ACT I

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ACT I

(SCENE.--A room in RIIS' house. An open door at the back leads
into a park and gives a glimpse of the sea beyond. Windows on
each side of the door. Doors also in the right and left walls.
Beyond the door on the right is a piano; opposite to the piano a
cupboard. In the foreground, to the right and left, two couches
with small tables in front of them. Easy-chairs and smaller
hairs scattered about. MRS. RIIS is sitting on the couch to the
left, and DR. NORDAN in a chair in the centre of the room. He is
wearing a straw hat pushed on to the back of his head, and has a
large handkerchief spread over his knees. He is sitting with his
arms folded, leaning upon his stick.)

Mrs. Riis. A penny for your thoughts!

Nordan. What was it you were asking me about?

Mrs. Riis. About that matter of Mrs. North, of course.

Nordan. That matter of Mrs. North? Well, I was talking to
Christensen about it just now. He has advanced the money and
is going to try and get the bank to suspend proceedings. I have
told you that already. What else do you want to know?

Mrs. Riis. I want to know how much gossip there is about it, my
dear friend.

Nordan. Oh, men don't gossip about each other's affairs.--By the
way, isn't our friend in there (nodding towards the door on the
right) going to be told about it? This seem, a good opportunity.

Mrs. Riis. Let us wait.

Nordan. Because Christensen will have to be repaid, you know. I
told him he would be.

Mrs. Riis. Naturally. What else would you suppose?

Nordan (getting up). Well, I am going away for my holidays, so
Christensen must look after it now.--Was it a very grand party
yesterday?

Mrs. Riis. There was not much display.

Nordan. No, the Christensens' parties are never very luxurious.
But I suppose there were a lot of people?

Mrs. Riis. I have never seen so many at a private entertainment.

Nordan. Is Svava up?

Mrs. Riis. She is out bathing.

Nordan. Already? Did you come home early, then?

Mrs. Riis. At about twelve, I think. Svava wanted to come home.
My husband was late, I think.

Nordan. The card tables. She looked radiant, I suppose, eh?

Mrs. Riis. Why didn't you come?

Nordan. I never go to betrothal parties, and I never go to
Weddings--never! I can't bear the sight of the poor victims in
their veils and wreaths.

Mrs. Riis. But, my dear doctor, you surely think--as we all do--
that this will be a happy marriage?

Nordan. He is a fine lad. But, all the same--I have been taken in
so often.--Oh, well!

Mrs. Riis. She was so happy, and is just as happy to-day.

Nordan. It is a pity I shall not see her. Good-bye, Mrs. Riis.

Mrs. Riis. Good-bye, doctor. Then you are off to-day?

Nordan. Yes, I need a change of air.

Mrs. Riis. Quite so. Well, I hope you will enjoy yourself--and,
many thanks for what you have done!

Nordan. It is I ought to thank you, my dear lady! I aim vexed not
to be able to say good-bye to Svava. (Goes out. MRS. RIIS takes
up a magazine from the table on the left and settles herself
comfortably on a couch from which she can see into the park.
During what follows she reads whenever opportunity allows. RIIS
comes in through the door to the right, in his shirt sleeves and
struggling with his collar.)

Riis. Good morning! Was that Nordan that went out just now?

Mrs. Riis. Yes. (RIIS crosses the room, then turns back and
disappears through the door on the right. He comes back again
immediately and goes through the same proceeding, all the tine
busy with his collar.) Can I help you at all?

Riis. No--thanks all the same! These new-fangled shirts are
troublesome things. I bought some in Paris.

Mrs. Riis. Yes, I believe you have bought a whole dozen.

Riis. A dozen and a half. (Goes into his room, comes out again in
apparently the same difficulties, and walks about as before.) As
a matter of fact I am wondering about something.

Mrs. Riis. It must be something complicated.

Riis. It is--it is. No doubt of it!--This collar is the very--Ah,
at last! (Goes into his room and comes out again, this time with
his necktie in his hand.) I have been wondering--wondering--what
our dear girl's character is made up of?

Mrs. Riis. What it is made up of?

Riis. Yes--what characteristics she gets from you and what from
me, and so forth. In what respects, that is to say, she takes
after your family, and in what respect after mine, and so forth.
Svava is a remarkable girl.

Mrs. Riis. She is that.

