SOLNESS [Growls.]

  H’m! May I ask, then, what sort of a conscience one ought to have?

  HILDA

  I should like your conscience to be—to be thoroughly robust.

  SOLNESS

  Indeed? Robust, eh? Is your own conscience robust, may I ask?

  HILDA

  Yes, I think it is. I have never noticed that it wasn’t.

  SOLNESS

  It has not been put very severely to the test, I should think.

  HILDA [With a quivering of the lips.]

  Oh, it was no such simple matter to leave father—I am so awfully fond of him.

  SOLNESS

  Dear me! for a month or two——

  HILDA

  I think I shall never go home again.

  SOLNESS

  Never? Then why did you leave him?

  HILDA [Half-seriously, half-banteringly.]

  Have you forgotten again that the ten years are up?

  SOLNESS

  Oh nonsense. Was anything wrong at home? Eh?

  HILDA [Quite seriously.]

  It was this impulse within me that urged and goaded me to come—and lured and drew me on, as well.

  SOLNESS [Eagerly.]

  There we have it! There we have it, Hilda! There is a troll in you too, as in me. For it’s the troll in one, you see—it is that that calls to the powers outside us. And then you must give in—whether you will or no.

  HILDA

  I almost think you are right, Mr. Solness.

  SOLNESS [Walks about the room.]

  Oh, there are devils innumerable abroad in the world, Hilda, that one never sees!

  HILDA

  Devils, too?

  SOLNESS [Stops.]

  Good devils and bad devils; light-haired devils and black-haired

  devils. If only you could always tell whether it is the light or dark

  ones that have got hold of you!

  [Paces about.]

  Ho-ho! Then it would be simple enough!

  HILDA [Follows him with her eyes.]

  Or if one had a really vigorous, radiantly healthy conscience—so that one dared to do what one would.

  SOLNESS [Stops beside the console table.]

  I believe, now, that most people are just as puny creatures as I am in that respect.

  HILDA

  I shouldn’t wonder.

  SOLNESS [Leaning against the table.]

  In the sagas——. Have you read any of the old sagas?

  HILDA

  Oh yes! When I used to read books, I——

  SOLNESS

  In the sagas you read about vikings, who sailed to foreign lands, and plundered and burned and killed men——

  HILDA

  And carried off women——

  SOLNESS

  ——and kept them in captivity——

  HILDA

  ——took them home in their ships——

  SOLNESS

  ——and behaved to them like—like the very worst of trolls.

  HILDA [Looks straight before her, with a half-veiled look.]

  I think that must have been thrilling.

  SOLNESS [With a short, deep laugh.]

  To carry off women, eh?

  HILDA

  To be carried off.

  SOLNESS [Looks at her a moment.]

  Oh, indeed.

  HILDA [As if breaking the thread of the conversation.]

  But what made you speak of these vikings, Mr. Solness?

  SOLNESS

  Why, those fellows must have had robust consciences, if you like! When they got home again, they could eat and drink, and be as happy as children. And the women, too! They often would not leave them on any account. Can you understand that, Hilda?

  HILDA

  Those women I can understand exceedingly well.

  SOLNESS

  Oho! Perhaps you could do the same yourself?

  HILDA

  Why not?

  SOLNESS

  Live—of your own free will—with a ruffian like that?

  HILDA

  If it was a ruffian I had come to love——

  SOLNESS

  Could you come to love a man like that?

  HILDA

  Good heavens, you know very well one can’t choose whom one is going to love.

  SOLNESS [Looks meditatively at her.]

  Oh no, I suppose it is the troll within one that’s responsible for that.

  HILDA [Half-laughing.]

  And all those blessëd devils, that you know so well—both the light-haired and the dark-haired ones.

  SOLNESS [Quietly and warmly.]

  Then I hope with all my heart that the devils will choose carefully for you, Hilda.

  HILDA

  For me they have chosen already—once and for all.

  SOLNESS [Looks earnestly at her.]

  Hilda—you are like a wild bird of the woods.

  HILDA

  Far from it. I don’t hide myself away under the bushes.

  SOLNESS

  No, no. There is rather something of the bird of prey in you.

  HILDA

  That is nearer it—perhaps.

  [Very vehemently.]

  And why not a bird of prey? Why should not I go a-hunting—I,

  as well as the rest? Carry off the prey I want—if only I can get

  my claws into it, and do with it as I will.

  SOLNESS

  Hilda—do you know what you are?

