and reads:]
“Shall return later in the day.” Can you guess whose card it is?

Tesman.
No. Whose? Eh?

Hedda.
The name is “Mrs. Elvsted.”

Tesman.
Is it really? Sheriff Elvsted’s wife? Miss Rysing that was.

Hedda.
Exactly. The girl with the irritating hair, that she was always showing off. An old flame of yours I’ve been told.

Tesman.
[Laughing.]
Oh, that didn’t last long; and it was before I met you, Hedda. But fancy her being in town!

Hedda.
It’s odd that she should call upon us. I have scarcely seen her since we left school.

Tesman.
I haven’t see her either for — heaven knows how long. I wonder how she can endure to live in such an out-of-the way hole — eh?

Hedda.
[After a moment’s thought, says suddenly.]
Tell me, Tesman — isn’t it somewhere near there that he — that — Eilert Lovborg is living?

Tesman.
Yes, he is somewhere in that part of the country.

Berta
enters by the hall door.

Berta.
That lady, ma’am, that brought some flowers a little while ago, is here again.
[Pointing.]
The flowers you have in your hand, ma’am.

Hedda.
Ah, is she? Well, please show her in.

Berta
opens the door for
Mrs. Elvsted
, and goes out herself. —
Mrs. Elvsted
is a woman of fragile figure, with pretty, soft features. Her eyes are light blue, large, round, and somewhat prominent, with a startled, inquiring expression. Her hair is remarkably light, almost flaxen, and unusually abundant and wavy. She is a couple of years younger than
Hedda
. She wears a dark visiting dress, tasteful, but not quite in the latest fashion.

Hedda.
[Receives her warmly.]
How do you do, my dear Mrs. Elvsted? It’s delightful to see you again.

Mrs.
Elvsted.
[Nervously, struggling for self-control.]
Yes, it’s a very long time since we met.

Tesman.
[Gives her his hand.]
And we too — eh?

Hedda.
Thanks for your lovely flowers —

Mrs.
Elvsted. Oh, not at all — . I would have come straight here yesterday afternoon; but I heard that you were away —

Tesman.
Have you just come to town? Eh?

Mrs.
Elvsted. I arrived yesterday, about midday. Oh, I was quite in despair when I heard that you were not at home.

Hedda.
In despair! How so?

Tesman.
Why, my dear Mrs. Rysing — I mean Mrs. Elvsted —

Hedda.
I hope that you are not in any trouble?

Mrs.
Elvsted. Yes, I am. And I don’t know another living creature here that I can turn to.

Hedda.
[Laying the bouquet on the table.]
Come — let us sit here on the sofa —

Mrs.
Elvsted. Oh, I am too restless to sit down.

Hedda.
Oh no, you’re not. Come here.

She draws
Mrs. Elvsted
down upon the sofa and sits at her side.

Tesman.
Well? What is it, Mrs. Elvsted — ?

Hedda.
Has anything particular happened to you at home?

Mrs.
Elvsted. Yes — and no. Oh — I am so anxious you should not misunderstand me —

Hedda.
Then your best plan is to tell us the whole story, Mrs. Elvsted.

Tesman.
I suppose that’s what you have come for — eh?

Mrs.
Elvsted. Yes, yes — of course it is. Well then, I must tell you — if you don’t already know — that Eilert Lovborg is in town, too.

Hedda.
Lovborg — !

Tesman.
What! Has Eilert Lovborg come back? Fancy that, Hedda!

Hedda.
Well well — I hear it.

Mrs.
Elvsted. He has been here a week already. Just fancy — a whole week! In this terrible town, alone! With so many temptations on all sides.

Hedda.
But, my dear Mrs. Elvsted — how does he concern you so much?

Mrs.
Elvsted.
[Looks at her with a startled air, and says rapidly.]
He was the children’s tutor.

Hedda.
Your children’s?

Mrs.
Elvsted. My husband’s. I have none.

Hedda.
Your step-children’s, then?

Mrs.
Elvsted. Yes.

Tesman.
[Somewhat hesitatingly.]
Then was he — I don’t know how to express it — was he — regular enough in his habits to be fit for the post? Eh?

Mrs.
Elvsted. For the last two years his conduct has been irreproachable.

Tesman.
Has it indeed? Fancy that, Hedda!

Hedda.
I hear it.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Perfectly irreproachable, I assure you! In every respect. But all the same — now that I know he is here — in this great town — and with a large sum of money in his hands — I can’t help being in mortal fear for him.

Tesman.
Why did he not remain where he was? With you and your husband? Eh?

Mrs.
Elvsted. After his book was published he was too restless and unsettled to remain with us.

Tesman.
Yes, by-the-bye, Aunt Julia told me he had published a new book.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Yes, a big book, dealing with the march of civilisation — in broad outline, as it were. It came out about a fortnight ago. And since it has sold so well, and been so much read — and made such a sensation —

Tesman.
Has it indeed? It must be something he has had lying by since his better days.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Long ago, you mean?

Tesman.
Yes.

Mrs.
Elvsted. No, he has written it all since he has been with us — within the last year.

Tesman.
Isn’t that good news, Hedda? Think of that.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Ah yes, if only it would last!