Chapter 20

Hedvig.

No, not now; father is afraid of my hurting my eyes.

Gregers.

Oh; then he reads with you himself?

Hedvig.

Father has promised to read with me; but he has never had time yet.

Gregers.

Then is there nobody else to give you a little help?

Hedvig.

Yes, there is Mr. Molvik; but he is not always exactly—quite——

Gregers.

Sober?

Hedvig.

Yes, I suppose that’s it!

Gregers.

Why, then you must have any amount of time on your hands. And in there I suppose it is a sort of world by itself?

Hedvig.

Oh yes, quite. And there are such lots of wonderful things.

Gregers.

Indeed?

Hedvig.

Yes, there are big cupboards full of books; and a great many of the books have pictures in them.

Gregers.

Aha!

Hedvig.

And there’s an old bureau with drawers andflaps, and a big clock with figures that go out and in. But the clock isn’t going now.

Gregers.

So time has come to a standstill in there—in the wild duck’s domain.

Hedvig.

Yes. And then there’s an old paint-box and things of that sort; and all the books.

Gregers.

And you read the books, I suppose?

Hedvig.

Oh yes, when I get the chance. Most of them are English though, and I don’t understand English. But then I look at the pictures.—There is one great big book called “Harrison’s History of London.”[16]It must be a hundred years old; and there are such heaps of pictures in it. At the beginning there is Death with an hour-glass and a woman. I think that is horrid. But then there are all the other pictures of churches, and castles, and streets, and great ships sailing on the sea.

Gregers.

But tell me, where did all those wonderful things come from?

Hedvig.

Oh, an old sea captain once lived here, and he brought them home with him. They used to call him “The Flying Dutchman.” That was curious, because he wasn’t a Dutchman at all.

Gregers.

Was he not?

Hedvig.

No. But at last he was drowned at sea; and so he left all those things behind him.

Gregers.

Tell me now—when you are sitting in there looking at the pictures, don’t you wish you could travel and see the real world for yourself?

Hedvig.

Oh no! I mean always to stay at home and help father and mother.

Gregers.

To retouch photographs?

Hedvig.

No, not only that. I should love above everything to learn to engrave pictures like those in the English books.

Gregers.

H'm. What does your father say to that?

Hedvig.

I don’t think father likes it; father is strange about such things. Only think, he talks of my learning basket-making, and straw-plaiting! But I don’t thinkthatwould be much good.

Gregers.

Oh no, I don’t think so either.

Hedvig.

But father was right in saying that if I hadlearnt basket-making I could have made the new basket for the wild duck.

Gregers.

So you could; and it was you that ought to have done it, wasn’t it?

Hedvig.

Yes, for it’smywild duck.

Gregers.

Of course it is.

Hedvig.

Yes, it belongs tome. But I lend it to father and grandfather as often as they please.

Gregers.

Indeed? What do they do with it?

Hedvig.

Oh, they look after it, and build places for it, and so on.

Gregers.

I see; for no doubt the wild duck is by far the most distinguished inhabitant of the garret?

Hedvig.

Yes, indeed she is; for she is arealwild fowl, you know. And then she is so much to be pitied; she has no one to care for, poor thing.

Gregers.

She has no family, as the rabbits have——

Hedvig.

No. The hens too, many of them, werechickens together; but she has been taken right away from all her friends. And then there is so much that is strange about the wild duck. Nobody knows her, and nobody knows where she came from either.

Gregers.

And she has been down in the depths of the sea.

Hedvig.

[With a quick glance at him, represses a smile and asks:] Why do you say “the depths of the sea”?

Gregers.

What else should I say?

Hedvig.

You could say “the bottom of the sea.”[17]

Gregers.

Oh, mayn’t I just as well say the depths of the sea?

Hedvig.

Yes; but it sounds so strange to me when other people speak of the depths of the sea.

Gregers.

Why so? Tell me why?

Hedvig.

No, I won’t; it’s so stupid.

Gregers.

Oh no, I am sure it’s not. Do tell me why you smiled.

Hedvig.

