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Master Builder (Gosse & Archer Translation) - Henrik Ibsen · Leo Tolstoy Audiobooks

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Act one of The Master Builder. This is the LibriVox recording.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: by expatriate in Bangor, Maine. The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen,
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: translated by Edmund Gaussi eighteen forty nine to nineteen twenty
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: eight and William Archer. Characters Halvard Zolnis, master builder, Alina Zolnis,
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: his wife, doctor Heerdahl, physician Knutebrovic, formerly an architect, now
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: in Zolnis's employment, Ragnarbrovic, his son, draftsman KaiA Phosley, his niece, bookkeeper,
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: Miss Hilda Vangel, some ladies, a crowd in the street.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: The action passes in and about Zolnus's house. Act one.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: A plainly furnished work room in the house of Halvard Zonas.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: Folding doors on the left lead out to the hall.
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: On the right is the door leading to the inner
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: rooms of the house. At the back is an open
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: door into the draftsman's office. In front on the left
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: a desk with books, papers, and writing materials. Further back
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: than the folding door, a stove in the right hand corner,
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: a sofa, a table in one or two chairs on
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: the table, a water bottle and glass, A smaller table
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: with a rocking chair and arm chair in front on
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: the right, lighted lamps with shades on the table in
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: the draftsman's office, on the table in the corner, and
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: on the desk in the draftsman's office sit Knukbrovic and
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: his son Ragnar, occupied with plans and calculations. At the desk.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: In the outer office stands kaya Phoselig writing in the ledger.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: Knuprovic is a spare old man with white hair and beard.
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: He wears a rather threadbare but well brushed black coat, spectacles,
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: and a somewhat discolored white neckcloth. Rognar Brovic is a
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: well dressed, light haired man in his thirties with a
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: slight stoop. Kaya Foseley is a slightly built girl a
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: little over twenty, carefully dressed in delicate looking She has
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: a green shade over her eyes. All three go on
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: working for some time in silence. Knouprovic rises suddenly, as
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: if in distress, from the table, breathes heavily and laboriously
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: as he comes forward into the doorway. No I can't
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: bear it much longer. Kaya, going up to him. You
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: are feeling very ill this evening, are you not, Uncle, Provic? Oh?
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: I seem to get worse every day. Rognar has risen
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: and advances you ought to go home, Father, try to
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: get a little sleep. Provic impatiently go to bed. I
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: suppose would you have me stifled outright? Kaya? Then take
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: a little walk, Rognar, yes, do, I will come with you,
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: Brovic with warmth. I will not go till he comes.
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: I am determined to have it out this evening with
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: in a tone of suppressed bitterness with him with the chief,
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: Kaya anxiously. Oh, no, uncle, do wait? Awhile before doing that?
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: Rognar yes, better wait? Father. Brovic draws his breath laboriously. Hah,
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: I haven't much time for waiting, Kaya listening, hush, I
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: hear him on the stairs. All three go back to
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: their work a short silence. Halivard Zolness comes in through
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: the hall door. He is a man no longer young,
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: but healthy and vigorous, with close cut, curly hair, dark mustache,
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: and dark thick eyebrows. He wears a grayish green button
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: jacket with an upstanding collar in broad lapels. On his head.
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: He wears a soft gray felt hat, and he has
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: one or two light portfolios under his arm. Zolnus near
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: the door, points towards the draftsman's office and asks in
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: a whisper, are they gone? Kaya softly shaking her head no.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: She takes the shade off her eyes. Zolnus crosses the room,
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: throws his hat on a chair, places the portfolios on
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: the table by the sofa, and approaches the desk again.
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: Kaya goes on writing without intermission, but seems nervous and uneasy.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: Zulnus aloud, what is that you are entering, miss Fausly,
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: Kaya starts, Oh, it is only something that Zolnus, let
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: me look at it. Miss Fausely bends over her, pretends
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: to be looking into the ledger and whispers kaya Kaya softly,
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: still writing, Well, Zulnus, why do you always take that
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: shade off when I come? Kaya As before? I look
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: so ugly with it on, Zolnas smiling. Then you don't
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: like to look ugly, kaya Kaya, half glancing up at him.
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: Not for all the world, not in your eyes. Zolness
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: strokes her hair gently. Poor poor little kaya Kaya, bending
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: her head, Hush. They can hear you. Zolnas strolls across
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: the room to the right, turns and pauses at the
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: door of the draftsman's office. Zolnus, has anyone been here
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: for me? Rognar rising, Yes, the young couple who want
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: a villa built out at Lustrand, Zolnus growling, Oh, those
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: two they must wait. I am not quite clear about
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: the plans yet, Rognar, advancing with some hesitation. They were
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: very anxious to have the drawings at once, Zoldness as before. Yes,
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: of course, so they all are. Brovic looks up. They
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: say they are longing so to get into a house
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: of their own. Zolness. Yes, yes, we know all that,
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: and so they are content to take whatever is offered them.
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: They get a roof over their heads and address, but
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: nothing to call a home. No thank you in that case,
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: Let them apply to somebody else. Tell them that the
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: next time they call. Brovic pushes his glasses up onto
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: his forehead and looks in astonishment at him. To somebody else,
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: Are you prepared to give up the commission? Zolness impatiently. Yes, yes, yes, devil,
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: take it, if that is to be the way of it.
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: Rather that then build away at random vehemently. Besides, I
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: know very little about these people as yet, Provic. The
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: people are safe enough. Rugnar knows them, He is a
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: friend of the family. Perfectly safe people, Zolness, Oh, safe
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: safe enough. That is not at all what I mean.
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: Good Lord, don't you understand me either? Angrily, I won't
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: have anything to do with these strangers. They may apply
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: to whom they please, so far as I'm concerned. Brovic rising,
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: Do you really mean that? Zolnas sulkily, Yes, I do.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: For once in a way. He comes forward. Brovic exchanges
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: a glance with Rugnar, who makes a warning gesture. Then
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: Brovic comes into the front room. Brovic, may I have
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: a few words with you, Zolnas, certainly, Brovic to Kaya,
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: just go in there for a moment. Kaya Kaya uneasily. Oh,
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: but uncle Brovic, do as I say, child, and shut
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: the door after you. Kaya goes reluctantly into the draftsman's office,
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: glances anxiously and imploringly at Zolna's and shuts the door. Brovic,
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: lowering his voice a little, I don't want the poor
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: children to know how ill I am. Zolnus. Yes, you
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: have been looking very poorly of late, Brovic, it will
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: soon be all over with me. My strength is ebbing
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: from day to day. Zolnas, won't you sit down, Brovic?
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: Thanks may i Zolnas placing the arm chair more conveniently.
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: Here take this chair, And now Brovic has seated himself
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: with difficulty. Well, you see it's about Rognar. That is
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: what weighs most upon me. What is to become of him? Zolnus.
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: Of course your son will stay with me as long
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: as ever he likes Brovic. But that is just what
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: he does not like. He feels that he cannot stay
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: here any longer. Zolnas. Why I should say he was
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: very well off here, But if he wants more money
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: I should not mind. Brovic. No, no, it is not
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: that impatiently, but sooner or later, he too must have
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: a chance of doing something on his own account, Zolness.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: Without looking at him, you think that Rougner has quite
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: talent enough to stand alone. Brovic. No, that is just
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: the heart breaking part of it. I have begun to
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: have my doubts about the boy, for you have never
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: said so much as as one encouraging word about him,
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: and yet I cannot but think there must be something
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: in him. He can't be without talent, Zolness. Well, but
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: he has learnt nothing, nothing thoroughly, I mean, except of course,
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: to draw. Brovic looks at him with covert hatred and says, hoarsely,
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: you had learned little enough of the business when you
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: were in my employment, But that did not prevent you
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: from setting to work, breathing with difficulty, and pushing your
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: way up and taking the wind out of my sails,
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: mine and so many other people's. Zolness. Yes, you see,
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: circumstances favored me, Brovic, You are right there, Everything favored you.
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: But and how can you have the heart to let
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: me go to my grave without having seen what Rognar
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: is fit for? And of course I am anxious to
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: see them married too before I go. Zolnas sharply, is
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: it she who wishes it, Brovic, not Kaias so much
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: as Rognar. He talks about it every day appealingly. You must,
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: you must help him to get some independent work. Now
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: I must see something that the lad has done, do
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: you hear, Zolnas peevishly, Hang it, man, You can't expect
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: me to drag commissions down from the moon for him, Brovic.
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: He has the chance of a capital commission at this
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: very moment a big bit of work. Zolnus uneasily startled,
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: has he, Brovic? If you would give your consent, Zolnus,
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: what sort of work do you mean, Brovic? With some hesitation,
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: he can have the building of that villa out at Lufstrand, Zolnus.
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: That why, I am going to build that myself? Brovic? Oh,
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: you don't much care about doing it, Zolnas, flaring up.
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: Don't care? I who dares to say that? Brovic? You
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: said so yourself? Just now, Zolnas, Oh, never mind what
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: I say. Would they give Rognar the building of that villa? Brovic? Yes,
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: you see, he knows the family, and then just for
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: the fun of the thing, he's made drawings and estimates
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: and so forth, Zolness. Are they pleased with the drawings
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: the people who will have to live in the house, Brovic? Yes,
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: If you would only look through them and approve of them, Zolnus,
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: then they would let Rognar build their home for them, Brovic.
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: They were immensely pleased with his idea. They thought it
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: exceedingly original, they said, Zolness, Oh, original, not the old
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: fashioned stuff that I am in the habit of turning
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: out Brovic. It seemed to them different, Zolnas with suppressed irritation.
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: So it was to see Rognar that they came here
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: whilst I was out, Brovic. They came to call upon you,
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: and at the same time to ask whether you would
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: mind retiring. Zolness angrily, retire, I, Brovic, in case you
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: thought that Rognar's drawings, Zolnus, I retire in favor of
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: your son, Brovic. Retire from the agreement they meant, Zolnas. Oh,
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: it comes to the same thing, laughed angrily. So that
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: is it? Is it, Halivard, Zolnas is to see about
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: retiring now to make room for younger men, for the
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: very youngest. Perhaps he must make room room room, Brovic. Why,
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: good heavens, there is surely room for more than one
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: single man. Zolnus. Oh, there's not so very much room
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: to spare either. But be that as it may. I
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: will never retire. I will never give way to anybody,
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: never of my own free will, Never in this world
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: will I do that. Brovic rises with difficulty. Then I
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: am to pass out of life without any certainty, without
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: a gleam of happiness, without any faith or trust in Ragnar,
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: without having seen a single piece of work of his doing?
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: Is that to be the way of it? Zolness turns
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: half aside and mutters, hmm, don't ask more, just now, Brovic,
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: I must have an answer to this one question. Am
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: I to pass out of life in such utter poverty?
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: Zolnas seems to struggle with himself. Finally he says, in
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: a low but firm voice, you must pass out of
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: life as best you can. Brovic, then be it? So
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: he goes up the room, Zolna's following him half in desperation.
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: Don't you understand that I cannot help it? I am
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: what I am, and I cannot change my nature? Provic No, No,
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: I suppose you can't, reels and supports himself against the
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: sofa table. May I have a glass of water? Zolnas
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: by all means fills a glass and hands it to him.
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: Brovic thanks, drinks and puts the glass down again. Zolnus
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: goes up and opens the door of the draftsman's office. Zolnas, Rognar,
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: you must come and take your father home. Rognar rises quickly.
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: He and Kaya come into the work room. Rognar, what
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: is the matter? Father? Brovic? Give me your arm now,
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: let us go, Rognar, very well, you had better put
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: your things on to KaiA. Zolnus, Miss Phelsli must stay
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: just for a moment. There is a letter I want written.
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: Brovic looks at Zolnas. Good night, sleep well if you can, Zolnas,
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: good night. Brovic and Rognor go out by the hall door.
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: Kaya goes to the desk. Zolnus stands with bent head
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: to the right by the armchair. Kaya dubiously is there
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: any letter? Zolnas curtly, no, of course not, looks sternly
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: at her Kaya Kaya anxiously in a low voice. Yes.
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: Zolnas points imperatively to a spot on the floor. Come
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: here at once, Kaya hesitatingly, yes, Zolnas as before nearer, Kaya, obeying,
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: what do you want with me? Zolnus looks at her
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: for a while. Is it you I have to thank
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: for all this? Kaiya? No, no, don't think that, Zolnus.
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: But confess now you want to get married? Kaya softly.
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: Rognor and I have been engaged for four or five years,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: and so Zolnus, and so you think at time there
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: were an end of it. Is not that, so, Kaya,
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: Rognar and uncle say, I must so, I suppose I
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: shall have to give in Zolnus more gently. Kaya. Don't
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: you really care a little bit for Rognar too? Kaya?
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: I cared very much for Rognar once before I came
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: here to you, Zolnus, But you don't now, not in
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: the least, Kaya, passionately clasping her hands and holding them
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: out towards him. You know very well there is only
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: one person I care for now, one and one only
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: in all the world. I shall never care for anyone else, Zolnus. Yes,
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: you say that, and yet you go away from me,
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: lead me alone here with everything on my hands. Kaya.
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: But could I not stay with you even if Rognar
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: Zolnas repudiating the idea? No, no, that is quite impossible.
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: If Ugnar leaves me and starts work on his own account,
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: then of course he will need you himself, Kaya, wringing
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: her hands. Oh, I feel as if I could not
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: be separated from you. It's quite quite impossible, Zulnus. Then
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: be sure you get those foolish notions out of Ragnar's head.
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: Marry him as much as you please, alters his tone,
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: I mean, don't let him throw up his good situation
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: with me, for then I can keep you too, my
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: dear kaya Kaya. Oh, yes, how lovely that would be,
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: if it could only be managed. Zolnas clasps her head
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: with his two hands and whispers, for I cannot get
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: on without you, you see, I must have you with
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: me every single day. Kaya, in nervous exultation, My God,
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: my God, Zolnus kisses her hair. Kaya KaiA Kaya sinks
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: down before him. Oh, how good you are to me,
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: How unspeakably good you are. Zolnas vehemently. Get up, for
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: goodness sake, Get up, I think I hear someone. He
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: helps her to rise. She staggers over to the desk.
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnus enters by the door on the right. She
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: looks thin and wasted with grief, but shows traces of
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: bygone beauty, blonde ringlets, dressed with good taste, wholly in black.
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: Speaks somewhat slowly and in a plaintive voice. Missus Zolnes
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: in the doorway. Halvard Zolnus turns, Oh, are you there,
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: my dear Missus Zolnes with a glance at Kiah, I
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: am afraid I am disturbing you, Zolness. Not in the
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: least miss Falsely has only a short letter to write.
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnes. Yes, so I see, Zolnas, what do you
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: want with me, Elena, Missus Zolnes, I merely wanted to
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: tell you that doctor Hardahl is in the drawing room.
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: Won't you come and see him? Halvard Zolnas looks suspiciously
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: at her. Hmm. Is the doctor so very anxious to
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: talk to me, missus Zulness, Well, not exactly anxious. He
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: really came to see me, but he would like to say,
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: how do you do to you? At the same time,
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: Zolnus laughs to himself. Yes, I dare say, Well, you
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: must ask him to wait a little, Missus Zulns. Then
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: you will come in presently, Zolnus, Perhaps I will presently presently, dear,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: in a little while, Missus Zulns, glancing again at Kaya, Well,
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: now don't forget. Halvard withdraws and closes the door behind her.
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: Kia softly, Oh, dear, oh dear. I am sure Missus
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: Zulnes thinks ill of me in some way, Zolness. Oh,
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: not in the least, not more than usual at any rate,
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: But all the same, you had better go now, Kaya, Kia, Yes, yes,
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: now I must go, Zolnus severely in mind, you get
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: that madter set for me, do you hear, Kaya? Oh?
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: If it only depended on me, Zolnus, I will have
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: it settled, I say, and tomorrow too, not a day later.
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: Kaya terrified. If there's nothing else for it, I am
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: quite willing to break off the engagement, Zolnus angrily, break
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: it off? Are you mad? Would you think of breaking
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: it off? Kaya? Distracted? Yes? If necessary for I must.
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: I must stay here with you. I can't leave you.
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: That is utterly, utterly impossible, Zolnus, with a sudden outburst,
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: But deuce take it. How about Rognar? Then it's Rognar
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: that i Kaya looks at him with terrified eyes. It
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: is chiefly on Rognar's account that you, Zolnus collecting himself. No, no,
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: of course not. You don't understand me either gently and softly.
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Of course it is you. I want to keep you
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: above everything, Kaya, But for that very reason, you must
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: prevent Rognar too from throwing up his situation. There there,
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: Now go home, Kaya, yes, yes, good night, then Zolnus,
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: good night as she is going. Oh, stop a moment.
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: Are Rognar's drawings in there? Kaya? I did not see
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: him take them with him? Zolnus, Then just go and
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: find them for me. I might perhaps glance over them
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: after all, KaiA happy, Oh, yes, please do, Zulnus, for
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: your sake, Kaya, dear, now let me have them at once, please.
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: Kaya hurries into the draftsman's office, searches anxiously in the
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: table drawer, finds a portfolio, and brings it with her. Kaya,
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: here are all the drawings, Zolnus. Good, put them down
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: there on the table, Kaya putting down the portfolio. Good night, then, beseechingly,
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: and please please think kindly of me, Zolnus, Oh that
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: I always do. Good night, my dear little Kaya glances
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: to the right, Go go now, Missus Zulnus, and doctor
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: Harridahal enter by the door on the right. He is
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: a stoutish elderly man with a round, good humored face,
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: clean shaven, with thin light hair and gold spectacles. Missus
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: Zulness still in the doorway, Halvard, I cannot keep the
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: doctor any longer. Zolnus, Well, then come in here, Missus
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: zulns to Kaya, who is turning down the desk lamp.
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: Have you finished the letter all ready? Miss fausle Kiah
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: in confusion the letter, Zolnus, Yes, it was quite a
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: short one, Missus Zolns, must have been very short, Zolnus.
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: You may go now, miss Faustley, and please come in
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: good time tomorrow morning, KaiA. I will be sure too.
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: Good night, missus Zolnus. She goes out by the hall door.
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnes, she must be quite an acquisition to you, Halvard,
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: this miss faul Sleigh Zolnas. Yes, indeed she is useful
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: in all sorts of ways, missus Zolnis, so it seems,
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdall. Is she good at bookkeeping too, Zolness. Well,
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: of course she has had a good deal of practice
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: during these two years, and then she is so nice
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: and willing to do whatever one asks of her, missus Zulnes. Yes,
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: that must be very delightful, Zolness. It is, especially when
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: one is not too much accustomed to that sort of thing,
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulnis. In a tone of gentle remonstrance, can you
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: say that, Halvard Zolnas. Oh no, no, my dear Elina,
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: I beg your pardon, missus Zulns, there's no occasion. Well, then,
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: doctor you will come back later on and have a
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: cup of tea with us. Doctor Harred, I have only
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: that one patient to see and then I'll come back, missus, Zoleness.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: Thank you. She goes out by the door on the right, Zoleness.
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: Are you in a hurry, doctor, doctor Herdahl, No, not
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: at all, Zolness. May I have a little chat with you,
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdall, with the greatest of pleasure, Zolness. Then let
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: us sit down. He motions the doctor to take the
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: rocking chair and sits down himself in the armchair. Looks
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: searchingly at him. Tell me, did you notice anything odd
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: about Elena, doctor Herdahl. Do you mean just now when
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: she was here? Zolness, Yes, in her manner to me,
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: did you notice anything, doctor Herdall, smiling, well, I admit
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: one couldn't well avoid noticing that your wife, hm soulness. Well,
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdall, that your wife is not particular lily fond
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: of this, miss Faustle Zolness. Is that all I have
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: noticed that myself, Doctor Herdahl, And I must say, I
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: am scarcely surprised at it, Zolness. At what doctor herdahal
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: that she should not exactly approve of your seeing so
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: much of another woman all day and every day? Zolness. No, no,
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: I suppose you are right there, and Elena too. But
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: it's impossible to make any change, Doctor Herdahl. Could you
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: not engage a clerk Zolnas the first man that came
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: to hand, No, thank you, I would never do for me,
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdahl. But now, if you're a wife, suppose with
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: her delicate health all this tries her too much zolness,
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: Even then I might almost say it can make no difference.
