Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (58 page)

STIVER
[to FALK]
.
What is the colour of this parson’s coat?

FALK.
I guess bread-taxers would not catch his vote.

STIVER.
How if one made allusion to the store
Of verses, yet unpublished, in my drawer?

FALK.
It might do something.

STIVER.
                      Would to heaven it might!
Our wedding’s imminent; our purses light.
Courtship’s a very serious affair.

FALK.
Just so: “
Qu’allais-tu faire dans cette galere?
”

STIVER.
Is courtship a “galere”?

FALK.
                         No, married lives; —
All servitude, captivity, and gyves.

STIVER
[seeing MISS JAY approach]
.
You little know what wealth a man obtains
From woman’s eloquence and woman’s brains.

MISS JAY
[aside to STIVER]
.
Will Guldstad give us credit, think you?

STIVER
[peevishly]
.
                                         I
Am not quite certain of it yet: I’ll try.

   [They withdraw in conversation; LIND and
      ANNA approach.

LIND
[aside to FALK]
.
I can’t endure it longer; in post-haste
I must present her —

FALK.
                     You had best refrain,
And not initiate the eye profane
Into your mysteries —

LIND.
                       That would be a jest! —
From you, my fellow-boarder, and my mate,
To keep concealed my new-found happy state!
Nay, now, my head with Fortune’s oil anointed —

FALK.
You think the occasion good to get it curled?
Well, my good friend, you won’t be disappointed;
Go and announce your union to the world!

LIND.
Other reflections also weigh with me,
And one of more especial gravity;
Say that there lurked among our motley band
Some sneaking, sly pretender to her hand;
Say, his attentions became undisguised, —
We should be disagreeably compromised.

FALK.
Yes, it is true; it had escaped my mind,
You for a higher office were designed,
Love as his young licentiate has retained you;
Shortly you’ll get a permanent position;
But it would be defying all tradition
If at the present moment he ordained you.

LIND.
Yes if the merchant does not —

FALK.
                               What of him?

ANNA
[troubled]
.
Oh, it is Lind’s unreasonable whim.

LIND.
Hush; I’ve a deep foreboding that the man
Will rob me of my treasure, if he can.
The fellow, as we know, comes daily down,
Is rich, unmarried, takes you round the town;
In short, my own, regard it as we will,
There are a thousand things that bode us ill.

ANNA
[sighing]
.
Oh, it’s too bad; to-day was so delicious!

FALK
[sympathetically to LIND]
.
Don’t wreck your joy, unfoundedly suspicious,
Don’t hoist your flag till time the truth disclose —

ANNA.
Great God! Miss Jay is looking; hush, be still!

[She and LIND withdraw in different directions.

FALK
[looking after LIND]
.
So to the ruin of his youth he goes.

GULDSTAD. [Who has meantime been conversing on the steps
         with MRS. HALM and MISS JAY, approaches FALK
         and slaps him on the shoulder.
Well, brooding on a poem?

FALK.
                          No, a play.

GULDSTAD.
The deuce; — I never heard it was your line.

FALK.
O no, the author is a friend of mine,
And your acquaintance also, I daresay.
The knave’s a dashing writer, never doubt.
Only imagine, in a single day
He’s worked a perfect little Idyll out.

GULDSTAD
[slily]
.
With happy ending, doubtless!

FALK.
                              You’re aware,
No curtain falls but on a plighted pair.
Thus with the Trilogy’s First Part we’ve reckoned;
But now the poet’s labour-throes begin;
The Comedy of Troth-plight, Part the Second,
Thro’ five insipid Acts he has to spin,
And of that staple, finally, compose
Part Third, — or Wedlock’s Tragedy, in prose.

GULDSTAD
[smiling]
.
The poet’s vein is catching, it would seem.

FALK.
Really? How so, pray?

GULDSTAD.
                       Since I also pore
And ponder over a poetic scheme, —
                           [Mysteriously.
An actuality — and not a dream.

FALK.
And pray, who is the hero of your theme?

GULDSTAD.
I’ll tell you that to-morrow — not before.

FALK.
It is yourself!

GULDSTAD.
                You think me equal to it?

FALK.
I’m sure no other mortal man could do it.
But then the heroine? No city maid,
I’ll swear, but of the country, breathing balm?

GULDSTAD
[lifting his finger]
.
Ah, — that’s the point, and must not be betrayed! —
                               [Changing his tone.
Pray tell me your opinion of Miss Halm.

FALK.
O you’re best able to pronounce upon her;
My voice can neither credit nor dishonour, —
                                     [Smiling.
But just take care no mischief-maker blot
This fine poetic scheme of which you talk.
Suppose I were so shameless as to balk
The meditated climax of the plot?

GULDSTAD
[good-naturedly]
.
Well, I would cry “Amen,” and change my plan.

FALK.
What!

GULDSTAD.
      Why, you see, you are a letter’d man;
How monstrous were it if your skill’d design
Were ruined by a bungler’s hand like mine!
                   [Retires to the background.

