drawn all the life-blood out of her.

  [Laughs in desperation.]

  They did it for my happiness! Yes, yes!

  [Sadly.]

  And now she is dead—for my sake. And I am chained alive to a

  dead woman.

  [In wild anguish.]

  I—I who cannot live without joy in life!

  [HILDA moves round the table and seats herself on the bench, with her

  elbows on the table, and her head supported by her hands.]

  HILDA [Sits and looks at him awhile.]

  What will you build next?

  SOLNESS [Shakes his head.]

  I don’t believe I shall build much more.

  HILDA

  Not those cosy, happy homes for mother and father, and for the troop of children?

  SOLNESS

  I wonder whether there will be any use for such homes in the coming time.

  HILDA

  Poor Mr. Solness! And you have gone all these ten years—and staked your whole life—on that alone.

  SOLNESS

  Yes, you may well say so, Hilda.

  HILDA [With an outburst.]

  Oh, it all seems to me so foolish—so foolish!

  SOLNESS

  All what?

  HILDA

  Not to be able to grasp at your own happiness—at your own life! Merely because some one you know happens to stand in the way!

  SOLNESS

  One whom you have no right to set aside.

  HILDA

  I wonder whether one really has not the right! And yet, and yet——. Oh! if one could only sleep the whole thing away! [She lays her arms flat down on the table, rests the left side of her head on her hands, and shuts her eyes.

  SOLNESS [Turns the arm-chair and sits down at the table.]

  Had you a cosy, happy home—up there with your father, Hilda?

  HILDA [Without stirring, answers as if half asleep.]

  I had only a cage.

  SOLNESS

  And you are determined not to go back to it?

  HILDA [As before.]

  The wild bird never wants to go into the cage.

  SOLNESS

  Rather range through the free air——

  HILDA [Still as before.]

  The bird of prey loves to range——

  SOLNESS [Lets his eyes rest on her.]

  If only one had the viking-spirit in life——

  HILDA [In her usual voice; opens her eyes but does not move.]

  And the other thing? Say what that was!

  SOLNESS

  A robust conscience.

  HILDA sits erect on the bench, with animation. Her eyes have once more the sparkling expression of gladness.

  HILDA [Nods to him.]

  I know what you are going to build next!

  SOLNESS

  Then you know more than I do, Hilda.

  HILDA

  Yes, builders are such stupid people.

  SOLNESS

  What is it to be then?

  HILDA [Nods again.]

  The castle.

  SOLNESS

  What castle?

  HILDA

  My castle, of course.

  SOLNESS

  Do you want a castle now?

  HILDA

  Don’t you owe me a kingdom, I should like to know?

  SOLNESS

  You say I do.

  HILDA

  Well—you admit you owe me this kingdom. And you can’t have a kingdom without a royal castle, I should think!

  SOLNESS [More and more animated.]

  Yes, they usually go together.

  HILDA

  Good! Then build it for me! This moment!

  SOLNESS [Laughing.]

  Must you have that on the instant, too?

  HILDA

  Yes, to be sure! For the ten years are up now, and I am not going to wait any longer. So—out with the castle, Mr. Solness!

  SOLNESS

  It’s no light matter to owe you anything, Hilda.

  HILDA

  You should have thought of that before. It is too late now. So—[tapping the table] —the castle on the table! It is my castle! I will have it at once!

  SOLNESS [More seriously, leans over towards her, with his arms on the table.]

  What sort of castle have you imagined, Hilda?

  [Her expression becomes more and more veiled. She seems gazing inwards

  at herself.]

  HILDA [Slowly.]

  My castle shall stand on a height—on a very great height—with a clear outlook on all sides, so that I can see far—far around.

  SOLNESS

  And no doubt it is to have a high tower!

  HILDA.

  A tremendously high tower. And at the very top of the tower there shall be a balcony. And I will stand out upon it——

  SOLNESS [Involuntarily clutches at his forehead.]

  How can you like to stand at such a dizzy height——?

  HILDA

  Yes, I will! Right up there will I stand and look down on the other people—on those that are building churches, and homes for mother and father and the troop of children. And you may come up and look on at it, too.

  SOLNESS [In a low tone.]

  Is the builder to be allowed to come up beside the princess?

  HILDA

  If the builder will.

  SOLNESS [More softly.]

  Then I think the builder will come.

  HILDA [Nods.]

  The builder—he will come.

