Chapter 32

Fancy, refused!

Strawman.

It cannot be!

Miss Jay.

It is!

The Ladies[from mouth to mouth].

Refused! Refused! Refused!

[They gather in little groups about the garden.

Stiver[dumfounded].

Hecourting? How?

Strawman.

Yes, think! He laugh’d at us, ha, ha—butnow—[They gaze at each other speechless.

Yes, think! He laugh’d at us, ha, ha—but

now—

[They gaze at each other speechless.

Anna[toLind].

That’s good! He was too horrid, to be sure!

Lind[embracing her].

Hurrah, now thou art mine, entire and whole.[They go outside into the garden.

Hurrah, now thou art mine, entire and whole.

[They go outside into the garden.

Guldstad[looking back towardsSvanhild].

Something is shattered in a certain soul;But what is yet alive in it I’ll cure.

Something is shattered in a certain soul;

But what is yet alive in it I’ll cure.

Strawman[recovering himself and embracingStiver].

Now then, you can be very well contentedTo have your dearfiancéefor a spouse.

Now then, you can be very well contented

To have your dearfiancéefor a spouse.

Stiver.

And you complacently can see your houseWith little Strawmans every year augmented.

And you complacently can see your house

With little Strawmans every year augmented.

Strawman

[Rubbing his hands with satisfaction and looking afterFalk.

Insolent fellow! Well, it served him right;—Would all these knowing knaves were in his plight!

Insolent fellow! Well, it served him right;—

Would all these knowing knaves were in his plight!

[They go across in conversation;Mrs. Halmapproaches withSvanhild.

Mrs. Halm[aside, eagerly].

And nothing binds you?

Svanhild.

Nothing.

Mrs. Halm.

Good, you knowA daughter’s duty—

Good, you know

A daughter’s duty—

Svanhild.

Guide me, I obey.

Mrs. Halm

Thanks, child.[Pointing toGuldstad.He is a rich andcomme il fautParti; and since there’s nothing in the way—

Thanks, child.

[Pointing toGuldstad.

He is a rich andcomme il faut

Parti; and since there’s nothing in the way—

Svanhild.

Yes, there is one condition I require!— To leave this place.

Mrs. Halm.

Precisely his desire.

Svanhild.

And time—

Mrs. Halm.

How long? Bethink you, fortune’s calling!

Svanhild[with a quiet smile].

Only a little; till the leaves are falling.

[She goes towards the verandah;Mrs. Halmseeks outGuldstad.

Strawman[among the guests].

One lesson, friends, we learn from this example!Tho’ Doubt’s beleaguering forces hem us in,Yet Truth upon the Serpent’s head shall trample,The cause of Love shall win—

One lesson, friends, we learn from this example!

Tho’ Doubt’s beleaguering forces hem us in,

Yet Truth upon the Serpent’s head shall trample,

The cause of Love shall win—

Guests.

Yes, Love shall win!

[They embrace and kiss, pair by pair. Outside to the left are heard song and laughter.

Miss Jay.

What can this mean?

Anna.

The students!

Lind.

The quartette,Bound for the mountains;—and I quite forgotTo tell them—

The quartette,

Bound for the mountains;—and I quite forgot

To tell them—

[TheStudentscome in to the left and remain standing at the entrance.

A Student[toLind].

Here we are upon the spot!

Mrs. Halm.

It’s Lind you seek, then?

Miss Jay.

That’s unfortunate.He’s just engaged—

That’s unfortunate.

He’s just engaged—

An Aunt.

And so, you may be sure,He cannot think of going on a tour.

And so, you may be sure,

He cannot think of going on a tour.

The Students.

Engaged!

All the Students.

Congratulations!

Lind[to his comrades].

Thanks, my friends!

The Student[to his comrades].

There goes our whole fish-kettle in the fire!Our tenor lost! No possible amends!

There goes our whole fish-kettle in the fire!

Our tenor lost! No possible amends!

Falk

[Coming from the right, in summer suit, with student’s cap, knapsack and stick.

I’ll sing the tenor in young Norway’s choir!

The Students.

You, Falk! hurrah!

Falk.

Forth to the mountains, come!As the bee hurries from her winter home!A twofold music in my breast I bear,A cither with diversely sounding strings,One for life’s joy, a treble loud and clear,And one deep note that quivers as it sings.[To individuals among theStudents.You have the palette?—You the note-book? Good,Swarm then, my bees, into the leafy wood,Till at night-fall with pollen-laden thigh,Home to our mighty mother-queen we fly!

Forth to the mountains, come!

As the bee hurries from her winter home!

A twofold music in my breast I bear,

A cither with diversely sounding strings,

One for life’s joy, a treble loud and clear,

And one deep note that quivers as it sings.

[To individuals among theStudents.

You have the palette?—You the note-book? Good,

Swarm then, my bees, into the leafy wood,

Till at night-fall with pollen-laden thigh,

Home to our mighty mother-queen we fly!

[Turning to the company, while theStudentsdepart and the Chorus of the First Act is faintly heard outside.

Forgive me my offences great and small,I resent nothing;—[Softly.but remember all.

Forgive me my offences great and small,

I resent nothing;—

[Softly.

but remember all.

Strawman[beaming with happiness].

Now fortune’s garden once again is green!My wife has hopes,—a sweet presentiment—[Draws him whispering apart.She lately whispered of a glad event—[Inaudible words intervene.If all goes well ... at Michaelmas ... thirteen!

Now fortune’s garden once again is green!

My wife has hopes,—a sweet presentiment—

[Draws him whispering apart.

She lately whispered of a glad event—

[Inaudible words intervene.

If all goes well ... at Michaelmas ... thirteen!

Stiver

[WithMiss Jayon his arm, turning toFalk,smiles triumphantly, and says, pointing toStrawman:

I’m going to start a household, flush of pelf!

Miss Jay[with an ironical courtesy].

I shall put on my wedding-ring next Yule.

Anna[similarly, as she takesLind’sarm].

My Lind will stay, the Church can mind itself—

Lind[hiding his embarrassment].

And seek an opening in a ladies’ school.

Mrs. Halm.

I cultivate my Anna’s capabilities—

Guldstad[gravely].

An unromantic poem I mean to makeOf one who only lives for duty’s sake.

An unromantic poem I mean to make

Of one who only lives for duty’s sake.

Falk[with a smile to the whole company].

I go to scale the Future’s possibilities!Farewell![Softly toSvanhild.God bless thee, bride of my life’s dawn,Where’er I be, to nobler deed thou’lt wake me.[Waves his hat and follows theStudents.

I go to scale the Future’s possibilities!

Farewell![Softly toSvanhild.

God bless thee, bride of my life’s dawn,

Where’er I be, to nobler deed thou’lt wake me.

[Waves his hat and follows theStudents.

Svanhild.

[Looks after him a moment, then says, softly but firmly:

Now over is my life, by lea and lawn,The leaves are falling;—now the world may take me.

Now over is my life, by lea and lawn,

The leaves are falling;—now the world may take me.

[At this moment the piano strikes up a dance, and champagne corks explode in the background. The gentlemen hurry to and fro with their ladies on their arms.GuldstadapproachesSvanhildand bows: she starts momentarily, then collects herself and gives him her hand.Mrs. Halmand her family, who have watched the scene in suspense, throng about them with expressions of rapture, which are overpowered by the music and the merriment of the dancers in the garden.

[But from the country the following chorus rings loud and defiant through the dance music:

Chorus of Falk and the Students.

And what if I shattered my roaming bark, It was passing sweet to be roaming!

Most of the Company.

Hurrah!

[Dance and merriment; the curtain falls.

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