FALK
[in passing, to LIND]
.
Yes, you were right; the merchant’s really scheming
The ruin of your new-won happiness.

LIND
[aside to ANNA]
.
Now then you see, my doubting was not dreaming;
We’ll go this very moment and confess.

   [They approach MRS. HALM, who is standing with Miss Jay
      by the house.

GULDSTAD
[conversing with STIVER]
.
‘Tis a fine evening.

STIVER.
                     Very likely, — when
A man’s disposed —

GULDSTAD
[facetiously]
.
                   What, all not running smooth
In true love’s course?

STIVER.
                      Not that exactly —

FALK
[coming up]
.
                                          Then
With your engagement?

STIVER.
                      That’s about the truth.

FALK.
Hurrah! Your spendthrift pocket has a groat
Or two still left, it seems, of poetry.

STIVER
[stiffly]
.
I cannot see what poetry has got
To do with my engagement, or with me.

FALK.
You are not meant to see; when lovers prove
What love is, all is over with their love.

GULDSTAD
[to STIVER]
.
But if there’s matter for adjustment, pray
Let’s hear it.

STIVER.
               I’ve been pondering all day
Whether the thing is proper to disclose,
But still the Ayes are balanced by the Noes.

FALK.
I’ll right you in one sentence. Ever since
As plighted lover you were first installed,
You’ve felt yourself, if I may say so, galled —

STIVER.
And sometimes to the quick.

FALK.
                           You’ve had to wince
Beneath a crushing load of obligations
That you’d send packing, if good form permitted.
That’s what’s the matter.

STIVER.
                          Monstrous accusations!
My legal debts I’ve honestly acquitted;
But other bonds next month are falling due;
                                    [To GULDSTAD.
When a man weds, you see, he gets a wife —

FALK
[triumphant]
.
Now your youth’s heaven once again is blue;
There rang an echo from your old song-life!
That’s how it is: I read you thro’ and thro’;
Wings, wings were all you wanted, — and a knife!

STIVER.
A knife?

FALK.
         Yes, Resolution’s knife, to sever
Each captive bond, and set you free for ever,
To soar —

STIVER
[angrily]
.
           Nay, now you’re insolent beyond
Endurance! Me to charge with violation
Of law, — me, me with plotting to abscond!
It’s libellous, malicious defamation,
Insult and calumny —

FALK.
                      Are you insane?
What is all this about? Explain! Explain!

GULDSTAD
[laughingly to STIVER]
.
Yes, clear your mind of all this balderdash!
What do you want?

STIVER
[pulling himself together]
.
                  A trifling loan in cash.

FALK.
A loan!

STIVER
[hurriedly to GULDSTAD]
.
        That is, I mean to say, you know,
A voucher for a ten pound note, or so.

MISS JAY
[to LIND and ANNA]
.
I wish you joy! How lovely, how delicious!

GULDSTAD
[going up to the ladies]
.
Pray what has happened?
         
[To himself.]
This was unpropitious.

FALK
[throws his arms about STIVER’s neck]
.
Hurrah! the trumpet’s dulcet notes proclaim
A brother born to you in Amor’s name!
                    [Drags him to the others.

MISS JAY
[to the gentlemen]
.
Think! Lind and Anna — think! — have plighted hearts,
Affianced lovers!

MRS. HALM
[with tears of emotion]
.
                  ’Tis the eighth in order
Who well-provided from this house departs;
                                      [To FALK.
Seven nieces wedded-always with a boarder —
    [Is overcome; presses her handkerchief to her eyes.

MISS JAY
[to ANNA]
.
Well, there will come a flood of gratulation!
                      [Caresses her with emotion.

LIND
[seizing FALK’s hand]
.
My friend, I walk in rapt intoxication!

FALK.
Hold! As a plighted man you are a member
Of Rapture’s Temperance-association.
Observe it’s rules; — no orgies here, remember!
          [Turning to GULDSTAD sympathetically.
Well, my good sir!

GULDSTAD
[beaming with pleasure]
.
                   I think this promises
All happiness for both.

FALK
[staring at him]
.
                        You seem to stand
The shock with exemplary self-command.
That’s well.

GULDSTAD.
             What do you mean, sir?

FALK.
                                    Only this;
That inasmuch as you appeared to feed
Fond expectations of your own —

GULDSTAD.
                                Indeed?

FALK.
At any rate, you were upon the scent.
You named Miss Halm; you stood upon this spot
And asked me —

GULDSTAD
[smiling]
.
               There are two, though, are there not?

FALK.
It was — the other sister that you meant?

GULDSTAD.
That sister, yes, the other one, — just so.
Judge for yourself, when you have come to know
That sister better, if she has not in her
Merits which, if they were divined, would win her
A little more regard than we bestow.

FALK
[coldly]
.
Her virtues are of every known variety
I’m sure.