Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (294 page)

SOLNESS. It was just after the birth of the two little boys —

HILDA. The poor little twins, yes.

SOLNESS. They came healthy and bonny into the world. And they were growing too — you could see the difference day to day.

HILDA. Little children do grow quickly at first.

SOLNESS. It was the prettiest sight in the world to see Aline lying with the two of them in her arms. — But then came the night of the fire —

HILDA.
[Excitedly.]
What happened? Do tell me! Was any one burnt?

SOLNESS. No, not that. Every one got safe and sound out of the house —

HILDA. Well, and what then — ?

SOLNESS. The fright had shaken Aline terribly. The alarm — the escape — the break-neck hurry — and then the ice-cold night air — for they had to be carried out just as they lay — both she and the little ones.

HILDA. Was it too much for them?

SOLNESS. Oh no, they stood it well enough. But Aline fell into a fever, and it affected her milk. She would insist on nursing them herself; because it was her duty, she said. And both our little boys, they —
[Clenching his hands.]
— they — oh!

HILDA. They did not get over that?

SOLNESS. No, that they did not get over. That was how we lost them.

HILDA. It must have been terribly hard for you.

SOLNESS. Hard enough for me; but ten time harder for Aline.
[Clenching his hands in suppressed fury.]
Oh, that such things should be allowed to happen here the world!
[Shortly and firmly.]
From the day I lost them, I had no heart for building churches.

HILDA. Did you not like building the church-tower in our town?

SOLNESS. I didn’t like it. I know how free and happy I felt when that tower was finished.

HILDA.
I
know that, too.

SOLNESS. And now I shall never — never build anything of that sort again! Neither churches nor church-towers.

HILDA.
[Nods slowly.]
Nothing but houses for people to live in.

SOLNESS. Homes for human beings, Hilda.

HILDA. But homes with high towers and pinnacles upon them.

SOLNESS. If possible.
[Adopts a lighter tone.]
But, as I said before, that fire was the making of me — as a builder, I mean.

HILDA. Why don’t you call yourself an architect, like the others?

SOLNESS. I have not been systematically enough taught for that. Most of what I know I have found out for myself.

HILDA. But you succeeded all the same.

SOLNESS. Yes, thanks to the fire. I laid out almost the whole of the garden in villa lots; and there I was able to build after my own heart. So I came to the front with a rush.

HILDA.
[Looks keenly at him.]
You must surely be a very happy man, as matters stand with you.

SOLNESS.
[Gloomily.]
Happy? Do you say that, too — like all the rest of them?

HILDA. Yes, I should say you must be. If you could only cease thing about the two little children —

SOLNESS.
[Slowly.]
The two little children — they are not so easy to forget, Hilda.

HILDA.
[Somewhat uncertainly.]
Do you still feel their loss so much — after all these years?

SOLNESS.
[Looks fixedly at her, without replying.]
A happy man you said —

HILDA. Well, now, are you not happy — in other respects?

SOLNESS.
[Continues to look at her.]
When I told you all this about the fire — h’m —

HILDA. Well?

SOLNESS. Was there not one special thought that you — that you seized upon?

HILDA.
[Reflects in vain.]
No. What thought should that be?

SOLNESS.
[With subdued emphasis.]
It was simply and solely by that fire that I was enabled to build homes for human beings. Cosy, comfortable, bright homes, where father and mother and the whole troop of children can live in safety and gladness, feeling what a happy thing it is to be alive in the world — and most of all to belong to each other — in great things and in small.

HILDA.
[Ardently.]
Well, and is it not a great happiness for you to be able to build such beautiful homes?

SOLNESS. The price, Hilda! The terrible price I had to pay for the opportunity!

HILDA. But can you never get over that?

SOLNESS. No. That I might build homes for others, I had to forego — to forego for all time — the home that might have been my own. I mean a home for a troop of children — and for father and mother, too.

HILDA.
[Cautiously.]
But need you have done that? For all time, you say?

SOLNESS.
[Nods slowly.]
That was the price of this happiness that people talk about.
[Breathes heavily.]
This happiness — h’m — this happiness was not to be bought any cheaper, Hilda.

HILDA.
[As before.]
But may it not come right even yet?

SOLNESS. Never in this world — never. That is another consequence of the fire — and of Aline’s illness afterwards.

HILDA.
[Looks at him with an indefinable expression.]
And yet you build all these nurseries.

SOLNESS.
[Seriously.]
Have you never noticed, Hilda, how the impossible — how it seems to beckon and cry aloud to one?

HILDA.
[Reflecting.]
The impossible?
[With animation.]
Yes, indeed! Is that how you feel too?

SOLNESS. Yes, I do.

HILDA. Then there must be — a little of the troll in you too.

SOLNESS. Why of the troll?

HILDA. What would you call it, then?