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: I must keep kayaphoselely. No one else could fill her place,
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl, No one else zolness curtly, no, no one,
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdall, drawing his chair closer. Now listen to me,
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: my dear mister Zolnas, May I ask you a question
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: quite between ourselves. Zolness by all means Doctor Herdall. Women,
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: Ye see, in certain matters they have a deucedly keen
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: intuition zolness they have. Indeed, there is not the least
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: doubt of that. But doctor Herdall, well tell me now,
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: if your wife can't endure this kaiaphoslely zolness, well, what then,
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdall. May she not have just just the least
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: little bit of reason for this instinctive dislike? Zolnus looks
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: at him and rises, Oh, doctor Herdall, Now don't be offended,
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: But hasn't she Zolness with curt decision? No, Doctor Herdall,
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: no reason of any sort, Dulness, no other reason than
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: her own suspicious nature. Doctor Herdall. I know you have
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: known a good many women in your time, Zolness. Yes,
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: I have, doctor Herdall, and have been a good deal
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: taken with some of them too, Zoleness. Oh, yes, I
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: don't deny it, doctor Herdall. But as regards miss Faulstley,
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: then there is nothing of that sort in the case Zolness. No,
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: nothing at all on my side, doctor Herdall. But on
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: her side, Zolness. I don't think you have any right
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: to ask that question, doctor. Doctor Herdall. Well, you know
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: we were discussing your wife's intuition, Zolness. So we were,
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: and for that matter, lowers his voice, Alena's intuition, as
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: you call it, in a certain sense, it has not
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: been so far astray, doctor Hardall. Aha, there we have it.
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: Zolness sits down, Doctor Herdahl. I am going to tell
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: you a strange story, if you care to listen to it,
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl, I like listening to strange stories, Zolness. Very well, then,
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: I dare say you recollect that I took Knupbrovic and
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: his son into my employment after the old man's business
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: had gone to the dogs, Doctor Herdahl. Yes, so I
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: have understood, Zolness. You see, they really are clever fellows,
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: these two. Each of them has talent in his own way.
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: But then the son took it into his head to
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: get engaged. And the next thing, of course, was that
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: he wanted to get married and begin to build on
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: his own account. That is the way with all these
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: young people, doctor Hardahl, laughing. Yes, they have a bad
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: habit of wanting to marry, Zolness, just so. But of
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: course that did not suit my plans, for I needed
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: Rugnar myself. The old man too. He is exceedingly good
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: at calculating bearing strains and cubic contents and all that
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: sort of deviltry, you know, doctor Herdahl. Oh, yes, no doubt,
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: that's indispensable, Zolnus, Yes it is. But Rognar was absolutely
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: bent on setting to work for himself. He would hear
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: of nothing else, doctor Herdahl. But he has stayed with
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: you all the same, Zolnus. Yes, I'll tell you how
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: that came about. One day, this girl Kya Phosely came
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: to see them on some errand or other. She had
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: never been here before, and when I saw how utterly
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: infatuated they were with each other, the thought occurred to me,
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: if I could only get her into the office here,
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: then perhaps Rognar too would stay where he is, Doctor Herdall.
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: That was not at all a bad idea, Zolnus, Yes,
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: But at the time I did not breathe a word
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: of what was in my mind. I merely stood and
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: looked at her and kept on wishing intently that I
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: could have her here. Then I talked to her a
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: little in a friendly way about one thing and another,
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: and then she went away, Doctor Herdall, Well, Zolness. Well.
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: Then next day, pretty late in the evening, when old
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: Brovic and Rognar had gone home, she came here again
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: and behaved as if I had made an arrangement with her,
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdall, an arrangement, what about, Zolness, about the very
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: thing my mind had been fixed on. But I hadn't
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: said one single word about it, Doctor Herdall. That was
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: most extraordinary, zolness, yes, was it not? And now she
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: wanted to know what she was to do here, whether
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: she could begin the very next morning and so forth,
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdall, don't you think she did it in order
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: to be with her sweetheart, Zolness. That was what occurred
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: to me at first. But no, that was not it.
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: She seemed to drift quite away from him when once
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: she had come here to me, Doctor Herdall, she drifted
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: over to you, then, Zolness, Yes, entirely. If I happen
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: to look at her when her back is turned, I
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: can tell that she feels it. She quivers and trembles
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: the moment I come near her. What do you think
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: of that, Doctor Herdall, Hm, that's not very hard to explain, Zolness. Well,
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: but what about the other thing that she believed I
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: had said to her what I had only wished and
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: willed silently inwardly to myself. What do you say to that?
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: Can you explain that, doctor Herdall. Doctor Herdall, No, I
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: won't undertake to do that, Zolness. I felt sure you
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: would not, and so I have never cared to talk
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: about it till now. But it's a cursed nuisance to
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: me in the long run, you understand, here have I
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: got to go on day after day pretending, And it's
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: a shame to treat her so too, poor girl, vehemently,
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: but I I cannot do anything else, for if she
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: runs away from me, then Ragnar will be off too,
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdahl. And you have not told your wife the
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: rights of the story, Zoleness. No, Doctor Herdahl, then why
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: on earth don't you? Zolness looks fixedly at him and
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: says in a low voice, because I seem to find
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: a sort of of salutary self torture in allowing Elena
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: to do me an injustice. Doctor Herdahl shakes his head.
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: I don't in the least understand what you mean, Zolness.
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: Well you see, it is like paying off a little
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: bit of a huge, immeasurable debt, Doctor Herdahl. To your wife, Zolness, Yes,
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: and that always helps to relieve one's mind a little,
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: one can breathe more freely for a while, you understand,
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdahl, No Goodness knows, I don't understand at all, Zoldness.
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: Breaking off rises again. Well, well, well then we won't
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: talk any more about it. He saunters across the room,
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: returns and stops beside the table, looks at the doctor
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: with a sly smile. I suppose you think you have
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: drawn me out nicely? Now, doctor, doctor Herdahl, with some irritation,
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: drawn you out again. I have not the faintest notion
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: what you mean, mister Souleness, Zoleness, Oh, come out with it.
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: I have seen it quite clearly, you know, Doctor Herdahl.
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: What have you seen, Zoleness in a low voice, slowly,
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: that you have been quietly keeping an eye upon me,
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl, that I have. And why in all the
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: world should I do that, Zoleness, Because you think that
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: I passionately? Well, devil take it, you think the same
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: of me as Elena does, Doctor Herdahl. And what does
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: she think about you, Zolness, having recovered his self control,
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: she has begun to think that I am that I
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: am ill, Doctor Herdahl, Ill you. She has never hinted
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: such a thing to me. Why what can she think
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: is the matter with you? Zolness leans over the back
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: of the chair and whispers. Elena has made up her
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: mind that I am mad. That is what she thinks,
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: Doctor Hardahl, rising, Why, my dear good fellow, Zolness, Yes,
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: on my soul she does. I tell you it is so,
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: and she has got you to think the same. Oh,
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: I can assure you, doctor, I see it in your
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: face as clearly as possible. You don't take me in
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: so easily, I can tell you. Doctor Hardahl looks at
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: him in amazement. Never, mister Zolness, never has such a
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: thought entered my mind, Zolness, with an incredulous smile, Really
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: has it? Not, doctor Herdall, No, never, nor your wife's
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: mind either. I am convinced I could almost swear to that, Zolness. Well,
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: I wouldn't advise you to, for in a certain sense,
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: you see, perhaps perhaps she is not so far wrong
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: in thinking something of the kind. Doctor Herdall, Come now,
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: I really must say, Zolness, interrupting with a sweep of
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: his hand. Well, well, my dear doctor, don't let us
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: discuss this any further. We had better agree to differ
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: changes to a tone of quiet amusement. But look here now,
• 35:36
  Speaker 1: doctor Hm, Doctor Herdall, Well, Zoleness, since you don't believe
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: that I am ill and crazy and mad and so forth,
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdall, what then, Zolness, then I dare say you
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: fancy that I am an extremely happy man, Doctor Herdall.
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: Is that mere fancy Zolness laughs? No, no, of course not.
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: Heaven forbid. Only think to be Zolness, the master builder
• 36:09
  Speaker 1: Haulivard Zolness. What could be more delightful, Doctor Herdall. Yes,
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: I must say, it seems to me you have had
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: the luck on your side to an astounding degree. Zolness
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: suppresses a gloomy smile, so I have I can't complain
• 36:25
  Speaker 1: on that score, doctor Herdall. First of all, that grim
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: old Robber's castle was burnt down for you, and that
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: was certainly a great piece of luck, Zolness. Seriously, it
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: was the home of Elina's family, remember that, doctor Herdall. Yes,
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: it must have been a great grief to her Zolness.
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: She has not good over it to this day, not
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: in all these twelve or thirteen years, doctor Herdall. Ah,
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: But what followed must have been the worst blow for
• 36:56
  Speaker 1: her Zolness. The one thing with the doctor Herdall. But
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: you yourself, you rose upon the ruins. You began as
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: a poor boy from a country village, and now you
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: are at the head of your profession. Ah. Yes, mister Zolness,
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: you have undoubtedly had the luck on your side, Zolness,
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: looking at him with embarrassment. Yes, but that is just
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: what makes me so horribly afraid, doctor Herdall, afraid because
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: you have the luck on your side, Zoleness. It terrifies me,
• 37:31
  Speaker 1: terrifies me every hour of the day. For sooner or
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: later the luck must turn, you see, doctor Herdall, Oh, nonsense,
• 37:40
  Speaker 1: what should make the luck turn? Zoleness, with firm assurance,
• 37:44
  Speaker 1: the younger generation, Doctor Herdall, Pooh, the younger generation. You
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: are not laid on the shelf yet, I should hope.
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: Oh no, your position here is probably firmer now than
• 37:58
  Speaker 1: it has ever been, Zolness. The luck will turn, I
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: know it. I feel the day approaching. Some one or
• 38:06
  Speaker 1: other will take it into his head to say, give
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: me a chance. And then all the rest will come
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: clamoring after him and shake their fists at me and shout,
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: make room, make room, make room. Yes, just you see, doctor,
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: Presently the younger generation will come knocking at my door,
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl, laughing, Well, and what if they do, Zolnus,
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: What if they do? Then there's an end of Halvard's soulness.
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: There's a knock at the door on the left Zoleness starts,
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: what's that? Did you not hear something, doctor Herdall? Someone
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: is knocking at the door. Zolnus loudly. Come in. Hilda
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: Vangele enters by the hall door. She is of middle height,
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: supple and delicately built, somewhat sunburnt, dressed in a tourist costume,
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: with skirt caught up for walking, a sailor's collar open
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: at the throat, and a small sailor hat on her head,
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: knapsack on back, plaid in strap and alpenstock. Hilda goes
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: straight up to Zolness, her eyes sparkling with happiness. Good evening.
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: Zolness looks doubtfully at her. Good evening. Hilda laughs, I
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: almost believe you don't recognize me, Zolness. No, I must
• 39:25
  Speaker 1: admit that just for the moment, doctor Hardahl approaching. But
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: I recognize you, my dear young lady, Hilda pleased. Oh
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: is it you that, doctor Hardahl? Of course it is
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: to Zoleness. We met at one of the mountain stations
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: this summer. To Hilda, what became of the other ladies, Hilda? Oh,
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: they went westward, Doctor Hardahl. They didn't much like all
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: the fun we used to have in the evenings, Hilda, No,
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: I believe they didn't. Doctor Hardahl holds up his finger
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: at her, and I am afraid it can't be denied
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: that you flirted a little with us. Hilda. Well that
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: was better fun than to sit there knitting stockings with
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: all those old women. Doctor Herdahl laughs. There, I entirely
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: agree with you, Zolness. Have you come to town this evening, Hilda, Yes,
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: I have just arrived, Doctor Herdahl, quite alone, Miss Vangell Hilda. Oh, yes, Zolness,
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: vongo is your name, Vanngell. Hilda looks and amused surprised
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: at him. Yes, of course it is Zolness. Then you
• 40:37
  Speaker 1: must be a daughter of the district doctor up at
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: Lee Zangar Hilda as before, Yes, who else's daughter should
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: I be? Zolness? Oh? Then I suppose we met up
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: there that summer when I was building a tower on
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: the old church. Hilda, more seriously, Yes, of course it
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: was then we met Zolness. Well that is a long
• 40:59
  Speaker 1: time ago, Hilda looks hard at him. It is exactly
• 41:03
  Speaker 1: the ten years, Zolness. You must have been a mere child, then,
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: I should think, Hilda carelessly, Well, I was twelve or thirteen,
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl, Is this the first time you have ever
• 41:17
  Speaker 1: been up to town, miss Vangel Hilda, Yes, it is indeed, Zolness.
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: And don't you know anyone here, Hilda? Nobody but you,
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: and of course your wife, Zolness. So you know her too, Hilda,
• 41:32
  Speaker 1: only a little. We spent a few days together at
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: the sanatorium. Zolness. Ah up there, Hilda, she said, I
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: might come and pay her a visit if ever I
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: came up to town. Smiles. Not that that was necessary, Zolness. Oh,
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: that she should never have mentioned it. Hilda puts her
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: stick down by the stove, takes off the knapsack and
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: lays it and the plaid on the sofa. Doctor Hardahl
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: offers to help her. Zolness stands and gazes at her,
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: Hilda going towards him. Well, now I must ask you
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: to let me stay the night here, Zolness. I am
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: sure there will be no difficulty about that, Hilda, for
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: I have no other clothes than those I stand in,
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: except a change of linen in my knapsack, and that
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: has to go to the watch, for it's very dirty, Zolness. Oh, yes,
• 42:24
  Speaker 1: that can be managed. Now, I'll just let my wife know,
• 42:27
  Speaker 1: Doctor Hardahl. Meanwhile, I will go and see my patient. Zolness. Yes,
• 42:33
  Speaker 1: do and come again later on, doctor Hardahl playfully with
• 42:38
  Speaker 1: a glance at Hilda. Oh that I will. You may
• 42:41
  Speaker 1: be very certain. Laughs. So your prediction has come true,
• 42:44
  Speaker 1: mister Zolns Zoleness. How so, doctor Hardahl, the younger generation
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: did come knocking at your door? Zoleness cheerfully. Yes, but
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: in a very different way from what I meant, doctor Harrea,
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: A very different yes, that's undeniable. He goes out by
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: the hall door. Zolness opens the door on the right
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: and speaks into the side room. Zolness, Elena, will you
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: come in here please? Here is a friend of yours,
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangell. Missus Zulness appears in the doorway. Who do
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: you say it is? Sees Hilda. Oh is it you?
• 43:24
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangell goes up to her and offers her hand.
• 43:27
  Speaker 1: So you will come to town after all, Zolness. Miss
• 43:32
  Speaker 1: Vongle has this moment arrived, and she would like to
• 43:34
  Speaker 1: stay the night here, missus Zolness here with us, Oh, yes, certainly, Zolnas,
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: till she can get her things a little in order,
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: you know, Missus Zolness, I will do the best I
• 43:47
  Speaker 1: can for you. It's no more than my duty. I
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: suppose your trunk is coming on later, Hilda, I have
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: no trunk, Missus Zulness. Well it will be all right,
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: I dare say. In the meantime, you must excuse my
• 44:01
  Speaker 1: leaving you here with my husband until I can get
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: a room made a little comfortable for you, Zolness. Can
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: we not give her one of the nurseries? They are
• 44:09
  Speaker 1: all ready as it is, Missus Zolnus. Oh, yes, there
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: we have room in to spare to. Hilda. Sit down
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: now and rest a little. She goes out to the right. Hilda,
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: with her hands behind her back, strolls about the room
• 44:25
  Speaker 1: and looks at various objects. Zolness stands in front beside
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: the table, also with his hands behind his back, and
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: follows her with his eyes. Hilda stops and looks at him.
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: Have you several nurseries, Zolnas? There are three nurseries in
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: the house, Hilda. That's a lot. Then I suppose you
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: have a great many children, Zolnas. No, we have no child.
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: But now you can be the child here for the
• 44:52
  Speaker 1: time being, Hilda. For to night, yes, I shall not cry.
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: I mean to sleep as sound as a stone, Zolness. Yes,
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: you must be very tired, I should think, Hilda. Oh no,
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: but all the same, it's so delicious to lie and dream, Zolness.
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: Do you dream much of nights, Hilda? Oh, yes, almost always, Zolness.
• 45:17
  Speaker 1: What do you dream about most, Hilda? I shan't tell
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: you tonight? Another time perhaps, She again strolls about the room,
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: stops at the desk, and turns over the books and
• 45:28
  Speaker 1: papers a little, Zolness approaching. Are you searching for anything, Hilda? No,
• 45:35
  Speaker 1: I am merely looking at all these things. Turns. Perhaps
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: I mustn't, Zolness. Oh, by all means, Hilda. Is it
• 45:44
  Speaker 1: you that write in this great ledger? Zolness. No, it's
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: my book keeper, Hilda. Is it a woman Zolness smiles, yes, Hilda,
• 45:55
  Speaker 1: one you employ here in your office, Zolness, yes, Hilda.
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: Is she married, Zolnus. No, she is single, Hilda, Oh indeed, Zolnus.
• 46:09
  Speaker 1: But I believe she is soon going to be married. Hilda.
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: That's a good thing for her, Zolness. But not such
• 46:17
  Speaker 1: a good thing for me, For then I shall have
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: nobody to help me, Hilda. Can't you get hold of
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: some one else who will do just as well, Zolnus,
• 46:27
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you would stay here and and write in the ledger.
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: Hilda measures him with a glance. Yes, I dare say, no,
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: thank you, Nothing of that sort for me. She again
• 46:39
  Speaker 1: strolls across the room and sits down in the rocking chair.
• 46:43
  Speaker 1: Zolness too goes to the table, Hilda continuing, for there
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: must surely be plenty of other things to be done here,
• 46:51
  Speaker 1: looks smilingly at him. Don't you think so too, Zolnus.
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: Of course, first of all, I suppose you want to
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: make a round the shops and get yourself up in
• 47:01
  Speaker 1: the height of fashion. Hilda amused. No, I think I
• 47:06
  Speaker 1: shall let that alone, Zolness. Indeed, Hilda, for you must
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: know I have run through all my money, Zolness laughs.
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: Neither trunk nor money, then, Hilda, neither one nor the other.
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: But never mind, it doesn't matter now, Zolness. Come now,
• 47:24
  Speaker 1: I like you for that, Hilda, Only for that, Zolness,
• 47:29
  Speaker 1: for that, among other things. Sits in the armchair. Is
• 47:33
  Speaker 1: your father alive still, Hilda? Yes, father's alive, Zolness. Perhaps
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: you are thinking of studying here, Hilda. No, that hadn't
• 47:44
  Speaker 1: occurred to me, Zolness. But I suppose you will be
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: staying for some time, Hilda. That must depend upon circumstances.
• 47:54
  Speaker 1: She sits awhile, rocking herself and looking at him, half seriously,
• 47:58
  Speaker 1: half with a suppressed Then she takes off her hat
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: and puts it on the table in front of her.
• 48:04
  Speaker 1: Mister Zolnas zolnas, well, Hilda, have you a very bad memory, Zolness,
• 48:13
  Speaker 1: A bad memory, No, not that I am aware of, Hilda.
• 48:19
  Speaker 1: Then have you nothing to say to me about what
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: happened up there, Zolness, in momentary surprise, a bit lee
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: zanga indifferently. Why it was nothing much to talk about,
• 48:31
  Speaker 1: it seems to me. Hilda looks reproachfully at him. How
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: can you sit there and say such things, Zolness. Well,
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: then you talk to me about it, Hilda. When the
• 48:45
  Speaker 1: tower was finished, we had grand doings in the town, Zolnus. Yes,
• 48:50
  Speaker 1: I shall not easily forget that day, Hilda smiles. Well
• 48:54
  Speaker 1: you not that comes well from you, Zolness comes well, Hilda.