Riis. She is neither altogether you nor altogether me nor is she
exactly a compound of us both.

Mrs. Riis. Svava is something more than that.

Riis. A considerable deal more than that, too. (Disappears again;
then comes out with his coat on, brushing himself.) What did you
say?

Mrs. Riis. I did not speak.--I rather think it is my mother that
Svava is most like.

Riis. I should think so! Svava, with her quiet pleasant ways!
What a thing to say!

Mrs. Riis. Svava can be passionate enough.

Riis. Svava never forgets her manners as your mother did.

Mrs. Riis. You never understood mother. Still, no doubt they are
unlike in a great many things.

Riis. Absolutely!--Can you see now how right I was in chattering
to her in various languages from the beginning, even when she was
quite tiny? Can you see that now? You were opposed to my doing it.

Mrs. Riis. I was opposed to your perpetually plaguing the child,
and also to the endless jumping from one thing to another.

Riis. But look at the result, my dear! Look at the result!
(Begins to hum a tune.)

Mrs. Riis. You are surely never going to pretend that it is the
languages that have made her what she is?

Riis (as he disappears). No, not the languages; but--(His voice
is heard from within his room)--the language have done a
wonderful lot! She has savoir vivre--what? (Comes out again.)

Mrs. Riis. I am sure that is not what Svava is most admired for.

Riis. No, no. On the boat, a man asked me if I were related to
the Miss Riis who had founded the Kindergartens in the town. I
said I had the honour to be her father. You should have seen his
face! I nearly had a fit.

Mrs. Riis. Yes, the Kindergartens have been a great success from
the very first.

Riis. And they are responsible for her getting engaged, too--
aren't they? What?

Mrs. Riis. You must ask her.

Riis. You have never even noticed my new suit.

Mrs. Riis. Indeed I have.

Riis. I didn't hear as much as the tiniest cry of admiration
from you. Look at the harmony of it all!--the scheme of colour,
even down to the shoes!--what? And the handkerchief, too!

Mrs. Riis. How old are you, dear?

Riis. Hold your tongue!--Anyway. how old do you think people take
me to be?

Mrs. Riis. Forty, of course.

Riis. "Of course"? I don't see that it is so obvious. This suit
is a kind of Bridal Symphony, composed at Cologne when I got the
telegram telling me of Svava's engagement. Just think of it! At
Cologne--not ten hours' journey from Paris! But I could not wait
ten hours; I had risen too much in my own estimation in view of
my approaching relationship with the richest family in the
country.

Mrs. Riis. Is that suit all you have to show for it, then?

Riis. What a question! Just you wait till I have got my luggage
through the custom-house!

Mrs. Riis. We shall be quite out of it, I suppose?

Riis. You out of it! When a very lucky daddy finds himself in
Paris at a most tremendous moment--

Mrs. Riis. And what did you think of the party yesterday?

Riis. I was quite delighted with the boat for being late so that
I was landed in the middle of a fete champetre as by magic. And
Naturally one had a tremendous welcome as the party was in honour
of one's own only daughter!

Mrs. Riis. What time did you come in last night?

Riis. Don't you understand that we had to play cards yesterday,
too? I could not get out of it; I had to make a fourth with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--that is to say, with our host, a
cabinet minister, and old Holk. It was a tremendous honour to
lose one's money to grand folk like that. Because I always lose,
you know.--I came home about three o'clock, I should think.--What
is that you are reading?

Mrs. Riis. The Fortnightly.

Riis. Has there been anything good in it while I have been away?
(Begins to hum a tune.)

Mrs. Riis. Yes--there is an article here on heredity that you
must read. It has some reference to what we began to talk about.

Riis. Do you know this tune? (Goes over to the piano.) It is all
the rage now. I heard it all over Germany. (Begins to play and
sing, but breaks off suddenly.) I will go and fetch the music,
while I think of it! (Goes into his room and comes out again with
the music. Sits down and begins to play and sing again. SVAVA
comes in by it, door on the left. RIIS stops when he sees her,
and jumps up.) Good morning, my child! Good morning! I have
hardly had a chance to say a word to you yet. At the party
everyone took you away from me! (Kisses her, and comes forward
with her.)

Svava. Why were you so long of coming back from abroad?

Riis. Why don't people give one some warning when they are
going to get engaged?

