Chapter 20

Mrs. Solness.

[Looks at him.] After this?

Solness.

Yes, believe me, Aline——

Mrs. Solness.

Do you mean—becauseshehas come here?

Solness.

[Checking himself.] I mean, of course—when once we have moved into the newhouse.house.

Mrs. Solness.

[Takes her cloak.] Ah, do you think so, Halvard? Will it be better then?

Solness.

I can’t think otherwise. And surely you think so too?

Mrs. Solness.

I think nothing at all about the new house.

Solness.

[Cast down.] It’s hard for me to hear you say that; for you know it is mainly for your sake that I have built it.

[He offers to help her on with her cloak.

Mrs. Solness.

[Evades him.] The fact is, you do far too much for my sake.

Solness.

[With a certain vehemence.] No, no, you really mustn’t say that, Aline! I cannot bear to hear you say such things!

Mrs. Solness.

Very well, then I won’t say it, Halvard.

Solness.

But I stick to whatIsaid. You’ll see that things will be easier for you in the new place.

Mrs. Solness.

Oh heavens—easier for me——

Solness.

[Eagerly.] Yes, indeed they will! You may be quite sure of that! For you see—there will be so very, very muchtherethat will remind you of your own home——

Mrs. Solness.

The home that used to be father’s and mother’s—and that was burnt to the ground——

Solness.

[In a low voice.] Yes, yes, my poor Aline. That was a terrible blow for you.

Mrs. Solness.

[Breaking out in lamentation.] You may build as much as ever you like, Halvard—you can never build up again a real home forme!

Solness.

[Crosses the room.] Well, in Heaven’s name, let us talk no more about it then.

Mrs. Solness.

We are not in the habit of talking about it. For you always put the thought away from you——

Solness.

[Stops suddenly and looks at her.] Do I? And why should I dothat? Put the thought away from me?

Mrs. Solness.

Oh yes, Halvard, I understand you very well. You are so anxious to spare me—and to find excuses for me too—as much as ever you can.

Solness.

[With astonishment in his eyes.]You!Is ityou—yourself, that you are talking about Aline?

Mrs. Solness.

Yes, who else should it be but myself?

Solness.

[Involuntarily to himself.]Thattoo!

Mrs. Solness.

As for the old house, I wouldn’t mind so much about that. When once misfortune was in the air—why——

Solness.

Ah, you are right there. Misfortune will have its way—as the saying goes.

Mrs. Solness.

But it’s what came of the fire—the dreadful thing that followed——!Thatis the thing! That, that, that!

Solness.

[Vehemently.] Don’t think aboutthat, Aline!

Mrs. Solness.

Ah, that is exactly what I cannot help thinking about. And now, at last, I must speak about it, too; for I don’t seem able to bear it any longer. And then never to be able to forgive myself——

Solness.

[Exclaiming.] Yourself——!

Mrs. Solness.

Yes, for I had duties on both sides—both towards you and towards the little ones. I ought to have hardened myself—not to have let thehorror take such hold upon me—nor the grief for the burning of my home. [Wrings her hands.] Oh, Halvard, if I had only had the strength!

Solness.

[Softly, much moved, comes closer.] Aline—you must promise me never to think these thoughts any more.—Promise me that, dear!

Mrs. Solness.

Oh, promise, promise! One can promise anything.

Solness.

[Clenches his hands and crosses the room.] Oh, but this is hopeless, hopeless! Never a ray of sunlight! Not so much as a gleam of brightness to light up our home!

Mrs. Solness.

This is no home, Halvard.

Solness.

Oh no, you may well say that. [Gloomily.] And God knows whether you are not right in saying that it will be no better for us in the new house, either.

Mrs. Solness.

It will never be any better. Just as empty—just as desolate—there as here.

Solness.

[Vehemently.] Why in all the world have we built it then! Can you tell me that?

Mrs. Solness.

No; you must answer that question for yourself.

Solness.

[Glances suspiciously at her.] What do you mean bythat, Aline?

Mrs. Solness.

What do I mean?

Solness.

Yes, in the devil’s name! You said it so strangely—as if you had some hidden meaning in it.

Mrs. Solness.

No, indeed, I assure you——

Solness.

[Comes closer.] Oh, come now—I know what I know. I have both my eyes and my ears about me, Aline—you may depend upon that!

Mrs. Solness.

Why, what are you talking about? What is it?

Solness.

[Places himself in front of her.] Do you mean to say you don’t find a kind of lurking, hidden meaning in the most innocent word I happen to say?