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: There was music in the churchyard, and many, many hundreds
• 49:04
  Speaker 1: of people. We schoolgirls were dressed in white, and we
• 49:07
  Speaker 1: all carried flags, Zolness, Ah yes, those flags, I can
• 49:13
  Speaker 1: tell you I remember them, Hilda. Then you climbed right
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: up the scaffolding, straight to the very top, and you
• 49:19
  Speaker 1: had a great wreath with you, and you hung that
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: wreath right away up on the weather vane, Zolness curtly interrupting,
• 49:27
  Speaker 1: I always did that in those days. It is an
• 49:30
  Speaker 1: old custom, Hilda. It was so wonderfully thrilling to stand
• 49:35
  Speaker 1: below and look up at you. Fancy if he should
• 49:37
  Speaker 1: fall over he the master builder himself, Zolness, as if
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: to divert her from the subject. Yes, yes, yes, that
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: might very well have happened too, for one of those
• 49:49
  Speaker 1: white frocked little devils. She went on in such a
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: way and screamed up at me, so Hilda, sparkling with pleasure,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: hurrah from master Builder Zolness, Yes, Zolness, and waved and
• 50:02
  Speaker 1: flourished with her flag so that it almost made me
• 50:04
  Speaker 1: giddy to look at it, Hilda, in a lower voice, Seriously,
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: that little devil that was I Zolness fixes his eyes
• 50:14
  Speaker 1: steadily upon her. I am sure of that. Now it
• 50:18
  Speaker 1: must have been you, Hilda lively again. Oh, it was
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: so gloriously thrilling. I could not have believed there was
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: a builder in the whole world that could build such
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: a tremendously high tower, and then that you yourself should
• 50:33
  Speaker 1: stand at the very top of it, as large as life,
• 50:36
  Speaker 1: and that you should not be the least bit dizzy.
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: It was that above everything that made one made one
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: dizzy to think of, Zolness. How could you be so
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: certain that I was not Hilda scouting the idea? No, indeed,
• 50:51
  Speaker 1: oh no, I knew that instinctively, for if you had been,
• 50:55
  Speaker 1: you could never have stood up there and sung. Zolness
• 50:59
  Speaker 1: looks at her in a astonishment. Sung, did I sing, Hilda, Yes,
• 51:05
  Speaker 1: I should think you did. Soulness shakes his head. I
• 51:09
  Speaker 1: have never sung a note in my life, Hilda. Yes,
• 51:13
  Speaker 1: indeed you sang. Then it sounded like harps in the air.
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: Zolness thoughtfully, this is very strange all this. Hilda is
• 51:24
  Speaker 1: silent a while, looks at him and says in a
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: low voice. But then it was after that that the
• 51:30
  Speaker 1: real thing happened, Zolness, the real thing, Hilda, sparkling with vivacity. Yes,
• 51:38
  Speaker 1: I surely don't need to remind you of that, Zolness. Oh, yes,
• 51:43
  Speaker 1: do remind me a little of that too. Hilda. Don't
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: you remember that a great dinner was given in your
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: honor at the club, Zolness. Yes, to be sure, it
• 51:54
  Speaker 1: must have been the same afternoon, for I left the
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: place next morning, Hilda, and from the club you invited
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: to come around to our house to supper, Zolness. Quite right,
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangle. It is wonderful how all these trifles have
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: impressed themselves on your mind, Hilda, trifles. I like that.
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: Perhaps it was a trifle too that I was alone
• 52:15
  Speaker 1: in the room when you came in, Zoldness. Were you alone, Hilda?
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: Without answering him? You didn't call me a little devil, then, Zoldness, No,
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: I suppose I did not, Hilda. You said I was
• 52:32
  Speaker 1: lovely in my white dress, and that I looked like
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: a little princess. Zoldness. I have no doubt you did,
• 52:38
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangele. And besides, I was feeling so buoyant and
• 52:41
  Speaker 1: free that day, Hilda. And then you said that when
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: I grew up, I should be your princess, Zolness, laughing
• 52:49
  Speaker 1: a little, dear Dear, Did I say that too, Hilda?
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: Yes you did. And when I asked how long I
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: should have to wait, you said that you would come
• 52:59
  Speaker 1: again and ten years like a troll, and carry me
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: off to Spain or some such place, and you promise
• 53:05
  Speaker 1: you would buy me a kingdom there, Zoldness. As before, Yes,
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: after a good dinner, one doesn't haggle about the halfpence.
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: But did I really say all that? Hilda laughs to herself. Yes,
• 53:18
  Speaker 1: and you told me too what the kingdom was to
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: be called, Zolness. Well, what was it, Hilda? It was
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: to be called the Kingdom of Oranngia, you said, Zolness.
• 53:30
  Speaker 1: Well that was an appetizing name, Hilda. No, I didn't
• 53:35
  Speaker 1: like it a bit, for it seemed as though you
• 53:37
  Speaker 1: wanted to make game of me, Zolness. I am sure
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: that cannot have been my intention, Hilda. No, I should
• 53:45
  Speaker 1: hope not, considering what you did next, Zolness. What in
• 53:50
  Speaker 1: the world did I do next? Hilda? Well that's the
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: finishing touch. If you've forgotten that too, I should have
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: thought no one could help remembering such a thing as that, Zolness. Yes, yes,
• 54:04
  Speaker 1: just give me a hint and then perhaps well, Hilda
• 54:08
  Speaker 1: looks fixedly at him. You came and kissed me, mister
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: Zolnas Zolnus's open mouth, rising from his chair, I did, Hilda, Yes,
• 54:20
  Speaker 1: indeed you did. You took me in both your arms
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: and bent my head back and kissed me many times. Zolness. Now, really,
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: my dear Miss Vangell Hilda rises. You surely cannot mean
• 54:34
  Speaker 1: to deny it, Zolness. Yes, I do, I deny it altogether.
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: Hilda looks scornfully at him. Oh, indeed, she turns and
• 54:45
  Speaker 1: goes slowly up to the stove, where she remains standing motionless,
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: her face averted from him, her hands behind her back.
• 54:53
  Speaker 1: Short pause. Zolness goes cautiously up behind her. Miss Vangell.
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: Hilda is silent and does not move. Zolness. Don't stand
• 55:04
  Speaker 1: there like a statue. You must have dreamt all this.
• 55:08
  Speaker 1: Lays his hand on her arm. Now just listen. Hilda
• 55:12
  Speaker 1: makes an impatient movement with her arm. Zolness as a
• 55:16
  Speaker 1: thought flashes upon him. Or wait a moment, there is
• 55:20
  Speaker 1: something under all this, you may depend Hilda does not move.
• 55:25
  Speaker 1: Zolness in a low voice, but with emphasis. I must
• 55:29
  Speaker 1: have thought all that. I must have wished it, have
• 55:31
  Speaker 1: willed it, have longed to do it. And then may
• 55:35
  Speaker 1: not that be the explanation. Hilda is still silent. Zolness impatiently. Oh,
• 55:42
  Speaker 1: very well, Deuce, take it all. Then I did do it,
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: I suppose. Hilda turns her head a little, but without
• 55:49
  Speaker 1: looking at him. Then you admit it now, Zolness. Yes,
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: whatever you like, Hilda. You came and put your arms
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: round me, Zolnus. Oh, yes, Hilda, and bent my head back, Zolness,
• 56:05
  Speaker 1: very far back, Hilda, and kissed me, Zolness. Yes, I did, Hilda,
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: many times, Zolness, as many as ever you like. Hilda
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: turns quickly towards him and has once more the sparkling
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: expression of gladness in her eyes. Well you see I
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: got it out of you at last, Zolness, with a
• 56:27
  Speaker 1: slight smile. Yes, just think of my forgetting such a
• 56:30
  Speaker 1: thing as that. Hilda, again a little sulky, retreats from him. Oh,
• 56:35
  Speaker 1: you have kissed so many people in your time, I suppose, Zolness. No,
• 56:41
  Speaker 1: you mustn't think that of me. Hilda seats herself in
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: the arm chair. Zolness stands and leans against the rocking chair,
• 56:49
  Speaker 1: looks observantly at her Miss Vanell. Hilda. Yes, Zolness, how
• 56:56
  Speaker 1: was it now? What came of all this between us? Too? Hilda?
• 57:01
  Speaker 1: Why nothing more came? Of it. You know that quite well.
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: For then the other guests came in, and then, bah, Zolness,
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: quite so, the others came in. To think of my
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: forgetting that too, Hilda. Oh, you haven't really forgotten anything,
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: You are only a little ashamed of it all. I
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: am sure one doesn't forget things of that kind, Zolness.
• 57:24
  Speaker 1: No one would suppose not. Hilda Lively again, looks at him.
• 57:29
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have even forgotten what day it was, Zolness.
• 57:33
  Speaker 1: What day? Yes? On what day did you hang the
• 57:37
  Speaker 1: wreath on the tower? Well, tell me at once, Zolness. Hmm,
• 57:42
  Speaker 1: I confess I've forgotten the particular day. I only know
• 57:46
  Speaker 1: it was ten years ago, sometime in the autumn. Hilda
• 57:49
  Speaker 1: nods her head slowly several times. It was ten years ago,
• 57:54
  Speaker 1: on the nineteenth of September, Zolness, Yes, it must have
• 57:59
  Speaker 1: been about that time. Fancy you're remembering that too. Stops
• 58:04
  Speaker 1: but wait a moment. Yes, it's the nineteenth of September today, Hilda,
• 58:10
  Speaker 1: Yes it is, and the ten years are gone. And
• 58:13
  Speaker 1: you didn't come as you had promised me, Zolness promised
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: you threatened. I suppose you mean, Hilda, I don't think
• 58:22
  Speaker 1: there was any sort of threaten that, Zolness, Well, then
• 58:26
  Speaker 1: a little bit of fun, Hilda? Was that all you
• 58:29
  Speaker 1: wanted to make fun of me, Zolness, well, or to
• 58:33
  Speaker 1: have a little joke with you upon my soul? I
• 58:36
  Speaker 1: don't recollect, but it must have been something of that kind,
• 58:39
  Speaker 1: for you were a mere child then, Hilda. Oh, perhaps
• 58:44
  Speaker 1: I wasn't quite such a child either, not such a
• 58:47
  Speaker 1: mere chit as you imagine. Zolness looks searchingly at her.
• 58:52
  Speaker 1: Did you really and seriously expect me to come again?
• 58:56
  Speaker 1: Hilda conceals a half teasing smile. Yes, indeed, I did
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: expect that of you, Zolness, that I should come back
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: to your home and take you away with me, Hilda,
• 59:08
  Speaker 1: just like a troll. Yes, Zolness, and make a princess
• 59:13
  Speaker 1: of you, Hilda, that's what you promised, Zolness, and give
• 59:18
  Speaker 1: you a kingdom as well. Hilda looks up at the ceiling.
• 59:22
  Speaker 1: Why not, of course, it need not have been an actual,
• 59:25
  Speaker 1: everyday sort of a kingdom, Zolness, but something else, just
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: as good. Hilda, Yes, at least as good. Looks at him.
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: A moment, I thought, if you could build the highest
• 59:37
  Speaker 1: church towers in the world, you could surely manage to
• 59:40
  Speaker 1: raise a kingdom of one sort or another as well.
• 59:44
  Speaker 1: Zolness shakes his head. I can't quite make you out,
• 59:47
  Speaker 1: miss van Gogh. Hilda, can you not to me? It
• 59:51
  Speaker 1: seems also simple? Zolness. No, I can't make up my
• 59:56
  Speaker 1: mind whether you mean all you say or are simply
• 59:59
  Speaker 1: have a joke with me. Hilda smiles, making fun of you.
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: Perhaps I too, Zolness, yes, exactly, making fun of both
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: of us. Looks at her. Is it long since you
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: found out that I was married? Hilda? I have known
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 1: it all along. Why do you ask me that? Zolness lightly,
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: Oh well, it just occurred to me, looks earnestly at
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 1: her and says, in a low voice, what have you
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: come for, Hilda? I want my kingdom? The time is up?
• 1:00:34
  Speaker 1: Zolness laughs involuntarily. What a girl you are? Hilda Gaily
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: out with my kingdom, mister Zolnas raps with her fingers,
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 1: the kingdom on the table, Zolness, pushing the rocking chair
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: nearer and sitting down now, seriously speaking, what have you
• 1:00:52
  Speaker 1: come for? What do you really want to do here? Hilda? Oh?
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 1: First of all, I want to go round and look
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 1: at all the things that you have built, Zoleness, that
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 1: will give you plenty of exercise. Hilda. Yes, I know
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 1: you have built a tremendous lot, Zolness. I have, indeed,
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 1: especially of late years, Hilda, many church towers, among the rest,
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: immensely high ones. Zolness. No, I build no more church
• 1:01:20
  Speaker 1: towers now, nor churches either, Hilda. What do you build, then, Zoleness,
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: homes for human beings, Hilda reflectively, couldn't you build a little,
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: a little bit of a church tower over these homes
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 1: as well? Zolness starting, what do you mean by that, Hilda?
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 1: I mean something that points points up into the free
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: air with a vein at a dizzy height. Zolness pondering,
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 1: a little strange that you should say that, for that
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: is just what I am most anxious to do, Hilda, impatiently,
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: Why don't you do it? Then? Zolness shakes his head. No,
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 1: the people will not have it, Hilda. Fancy they're not
• 1:02:07
  Speaker 1: wanting it, Zolness. More lightly, But now I am building
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 1: a new home for myself, just opposite here, Hilda, for yourself, Zolness. Yes,
• 1:02:18
  Speaker 1: it is almost finished. And on that there is a tower, Hilda,
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 1: a high tower, Zolnus, Yes, Hilda, very high, Zolness, no doubt.
• 1:02:30
  Speaker 1: People will say it is too high, too high for
• 1:02:33
  Speaker 1: a dwelling house, Hilda. I'll go out and look at
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: that tower the first thing tomorrow morning. Zolness sits, resting
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 1: his cheek on his hand and gazes at her. Tell me,
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 1: miss Vangell, what is your name, your Christian name? I mean, Hilda?
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 1: Why Hilda, of course, Zolness, as before, Hilda. Indeed, Hilda.
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 1: Don't you remember that you called me Hilda that day
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: when you misbehaved, Zolness, did I really, Hilda? But then
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 1: you said little Hilda? And I didn't like that, Zolness. Oh,
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: you didn't like that, miss Hilda. Hilda, No, not at
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 1: such a time as that. But Princess Hilda, that will
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: sound very well, I think, Zolness, very well. Indeed, Princess Hilda.
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 1: Of of what was to be the name of the kingdom, Hilda, pooh,
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 1: I won't have anything to do with that stupid kingdom.
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 1: I have set my heart upon quite a different one.
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 1: Zolness has leaned back in the chair, still gazing at her.
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 1: Isn't it strange? The more I think of it now,
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 1: the more it seems to me as though I had
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: gone about all these years torturing myself with humph, Hilda,
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 1: with what Zolness, with the effort to recover something, some
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 1: experience which I seem to have forgotten, But I never
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 1: had the least inkling of what it could be. Hilda.
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 1: You should have tied a knot in your pocket handkerchief,
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 1: mister Zolness. Zolness. In that case, I should simply have
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 1: had to go racking my brains to discover what the
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: knot could mean. Hilda. Oh, yes, I suppose there are
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 1: trolls of that kind in the world too. Zolness rises slowly.
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: What a good thing it is that you have come
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 1: to me now, Hilda looks deeply into his eyes. Is
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 1: it a good thing, Zolness, For I have been so
• 1:04:29
  Speaker 1: lonely here, I have been gazing so helplessly at it all.
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 1: In a lower voice, I must tell you I have
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 1: begun to be so afraid, so terribly afraid of the
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 1: younger generation, Hilda, with a little snort of contempt. Pooh,
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: is a younger generation a thing to be afraid of? Zolness?
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: It is, indeed, And that is why I have locked
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 1: and barred myself in mysteriously. I tell you the younger
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 1: generation will one day come and thunder at my door.
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 1: They will break in upon me. Hilda. Then I should
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: say you ought to go out and open the door
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 1: to the younger generation. Zolness. Open the door, Hilda. Yes,
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: let them come in to you on friendly terms, as
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: it were. Zolness. No, no, no, the younger generation it
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: means retribution. You see. It comes as if under a
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: new banner heralding the turn of fortune. Hilda rises, looks
• 1:05:29
  Speaker 1: at him and says, with a quivering twitch of her lips,
• 1:05:32
  Speaker 1: can I be of any use to you, mister Zolness. Zolness,
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: yes you can. Indeed, for you too come under a
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 1: new banner. It seems to me youth marshaled against youth.
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 1: Doctor Hardahl comes in by the hall door. Doctor Hardahl,
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 1: what you and miss vangele here still? Zolness, Yes, we've
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 1: had no end of things to talk about, Hilda, both
• 1:05:59
  Speaker 1: old and new. Doctor herdall have you really, Hilda? Oh,
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 1: it has been the greatest fun for mister Zolness. He
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 1: has such a miraculous memory, All the least little details
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 1: he remembers instantly. Missus zolnis enters by the door on
• 1:06:16
  Speaker 1: the right. Missus Zolns, Well, miss Vangal, your room is
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 1: quite ready for you now, Hilda, Oh, how kind you
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: are to me? Zoleness to Missus Zolens the nursery. Missus Zulns, Yes,
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 1: the middle one. But first let us go in to supper.
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 1: Zolnus nods to Hilda. Hilda shall sleep in the nursery,
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 1: she shall, Missus Zolnis looks at him, Hilda, Zolnus. Yes,
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 1: Miss Wangle's name is Hilda. I knew her when she
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 1: was a child. Missus zolns, did you really, Halvard? Well,
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 1: shall we go? Supper is on the table. She takes
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 1: doctor Heredahl's arm and goes out with him to the right.
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 1: Hilda has meanwhile been collecting her traveling things. Hilda softly
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 1: and rapidly to Zolnus, Is it true what you said?
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: Can I be of use to you? Zolness takes the
• 1:07:11
  Speaker 1: things from her. You are the very being I have
• 1:07:15
  Speaker 1: needed most. Hilda looks at him with happy, wondering eyes
• 1:07:19
  Speaker 1: and clasps her hands. But then, great heavens Zolnus eagerly,
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: what Hilda, then I have my kingdom? Zolness involuntarily Hilda.
• 1:07:33
  Speaker 1: Hilda again with a quivering twitch of her lips. Almost
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: I was going to say, she goes out to the right.
• 1:07:41
  Speaker 1: Zolness follows her end of Act one. Recording by Expatriate
• 1:07:47
  Speaker 1: in Bangor, Maine, Act too of The Master Builder by
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 1: Henrik Ibsen, translated by Edmund Gaussi eighteen forty nine to
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 1: nineteen twenty eight and William Archer. This librivax recording is
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Recording by Expatriate in Bangor Main,
• 1:08:18
  Speaker 1: Act two, a prettily furnished small drawing room in Zolnus's house.
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: In the back a glass door leading out to the
• 1:08:27
  Speaker 1: veranda and garden. The right hand corner is cut off
• 1:08:31
  Speaker 1: transversely by a large bay window, in which our flower stands.
• 1:08:37
  Speaker 1: The left hand corner is similarly cut off by a
• 1:08:39
  Speaker 1: transverse wall, in which is a small door papered like
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 1: the wall. On each side, an ordinary door in front.
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: On the right, a console table with a large mirror
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: over it, well filled stands of plants and flowers in front,
• 1:08:56
  Speaker 1: on the left, a sofa with a table and chairs.
• 1:09:00
  Speaker 1: Further back, a bookcase. Well forward in the room before
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 1: the bay window, a small table in some chairs. It
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 1: is early in the day. Zolnas sits by the little
• 1:09:11
  Speaker 1: table with Rognarbrovich's portfolio open in front of him. He
• 1:09:16
  Speaker 1: is turning the drawings over and closely examining some of them.
