Chapter 18

Solness.

The luckwillturn. I know it—I feel the day approaching. Some one or other will take it into his head to say: Givemea chance! And then all the rest will come clamouring after him, and shake their fists at me and shout: Make room—make room—make room! Yes, just you see, doctor—presently the younger generation will come knocking at my door——

Dr. Herdal.

[Laughing.] Well, and what if they do?

Solness.

What if they do? Then there’s an end of Halvard Solness.

[There is a knock at the door on the left.

Solness.

[Starts.] What’s that? Did you not hear something?

Dr. Herdal.

Some one is knocking at the door.

Solness.

[Loudly.] Come in.

Hilda Wangelenters by the hall door. She is of middle height, supple, and delicately built. Somewhat sunburnt. Dressed in a tourist costume, with skirt caught up for walking, a sailor’s collar open at the throat, and a small sailor hat on her head. Knapsack on back, plaid in strap, and alpenstock.

Hilda.

[Goes straight up toSolness, her eyes sparkling with happiness.] Good evening!

Solness.

[Looks doubtfully at her.] Good evening——

Hilda.

[Laughs.] I almost believe you don’t recognise me!

Solness.

No—I must admit that—just for the moment——

Dr. Herdal.

[Approaching.] ButIrecognise you, my dear young lady——

Hilda.

[Pleased.] Oh, is it you that——

Dr. Herdal.

Of course it is. [ToSolness.] We met at one of the mountain stations this summer. [ToHilda.] What became of the other ladies?

Hilda.

Oh,theywent westward.

Dr. Herdal.

They didn’t much like all the fun we used to have in the evenings.

Hilda.

No, I believe they didn’t.

Dr. Herdal.

[Holds up his finger at her.] And I am afraid it can’t be denied that you flirted a little with us.

Hilda.

Well, that was better fun than to sit there knitting stockings with all those old women.

Dr. Herdal.

[Laughs.] There I entirely agree with you!

Solness.

Have you come to town this evening?

Hilda.

Yes, I have just arrived.

Dr. Herdal.

Quite alone, Miss Wangel?

Hilda.

Oh yes!

Solness.

Wangel? Is your name Wangel?

Hilda.

[Looks in amused surprise at him.] Yes, of course it is.

Solness.

Then you must be a daughter of the district doctor up at Lysanger?

Hilda.

[As before.] Yes, who else’s daughter should I be?

Solness.

Oh, then I suppose we met up there, that summer when I was building a tower on the old church.

Hilda.

[More seriously.] Yes, of course it was then we met.

Solness.

Well, that is a long time ago.

Hilda.

[Looks hard at him.] It is exactly the ten years.

Solness.

You must have been a mere child then, I should think.

Hilda.

[Carelessly.] Well, I was twelve or thirteen.

Dr. Herdal.

Is this the first time you have ever been up to town, Miss Wangel?

Hilda.

Yes, it is indeed.

Solness.

And don’t you know any onehere?here?

Hilda.

Nobody but you. And of course, your wife.

Solness.

So you knowher, too?

Hilda.

Only a little. We spent a few days together at the sanatorium.

Solness.

Ah, up there?

Hilda.

She said I might come and pay her a visit if ever I came up to town. [Smiles.] Not that that was necessary.

Solness.

Odd that she should never have mentioned it.

[Hildaputs her stick down by the stove, takes off the knapsack and lays it and the plaid on the sofa.Dr. Herdaloffers to help her.Solnessstands and gazes at her.

Hilda.

[Going towards him.] Well, now I must ask you to let me stay the night here.

Solness.

I am sure there will be no difficulty about that.

Hilda.

For I have no other clothes than those I stand in, except a change of linen in my knapsack. And that has to go to the wash, for it’s very dirty.

Solness.

Oh yes, that can be managed. Now I’ll just let my wife know——

Dr. Herdal.

Meanwhile I will go and see my patient.

Solness.

Yes, do; and come again later on.

Dr. Herdal.

[Playfully, with a glance atHilda.] Oh that I will, you may be very certain! [Laughs.] So your prediction has come true, Mr. Solness!

Solness.

How so?

Dr. Herdal.

The younger generationdidcome knocking at your door.

Solness.

[Cheerfully.] Yes, but in a very different way from what I meant.

Dr. Herdal.

Very different, yes. That’s undeniable.

[He goes out by the hall-door.Solnessopens the door on the right and speaks into the side room.

Solness.

Aline! Will you come in here, please. Here is a friend of yours—Miss Wangel.

