HEDVIG

  Oh yes, father, do!

  GINA

  Hush! Don’t wake him!

  HIALMAR [More softly.]

  I will fulfil it, I say. The day shall come when——And that is why I say it’s a good thing we have let the room; for that makes me more independent. The man who has a mission in life must be independent.

  [By the arm-chair, with emotion.]

  Poor old white-haired father! Rely on your Hialmar. He has broad shoulders—strong shoulders, at any rate. You shall yet wake up some fine day and——

  [To GINA.]

  Do you not believe it?

  GINA [Rising.]

  Yes, of course I do; but in the meantime suppose we see about getting him to bed.

  HIALMAR

  Yes, come.

  [They take hold of the old man carefully.]

  ACT THIRD

  HIALMAR EKDAL’s studio. It is morning: the daylight shines through the large window in the slanting roof; the curtain is drawn back.

  HIALMAR is sitting at the table, busy retouching a photograph; several others lie before him. Presently GINA, wearing her hat and cloak, enters by the passage door; she has a covered basket on her arm.

  HIALMAR

  Back already, Gina?

  GINA

  Oh yes, one can’t let the grass grow under one’s feet. [Sets her basket on a chair, and takes off her things.]

  HIALMAR

  Did you look in at Gregers’ room?

  GINA

  Yes, that I did. It’s a rare sight, I can tell you; he’s made a pretty mess to start off with.

  HIALMAR

  How so?

  GINA

  He was determined to do everything for himself he said; so he sets to work to light the stove, and what must he do but screw down the damper till the whole room is full of smoke. Ugh! There was a smell fit to——

  HIALMAR

  Well, really!

  GINA

  But that’s not the worst of it; for then he thinks he’ll put out the fire, and goes and empties his water-jug into the stove, and so makes the whole floor one filthy puddle.

  HIALMAR

  How annoying!

  GINA

  I’ve got the porter’s wife to clear up after him, pig that he is! But the room won’t be fit to live in till the afternoon.

  HIALMAR

  What’s he doing with himself in the meantime?

  GINA

  He said he was going out for a little while.

  HIALMAR

  I looked in upon him too, for a moment—after you had gone.

  GINA

  So I heard. You’ve asked him to lunch.

  HIALMAR

  Just to a little bit of early lunch, you know. It’s his first day—we can hardly do less. You’ve got something in the house, I suppose?

  GINA

  I shall have to find something or other.

  HIALMAR

  And don’t cut it too fine, for I fancy Relling and Molvik are coming up too. I just happened to meet Relling on the stairs, you see; so I had to——

  GINA

  Oh, are we to have those two as well?

  HIALMAR

  Good Lord—a couple more or less can’t make any difference.

  OLD EKDAL [Opens his door and looks in.]

  I say, Hialmar——

  [Sees GINA.]

  Oh!

  GINA

  Do you want anything, grandfather?

  EKDAL

  Oh no, it doesn’t matter. H’m!

  [Retires again.]

  GINA [Takes up the basket.]

  Be sure you see that he doesn’t go out.

  HIALMAR

  All right, all right. And, Gina, a little herring-salad wouldn’t be a bad idea; Relling and Molvik were out on the loose again last night.

  GINA

  If only they don’t come before I’m ready for them——

  HIALMAR

  No, of course they won’t; take your own time.

  GINA

  Very well; and meanwhile you can be working a bit.

  HIALMAR

  Well, I am working! I am working as hard as I can!

  GINA

  Then you’ll have that job off your hands, you see.

  [She goes out to the kitchen with her basket.]

  [HIALMAR sits for a time pencilling away at the photograph, in an in

  dolent and listless manner.]

  EKDAL [Peeps in, looks round the studio, and says softly:]

  Are you busy?

  HIALMAR

  Yes I’m toiling at these wretched pictures——

  EKDAL

  Well well, never mind,—since you’re so busy—h’m!

  [He goes out again; the door stands open.]

  HIALMAR [Continues for some time in silence; then he lays down his brush

  and goes over to the door.]

  Are you busy, father?

  EKDAL [In a grumbling tone, within.]

  If you’re busy, I’m busy too. H’m!

  HIALMAR

  Oh, very well, then.

  [Goes to his work again.]

  EKDAL [Presently, coming to the door again.]

  H’m; I say, Hialmar, I’m not so very busy, you know.

  HIALMAR

  I thought you were writing.

  EKDAL

  Oh, devil take it! can’t Gråberg wait a day or two? After all, it’s not a matter of life and death.

  HIALMAR

  No; and you’re not his slave either.

  EKDAL

  And about that other business in there——

  HIALMAR

  Just what I was thinking of. Do you want to go in. Shall I open the door for you?

  EKDAL

  Well, it wouldn’t be a bad notion.

  HIALMAR [Rises.]

  Then we’d have that off our hands.

  EKDAL

  Yes, exactly. It’s got to be ready first thing to-morrow. It is to-morrow, isn’t it? H’m?

  HIALMAR

  Yes, of course it’s to-morrow.

  [HIALMAR and EKDAL push aside each his half of the sliding door. The morning sun is shining in through the skylights; some doves are flying about; others sit cooing, upon the perches; the hens are heard clucking now and then, further back in the garret.]

  HIALMAR

  There; now you can get to work, father.

  EKDAL [Goes in.]

  Aren’t you coming too?

  HIALMAR

  Well really, do you know——; I almost think——

  [Sees GINA at the kitchen door.]

  I? No; I haven’t time; I must work.—But now for our new

  contrivance——

  [He pulls a cord, a curtain slips down inside, the lower part consisting of a piece of old sailcloth, the upper part of a stretched fishing net.The floor of the garret is thus no longer visible.]

