Hedda Gabler

a moment at the door. Then she goes up to the writing table, takes out the packet of manuscript, peeps under the cover, draws a few of the sheets half out, and looks at them. Next she goes over and seats herself in the armchair beside the stove, with the packet in her lap. Presently she opens the stove door, and then the packet. Hedda Throws one of the quires into the fire and whispers to herself. Now I am burning your child, Thea!⁠—Burning it, curlylocks! Throwing one or two more quires into the stove. Your child and Eilert Lövborg’s. Throws the rest in. I am burning⁠—I am burning your child.

Act IV

The same rooms at the Tesmans’. It is evening. The drawing room is in darkness. The back room is light by the hanging lamp over the table. The curtains over the glass door are drawn close.

	Hedda, dressed in black, walks to and fro in the dark room. Then she goes into the back room and disappears for a moment to the left. She is heard to strike a few chords on the piano. Presently she comes in sight again, and returns to the drawing room.
	Berta enters from the right, through the inner room, with a lighted lamp, which she places on the table in front of the corner settee in the drawing room. Her eyes are red with weeping, and she has black ribbons in her cap. She goes quietly and circumspectly out to the right. Hedda goes up to the glass door, lifts the curtain a little aside, and looks out into the darkness.
	Shortly afterwards, Miss Tesman, in mourning, with a bonnet and veil on, comes in from the hall. Hedda goes towards her and holds out her hand.
Miss Tesman	Yes, Hedda, here I am, in mourning and forlorn; for now my poor sister has at last found peace.
Hedda	I have heard the news already, as you see. Tesman sent me a card.
Miss Tesman	Yes, he promised me he would. But nevertheless I thought that to Hedda⁠—here in the house of life⁠—I ought myself to bring the tidings of death.
Hedda	That was very kind of you.
Miss Tesman	Ah, Rina ought not to have left us just now. This is not the time for Hedda’s house to be a house of mourning.
Hedda	Changing the subject. She died quite peacefully, did she not, Miss Tesman?
Miss Tesman	Oh, her end was so calm, so beautiful. And then she had the unspeakable happiness of seeing George once more⁠—and bidding him goodbye.⁠—Has he not come home yet?
Hedda	No. He wrote that he might be detained. But won’t you sit down?
Miss Tesman	No thank you, my dear, dear Hedda. I should like to, but I have so much to do. I must prepare my dear one for her rest as well as I can. She shall go to her grave looking her best.
Hedda	Can I not help you in any way?
Miss Tesman	Oh, you must not think of it! Hedda Tesman must have no hand in such mournful work. Nor let her thought dwell on it either⁠—not at this time.
Hedda	One is not always mistress of one’s thoughts⁠—
Miss Tesman	Continuing. Ah yes, it is the way of the world. At home we shall be sewing a shroud; and here there will soon be sewing too, I suppose⁠—but of another sort, thank God!
	George Tesman enters by the hall door.
Hedda	Ah, you have come at last!
Tesman	You here, Aunt Julia? With Hedda? Fancy that!
Miss Tesman	I was just going, my dear boy. Well, have you done all you promised?
Tesman	No; I’m really afraid I have forgotten half of it. I must come to you again tomorrow. Today my brain is all in a whirl. I can’t keep my thoughts together.
Miss Tesman	Why, my dear George, you mustn’t take it in this way.
Tesman	Mustn’t⁠—? How do you mean?
Miss Tesman	Even in your sorrow you must rejoice, as I do⁠—rejoice that she is at rest.
Tesman	Oh yes, yes⁠—you are thinking of Aunt Rina.
Hedda	You will feel lonely now, Miss Tesman.
Miss Tesman	Just at first, yes. But that will not last very long, I hope. I daresay I shall soon find an occupant for Rina’s little room.
Tesman	Indeed? Who do you think will take it? Eh?
Miss Tesman	Oh, there’s always some poor invalid or other in want of nursing, unfortunately.
Hedda	Would you really take such a burden upon you again?
Miss Tesman	A burden! Heaven forgive you, child⁠—it has been no burden to me.
Hedda	But suppose you had a total stranger on your hands⁠—
Miss Tesman	Oh, one soon makes friends with sick folk; and it’s such an absolute necessity for me to have someone to live for. Well, heaven be praised, there may soon be something in this house, too, to keep an old aunt busy.
Hedda	Oh, don’t trouble about anything here.
Tesman	Yes, just fancy what a nice time we three might have together, if⁠—?
Hedda	If⁠—?
Tesman	Uneasily. Oh nothing. It will all come right. Let us hope so⁠—eh?
Miss Tesman	Well well, I daresay you two want to talk to each other. Smiling. And perhaps Hedda may have something to tell you too, George. Goodbye! I must go home to Rina. Turning at the door. How strange it is to think that now Rina is with me and with my poor brother as well!
Tesman	Yes, fancy that, Aunt Julia! Eh?
	Miss Tesman goes out by the hall door.
Hedda	Follows Tesman coldly and searchingly with her eyes. I almost believe your Aunt Rina’s death affects you more than it does your Aunt Julia.
Tesman	Oh, it’s not that alone. It’s Eilert I am so terribly uneasy about.
Hedda	Quickly. Is there anything new about him?
Tesman	I looked in at his rooms this afternoon, intending to tell him the manuscript was in safe keeping.
Hedda	Well, did you find him?
Tesman	No. He wasn’t at home. But