SOLNESS.
[Rises.]
Well, well, perhaps you are right.
[Vehemently.]
But how can I help turning into a troll, when this is how it always goes with me in everything — in everything!

HILDA. How do you mean?

SOLNESS.
[Speaking low, with inward emotion.]
Mark what I say to you, Hilda. All that I have succeeded in doing, building, creating — all the beauty, security, cheerful comfort — ay, and magnificence too —
[Clenches his hands.]
Oh, is it not terrible even to think of — ?

HILDA. What is so terrible?

SOLNESS. That all this I have to make up for, to pay for — not in money, but in human happiness. And not with my own happiness only, but with other people’s too. Yes, yes, do you see that, Hilda? That is the price which my position as an artist has cost me — and others. And every single day I have to look on while the price is paid for me anew. Over again, and over again — and over again for ever!

HILDA.
[Rises and looks steadily at him.]
Now I can see that you are thinking of — of her.

SOLNESS. Yes, mainly of Aline. For Aline — she, too, had her vocation in life, just as much as I had mine.
[His voice quivers.]
But her vocation has had to be stunted, and crushed, and shattered — in order that mine might force its way to — to a sort of great victory. For you must know that Aline — she, too, had a talent for building.

HILDA. She! For building?

SOLNESS.
[Shakes his head.]
Not houses and towers, and spires — not such things as I work away at —

HILDA. Well, but what then?

SOLNESS.
[Softly, with emotion.]
For building up the souls of little children, Hilda. For building up children’s souls in perfect balance, and in noble and beautiful forms. For enabling them to soar up into erect and full-grown human souls. That was Aline’s talent. And there it all lies now — unused and unusable for ever — of no earthly service to any one — just like the ruins left by a fire.

HILDA. Yes, but even if this were so — ?

SOLNESS. It is so! It is so! I know it!

HILDA. Well, but in any case it is not your fault.

SOLNESS.
[Fixes his eyes on her, and nods slowly.]
Ah, that is the great, the terrible question. That is the doubt that is gnawing me — night and day.

HILDA. That?

SOLNESS. Yes. Suppose the fault was mine — in a certain sense.

HILDA. Your fault! The fire!

SOLNESS. All of it; the whole thing. And yet, perhaps — I may not have had anything to do with it.

HILDA.
[Looks at him with a troubled expression.]
Oh, Mr. Solness — if you can talk like that, I am afraid you must be — ill after all.

SOLNESS. H’m — I don’t think I shall ever be of quite sound mind on that point. RAGNAR BROVIK cautiously opens the little door in the left- hand corner.
 
HILDA comes forward.

RAGNAR.
[When he sees Hilda.]
Oh. I beg pardon, Mr. Solness —— [He makes a movement to withdraw.

SOLNESS. No, no, don’t go. Let us get it over.

RAGNAR. Oh, yes — if only we could.

SOLNESS. I hear your father is no better?

RAGNAR. Father is fast growing weaker — and therefore I beg and implore you to write a few kind words for me on one of the plans! Something for father to read before he —

SOLNESS.
[Vehemently.]
I won’t hear anything more about those drawings of yours!

RAGNAR. Have you looked at them?

SOLNESS. Yes — I have.

RAGNAR. And they are good for nothing? And
I
am good for nothing, too?

SOLNESS.
[Evasively.]
Stay here with me, Ragnar. You shall have everything your own way. And then you can marry Kaia, and live at your ease — and happily too, who knows? Only don’t think of building on your own account.

RAGNAR. Well, well, then I must go home and tell father what you say — I promised I would. — Is this what I am to tell father — before he dies?

SOLNESS.
[With a groan.]
Oh tell him — tell him what you will, for me. Best to say nothing at all to him!
[With a sudden outburst.]
I cannot do anything else, Ragnar!

RAGNAR. May I have the drawings to take with me?

SOLNESS. Yes, take them — take them by all means! They are lying there on the table.

RAGNAR.
[Goes to the table.]
Thanks.

HILDA.
[Puts her hand on the portfolio.]
No, no; leave them here.

SOLNESS. Why?

HILDA. Because I want to look at them, too.

SOLNESS. But you have been ——
[To RAGNAR.]
Well, leave them here, then.

RAGNAR. Very well.

SOLNESS. And go home at once to your father.

RAGNAR. Yes, I suppose I must.

SOLNESS.
[As if in desperation.]
Ragnar — you must not ask me to do what is beyond my power! Do you hear, Ragnar? You must not!

RAGNAR. No, no. I beg you pardon —

[He bows, and goes out by the corner door.
 
HILDA goes over and sits down on a chair near the mirror.

HILDA.
[Looks angrily at SOLNESS.]
That was a very ugly thing to do.

SOLNESS. Do you think so, too?

HILDA. Yes, it was horribly ugly — and hard and bad and cruel as well.

SOLNESS. Oh, you don’t understand my position.

HILDA. No matter — . I say you ought not to be like that.