Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (139 page)

THORA.
Oh, my dear father!

LUNDESTAD.
Yes, and engagements are the order of the day. I have another to announce.

STENSGARD.
A mere invention!

LUNDESTAD.
No, not a bit of it; Miss Monsen is engaged to —

STENSGARD.
False, false, I say!

THORA.
No, father, it’s true; they are both here.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Who? Where?

THORA.
Ragna and Mr. Helle. They are in here —
[Goes towards the second door on the right.]

LUNDESTAD.
Mr. Helle! Then it’s he — !

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Here? In my house?
[Goes towards the door.]
Come in, my dear child.

RAGNA
[shrinking back shyly.]
Oh, no, no; there are so many people.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Don’t be bashful; you couldn’t help what has happened.

HELLE.
She is homeless now, Chamberlain.

RAGNA.
Oh, you must help us!

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
I will, indeed; and thank you for giving me the opportunity.

HEIRE.
You may well say engagements are the order of the day. I have one to add to the list.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
What? You? At your age? — How rash of you!

HEIRE.
Oh — ! I say no more.

LUNDESTAD.
The game is up, Mr. Stensgard.

STENSGARD.
Indeed?
[Loudly.]
I have one to add to the list, Mr. Heire! An announcement, gentlemen: I, too, have cast anchor for life.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
What?

STENSGARD.
One is now and then forced to play a double game, to conceal one’s true intentions. I regard this as permissible when the general weal is at stake. My life- work lies clear before me, and is all in all to me. I consecrate my whole energies to this district; I find here a ferment of ideas which I must strive to clarify. But this task cannot be accomplished by a mere adventurer. The men of the district must gather round one of themselves. Therefore I have determined to unite my interests indissolubly with yours — to unite them by a bond of affection. If I have awakened any false hopes, I must plead for forgiveness. I too am engaged.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
You?

FIELDBO.
Engaged?

HEIRE.
I can bear witness.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
But how — ?

FIELDBO.
Engaged? To whom?

LUNDESTAD.
It surely can’t be — ?

STENSGARD.
It is a union both of the heart and of the understanding. Yes, my fellow citizens, I am engaged to Madam Rundholmen.

FIELDBO.
To Madam Rundholmen!

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
The storekeeper’s widow!

LUNDESTAD.
H’m. Indeed!

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Why, my head’s going round! How could you — ?

STENSGARD.
A manoeuvre, Mr. Bratsberg!

LUNDESTAD.
He has rare abilities!

ASLAKSEN
[looks in at the door, back.]
I humbly beg pardon —

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Oh, come in, Aslaksen! A visit of congratulation, eh?

ASLAKSEN.
Oh, not at all; I wouldn’t presume — But I have something very important to say to Mr. Stensgard.

STENSGARD.
Another time; you can wait outside.

ASLAKSEN.
No, confound it; I must tell you —

STENSGARD.
Hold your tongue! What intrusiveness is this? — Yes, gentlemen, strange are the ways of destiny. The district and I required a bond that should bind us firmly together; and I found on my path a woman of ripened character who could make a home for me. I have put off the adventurer, gentlemen, and here I stand in your midst, as one of yourselves. Take me; I am ready to stand or fall in any post your confidence may assign me.

LUNDESTAD.
You have won.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Well, really, I must say —
[To the MAID, who has entered from the back.]
Well, what is it? What are you giggling about?

THE SERVANT.
Madam Rundholmen — ?

THE COMPANY.
Madam Rundholmen?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
What about her?

THE SERVANT.
Madam Rundholmen is waiting outside with her young man —

THE COMPANY.
[to each other.]
Her young man? Madam Rundholmen! How’s this?

STENSGARD.
What nonsense!

ASLAKSEN.
Yes, I was just telling you —

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[at the door.]
Come along, come along! BASTIAN MONSEN, with MADAM RUNDHOLMEN on his arm, enters from the back. A general movement.

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
I hope I’m not intruding, sir —

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Not at all, not at all.

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
But I couldn’t resist bringing up my young man to show him to you and Miss Bratsberg.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Yes, I hear you are engaged; but —

THORA.
We didn’t know —

STENSGARD
[to ASLAKSEN.]
How is all this — ?

ASLAKSEN.
I had so much in my head yesterday; so much to think about, I mean —

STENSGARD.
But I gave her my letter, and —

ASLAKSEN.
No, you gave her Bastian Monsen’s; here is yours.

STENSGARD.
Bastian’s? And here — ?
[Glances at the address, crumples the letter together, and crams it into his pocket.]
Oh, curse you for a blunderer!

