Hedda Gabler

The floors in both rooms are covered with thick carpets.⁠—Morning light. The sun shines in through the glass door.

Miss Juliana Tesman, with her bonnet on a carrying a parasol, comes in from the hall, followed by Berta, who carries a bouquet wrapped in paper. Miss Tesman is a comely and pleasant-looking lady of about sixty-five. She is nicely but simply dressed in a grey walking costume. Berta is a middle-aged woman of plain and rather countrified appearance.

Miss Tesman

Stops close to the door, listens, and says softly: Upon my word, I don’t believe they are stirring yet!

Berta

Also softly. I told you so, Miss. Remember how late the steamboat got in last night. And then, when they got home!⁠—good Lord, what a lot the young mistress had to unpack before she could get to bed.

Miss Tesman

Well well⁠—let them have their sleep out. But let us see that they get a good breath of the fresh morning air when they do appear.

She goes to the glass door and throws it open.

Berta

Beside the table, at a loss what to do with the bouquet in her hand. I declare there isn’t a bit of room left. I think I’ll put it down here, Miss. She places it on the piano.

Miss Tesman

So you’ve got a new mistress now, my dear Berta. Heaven knows it was a wrench to me to part with you.

Berta

On the point of weeping. And do you think it wasn’t hard for me, too, Miss? After all the blessed years I’ve been with you and Miss Rina.

Miss Tesman

Did he give you lessons too, then?

Mrs. Elvsted

No, not exactly lessons. But he talked to me⁠—talked about such an infinity of things. And then came the lovely, happy time when I began to share in his work⁠—when he allowed me to help him!

Hedda

Oh he did, did he?

Mrs. Elvsted

Yes! He never wrote anything without my assistance.

Hedda

You were two good comrades, in fact?

Mrs. Elvsted

Eagerly. Comrades! Yes, fancy, Hedda⁠—that is the very word he used!⁠—Oh, I ought to feel perfectly happy; and yet I cannot; for I don’t know how long it will last.

Hedda

Are you no surer of him than that?

Mrs. Elvsted

Gloomily. A woman’s shadow stands between Eilert Lövborg and me.

Hedda

Looks at her anxiously. Who can that be?

Mrs. Elvsted

I don’t know. Someone he knew in his⁠—in his past. Someone he has never been able wholly to forget.

Hedda

What has he told you⁠—about this?

Mrs. Elvsted

He has only once⁠—quite vaguely⁠—alluded to it.

Hedda

Well! And what did he say?

Mrs. Elvsted

He said that when they parted, she threatened to shoot him with a pistol.

Hedda

With cold composure. Oh nonsense! No one does that sort of thing here.

Mrs. Elvsted

No. And that is why I think it must have been that red-haired singing woman whom he once⁠—

Hedda

Yes, very likely.

Mrs. Elvsted

For I remember they used to say of her that she carried loaded firearms.

Hedda

Oh⁠—then of course it must have been she.

Mrs. Elvsted

Tesman

Well⁠—at all events, we have our delightful home, Hedda! Fancy, the home we both dreamed of⁠—the home we were in love with, I may almost say. Eh?

Hedda

Rising slowly and wearily. It was part of our compact that we were to go into society⁠—to keep open house.

Tesman

Yes, if you only knew how I had been looking forward to it! Fancy⁠—to see you as hostess⁠—in a select circle! Eh? Well, well, well⁠—for the present we shall have to get on without society, Hedda⁠—only to invite Aunt Julia now and then.⁠—Oh, I intended you to lead such an utterly different life, dear⁠—!

Hedda

Of course I cannot have my man in livery just yet.

Tesman

Oh, no, unfortunately. It would be out of the question for us to keep a footman, you know.

Hedda

And the saddle horse I was to have had⁠—

Tesman

Aghast. The saddle horse!

Hedda

—I suppose I must not think of that now.

Tesman

Good heavens, no!⁠—that’s as clear as daylight!

Hedda

Goes up the room. Well, I shall have one thing at least to kill time with in the meanwhile.

Tesman

Beaming. Oh thank heaven for that! What is it, Hedda. Eh?

Hedda

In the middle doorway, looks at him with covert scorn. My pistols, George.

Tesman

In alarm. Your pistols!

Hedda

With cold eyes. General Gabler’s pistols.

She goes out through the inner room, to the left.

Tesman

Rushes up to the middle doorway and calls after her: No, for heaven’s sake, Hedda darling⁠—don’t touch those dangerous things! For my sake Hedda! Eh?

Of the master of the house, do you mean?

Brack

Bowing. Frankly⁠—of the mistress first of all; but of course of the master too, in the second place. Such a triangular friendship⁠—if I may call it so⁠—is really a great convenience for all the parties, let me tell you.

Hedda

Yes, I have many a time longed for someone to make a third on our travels. Oh⁠—those railway carriage tête-à-têtes⁠—!

Brack

Fortunately your wedding journey is over now.

Hedda

Shaking her head. Not by a long⁠—long way. I have only arrived at a station on the line.

Brack

Well, then the passengers jump out and move about a little, Mrs. Hedda.

Hedda

I never jump out.

Brack

Really?

Hedda

No⁠—because there is always someone standing by to⁠—

Brack

Laughing. To look at your ankles, do you mean?

Hedda

Precisely.

Brack

Well but, dear me⁠—

Hedda

With a gesture of repulsion. I won’t have it. I would rather keep my seat where I happen to be⁠—and continue the tête-à-tête.

Brack

But suppose a third person were to jump in and join the couple.

Hedda

Ah⁠—that is quite another matter!

Brack

A trusted, sympathetic friend⁠—

Hedda

—with a fund of conversation on all sorts of lively topics⁠—

Brack

—and not the least bit of a specialist!

Hedda

With an audible sigh. Yes, that would be a relief indeed.

Brack

Hears the front door open, and glances in that direction. The triangle is completed.

Hedda

Half aloud. And on goes the train.

Mrs. Elvsted

Who has risen and is wandering restlessly about the room. Hedda⁠—Hedda⁠—what will come of all this?

Hedda

At ten o’clock⁠—he will be here. I can see him already⁠—with vine leaves in his hair⁠—flushed and fearless⁠—

Mrs. Elvsted

Oh, I hope he may.

Hedda

And then, you see⁠—then he will have regained control over himself. Then he will be a free man for all his days.

Mrs. Elvsted

Oh God!⁠—if he would only come as you see him now!

Hedda

He will come as I see him⁠—so, and not otherwise! Rises and approaches Thea. You may doubt him as long as you please; I believe in him. And now we will try⁠—

Mrs. Elvsted

You have some hidden motive in this, Hedda!

Hedda

Yes, I have. I want for once in my life to have power to mould a human destiny.

Mrs. Elvsted

Have you not the power?

Hedda

I have not⁠—and have never had it.

Mrs. Elvsted

Not your husband’s?

Hedda

Do you think that is worth the trouble? Oh, if you could only understand how poor I am. And fate has made you so rich! Clasps her passionately in her arms. I think I must burn your hair off after all.

Mrs. Elvsted

Let me go! Let me go! I am afraid of you, Hedda!

Berta

In the middle doorway. Tea is laid in the dining room, ma’am.

Hedda

Very well. We are coming