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnis moves about noiselessly with a small watering pot,
• 1:09:25
  Speaker 1: attending to her flowers. She is dressed in black as
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: before her hat, cloak and parasol lie on a chair
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: near the mirror, unobserved by her. Zolnus now and again
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 1: follows her with his eyes. Neither of them speaks. Kaya
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 1: falsely enters quietly by the door on the left. Zolnas
• 1:09:46
  Speaker 1: turns his head and says, in an offhand tone of indifference,
• 1:09:50
  Speaker 1: Well is that you, Kaya? I merely wish to let
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 1: you know that I have come. Zolnus. Yes, yes, that's
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: all right. As an Rognar come too, Kaya, No, not yet.
• 1:10:04
  Speaker 1: He had to wait a little while to see the doctor.
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: But he is coming presently to hear Zolnus. How is
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 1: the old man today, Kaya? Not well? He begs you
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 1: to excuse him. He is obliged to keep his bed today, Zolnus. Why,
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 1: of course, by all means let him rest. But now
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: get to your work, Kaya, Yes, pauses at the door.
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: Do you wish to speak to Rognar when he comes? Zolnus? No,
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 1: I don't know that I have anything particular to say
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 1: to him. Kaya goes out again to the left. Zolnas
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: remains seated, turning over the drawings. Missus Zolnas over beside
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 1: the plants. I wonder if he isn't going to die
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: now as well? Zolnus looks up at her as well
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 1: as who Missus Zolnas, without answering, yes, yes, depend upon it.
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: Halvard old Brovic is going to die too. You'll see
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: that he will, Zolnas. My dear Elena ought you not
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 1: to go out for a little walk, Missus Zulnes. Yes,
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 1: I suppose I ought to. She continues to attend to
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 1: the flowers, Zolness bending over the drawings. Is she still asleep,
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolness looking at him? Is it, Miss Vanngele, you
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 1: were sitting there thinking about Zolness indifferently. I just happened
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 1: to recollect her, Missus Zulnes. Miss Vanngell was up long ago, Zolness.
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 1: Oh was she, Missus Zulnes. When I went in to
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 1: see her, she was busy putting her things in order.
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 1: She goes in front of the mirror and slowly begins
• 1:11:43
  Speaker 1: to put on her hat. Zolnus after a short pause,
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 1: So we have found a use for one of our
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: nurseries after all, Elena, missus Zulnes, Yes, we have Zolnus.
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 1: That seems to me better than to have them all
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: standing empty. Missus Zolnes, that emptiness is dreadful. You are
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: right there. Zolnas closes the portfolio, rises and approaches her.
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: You will find that we shall get on far better
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 1: after this, Elena, things will be more comfortable. Life will
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: be easier, especially for you. Missus Zolnes looks at him.
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 1: After this, Zolnus, Yes, believe me, Elena, Missus Zulnes. Do
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: you mean because she has come here, Zolnas checking himself.
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: I mean, of course, when once we have moved into
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: the new house, Missus Zolnes takes her cloak. Ah, do
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 1: you think so, Halvard, will it be better then, Zolnus.
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 1: I can't think otherwise, and surely you think so too,
• 1:12:50
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulnes. I think nothing at all about the new house,
• 1:12:54
  Speaker 1: Zolnas cast down. It's hard for me to hear you
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: say that, for you know it is me for your
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 1: sake that I have built it. He offers to help
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 1: her on with her cloak. Missus Zolness evades him. The
• 1:13:08
  Speaker 1: fact is you do far too much for my sake, Zolness,
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: with a certain vehemence. No, no, you really mustn't say that, Elena.
• 1:13:17
  Speaker 1: I cannot bear to hear you say such things, Missus Zulness.
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 1: Very well, then I won't say it, Halvard, Zolness, but
• 1:13:25
  Speaker 1: I stick to what I said. You'll see that things
• 1:13:28
  Speaker 1: will be easier for you in the new place, Missus Zolness. Oh, heavens,
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 1: easier for me, Zolness eagerly, Yes, indeed they will. You
• 1:13:39
  Speaker 1: may be quite sure of that. For you see, there
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 1: will be so very very much there that will remind
• 1:13:45
  Speaker 1: you of your own home, Missus Zolness, the home that
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: used to be fathers and mothers, and that was burnt
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: to the ground. Zolness in a low voice, Yes, yes,
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 1: my poor Elena, that was a terrible blow for you,
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolness, breaking out in lamentation. You may build as
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: much as ever you like, Halvard, you can never build
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 1: up again a real home for me, Zolness crosses the room. Well,
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: in Heaven's name, let us talk no more about it, then,
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolness, we are not in the habit of talking
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: about it, for you always put the thought away from you.
• 1:14:23
  Speaker 1: Zolnes stops suddenly and looks at her. Do I and
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 1: why should I do that? Put the thought away from me,
• 1:14:31
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolns. Oh, yes, Halvard, I understand you very well.
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 1: You are so anxious to spare me and to find
• 1:14:38
  Speaker 1: excuses for me too, as much as ever you can, Zolness,
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 1: with astonishment in his eyes. You Is it you yourself
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: that you are talking about, Elena, missus Zulnes. Yes, who
• 1:14:51
  Speaker 1: else should it be but myself, Zolness involuntarily to himself,
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 1: that too, Missus Zulnes. As for the old house, I
• 1:15:01
  Speaker 1: wouldn't mind so much about that. When once misfortune was
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: in the air, why, Zoldness, Oh, you are right there.
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 1: Misfortune will have its way, as the saying goes, Missus Zulness.
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: But it's what came of the fire, the dreadful thing
• 1:15:18
  Speaker 1: that followed. That is the thing that that that Zoldness
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: vehemently don't think about that, Elena, missus Zulness. Ah, that
• 1:15:30
  Speaker 1: is exactly what I cannot help thinking about. And now
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 1: at last I must speak about it too, for I
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 1: don't seem able to bear it any longer, and then
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 1: never to be able to forgive myself Zoldness, exclaiming yourself,
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulness. Yes, for I had duties on both sides,
• 1:15:50
  Speaker 1: both towards you and towards the little ones. I ought
• 1:15:53
  Speaker 1: to have hardened myself, not to have let the horror
• 1:15:56
  Speaker 1: take such hold upon me, nor the grief for the
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 1: burning of my home. Wrings her hands well, Halvard, if
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 1: I only had had the strength, Zolness softly much moved
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: comes closer, Eilena. You must promise me never to think
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: these thoughts any more. Promise me that, dear missus Zulns.
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 1: Oh promise, promise one can promise anything. Zulnas clenches his
• 1:16:23
  Speaker 1: hands and crosses the room. Oh but this is hopeless, hopeless,
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 1: never a ray of sunlight, not so much as a
• 1:16:30
  Speaker 1: gleam of brightness to light up our home. Missus Zulness,
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: this is no home, Halvard Zoulness. Oh no, you may
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: well say that gloomily, and God knows whether you are
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: not right in saying that it will be no better
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 1: for us in the new house either, Missus Zulns, it
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: will never be any better, just as empty, just as
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: desolate there as here, Zolness vehemently, Why in all the
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 1: world have we built it? Then? Can you tell me that,
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: Missus Zoulness. No, you must answer that question for yourself.
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 1: Zolness glances suspiciously at her. What do you mean by that, Elena?
• 1:17:13
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulness, what do I mean? Zoldness? Yes, in the
• 1:17:18
  Speaker 1: devil's name, you said it so strangely, as if you
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 1: had some hidden meaning in it, Missus Zulness. No, indeed,
• 1:17:26
  Speaker 1: I assure you. Zolness comes closer. Oh come, now, I
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 1: know what I know. I have both my eyes and
• 1:17:34
  Speaker 1: my ears about me. Elena. You may depend upon that,
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 1: Missus Zoulness. Why what are you talking about? What is it?
• 1:17:42
  Speaker 1: Zoldness places himself in front of her. Do you mean
• 1:17:46
  Speaker 1: to say you don't find a kind of lurking hidden
• 1:17:48
  Speaker 1: meaning in the most innocent word I happened to say,
• 1:17:52
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulness. I do you say I do that? Zolness laughs, Oh,
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 1: it's natural enough, Elena. When you have a sick man
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 1: on your hands, Missus Zoulness anxiously sick? Are you ill?
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 1: Halvard Zolness violently a half madman, then a crazy man.
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 1: Call me what you will. Missus Zolness feels blindly for
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 1: a chair and sits down. Halvard, for God's sake, Zolness,
• 1:18:25
  Speaker 1: but you are wrong, both you and the doctor. I
• 1:18:28
  Speaker 1: am not in the state you imagine. He walks up
• 1:18:31
  Speaker 1: and down the room. Missus Zolness follows him anxiously with
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: her eyes. Finally he goes up to her. Zulness calmly
• 1:18:40
  Speaker 1: in reality, there is nothing whatever the matter with me,
• 1:18:44
  Speaker 1: missus Zulness. No, there isn't is there? But then, what
• 1:18:48
  Speaker 1: is it that troubles you so, Zolness? Why this that
• 1:18:53
  Speaker 1: I often feel ready to sink under this terrible burden
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: of debt? Missus Zolness. Debt do you say, But you
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 1: owe no one anything, Halvard Zolness softly with emotion. I
• 1:19:06
  Speaker 1: owe a boundless debt to you, to you, to you, Elena,
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 1: missus Zulness rises slowly. What is behind all this? You
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 1: may just as well tell me at once, Zoldness, But
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 1: there is nothing behind it. I have never done you
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 1: any wrong, not wittingly and wilfully at any rate. And yet,
• 1:19:28
  Speaker 1: and yet it seems as though a crushing debt rested
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 1: upon me and weighed me down, Missus Zolness, a debt
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 1: to me, Zolness, chiefly to you, missus Zulness. Then you
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 1: are ill after all, Halvard Zolness gloomily. I suppose I
• 1:19:48
  Speaker 1: must be, or not far from It looks towards the
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 1: door to the right, which is opened at this moment. Ah,
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 1: Now it grows lighter, hil devangel comes in. She has
• 1:19:59
  Speaker 1: made some alteration in her dress and let down her skirt. Hilda,
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 1: good morning, mister Zolnas. Zolness nods. Slept well, Hilda, quite deliciously,
• 1:20:11
  Speaker 1: like a child in a cradle. Oh, I lay and
• 1:20:14
  Speaker 1: stretched myself like like a princess. Zolness smiles a little.
• 1:20:20
  Speaker 1: You were thoroughly comfortable, then, Hilda, I should think so, Zolness.
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 1: And no doubt you'd dreamed too, Hilda, Yes I did.
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 1: But that was horrid, Zolness, was it, Hilda? Yes, for
• 1:20:35
  Speaker 1: I dreamed I was falling over a frightfully high sheer precipice.
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: Do you never have that kind of dream, Zolness, Oh? Yes, Now,
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 1: and then, Hilda, it's tremendously thrilling when you fall and fall, Zolness.
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 1: It seems to make one's blood run cold, Hilda. Do
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: you draw your legs up under you while you were falling, Zolness, Yes,
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 1: as high as ever I can, Hilda, so do I,
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolness takes her parasol. I must go into town, now, Halvard,
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 1: to Hilda, and I'll try to get one or two
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 1: things that you may require. Hilda making a motion to
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 1: throw her arms round her neck. Oh, you, dear, sweet
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 1: missus Zolness, you are really much too kind to me.
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: Frightfully kind, Missus Zulness, deprecatingly freeing herself. Oh, not at all.
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 1: It's only my duty, so I am very glad to
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 1: do it. Hilda, offended pouts. But really, I think I
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 1: am quite fit to be seen in the streets now
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 1: that I put my dress to rights. Or do you
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 1: think I am not, Missus Zulness, To tell you the truth,
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 1: I think people would stare at you a little, Hilda
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 1: contemptuously pooh, Is that all that only amuses me? Zolness
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 1: with suppressed ill humor? Yes, but people might take it
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 1: into their heads that you were mad too, you see,
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 1: Hilda mad? Are there so many mad people here in town?
• 1:22:04
  Speaker 1: Then Zolnas points to his own forehead. Here you see
• 1:22:08
  Speaker 1: one at all events, Hilda, you, mister Zolness, Missus Zolns, Oh,
• 1:22:15
  Speaker 1: don't talk like that, my dear Halvard Zolnus. Have you
• 1:22:18
  Speaker 1: not noticed that yet, Hilda? No, I certainly have not,
• 1:22:23
  Speaker 1: reflects and laughs a little. And yet perhaps in one
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 1: single thing, Zolnas Ah, do you hear that, Elena, Missus Zolns.
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 1: What is that? One single thing, miss Vangall? Hilda? No,
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 1: I won't say, Zolnus. Oh yes do, Hilda, no, thank you,
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 1: I am not so mad as that, Missus Zolns. When
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: you and miss Vangle are alone, I dare say she
• 1:22:51
  Speaker 1: will tell you, Halvard Zolnas, Ah, you think she will,
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolns, Oh, yes, certainly, for you have known her
• 1:23:00
  Speaker 1: so well in the past, ever since she was a child.
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 1: You tell me she goes out by the door on
• 1:23:05
  Speaker 1: the left, Hilda, after a little while? Does your wife
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 1: dislike me very much? Zolness? Did you think you noticed
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 1: anything of the kind? Hilda? Did you not notice it yourself? Zolness? Evasively,
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 1: Elena has become exceedingly shy with strangers of late ears, Hilda,
• 1:23:27
  Speaker 1: has she really, Zolness? But if only you could get
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 1: to know her thoroughly. Ah, she is so good, so kind,
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 1: so excellent a creature, Hilda, impatiently. But if she is
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: all that, what made her say that about her duty? Zolness?
• 1:23:46
  Speaker 1: Her duty? Hilda? She said that she would go out
• 1:23:49
  Speaker 1: and buy something for me because it was her duty. Oh,
• 1:23:53
  Speaker 1: I can't bear that ugly, horrid word, Zolness. Why not, Hilda?
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 1: It sounds so cold and sharp and stinging, dooty, dooty dooty.
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 1: Don't you think so too? Doesn't it seem to sting you, Zoldness? Hmm,
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 1: haven't thought much about it, Hilda? Yes, it does. And
• 1:24:15
  Speaker 1: if she is so good as you say she is,
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 1: why should she talk in that way? Zoldness. But good Lord,
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 1: what would you have had her say then, Hilda? She
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 1: might have said she would do it because she had
• 1:24:27
  Speaker 1: taken a tremendous fancy to me. She might have said
• 1:24:30
  Speaker 1: something like that, something really warm and cordial, you understand, Zolness.
• 1:24:35
  Speaker 1: Looks at her. Is that how you would like to
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 1: have it? Hilda? Yes, precisely. She wonders about the room,
• 1:24:44
  Speaker 1: stops at the bookcase and looks at the books. What
• 1:24:46
  Speaker 1: a lot of books you have, Zoldness, Yes, I got
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 1: together a good many, Hilda. Do you read them all too, Zoldness.
• 1:24:56
  Speaker 1: I used to try to. Do you read much, Hilda? No? Never,
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 1: I have given it up, for it all seems so irrelevant, Zolness.
• 1:25:06
  Speaker 1: That is just my feeling. Hilda wanders about a little,
• 1:25:10
  Speaker 1: stops at the small table, opens a portfolio, and turns
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 1: over the contents. Hilda, or all these drawings yours, Zolness. No,
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 1: they are drawn by a young man whom I employ
• 1:25:22
  Speaker 1: to help me. Hilda, some one you have taught, Zolness. Oh, yes,
• 1:25:28
  Speaker 1: no doubt he has learnt something from me too. Hilda
• 1:25:31
  Speaker 1: sits down. Then I suppose he is very clever. Looks
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 1: at a drawing, isn't he, Zolness. Oh, he might be
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 1: worse for my purpose, Hilda. Oh yes, I'm sure he
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 1: is frightfully clever, Zolness. Do you think you can see
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: that in the drawings, Hilda, Pooh, these scrawlings. But if
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 1: he has been learning from you, Zolness, Oh, as far
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 1: as that goes, there are plenty of people here that
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 1: have learnt from me and have come to little enough
• 1:26:03
  Speaker 1: for all that. Hilda looks at him and shakes her head. No,
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: I can't for the life of me. Understand how you
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 1: can be so stupid, Zolness stupid? Do you think I
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 1: am so very stupid? Hilda? Yes I do. Indeed, if
• 1:26:20
  Speaker 1: you are content to go about here teaching all these people,
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 1: Zolness with a slight start, well, and why not? Hilda rises,
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: half serious, half laughing. No, indeed, mister Zolness, what can
• 1:26:33
  Speaker 1: be the good of that? No one but you should
• 1:26:36
  Speaker 1: be allowed to build. You should stand quite alone, do
• 1:26:39
  Speaker 1: it all yourself. Now you know it, Zolness involuntarily Hilda. Hilda, Well, Zolness,
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 1: how in the world did that come into your head? Hilda?
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 1: Do you think I am so very far wrong? Then, Zolness. No,
• 1:26:58
  Speaker 1: that's not what I mean. But now I'll tell you something, Hilda. Well, Zolnus,
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 1: I keep on incessantly, in silence and alone, brooding on
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 1: that very thought. Hilda. Yes, that seems to me perfectly natural.
• 1:27:15
  Speaker 1: Zolnas looks somewhat searchingly at her. Perhaps you have noticed
• 1:27:19
  Speaker 1: it already, Hilda, No, indeed I haven't, Zolness. But just now,
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 1: when you said you thought I was off my balance
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 1: in one thing, you said, Hilda, Oh, I was thinking
• 1:27:33
  Speaker 1: of something quite different, Zolnus. What was it? Hilda, I
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: am not going to tell you. Zolness crosses the room. Well,
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: well as you please, stopped at the bow window, Come
• 1:27:47
  Speaker 1: here and I will show you something, Hilda approaching. What
• 1:27:52
  Speaker 1: is it, Zolnus? Do you see over there in the garden, Hilda? Yes,
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: Zolness points right above the great quarry. Hilda. That new
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 1: house you mean, Zoldness, the one that is being built, Yes,
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 1: almost finished, Hilda. It seems to have a very high tower, Zolness.
• 1:28:14
  Speaker 1: The scaffolding is still up, Hilda. Is that your new house, Zolness, Yes, Hilda,
• 1:28:22
  Speaker 1: the house you are soon going to move into, Zolness. Yes.
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 1: Hilda looks at him. Are there nurseries in that house too, Zolness? Three?
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 1: As there are here Hilda, and no child, Zolness, and
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 1: there never will be one, Hilda, with a half smile. Well,
• 1:28:43
  Speaker 1: isn't it just as I said, Zolness, that, Hilda, that
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: you are a little, a little mad after all? Zoldness,
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 1: was that what you were thinking of, Hilda? Yes, of
• 1:28:59
  Speaker 1: all the empty es I slept in. Zolness lowers his voice.
• 1:29:04
  Speaker 1: We have had children, Elena and I. Hilda looks eagerly
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 1: at him. Have you Zolnas two little boys. They were
• 1:29:13
  Speaker 1: of the same age, Hilda. Twins, then, Zolnas, Yes, twins,
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 1: it's eleven or twelve years ago, now, Hilda cautiously, and
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: so both of them. You have lost both the twins, then, Zolnas,
• 1:29:29
  Speaker 1: with quiet emotion. We kept them only about three weeks
• 1:29:33
  Speaker 1: or scarcely. So much burst forth, Oh, Hilda. I can't
• 1:29:38
  Speaker 1: tell you what a good thing it is for me
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: that you have come. For now, at last I have
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: someone I can talk to, Hilda. Can you not talk
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: to her too, Zolness, Not about this, not as I
• 1:29:52
  Speaker 1: want to talk and must talk gloomily, and not about
• 1:29:56
  Speaker 1: so many other things either, Hilda, in a subdued voice.
• 1:30:01
  Speaker 1: Was that all you meant when you said you needed me, Zolness,
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 1: That was mainly what I meant at all events yesterday.
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 1: For today, I am not so sure. Breaking off, come
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 1: here and let us sit down. Hilda, sit there on
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 1: the sofa so that you can look into the garden.
