Hedda Scene

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I almost think the death has affected you more than it has her.

Oh, it’s not only Aunt Rina’s death. It’s Ejlert; I’m so worried about him.

Has anything fresh happened to him?

I meant to have run over to him this afternoon and told him that his manuscript was in safe keeping.

Well, didn’t you find him, then?

No, he wasn’t at home. But afterwards I met Mrs Elvsted, and she told me he had ben here early this morning.

Yes, directly you’d gone.

And he seems to have said that he had torn up the manuscript, Eh?

Yes, he insisted he had.

But, good heavens, he must have been absolutely off his head! And so, of course, you didn’t dare give it back to him, Hedda?

No, he didn't take it.

But you told him, all right, that we had it?

No. Did you tell Mrs Elvsted we had it?

No, I didn’t quite like to do that. but you ought to have told him himself. suppose he goes off in despair ad does himself some injury? let me have the manuscript, Hedda. I will dash over to him wit it at once. where is the parcel?

I haven’t got it any longer.

You haven’t got it. What on earth do you mean by that?

I have burnt it. Every scrap of it.

Burnt it! Burnt Ejlert Lovborg’s manuscript!

Don’t scream like that. The maid might hear you.

Burnt! But, good god! No, no, no! This is simply impossible!

Well, it’s true all the same.

But do you realise what you have done, Hedda? it’s against the law, to treat lost property like that! Think of it. You just ask Judge Brack and he’ll tell you.

I shouldn’t advise you to talk about it to the judge or to anyone else.

But how could you go and do anything so unheard of? How could such an idea come into your head? How could it come over you? Tell me that. Eh.

I did it for your sake, Jorgon.

For my sake!

When you came home in the morning and told me that he’d been reading to you-

Yes, yes, what about it?

You admitted then that you envied him, his work.

Good heavens, I didn’t mean it literally!

All the same, I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else throwing you into the shade.

Hedda! Is it true what you’re saying? Yes, but … but…I’ve never known you show your affection in this sort of way before.

Oh well, you’d better know, then that - just at present - No, you can go and ask Aunt Julie. She’ll tell you all about it.

Ah, I rather think I understand, Hedda! Good heavens! can it be possible? Eh?

Don’t shout so. The maid might hear you.

The maid! No, you really are priceless, Hedda! ‘The maid’! Why, it’s only Berte! I’ll go out and tell Berte myself.

Oh, it’ll be the death of me. It’ll be the death of me, all this!

What will, Hedda? Eh?

All this grotesque nonsense, Jorgen.

Nonsense! That I’m so delighted? But, all the same … perhaps I had better not say anything to Berte.

Oh yes, Why not that, too?

No, no not yet. But Aunt Julle must certainly know about it. And then, too, that you are beginning to call me Jorgen! Think of it! Oh, Aunt Julle will be so glad! So glad!

When she hears that I have burnt Ejlert Lovborg’s manuscript, for your sake?

No, that reminds me. That business with the manuscript - no one must get to know about that, of course. But that you feel like this towards me, Hedda, Aunt Julle must certainly hear that! Still, my dear, I should like to know myself whether this kind of thing is usual with young wives. Eh?

You’d better ask Aunt Julle about that, too, I think.