[The ladies on the verandah wave their pocket-handkerchiefs, andthe shouts of "Hurrah" are taken up in the street. Then theyare suddenly silenced, and the crowd bursts out into a shriekof horror. A human body, with planks and fragments of wood,is vaguely perceived crashing down behind the trees.MRS. SOLNESS AND THE LADIES.[At the same time.] He is falling! He is falling![MRS. SOLNESS totters, falls backwards, swooning, and is caught,amid cries and confusion, by the ladies. The crowd in thestreet breaks down the fence and storms into the garden. Atthe same time DR. HERDAL, too, rushes down thither. A shortpause.HILDA.[Stares fixedly upwards and says, as if petrified.] My Master Builder.RAGNAR.[Supports himself, trembling, against the railing.] He must be dashed to pieces—killed on the spot.ONE OF THE LADIES.[Whilst MRS. SOLNESS is carried into the house.] Run down for the doctor—RAGNAR.I can't stir a root—ANOTHER LADY.Then call to some one!RAGNAR.[Tries to call out.] How is it? Is he alive?A VOICE.[Below, in the garden.] Mr. Solness is dead!OTHER VOICES.[Nearer.] The head is all crushed.—he fell right into the quarry.HILDA.[Turns to RAGNAR, and says quietly.] I can't see him up there now.RAGNAR.This is terrible. So, after all, he could not do it.HILDA.[As if in quiet spell-bound triumph.] But he mounted right to the top. And I heard harps in the air. [Waves her shawl in the air, and shrieks with wild intensity.] My—my Master Builder!
[The ladies on the verandah wave their pocket-handkerchiefs, andthe shouts of "Hurrah" are taken up in the street. Then theyare suddenly silenced, and the crowd bursts out into a shriekof horror. A human body, with planks and fragments of wood,is vaguely perceived crashing down behind the trees.
[At the same time.] He is falling! He is falling!
[MRS. SOLNESS totters, falls backwards, swooning, and is caught,amid cries and confusion, by the ladies. The crowd in thestreet breaks down the fence and storms into the garden. Atthe same time DR. HERDAL, too, rushes down thither. A shortpause.
[Stares fixedly upwards and says, as if petrified.] My Master Builder.
[Supports himself, trembling, against the railing.] He must be dashed to pieces—killed on the spot.
[Whilst MRS. SOLNESS is carried into the house.] Run down for the doctor—
I can't stir a root—
Then call to some one!
[Tries to call out.] How is it? Is he alive?
[Below, in the garden.] Mr. Solness is dead!
[Nearer.] The head is all crushed.—he fell right into the quarry.
[Turns to RAGNAR, and says quietly.] I can't see him up there now.
This is terrible. So, after all, he could not do it.
[As if in quiet spell-bound triumph.] But he mounted right to the top. And I heard harps in the air. [Waves her shawl in the air, and shrieks with wild intensity.] My—my Master Builder!