• 1:30:19
  Speaker 1: Hilda seats herself in the corner of the sofa. Zolnas
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 1: brings a chair closer. Should you like to hear about it, Hilda? Yes,
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 1: I shall love to sit and listen to you. Zolnas
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 1: sits down. Then I will tell you all about it, Hilda.
• 1:30:37
  Speaker 1: Now I can see both the garden and you, mister Zolnas,
• 1:30:41
  Speaker 1: So now tell away begin. Zolnas points towards the bow
• 1:30:45
  Speaker 1: window out there on the rising ground, where you see
• 1:30:49
  Speaker 1: the new house, Hilda, Yes, Zolnas, Alena and I lived
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 1: there in the first years of our married life. There
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: was an old house up there that had belonged to her,
• 1:31:00
  Speaker 1: and we inherited it and the whole of the great
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 1: garden with it, Hilda. Was there a tower on that
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 1: house too, Zolness, No, nothing of the kind. From the
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: outside it looked like a great, dark, ugly wooden box,
• 1:31:15
  Speaker 1: but all the same it was snug and comfortable enough inside. Hilda.
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 1: Then did you pull down the ramshackle old place, Zolnas. No,
• 1:31:25
  Speaker 1: it was burnt down, Hilda, the whole of it, Zolnus. Yes, Hilda,
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 1: was that a great misfortune for you, Zolness. That depends
• 1:31:37
  Speaker 1: on how you look at it as a builder. The
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 1: fire was the making of me, Hilda. Well, but Zolness,
• 1:31:46
  Speaker 1: it was just after the birth of the two little boys, Hilda,
• 1:31:50
  Speaker 1: the poor little twins, yes, Zolness. They came healthy and
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 1: Bonnie into the world and they were growing too. You
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 1: could see the difference from day to day, Hilda. Little
• 1:32:02
  Speaker 1: children do grow quickly. At first, Zulnas, it was the
• 1:32:07
  Speaker 1: prettiest sight in the world to see Elena lying with
• 1:32:09
  Speaker 1: the two of them in her arms. But then came
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 1: the night of the fire, Hilda, excitedly. What happened? Do
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 1: tell me, was anyone burnt? Zulnas, No, not that everyone
• 1:32:23
  Speaker 1: gets safe and sound out of the house. Hilda. Well,
• 1:32:27
  Speaker 1: and what then, Zulnas. The fright had shaken Alena terribly,
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 1: the alarm, the escape, the break neck hurry, and then
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 1: the ice cold night air, for they had to be
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 1: carried out just as they lay, both she and the
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: little ones. Hilda. Was it too much for them, Zulnas, Oh, no,
• 1:32:47
  Speaker 1: they stood it well enough. But Elena fell into a
• 1:32:50
  Speaker 1: fever and it affected her milk. She would insist on
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 1: nursing them herself, because it was her duty, she said.
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 1: And both our little boys, they clenching his hands. They oh, Hilda,
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 1: they did not get over that, Zolnus. No, that they
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 1: did not get over. That was how we lost them, Hilda.
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 1: It must have been terribly hard for you, Zolnus, hard
• 1:33:18
  Speaker 1: enough for me, But ten times harder for Elena, clenching
• 1:33:22
  Speaker 1: his hands in suppressed fury. Oh, that such things should
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 1: be allowed to happen here in the world shortly and firmly.
• 1:33:30
  Speaker 1: From the day I lost them, I had no heart
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 1: for building churches, Hilda. Did you not like building the
• 1:33:37
  Speaker 1: church tower in our town? Zolnas, I didn't like it.
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 1: I know how free and happy I felt when that
• 1:33:44
  Speaker 1: tower was finished, Hilda. I know that too, Zolnus, and
• 1:33:50
  Speaker 1: now I shall never never build anything of that sort again,
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 1: neither churches nor church towers. Hilda nod slowly. Nothing. But
• 1:33:59
  Speaker 1: how is for people to live in, Zolness? Homes for
• 1:34:04
  Speaker 1: human beings, Hilda, Hilda, But homes with high towers and
• 1:34:08
  Speaker 1: pinnacles upon them. Zolness, if possible, adopts a lighter tone.
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 1: But as I said before, that fire was the making
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: of me as a builder. I mean, Hilda, why don't
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 1: you call yourself an architect like the others? Zolness. I
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 1: have not been systematically enough taught for that. Most of
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 1: what I know I have found out for myself, Hilda.
• 1:34:33
  Speaker 1: But you succeeded all the same, Zolness. Yes, thanks to
• 1:34:38
  Speaker 1: the fire, I laid out almost the whole of the
• 1:34:40
  Speaker 1: garden in Villa Lots, and there I was able to
• 1:34:43
  Speaker 1: build after my own heart. So I came to the
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: front with a rush. Hilda looked keenly at him. You
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: must surely be a very happy man as matters stand
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 1: with you, Zolness, gloomily happy? Do you say that too,
• 1:34:58
  Speaker 1: like all the rest of them? Hilda? Yes, I should
• 1:35:01
  Speaker 1: say you must be, if you could only cease thinking
• 1:35:04
  Speaker 1: about the two little children, Zolness slowly, the two little children.
• 1:35:10
  Speaker 1: They are not so easy to forget, Hilda. Hilda somewhat uncertainly.
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 1: Do you still feel their loss so much after all
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 1: these years? Zolness looks fixedly at her, without replying, A
• 1:35:24
  Speaker 1: happy man, you said, Hilda, Well, now are you not
• 1:35:29
  Speaker 1: happy in other respects? Zolnas continues to look at her.
• 1:35:33
  Speaker 1: When I told you all this about the fire, hm Hilda, Well, Zolness,
• 1:35:41
  Speaker 1: was there not one special thought that you that you
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: seized upon? Hilda reflects in vain no, what thought should
• 1:35:50
  Speaker 1: that be, Zolness, with subdued emphasis. It was simply and
• 1:35:55
  Speaker 1: solely by that fire that I was enabled to build
• 1:35:58
  Speaker 1: homes for human beings, cozy, comfortable, bright homes where father
• 1:36:03
  Speaker 1: and mother and the whole troop of children can live
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 1: in safety and gladness, feeling what a happy thing it
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 1: is to be alive in the world, and most of all,
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 1: to belong to each other in great things and in
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: small Hilda ardently well, And is it not a great
• 1:36:19
  Speaker 1: happiness for you to be able to build such beautiful homes? Zoldness,
• 1:36:24
  Speaker 1: the price, Hilda, the terrible price I had to pay
• 1:36:27
  Speaker 1: for the opportunity, Hilda. But can you never get over that, Zoldness, No,
• 1:36:35
  Speaker 1: that I might build homes for others, I had to forego,
• 1:36:38
  Speaker 1: to forego for all time the home that might have
• 1:36:41
  Speaker 1: been my own, I mean, a home for a troop
• 1:36:43
  Speaker 1: of children, and for father and mother too, Hilda cautiously.
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 1: But need you have done that for all time? You say?
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 1: Zolness nods slowly. That was the price of this happiness
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 1: that people talk about. Breaths this happiness, hmm. This happiness
• 1:37:03
  Speaker 1: was not to be bought any cheaper, Hilda, Hilda, as before,
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 1: But may it not come right even yet, Zolness, Never
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: in this world. Never. That is another consequence of the
• 1:37:17
  Speaker 1: fire and of Elena's illness. Afterwards, Hilda looks at him
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 1: with an indefinable expression, and yet you build all these nurseries, zulnas. Seriously,
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 1: if you never noticed, Hilda, how the impossible? How it
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 1: seems to beckon and cry aloud to one Hilda reflecting
• 1:37:38
  Speaker 1: the impossible with animation. Yes, indeed, is that how you feel, too, Zolness, Yes,
• 1:37:46
  Speaker 1: I do, Hilda. Then there must be a little of
• 1:37:50
  Speaker 1: the troll in you too, Zolness. Why of the troll, Hilda?
• 1:37:56
  Speaker 1: What would you call it? Then? Zolness rises? Well, well,
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 1: perhaps you are right vehemently, but how can I help
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 1: turning into a troll when this is how it always
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 1: goes with me? In everything? In everything, Hilda? How do
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 1: you mean, Zolness? Speaking low with inward emotion? Mark what
• 1:38:17
  Speaker 1: I say to you, Hilda, all that I have succeeded
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 1: in doing, building, creating all the beauty, security, cheerful comfort, Aye,
• 1:38:26
  Speaker 1: and magnificence too. Clenches his hands. Oh is it not
• 1:38:31
  Speaker 1: terrible even to think of, Hilda? What is so terrible, Zolness,
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 1: that all this I have to make up for, to
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: pay for, not in money, but in human happiness, and
• 1:38:44
  Speaker 1: not with my own happiness only, but with other peoples too. Yes, yes,
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 1: do you see that, Hilda? That is the price which
• 1:38:51
  Speaker 1: my position as an artist has cost me and others.
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 1: And every single day I have to look on while
• 1:38:57
  Speaker 1: the price is paid for me. Anew oh, again and
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 1: over again and over again forever Hilda rises and looks
• 1:39:06
  Speaker 1: steadily at him. Now I can see that you are
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 1: thinking of of her Zolness. Yes, mainly of Elena. For Elena,
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: she too had her vocation in life, just as much
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 1: as I had mine. His voice quivers, But her vocation
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 1: has had to be stunted and crushed and shattered in
• 1:39:29
  Speaker 1: order that mine might force its way to a sort
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 1: of great victory. For you must know that Elena, she
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 1: too had a talent for building Hilda. She for building,
• 1:39:42
  Speaker 1: Zolnas shakes his head, not houses and towers and spires,
• 1:39:47
  Speaker 1: not such things as I work away at Hilda. Well,
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 1: but what then, Zolnas, softly with emotion, for building up
• 1:39:56
  Speaker 1: the souls of little children, Hilda, for building up children's
• 1:40:00
  Speaker 1: souls in perfect balance and ennoble and beautiful forms, for
• 1:40:05
  Speaker 1: enabling them to soar up into erect and full grown
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: human souls. That was Elena's talent. And there it all lies, now,
• 1:40:14
  Speaker 1: unused and unusable, forever, of no earthly service to anyone,
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: just like the ruins left by a fire. Hilda. Yes,
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 1: But even if this were so, Zolness, it is so,
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 1: It is so, I know it, Hilda. Well, but in
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 1: any case, it is not your fault. Zolness fixes his
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: eyes on her and nods slowly. Ah. That is the great,
• 1:40:42
  Speaker 1: the terrible question, That is the doubt that is gnawing
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: me night and day, Hilda, that, Zolness. Yes, suppose the
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 1: fault was mine in a certain sense, Hilda, your fault,
• 1:40:57
  Speaker 1: the fire, Zolness, all of it, the whole thing. And
• 1:41:02
  Speaker 1: yet perhaps I may not have had anything to do
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 1: with it. Hilda looks at him with a troubled expression. Oh,
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: mister Zolness, if you can talk like that, I am
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: afraid you must be ill after all, Zolnas, Hm, I
• 1:41:17
  Speaker 1: don't think I shall ever be of quite sound mind
• 1:41:20
  Speaker 1: on that point. Rognar Brovik cautiously opens the little door
• 1:41:24
  Speaker 1: in the left hand corner. Hilda comes forward. Ragnar when
• 1:41:29
  Speaker 1: he sees Hilda, Oh, I beg pardon, mister Zolnas. He
• 1:41:33
  Speaker 1: makes a movement to withdraw Zolnus. No, no, don't go.
• 1:41:38
  Speaker 1: Let us get it over, Ragnar. Oh, yes, if only
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 1: we could, Zulnas I hear your father is no better, Rognar.
• 1:41:47
  Speaker 1: Father is fast growing weaker, and therefore I beg and
• 1:41:51
  Speaker 1: implore you to write a few kind words from me
• 1:41:54
  Speaker 1: on one of the plans, something for father to read
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 1: before he Zolnus vehemently, I won't hear anything more about
• 1:42:02
  Speaker 1: those drawings of yours, Rognar. Have you looked at them, Zoleness, Yes,
• 1:42:08
  Speaker 1: I have, Rognar, and they are good for nothing, and
• 1:42:13
  Speaker 1: I am good for nothing too, Zolnus evasively, stay here
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 1: with me, Rognar. You shall have everything your own way,
• 1:42:21
  Speaker 1: and then you can marry Kaya and live at your
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 1: ease and happily too. Who knows only don't think of
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 1: building on your own account? Rognar? Well, well, then I
• 1:42:32
  Speaker 1: must go home and tell father what you say I
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 1: promised I would. Is this what I am to tell
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 1: father before he dies? Zolness, with a groan, Oh, tell him,
• 1:42:43
  Speaker 1: tell him what you will for me best to say
• 1:42:45
  Speaker 1: nothing at all to him. With a sudden outburst, I
• 1:42:49
  Speaker 1: cannot do anything else, Ragnar, Rognar, may I have the
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: drawings to take with me, Zolnus, Yes, take them, take
• 1:42:58
  Speaker 1: them by all means. They are lying there on the table.
• 1:43:02
  Speaker 1: Rognar goes to the table, thanks. Hilda puts her hand
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 1: on the portfolio. No, no, leave them here, Zolness. Why Hilda,
• 1:43:14
  Speaker 1: because I want to look at them too, Zolness, But
• 1:43:18
  Speaker 1: you have been to Rognar. Well leave them here then,
• 1:43:23
  Speaker 1: Rognar very well, Zolness, and go home at once to
• 1:43:27
  Speaker 1: your father. Rognar. Yes, I suppose I must, Zolness, as
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: if in desperation. Rognar, you must not ask me to
• 1:43:38
  Speaker 1: do what is beyond my power, do you hear? Rognar?
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: You must not, Rognar. No, no, I beg your pardon.
• 1:43:46
  Speaker 1: He bows and goes out by the corner door. Hilda
• 1:43:50
  Speaker 1: goes over and sits down on a chair near the mirror.
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 1: Hilda looks angrily at Zolness. That was a very ugly
• 1:43:58
  Speaker 1: thing to do Zo. Do you think so too, Hilda? Yes,
• 1:44:04
  Speaker 1: it was horribly ugly, and hard and bad and cruel
• 1:44:08
  Speaker 1: as well, Zolness. Oh, you don't understand my position, Hilda.
• 1:44:14
  Speaker 1: No matter I say, you ought not to be like that, Zolness.
• 1:44:19
  Speaker 1: You said yourself only just now that no one but
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 1: I ought to be allowed to build Hilda. I may
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 1: say such things, but you must not, zolnas I, most
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 1: of all, surely, who have paid so dear from my position, Hilda. Oh, yes,
• 1:44:37
  Speaker 1: with what you call domestic comfort and that sort of thing, Zolness,
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 1: And with my piece of soul into the bargain, Hilda, rising,
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 1: piece of soul with feeling. Yes, yes, you are right
• 1:44:51
  Speaker 1: in that, poor mister, Zolness. You fancy that, Zolness with
• 1:44:56
  Speaker 1: a quiet chuckling laugh. Just sit down again, Hilda, and
• 1:45:00
  Speaker 1: I'll tell you something funny. Hilda sits down with intent interest. Well, Zolness,
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: it sounds such a ludicrous little thing, For you see,
• 1:45:10
  Speaker 1: the whole story turns upon nothing but a crack and
• 1:45:13
  Speaker 1: a chimney, Hilda. No more than that, Zolness, No, not
• 1:45:19
  Speaker 1: to begin with. He moves a chair nearer to Hilda
• 1:45:22
  Speaker 1: and sits down. Hilda impatiently taps on her knee. Well,
• 1:45:27
  Speaker 1: now for the crack in the chimney, Zolness. I had
• 1:45:31
  Speaker 1: noticed the split in the flu long long before the fire.
• 1:45:35
  Speaker 1: Every time I went up into the attic, I looked
• 1:45:37
  Speaker 1: to see if it was still there, Hilda. And it was, Zolness. Yes,
• 1:45:43
  Speaker 1: for no one else knew about it, Hilda. And you
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 1: said nothing, Zolness, nothing, Hilda, and did not think of
• 1:45:52
  Speaker 1: repairing the flu either, Zolness. Oh, yes, I thought about it,
• 1:45:57
  Speaker 1: but never got any further. Every time time I intended
• 1:46:00
  Speaker 1: to set to work, it seemed just as if a
• 1:46:02
  Speaker 1: hand held me back. Not today, I thought tomorrow, and
• 1:46:06
  Speaker 1: nothing ever came of it, Hilda. But why did you
• 1:46:09
  Speaker 1: keep putting it off like that, Zolness. Because I was
• 1:46:14
  Speaker 1: revolving something in my mind, slowly and in a low voice,
• 1:46:19
  Speaker 1: through that little black crack in the chimney, I might
• 1:46:22
  Speaker 1: perhaps force my way upwards as a builder, Hilda, looking
• 1:46:26
  Speaker 1: straight in front of her, That must have been thrilling, Zolness,
• 1:46:32
  Speaker 1: almost irresistible, quite irresistible, For at that time it appeared
• 1:46:37
  Speaker 1: to me a perfectly simple and straightforward matter. I would
• 1:46:41
  Speaker 1: have had it happen in the winter time, a little
• 1:46:43
  Speaker 1: before midday I was to be out driving Elena in
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: the sleigh. The servants at home would have made huge
• 1:46:49
  Speaker 1: fires in the stoves, Hilda, for of course it was
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 1: to be bitterly cold that day Zolness rather biting, yes,
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 1: and they would want Elena to find it thoroughly snug
• 1:47:00
  Speaker 1: and warm when she came home. Hilda, I suppose she
• 1:47:04
  Speaker 1: is very chilly by nature, Zolnus. She is. And as
• 1:47:08
  Speaker 1: we drove home we were to see the smoke, Hilda,
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 1: Only the smoke, Zolness, the smoke first. But when we
• 1:47:16
  Speaker 1: came up to the garden gate, the whole of the
• 1:47:19
  Speaker 1: old timber box was to be a rolling mass of flames.
• 1:47:22
  Speaker 1: That is how I wanted it to be, you see, Hilda, Oh,
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 1: why why could it not have happened? So, Zolness. You
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 1: may well say that, Hilda, Hilda, Well, but now listen,
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 1: mister Zolnas. Are you perfectly certain that the fire was
• 1:47:39
  Speaker 1: caused by that little crack in the chimney? Zolness. No,
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: On the contrary, I am perfectly certain that the crack
• 1:47:47
  Speaker 1: in the chimney had nothing whatever to do with the fire. Hilda, What, Zolness,
• 1:47:54
  Speaker 1: It has been clearly ascertained that the fire broke out
• 1:47:57
  Speaker 1: in a clothes cupboard, in a totally different part of
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 1: the house. Hilda, Then what is all this nonsense you
• 1:48:05
  Speaker 1: are talking about the crack in the chimney, Zolness. May
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 1: I go on talking to you a little, Hilda? Hilda, Yes,
• 1:48:14
  Speaker 1: if you'll only talk sensibly, Zolness, I will try to.
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: He moves his chair nearer, Hilda out with it, then,
• 1:48:23
  Speaker 1: mister Zolnas, Zolness confidentially don't you agree with me, Hilda,
• 1:48:29
  Speaker 1: that there exists special chosen people who have been endowed
• 1:48:33
  Speaker 1: with the power and faculty of desiring a thing, craving
• 1:48:37
  Speaker 1: for a thing, willing a thing so persistently and so
• 1:48:41
  Speaker 1: so inexorably, that at last it has to happen. Don't
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: you believe that, Hilda, with an indefinable expression in her eyes.
