Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (296 page)

SOLNESS. Hilda — do you know what you are?

HILDA. Yes, I suppose I am a strange sort of bird.

SOLNESS. No. You are like a dawning day. When I look at you — I seem to be looking towards the sunrise.

HILDA. Tell me, Mr. Solness — are you certain that you have never called me to you? Inwardly, you know?

SOLNESS.
[Softly and slowly.]
I almost think I must have.

HILDA. What did you want with me?

SOLNESS. You are the younger generation, Hilda.

HILDA.
[Smiles.]
That younger generation that you are so afraid of?

SOLNESS.
[Nods slowly.]
And which, in my heart, I yearn towards so deeply.

[HILDA rises, goes to the little table, and fetches RAGNAR BROVIK’S portfolio.

HILDA.
[Holds out the portfolio to him.]
We were talking of these drawings —

SOLNESS.
[Shortly, waving them away.]
Put those things away! I have seen enough of them.

HILDA. Yes, but you have to write your approval on them.

SOLNESS. Write my approval on them? Never!

HILDA. But the poor old man is lying at death’s door! Can’t you give him and his son this pleasure before they are parted? And perhaps he might get the commission to carry them out, too.

SOLNESS. Yes, that is just what he would get. He has made sure of that — has my fine gentleman!

HILDA. Then, good heavens — if that is so — can’t you tell the least little bit of a lie for once in a way?

SOLNESS. A lie?
[Raging.]
Hilda — take those devil’s drawings out of my sight!

HILDA.
[Draws the portfolio a little nearer to herself.]
Well, well, well — don’t bite me. — You talk of trolls — but I think you go on like a troll yourself.
[Looks round.]
Where do you keep your pen and ink?

SOLNESS. There is nothing of the sort in here.

HILDA.
[Goes towards the door.]
But in the office where that young lady is —

SOLNESS. Stay where you are, Hilda! — I ought to tell a lie, you say. Oh yes, for the sake of his old father I might well do that — for in my time I have crushed him, trodden him under foot —

HILDA. Him, too?

SOLNESS. I needed room for myself. But this Ragnar — he must on no account be allowed to come to the front.

HILDA. Poor fellow, there is surely no fear of that. If he has nothing in him —

SOLNESS.
[Comes closer, looks at her, and whispers.]
If Ragnar Brovik gets his chance, he will strike me to the earth. Crush me — as I crushed his father.

HILDA. Crush you? Has he the ability for that?

SOLNESS. Yes, you may depend upon it he has the ability! He is the younger generation that stands ready to knock at my door — to make an end of Halvard Solness.

HILDA.
[Looks at him with quiet reproach.]
And yet you would bar him out. Fie, Mr. Solness!

SOLNESS. The fight I have been fighting has cost heart’s blood enough. — And I am afraid, too, that the helpers and servers will not obey me any longer.

HILDA. Then you must go ahead without them. There is nothing else for it.

SOLNESS. It is hopeless, Hilda. The luck is bound to turn. A little sooner or a little later. Retribution is inexorable.

HILDA.
[In distress, putting her hands over her ears.]
Don’t talk like that! Do you want to kill me? To take from me what is more than my life?

SOLNESS. And what is that?

HILDA. The longing to see you great. To see you, with a wreath in your hand, high, high up upon a church-tower.
[Calm again.]
Come, out with your pencil now. You must have a pencil about you?

SOLNESS.
[Takes out his pocket-book.]
I have one here.

HILDA.
[Lays the portfolio on the sofa-table.]
Very well. Now let us two sit down here, Mr. Solness.
[SOLNESS seats himself at the table. HILDA stands behind him, leaning over the back of the chair.]
And now we well write on the drawings. We must write very, very nicely and cordially — for this horrid Ruar — or whatever his name is.

SOLNESS.
[Writes a few words, turns his head and looks at her.]
Tell me one thing, Hilda.

HILDA. Yes!

SOLNESS. If you have been waiting for me all these ten years —

HILDA. What then?

SOLNESS. Why have you never written to me? Then I could have answered you.

HILDA.
[Hastily.]
No, no, no! That was just what I did not want.

SOLNESS. Why not?

HILDA. I was afraid the whole thing might fall to pieces. — But we were going to write on the drawings, Mr. Solness.

SOLNESS. So we were.

HILDA.
[Bends forward and looks over his shoulder while he writes.]
Mind now, kindly and cordially! Oh how I hate — how I hate this Ruald —

SOLNESS.
[Writing.]
Have you never really cared for any one, Hilda?

HILDA. For any one else, I suppose you mean?

SOLNESS.
[Looks up at her.]
For any one else, yes. Have you never? In all these ten years? Never?

HILDA. Oh yes, now and then. When I was perfectly furious with you for not coming.

SOLNESS. Then you did take an interest in other people, too?

HILDA. A little bit — for a week or so. Good heavens, Mr. Solness, you surely know how such things come about.

SOLNESS. Hilda — what is it you have come for?

HILDA. Don’t waste time talking. The poor old man might go and die in the meantime.