Svava. Because people don't know anything about it themselves,
till it happens! Good morning again, mother. (Kneels down beside
her.)

Mrs. Riis. There is a delicious freshness about you, dear! Did
you have a walk in the wood after your swim?

Svava (getting up). Yes, and just as I got home a few minutes ago
Alfred passed the house and called up to me. He is coming in
directly.

Riis. To tell you the truth--and one ought always to tell the
truth--I had quite given up the hope of such happiness coming to
our dear girl.

Svava. I know you had. I had quite given it up myself.

Riis. Until your fairy prince came?

Svava. Until my fairy prince came. And he took his time about it,
too!

Riis. You had been waiting for him a long time, though--hadn't
you?

Svava. Not a bit of it! I never once thought of him.

Riis. Now you are talking in riddles.

Svava. Yes, it is a riddle to understand how two people, who have
seen each other from childhood without even giving each other a
thought, suddenly--! Because that was really how it happened. It
all dates from a certain moment--and then, all at once, he became
quite another man in my eyes.

Riis. But in every one else's, I suppose, he is the same us
before?

Svava. I hope so!

Riis. He is more lively than he was, at any rate--in my eyes.

Svava. Yes, I saw you laughing together last night. What was it?

Riis. We were discussing the best way of getting through the
world. I gave him my three famous rules of life.

Mrs. Riis and Svava (together). Already!

Riis. They were a great success. Do you remember them, you bad
girl?

Svava. Rule number one: Never make a fool of yourself.

Riis. Rule number two: Never be a burden to any one.

Svava. Rule number three: Always be in the fashion. They are not
very hard to remember, because they art neither obscure nor
profound.

Riis. But all the harder to put into practice! And thus is a
great virtue in all rules of life.--I congratulate you on your
new morning frock. Under the circumstances it is really charming.

Svava. "Under the circumstances" means, I suppose, considering
that you have had no hand in it.

Riis. Yes, because I should never have chosen that trimming.
However, the "under the circumstances" is not so bad. A good
cut, too--yes. Aha! Just you wail till my portmanteau comes!

Svava. Some surprises for us?

Riis. Big ones!--By the way, I have something here. (Goes into
his room.)

Svava. Do you know, mother, he seems to me more restless than
ever.

Mrs. Riis. That is happiness, dear.

Svava. And yet father's restlessness has always something
a little sad about it. He is--. (RIIS comes out of his room
again.) Do you know what I heard a cabinet minister say about you
yesterday?

Riis. A man of that stamp is sure to say something worth hearing.

Svava. "We all always look upon your father, Miss Riis, as our
Well-dressed man par excellence."

Riis. Ah, a bien dit son excellence! But I can tell you something
better than that. You are getting your father a knighthood.

Svava. I am?

Riis. Yes, who else? Of course the Government has once or twice
made use of me to some small degree in connection with various
commercial treaties; but now, as our great man's brother-in-law,
I am going to be made a Knight of St. Olaf!

Svava. I congratulate you.

Riis. Well, when it rains on the parson it drips on the clerk,
you know.

Svava. You are really most unexpectedly modest in your new
position.

Riis. Am I not!--And now you shall see me as a modest showman
of beautiful dresses--that is to say, of drawings of dresses--
still more modest than the showman, from the latest play at the
Francais.

Svava. Oh no, dad--not now!

Mrs. Riis. We won't start on that till the afternoon.

Riis. One would really think I were the only woman of the lot!
However, as you please. You rule the world! Well, then, I have
another proposition to make, in two parts. Part one, that we sit
down!

Svava. We sit down! (She and her father sit.)

Riis. And next, that you tell your newly-returned parent exactly
how it all happened. All about that "riddle," you know!

Svava. Oh, that!--You must excuse me; I cannot t you about that.

Riis. Not in all its sweet details, of course! Good heavens, who
would be so barbarous as to ask such a thing in the first
delicious month of an engagement! No, I of only I want you to
tell us what was the primum mobile in the matter.

Svava. Oh, I understand. Yes, I will tell you that because that
really means teaching you to know Alfred's true character.

Riis. For instance--how did you come to speak to him?

Svava. Well, that was those darling Kindergartens of ours--

Riis. Oho!--Your darling Kindergartens, you mean?

Svava. What, when there are over a hundred girls there--?

Riis. Never mind about that! I suppose he came to bring a
donation?