  HIALMAR [Goes to the table.]

  So! Now, perhaps I can sit in peace for a little while.

  GINA

  Is he rampaging in there again?

  HIALMAR

  Would you rather have had him slip down to Madam Eriksen’s. [Seats himself.]

  Do you want anything? You know you said——

  GINA

  I only wanted to ask if you think we can lay the table for lunch here?

  HIALMAR

  Yes; we have no early appointment, I suppose?

  GINA

  No, I expect no one to-day except those two sweethearts that are to be taken together.

  HIALMAR

  Why the deuce couldn’t they be taken together another day!

  GINA

  Don’t you know, I told them to come in the afternoon, when you are having your nap.

  HIALMAR

  Oh, that’s capital. Very well, let us have lunch here then.

  GINA

  All right; but there’s no hurry about laying the cloth; you can have the table for a good while yet.

  HIALMAR

  Do you think I am not sticking at my work? I’m at it as hard as I can!

  GINA

  Then you’ll be free later on, you know.

  [Goes out into the kitchen again. Short pause.]

  EKDAL [In the garret doorway, behind the net.]

  Hialmar!

  HIALMAR

  Well?

  EKDAL

  Afraid we shall have to move the water-trough, after all.

  HIALMAR

  What else have I been saying all along?

  EKDAL

  H’m—h’m—h’m.

  [Goes away from the door again.]

  [HIALMAR goes on working a little; glances towards the garret and

  half rises. HEDVIG comes in from the kitchen.]

  HIALMAR [Sits down again hurriedly.]

  What do you want?

  HEDVIG

  I only wanted to come in beside you, father.

  HIALMAR [After a pause.]

  What makes you go prying around like that? Perhaps you are told off to watch me?

  HEDVIG

  No, no.

  HIALMAR

  What is your mother doing out there?

  HEDVIG

  Oh, mother’s in the middle of making the herring-salad. [Goes to the table.]

  Isn’t there any little thing I could help you with, father?

  HIALMAR

  Oh no. It is right that I should bear the whole burden—so long as my strength holds out. Set your mind at rest, Hedvig; if only your father keeps his health——

  HEDVIG

  Oh no, father! You mustn’t talk in that horrid way.

  [She wanders about a little, stops by the doorway and looks into the garret. ]

  HIALMAR

  Tell me, what is he doing?

  HEDVIG

  I think he’s making a new path to the water-trough.

  HIALMAR

  He can never manage that by himself! And here am I doomed to sit——!

  HEDVIG [Goes to him.]

  Let me take the brush, father; I can do it, quite well.

  HIALMAR

  Oh nonsense; you will only hurt your eyes.

  HEDVIG

  Not a bit. Give me the brush.

  HIALMAR [Rising.]

  Well, it won’t take more than a minute or two.

  HEDVIG

  Pooh, what harm can it do then?

  [Takes the brush.]

  There!

  [Seats herself.]

  I can begin upon this one.

  HIALMAR

  But mind you don’t hurt your eyes! Do you hear? I won’t be answerable; you do it on your own responsibility—understand that.

  HEDVIG [Retouching.]

  Yes yes, I understand.

  HIALMAR

  You are quite clever at it, Hedvig. Only a minute or two, you know. [He slips through by the edge of the curtain into the garret. HEDVIG sits at her work. HIALMAR and EKDAL are heard disputing inside.]

  HIALMAR [Appears behind the net.]

  I say, Hedvig—give me those pincers that are lying on the shelf.

  And the chisel.

  [Turns away inside.]

  Now you shall see, father. Just let me show you first what I

  mean!

  [HEDVIG has fetched the required tools from the shelf, and hands them

  to him through the net.]

  HIALMAR

  Ah, thanks. I didn’t come a moment too soon.

  [Goes back from the curtain again; they are heard carpentering and talking inside. HEDVIG stands looking in at them. A moment later there is a knock at the passage door; she does not notice it.]

  GREGERS WERLE [Bareheaded, in indoor dress, enters and stops near the door.]

  H’m——!

  HEDVIG [Turns and goes towards him.]

  Good morning. Please come in.

  GREGERS

  Thank you.

  [Looking towards the garret.]

  You seem to have workpeople in the house.

  HEDVIG

  No, it is only father and grandfather. I’ll tell them you are here.

  GREGERS

  No no, don’t do that; I would rather wait a little.

  [Seats himself on the sofa.]

  HEDVIG

  It looks so untidy here——

  [Begins to clear away the photographs.]

  GREGERS

  Oh, don’t take them away. Are those prints that have to be finished off?

  HEDVIG

  Yes, they are a few I was helping father with.

  GREGERS

  Please don’t let me disturb you.

  HEDVIG

  Oh no.

  [She gathers the things to her and sits down to work; GREGERS looks at

  her, meanwhile, in silence.]

  GREGERS

  Did the wild duck sleep well last night?

  HEDVIG

  Yes, I think so, thanks.

  GREGERS [Turning towards the garret.]

  It looks quite different by day from what it did last night in the moonlight.

  HEDVIG

  Yes, it changes ever so much. It looks different in the morning and in the afternoon; and it’s different on rainy days from what it is in fine weather.

  GREGERS

  Have you noticed that?

  HEDVIG

  Yes, how could I help it?

  GREGERS

  Are you, too, fond of being in there with the wild duck?

  HEDVIG

  Yes, when I can manage it——

  GREGERS

  But I suppose you haven’t much spare time; you go to school, no doubt.

  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 and flaps, 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.”138 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 think that would be much good.

  GREGERS

  Oh no, I don’t think so either.

  HEDVIG

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