• 1:48:51
  Speaker 1: If that is so, we shall see one of these
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 1: days whether I am one of the chosen, Zolness. It
• 1:48:57
  Speaker 1: is not one self alone that can do such great things. Oh, No,
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 1: the helpers and the servers. They must do their part
• 1:49:04
  Speaker 1: too if it is to be of any good. But
• 1:49:07
  Speaker 1: they never come of themselves. One has to call upon
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 1: them very persistently inwardly, you understand, Hilda? What are these
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 1: helpers and servers? Zolness. Oh, we can talk about that
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 1: some other time. For the present, let us keep to
• 1:49:23
  Speaker 1: this business of the fire, Hilda. Don't you think that
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 1: fire would have happened all the same even without your
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 1: wishing for it, Zolness. If the house had been old,
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: Canute Brovics, it would never have burnt down so conveniently
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 1: for him. I am sure of that, For he does
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 1: not know how to call for the helpers, No, nor
• 1:49:45
  Speaker 1: for the servers either rises in unrest. So you see, Hilda,
• 1:49:50
  Speaker 1: it is my fault, after all, that the lives of
• 1:49:52
  Speaker 1: the two little boys had to be sacrificed. And do
• 1:49:56
  Speaker 1: you think it is not my fault too, that Alina
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 1: has never been the woman she should and might have been,
• 1:50:01
  Speaker 1: and that she most longed to be, Hilda? Yes, But
• 1:50:06
  Speaker 1: if it is all the work of those helpers and servers, Zolness,
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 1: who called for the helpers and servers, it was I,
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 1: and they came and obeyed my will in increasing excitement.
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: That is what people call having the luck on your side.
• 1:50:22
  Speaker 1: But I must tell you what this sort of luck
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 1: feels like. It feels like a great raw place here
• 1:50:27
  Speaker 1: on my breast, and the helpers and servers keep on
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: flaying pieces of skin off other people in order to
• 1:50:34
  Speaker 1: close my sore. But still the sore is not healed.
• 1:50:38
  Speaker 1: Never never, Oh, if you knew how it can sometimes
• 1:50:42
  Speaker 1: gnaw and burn. Hilda looks attentively at him. You are ill,
• 1:50:48
  Speaker 1: mister zolnis very ill. I almost think Zolness say mad,
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 1: for that is what you mean, Hilda. No, I don't
• 1:50:57
  Speaker 1: think there is much amiss with your intellect, Zolness, with
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 1: what then out with it? Hilda? I wonder whether you
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: were not sent into the world with a sickly conscience, Zolness,
• 1:51:11
  Speaker 1: a sickly conscience. What deviltry is that? Hilda? I mean
• 1:51:16
  Speaker 1: that your conscience is feeble, too delicately built as it were,
• 1:51:20
  Speaker 1: hasn't strength to take a grip of things to lift
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 1: and bear? What is heavy? Zoleness, growls hm May I ask, then,
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 1: what sort of a conscience one ought to have, Hilda?
• 1:51:33
  Speaker 1: I should like your conscience to be to be thoroughly robust, Zolness.
• 1:51:39
  Speaker 1: Indeed robust? Eh is your own conscience robust? May I ask, Hilda? Yes,
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 1: I think it is. I've never noticed that it wasn't, Zolness.
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: It has not been put very severely to the test,
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 1: I should think, Hilda, with a quivering of the lips. Oh,
• 1:51:58
  Speaker 1: it was no such simple man to leave father. I'm
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 1: so awfully fond of him, Zolness. Dear me for a
• 1:52:06
  Speaker 1: month or two, Hilda, I think I shall never go
• 1:52:10
  Speaker 1: home again, Zolness. Never. Then why did you leave him? Hilda?
• 1:52:16
  Speaker 1: Half seriously, half banteringly, have you forgotten again that the
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 1: ten years are up? Zolness, Oh nonsense. Was anything wrong
• 1:52:26
  Speaker 1: at home? Eh, Hilda? Quite seriously, it was this impulse
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 1: within me that urged and goaded me to come, and
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 1: lured and drew me on as well, Zolness. Eagerly, There
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 1: we have it. There we have it, Hilda. There is
• 1:52:43
  Speaker 1: a troll in you too, as in me. For it's
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: the troll in one, you see. It is that that
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 1: calls to the powers outside us. And then you must
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 1: give in, whether you will or no, Hilda, I almost
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 1: think you are right, mister Zolness. Zolness walks about the room. Oh,
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 1: there are devils innumerable abroad in the world, Hilda, that
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 1: one never sees. Hilda, devils too. Zoleness stops good devils
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 1: and bad devils, light haired devils and black haired devils.
• 1:53:17
  Speaker 1: If only you could always tell whether it is the
• 1:53:19
  Speaker 1: light or dark ones that have got hold of you
• 1:53:22
  Speaker 1: paces about, Oh, then it would be simple enough. Hilda
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 1: follows him with her eyes. Or if one had a
• 1:53:30
  Speaker 1: really vigorous, radiantly healthy conscience, so that one dared to
• 1:53:34
  Speaker 1: do what one would, Zolness stops beside the console table.
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 1: I believe now that most people are just as puny creatures.
• 1:53:43
  Speaker 1: As I am in that respect, Hilda, I shouldn't wonder
• 1:53:48
  Speaker 1: Zoleness leaning against the table in the sagas? Have you
• 1:53:52
  Speaker 1: read any of the old sagas, Hilda? Oh? Yes, when
• 1:53:56
  Speaker 1: I used to read books, I Zolness. In the saga
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: you read about vikings who sailed to foreign lands and
• 1:54:03
  Speaker 1: plundered and burned and killed men Hilda, and carried off
• 1:54:08
  Speaker 1: women Zolness, and kept them in captivity. Hilda took them
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 1: home in their ships Zolness, and behaved to them like
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: the very worst of trolls. Hilda looked straight before her
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: with a half veiled look. I think that must have
• 1:54:24
  Speaker 1: been thrilling, Zolness, with a short, deep laugh to carry
• 1:54:29
  Speaker 1: off women, ah, Hilda, to be carried off? Zolness looks
• 1:54:34
  Speaker 1: at her a moment. Oh, indeed, Hilda, as if breaking
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 1: the threat of the conversation. But what made you speak
• 1:54:42
  Speaker 1: of these vikings, mister Zolness. Zolness. Why those fellows must
• 1:54:47
  Speaker 1: have had robust consciences, if you like. When they got
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 1: home again, they could eat and drink and be as
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 1: happy as children, and the women too. They often would
• 1:54:56
  Speaker 1: not leave them on any account. Can you understand that, Hilda? Uh, Hilda,
• 1:55:01
  Speaker 1: those women I can understand exceedingly well. Zolness. Oh, perhaps
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: you could do the same yourself, Hilda. Why not, Zolness,
• 1:55:12
  Speaker 1: live of your own free will with a ruffian like that? Hilda.
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 1: If it was a ruffian I had come to love, Zolness,
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 1: could you come to love a man like that? Hilda?
• 1:55:26
  Speaker 1: Good heavens, you know very well one can't choose whom
• 1:55:29
  Speaker 1: one is going to love. Zolness looks meditatively at her. Oh, no,
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 1: I suppose it is the troll within one that's responsible
• 1:55:38
  Speaker 1: for that, Hilda, half laughing, And all those blessed devils
• 1:55:44
  Speaker 1: that you know so well, both the light haired and
• 1:55:47
  Speaker 1: the dark haired ones, Zolness quietly and warmly. Then, I
• 1:55:51
  Speaker 1: hope with all my heart that the devils will choose
• 1:55:54
  Speaker 1: carefully for you, Hilda, Hilda, for me, they have chosen
• 1:55:58
  Speaker 1: already once and for all. Zolness looks earnestly at her. Hilda,
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: you are like a wild bird of the woods, Hilda.
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: Far from it. I don't hide myself away under the bushes, Zolness. No, No,
• 1:56:15
  Speaker 1: there is something of the bird of prey in you,
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 1: Hilda that is nearer it, perhaps very vehemently. And why
• 1:56:23
  Speaker 1: not a bird of prey? Why should not I go
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 1: a hunting I, as well as the rest, carry off
• 1:56:29
  Speaker 1: the prey I want, if only I can get my
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 1: claws into it and do with it as I will. Zolness, Hilda,
• 1:56:37
  Speaker 1: do you know what you are? Hilda? Yes, I suppose
• 1:56:41
  Speaker 1: I am a strange sort of bird. Zolness. No, you
• 1:56:46
  Speaker 1: are like a dawning day. When I look at you,
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 1: I seem to be looking towards the sunrise. Hilda, tell me,
• 1:56:54
  Speaker 1: mister Zolness, are you certain that you had never called
• 1:56:57
  Speaker 1: me to you? Inwardly? You know, Zolness softly and slowly,
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 1: I almost think I must have Hilda, What did you
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 1: want with me? Zolness? You are the younger generation, Hilda.
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 1: Hilda smiles, that younger generation that you are so afraid of.
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: Zolness nods slowly, and which in my heart I yearn
• 1:57:22
  Speaker 1: towards so deeply. Hilda rises, goes to the little table
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 1: and fetches Ragnar Brovik's portfolio. Hilda holds out the portfolio
• 1:57:32
  Speaker 1: to him. We were talking of these drawings, Zolnas shortly
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 1: waving them away. Put those things away. I have seen
• 1:57:40
  Speaker 1: enough of them, Hilda. Yes, but you have to write
• 1:57:44
  Speaker 1: your approval on them, Zolness, write my approval on them. Never, Hilda,
• 1:57:50
  Speaker 1: But the poor old man is lying at death's door.
• 1:57:54
  Speaker 1: Can't you give him and his son this pleasure before
• 1:57:56
  Speaker 1: they are parted? And perhaps he might get the commission
• 1:57:59
  Speaker 1: to carry them out too, Zolness. Yes, that is just
• 1:58:03
  Speaker 1: what he would get. He is made sure of that,
• 1:58:06
  Speaker 1: has my fine gentleman, Hilda. Then good heavens if that
• 1:58:11
  Speaker 1: is so, can't you tell the least little bit of
• 1:58:13
  Speaker 1: a lie? For once in a way, Zolness, a lie?
• 1:58:18
  Speaker 1: Raging Hilda, take those devil's drawings out of my sight.
• 1:58:23
  Speaker 1: Hilda draws the portfolio a little nearer to herself. Well, well, well,
• 1:58:28
  Speaker 1: don't bite me. You talk of trolls, But I think
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 1: you go on like a troll yourself. Looks round? Where
• 1:58:35
  Speaker 1: do you keep your pen and ink, Zolness, There is
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 1: nothing of the sort in here. Hilda goes towards the door.
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 1: But in the office where that young lady is, Zolness,
• 1:58:46
  Speaker 1: stay where you are, Hilda. I ought to tell a lie,
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 1: you say, oh, yes, for the sake of his old father,
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: I might well do that, for in my time I
• 1:58:55
  Speaker 1: have crushed him, trodden him, underfoot, Hilda him two, Zolness,
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 1: I needed room for myself. But this Rognar, he must
• 1:59:05
  Speaker 1: on no account be allowed to come to the front. Hilda,
• 1:59:09
  Speaker 1: poor fellow. There is surely no fear of that if
• 1:59:13
  Speaker 1: he has nothing in him. Zolness comes closer, looks at her,
• 1:59:17
  Speaker 1: and whispers. If Rognar Brovic gets his chance, he will
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 1: strike me to the earth, crush me as I crushed
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 1: his father, Hilda, crush you. Has he the ability for that, Zolness, Yes,
• 1:59:32
  Speaker 1: you may depend upon it. He has the ability. He
• 1:59:35
  Speaker 1: is the younger generation that stands ready to knock at
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 1: my door to make an end of Halivard Zolnas. Hilda
• 1:59:42
  Speaker 1: looks at him with quiet reproach, And yet you would
• 1:59:46
  Speaker 1: bar him out, fine, mister Zolnas. Zolness, the fight I
• 1:59:51
  Speaker 1: have been fighting has cost hearts blood enough, and I
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 1: am afraid too that the helpers and servers will not
• 1:59:57
  Speaker 1: obey me any longer. Then you must go ahead without them.
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 1: There is nothing else for it, Zolness. It is hopeless, Hilda.
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 1: The luck is bound to turn a little sooner or
• 2:00:10
  Speaker 1: a little later. Retribution is inexorable. Hilda, in distress, putting
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 1: her hands over her ears, don't talk like that. Do
• 2:00:19
  Speaker 1: you want to kill me? To take from me? What
• 2:00:22
  Speaker 1: is more than my life, Zolness? And what is that, Hilda?
• 2:00:28
  Speaker 1: The longing to see you? Great, to see you with
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 1: a wreath in your hand, high high up upon a
• 2:00:35
  Speaker 1: church tower. Calm again, Come out with your pencil. Now
• 2:00:40
  Speaker 1: you must have a pencil about you. Zolness takes out
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 1: his pocket book. I have one here. Hilda lays the
• 2:00:47
  Speaker 1: portfolio on the sofa table. Very well, now let us
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 1: too sit down here, mister Zolnas. Zolness seats himself at
• 2:00:56
  Speaker 1: the table. Hilda stands behind him, leaning over the back
• 2:01:00
  Speaker 1: of the chair. And now we will write on the drawings.
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 1: We must write very very nicely and cordially for this
• 2:01:07
  Speaker 1: horrid ruar or whatever his name is. Zolnas writes a
• 2:01:12
  Speaker 1: few words, turns his head and looks at her. Tell
• 2:01:16
  Speaker 1: me one thing, Hilda, Hilda, yes, Zolness, if you have
• 2:01:21
  Speaker 1: been waiting for me all these ten years, Hilda, what then, Zolnus,
• 2:01:28
  Speaker 1: why have you never written to me? Then I could
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 1: have answered you Hilda hastily. No, no, no, that was
• 2:01:35
  Speaker 1: just what I did not want, Zolness. Why not, Hilda?
• 2:01:40
  Speaker 1: I was afraid the whole thing might fall to pieces.
• 2:01:43
  Speaker 1: But we were going to write on the drawings, mister Zolnas. Zolness,
• 2:01:47
  Speaker 1: so we were. Hilda bends forward and looks over his
• 2:01:51
  Speaker 1: shoulder while he writes mine now kindly and cordially. Oh,
• 2:01:56
  Speaker 1: how I hate, how I hate this rue old Zolnas writing.
• 2:02:02
  Speaker 1: Have you never really cared for anyone? Hilda? Hilda harshly?
• 2:02:06
  Speaker 1: What do you say, Zolness. Have you never cared for anyone, Hilda,
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 1: for any one else? I suppose you mean, Zolness looks
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 1: up at her, for any one else? Yes, have you never,
• 2:02:20
  Speaker 1: in all these ten years, never, Hilda? Oh? Yes? Now?
• 2:02:25
  Speaker 1: And then when I was perfectly furious with you for
• 2:02:28
  Speaker 1: not coming, Zolness, then you did take an interest in
• 2:02:32
  Speaker 1: other people too, Hilda, A little bit for a week
• 2:02:36
  Speaker 1: or so. Good heavens, mister Zolnas, you surely know how
• 2:02:40
  Speaker 1: such things come about, Zolness. Hilda, what is it you
• 2:02:44
  Speaker 1: have come for, Hilda? Don't waste time talking. The poor
• 2:02:49
  Speaker 1: old man might go and die in the meantime. Zolness,
• 2:02:53
  Speaker 1: answer me, Hilda, what do you want of me? Hilda?
• 2:02:57
  Speaker 1: I want my kingdom? Zolnas hm. He gives a rapid
• 2:03:03
  Speaker 1: glance towards the door on the left, and then goes
• 2:03:06
  Speaker 1: on writing on the drawings. At the same moment, Missus
• 2:03:09
  Speaker 1: Zolnis enters. She has some packages in her hand. Missus Zolnas,
• 2:03:14
  Speaker 1: here are a few things I've got for you, Miss Vangele.
• 2:03:17
  Speaker 1: The large parcels will be sent later on Hilda. Oh,
• 2:03:22
  Speaker 1: how very very kind of you, Missus Zolnas. Only my
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 1: simple duty, nothing more than that, Zolnas, reading over what
• 2:03:31
  Speaker 1: he has written, Elena, Missus zolns, Yes, Zolnas. Did you
• 2:03:37
  Speaker 1: notice whether the the bookkeeper was out there, Missus Zolnas, Yes,
• 2:03:43
  Speaker 1: of course she was there. Zolnas puts the drawings in
• 2:03:46
  Speaker 1: the portfolio. Hm, Missus Zolnus, she was standing at the desk,
• 2:03:52
  Speaker 1: as she always is when I go through the room.
• 2:03:55
  Speaker 1: Zolnus rises. Then I'll give this to her and tell
• 2:03:58
  Speaker 1: her that Hilda takes a portfolio from him. Oh, no,
• 2:04:03
  Speaker 1: let me have the pleasure of doing that. Goes to
• 2:04:06
  Speaker 1: the door, but turns. What is her name, Zolnas? Her
• 2:04:10
  Speaker 1: name is miss Fhauslie Hilda. Pooh, that sounds so cold,
• 2:04:16
  Speaker 1: her Christian name, I mean zolnus Kaya, I believe. Hilda
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 1: opens the door and calls out, Kaya, Come in here,
• 2:04:26
  Speaker 1: make haste. Mister Zolnis wants to speak to you. Kaya
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 1: falsely appears at the door, Kaya, looking at him in alarm.
• 2:04:34
  Speaker 1: Here I am Hilda, handing her the portfolio. See here, Kaya,
• 2:04:40
  Speaker 1: you can take this home. Mister Zolnis has written on them. Now, Kia, Oh,
• 2:04:45
  Speaker 1: at last, Zolnus, give them to the old man as
• 2:04:49
  Speaker 1: soon as you can, Kaya, I will go straight home
• 2:04:52
  Speaker 1: with them, Zolnus, Yes, do Now Ragnar will have a
• 2:04:56
  Speaker 1: chance of building for himself. Kaya. Oh, may he come
• 2:05:01
  Speaker 1: and thank you for all, Zolness harshly, I won't have
• 2:05:04
  Speaker 1: any thanks. Tell him that from me, KaiA, Yes, I will, Zolness,
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: and tell him at the same time that, henceforward, I
• 2:05:13
  Speaker 1: do not require his services nor yours either, Kia, softly
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: and quiveringly, not mine either, Zulness. You will have other
• 2:05:25
  Speaker 1: things to think of now and to attend to, and
• 2:05:27
  Speaker 1: that is a very good thing for you. We'll go
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 1: home with the drawings now, Miss Faulstleigh. At once, do
• 2:05:33
  Speaker 1: you hear KaiA as before? Yes, mister Zulnas. She goes out,
• 2:05:39
  Speaker 1: Missus Zulness. Heavens, what deceitful eyes she has, Zolness. She
• 2:05:46
  Speaker 1: that poor little creature, Missus Zulness. Oh I can see
• 2:05:51
  Speaker 1: what I can see, Halvard. Are you really dismissing them, Zulness, yes,
• 2:05:57
  Speaker 1: missus Zolness, her as well well, Zolness. Was that not
• 2:06:03
  Speaker 1: what you wished, Missus Zulness. But how can you get
• 2:06:07
  Speaker 1: on without her? Oh? Well, no doubt you have someone
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 1: else in reserve, Halvard, Hilda playfully. Well, I for one
• 2:06:15
  Speaker 1: am not the person to stand at that desk, Zolness.
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: Never mind, never mind. It will be all right, Olena.
• 2:06:22
  Speaker 1: Now all you have to do is to think about
• 2:06:24
  Speaker 1: moving into our new home as quickly as you can.
• 2:06:27
  Speaker 1: This evening, we will hang up the wreath. Turns to Hilda,
• 2:06:31
  Speaker 1: right on the very pinnacle of the tower. What do
• 2:06:33
  Speaker 1: you say to that, miss Hilda? Hilda looks at him
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: with sparkling eyes. It will be splendid to see you
• 2:06:39
  Speaker 1: so high up once more, Zoldness, me, missus Zulness, for
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 1: heaven's sake, Miss Vangele, don't imagine such a thing. My
• 2:06:49
  Speaker 1: husband when he always gets so dizzy, Hilda, he get dizzy? No,
• 2:06:56
  Speaker 1: I know quite well he does not, missus Zolness. Oh yes,
• 2:07:00
  Speaker 1: indeed he does, Hilda. But I have seen him with
• 2:07:04
  Speaker 1: my own eyes, right up at the top of a
• 2:07:06
  Speaker 1: high church tower, Missus Zulnes. Yes, I hear people talk
• 2:07:11
  Speaker 1: of that, but it is utterly impossible, Zolness, vehemently impossible. Impossible, Yes,
• 2:07:19
  Speaker 1: but there I stood all the same, Missus Zulness. Oh
• 2:07:24
  Speaker 1: how can you say so, Halvard? Why you can't even
• 2:07:27
  Speaker 1: bear to go out on the second story balcony here.