Svava. Yes, he came several times with a donation--

Riis. Aha!

Svava. And one day we were talking about luxury saying that it
was better to use one's time and money in our way, than to use
them in luxurious living.

Riis. But how do you define luxury?

Svava. We did not discuss that at all. But I saw that he
considered luxury to be immoral.

Riis. Luxury immoral!

Svava. Yes, I know that is not your opinion. But it is mine.

Riis. Your mother's, you mean, and your grand mother's.

Svava. Exactly; but mine too, if you don't object?

Riis. Not I!

Svava. I mentioned that little incident that happened to us when
we were in America--do you remember? We had gone to a temperance
meeting, and saw women drive up who were going to support the
cause of abstinence, and yet were--well, of course we did not
know their circumstances--but to judge from their appearance,
with their carriages and horses, their jewellery and dresses--
especially their jewellery--they must have been worth, say--

Riis. Say many thousands of dollars! No doubt about it.

Svava. There is no doubt about it. And don't you think that is
really just as disgraceful debauchery, in its town way, as drink
is in its?

Riis. Oh, well--!

Svava. Yes, you shrug your shoulders. Alfred did not do that.
He told me of his own experiences--in great cities. It was
horrible!

Riis. What was horrible?

Svava. The contrast between poverty and wealth--between the
bitterest want and the most reckless luxury.

Riis. Oh--that! I thought, perhaps--. However, go on!

Svava. He did not sit looking quite indifferent and clean his
nails.

Riis. I beg your pardon.

Svava. Oh, please go on, dear!--No, he prophesied a great social
revolution, and spoke so fervently about it--and it was then that
he told me what his ideas about wealth were. It was the greatest
possible surprise to me--and a new idea to me, too, to some
extent. You should have seen how handsome he looked!

Riis. Handsome, did you say?

Svava. Isn't he handsome? I think so, at all events. And so does
mother, I think?

Mrs. Riis (without looking up from her book). And so does mother.

Riis. Mothers always fall in love with their daughters' young
men--but they fall out again when they become their mothers-in-law!

Svava. Is that your experience?

Riis. That is my experience. So Alfred Christensen has blossomed
into a beauty? Well, we must consider that settled.

Svava. He stood there so sure of himself, and looking so honest
and clean--for that is an essential thing, you know.

Riis. What exactly do you mean by "clean," my dear?

Svava. I mean just what the word means.

Riis. Exactly--but I want to know what meaning attach to the
word.

Svava. Well--the meaning that I hope any one would attach to it
if they used the word of me.

Riis. Do you attach the same meaning to it if it is used' of a
man, as you would if it were used of a girl?

Svava. Yes, of course.

Riis. And do you suppose that Christensen's son--

Svava (getting up). Father, you are insulting me!

Riis. How can the fact of his being his father's son I an insult
to you?

Svava. In that respect he is not his father's son! I am not
likely to make any mistake in a thing of that sort!

Mrs. Riis. I am just reading about inherited tendencies. It is
Not necessary to suppose that he has inherited all his father's.

Riis. Oh, well--have it as you please! I am afraid all these
superhuman theories of yours. You will never get through the
world with them.

Svava. What do you mean?--Mother, what does father mean?

Mrs. Riis. I suppose he means that all men are alike. And one
must allow that it is true.

Svava. You do not really mean that?

Riis. But why get so excited about it?--Come and sit down! And,
besides, how can you possibly tell?

Svava. Tell? What?

Riis. Well, in each individual case--

Svava. --whether the man I see standing before me or walking past
me is an unclean, disgusting beast--or a man?

Riis. Etcetera, etcetera!--You may make mistakes, my dear Svava?

Svava. No--not any more than I should make a mistake about
you, father, when you begin to tease me with your horrid
principles! Because, in spite of them, you are the chastest and
most refined man I know.

Mrs. Riis (laying down her book). Are you going to keep that
morning frock on, dear child? Won't you change your dress before
Alfred comes?

Svava. No, mother, I am not going to be put off like that.--By
this time I have seen so many of my girl friends giving
themselves trustfully to their "fairy prince," as they think, and
waking in the arms of a beast. I shall not risk that! I shall not
make that mistake!

Mrs. Riis. Well, as it is, there is no occasion for you to get
heated about it. Alfred is a man of honour.

