Hedda Gabler

epub:type="ordinal z3998:roman">II

The room at the Tesmans’ as in the first Act, except that the piano has been removed, and an elegant little writing table with the bookshelves put in its place. A smaller table stands near the sofa on the left. Most of the bouquets have been taken away. Mrs. Elvsted’s bouquet is upon the large table in front.⁠—It is afternoon.

	Hedda, dressed to receive callers, is alone in the room. She stands by the open glass door, loading a revolver. The fellow to it lies in an open pistol case on the writing table.
Hedda	Looks down the garden, and calls: So you are here again, Judge!
Brack	Is heard calling from a distance. As you see, Mrs. Tesman!
Hedda	Raises the pistol and points. Now I’ll shoot you, Judge Brack!
Brack	Calling unseen. No, no, no! Don’t stand aiming at me!
Hedda	This is what comes of sneaking in by the back way.14 She fires.
Brack	Nearer. Are you out of your senses⁠—!
Hedda	Dear me⁠—did I happen to hit you?
Brack	Still outside. I wish you would let these pranks alone!
Hedda	Come in then, Judge.
	Judge Brack, dressed as though for a men’s party, enters by the glass door. He carries a light overcoat over his arm.
Brack	What the deuce⁠—haven’t you tired of that sport, yet? What are you shooting at?
Hedda	Oh, I am only firing in the air.
Brack	Gently takes the pistol out of her hand. Allow me, madam! Looks at it. Ah⁠—I know this pistol well! Looks around. Where is the case? Ah, here it is. Lays the pistol in it, and shuts it. Now we won’t play at that game any more today.
Hedda	Then what in heaven’s name would you have me do with myself?
Brack	Have you had no visitors?
Hedda	Closing the glass door. Not one. I suppose all our set are still out of town.
Brack	And is Tesman not at home either?
Hedda	At the writing table, putting the pistol case in a drawer which she shuts. No. He rushed off to his aunt’s directly after lunch; he didn’t expect you so early.
Brack	H’m⁠—how stupid of me not to have thought of that!
Hedda	Turning her head to look at him. Why stupid?
Brack	Because if I had thought of it I should have come a little⁠—earlier.
Hedda	Crossing the room. Then you would have found no one to receive you; for I have been in my room changing my dress ever since lunch.
Brack	And is there no sort of little chink that we could hold a parley through?
Hedda	You have forgotten to arrange one.
Brack	That was another piece of stupidity.
Hedda	Well, we must just settle down here⁠—and wait. Tesman is not likely to be back for some time yet.
Brack	Never mind; I shall not be impatient.
	Hedda seats herself in the corner of the sofa. Brack lays his overcoat over the back of the nearest chair, and sits down, but keeps his hat in his hand. A short silence. They look at each other.
Hedda	Well?
Brack	In the same tone. Well?
Hedda	I spoke first.
Brack	Bending a little forward. Come, let us have a cosy little chat, Mrs. Hedda.15
Hedda	Leaning further back in the sofa. Does it not seem like a whole eternity since our last talk? Of course I don’t count those few words yesterday evening and this morning.
Brack	You mean since out last confidential talk? Our last tête-à-tête?
Hedda	Well yes⁠—since you put it so.
Brack	Not a day passed but I have wished that you were home again.
Hedda	And I have done nothing but wish the same thing.
Brack	You? Really, Mrs. Hedda? And I thought you had been enjoying your tour so much!
Hedda	Oh yes, you may be sure of that!
Brack	But Tesman’s letters spoke of nothing but happiness.
Hedda	Oh, Tesman! You see, he thinks nothing is so delightful as grubbing in libraries and making copies of old parchments, or whatever you call them.
Brack	With a smile of malice. Well, that is his vocation in life⁠—or part of it at any rate.
Hedda	Yes, of course; and no doubt when it’s your vocation⁠—. But I! Oh, my dear Mr. Brack, how mortally bored I have been.
Brack	Sympathetically. Do you really say so? In downright earnest?
Hedda	Yes, you can surely understand it⁠—! To go for six whole months without meeting a soul that knew anything of our circle, or could talk about things we were interested in.
Brack	Yes, yes⁠—I too should feel that a deprivation.
Hedda	And then, what I found most intolerable of all⁠—
Brack	Well?
Hedda	—was being everlastingly in the company of⁠—one and the same person⁠—
Brack	With a nod of assent. Morning, noon, and night, yes⁠—at all possible times and seasons.
Hedda	I said “everlastingly.”
Brack	Just so. But I should have thought, with our excellent Tesman, one could⁠—
Hedda	Tesman is⁠—a specialist, my dear Judge.
Brack	Undeniable.
Hedda	And specialists are not at all amusing to travel with. Not in the long run at any rate.
Brack	Not even⁠—the specialist one happens to love?
Hedda	Faugh⁠—don’t use that sickening word!
Brack	Taken aback. What do you say, Mrs. Hedda?
Hedda	Half laughing, half irritated. You should just try it! To hear of nothing but the history of civilisation, morning, noon, and night⁠—
Brack	Everlastingly.
Hedda	Yes yes yes! And then all this about the domestic industry of the middle ages⁠—! That’s the most disgusting part of it!
Brack	Looks searchingly at her. But tell me⁠—in that case, how am I to understand your⁠—? H’m⁠—
Hedda	My accepting George Tesman, you mean?
Brack	Well, let us put it so.
Hedda	Good heavens, do you see anything so wonderful in that?
Brack	Yes and no⁠—Mrs. Hedda.
Hedda	I had positively danced myself tired, my dear Judge. My day was done⁠—With a slight shudder. Oh no⁠—I won’t say that; nor think it either!
Brack	You have assuredly no reason to.
Hedda	Oh, reasons⁠—Watching him closely. And George Tesman⁠—after all, you must admit that he is correctness itself.
Brack	His correctness and respectability are beyond all question.
Hedda	And I