DR. HERDAL

  H’m—that’s not very hard to explain.

  SOLNESS

  Well, but what about the other thing? That she believed I had said to her what I had only wished and willed—silently—in wardly—to myself? What do you say to that? Can you explain that, Dr. Herdal?

  DR. HERDAL

  No, I won’t undertake to do that.

  SOLNESS

  I felt sure you would not; and so I have never cared to talk about

  it till now.—But it’s a cursed nuisance to me in the long run,

  you understand. Here have I got to go on day after day

  pretending—. And it’s a shame to treat her so, too, poor girl.

  [Vehemently.]

  But I cannot do anything else. For if she runs away from me—

  then Ragnar will be off too.

  DR. HERDAL

  And you have not told your wife the rights of the story?

  SOLNESS

  No.

  DR. HERDAL

  Then why on earth don’t you?

  SOLNESS [Looks fixedly at him, and says in a low voice:]

  Because I seem to find a sort of—of salutary self-torture in allowing Aline to do me an injustice.

  DR. HERDAL [Shakes his head.]

  I don’t in the least understand what you mean.

  SOLNESS

  Well, you see—it is like paying off a little bit of a huge, immeasurable debt——

  DR. HERDAL

  To your wife?

  SOLNESS

  Yes; and that always helps to relieve one’s mind a little. One can breathe more freely for a while, you understand.

  DR. HERDAL

  No, goodness knows, I don’t understand at all——

  SOLNESS [Breaking off, rises again.]

  Well, well, well—then we won’t talk any more about it.

  [He saunters across the room, returns, and stops beside the table. Looks at

  the doctor with a sly smile.]

  I suppose you think you have drawn me out nicely now, doctor?

  DR. HERDAL [With some irritation.]

  Drawn you out? Again I have not the faintest notion what you mean, Mr. Solness.

  SOLNESS

  Oh come, out with it; I have seen it quite clearly, you know.

  DR. HERDAL

  What have you seen?

  SOLNESS [In a low voice, slowly.]

  That you have been quietly keeping an eye upon me.

  DR. HERDAL

  That I have! And why in all the world should I do that?

  SOLNESS

  Because you think that I——.

  [Passionately.]

  Well, devil take it—you think the same of me as Aline does.

  DR. HERDAL

  And what does she think about you?

  SOLNESS [Having recovered his self-control.]

  She has begun to think that I am—that I am—ill.

  DR. HERDAL

  Ill! You! She has never hinted such a thing to me. Why, what can she think is the matter with you?

  SOLNESS [Leans over the back of the chair and whispers.]

  Aline has made up her mind that I am mad. That is what she thinks.

  DR. HERDAL [Rising.]

  Why, my dear good fellow——!

  SOLNESS

  Yes, on my soul she does! I tell you it is so. And she has got you to think the same! Oh, I can assure you, doctor, I see it in your face as clearly as possible. You don’t take me in so easily, I can tell you.

  DR. HERDAL [Looks at him in amazement.]

  Never, Mr. Solness—never has such a thought entered my mind.

  SOLNESS [With an incredulous smile.]

  Really? Has it not?

  DR. HERDAL

  No, never! Nor your wife’s mind either, I am convinced. I could almost swear to that.

  SOLNESS

  Well, I wouldn’t advise you to. For, in a certain sense, you see, perhaps—perhaps she is not so far wrong in thinking something of the kind.

  DR. HERDAL

  Come now, I really must say——

  SOLNESS [Interrupting, with a sweep of his hand.]

  Well, well, my dear doctor—don’t let us discuss this any further.

  We had better agree to differ.

  [Changes to a tone of quiet amusement.]

  But look here now, doctor—h’m——

  DR. HERDAL

  Well?

  SOLNESS

  Since you don’t believe that I am—ill—and crazy—and mad, and so forth——

  DR. HERDAL

  What then?

  SOLNESS

  Then I daresay you fancy that I am an extremely happy man.

  DR. HERDAL

  Is that mere fancy?

  SOLNESS [Laughs.]

  No, no—of course not! Heaven forbid! Only think—to be Solness the master builder! Halvard Solness! What could be more delightful?

  DR. HERDAL

  Yes, I must say it seems to me you have had the luck on your side to an astounding degree.

  SOLNESS [Suppresses a gloomy smile.]

  So I have. I can’t complain on that score.

  DR. HERDAL

  First of all that grim old robbers’ castle was burnt down for you. And that was certainly a great piece of luck.

  SOLNESS [Seriously.]

  It was the home of Aline’s family. Remember that.

  DR. HERDAL

  Yes, it must have been a great grief to her.

  SOLNESS

  She has not got over it to this day—not in all these twelve or thirteen years.

  DR. HERDAL

  Ah, but what followed must have been the worst blow for her.

  SOLNESS

  The one thing with the other.

  DR. HERDAL

  But you—yourself—you rose upon the ruins. You began as a poor boy from a country village—and now you are at the head of your profession. Ah, yes, Mr. Solness, you have undoubtedly had the luck on your side.

  SOLNESS [Looking at him with embarrassment.]

  Yes, but that is just what makes me so horribly afraid.

  DR. HERDAL

  Afraid? Because you have the luck on your side!

  SOLNESS

  It terrifies me—terrifies me every hour of the day. For sooner or later the luck must turn, you see.

  DR. HERDAL

  Oh nonsense! What should make the luck turn?

  SOLNESS [With firm assurance.]

  The younger generation.

  DR. HERDAL

  Pooh! The younger generation! You are not laid on the shelf yet, I should hope. Oh no—your position here is probably firmer now than it has ever been.

  SOLNESS

  The luck will turn. I know it—I feel the day approaching. Some one or other will take it into his head to say: Give me a 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 WANGEL enters 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 to SOLNESS, 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.]

  But I recognise you, my dear young lady——

  HILDA [Pleased.]

  Oh, is it you that——

  DR. HERDAL

  Of course it is.

  [To SOLNESS.]

  We met at one of the mountain stations this summer.

  [To HILDA.]

  What became of the other ladies?

  HILDA

  Oh, they went 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 one here?

  HILDA

  Nobody but you. And of course, your wife.

  SOLNESS

  So you know her, too?

  ILDA

  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.

  [HILDA puts her stick down by the stove, takes off the knapsack and lays it

  and the plaid on the sofa. DR. HERDAL offers to help her. SOLNESS

  stands 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 at HILDA.]

  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 generation did come 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. SOLNESS opens 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?

  [Sees HILDA.]

  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

  I have no 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? They are all ready as it is.

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh yes. There we have room and to spare.

  [To HILDA.]

  Sit down now, and rest a little.

  [She goes out to the right.]

  [HILDA, with her hands behind her back, strolls about the room and looks

  at various objects. SOLNESS stands 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 now you can 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 it you that writes 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 for her.

  SOLNESS

  But not such a good thing for me. 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

  Perhaps you would 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.

  SOLNESS too goes to the table.]

  HILDA [Continuing.]

  For there must surely be plenty of 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.