Mrs. Solness.

I, do you say?Ido that?

Solness.

[Laughs.] Ho-ho-ho! It’s natural enough, Aline! When you have a sick man on your hands——

Mrs. Solness.

[Anxiously.]Sick?Are you ill, Halvard?

Solness.

[Violently.] A half-mad man then! A crazy man! Call me what you will.

Mrs. Solness.

[Feels blindly for a chair and sits down.] Halvard—for God’s sake——

Solness.

But you are wrong, both you and the doctor. I am not in the state you imagine.

[He walks up and down the room.Mrs. Solnessfollows him anxiously with her eyes. Finally he goes up to her.

Solness.

[Calmly.] In reality there is nothing whatever the matter with me.

Mrs. Solness.

No, there isn’t, is there? But then what is it that troubles you so?

Solness.

Whythis, that I often feel ready to sink under this terrible burden of debt——

Mrs. Solness.

Debt, do you say? But you owe no one anything, Halvard!

Solness.

[Softly, with emotion.] I owe a boundless debt to you—to you—to you, Aline.

Mrs. Solness.

[Rises slowly.] What is behind all this? You may just as well tell me at once.

Solness.

But there is nothing behind it! I have never done you any wrong—not wittingly and wilfully, at any rate. And yet—and yet it seems as though a crushing debt rested upon me and weighed me down.

Mrs. Solness.

A debt to me?

Solness.

Chiefly to you.

Mrs. Solness.

Then you are—ill after all, Halvard.

Solness.

[Gloomily.] I suppose I must be—or not far from it. [Looks towards the door to the right, which is opened at this moment.] Ah! now it grows lighter.

Hilda Wangelcomes in. She has made some alteration in her dress, and let down her skirt.

Hilda.

Good morning, Mr. Solness!

Solness.

[Nods.] Slept well?

Hilda.

Quite deliciously! Like a child in a cradle. Oh—I lay and stretched myself like—like a princess!

Solness.

[Smiles a little.] You were thoroughly comfortable then?

Hilda.

I should think so.

Solness.

And no doubt you dreamed, too.

Hilda.

Yes, I did. Butthatwas horrid.

Solness.

Was it?

Hilda.

Yes, for I dreamed I was falling over a frightfully high, sheer precipice. Do you never have that kind of dream?

Solness.

Oh yes—now and then——

Hilda.

It’s tremendously thrilling—when you fall and fall——

Solness.

It seems to make one’s blood run cold.

Hilda.

Do you draw your legs up under you while you are falling?

Solness.

Yes, as high as ever I can.

Hilda.

So do I.

Mrs. Solness.

[Takes her parasol.] I must go into town now, Halvard. [ToHilda.] And I’ll try to get one or two things that you may require.

Hilda.

[Making a motion to throw her arms round her neck.] Oh, you dear, sweet Mrs. Solness! You are really much too kind to me! Frightfully kind——

Mrs. Solness.

[Deprecatingly, freeing herself.] Oh, not at all. It’s only my duty, so I am very glad to do it.

Hilda.

[Offended, pouts.] But really, I think I am quite fit to be seen in the streets—now that I’ve put my dress to rights. Or do you think I am not?

Mrs. Solness.

To tell you the truth, I think people would stare at you a little.

Hilda.

[Contemptuously.] Pooh! Is that all? That only amuses me.

Solness.

[With suppressed ill-humour.] Yes, but people might take it into their heads thatyouwere mad too, you see.

Hilda.

Mad? Are there so many mad people here in town, then?

Solness.

[Points to his own forehead.] Here you seeoneat all events.

Hilda.

You—Mr. Solness!

Mrs. Solness.

Oh, don’t talk like that, my dear Halvard!

Solness.

Have you not noticedthatyet?

Hilda.

No, I certainly have not. [Reflects and laughs a little.] And yet—perhaps in one single thing.

Solness.

Ah, do you hearthat, Aline?

Mrs. Solness.

What is that one single thing, Miss Wangel?

Hilda.

No, I won’t say.

Solness.

Oh yes, do!

Hilda.

No thank you—I am not so mad as that.

Mrs. Solness.

When you and Miss Wangel are alone, I daresay she will tell you, Halvard.

Solness.

Ah—you think she will?

Mrs. Solness.

Oh yes, certainly. For you have known her so well in the past. Ever since she was a child—you tell me.

[She goes out by the door on the left.

Hilda.

[After a little while.] Does your wife dislike me very much?