Well, this is the reason: whenever I come to realise suddenly—in a flash—what is in there, it always seems to me that the whole room and everything in it should be called “the depths of the sea.”—But that is so stupid.

Gregers.

You mustn’t say that.

Hedvig.

Oh yes, for you know it is only a garret.

Gregers.

[Looks fixedly at her.] Are you so sure of that?

Hedvig.

[Astonished.] That it’s a garret?

Gregers.

Are you quite certain of it?

[Hedvigis silent, and looks at him open-mouthed.Ginacomes in from the kitchen with the table things.

Gregers.

[Rising.] I have come in upon you too early.

Gina.

Oh, you must be somewhere; and we’re nearly ready now, anyway. Clear the table, Hedvig.

[Hedvigclears away her things; she andGinalay the cloth during what follows.Gregersseats himself in the arm-chair, and turns over an album.

Gregers.

I hear you can retouch, Mrs. Ekdal.

Gina.

[With a side glance.] Yes, I can.

Gregers.

That was exceedingly lucky.

Gina.

How—lucky?

Gregers.

Since Ekdal took to photography, I mean.

Hedvig.

Mother can take photographs too.

Gina.

Oh, yes; I was bound to learnthat.

Gregers.

So it is really you that carry on the business, I suppose?

Gina.

Yes, when Ekdal hasn’t time himself——

Gregers.

He is a great deal taken up with his old father, I daresay.

Gina.

Yes; and then you can’t expect a man likeEkdal to do nothing but take car-de-visits of Dick, Tom and Harry.

Gregers.

I quite agree with you; but having once gone in for the thing——

Gina.

You can surely understand, Mr. Werle, that Ekdal’s not like one of your common photographers.

Gregers.

Of course not; but still——

[A shot fired within the garret.

Gregers.

[Starting up.] What’s that?

Gina.

Ugh! now they’re firing again!

Gregers.

Have they firearms in there?

Hedvig.

They are out shooting.

Gregers.

What! [At the door of the garret.] Are you shooting, Hialmar?

Hialmar.

[Inside the net.] Are you there? I didn’t know; I was so taken up——[ToHedvig.] Why did you not let us know?

[Comes into the studio.

Gregers.

Do you go shooting in the garret?

Hialmar.

[Showing a double-barrelled pistol.] Oh, only with this thing.

Gina.

Yes, you and grandfather will do yourselves a mischief some day with that there pigstol.

Hialmar.

[With irritation.] I believe I have told you that this kind of firearm is called apistol.

Gina.

Oh, that doesn’t make it much better, that I can see.

Gregers.

So you have become a sportsman too, Hialmar.

Hialmar.

Only a little rabbit-shooting now and then. Mostly to please father, you understand.

Gina.

Men are strange beings; they must always have something to pervert theirselves with.

Hialmar.

[Snappishly.] Just so; we must always have something todivertourselves with.

Gina.

Yes, that’s just what I say.

Hialmar.

H'm. [ToGregers.] You see the garret is fortunately so situated that no one can hear us shooting. [Lays the pistol on the top shelf of the bookcase.] Don’t touch the pistol, Hedvig! One of the barrels is loaded; remember that.

Gregers.

[Looking through the net.] You have a fowling-piece too, I see.

Hialmar.

That is father’s old gun. It’s of no use now; something has gone wrong with the lock. But it’s fun to have it all the same; for we can take it to pieces now and then, and clean and grease it, and screw it together again.—Of course, it’s mostly father that fiddle-faddles with all that sort of thing.

Hedvig.

[BesideGregers.] Now you can see the wild duck properly.

Gregers.

I was just looking at her. One of her wings seems to me to droop a bit.

Hedvig.

Well, no wonder; her wing was broken, you know.

Gregers.

And she trails one foot a little. Isn’t that so?

Hialmar.

Perhaps a very little bit.

Hedvig.

Yes, it was by that foot the dog took hold of her.

Hialmar.

But otherwise she hasn’t the least thing the matter with her; and that is simply marvellous for a creature that has a charge of shot in her body, and has been between a dog’s teeth——

Gregers.

