Hedda Gabler

an amiable illusion. Hedda Illusion? Brack Which could not have lasted long in any case. Hedda What do you mean? Brack Eilert Lövborg did not shoot himself⁠—voluntarily. Hedda Not voluntarily? Brack No. The thing did not happen exactly as I told it. Hedda In suspense. Have you concealed something? What is it? Brack For poor Mrs. Elvsted’s sake I idealised the facts a little. Hedda What are the facts? Brack First, that he is already dead. Hedda At the hospital? Brack Yes⁠—without regaining consciousness. Hedda What more have you concealed? Brack This⁠—the event did not happen at his lodgings. Hedda Oh, that can make no difference. Brack Perhaps it may. For I must tell you⁠—Eilert Lövborg was found shot in⁠—in Mademoiselle Diana’s boudoir. Hedda Makes a motion as if to rise, but sinks back again. That is impossible, Judge Brack! He cannot have been there again today. Brack He was there this afternoon. He went there, he said, to demand the return of something which they had taken from him. Talked wildly about a lost child⁠— Hedda Ah⁠—so that is why⁠— Brack I thought probably he meant his manuscript; but now I hear he destroyed that himself. So I suppose it must have been his pocketbook. Hedda Yes, no doubt. And there⁠—there he was found? Brack Yes, there. With a pistol in his breast pocket, discharged. The ball had lodged in a vital part. Hedda In the breast⁠—yes? Brack No⁠—in the bowels. Hedda Looks up at him with an expression of loathing. That too! Oh, what curse is it that makes everything I touch turn ludicrous and mean? Brack There is one point more, Mrs. Hedda⁠—another disagreeable feature in the affair. Hedda And what is that? Brack The pistol he carried⁠— Hedda Breathless. Well? What of it? Brack He must have stolen it. Hedda Leaps up. Stolen it! That is not true! He did not steal it! Brack No other explanation is possible. He must have stolen it⁠—. Hush! Tesman and Mrs. Elvsted have risen from the table in the back room, and come into the drawing room. Tesman With the papers in both his hands. Hedda, dear, it is almost impossible to see under that lamp. Think of that! Hedda Yes, I am thinking. Tesman Would you mind our sitting at you writing table⁠—eh? Hedda If you like. Quickly. No, wait! Let me clear it first! Tesman Oh, you needn’t trouble, Hedda. There is plenty of room. Hedda No no, let me clear it, I say! I will take these things in and put them on the piano. There! She has drawn out an object, covered with sheet music, from under the bookcase, places several other pieces of music upon it, and carries the whole into the inner room, to the left. Tesman lays the scraps of paper on the writing table, and moves the lamp there from the corner table. He and Mrs. Elvsted sit down and proceed with their work. Hedda returns. Hedda Behind Mrs. Elvsted’s chair, gently ruffling her hair. Well, my sweet Thea⁠—how goes it with Eilert Lövborg’s monument? Mrs. Elvsted Looks dispiritedly up at her. Oh, it will be terribly hard to put in order. Tesman We must manage it. I am determined. And arranging other people’s papers is just the work for me. Hedda goes over to the stove, and seats herself on one of the footstools. Brack stands over her, leaning on the armchair. Hedda Whispers. What did you say about the pistol? Brack Softly. That he must have stolen it. Hedda Why stolen it? Brack Because every other explanation ought to be impossible, Mrs. Hedda. Hedda Indeed? Brack Glances at her. Of course Eilert Lövborg was here this morning. Was he not? Hedda Yes. Brack Were you alone with him? Hedda Part of the time. Brack Did you not leave the room whilst he was here? Hedda No. Brack Try to recollect. Were you not out of the room a moment? Hedda Yes, perhaps just a moment⁠—out in the hall. Brack And where was you pistol case during that time? Hedda I had it locked up in⁠— Brack Well, Mrs. Hedda? Hedda The case stood there on the writing table. Brack Have you looked since, to see whether both the pistols are there? Hedda No. Brack Well, you need not. I saw the pistol found in Lövborg’s pocket, and I knew it at once as the one I had seen yesterday⁠—and before, too. Hedda Have you it with you? Brack No; the police have it. Hedda What will the police do with it? Brack Search till they find the owner. Hedda Do you think they will succeed? Brack Bends over her and whispers. No, Hedda Gabler⁠—not so long as I say nothing. Hedda Looks frightened at him. And if you do not say nothing⁠—what then? Brack Shrugs his shoulders. There is always the possibility that the pistol was stolen. Hedda Firmly. Death rather than that. Brack Smiling. People say such things⁠—but they don’t do them. Hedda Without replying. And supposing the pistol was not stolen, and the owner is discovered? What then? Brack Well, Hedda⁠—then comes the scandal! Hedda The scandal! Brack Yes, the scandal⁠—of which you are so mortally afraid. You will, of course, be brought before the court⁠—both you and Mademoiselle Diana. She will have to explain how the thing happened⁠—whether it was an accidental shot or murder. Did the pistol go off as he was trying to take it out of his pocket, to threaten her with? Or did she tear the pistol out of his hand, shoot him, and push it back into his pocket? That would be quite like her; for she is an able-bodied young person, this same Mademoiselle Diana. Hedda But I have nothing to do with all this repulsive business. Brack No. But you will have to answer the question: Why did you give Eilert the pistol? And what conclusions will people draw from the fact that you did give it to him? Hedda Lets her head sink. That is true. I did not think of that. Brack Well, fortunately, there is no danger, so long as I say nothing. Hedda Looks up at him. So I am in your power, Judge Brack. You have me at your beck and call, from this time forward. Brack Whispers softly. Dearest Hedda⁠—believe me⁠—I shall not abuse my