Solness.

Did you think you noticed anything of the kind?

Hilda.

Did you not notice it yourself?

Solness.

[Evasively.] Aline has become exceedingly shy with strangers of late years.

Hilda.

Has she really?

Solness.

But if only you could get to know her thoroughly——! Ah, she is so good—so kind—so excellent a creature——

Hilda.

[Impatiently.] But if she is all that—what made her say that about her duty?

Solness.

Her duty?

Hilda.

She said that she would go out and buy something for me, because it was herduty. Oh I can’t bear that ugly, horrid word!

Solness.

Why not?

Hilda.

It sounds so cold, and sharp, and stinging. Duty—duty—duty. Don’tyouthink so, too? Doesn’t it seem to sting you?

Solness.

H’m—haven’t thought much about it.

Hilda.

Yes, it does. And if she is so good—as you say she is—why should she talk in that way?

Solness.

But, good Lord, what would you have had her say, then?

Hilda.

She might have said she would do it because she had taken a tremendous fancy to me. She might have said something like that—something really warm and cordial, you understand.

Solness.

[Looks at her.] Is that how you would like to have it?

Hilda.

Yes, precisely. [She wanders about the room, stops at the bookcase and looks at the books.] What a lot of books you have.

Solness.

Yes, I have got together a good many.

Hilda.

Do you read them all, too?

Solness.

I used to try to. Do you read much?

Hilda.

No, never! I have given it up. For it all seems so irrelevant.

Solness.

That is just my feeling.

[Hildawanders about a little, stops at the small table, opens the portfolio and turns over the contents.

Hilda.

Are all these drawings yours?

Solness.

No, they are drawn by a young man whom I employ to help me.

Hilda.

Some one you have taught?

Solness.

Oh yes, no doubt he has learnt something fromme, too.

Hilda.

[Sits down.] Then I suppose he is very clever. [Looks at a drawing.] Isn’t he?

Solness.

Oh, he might be worse. Formypurpose——

Hilda.

Oh yes—I’m sure he is frightfully clever.

Solness.

Do you think you can see that in the drawings?

Hilda.

Pooh—these scrawlings! But if he has been learning fromyou——

Solness.

Oh, so far as that goes——there are plenty of people here that have learnt fromme, and have come to little enough for all that.

Hilda.

[Looks at him and shakes her head.] No, I can’t for the life of me understand how you can be so stupid.

Solness.

Stupid? Do you think I am so very stupid?

Hilda.

Yes, I do indeed. If you are content to go about here teaching all these people——

Solness.

[With a slight start.] Well, and why not?

Hilda.

[Rises, half serious, half laughing.] No indeed, Mr. Solness! What can be the good of that? No one butyoushould be allowed to build. You should stand quite alone—do it all yourself. Now you know it.

Solness.

[Involuntarily.] Hilda——!

Hilda.

Well!

Solness.

How in the world didthatcome into your head?

Hilda.

Do you think I am so very far wrong then?

Solness.

No, that’s not what I mean. But now I’ll tell you something.

Hilda.

Well?

Solness.

I keep on—incessantly—in silence and alone—brooding on that very thought.

Hilda.

Yes, that seems to me perfectly natural.

Solness.

[Looks somewhat searchingly at her.] Perhaps you have noticed it already?

Hilda.

No, indeed I haven’t.

Solness.

But just now—when you said you thought I was—off my balance? In one thing, you said——

Hilda.

Oh, I was thinking of something quite different.

Solness.

What wasit?it?

Hilda.

I am not going to tell you.

Solness.

[Crosses the room.] Well, well—as you please. [Stops at the bow-window.] Come here, and I will show you something.

Hilda.

[Approaching.] What is it?

Solness.

Do you see—over there in the garden——?

Hilda.

Yes?

Solness.

[Points.] Right above the great quarry——?

Hilda.

That new house, you mean?

Solness.

The one that is being built, yes. Almost finished.

Hilda.

It seems to have a very high tower.

Solness.

The scaffolding is still up.

Hilda.

Is that your new house?

Solness.

Yes.

Hilda.

The house you are soon going to move into?

Solness.

Yes.

Hilda.

[Looks at him.] Are there nurseries inthathouse, too?

Solness.

Three, as there are here.

Hilda.

And no child.

Solness.

And there never will be one.

Hilda.

[With a half-smile.] Well, isn’t it just as I said——?

Solness.

That——?

Hilda.

That youarea little—a little mad after all.

Solness.

Was that what you were thinking of?

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