Svava. He is. But I have heard of one shocking experience after
another. There was poor Helga, only a month ago! And I myself--
I can speak about it now, for I am happy now and feel secure--I
can tell you now why I have been so long about it. For a long
time I did nut dare to trust myself; because I too have been on
the brink of being deceived.

Riis and Mrs. Riis (together, starting up from their chairs).
You, Svava?

Svava. I was quite young at the time. Like most young girls, I
was looking for my ideal, and found it in a young, vivacious man
--I won't describe him more accurately. He had--oh, the noblest
principles and the highest aims--the most complete contrast to
you in that respect father! To say I loved him, is much too mild;
I worshipped him. But I never can tell you what I discovered or
how I discovered it. It was the time when you all thought I had--

Mrs. Riis. --something wrong with your lungs? Is it possible,
child? Was it then?

Svava. Yes, it was then.--No one could endure or forgive being
deceived like that!

Mrs. Riis. And you never said a word to me?

Svava. Only those who have made such a mistake as I did can
understand the shame one feels.--Well, it is all over now. But
this much is certain, that no one who has had such an experience
once will make the same mistake again. (Meanwhile RIIS has gone
into his room.)

Mrs. Riis. Perhaps it was a good thing for you, after all?

Svava. I am sure it was.--Well, it is all done with now. But it
was not quite done with till I found Alfred. Where is father?

Mrs. Riis. Your father? Here he comes.

Riis (coming out of his room, with his hat on, and drawing on his
gloves). Look here, little girl! I must go and see what has
happened to my luggage at the Customs. I will go to the station
and telegraph. You must have all your things looking very nice,
you know, because the King is coming here in a day or two--and so
it is worth it! Good-bye, then, my dear girl! (Kisses her.) You
have made us very happy--so very happy. It is true you have
certain ideas that are not--. Well, never mind! Goodbye! (Goes
out.)

Mrs. Riis. Good-bye!

Riis (drawing off his gloves). Did you notice the tune I was
playing when you came in? (Sits down at the piano.) I heard it
everywhere in Germany. (Begins to play and sing, but stops
short.) But, bless my soul, here is the music! You can play it
and sing it for yourself. (Goes out, humming the air.)

Svava. He is delightful! There is really something so innocent
about him. Did you notice him yesterday? He was simply coruscating.

Mrs. Riis. You did not see yourself, my dear!

Svava. Why? Was I sparkling, too?

Mrs. Riis. Your father's daughter--absolutely!

Svava. Yes, it is no use denying, mother, that however great
one's happiness is, the friendliness of others increases it. I
was thinking to-day over all the things that gave me so much
happiness yesterday, and felt--oh, I can't tell you what I felt!
(Nestles in her mother's arms.)

Mrs. Riis. You are a very lucky girl!--Now I must go and do my
housekeeping.

Svava. Shall I help you?

Mrs. Riis. No, thank you, dear. (They cross the room together.)

Svava. Well, then, I will run through father's song once or
twice--and Alfred should be here directly. (MRS. RIIS goes out by
the door on the left. SVAVA sits down at the piano. ALFRED comes
in softly from the left, and bends over her shoulder so that his
face comes close to hers.)

Alfred. Good morning, darling!

Svava (jumping up). Alfred! I did not hear the door!

Alfred. Because you were playing. Something very pretty, too!

Svava. I enjoyed myself so much yesterday!

Alfred. I do not believe you have any idea what an impression you
made!

Svava. Just a suspicion. But you must not talk about that,
because it would be most improper for me to confess it!

Alfred. Every one was singing your praises to me, and a mother
and father too. We are all very happy at how, to-day.

Svava. So we are here!--What is that you have got in your hand? A
letter?

Alfred. Yes, a letter. Your maid who opened the door gave it to
me. Someone has been clever enough to count upon my coming here
some time this morning.

Svava. You don't think that was difficult to guess?

Alfred. Not particularly. It is from Edward Hansen.

Svava. But you can take a short cut to his house through our
park. (Points to the right.)

Alfred. Yes, I know. And as he says it is urgent, and underlines
the word--

Svava. --you can have my key. Here it is. (Gives it to him.)

Alfred. Thank you, dear, very much.

Svava. Oh, it is only selfishness; we shall have you back again
all the sooner.

Alfred. I will stay here till lunch time.