  SOLNESS

  But he will never be able to build any more. Poor builder!

  HILDA [Animated.]

  Oh yes, he will! We two will set to work together. And then we will build the loveliest—the very loveliest—thing in all the world.

  SOLNESS [Intently.]

  Hilda—tell me what that is!

  HILDA [Looks smilingly at him, shakes her head a little, pouts, and speaks as if to a child.]

  Builders—they are such very—very stupid people.

  SOLNESS

  Yes, no doubt they are stupid. But now tell me what it is—the loveliest thing in the world—that we two are to build together?

  HILDA [Is silent a little while, then says with an indefinable expression in her eyes.]

  Castles in the air.

  SOLNESS

  Castles in the air?

  HILDA [Nods.]

  Castles in the air, yes! Do you know what sort of thing a castle in the air is?

  SOLNESS

  It is the loveliest thing in the world, you say.

  HILDA [Rises with vehemence, and makes a gesture of repulsion with her hand.]

  Yes, to be sure it is! Castles in the air—they are so easy to take

  refuge in. And so easy to build, too—

  [looks scornfully at him]

  —especially for the builders who have a—a dizzy conscience.

  SOLNESS [Rises.]

  After this day we two will build together, Hilda.

  HILDA [With a half-dubious smile.]

  A real castle in the air?

  SOLNESS

  Yes. One with a firm foundation under it.

  RAGNAR BROVIK comes out from the house. He is carrying a large, green wreath with flowers and silk ribbons.

  HILDA [With an outburst of pleasure.]

  The wreath! Oh, that will be glorious!

  SOLNESS [In surprise.]

  Have you brought the wreath, Ragnar?

  RAGNAR

  I promised the foreman I would.

  SOLNESS [Relieved.]

  Ah, then I suppose your father is better?

  RAGNAR

  No.

  SOLNESS

  Was he not cheered by what I wrote?

  RAGNAR

  It came too late.

  SOLNESS

  Too late!

  RAGNAR

  When she came with it he was unconscious. He had had a stroke.

  SOLNESS

  Why, then, you must go home to him! You must attend to your father!

  RAGNAR

  He does not need me any more.

  SOLNESS

  But surely you ought to be with him.

  RAGNAR

  She is sitting by his bed.

  SOLNESS [Rather uncertainly.]

  Kaia?

  RAGNAR [Looking darkly at him.]

  Yes—Kaia.

  SOLNESS

  Go home, Ragnar—both to him and to her. Give me the wreath.

  RAGNAR [Suppresses a mocking smile.]

  You don’t mean that you yourself——?

  SOLNESS

  I will take it down to them myself.

  [Takes the wreath from him.]

  And now you go home; we don’t require you to-day.

  RAGNAR

  I know you do not require me any more; but to-day I shall remain.

  SOLNESS

  Well, remain then, since you are bent upon it.

  HILDA [At the railing.]

  Mr. Solness, I will stand here and look on at you.

  SOLNESS

  At me!

  HILDA

  It will be fearfully thrilling.

  SOLNESS [In a low tone.]

  We will talk about that presently, Hilda.

  [He goes down the flight of steps with the wreath, and away through the

  garden.]

  HILDA [Looks after him, then turns to RAGNAR.]

  I think you might at least have thanked him.

  RAGNAR

  Thanked him? Ought I to have thanked him?

  HILDA

  Yes, of course you ought!

  RAGNAR

  I think it is rather you I ought to thank.

  HILDA

  How can you say such a thing?

  RAGNAR [Without answering her.]

  But I advise you to take care, Miss Wangel! For you don’t know him rightly yet.

  HILDA [Ardently.]

  Oh, no one knows him as I do!

  RAGNAR [Laughs in exasperation.]

  Thank him, when he has held me down year after year! When he made father disbelieve in me—made me disbelieve in myself! And all merely that he might——!

  HILDA [As if divining something.]

  That he might——? Tell me at once!

  RAGNAR

  That he might keep her with him.

  HILDA [With a start towards him.]

  The girl at the desk.

  RAGNAR

  Yes.

  HILDA [Threateningly, clenching her hands.]

  That is not true! You are telling falsehoods about him!

  RAGNAR

  I would not believe it either until to-day—when she said so herself.

  HILDA [As if beside herself.]

  What did she say? I will know! At once! at once!

  RAGNAR

  She said that he had taken possession of her mind—her whole mind—centred all her thoughts upon himself alone. She says that she can never leave him—that she will remain here, where he is——

  HILDA [With flashing eyes.]

