Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (278 page)

She takes up an album, and places it on the table beside the sofa, in the further corner of which she seats herself.
Eilert
Lovborg
approaches, stops, and looks at her. Then he takes a chair and seats himself to her left.

Hedda.
[Opening the album.]
Do you see this range of mountains, Mr. Lovborg? It’s the Ortler group. Tesman has written the name underneath. Here it is: “The Ortler group near Meran.”

Lovborg.
[Who has never taken his eyes off her, says softly and slowly:]
Hedda — Gabler!

Hedda.
[Glancing hastily at him.]
Ah! Hush!

Lovborg.
[Repeats softly.]
Hedda Gabler!

Hedda.
[Looking at the album.]
That was my name in the old days — when we two knew each other.

Lovborg.
And I must teach myself never to say Hedda Gabler again — never, as long as I live.

Hedda.
[Still turning over the pages.]
Yes, you must. And I think you ought to practise in time. The sooner the better, I should say.

Lovborg.
[In a tone of indignation.]
Hedda Gabler married? And married to — George Tesman!

Hedda.
Yes — so the world goes.

Lovborg.
Oh, Hedda, Hedda — how could you throw yourself away!

Hedda.
[Looks sharply at him.]
What? I can’t allow this!

Lovborg.
What do you mean?

Tesman
comes into the room and goes towards the sofa.

Hedda.
[Hears him coming and says in an indifferent tone.]
And this is a view from the Val d’Ampezzo, Mr. Lovborg. Just look at these peaks!
[Looks affectionately up at
Tesman
.]
What’s the name of these curious peaks, dear?

Tesman.
Let me see. Oh, those are the Dolomites.

Hedda.
Yes, that’s it! — Those are the Dolomites, Mr. Lovborg.

Tesman.
Hedda, dear, — I only wanted to ask whether I shouldn’t bring you a little punch after all? For yourself at any rate — eh?

Hedda.
Yes, do, please; and perhaps a few biscuits.

Tesman.
No cigarettes?

Hedda.
No.

Tesman.
Very well.

He goes into the inner room and out to the right.
Brack
sits in the inner room, and keeps an eye from time to time on
Hedda
and
Lovborg
.

Lovborg.
[Softly, as before.]
Answer me, Hedda — how could you go and do this?

Hedda.
[Apparently absorbed in the album.]
If you continue to say
du
to me I won’t talk to you.

Lovborg.
May I not say
du
even when we are alone?

Hedda.
No. You may think it; but you mustn’t say it.

Lovborg.
Ah, I understand. It is an offence against George Tesman, whom you — love.

Hedda.
[Glances at him and smiles.]
Love? What an idea!

Lovborg.
You don’t love him then!

Hedda.
But I won’t hear of any sort of unfaithfulness! Remember that.

Lovborg.
Hedda — answer me one thing —

Hedda.
Hush! [
Tesman
enters with a small tray from the inner room.

Tesman.
Here you are! Isn’t this tempting? [He puts the tray on the table.

Hedda.
Why do you bring it yourself?

Tesman.
[Filling the glasses.]
Because I think it’s such fun to wait upon you, Hedda.

Hedda.
But you have poured out two glasses. Mr. Lovborg said he wouldn’t have any —

Tesman.
No, but Mrs. Elvsted will soon be here, won’t she?

Hedda.
Yes, by-the-bye — Mrs. Elvsted —

Tesman.
Had you forgotten her? Eh?

Hedda.
We were so absorbed in these photographs.
[Shows him a picture.]
Do you remember this little village?

Tesman.
Oh, it’s that one just below the Brenner Pass. It was there we passed the night —

Hedda.
— and met that lively party of tourists.

Tesman.
Yes, that was the place. Fancy — if we could only have had you with us, Eilert! Eh?

He returns to the inner room and sits beside
Brack
.

Lovborg.
Answer me one thing, Hedda —

Hedda.
Well?

Lovborg.
Was there no love in your friendship for me either? Not a spark — not a tinge of love in it?

Hedda.
I wonder if there was? To me it seems as though we were two good comrades — two thoroughly intimate friends.
[Smilingly.]
You especially were frankness itself.

Lovborg.
It was you that made me so.

Hedda.
As I look back upon it all, I think there was really something beautiful, something fascinating — something daring — in-in that secret intimacy — that comradeship which no living creature so much as dreamed of.