[With a glance atHedvig]——and that has lain in the depths of the sea—so long.

Hedvig.

[Smiling.] Yes.

Gina.

[Laying the table.] That blessëd wild duck! What a lot of fuss you do make over her.

Hialmar.

H'm;—will lunch soon be ready?

Gina.

Yes, directly. Hedvig, you must come and help me now.

[GinaandHedviggo out into the kitchen.

Hialmar.

[In a low voice.] I think you had better not stand there looking in at father; he doesn’t like it. [Gregersmoves away from the garret door.] Besides I may as well shut up before the others come. [Claps his hands to drive the fowls back.] Shh—shh, in with you! [Draws up the curtain and pulls the doors together.] All the contrivancesare my own invention. It’s really quite amusing to have things of this sort to potter with, and to put to rights when they get out of order. And it’s absolutely necessary, too; for Gina objects to having rabbits and fowls in the studio.

Gregers.

To be sure; and I suppose the studio is your wife’s special department?

Hialmar.

As a rule, I leave the everyday details of business to her; for then I can take refuge in the parlour and give my mind to more important things.

Gregers.

What things may they be, Hialmar?

Hialmar.

I wonder you have not asked that question sooner. But perhaps you haven’t heard of the invention?

Gregers.

The invention? No.

Hialmar.

Really? Have you not? Oh no, out there in the wilds——

Gregers.

So you have invented something, have you?

Hialmar.

It is not quite completed yet; but I am working at it. You can easily imagine that when I resolved to devote myself to photography, it wasn’t simplywith the idea of taking likenesses of all sorts of commonplace people.

Gregers.

No; your wife was saying the same thing just now.

Hialmar.

I swore that if I consecrated my powers to this handicraft, I would so exalt it that it should become both an art and a science. And to that end I determined to make this greatinvention.invention.

Gregers.

And what is the nature of the invention? What purpose does it serve?

Hialmar.

Oh, my dear fellow, you mustn’t ask for details yet. It takes time, you see. And you must not think that my motive is vanity. It is not for my own sake that I am working. Oh no; it is my life’s mission that stands before me night and day.

Gregers.

What is your life’s mission?

Hialmar.

Do you forget the old man with the silver hair?

Gregers.

Your poor father? Well, but what can you do for him?

Hialmar.

I can raise up his self-respect from the dead, by restoring the name of Ekdal to honour and dignity.

Gregers.

Then that is your life’s mission?

Hialmar.

Yes. I will rescue the shipwrecked man. For shipwrecked he was, by the very first blast of the storm. Even while those terrible investigations were going on, he was no longer himself. That pistol there—the one we use to shoot rabbits with—has played its part in the tragedy of the house of Ekdal.

Gregers.

The pistol? Indeed?

Hialmar.

When the sentence of imprisonment was passed—he had the pistol in his hand——

Gregers.

Had he——?

Hialmar.

Yes; but he dared not use it. His courage failed him. So broken, so demoralised was he even then! Oh, can you understand it? He, a soldier; he, who had shot nine bears, and who was descended from two lieutenant-colonels—one after the other of course. Can you understand it, Gregers?

Gregers.

Yes, I understand it well enough.

Hialmar.

I cannot. And once more the pistol played a part in the history of our house. When he had put on the grey clothes and was under lock andkey—oh, that was a terrible time for me, I can tell you. I kept the blinds drawn down over both my windows. When I peeped out, I saw the sun shining as if nothing had happened. I could not understand it. I saw people going along the street, laughing and talking about indifferent things. I could not understand it. It seemed to me that the whole of existence must be at a standstill—as if under an eclipse.

Gregers.

I felt like that too, when my mother died.

Hialmar.

It was in such an hour that Hialmar Ekdal pointed the pistol at his own breast.

Gregers.

You too thought of——!

Hialmar.

Yes.

Gregers.

But you did not fire?

Hialmar.

No. At the decisive moment I won the victory over myself. I remained in life. But I can assure you it takes some courage to choose life under circumstances like those.

