Hedda Gabler

Brack? Brack That, too, depends on how you look at it, Mrs. Tesman. Mrs. Elvsted Unable to restrain her anxiety. Oh! it is something about Eilert Lövborg! Brack With a glance at her. What makes you think that, Madam? Perhaps you have already heard something⁠—? Mrs. Elvsted In confusion. No, nothing at all, but⁠— Tesman Oh, for heaven’s sake, tell us! Brack Shrugging his shoulders. Well, I regret to say Eilert Lövborg has been taken to the hospital. He is lying at the point of death. Mrs. Elvsted Shrieks. Oh God! oh God⁠—! Tesman To the hospital! And at the point of death! Hedda Involuntarily. So soon then⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Wailing. And we parted in anger, Hedda! Hedda Whispers. Thea⁠—Thea⁠—be careful! Mrs. Elvsted Not heeding her. I must go to him! I must see him alive! Brack It is useless, Madam. No one will be admitted. Mrs. Elvsted Oh, at least tell me what has happened to him? What is it? Tesman You don’t mean to say that he has himself⁠—Eh? Hedda Yes, I am sure he has. Brack Keeping his eyes fixed upon her. Unfortunately you have guessed quite correctly, Mrs. Tesman. Mrs. Elvsted Oh, how horrible! Tesman Himself, then! Fancy that! Hedda Shot himself! Brack Rightly guessed again, Mrs. Tesman. Mrs. Elvsted With an effort at self-control. When did it happen, Mr. Brack? Brack This afternoon⁠—between three and four. Tesman But, good Lord, where did he do it? Eh? Brack With some hesitation. Where? Well⁠—I suppose at his lodgings. Mrs. Elvsted No, that cannot be; for I was there between six and seven. Brack Well then, somewhere else. I don’t know exactly. I only know that he was found⁠—. He had shot himself⁠—in the breast. Mrs. Elvsted Oh, how terrible! That he should die like that! Hedda To Brack. Was it in the breast? Brack Yes⁠—as I told you. Hedda Not in the temple? Brack In the breast, Mrs. Tesman. Hedda Well, well⁠—the breast is a good place, too. Brack How do you mean, Mrs. Tesman? Hedda Evasively. Oh, nothing⁠—nothing. Tesman And the wound is dangerous, you say⁠—eh? Brack Absolutely mortal. The end has probably come by this time. Mrs. Elvsted Yes, yes, I feel it. The end! The end! Oh, Hedda⁠—! Tesman But tell me, how have you learnt all this? Brack Curtly. Through one of the police. A man I had some business with. Hedda In a clear voice. At last a deed worth doing! Tesman Terrified. Good heavens, Hedda! what are you saying? Hedda I say there is beauty in this. Brack H’m, Mrs. Tesman⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Oh, Hedda, how can you talk of beauty in such an act! Hedda Eilert Lövborg has himself made up his account with life. He has had the courage to do⁠—the one right thing. Mrs. Elvsted No, you must never think that was how it happened! It must have been in delirium that he did it. Tesman In despair! Hedda That he did not. I am certain of that. Mrs. Elvsted Yes, yes! In delirium! Just as when he tore up our manuscript. Brack Starting. The manuscript? Has he torn that up? Mrs. Elvsted Yes, last night. Tesman Whispers softly. Oh, Hedda, we shall never get over this. Brack H’m, very extraordinary. Tesman Moving about the room. To think of Eilert going out of the world in this way! And not leaving behind him the book that would have immortalised his name⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Oh, if only it could be put together again! Tesman Yes, if it only could! I don’t know what I would not give⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Perhaps it can, Mr. Tesman. Tesman What do you mean? Mrs. Elvsted Searches in the pocket of her dress. Look here. I have kept all the loose notes he used to dictate from. Hedda A step forward. Ah⁠—! Tesman You have kept them, Mrs. Elvsted! Eh? Mrs. Elvsted Yes, I have them here. I put them in my pocket when I left home. Here they still are⁠— Tesman Oh, do let me see them! Mrs. Elvsted Hands him a bundle of papers. But they are in such disorder⁠—all mixed up. Tesman Fancy, if we could make something out of them, after all! Perhaps if we two put our heads together⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Oh yes, at least let us try⁠— Tesman We will manage it! We must! I will dedicate my life to this task. Hedda You, George? Your life? Tesman Yes, or rather all the time I can spare. My own collections must wait in the meantime. Hedda⁠—you understand, eh? I owe this to Eilert’s memory. Hedda Perhaps. Tesman And so, my dear Mrs. Elvsted, we will give our whole minds to it. There is no use in brooding over what can’t be undone⁠—eh? We must try to control our grief as much as possible, and⁠— Mrs. Elvsted Yes, yes, Mr. Tesman, I will do the best I can. Tesman Well then, come here. I can’t rest until we have looked through the notes. Where shall we sit? Here? No, in there, in the back room. Excuse me, my dear Judge. Come with me, Mrs. Elvsted. Mrs. Elvsted Oh, if only it were possible! Tesman and Mrs. Elvsted go into the back room. She takes off her hat and cloak. They both sit at the table under the hanging lamp, and are soon deep in an eager examination of the papers. Hedda crosses to the stove and sits in the arm chair. Presently Brack goes up to her. Hedda In a low voice. Oh, what a sense of freedom it gives one, this act of Eilert Lövborg’s. Brack Freedom, Mrs. Hedda? Well, of course, it is a release for him⁠— Hedda I mean for me. It gives me a sense of freedom to know that a deed of deliberate courage is still possible in this world⁠—a deed of spontaneous beauty. Brack Smiling. H’m⁠—my dear Mrs. Hedda⁠— Hedda Oh, I know what you are going to say. For you are a kind of specialist too, like⁠—you know! Brack Looking hard at her. Eilert Lövborg was more to you than perhaps you are willing to admit to yourself. Am I wrong? Hedda I don’t answer such questions. I only know that Eilert Lövborg has had the courage to live his life after his own fashion. And then⁠—the last great act, with its beauty! Ah! that he should have the will and the strength to turn away from the banquet of life⁠—so early. Brack I am sorry, Mrs. Hedda⁠—but I fear I must dispel