• 2:07:30
  Speaker 1: You've always been like that, Zolness. You may perhaps see
• 2:07:34
  Speaker 1: something different this evening, Missus Zulness in alarm. No, no, no,
• 2:07:40
  Speaker 1: please God, I shall never see that. I will write
• 2:07:43
  Speaker 1: at once to the doctor, and I am sure he
• 2:07:44
  Speaker 1: won't let you do it, Zolness. Why Elena, missus zulns.
• 2:07:50
  Speaker 1: Oh you know you're ill, Halvard. This proves it, Oh God,
• 2:07:54
  Speaker 1: oh God. She goes hastily out to the right. Hilda
• 2:07:59
  Speaker 1: looks intently at him. Is it so? Or is it not, Zolness,
• 2:08:04
  Speaker 1: that I turned dizzy Hilda, that my master builder dares
• 2:08:09
  Speaker 1: not cannot climb as high as he builds, Zolness. Is
• 2:08:14
  Speaker 1: that the way you look at it, Hilda? Yes, Zolness,
• 2:08:20
  Speaker 1: I believe there is scarcely a corner in me that
• 2:08:22
  Speaker 1: is safe from you. Hilda looks towards the bow window
• 2:08:27
  Speaker 1: up there. Then right up there, Zolness approaches her. You
• 2:08:32
  Speaker 1: might have the topmost room in the tower, Hilda. There
• 2:08:35
  Speaker 1: you might live like a princess, Hilda, indefinably between earnest
• 2:08:40
  Speaker 1: and jest. Yes, that is what you promised me, Zolness.
• 2:08:45
  Speaker 1: Did I really, Hilda, fie, mister Zolness, you said I
• 2:08:50
  Speaker 1: should be a princess, and that you would give me
• 2:08:52
  Speaker 1: a kingdom, And then you went and well, Zolness, cautiously,
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: are you quite certain that this is not a dream,
• 2:09:01
  Speaker 1: a fancy that has fixed itself in your mind? Hilda? Sharply,
• 2:09:06
  Speaker 1: do you mean that you did not do it, Zolness.
• 2:09:10
  Speaker 1: I scarcely know myself more softly, But now I know
• 2:09:14
  Speaker 1: so much for certain that I, Hilda, that you say
• 2:09:19
  Speaker 1: it at once, Zolnus, that I ought to have done it,
• 2:09:23
  Speaker 1: Hilda exclaims with animation. Don't tell me you can ever
• 2:09:28
  Speaker 1: be dizzy, Zolness this evening. Then we will hang up
• 2:09:32
  Speaker 1: the wreath, Princess Hilda, Hilda with a bitter curve of
• 2:09:36
  Speaker 1: the lips, over your new home, yes, Zolness, over the
• 2:09:42
  Speaker 1: new house which will never be a home for me.
• 2:09:45
  Speaker 1: He goes out through the garden door. Hilda looks straight
• 2:09:50
  Speaker 1: in front of her with a far away expression, and
• 2:09:53
  Speaker 1: whispers to herself. The only words audible are frightfully thrilling.
• 2:10:01
  Speaker 1: End of Act two. Recording by expatriate in Bangor Maine,
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 1: Act three of The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen, translated
• 2:10:23
  Speaker 1: by Edmund Gaussi eighteen forty nine to nineteen twenty eight
• 2:10:27
  Speaker 1: and William Archer. This librivax recording is in the public domain.
• 2:10:32
  Speaker 1: Recording by expatriot in Bangor Maine, Act three. The large
• 2:10:39
  Speaker 1: broad veranda of Zolnus's dwelling house. Part of the house
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 1: with outer door leading to the veranda is seen to
• 2:10:46
  Speaker 1: the left, a railing along the veranda to the right.
• 2:10:50
  Speaker 1: At the back. From the end of the veranda, a
• 2:10:53
  Speaker 1: flight of steps leads down to the garden below. Tall
• 2:10:57
  Speaker 1: old trees in the garden spread their branches over the
• 2:11:00
  Speaker 1: veranda and towards the house far to the right. In
• 2:11:03
  Speaker 1: among the trees, a glimpse is caught of the lower
• 2:11:06
  Speaker 1: part of the new villa, with scaffolding round so much
• 2:11:10
  Speaker 1: as is seen of the tower in the background. The
• 2:11:13
  Speaker 1: garden is bounded by an old wooden fence. Outside the
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 1: fence a street with low tumble down cottages, evening sky
• 2:11:22
  Speaker 1: with sunlit clouds. On the veranda, A garden bench stands
• 2:11:27
  Speaker 1: along the wall of the house, and in front of
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 1: the bench a long table. On the other side of
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 1: the table, an armchair and some stools. All the furniture
• 2:11:37
  Speaker 1: is of wicker work. Missus Zolnis, wrapped in a large
• 2:11:41
  Speaker 1: white crape shawl, sits resting in the armchair and gazes
• 2:11:45
  Speaker 1: over to the right. Shortly after, Hildevangel comes up this
• 2:11:50
  Speaker 1: flight of steps from the garden. She is dressed as
• 2:11:53
  Speaker 1: in the last act and wears her hat. She has
• 2:11:56
  Speaker 1: in her bodice a little nosegay of small common flowers.
• 2:12:01
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnes, turning her head a little, have you been
• 2:12:04
  Speaker 1: round the garden, miss vangele Hilda? Yes, I have been
• 2:12:09
  Speaker 1: taking a look at it, Missus Zolnes, and found some
• 2:12:12
  Speaker 1: flowers too, I see, Hilda, Yes, indeed, there are such
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 1: heaps of them in among the bushes, Missus Zolnas, are
• 2:12:21
  Speaker 1: there really still? You see? I? Scarcely ever? Go there,
• 2:12:25
  Speaker 1: Hilda closer. What don't you take a run down into
• 2:12:28
  Speaker 1: the garden every day? Then, Missus Zolnes with a faint smile.
• 2:12:33
  Speaker 1: I don't run anywhere nowadays, Hilda. Well, but do you
• 2:12:38
  Speaker 1: not go down now and then to look at all
• 2:12:40
  Speaker 1: the lovely things there, missus Zolnes. It has all become
• 2:12:45
  Speaker 1: so strange to me. I am almost afraid to see
• 2:12:48
  Speaker 1: it again, Hilda, your own garden, missus Zolnes, I don't
• 2:12:54
  Speaker 1: feel that it is mine any longer, Hilda, what do
• 2:12:58
  Speaker 1: you mean, missus Zolns. No, no, it is not not
• 2:13:03
  Speaker 1: as it was in my mother's and father's time. They
• 2:13:06
  Speaker 1: have taken away so much, so much of the garden,
• 2:13:09
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangell fancy. They have parceled it out and built
• 2:13:13
  Speaker 1: houses for strangers, people that I don't know, and they
• 2:13:17
  Speaker 1: can sit and look in upon me from their windows. Hilda,
• 2:13:20
  Speaker 1: with a bright expression, missus Zolness, missus Zolnes, yes, Hilda,
• 2:13:27
  Speaker 1: may I stay here with you a little? Missus Zolns. Yes,
• 2:13:31
  Speaker 1: by all means, if you care to. Hilda moves a
• 2:13:34
  Speaker 1: stool close to the arm chair and sits down. Hilda, ah,
• 2:13:39
  Speaker 1: here one can sit and sun oneself like a cat.
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnes lays her hand softly on Hilda's neck. It
• 2:13:47
  Speaker 1: is nice of you to be willing to sit with me.
• 2:13:49
  Speaker 1: I thought you wanted to go into my husband, Hilda.
• 2:13:53
  Speaker 1: What should I want with him, missus Zolnes, to help him,
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 1: I thought, Hilda, no, thank you. And besides he is
• 2:14:01
  Speaker 1: not in He is over there with his workmen. But
• 2:14:04
  Speaker 1: he looks so fierce that I did not dare to
• 2:14:06
  Speaker 1: talk to him. Missus Zolnes. He is so kind and
• 2:14:10
  Speaker 1: gentle in reality, Hilda, he missus Zulnes, you do not
• 2:14:16
  Speaker 1: really know him yet, miss Vananll. Hilda looks affectionately at her.
• 2:14:21
  Speaker 1: Are you pleased at the thought of moving over to
• 2:14:23
  Speaker 1: the new house, missus Zolnes, I ought to be pleased,
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 1: for it is what Halvard wants, Hilda. Oh not just
• 2:14:32
  Speaker 1: on that account, surely, missus Zolnas. Yes, yes, miss vangull,
• 2:14:38
  Speaker 1: for it is only my duty to submit myself to him.
• 2:14:41
  Speaker 1: But very often it is dreadfully difficult to force one's
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 1: mind to obedience. Hilda. Yes, that must be difficult. Indeed,
• 2:14:50
  Speaker 1: missus Zolness, I can tell you it is when one
• 2:14:54
  Speaker 1: has so many faults as I have, Hilda, when one
• 2:14:58
  Speaker 1: has gone through so much trouble as you have, Missus Zolnes,
• 2:15:03
  Speaker 1: how do you know about that, Hilda, your husband told me,
• 2:15:08
  Speaker 1: missus Zolnes, to me, he very seldom mentions these things. Yes,
• 2:15:13
  Speaker 1: I can tell you I have gone through more than
• 2:15:15
  Speaker 1: enough trouble in my life, miss Vangell. Hilda looked sympathetically
• 2:15:20
  Speaker 1: at her and nodded slowly. Poor missus Zolnes. First of all,
• 2:15:25
  Speaker 1: there was the fire, missus Zulnes, with a sigh. Yes,
• 2:15:29
  Speaker 1: everything that was mine was burnt, Hilda. And then came
• 2:15:34
  Speaker 1: what was worse, missus Zolness, looking inquiringly at her, worse, Hilda,
• 2:15:41
  Speaker 1: the worst of all, missus Zulnes. What do you mean, Hilda, softly,
• 2:15:47
  Speaker 1: you lost the two little boys, missus Zulness. Oh, yes,
• 2:15:52
  Speaker 1: the boys. But you see, that was a thing apart,
• 2:15:56
  Speaker 1: That was a dispensation of providence. And in such things
• 2:16:00
  Speaker 1: can only bow in submission, yes, and be thankful too, Hilda.
• 2:16:05
  Speaker 1: Then you are so, missus Zulness. Not always, I am
• 2:16:10
  Speaker 1: sorry to say. I know well enough that it is
• 2:16:13
  Speaker 1: my duty, But all the same I cannot, Hilda. No, No,
• 2:16:18
  Speaker 1: I think that is only natural, missus Zulness. And often
• 2:16:23
  Speaker 1: and often I have to remind myself that it was
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 1: a righteous punishment for me, Hilda. Why missus Zulness, because
• 2:16:32
  Speaker 1: I had not fortitude enough in misfortune, Hilda. But I
• 2:16:36
  Speaker 1: don't see that, missus Zulness. Oh no, no, miss Vangele,
• 2:16:41
  Speaker 1: do not talk to me anymore about the two little boys.
• 2:16:44
  Speaker 1: We ought to feel nothing but joy in thinking of them,
• 2:16:47
  Speaker 1: for they are so happy, so happy now. No, it
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 1: is the small losses in life that cut one to
• 2:16:53
  Speaker 1: the heart. The loss of all that other people look
• 2:16:56
  Speaker 1: upon is almost nothing. Hilda lays her arms on missus
• 2:17:00
  Speaker 1: Zolnus's knees and looks up at her affectionately. Dear missus Zolnes,
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 1: tell me what things you mean, missus Zolness, as I say,
• 2:17:10
  Speaker 1: only little things. All the old portress were burnt on
• 2:17:14
  Speaker 1: the walls, and all the old silk dresses were burnt
• 2:17:18
  Speaker 1: that had belonged to the family for generations and generations.
• 2:17:21
  Speaker 1: And all mother's and grandmother's lace that was burnt too,
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 1: And only think the jewels too, sadly, and then all
• 2:17:30
  Speaker 1: the dolls, Hilda, the dolls, Missus zolnis choking with tears.
• 2:17:36
  Speaker 1: I had nine lovely dolls, Hilda, and they were burnt too,
• 2:17:42
  Speaker 1: missus Zolness, all of them. Oh, it was hard, so
• 2:17:46
  Speaker 1: hard for me, Hilda, had you put by all these
• 2:17:49
  Speaker 1: dolls then, ever since you were little, missus Zolnas, I
• 2:17:53
  Speaker 1: had not put them by the dolls, and I had
• 2:17:56
  Speaker 1: gone on living together, Hilda, after you were grown up,
• 2:18:02
  Speaker 1: missus Zolnes. Yes, long after that, Hilda, after you were
• 2:18:07
  Speaker 1: married too, missus Zolns. Oh, yes, indeed, so long as
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 1: he did not see it. But they were all burnt up,
• 2:18:15
  Speaker 1: poor things. No one thought of saving them. Oh, it
• 2:18:19
  Speaker 1: is so miserable to think of You. Mustn't laugh at me,
• 2:18:21
  Speaker 1: miss vangell Hilda. I am not laughing in the least,
• 2:18:27
  Speaker 1: missus Zolens, For you see, in a certain sense there
• 2:18:31
  Speaker 1: was life in them too. I carried them under my
• 2:18:34
  Speaker 1: heart like little unborn children. Doctor Herdahl, with his hat
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 1: in his hand, comes out through the door and observes
• 2:18:42
  Speaker 1: missus Zolness and Hilda. Doctor Herdahl, well, missus Zolnes, so
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 1: you are sitting out here catching cold, missus Zolns. I
• 2:18:52
  Speaker 1: find it so pleasant and warm here today, Doctor Herdahl, yes, yes,
• 2:18:58
  Speaker 1: But is there anything going on here? I got a
• 2:19:00
  Speaker 1: note from you, Missus Zolenis. Rises, Yes, there is something
• 2:19:04
  Speaker 1: I must talk to you about. Doctor Herdall very well, then,
• 2:19:09
  Speaker 1: perhaps we had better go in to Hilda. Still in
• 2:19:12
  Speaker 1: your mountaineering dress, Miss Vanall, Hilda gaily rising, yes, in
• 2:19:18
  Speaker 1: full uniform. But today I am not going climbing and
• 2:19:21
  Speaker 1: breaking my neck. We too, will stop quietly below and
• 2:19:24
  Speaker 1: look on doctor, Doctor Herdall, what are we to look
• 2:19:28
  Speaker 1: on at? Missus Zolnis softly in alarm to Hilda, Hush, hush,
• 2:19:33
  Speaker 1: for God's sake, he is coming. Try to get that
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 1: idea out of his head, and let us be friends,
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 1: Miss Vangall. Don't you think we can? Hilda throws her
• 2:19:44
  Speaker 1: arms impetuously round missus Zolens's neck. Oh, if we only could.
• 2:19:49
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolenis gently disengages herself. There there, there, there he comes. Doctor.
• 2:19:55
  Speaker 1: Let me have a word with you, Doctor Herdahl. Is
• 2:19:59
  Speaker 1: it about him, missus Zolnas, yes, to be sure, it's
• 2:20:03
  Speaker 1: about him? Do come in. She and the doctor enter
• 2:20:07
  Speaker 1: the house. Next moment Zolness comes up from the garden
• 2:20:11
  Speaker 1: by the flight of steps. A serious look comes over
• 2:20:14
  Speaker 1: Hilda's face. Zolness glances at the house door, which is
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 1: closed cautiously from within. Have you noticed, Hilda that as
• 2:20:22
  Speaker 1: soon as I come she goes Hilda I have noticed
• 2:20:26
  Speaker 1: that as soon as you come, you make her go. Zolness.
• 2:20:29
  Speaker 1: Perhaps so, but I cannot help it. Looks observantly at her.
• 2:20:34
  Speaker 1: Are you cold, Hilda? I think you look cold, Hilda.
• 2:20:39
  Speaker 1: I have just come up out of a tomb, Zolnas.
• 2:20:42
  Speaker 1: What do you mean by that, Hilda, that I have
• 2:20:45
  Speaker 1: got chilled through and through? Mister Zolnas, Zolness, Slowly, I
• 2:20:50
  Speaker 1: believe I understand, Hilda? What brings you up here just now? Zolnas.
• 2:20:57
  Speaker 1: I caught sight of you from over there, Hilda. But
• 2:21:00
  Speaker 1: then you must have seen her too, Zolnas. I knew
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 1: she would go at once if I came, Hilda. Is
• 2:21:08
  Speaker 1: it very painful for you that she should avoid you
• 2:21:11
  Speaker 1: in this way? Zolnas? In one sense, it's a relief
• 2:21:15
  Speaker 1: as well, Hilda, not to have her before your eyes, Zolnus. Yes, Hilda,
• 2:21:23
  Speaker 1: not to be always seeing how heavily the loss of
• 2:21:25
  Speaker 1: the little boys weighs upon her, Zolnus, Yes, chiefly that
• 2:21:31
  Speaker 1: Hilda drifts across the verandah with her hands behind her back,
• 2:21:35
  Speaker 1: stops at the railing, and looks out over the garden. Zolnas,
• 2:21:39
  Speaker 1: after a short pause, did you have a long talk
• 2:21:42
  Speaker 1: with her? Hilda stands motionless and does not answer. Zolnas,
• 2:21:48
  Speaker 1: had you a long talk? I asked? Hilda is silent
• 2:21:52
  Speaker 1: as before, Zolnas, What was she talking about, Hilda? Hilda
• 2:21:57
  Speaker 1: continues silent, Zolnas, poor Elena. I suppose it was about
• 2:22:02
  Speaker 1: the little boys. Hilda. A nervous shudder runs through her.
• 2:22:07
  Speaker 1: Then she nods hurriedly, once or twice. Zolnas, She will
• 2:22:12
  Speaker 1: never get over it, never in this world approaches her.
• 2:22:16
  Speaker 1: Now you are standing there again, like a statue, just
• 2:22:19
  Speaker 1: as you stood last night. Hilda turns and looks at
• 2:22:23
  Speaker 1: him with great serious eyes. I am going away, Zolnas,
• 2:22:28
  Speaker 1: sharply going away, Hilda, Yes, Zolnus, but I won't allow
• 2:22:34
  Speaker 1: you to Hilda. What am I to do here now? Zolnas?
• 2:22:39
  Speaker 1: Simply to be here, Hilda. Hilda measures him with a look, Oh,
• 2:22:44
  Speaker 1: thank you. You know it wouldn't end there, Zolnas heedlessly,
• 2:22:49
  Speaker 1: so much the better, Hilda vehemently. I cannot do any
• 2:22:54
  Speaker 1: harm to one whom I know. I can't take away
• 2:22:57
  Speaker 1: anything that belongs to her. Zolnas, who want you to
• 2:23:01
  Speaker 1: do that, Hilda continuing, a stranger, Yes, for that is
• 2:23:06
  Speaker 1: quite a different thing, A person I have never set
• 2:23:09
  Speaker 1: eyes on but one that I have come into close
• 2:23:12
  Speaker 1: contact with. Oh no, oh, no, ugh, Zolness. Yes, but
• 2:23:18
  Speaker 1: I never proposed you should, Hilda. Oh, mister Zolness, you
• 2:23:23
  Speaker 1: know quite well what the end of it would be.
• 2:23:26
  Speaker 1: And that is why I am going away, Zolness. And
• 2:23:30
  Speaker 1: what is to become of me when you are gone?
• 2:23:33
  Speaker 1: What shall I have to live for? Then? After that? Hilda,
• 2:23:37
  Speaker 1: with the indefinable look in her eyes, it is surely
• 2:23:41
  Speaker 1: not so hard for you. You have your duties to her.