Gregers.

Well, that depends on how you look at it.

Hialmar.

Yes, indeed, it takes courage. But I am glad Iwas firm: for now I shall soon perfect my invention; and Dr. Relling thinks, as I do myself, that father may be allowed to wear his uniform again. I will demand that as my sole reward.

Gregers.

Sothatis what he meant about his uniform——?

Hialmar.

Yes, that is what he most yearns for. You can’t think how my heart bleeds for him. Every time we celebrate any little family festival—Gina’s and my wedding-day, or whatever it may be—in comes the old man in the lieutenant’s uniform of happier days. But if he only hears a knock at the door—for he daren’t show himself to strangers, you know—he hurries back to his room again as fast as his old legs can carry him. Oh, it’s heartrending for a son to see such things!

Gregers.

How long do you think it will take you to finish your invention?

Hialmar.

Come now, you mustn’t expect me to enter into particulars like that. An invention is not a thing completely under one’s own control. It depends largely on inspiration—on intuition—and it is almost impossible to predict when the inspiration may come.

Gregers.

But it’s advancing?

Hialmar.

Yes, certainly, it is advancing. I turn it over inmy mind every day; I am full of it. Every afternoon, when I have had my dinner, I shut myself up in the parlour, where I can ponder undisturbed. But I can’t be goaded to it; it’s not a bit of good; Relling says so too.

Gregers.

And you don’t think that all that business in the garret draws you off and distracts you too much?

Hialmar.

No no no; quite the contrary. You mustn’t say that. I cannot be everlastingly absorbed in the same laborious train of thought. I must have something alongside of it to fill up the time of waiting. The inspiration, the intuition, you see—when it comes, it comes, and there’s an end of it.

Gregers.

My dear Hialmar, I almost think you have something of the wild duck in you.

Hialmar.

Something of the wild duck? How do you mean?

Gregers.

You have dived down and bitten yourself fast in the undergrowth.

Hialmar.

Are you alluding to the well-nigh fatal shot that has broken my father’s wing—and mine too?

Gregers.

Not exactly tothat. I don’t say that your wing has been broken; but you have strayed into apoisonous marsh, Hialmar; an insidious disease has taken hold of you, and you have sunk down to die in the dark.

Hialmar.

I? To die in the dark? Look here, Gregers, you must really leave off talking such nonsense.

Gregers.

Don’t be afraid; I shall find a way to help you up again. I too have a mission in life now; I found it yesterday.

Hialmar.

That’s all very well; but you will please leavemeout of it. I can assure you that—apart from my very natural melancholy, of course—I am as contented as any one can wish to be.

Gregers.

Your contentment is an effect of the marsh poison.

Hialmar.

Now, my dear Gregers, pray do not go on about disease and poison; I am not used to that sort of talk. In my house nobody ever speaks to me about unpleasant things.

Gregers.

Ah,thatI can easily believe.

Hialmar.

It’s not good for me you see. And thereareno marsh poisons here, as you express it. The poor photographer’s roof is lowly, I know—and my circumstances are narrow. But I am an inventor, and I am the breadwinner of a family. That exaltsme above my mean surroundings.—Ah, here comes lunch!

GinaandHedvigbring bottles of ale, a decanter of brandy, glasses, etc. At the same time,RellingandMolvikenter from the passage; they are both without hat or overcoat.Molvikis dressed in black.

Gina.

[Placing the things upon the table.] Ah, you two have come in the nick of time.

Relling.

Molvik got it into his head that he could smell herring-salad, and then there was no holding him.—Good morning again, Ekdal.

Hialmar.

Gregers, let me introduce you to Mr. Molvik. Doctor—— Oh, you know Relling, don’t you?

Gregers.

Yes, slightly.

Relling.

Oh, Mr. Werle, junior! Yes, we two have had one or two little skirmishes up at the Höidal works. You’ve just moved in?

Gregers.

I moved in this morning.

Relling.

Molvik and I live right under you; so you haven’t far to go for the doctor and the clergyman, if you should need anything in that line.

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