Mrs. Solness.

[Appears in the doorway.] Who do you say it is? [SeesHilda.] Oh, is it you, Miss Wangel? [Goes up to her and offers her hand.] So you have come to town after all.

Solness.

Miss Wangel has this moment arrived; and she would like to stay the night here.

Mrs. Solness.

Here with us? Oh yes, certainly.

Solness.

Till she can get her things a little in order, you know.

Mrs. Solness.

I will do the best I can for you. It’s no more than my duty. I suppose your trunk is coming on later?

Hilda.

Ihaveno trunk.

Mrs. Solness.

Well, it will be all right, I daresay. In the meantime, you must excuse my leaving you here with my husband, until I can get a room made a little comfortable for you.

Solness.

Can we not give her one of the nurseries?Theyare all ready as it is.

Mrs. Solness.

Oh yes. There we have room and to spare. [ToHilda.] Sit down now, and rest a little.

rj [She goes out to the right.

[Hilda,with her hands behind her back, strolls about the room and looks at various objects.Solnessstands in front, beside the table, also with his hands behind his back, and follows her with his eyes.

Hilda.

[Stops and looks at him.] Have you several nurseries?

Solness.

There are three nurseries in the house.

Hilda.

That’s a lot. Then I suppose you have a great many children?

Solness.

No. We have no child. But nowyoucan be the child here, for the time being.

Hilda.

For to-night, yes. I shall not cry. I mean to sleep as sound as a stone.

Solness.

Yes, you must be very tired, I should think.

Hilda.

Oh no! But all the same—— It’s so delicious to lie and dream.

Solness.

Do you dream much of nights?

Hilda.

Oh yes! Almost always.

Solness.

What do you dream about most?

Hilda.

I sha’n’t tell you to-night. Another time—perhaps.

[She again strolls about the room, stops at the desk and turns over the books and papers a little.

Solness.

[Approaching.] Are you searching for anything?

Hilda.

No, I am merely looking at all these things. [Turns.] Perhaps I mustn’t?

Solness.

Oh, by all means.

Hilda.

Is ityouthat write in this great ledger?

Solness.

No, it’s my book-keeper.

Hilda.

Is it a woman?

Solness.

[Smiles.] Yes.

Hilda.

One you employ here, in your office?

Solness.

Yes.

Hilda.

Is she married?

Solness.

No, she is single.

Hilda.

Oh, indeed!

Solness.

But I believe she is soon going to be married.

Hilda.

That’s a good thing forher.

Solness.

But not such a good thing forme. For then I shall have nobody to help me.

Hilda.

Can’t you get hold of some one else who will do just as well?

Solness.

Perhapsyouwould stay here and—and write in the ledger?

Hilda.

[Measures him with a glance.] Yes, I daresay! No, thank you—nothing of that sort for me.

[She again strolls across the room, and sits down in the rocking-chair.Solnesstoo goes to the table.

Hilda.

[Continuing.] For there must surely be plentyof other things to be done here. [Looks smilingly at him.] Don’t you think so, too?

Solness.

Of course. First of all, I suppose, you want to make a round of the shops, and get yourself up in the height of fashion.

Hilda.

[Amused.] No, I think I shall letthatalone!

Solness.

Indeed?

Hilda.

For you must know I have run through all my money.

Solness.

[Laughs.] Neither trunk nor money, then!

Hilda.

Neither one nor the other. But never mind—it doesn’t matter now.

Solness.

Come now, I like you forthat.

Hilda.

Only forthat?

Solness.

For that among other things. [Sits in the armchair.] Is your father alive still?

Hilda.

Yes, father’s alive.

Solness.

Perhaps you are thinking of studying here?

Hilda.

No, that hadn’t occurred to me.

Solness.

But I suppose you will be staying for some time?

Hilda.

That must depend upon circumstances.

[She sits awhile rocking herself and looking at him, half seriously, half with a suppressed smile. Then she takes off her hat and puts it on the table in front of her.

Hilda.

Mr. Solness!

Solness.

Well?

Hilda.

Have you a very bad memory?

Solness.

A bad memory? No, not that I am aware of.

Hilda.

Then have you nothing to say to me about what happened up there?

Solness.

[In momentary surprise.] Up at Lysanger? [Indifferently.] Why, it was nothing much to talk about, it seems to me.

Hilda.

[Looks reproachfully at him.] How can you sit there and say such things?

Solness.

Well, then,youtalk to me about it.

Hilda.

