Hedda Gabler

so far⁠—far apart from each other. Our circles have been so entirely different. Hedda Well then, we must try to drift together again. Now listen. At school we said du11 to each other; and we called each other by our Christian names⁠— Mrs. Elvsted No, I am sure you must be mistaken. Hedda No, not at all! I can remember quite distinctly. So now we are going to renew our old friendship. Draws the footstool closer to Mrs. Elvsted. There now! Kisses her cheek. You must say du to me and call me Hedda. Mrs. Elvsted Presses and pats her hands. Oh, how good and kind you are! I am not used to such kindness. Hedda There, there, there! And I shall say du to you, as in the old days, and call you my dear Thora. Mrs. Elvsted My name is Thea.12 Hedda Why, of course! I meant Thea. Looks at her compassionately. So you are not accustomed to goodness and kindness, Thea? Not in your own home? Mrs. Elvsted Oh, if I only had a home! But I haven’t any; I have never had a home. Hedda Looks at her for a moment. I almost suspected as much. Mrs. Elvsted Gazing helplessly before her. Yes⁠—yes⁠—yes. Hedda I don’t quite remember⁠—was it not as housekeeper that you first went to Mr. Elvsted’s? Mrs. Elvsted I really went as governess. But his wife⁠—his late wife⁠—was an invalid⁠—and rarely left her room. So I had to look after the housekeeping as well. Hedda And then⁠—at last⁠—you became mistress of the house. Mrs. Elvsted Sadly. Yes, I did. Hedda Let me see⁠—about how long ago was that? Mrs. Elvsted My marriage? Hedda Yes. Mrs. Elvsted Five years ago. Hedda To be sure; it must be that. Mrs. Elvsted Oh those five years⁠—! Or at all events the last two or three of them! Oh, if you13 could only imagine⁠— Hedda Giving her a little slap on the hand. De? Fie, Thea! Mrs. Elvsted Yes, yes, I will try⁠—. Well, if⁠—you could only imagine and understand⁠— Hedda Lightly. Eilert Lövborg has been in your neighbourhood about three years, hasn’t he? Mrs. Elvsted Looks at here doubtfully. Eilert Lövborg? Yes⁠—he has. Hedda Had you known him before, in town here? Mrs. Elvsted Scarcely at all. I mean⁠—I knew him by name of course. Hedda But you saw a good deal of him in the country? Mrs. Elvsted Yes, he came to us every day. You see, he gave the children lessons; for in the long run I couldn’t manage it all myself. Hedda No, that’s clear.⁠—And your husband⁠—? I suppose he is often away from home? Mrs. Elvsted Yes. Being sheriff, you know, he has to travel about a good deal in his district. Hedda Leaning against the arm of the chair. Thea⁠—my poor, sweet Thea⁠—now you must tell me everything⁠—exactly as it stands. Mrs. Elvsted Well, then you must question me. Hedda What sort of a man is your husband, Thea? I mean⁠—you know⁠—in everyday life. Is he kind to you? Mrs. Elvsted Evasively. I am sure he means well in everything. Hedda I should think he must be altogether too old for you. There is at least twenty years’ difference between you, is there not? Mrs. Elvsted Irritably. Yes, that is true, too. Everything about him is repellent to me! We have not a thought in common. We have no single point of sympathy⁠—he and I. Hedda But is he not fond of you all the same? In his own way? Mrs. Elvsted Oh I really don’t know. I think he regards me simply as a useful property. And then it doesn’t cost much to keep me. I am not expensive. Hedda That is stupid of you. Mrs. Elvsted Shakes her head. It cannot be otherwise⁠—not with him. I don’t think he really cares for anyone but himself⁠—and perhaps a little for the children. Hedda And for Eilert Lövborg, Thea? Mrs. Elvsted Looking at her. For Eilert Lövborg? What puts that into your head? Hedda Well, my dear⁠—I should say, when he sends you after him all the way to town⁠—Smiling almost imperceptibly. And besides, you said so yourself, to Tesman. Mrs. Elvsted With a little nervous twitch. Did I? Yes, I suppose I did. Vehemently, but not loudly. No⁠—I may just as well make a clean breast of it at once! For it must all come out in any case. Hedda Why, my dear Thea⁠—? Mrs. Elvsted Well, to make a long story short: My husband did not know that I was coming. Hedda What! Your husband didn’t know it! Mrs. Elvsted No, of course not. For that matter, he was away from home himself⁠—he was travelling. Oh, I could bear it no longer, Hedda! I couldn’t indeed⁠—so utterly alone as I should have been in future. Hedda Well? And then? Mrs. Elvsted So I put together some of my things⁠—what I needed most⁠—as quietly as possible. And then I left the house. Hedda Without a word? Mrs. Elvsted Yes⁠—and took the train to town. Hedda Why, my dear, good Thea⁠—to think of you daring to do it! Mrs. Elvsted Rises and moves about the room. What else could I possibly do? Hedda But what do you think your husband will say when you go home again? Mrs. Elvsted At the table, looks at her. Back to him? Hedda Of course. Mrs. Elvsted I shall never go back to him again. Hedda Rising and going towards her. Then you have left your home⁠—for good and all? Mrs. Elvsted Yes. There was nothing else to be done. Hedda But then⁠—to take flight so openly. Mrs. Elvsted Oh, it’s impossible to keep things of that sort secret. Hedda But what do you think people will say of you, Thea? Mrs. Elvsted They may say what they like, for aught I care. Seats herself wearily and sadly on the sofa. I have done nothing but what I had to do. Hedda After a short silence. And what are your plans now? What do you think of doing. Mrs. Elvsted I don’t know yet. I only know this, that I must live here, where Eilert Lövborg is⁠—if I am to live at all. Hedda Takes a chair from the table, seats herself beside her, and strokes her hands. My dear Thea⁠—how did this⁠—this friendship⁠—between you and Eilert