Svava. You will stay here a great deal longer than that. We have
a frightful lot to talk about--all about yesterday, and--

Alfred. Of course we have!

Svava. And lots of other things as well.

Alfred. I have a most important question to ask you.

Svava. Have you?

Alfred. Perhaps you will find the answer by the time I come back.

Svava. It can't be so very difficult, then!

Alfred. Indeed it is. But sometimes you have inspirations.

Svava. What is it?

Alfred. Why did we two not find each other many years ago?

Svava. Because we were not ready for it, of course!

Alfred. How do you know that?

Svava. Because I know that at that time I was quite another girl
from what I am now.

Alfred. But there is a natural affinity between those that love
one another. I am sure of it. And it was just its much the case
at that time, surely?

Svava. We do not feel the natural affinity as long as we are
developing on different lines.

Alfred. Have we been doing that? And nevertheless we--

Svava. Nevertheless we love one another. Our paths may be as
unlike as they please, if only they lead together in the end.

Alfred. To the same way of thinking, you mean?

Svava. Yes, to our being such comrades as we are now.

Alfred. Such true comrades?

Svava. Such true comrades!

Alfred. Still, it is just at moments like this, when I hold you
in my arms as I do now, that I ask myself over and over again why
I did not do this long ago.

Svava. Oh, I don't think about that--not the least bit! It is the
safest place in the world--that is what I think!

Alfred. Perhaps before this year it would not have been so.

Svava. What do you mean?

Alfred. I mean--well, I mean practically the same as you; that I
have not always been the man I am now.--But I must hurry away.
The letter says it is something urgent. (They cross the room
together.)

Svava. One minute won't make any difference, will it?--because
there is something I must say to you first.

Alfred (standing still). What is it?

Svava. When I saw you standing amongst all the others yesterday,
I felt for the first moment as if I did not know you. Some change
seemed to have come over you--the effect of the others, perhaps--
anyway you really _were_ actually different.

Alfred. Of course. People always are that, among strangers. When
you came in with the ladies, it just seemed to me as if I had
never observed you carefully before. Besides, there are certain
things one cannot know till one sees a person amongst others. It
was the first time I realised how tall you are--and your way of
bending just a tiny bit to one side when you bow to any one. And
your colouring! I had never properly seen--

Svava. Do be quiet, and let me get a word in!

Alfred. No, no! Here we are, back in the room--and I _must_ be
off now!

Svava. Only just a moment. You interrupted me, you know! When I
saw you standing there among the men for the first moment I felt
just as if I did not know you. But at the same moment you caught
sight of me and nodded. I don't know what sort of a transformation
came over us both; but I felt myself blushing as red as fire. And
it was some time before I had the courage to look at you again.

Alfred. Well, do you know what happened to me? Every time any one
came to dance with you, didn't I envy him! Oh, not at all!--To
tell you the truth, I cannot bear any one else to touch you.
(Clasps her in his arms.) And I have not told you the best part
of it yet.

Svava. What is that?

Alfred. That when I see you amongst other people, and catch--say
--a glimpse of your arm, I think to myself: That arm has been
round my neck and round no one else's in the whole world! She
is mine, mine, mine--and no one else's!--There, that is the best
part of it all!--Look here, here we are back again in the room!
It is witchcraft! Now I must go. (Crosses the room.) Good-bye!
(Lets her go, then catches hold of her again.) Why didn't I find
my happiness many years ago?--Good-bye!

Svava. I think I will come with you.

Alfred. Yes, do!

Svava. No, I forgot--I must learn this song before father comes
back. If I don't learn it now, I expect you will take care I
don't do so to-day. (A ring is heard at the front door.)

Alfred. Here is some one coming! Let me get away first. (Hurries
out to the right. SVAVA stands waving her hand to him, then turns
to the piano. The maid MARGIT enters.)

Margit. A gentleman has called, miss, who wants to know if--

Svava. A gentleman? Don't you know who he is?

Margit. No, miss.

Svava. What is he like?

Margit. He looks rather--

Svava. Rather suspicious?

Margit. No, far from it, miss--a very nice gentleman.

Svava. Tell him my father is not at home; he has gone down to the
station.

Margit. I told him so, miss, but it is you he wants to see.

Svava. Ask my mother to come in here!--Oh, no, why should she!
Let him come in. (MARGIT shows in HOFF, and goes out.)