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
Of course I was willing enough. There’s no trusting the men-folk, I know; but when you have it in black and white that their intentions are honourable — Why, there’s Mr. Stensgard, I declare. Well, Mr.Stensgard, won’t you congratulate me?

HEIRE
[to LUNDESTAD.]
How hungrily she glares at him.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Of course he will, Madam Rundholmen; but won’t you congratulate your sister-in-law to be?

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
Who?

THORA.
Ragna; she is engaged, too.

BASTIAN.
Are you, Ragna?

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
Indeed? Yes, Bastian told me there was something in the wind. I wish you both joy; and welcome into the family, Mr. Stensgard!

FIELDBO.
No, no; not Stensgard!

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
No, it’s Mr. Helle; an excellent choice. And, by-the-bye, you may congratulate my daughter, too.

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
Miss Bratsberg! Ah, so Lundestad was right, after all. I congratulate you, Miss Thora; and you, too, Mr. Stensgard.

FIELDBO.
You mean Doctor Fieldbo.

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
What?

FIELDBO.
I am the happy man.

MADAM RUNDHOLMEN.
Well, now, I don’t in the least know where I am.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
And we have just found out where we are.

STENSGARD.
Excuse me; I have an appointment —

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[aside.]
Lundestad, what was the other word?

LUNDESTAD.
What other?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Not adventurer, but the other — ?

LUNDESTAD.
Demagogue.

STENSGARD.
 
— I take my leave.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
One word — only one word, Mr. Stensgard — a word which has long been on the tip of my tongue.

STENSGARD
[at the door.]
Excuse me; I’m in a hurry.

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[following him.]
Demagogue!

STENSGARD.
Good-bye; good-bye!
[Goes out by the back.]

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[coming forward again.]
Now the air is pure again, my friends.

BASTIAN.
I hope you don’t blame me, sir, for what has happened at home?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Every one must bear his own burden.

BASTIAN.
I had really no part in it.

SELMA
[who, during the preceding scene, has been listening at the second door on the right.]
Father! Now you are happy; — may he come now?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Selma! You! You plead for him? After what happened two days ago —

SELMA.
Oh, two days are a long time. All is well now. I know now that he can go astray —

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
And that pleases you?

SELMA.
Yes, that he can; but in future I won’t let him.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Bring him in then.
[SELMA goes out again to the right.]

RINGDAL
[enters by the foremost door on the right.]
Here is your resignation.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Thanks; but you can tear it up.

RINGDAL
Tear it up?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Yes, Ringdal; I have found another way. I can make atonement without that; I shall set to work in earnest —

ERIK
[enters with SELMA from the right.]
Can you forgive me?

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[hands him the bill.]
I cannot be less merciful than fate.

ERIK.
Father! I shall retire this very day from the business you dislike so much.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
No, indeed; you must stick to it. No cowardice! No running away from temptation! But I will stand at your side.
[Loudly.]
News for you, gentlemen! I have entered into partnership with my son.

SEVERAL GENTLEMEN.
What? You, Chamberlain?

HEIRE.
You, my dear sir?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Yes; it is a useful and honourable calling; or at any rate it can be made so. And now I have no reason to hold aloof any longer.

LUNDESTAD.
Well, I’ll tell you what, Chamberlain — since you are going to set to work for the good of the district, it would be a shame and disgrace if an old soldier like me were to sulk in his tent.

ERIK.
Ah, what is this?

LUNDESTAD.
I cannot, in fact. After the disappointments in love that have befallen Mr. Stensgard to-day, Heaven forbid we should force the poor fellow into the political mill. He must rest and recover; a change of air is what he wants, and I shall see that he gets it. So if my constituents want me, why, they can have me.

THE GENTLEMEN
[shaking hands with him enthusiastically.]
Thanks, Lundestad! That’s a good fellow! You won’t fail us!

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Now, this is as it should be; things are settling down again. But whom have we to thank for all this?

FIELDBO.
Come, Aslaksen, you can explain — ?

ASLAKSEN
[alarmed.]
I, Doctor? I’m as innocent as the babe unborn!

FIELDBO.
What about that letter, then — ?

ASLAKSEN.
It wasn’t my fault, I tell you! It was the election and Bastian Monsen, and chance, and destiny, and Madam Rundholmen’s punch — there was no lemon in it — and there was I, with the whole responsibility of the press upon me —

THE CHAMBERLAIN
[approaching.]
What? What’s that?

ASLAKSEN.
The press, sir?

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
The press! That’s just it! Haven’t I always said that the press has marvellous influence these days?

ASLAKSEN.
Oh, Chamberlain —

THE CHAMBERLAIN.
No false modesty, Mr. Aslaksen! I haven’t hitherto been in the habit of reading your paper, but henceforth I will. I shall subscribe for ten copies.