When the tower was finished, we had grand doings in the town.

Solness.

Yes, I shall not easily forget that day.

Hilda.

[Smiles.] Will you not? That comes well fromyou.

Solness.

Comes well?

Hilda.

There was music in the churchyard—and many, many hundreds of people. We school-girls were dressed in white; and we all carried flags.

Solness.

All yes, those flags—I can tell you I rememberthem!

Hilda.

Then you climbed right up the scaffolding, straight to the very top; and you had a great wreath with you; and you hung that wreath right away up on the weather-vane.

Solness.

[Curtly interrupting.] I always did that in those days. It is an old custom.

Hilda.

It was so wonderfully thrilling to stand belowand look up at you. Fancy, if he should fall over! He—the master builder himself!

Solness.

[As if to divert her from the subject.] Yes, yes, yes, that might very well have happened, too. For one of those white-frocked little devils,—she went on in such a way, and screamed up at me so——

Hilda.

[Sparkling with pleasure.] “Hurra for Master Builder Solness!” Yes!

Solness.

—and waved and flourished with her flag, so that I—so that it almost made me giddy to look at it.

Hilda.

[In a lower voice, seriously.] That little devil—that wasI.

Solness.

[Fixes his eyes steadily upon her.] I am sure of that now. Itmusthave been you.

Hilda.

[Lively again.] Oh, it was so gloriously thrilling! I could not have believed there was a builder in the whole world that could build such a tremendously high tower. And then, that you yourself should stand at the very top of it, as large as life! And that you should not be the least bit dizzy! It wasthatabove everything that made one—made one dizzy to think of.

Solness.

How could you be so certain that I was not——?

Hilda.

[Scouting the idea.] No indeed! Oh no! I knew that instinctively. For if you had been, you could never have stood up there and sung.

Solness.

[Looks at her in astonishment.]] Sung? DidIsing?

Hilda.

Yes, I should think you did.

Solness.

[Shakes his head.] I have never sung a note in my life.

Hilda.

Yes indeed, you sang then. It sounded like harps in the air.

Solness.

[Thoughtfully.] This is very strange—all this.

Hilda.

[Is silent awhile, looks at him and says in a low voice:] But then,—it was after that—that therealthing happened.

Solness.

The real thing?

Hilda.

[Sparkling with vivacity.] Yes, I surely don’t need to remind you ofthat?

Solness.

Oh yes, do remind me a little ofthat, too.

Hilda.

Don’t you remember that a great dinner was given in your honour at the Club?

Solness.

Yes, to be sure. It must have been the same afternoon, for I left the place next morning.

Hilda.

And from the Club you were invited to come round to our house to supper.

Solness.

Quite right, Miss Wangel. It is wonderful how all these trifles have impressed themselves on your mind.

Hilda.

Trifles! I like that! Perhaps it was a trifle, too, that I wasalonein the room when you came in?

Solness.

Wereyou alone?

Hilda.

[Without answering him.] You didn’t call me a little devilthen?

Solness.

No, I suppose I did not.

Hilda.

You said I was lovely in my white dress, and that I looked like a little princess.

Solness.

I have no doubt you did, Miss Wangel.—And besides—I was feeling so buoyant and free that day——

Hilda.

And then you said that when I grew up I should beyourprincess.

Solness.

[Laughing a little.] Dear, dear—did I saythattoo?

Hilda.

Yes, you did. And when I asked how long I should have to wait, you said that you would come again in ten years—like a troll—and carry me off—to Spain or some such place. And you promised you would buy me a kingdom there.

Solness.

[As before.] Yes, after a good dinner one doesn’t haggle about the halfpence. But did I reallysayallthat?that?

Hilda.

[Laughs to herself.] Yes. And you told me, too, what the kingdom was to be called.

Solness.

Well, what was it?

Hilda.

It was to be called the kingdom of Orangia,[26]you said.

Solness.

Well, that was an appetising name.

Hilda.

No, I didn’t like it a bit; for it seemed as though you wanted to make game of me.

Solness.

I am surethatcannot have been my intention.

Hilda.

No, I should hope not—considering what you did next——

Solness.

What in the world did I do next?

Hilda.

Well, that’s the finishing touch, if you have forgottenthattoo. I should have thought no one could help remembering such a thing as that.

Solness.

Yes, yes, just give me a hint, and then perhaps——Well?

Hilda.

[Looks fixedly at him.] You came and kissed me, Mr.Solness.

Solness.

[Open-mouthed, rising from his chair.]Idid!

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