SOLNESS. Answer me, Hilda. What do you want of me?

HILDA. I want my kingdom.

SOLNESS. H’m — He gives a rapid glance toward the door on the left, and then goes on writing on the drawings.
 
At the same moment MRS. SOLNESS enters.

MRS. SOLNESS. Here are a few things I have got for you, Miss Wangel. The large parcels will be sent later on.

HILDA. Oh, how very, very kind of you!

MRS. SOLNESS. Only my simple duty. Nothing more than that.

SOLNESS.
[Reading over what he has written.]
Aline!

MRS. SOLNESS. Yes?

SOLNESS. Did you notice whether the — the book-keeper was out there?

MRS. SOLNESS. Yes, of course, she was there.

SOLNESS.
[Puts the drawings in the portfolio.]
H’m —

MRS. SOLNESS. She was standing at the desk, as she always is — when
I
go through the room.

SOLNESS.
[Rises.]
Then I’ll give this to her and tell her that —

HILDA.
[Takes the portfolio from him.]
Oh, no, let me have the pleasure of doing that!
[Goes to the door, but turns.]
What is her name?

SOLNESS. Her name is Miss Fosli.

HILDA. Pooh, that sounds so cold! Her Christian name, I mean?

SOLNESS. Kaia — I believe.

HILDA.
[Opens the door and calls out.]
Kaia, come in here! Make haste! Mr. Solness wants to speak to you. KAIA FOSLI appears at the door.

KAIA.
[Looking at him in alarm.]
Here I am — ?

HILDA.
[Handing her the portfolio.]
See her, Kaia! You can take this home; Mr. Solness was written on them now.

KAIA. Oh, at last!

SOLNESS. Give them to the old man as soon as you can.

KAIA. I will go straight home with them.

SOLNESS. Yes, do. Now Ragnar will have a chance of building for himself.

KAIA. Oh, may he come and thank you for all — ?

SOLNESS.
[Harshly.]
I won’t have any thanks! Tell him that from me.

KAIA. Yes, I will —

SOLNESS. And tell him at the same time that henceforward I do not require his services — nor yours either.

KAIA.
[Softly and quiveringly.]
Not mine either?

SOLNESS. You will have other things to think of now, and to attend to; and that is a very good thing for you. Well, go home with the drawings now, Miss Fosli. At once! Do you hear?

KAIA.
[As before.]
Yes, Mr. Solness. [She goes out.

MRS. SOLNESS. Heavens! what deceitful eyes she has.

SOLNESS. She? That poor little creature?

MRS. SOLNESS. Oh — I can see what I can see, Halvard. —— Are you really dismissing them?

SOLNESS. Yes.

MRS. SOLNESS. Her as well?

SOLNESS. Was not that what you wished?

MRS. SOLNESS. But how can you get on without her — ? Oh well, no doubt you have some one else in reserve, Halvard.

HILDA.
[Playfully.]
Well,
I
for one am not the person to stand at a desk.

SOLNESS. Never mind, never mind — it will be all right, Aline. Now all you have to do is think about moving into our new home — as quickly as you can. This evening we will hang up the wreath —
[Turns to HILDA.]
What do you say to that, Miss Hilda?

HILDA.
[Looks at him with sparkling eyes.]
It will be splendid to see you so high up once more.

SOLNESS. Me!

MRS. SOLNESS. For Heaven’s sake, Miss Wangel, don’t imagine such a thing! My husband! — when he always gets so dizzy!

HILDA. He get dizzy! No, I know quite well he does not!

MRS. SOLNESS. Oh yes, indeed he does.

HILDA. But I have seen him with my own eyes right up at the top of a high church-tower!

MRS. SOLNESS. Yes, I hear people talk of that; but it is utterly impossible —

SOLNESS.
[Vehemently.]
Impossible — impossible, yes! But there I stood all the same!

MRS. SOLNESS. O, how can you say so, Halvard? Why, you can’t even bear to go out on the second-storey balcony here. You have always been like that.

SOLNESS. You may perhaps see something different this evening.

MRS. SOLNESS.
[In alarm.]
No, no, no! Please God I shall never see that. I will write at once to the doctor — and I am sure he won’t let you do it.

SOLNESS. Why, Aline — !

MRS. SOLNESS. Oh, you know you’re ill, Halvard. This proves it! Oh God — Oh God!

[She goes hastily out to the right.

HILDA.
[Looks intently at him.]
Is it so, or is it not?

SOLNESS. That I turn dizzy?

HILDA. That my master builder dares not — cannot — climb as high as he builds?

SOLNESS. Is that the way you look at it?

HILDA. Yes.

SOLNESS. I believe there is scarcely a corner in me that is safe from you.

HILDA.
[Looks towards the bow-window.]
Up there, then. Right up there —

SOLNESS.
[Approaches her.]
You might have the topmost room in the tower, Hilda — there you might live like a princess.

HILDA.
[Indefinably, between earnest and jest.]
Yes, that is what you promised me.