  She will not be allowed to!

  RAGNAR [As if feeling his way.]

  Who will not allow her?

  HILDA [Rapidly.]

  He will not either!

  RAGNAR

  Oh no—I understand the whole thing now. After this, she would merely be—in the way.

  HILDA

  You understand nothing—since you can talk like that! No, I will tell you why he kept hold of her.

  RAGNAR

  Well then, why?

  HILDA

  In order to keep hold of you.

  RAGNAR

  Has he told you so?

  HILDA

  No, but it is so. It must be so!

  [Wildly.]

  I will—I will have it so!

  RAGNAR

  And at the very moment when you came—he let her go.

  HILDA

  It was you—you that he let go! What do you suppose he cares about strange women like her?

  RAGNAR [Reflects.]

  Is it possible that all this time he has been afraid of me?

  HILDA

  He afraid! I would not be so conceited if I were you.

  RAGNAR

  Oh, he must have seen long ago that I had something in me, too. Besides—cowardly—that is just what he is, you see.

  HILDA

  He! Oh yes, I am likely to believe that!

  RAGNAR

  In a certain sense he is cowardly—he, the great master builder. He is not afraid of robbing others of their life’s happiness—as he has done both for my father and for me. But when it comes to climbing up a paltry bit of scaffolding—he will do anything rather than that.

  HILDA

  Oh, you should just have seen him high, high up—at the dizzy height where I once saw him.

  RAGNAR

  Did you see that?

  HILDA

  Yes, indeed I did. How free and great he looked as he stood and fastened the wreath to the church vane!

  RAGNAR

  I know that he ventured that, once in his life—one solitary time. It is a legend among us younger men. But no power on earth would induce him to do it again.

  HILDA

  To-day he will do it again!

  RAGNAR [Scornfully.]

  Yes, I daresay!

  HILDA

  We shall see it!

  RAGNAR

  That neither you nor I will see.

  HILDA [With uncontrollable vehemence.]

  I will see it! I will and I must see it!

  RAGNAR

  But he will not do it. He simply dare not do it. For you see he cannot get over this infirmity—master builder though he be.

  MRS. SOLNESS comes from the house on to the veranda.

  MRS. SOLNESS [Looks around.]

  Is he not here? Where has he gone to?

  RAGNAR

  Mr. Solness is down with the men.

  HILDA

  He took the wreath with him.

  MRS. SOLNESS [Terrified.]

  Took the wreath with him! Oh God! oh God! Brovik—you must go down to him! Get him to come back here!

  RAGNAR

  Shall I say you want to speak to him, Mrs. Solness?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh yes, do!—No, no—don’t say that I want anything! You can say that somebody is here, and that he must come at once.

  RAGNAR

  Good. I will do so, Mrs. Solness.

  [He goes down the flight of steps and away through the garden.]

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh, Miss Wangel, you can’t think how anxious I feel about him.

  HILDA

  Is there anything in this to be so terribly frightened about?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh yes; surely you can understand. Just think, if he were really to do it! If he should take it into his head to climb up the scaffolding!

  HILDA [Eagerly.]

  Do you think he will?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh, one can never tell what he might take into his head. I am afraid there is nothing he mightn’t think of doing.

  HILDA

  Aha! Perhaps you too think that he is—well——?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh, I don’t know what to think about him now. The Doctor has been telling me all sorts of things; and putting it all together with several things I have heard him say——

  DR. HERDAL looks out, at the door.

  DR. HERDAL

  Is he not coming soon?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Yes, I think so. I have sent for him at any rate.

  DR. HERDAL [Advancing.]

  I am afraid you will have to go in, my dear lady——

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Oh no! Oh no! I shall stay out here and wait for Halvard.

  DR. HERDAL

  But some ladies have just come to call on you——

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Good heavens, that too! And just at this moment!

  DR. HERDAL

  They say they positively must see the ceremony.

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Well, well; I suppose I must go to them after all. It is my duty.

  HILDA

  Can’t you ask the ladies to go away?

  MRS. SOLNESS

  No, that would never do. Now that they are here, it is my duty to see them. But do you stay out here in the meantime—and receive him when he comes.

  DR. HERDAL

  And try to occupy his attention as long as possible——

  MRS. SOLNESS

  Yes, do, dear Miss Wangel. Keep as firm hold of him as ever you can.

  HILDA