  HILDA

  Yes, I suppose I am a strange sort of bird.

  SOLNESS

  No. You are like a dawning day. When I look at you—I seem to be looking towards the sunrise.

  HILDA

  Tell me, Mr. Solness—are you certain that you have never called me to you? Inwardly, you know?

  SOLNESS [Softly and slowly.]

  I almost think I must have.

  HILDA

  What did you want with me?

  SOLNESS

  You are the younger generation, Hilda.

  HILDA [Smiles.]

  That younger generation that you are so afraid of?

  SOLNESS [Nods slowly.]

  And which, in my heart, I yearn towards so deeply.

  [HILDA rises, goes to the little table, and fetches RAGNAR BROVIK’s

  portfolio.]

  HILDA [Holds out the portfolio to him.]

  We were talking of these drawings——

  SOLNESS [Shortly, waving them away.]

  Put those things away! I have seen enough of them.

  HILDA

  Yes, but you have to write your approval on them.

  SOLNESS

  Write my approval on them? Never!

  HILDA

  But the poor old man is lying at death’s door! Can’t you give him and his son this pleasure before they are parted? And perhaps he might get the commission to carry them out, too.

  SOLNESS

  Yes, that is just what he would get. He has made sure of that—has my fine gentleman!

  HILDA

  Then, good heavens—if that is so—can’t you tell the least little bit of a lie for once in a way?

  SOLNESS

  A lie?

  [Raging.]

  Hilda—take those devil’s drawings out of my sight!

  HILDA [Draws the portfolio a little nearer to herself .]

  Well, well, well—don’t bite me.—You talk of trolls—but I

  think you go on like a troll yourself.

  [Looks round.]

  Where do you keep your pen and ink?

  SOLNESS

  There is nothing of the sort in here.

  HILDA [Goes towards the door.]

  But in the office where that young lady is——

  SOLNESS

  Stay where you are, Hilda!—I ought to tell a lie, you say. Oh yes,

  for the sake of his old father I might well do that—for in my

  time I have crushed him, trodden him under foot——

  HILDA

  Him, too?

  SOLNESS

  I needed room for myself. But this Ragnar—he must on no account be allowed to come to the front.

  HILDA

  Poor fellow, there is surely no fear of that. If he has nothing in him——

  SOLNESS [Comes closer, looks at her, and whispers.]

  If Ragnar Brovik gets his chance, he will strike me to the earth. Crush me—as I crushed his father.

  HILDA

  Crush you? Has he the ability for that?

  SOLNESS

  Yes, you may depend upon it he has the ability! He is the younger generation that stands ready to knock at my door—to make an end of Halvard Solness.

  HILDA [Looks at him with quiet reproach.]

  And yet you would bar him out. Fie, Mr. Solness!

  SOLNESS

  The fight I have been fighting has cost heart’s blood enough.—And I am afraid, too, that the helpers and servers will not obey me any longer.

  HILDA

  Then you must go ahead without them. There is nothing else for it.

  SOLNESS

  It is hopeless, Hilda. The luck is bound to turn. A little sooner or a little later. Retribution is inexorable.

  HILDA [In distress, putting her hands over her ears.]

  Don’t talk like that! Do you want to kill me? To take from me what is more than my life?

  SOLNESS

  And what is that?

  HILDA

  The longing to see you great. To see you, with a wreath in your

  hand, high, high up upon a church-tower.

  [Calm again.]

  Come, out with your pencil now. You must have a pencil about

  you?

  SOLNESS [Takes out his pocket-book.]

  I have one here.

  HILDA [Lays the portfolio on the sofa-table.]

  Very well. Now let us two sit down here, Mr. Solness.

  [SOLNESS seats himself at the table. HILDA stands behind him, lean

  ing over the back of the chair.]

  And now we will write on the drawings. We must write very,

  very nicely and cordially—for this horrid Ruar—or whatever his

  name is.

  SOLNESS [Writes a few words, turns his head and looks at her.]

  Tell me one thing, Hilda.

  HILDA

  Yes!

  SOLNESS

  If you have been waiting for me all these ten years——

  HILDA

  What then?

  SOLNESS

  Why have you never written to me? Then I could have answered you.

  HILDA [Hastily.]

  No, no, no! That was just what I did not want.

  SOLNESS

  Why not?

  HILDA

  I was afraid the whole thing might fall to pieces.—But we were going to write on the drawings, Mr. Solness.

  SOLNESS

  So we were.

  HILDA [Bends forward and looks over his shoulder while he writes.]