Hoff. Is it Miss Riis I have the honour to--? Yes, I see it is.
My name is Hoff--Karl Hoff. I am a commercial traveller--travel
in iron.

Svava. But what has that to do with me?

Hoff. Just this much, that if I had been an ordinary stay-at-home
man, a great many things would not have happened.

Svava. What would not have happened?

Hoff (taking a large pocket-book out of his docket, and
extracting a letter from it). Will you condescend to read this?
Or perhaps you would rather not?

Svava. How can I tell?

Hoff. Of course, you must first--Allow me. (Gives her the
letter.)

Svava (reading). "To-night between ten and eleven that is to say,
if the booby has not come home. I love you so dearly! Put a light
in the hall window."

Hoff. "The booby" is me.

Svava. But I don't understand--?

Hoff. Here is another.

Svava. "I am full of remorse. Your cough frightens me; and now,
when you are expecting--" But what in the world has this to do
with me?

Hoff (after a moment's thought). What do you suppose?

Svava. Is it some one you want me to help?

Hoff. No, poor soul, she doesn't need help any more. She is dead.

Svava. Dead? Was she your wife?

Hoff. That's it. She was my wife. I found these and come other
things in a little box. At the bottom were these notes--there are
more of them--and some cotton wool on the top of them. On the top
of that lay some earrings and things that had been her mother's.
And also (producing some bracelets) these bracelets. They are
certainly much too costly to have been her mother's.

Svava. I suppose she died suddenly, as she did not--

Hoff. I cannot say. Consumptives never think they are going to
die. Anyway she was very delicate and weak.--May I sit down?

Svava. Please do. Are there any children?

Hoff (after a moment's thought). I believe not.

Svava. You believe not? I asked because I thought you wanted our
Society to help you. This really is all very distressful to me.

Hoff. I thought it would be--I thought as much. Besides, I am not
really sure if I--. You cannot understand this, then?

Svava. No, I cannot.

Hoff. No, you cannot.-I have heard so much good spoken of you for
many years. My wife used to sing your praises, too.

Svava. Did she know me?

Hoff. She was Maren Tang--who used to be companion to--

Svava. --to Mrs. Christensen, my future mother-in-law? Was it
she? She was such a well-bred, quiet woman. Are you sure you are
not mistaken? One or two notes, unsigned and undated--what?

Hoff. Did you not recognise the handwriting?

Svava. I? No. Besides, isn't it a disguised hand?

Hoff. Yes, but not much disguised.

Svava. I presume you had some more definite errand with me?

Hoff. Yes, I had--but I think I will let it alone. You do not
understand anything about this, I can see Perhaps you think I am
a little crazy? I am not so sure you would not be right.

Svava. But there was something you wanted to say to me?

Hoff. Yes, there was. You see, these Kindergartens--

Svava. Oh, so it was them, all the time?

Hoff. No, it was not them. But they are responsible for my having
for a long time thought very highly of you, Miss Riis. If you
will excuse my saying so, I had never before seen fashionable
young ladies trying to do anything useful--never. I am only a
little broken-down tradesman travelling for a firm--a worthless
sort of chap in many ways, and one that very likely deserves what
he has got--but anyway I wanted you to be spared. Indeed thought
it was my duty--absolutely my duty. But now when I see you
sitting there before me--well, now I only I feel miserably
unhappy. So I won't trouble you at all (Gets up.) Not at all.

Svava. I really cannot understand--

Hoff. Please don't bother about me! And please forgive my
disturbing you.--No, you really must not give me another thought!
Just imagine that I have not been here--that is all. (As he
reaches the door, he meets ALFRED coming in. As soon as he sees
that SVAVA is watching them, he goes hurriedly out. SVAVA sees
the meeting between the two and gives a little scream, then
rushes to meet ALFRED. But as soon as she is face to face with
him, she seems terrified. As he comes nearer to take her in his
arms she cries out: "Don't touch me!" and hurries out by the door
on the left. She is heard locking and bolting it on the inside.
Then a violent outburst of weeping is heard, the sound being
somewhat deadened by the distance, but only for a few moments.
Then the sound of singing is heard outside, and a few seconds
later RIIS comes into the room. The curtain falls as he enters.)

Content of ACT I [Bjornstjerne Bjornson's play: A Gauntlet]

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