Hedda Gabler

dearest Hedda, I mustn’t, I really mustn’t. Hedda You must not? Tesman No⁠—for you can imagine what a state of despair he will be in when he wakens and misses the manuscript. He has no copy of it, you must know! He told me so. Hedda Looking searchingly at him. Can such a thing not be reproduced? Written over again? Tesman No, I don’t think that would be possible. For the inspiration, you see⁠— Hedda Yes, yes⁠—I suppose it depends on that⁠—Lightly. But, by the by⁠—here is a letter for you. Tesman Fancy⁠—! Hedda Handing it to him. It came early this morning. Tesman It’s from Aunt Julia! What can it be? He lays the packet on the other footstool, opens the letter, runs his eye through it, and jumps up. Oh, Hedda⁠—she says that poor Aunt Rina is dying! Hedda Well, we were prepared for that. Tesman And that if I want to see her again, I must make haste. I’ll run in to them at once. Hedda Suppressing a smile. Will you run? Tesman Oh, my dearest Hedda⁠—if you could only make up your mind to come with me! Just think! Hedda Rises and says wearily, repelling the idea. No, no don’t ask me. I will not look upon sickness and death. I loathe all sorts of ugliness. Tesman Well, well, then⁠—! Bustling around. My hat⁠—? My overcoat⁠—? Oh, in the hall⁠—. I do hope I mayn’t come too late, Hedda! Eh? Hedda Oh, if you run⁠—Berta appears at the hall door. Berta Judge Brack is at the door, and wishes to know if he may come in. Tesman At this time! No, I can’t possibly see him. Hedda But I can. To Berta. Ask Judge Brack to come in. Berta goes out. Hedda Quickly, whispering. The parcel, Tesman! She snatches it up from the stool. Tesman Yes, give it to me! Hedda No, no, I will keep it till you come back. She goes to the writing table and places it in the bookcase. Tesman stands in a flurry of haste, and cannot get his gloves on. Judge Brack enters from the hall. Hedda Nodding to him. You are an early bird, I must say. Brack Yes, don’t you think so! To Tesman. Are you on the move, too? Tesman Yes, I must rush of to my aunts’. Fancy⁠—the invalid one is lying at death’s door, poor creature. Brack Dear me, is she indeed? Then on no account let me detain you. At such a critical moment⁠— Tesman Yes, I must really rush⁠—Goodbye! Goodbye! He hastens out by the hall door. Hedda Approaching. You seem to have made a particularly lively night of it at your rooms, Judge Brack. Brack I assure you I have not had my clothes off, Mrs. Hedda. Hedda Not you, either? Brack No, as you may see. But what has Tesman been telling you of the night’s adventures? Hedda Oh, some tiresome story. Only that they went and had coffee somewhere or other. Brack I have heard about that coffee party already. Eilert Lövborg was not with them, I fancy? Hedda No, they had taken him home before that. Brack Tesman too? Hedda No, but some of the others, he said. Brack Smiling. George Tesman is really an ingenuous creature, Mrs. Hedda. Hedda Yes, heaven knows he is. Then is there something behind all this? Brack Yes, perhaps there may be. Hedda Well then, sit down, my dear Judge, and tell your story in comfort. She seats herself to the left of the table. Brack sits near her, at the long side of the table. Hedda Now then? Brack I had special reasons for keeping track of my guests⁠—last night. Hedda Of Eilert Lövborg among the rest, perhaps? Brack Frankly, yes. Hedda Now you make me really curious⁠— Brack Do you know where he and one or two of the others finished the night, Mrs. Hedda? Hedda If it is not quite unmentionable, tell me. Brack Oh no, it’s not at all unmentionable. Well, they put in an appearance at a particularly animated soirée. Hedda Of the lively kind? Brack Of the very liveliest⁠— Hedda Tell me more of this, Judge Brack⁠— Brack Lövborg, as well as the others, had been invited in advance. I knew all about it. But he had declined the invitation; for now, as you know, he has become a new man. Hedda Up at the Elvsteds’, yes. But he went after all, then? Brack Well, you see, Mrs. Hedda⁠—unhappily the spirit moved him at my rooms last evening⁠— Hedda Yes, I hear he found inspiration. Brack Pretty violent inspiration. Well, I fancy that altered his purpose; for we menfolk are unfortunately not always so firm in our principles as we ought to be. Hedda Oh, I am sure you are an exception, Judge Brack. But as to Lövborg⁠—? Brack To make a long story short⁠—he landed at last in Mademoiselle Diana’s rooms. Hedda Mademoiselle Diana’s? Brack It was Mademoiselle Diana that was giving the soirée, to a select circle of her admirers and her lady friends. Hedda Is she a red-haired woman? Brack Precisely. Hedda A sort of a⁠—singer? Brack Oh yes⁠—in her leisure moments. And moreover a mighty huntress⁠—of men⁠—Mrs. Hedda. You have no doubt heard of her. Eilert Lövborg was one of her most enthusiastic protectors⁠—in the days of his glory. Hedda And how did all this end? Brack Far from amicably, it appears. After a most tender meeting, they seem to have come to blows⁠— Hedda Lövborg and she? Brack Yes. He accused her or her friends of having robbed him. He declared that his pocketbook had disappeared⁠—and other things as well. In short, he seems to have made a furious disturbance. Hedda And what came of it all? Brack It came to a general scrimmage, in which the ladies as well as the gentlemen took part. Fortunately the police at last appeared on the scene. Hedda The police too? Brack Yes. I fancy it will prove a costly frolic for Eilert Lövborg, crazy being that he is. Hedda How so? Brack He seems to have made a violent resistance⁠—to have hit one of the constables on the head and torn the coat off his back. So they had to march him off to the police station with the rest.