Lovborg.
Yes, yes, Hedda! Was there not? — When I used to come to your father’s in the afternoon — and the General sat over at the window reading his papers — with his back towards us —

Hedda.
And we two on the corner sofa —

Lovborg.
Always with the same illustrated paper before us —

Hedda.
For want of an album, yes.

Lovborg.
Yes, Hedda, and when I made my confessions to you — told you about myself, things that at that time no one else knew! There I would sit and tell you of my escapades — my days and nights of devilment. Oh, Hedda — what was the power in you that forced me to confess these things?

Hedda.
Do you think it was any power in me?

Lovborg.
How else can I explain it? And all those — those roundabout questions you used to put to me —

Hedda.
Which you understood so particularly well —

Lovborg.
How could you sit and question me like that? Question me quite frankly —

Hedda.
In roundabout terms, please observe.

Lovborg.
Yes, but frankly nevertheless. Cross-question me about — all that sort of thing?

Hedda.
And how could you answer, Mr. Lovborg?

Lovborg.
Yes, that is just what I can’t understand — in looking back upon it. But tell me now, Hedda — was there not love at the bottom of our friendship? On your side, did you not feel as though you might purge my stains away — if I made you my confessor? Was it not so?

Hedda.
No, not quite.

Lovborg.
What was you motive, then?

Hedda.
Do think it quite incomprehensible that a young girl — when it can be done — without any one knowing —

Lovborg.
Well?

Hedda.
— should be glad to have a peep, now and then, into a world which — ?

Lovborg.
Which — ?

Hedda.
— which she is forbidden to know anything about?

Lovborg.
So that was it?

Hedda.
Partly. Partly — I almost think.

Lovborg.
Comradeship in the thirst for life. But why should not that, at any rate, have continued?

Hedda.
The fault was yours.

Lovborg.
It was you that broke with me.

Hedda.
Yes, when our friendship threatened to develop into something more serious. Shame upon you, Eilert Lovborg! How could you think of wronging your — your frank comrade.

Lovborg.
[Clenches his hands.]
Oh, why did you not carry out your threat? Why did you not shoot me down?

Hedda.
Because I have such a dread of scandal.

Lovborg.
Yes, Hedda, you are a coward at heart.

Hedda.
A terrible coward.
[Changing her tone.]
But it was a lucky thing for you. And now you have found ample consolation at the Elvsteds’.

Lovborg.
I know what Thea has confided to you.

Hedda.
And perhaps you have confided to her something about us?

Lovborg.
Not a word. She is too stupid to understand anything of that sort.

Hedda.
Stupid?

Lovborg.
She is stupid about matters of that sort.

Hedda.
And I am cowardly.
[Bends over towards him, without looking him in the face, and says more softly:]
But now I will confide something to you.

Lovborg.
[Eagerly.]
Well?

Hedda.
The fact that I dared not shoot you down —

Lovborg.
Yes!

Hedda.
— that was not my arrant cowardice — that evening.

Lovborg.
[Looks at her a moment, understands, and whispers passionately.]
Oh, Hedda! Hedda Gabler! Now I begin to see a hidden reason beneath our comradeship! You and I — ! After all, then, it was your craving for life —

Hedda.
[Softly, with a sharp glance.]
Take care! Believe nothing of the sort!

Twilight has begun to fall. The hall door is opened from without by
Berta
.

Hedda.
[Closes the album with a bang and calls smilingly:]
Ah, at last! My darling Thea, — come along!

Mrs. Elvsted
enters from the hall. She is in evening dress. The door is closed behind her.

Hedda.
[On the sofa, stretches out her arms towards her.]
My sweet Thea — you can’t think how I have been longing for you!

Mrs. Elvsted
, in passing, exchanges slight salutations with the gentlemen in the inner room, then goes up to the table and gives
Hedda
her hand.
Eilert Lovborg
has risen. He and
Mrs. Elvsted
greet each other with a silent nod.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Ought I to go in and talk to your husband for a moment?

Hedda.
Oh, not at all. Leave those two alone. They will soon be going.

Mrs.
Elvsted. Are they going out?

Hedda.
Yes, to a supper-party.

Mrs.
Elvsted.
[Quickly, to
Lovborg
.]
Not you?

Lovborg.
No.

Hedda.
Mr. Lovborg remains with us.

Mrs.
Elvsted.
[Takes a chair and is about to seat herself at his side.]
Oh, how nice it is here!