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Hedda Gabler

Henrik Ibsen

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(11) 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! HEDDA. No, thank you, my little Thea! Not there! You'll be good enough to come over here to me. I will sit between you. MRS. ELVSTED. Yes, just as you please. [She goes round the table and seats herself on the sofa on HEDDA'S right. LOVBORG re-seats himself on his chair. LOVBORG. [After a short pause, to HEDDA.] Is not she lovely to look at? HEDDA. [Lightly stroking her hair.] Only to look at! LOVBORG. Yes. For we two--she and I--we are two real comrades. We have absolute faith in each other; so we can sit and talk with perfect frankness-- HEDDA. Not round about, Mr. Lovborg? LOVBORG. Well-- MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly clinging close to HEDDA.] Oh, how happy I am, Hedda! For only think, he says I have inspired him too. HEDDA. [Looks at her with a smile.] Ah! Does he say that, dear? LOVBORG. And then she is so brave, Mrs. Tesman! MRS. ELVSTED. Good heavens--am I brave? LOVBORG. Exceedingly--where your comrade is concerned. HEDDA. Ah, yes--courage! If one only had that! LOVBORG. What then? What do you mean? HEDDA. Then life would perhaps be liveable, after all. [With a sudden change of tone.] But now, my dearest Thea, you really must have a glass of cold punch. MRS. ELVSTED. No, thanks--I never take anything of that kind. HEDDA. Well then, you, Mr. Lovborg. LOVBORG. Nor I, thank you. MRS. ELVSTED. No, he doesn't either. HEDDA. [Looks fixedly at him.] But if I say you shall? LOVBORG. It would be of no use. HEDDA. [Laughing.] Then I, poor creature, have no sort of power over you? LOVBORG. Not in that respect. HEDDA. But seriously, I think you ought to--for your own sake. MRS. ELVSTED. Why, Hedda--! LOVBORG. How so? HEDDA. Or rather on account of other people. LOVBORG. Indeed? HEDDA. Otherwise people might be apt to suspect that--in your heart of hearts--you did not feel quite secure--quite confident in yourself. MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly.] Oh please, Hedda--! LOVBORG. People may suspect what they like--for the present. MRS. ELVSTED. [Joyfully.] Yes, let them! HEDDA. I saw it plainly in Judge Brack's face a moment ago. LOVBORG. What did you see? HEDDA. His contemptuous smile, when you dared not go with them into the inner room. LOVBORG. Dared not? Of course I preferred to stop here and talk to you. MRS. ELVSTED. What could be more natural, Hedda? HEDDA. But the Judge could not guess that. And I say, too, the way he smiled and glanced at Tesman when you dared not accept his invitation to this wretched little supper-party of his. LOVBORG. Dared not! Do you say I dared not? HEDDA. _I_ don't say so. But that was how Judge Brack understood it. LOVBORG. Well, let him. HEDDA. Then you are not going with them? LOVBORG. I will stay here with you and Thea. MRS. ELVSTED. Yes, Hedda--how can you doubt that? HEDDA. [Smiles and nods approvingly to LOVBORG.] Firm as a rock! Faithful to your principles, now and for ever! Ah, that is how a man should be! [Turns to MRS. ELVSTED and caresses her.] Well now, what did I tell you, when you came to us this morning in such a state of distraction-- LOVBORG. [Surprised.] Distraction! MRS. ELVSTED. [Terrified.] Hedda--oh Hedda--! HEDDA. You can see for yourself! You haven't the slightest reason to be in such mortal terror-- [Interrupting herself.] There! Now we can all three enjoy ourselves! LOVBORG. [Who has given a start.] Ah--what is all this, Mrs. Tesman? MRS. ELVSTED. Oh my God, Hedda! What are you saying? What are you doing? HEDDA. Don't get excited! That horrid Judge Brack is sitting watching you. LOVBORG. So she was in mortal terror! On my account! MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly and piteously.] Oh, Hedda--now you have ruined everything! LOVBORG. [Looks fixedly at her for a moment. His face is distorted.] So that was my comrade's frank confidence in me? MRS. ELVSTED. [Imploringly.] Oh, my dearest friend--only let me tell you-- LOVBORG. [Takes one of the glasses of punch, raises it to his lips, and says in a low, husky voice.] Your health, Thea! [He empties the glass, puts it down, and takes the second. MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly.] Oh, Hedda, Hedda--how could you do this? HEDDA. _I_ do it? _I_? Are you crazy? LOVBORG. Here's to your health too, Mrs. Tesman. Thanks for the truth. Hurrah for the truth! [He empties the glass and is about to re-fill it. HEDDA. [Lays her hand on his arm.] Come, come--no more for the present. Remember you are going out to supper. MRS. ELVSTED. No, no, no! HEDDA. Hush! They are sitting watching you. LOVBORG. [Putting down the glass.] Now, Thea--tell me the truth-- MRS. ELVSTED. Yes. LOVBORG. Did your husband know that you had come after me? MRS. ELVSTED. [Wringing her hands.] Oh, Hedda--do you hear what he is asking? LOVBORG. Was it arranged between you and him that you were to come to town and look after me? Perhaps it was the Sheriff himself that urged you to come? Aha, my dear--no doubt he wanted my help in his office! Or was it at the card-table that he missed me? MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly, in agony.] Oh, Lovborg, Lovborg--! LOVBORG. [Seizes a glass and is on the point of filling it.] Here's a glass for the old Sheriff too! HEDDA. [Preventing him.] No more just now. Remember, you have to read your manuscript to Tesman. LOVBORG. [Calmly, putting down the glass.] It was stupid of me all this. Thea--to take it in this way, I mean. Don't be angry with me, my dear, dear comrade. You shall see--both you and the others--that if I was fallen once--now I have risen again! Thanks to you, Thea. MRS. ELVSTED. [Radiant with joy.] Oh, heaven be praised--! [BRACK has in the meantime looked at his watch. He and TESMAN rise and come into the drawing-room. BRACK. [Takes his hat and overcoat.] Well, Mrs. Tesman, our time has come. HEDDA. I suppose it has. LOVBORG. [Rising.] Mine too, Judge Brack. MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly and imploringly.] Oh, Lovborg, don't do it! HEDDA. [Pinching her arm.] They can hear you! MRS. ELVSTED. [With a suppressed shriek.] Ow! LOVBORG. [To BRACK.] You were good enough to invite me. JUDGE BRACK. Well, are you coming after all? LOVBORG. Yes, many thanks. BRACK. I'm delighted-- LOVBORG. [To TESMAN, putting the parcel of MS. in his pocket.] I should like to show you one or two things before I send it to the printers. TESMAN. Fancy--that will be delightful. But, Hedda dear, how is Mrs. Elvsted to get home? Eh?