HEDDA GABLER 7

HEDDA GABLER 7

HEDDA. Will you not join them, Mr. Lovborg? LOVBORG. [With a gesture of refusal.] No, thank you. Nothing for me. BRACK. Why bless me--cold punch is surely not poison. LOVBORG. Perhaps not for everyone. HEDDA. I will keep Mr. Lovborg company in the meantime. TESMAN. Yes, yes, Hedda dear, do.      [He and BRACK go into the inner room, seat themselves, drink        punch, smoke cigarettes, and carry on a lively conversation        during what follows.  EILERT LOVBORG remains standing beside        the stove.  HEDDA goes to the writing-table. HEDDA. [Raising he voice a little.] Do you care to look at some photographs, Mr. Lovborg? You know Tesman and I made a tour in the Tyrol on our way home?      [She takes up an album, and places it on the table beside the        sofa, in the further corner of which she seats herself.  EILERT        LOVBORG approaches, stops, and looks at her.  Then he takes a        chair and seats himself to her left. HEDDA. [Opening the album.] Do you see this range of mountains, Mr. Lovborg? It's the Ortler group. Tesman has written the name underneath. Here it is: "The Ortler group near Meran." LOVBORG. [Who has never taken his eyes off her, says softly and slowly:] Hedda--Gabler! HEDDA. [Glancing hastily at him.] Ah! Hush! LOVBORG. [Repeats softly.] Hedda Gabler! HEDDA. [Looking at the album.] That was my name in the old days--when we two knew each other. LOVBORG. And I must teach myself never to say Hedda Gabler again--never, as long as I live. HEDDA. [Still turning over the pages.] Yes, you must. And I think you ought to practise in time. The sooner the better, I should say. LOVBORG. [In a tone of indignation.] Hedda Gabler married? And married to-- George Tesman! HEDDA. Yes--so the world goes. LOVBORG. Oh, Hedda, Hedda--how could you(9) throw yourself away! HEDDA. [Looks sharply at him.] What? I can't allow this! LOVBORG. What do you mean?      [TESMAN comes into the room and goes towards the sofa. HEDDA. [Hears him coming and says in an indifferent tone.] And this is a view from the Val d'Ampezzo, Mr. Lovborg. Just look at these peaks! [Looks affectionately up at TESMAN.] What's the name of these curious peaks, dear? TESMAN. Let me see. Oh, those are the Dolomites. HEDDA. Yes, that's it!--Those are the Dolomites, Mr. Lovborg. TESMAN. Hedda, dear,--I only wanted to ask whether I shouldn't bring you a little punch after all? For yourself at any rate--eh? HEDDA. Yes, do, please; and perhaps a few biscuits. TESMAN. No cigarettes? HEDDA. No. TESMAN. Very well.      [He goes into the inner room and out to the right.  BRACK sits        in the inner room, and keeps an eye from time to time on HEDDA        and LOVBORG. LOVBORG. [Softly, as before.] Answer me, Hedda--how could you go and do this? HEDDA. [Apparently absorbed in the album.] If you continue to say _du_ to me I won't talk to you. LOVBORG. May I not say _du_ even when we are alone? HEDDA. No. You may think it; but you mustn't say it. LOVBORG. Ah, I understand. It is an offence against George Tesman, whom you(10)--love. HEDDA. [Glances at him and smiles.] Love? What an idea! LOVBORG. You don't love him then! HEDDA. But I won't hear of any sort of unfaithfulness! Remember that. LOVBORG. Hedda--answer me one thing-- HEDDA. Hush! [TESMAN enters with a small tray from the inner room. TESMAN. Here you are! Isn't this tempting? [He puts the tray on the table. HEDDA. Why do you bring it yourself? TESMAN. [Filling the glasses.] Because I think it's such fun to wait upon you, Hedda. HEDDA. But you have poured out two glasses. Mr. Lovborg said he wouldn't have any-- TESMAN. No, but Mrs. Elvsted will soon be here, won't she? HEDDA. Yes, by-the-bye--Mrs. Elvsted-- TESMAN. Had you forgotten her? Eh? HEDDA. We were so absorbed in these photographs. [Shows him a picture.] Do you remember this little village? TESMAN. Oh, it's that one just below the Brenner Pass. It was there we passed the night-- HEDDA. --and met that lively party of tourists. TESMAN. Yes, that was the place. Fancy--if we could only have had you with us, Eilert! Eh?      [He returns to the inner room and sits beside BRACK. LOVBORG. Answer me one thing, Hedda-- HEDDA. Well? LOVBORG. Was there no love in your friendship for me either? Not a spark--not a tinge of love in it? HEDDA. I wonder if there was? To me it seems as though we were two good comrades--two thoroughly intimate friends. [Smilingly.] You especially were frankness itself. LOVBORG. It was you that made me so. HEDDA. As I look back upon it all, I think there was really something beautiful, something fascinating--something daring--in--in that secret intimacy--that comradeship which no living creature so much as dreamed of. LOVBORG. Yes, yes, Hedda! Was there not?--When I used to come to your father's in the afternoon--and the General sat over at the window reading his papers--with his back towards us-- HEDDA. And we two on the corner sofa-- LOVBORG. Always with the same illustrated paper before us-- HEDDA. For want of an album, yes. LOVBORG. Yes, Hedda, and when I made my confessions to you--told you about myself, things that at that time no one else knew! There I would sit and tell you of my escapades--my days and nights of devilment. Oh, Hedda--what was the power in you that forced me to confess these things? HEDDA. Do you think it was any power in me? LOVBORG. How else can I explain it? And all those--those roundabout questions you used to put to me-- HEDDA. Which you understood so particularly well-- LOVBORG. How could you sit and question me like that? Question me quite frankly-- HEDDA. In roundabout terms, please observe. LOVBORG. Yes, but frankly nevertheless. Cross-question me about--all that sort of thing? HEDDA. And how could you answer, Mr. Lovborg? LOVBORG. Yes, that is just what I can't understand--in looking back upon it. But tell me now, Hedda--was there not love at the bottom of our friendship? On your side, did you not feel as though you might purge my stains away--if I made you my confessor? Was it not so? HEDDA. No, not quite. LOVBORG. What was you motive, then? HEDDA. Do think it quite incomprehensible that a young girl--when it can be done--without any one knowing-- LOVBORG. Well? HEDDA. --should be glad to have a peep, now and then, into a world which--? LOVBORG. Which--? HEDDA. --which she is forbidden to know anything about? LOVBORG. So that was it? HEDDA. Partly. Partly--I almost think. LOVBORG. Comradeship in the thirst for life. But why should not that, at any rate, have continued? HEDDA. The fault was yours. LOVBORG. It was you that broke with me. HEDDA. Yes, when our friendship threatened to develop into something more serious. Shame upon you, Eilert Lovborg! How could you think of wronging your--your frank comrade. LOVBORG. [Clenches his hands.] Oh, why did you not carry out your threat? Why did you not shoot me down? HEDDA. Because I have such a dread of scandal. LOVBORG. Yes, Hedda, you are a coward at heart. HEDDA. A terrible coward. [Changing her tone.] But it was a lucky thing for you. And now you have found ample consolation at the Elvsteds'. LOVBORG. I know what Thea has confided to you. HEDDA. And perhaps you have confided to her something about us? LOVBORG. Not a word. She is too stupid to understand anything of that sort. HEDDA. Stupid? LOVBORG. She is stupid about matters of that sort. HEDDA. And I am cowardly. [Bends over towards him, without looking him in the face, and says more softly:] But now I will confide something to you. LOVBORG. [Eagerly.] Well? HEDDA. The fact that I dared not shoot you down-- LOVBORG. Yes! HEDDA. --that was not my arrant cowardice--that evening. LOVBORG. [Looks at her a moment, understands, and whispers passionately.] Oh, Hedda! Hedda Gabler! Now I begin to see a hidden reason beneath our comradeship! You(11) and I--! After all, then, it was your craving for life-- HEDDA. [Softly, with a sharp glance.] Take care! Believe nothing of the sort!    [Twilight has begun to fall.  The hall door is opened from        without by BERTA. HEDDA. [Closes the album with a bang and calls smilingly:] Ah, at last! My darling Thea,--come along!   MRS. ELVSTED enters from the hall.  She is in evening dress.   The door is closed behind her. HEDDA. [On the sofa, stretches out her arms towards her.] My sweet Thea--you can't think how I have been longing for you!      [MRS. ELVSTED, in passing, exchanges slight salutations with        the gentlemen in the inner room, then goes up to the table        and gives HEDDA her hand.  EILERT LOVBORG has risen.  He and        MRS. ELVSTED greet each other with a silent nod. MRS. ELVSTED. Ought I to go in and talk to your husband for a moment? HEDDA. Oh, not at all. Leave those two alone. They will soon be going. MRS. ELVSTED. Are they going out? HEDDA. Yes, to a supper-party. MRS. ELVSTED. [Quickly, to LOVBORG.] Not you? LOVBORG. No. HEDDA. Mr. Lovborg remains with us. MRS. ELVSTED. [Takes a chair and is about to seat herself at his side.] Oh, how nice it is here! HEDDA. No, thank you, my little Thea! Not there! You'll be good enough to come over here to me. I will sit between you. MRS. ELVSTED. Yes, just as you please.    [She goes round the table and seats herself on the sofa on        HEDDA'S right.  LOVBORG re-seats himself on his chair. LOVBORG. [After a short pause, to HEDDA.] Is not she lovely to look at? HEDDA. [Lightly stroking her hair.] Only to look at! LOVBORG. Yes. For we two--she and I--we are two real comrades. We have absolute faith in each other; so we can sit and talk with perfect frankness-- HEDDA. Not round about, Mr. Lovborg? LOVBORG. Well-- MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly clinging close to HEDDA.] Oh, how happy I am, Hedda! For only think, he says I have inspired him too. HEDDA. [Looks at her with a smile.] Ah! Does he say that, dear? LOVBORG. And then she is so brave, Mrs. Tesman! MRS. ELVSTED. Good heavens--am I brave? LOVBORG. Exceedingly--where your comrade is concerned. HEDDA. Exceedingly--where your comrade is concerned. HEDDA. Ah, yes--courage! If one only had that! LOVBORG. What then? What do you mean? HEDDA. Then life would perhaps be liveable, after all. [With a sudden change of tone.] But now, my dearest Thea, you really must have a glass of cold punch. MRS. ELVSTED. No, thanks--I never take anything of that kind. HEDDA. Well then, you, Mr. Lovborg. LOVBORG. Nor I, thank you. MRS. ELVSTED. No, he doesn't either. HEDDA. [Looks fixedly at him.] But if I say you shall? LOVBORG. It would be of no use. HEDDA. [Laughing.] Then I, poor creature, have no sort of power over you? LOVBORG. Not in that respect. HEDDA. But seriously, I think you ought to--for your own sake. MRS. ELVSTED. Why, Hedda--! LOVBORG. How so? HEDDA. Or rather on account of other people. LOVBORG. Indeed? HEDDA. Otherwise people might be apt to suspect that--in your heart of hearts--you did not feel quite secure--quite confident in yourself. MRS. ELVSTED. [Softly.] Oh please, Hedda--! LOVBORG. People may suspect what they like--for the present. MRS. ELVSTED. [Joyfully.] Yes, let them! HEDDA. I saw it plainly in Judge Brack's face a moment ago. LOVBORG. What did you see? HEDDA. His contemptuous smile, when you dared not go with them into the inner room. LOVBORG. Dared not? Of course I preferred to stop here and talk to you. MRS. ELVSTED. What could be more natural, Hedda? HEDDA. But the Judge could not guess that. And I say, too, the way he smiled and glanced at Tesman when you dared not accept his invitation to this wretched little supper-party of his. LOVBORG. Dared not! Do you say I dared not? HEDDA. _I_ don't say so. But that was how Judge Brack understood it.