  Mind now, kindly and cordially! Oh how I hate—how I hate this Ruald——

  SOLNESS [Writing.]

  Have you never really cared for any one, Hilda?

  HILDA [Harshly.]

  What do you say?

  SOLNESS

  Have you never cared for any one?

  HILDA

  For any one else, I suppose you mean?

  SOLNESS [Looks up at her.]

  For any one else, yes. Have you never? In all these ten years? Never?

  HILDA

  Oh yes, now and then. When I was perfectly furious with you for not coming.

  SOLNESS

  Then you did take an interest in other people, too?

  HILDA

  A little bit—for a week or so. Good heavens, Mr. Solness, you surely know how such things come about.

  SOLNESS

  Hilda—what is it you have come for?

  HILDA

  Don’t waste time talking. The poor old man might go and die in the meantime.

  SOLNESS

  Answer me, Hilda. What do you want of me?

  HILDA

  I want my kingdom.

  SOLNESS

  H’m——

  He gives a rapid glance towards the door on the left, and then goes on writing on the drawings. At the same moment MRS. SOLNESS enters; she has some packages in her hand.

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Here are a few things I have got for you, Miss Wangel. The large parcels will be sent later on.

  HILDA

  Oh, how very, very kind of you!

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Only my simple duty. Nothing more than that.

  SOLNESS [Reading over what he has written.]

  Aline!

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Yes?

  SOLNESS

  Did you notice whether the—the book-keeper was out there?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Yes, of course, she was there.

  SOLNESS [Puts the drawings in the portfolio.]

  H’m——

  MRS. SOLNESS

  She was standing at the desk, as she always is—when I go through the room.

  SOLNESS [Rises.]

  Then I’ll give this to her, and tell her that——

  HILDA [Takes the portfolio from him.]

  Oh, no, let me have the pleasure of doing that!

  [Goes to the door, but turns.]

  What is her name?

  SOLNESS

  Her name is Miss Fosli.

  HILDA

  Pooh, that sounds so cold! Her Christian name, I mean?

  SOLNESS

  Kaia—I believe.

  HILDA [Opens the door and calls out.]

  Kaia, come in here! Make haste! Mr. Solness wants to speak to you.

  KAIA FOSLI appears at the door.

  KAIA [Looking at him in alarm.]

  Here I am——?

  HILDA [Handing her the portfolio.]

  See here, Kaia! You can take this home; Mr. Solness has written on them now.

  KAIA

  Oh, at last!

  SOLNESS

  Give them to the old man as soon as you can.

  KAIA

  I will go straight home with them.

  SOLNESS

  Yes, do. Now Ragnar will have a chance of building for himself.

  KAIA

  Oh, may he come and thank you for all——?

  SOLNESS [Harshly.]

  I won’t have any thanks! Tell him that from me.

  KAIA

  Yes, I will——

  SOLNESS

  And tell him at the same time that henceforward I do not require his services—nor yours either.

  KAIA [Softly and quiveringly.]

  Not mine either?

  SOLNESS

  You will have other things to think of now, and to attend to; and that is a very good thing for you. Well, go home with the drawings now, Miss Fosli. At once! Do you hear?

  KAIA [As before.]

  Yes, Mr. Solness.

  [She goes out.]

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Heavens! what deceitful eyes she has.

  SOLNESS

  She? That poor little creature?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh—I can see what I can see, Halvard——Are you really dismissing them?

  SOLNESS

  Yes.

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Her as well?

  SOLNESS

  Was not that what you wished?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  But how can you get on without her——? Oh well, no doubt you have some one else in reserve, Halvard.

  HILDA [Playfully.]

  Well, I for one am not the person to stand at that desk.

  SOLNESS

  Never mind, never mind—it will be all right, Aline. Now all you

  have to do is to think about moving into our new home—as

  quickly as you can. This evening we will hang up the wreath—

  [Turns to HILDA]

  —right on the very pinnacle of the tower. What do you say to

  that, Miss Hilda?

  HILDA [Looks at him with sparkling eyes.]

  It will be splendid to see you so high up once more.

  SOLNESS

  Me!

  MRS. SOLNESS

  For Heaven’s sake, Miss Wangel, don’t imagine such a thing! My husband!—when he always gets so dizzy!

  HILDA

  He get dizzy! No, I know quite well he does not!

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh yes, indeed he does.

  HILDA

  But I have seen him with my own eyes right up at the top of a high church-tower!