• 2:23:44
  Speaker 1: Live for those duties, Zolness, too late, These powers, these
• 2:23:50
  Speaker 1: these Hilda devils, Zolness, Yes, these devils, and the troll
• 2:23:58
  Speaker 1: within me as well. They have drawn all the life
• 2:24:00
  Speaker 1: blood out of her laughs, in desperation. They did it
• 2:24:04
  Speaker 1: for my happiness, Yes, yes, sadly. And now she is
• 2:24:09
  Speaker 1: dead for my sake. And I am chained alive to
• 2:24:12
  Speaker 1: a dead woman in wild anguish. I I who cannot
• 2:24:17
  Speaker 1: live without joy in life. Hilda moves round the table
• 2:24:21
  Speaker 1: and seats herself on the bench, with her elbows on
• 2:24:24
  Speaker 1: the table and her head supported by her hands. Hilda
• 2:24:28
  Speaker 1: sits and looks at him, Awhile, what will you build next?
• 2:24:32
  Speaker 1: Zolnas shakes his head. I don't believe I shall build
• 2:24:36
  Speaker 1: much more, Hilda, not those cozy, happy homes for mother
• 2:24:40
  Speaker 1: and father and for the troop of children. Zolnas. I
• 2:24:45
  Speaker 1: wonder whether there will be any use for such homes
• 2:24:47
  Speaker 1: in the coming time, Hilda, poor mister Zolnas, And you
• 2:24:52
  Speaker 1: have gone all these ten years and staked your whole
• 2:24:55
  Speaker 1: life on that alone, Zolnas. Yes, you may well say so, oh, Hilda,
• 2:25:01
  Speaker 1: Hilda with an outburst. Oh, it all seems to me
• 2:25:04
  Speaker 1: so foolish, So foolish, Zolnus. Oh what, Hilda, not to
• 2:25:11
  Speaker 1: be able to grasp at your own happiness, at your
• 2:25:14
  Speaker 1: own life, merely because someone you know happens to stand
• 2:25:18
  Speaker 1: in the way, Zolness, one whom you have no right
• 2:25:22
  Speaker 1: to set aside, Hilda, I wonder whether one really has
• 2:25:27
  Speaker 1: not the right? And yet and yet, oh, if one
• 2:25:32
  Speaker 1: could only sleep the whole thing away. She lays her
• 2:25:36
  Speaker 1: arms flat down on the table, rests the left side
• 2:25:39
  Speaker 1: of her head on her hands, and shuts her eyes.
• 2:25:42
  Speaker 1: Zolness turns the armchair and sits down at the table.
• 2:25:46
  Speaker 1: Had you a cozy, happy home up there with your father, Hilda? Hilda,
• 2:25:51
  Speaker 1: without stirring, answers as if half asleep, I had only
• 2:25:55
  Speaker 1: a cage, Zolness, and you are determined not to go
• 2:25:59
  Speaker 1: back to it. Hilda. As before, the wild bird never
• 2:26:04
  Speaker 1: wants to go into the cage, Zolness, rather range through
• 2:26:08
  Speaker 1: the free air. Hilda, still as before, the bird of
• 2:26:13
  Speaker 1: prey loves to range. Zolnus lets his eyes rest on her.
• 2:26:18
  Speaker 1: If only one had the Viking spirit in life. Hilda,
• 2:26:22
  Speaker 1: in her usual voice, opens her eyes but does not move.
• 2:26:26
  Speaker 1: And the other thing say, what that was, Zolness, a
• 2:26:31
  Speaker 1: robust conscience? Hilda sits erect on the bench with animation.
• 2:26:36
  Speaker 1: Her eyes have once more the sparkling expression of gladness.
• 2:26:41
  Speaker 1: Hilda nods to him, I know what you are going
• 2:26:44
  Speaker 1: to build next, Zolnus. Then ye know more than I do, Hilda. Hilda, Yes,
• 2:26:50
  Speaker 1: builders are such stupid people, Zolnas, What is it to be? Then?
• 2:26:56
  Speaker 1: Hilda nods again. The castle, Zolnas, What castle, Hilda? My castle,
• 2:27:04
  Speaker 1: of course, Zolnus. Do you want a castle now? Hilda?
• 2:27:09
  Speaker 1: Don't you owe me a kingdom? I should like to know, Zolnus,
• 2:27:13
  Speaker 1: you say I do, Hilda. Well, you admit you owe
• 2:27:17
  Speaker 1: me this kingdom, and you can't have a kingdom without
• 2:27:20
  Speaker 1: a royal castle, I should think, Zolness more and more animated. Yes,
• 2:27:25
  Speaker 1: they usually go together, Hilda. Good, then build it from
• 2:27:30
  Speaker 1: me this moment, Zolnus, laughing. Must you have that on
• 2:27:34
  Speaker 1: the instant too, Hilda, Yes, to be sure, for the
• 2:27:39
  Speaker 1: ten years are up now, and I am not going
• 2:27:42
  Speaker 1: to wait any longer. So out with the castle, mister Zolnus. Zolnus,
• 2:27:47
  Speaker 1: it's no light matter to owe you anything, Hilda. Hilda,
• 2:27:51
  Speaker 1: you should have thought of that before. It is too
• 2:27:54
  Speaker 1: late now, so tapping the table, the castle on the table.
• 2:27:58
  Speaker 1: It is my castle. I will have it at once.
• 2:28:01
  Speaker 1: Zolness more seriously leans over towards her, with his arms
• 2:28:05
  Speaker 1: on the table. What sort of castle have you imagined, Hilda?
• 2:28:10
  Speaker 1: Her expression becomes more and more veiled. She seems gazing
• 2:28:13
  Speaker 1: inwards at herself. Hilda, Slowly, my castle shall stand on
• 2:28:19
  Speaker 1: a height, on a very great height, with a clear
• 2:28:22
  Speaker 1: outlook on all sides, so that I can see far
• 2:28:25
  Speaker 1: far around, Zolnas. And no doubt it is to have
• 2:28:29
  Speaker 1: a high tower, Hilda, a tremendously high tower. And at
• 2:28:35
  Speaker 1: the very top of the tower there shall be a balcony,
• 2:28:38
  Speaker 1: and I will stand out upon it. Zolnas involuntarily clutches
• 2:28:42
  Speaker 1: at his forehead. How can you like to stand at
• 2:28:45
  Speaker 1: such a dizzy height, Hilda, Yes, I will right up there.
• 2:28:50
  Speaker 1: Will I stand and look down on the other people,
• 2:28:53
  Speaker 1: on those that are building churches and homes for mother
• 2:28:56
  Speaker 1: and father and the troop of children. And you may
• 2:28:59
  Speaker 1: come up and look on at it too, Zoleness, in
• 2:29:02
  Speaker 1: a low tone. Is the builder to be allowed to
• 2:29:06
  Speaker 1: come up beside the princess, Hilda? If the builder will
• 2:29:11
  Speaker 1: Zoldness more softly, then I think the builder will come.
• 2:29:16
  Speaker 1: Hilda nods the builder. He will come, Zolness, but he
• 2:29:21
  Speaker 1: will never be able to build anymore, poor builder. Hilda animated, Oh,
• 2:29:27
  Speaker 1: yes he will. We too will set to work together,
• 2:29:31
  Speaker 1: and then we will build the loveliest, the very loveliest
• 2:29:34
  Speaker 1: thing in all the world, Zolness. Intently, Hilda, tell me
• 2:29:39
  Speaker 1: what that is. Hilda looks smilingly at him, shakes her
• 2:29:44
  Speaker 1: head a little, pouts, and speaks as if to a child. Builders.
• 2:29:49
  Speaker 1: They are such very, very stupid people, Zolnus, Yes, no
• 2:29:54
  Speaker 1: doubt they are stupid. But now tell me what it
• 2:29:57
  Speaker 1: is the loveliest thing in the world that we too
• 2:29:59
  Speaker 1: are to build together. Hilda is silent a little while,
• 2:30:04
  Speaker 1: then says, with an indefinable expression in her eyes, castles
• 2:30:09
  Speaker 1: in the air, Zolnas, Castles in the air. Hilda nods,
• 2:30:15
  Speaker 1: castles in the air. Yes, do you know what sort
• 2:30:18
  Speaker 1: of thing a castle in the air is, Zolness. It
• 2:30:22
  Speaker 1: is the loveliest thing in the world, you say. Hilda
• 2:30:25
  Speaker 1: rises with vehemence and makes a gesture of repulsion with
• 2:30:29
  Speaker 1: her hand. Yes, to be sure, it is castles in
• 2:30:33
  Speaker 1: the air. They are so easy to take refuge in
• 2:30:36
  Speaker 1: and so easy to build too, looks scornfully at him,
• 2:30:40
  Speaker 1: especially for the builders who have a dizzy conscience. Zolness rises.
• 2:30:47
  Speaker 1: After this day, we too will build together, Hilda. Hilda,
• 2:30:52
  Speaker 1: with a half dubious smile, a real castle in the air, Zolness, Yes,
• 2:30:58
  Speaker 1: one with a firm found under it. Rognar Brovic comes
• 2:31:03
  Speaker 1: out from the house. He is carrying a large green
• 2:31:07
  Speaker 1: wreath with flowers and silk ribbons. Hilda, with an outburst
• 2:31:11
  Speaker 1: of pleasure the wreath, Oh, that will be glorious, Zolness.
• 2:31:16
  Speaker 1: In surprise, have you brought the wreath? Rognar Ragnar, I
• 2:31:20
  Speaker 1: promised the foreman I would Zolnas relieved. Ah, then I
• 2:31:24
  Speaker 1: suppose your father is better, Ragnar, No, Zolnus, was he
• 2:31:30
  Speaker 1: not cheered by what I wrote? Rognar. It came too late, Zolnas.
• 2:31:37
  Speaker 1: Too late, Ragnar. When she came with it, he was unconscious.
• 2:31:42
  Speaker 1: He had had a stroke, Zolness. Why then you must
• 2:31:45
  Speaker 1: go home to him. You must attend to your father, Rognar.
• 2:31:50
  Speaker 1: He does not need me anymore, Zolnus, but surely you
• 2:31:54
  Speaker 1: ought to be with him, Ragnar. She is sitting by
• 2:31:58
  Speaker 1: his bed, zo rather uncertainly, KaiA, Rognar, looking darkly at him. Yes, Kaya, Zolnas,
• 2:32:09
  Speaker 1: go home, Rognar, both to him and to her. Give
• 2:32:13
  Speaker 1: me the wreath. Rognar suppresses a mocking smile. You don't
• 2:32:18
  Speaker 1: mean that, you yourself, Zolnus. I will take it down to
• 2:32:22
  Speaker 1: them myself takes the wreath from him, And now you
• 2:32:26
  Speaker 1: go home. We don't require you to day, Rognar. I
• 2:32:31
  Speaker 1: know you do not require me any more. But to
• 2:32:33
  Speaker 1: day I shall remain, Zolnus, Well remain then, since you
• 2:32:37
  Speaker 1: are bent upon it, Hilda, at the railing, mister Zolnas,
• 2:32:42
  Speaker 1: I will stand here and look on at you, Zolnas,
• 2:32:45
  Speaker 1: at me, Hilda. It will be fearfully thrilling, Zolness. In
• 2:32:51
  Speaker 1: a low tone. We will talk about that presently, Hilda.
• 2:32:55
  Speaker 1: He goes down the flight of steps with the wreath
• 2:32:58
  Speaker 1: and away through the garden. Hilda looks after him, then
• 2:33:01
  Speaker 1: turns to Ragnar. I think you might at least have
• 2:33:04
  Speaker 1: thanked him. Ragnar thanked him? Ought I to have thanked him, Hilda, Yes,
• 2:33:11
  Speaker 1: of course you ought, Ragnar. I think it is rather
• 2:33:15
  Speaker 1: you I ought to thank Hilda. How can you say
• 2:33:19
  Speaker 1: such a thing, Rognar without answering her? But I advise
• 2:33:23
  Speaker 1: you to take care, miss Vangell. But you don't know
• 2:33:26
  Speaker 1: him rightly yet, Hilda ardently. Oh, no one knows him
• 2:33:31
  Speaker 1: as I do. Rognar laughs in exasperation. Thank him when
• 2:33:36
  Speaker 1: he has held me down year after year, when he
• 2:33:39
  Speaker 1: made father disbelieve in me, made me disbelieve in myself,
• 2:33:43
  Speaker 1: and all merely that he might Hilda as if divining
• 2:33:47
  Speaker 1: something that he might tell me at once, Rognar, that
• 2:33:52
  Speaker 1: he might keep her with him, Hilda, with a start
• 2:33:56
  Speaker 1: towards him, the girl at the desk. Ragnar, yes, Hilda threateningly,
• 2:34:03
  Speaker 1: clenching her hands. That is not true. You are telling
• 2:34:07
  Speaker 1: falsehoods about him, Rognar. I would not believe it either
• 2:34:11
  Speaker 1: until to day when she said so herself. Hilda, as
• 2:34:14
  Speaker 1: if beside herself. What did she say? I will know
• 2:34:18
  Speaker 1: at once. At once, Rognar. She said that he had
• 2:34:23
  Speaker 1: taken possession of her mind, her whole mind, centered all
• 2:34:27
  Speaker 1: her thoughts upon himself alone. She says that she can
• 2:34:30
  Speaker 1: never leave him, that she will remain here where he is, Hilda,
• 2:34:35
  Speaker 1: with flashing eyes, she will not be allowed to Rognar
• 2:34:39
  Speaker 1: as if feeling his way, who will not allow her? Hilda? Rapidly,
• 2:34:45
  Speaker 1: he will not either, Rognar. Oh, no, I understand the
• 2:34:50
  Speaker 1: whole thing now. After this, she would merely be in
• 2:34:54
  Speaker 1: the way. Hilda, you understand nothing since you can talk
• 2:34:59
  Speaker 1: like that. No, I will tell you why he kept
• 2:35:02
  Speaker 1: hold of her, Rognar. Well, then, why, Hilda, in order
• 2:35:07
  Speaker 1: to keep hold of you? Rognar? As he told you so, Hilda. No,
• 2:35:13
  Speaker 1: but it is so, It must be so, wildly I will.
• 2:35:18
  Speaker 1: I will have it so, Rognar. And at the very
• 2:35:23
  Speaker 1: moment when you came, he let her go. Hilda, it
• 2:35:27
  Speaker 1: was you you that he let go. What do you
• 2:35:30
  Speaker 1: suppose he cares about strange women like her? Rognar reflects.
• 2:35:35
  Speaker 1: Is it possible that all this time he has been
• 2:35:38
  Speaker 1: afraid of me? Hilda? He afraid? I would not be
• 2:35:43
  Speaker 1: so conceited if I were you Rognar. Oh, he must
• 2:35:47
  Speaker 1: have seen long ago that I had something in me too.
• 2:35:50
  Speaker 1: Besides cowardly, that is just what he is, you see, Hilda.
• 2:35:55
  Speaker 1: He Oh, yes, I am likely to believe that in
• 2:36:01
  Speaker 1: a certain sense he is cowardly. He the great master builder.
• 2:36:06
  Speaker 1: He is not afraid of robbing others of their life's happiness,
• 2:36:09
  Speaker 1: as he has done both for my father and for me.
• 2:36:11
  Speaker 1: But when it comes to climbing up a paltry bit
• 2:36:14
  Speaker 1: of scaffolding, he will do anything rather than that. Hilda. Oh,
• 2:36:19
  Speaker 1: you should have seen him, high, high up at the
• 2:36:22
  Speaker 1: dizzy height where I once saw him. Rognar, did you
• 2:36:26
  Speaker 1: see that, Hilda? Yes, indeed I did. How free and
• 2:36:30
  Speaker 1: great he looked as he stood and fastened the wreath
• 2:36:33
  Speaker 1: to the church Vane Rognar. I know that he ventured
• 2:36:38
  Speaker 1: that once in his life, one solitary time. It is
• 2:36:41
  Speaker 1: a legend among us younger men. But no power on
• 2:36:45
  Speaker 1: earth would induce him to do it again, Hilda. Today
• 2:36:49
  Speaker 1: he will do it again, Rognar scornfully. Yes, I dare say, Hilda,
• 2:36:56
  Speaker 1: we shall see it, Rognar, that neither you or I
• 2:37:00
  Speaker 1: will see, Hilda, with uncontrollable vehemence, I will see it,
• 2:37:06
  Speaker 1: I will and I must see it, Rognar. But he
• 2:37:10
  Speaker 1: will not do it. He simply dare not do it.
• 2:37:13
  Speaker 1: For you see, he cannot get over this infirmity, master builder,
• 2:37:17
  Speaker 1: though he be, missus Zolnes comes from the house on
• 2:37:21
  Speaker 1: to the verandah, missus Zolns looks around. Is he not here?
• 2:37:26
  Speaker 1: Where has he gone to? Rognar? Mister Zolnz is down
• 2:37:30
  Speaker 1: with the men, Hilda. He took the wreath with him.
• 2:37:34
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnus, terrified, took the wreath with him. Oh God,
• 2:37:39
  Speaker 1: oh God, Brovic, you must go down to him, get
• 2:37:42
  Speaker 1: him to come back here, Rognar. Shall I say you
• 2:37:45
  Speaker 1: want to speak to him, missus Zolna. Missus Zolns, oh yes,
• 2:37:49
  Speaker 1: do no, no, don't say that I want anything. You
• 2:37:53
  Speaker 1: can say that somebody is here and that he must
• 2:37:56
  Speaker 1: come at once, Rognar. Good, I will do so, Missus.
• 2:38:01
  Speaker 1: He goes down the flight of steps and away through
• 2:38:03
  Speaker 1: the garden, Missus Zolness, Oh, miss Vangell, you can't think
• 2:38:08
  Speaker 1: how anxious I feel about him, Hilda. Is there anything
• 2:38:12
  Speaker 1: in this to be so terribly frightened about, missus Zolns.
• 2:38:17
  Speaker 1: Oh yes, surely you can understand. Just think if he
• 2:38:21
  Speaker 1: were really to do it, if he should take it
• 2:38:23
  Speaker 1: into his head to climb up the scaffolding, Hilda, eagerly,
• 2:38:28
  Speaker 1: do you think he will, missus Zolnes, Oh, one can
• 2:38:32
  Speaker 1: never tell what he might take into his head. I
• 2:38:35
  Speaker 1: am afraid there is nothing he mightn't think of doing, Hilda, Ah,
• 2:38:40
  Speaker 1: perhaps you too think he is well, missus Zelnes. Oh,
• 2:38:44
  Speaker 1: I don't know what to think about him. Now. The
• 2:38:47
  Speaker 1: doctor has been telling me all sorts of things, and
• 2:38:50
  Speaker 1: putting it all together with several things I have heard
• 2:38:52
  Speaker 1: him say. Doctor Heredahl looks out at the door, Doctor Herdahl,
• 2:38:58
  Speaker 1: Is he not coming soon, Miss Zoulness, yes, I think so.
• 2:39:02
  Speaker 1: I have sent for him at any rate, Doctor Herdahl advancing,
• 2:39:07
  Speaker 1: I am afraid you will have to go in, my
• 2:39:09
  Speaker 1: dear lady, missus Zolns. Oh no, oh no, I shall
• 2:39:13
  Speaker 1: stay out here and wait for Halvard, Doctor Herdall. But
• 2:39:17
  Speaker 1: some ladies have just come to call on you, missus Zolness.
• 2:39:21
  Speaker 1: Good heavens that too, And just at this moment, Doctor Herdall,
• 2:39:27
  Speaker 1: they say they positively must see the ceremony. Missus Zolness. Well, well,
• 2:39:33
  Speaker 1: I suppose I must go to them, after all, it
• 2:39:36
  Speaker 1: is my duty, Hilda, can't you ask the ladies to
• 2:39:39
  Speaker 1: go away, Missus Zolness. No, that would never do. Now
• 2:39:44
  Speaker 1: that they are here, it is my duty to see them.
• 2:39:47
  Speaker 1: But do you stay out here in the meantime and
• 2:39:50
  Speaker 1: receive him when he comes, Doctor Herdall, and try to
• 2:39:55
  Speaker 1: occupy his attention as long as possible, Missus Zulnes. Yes,
• 2:40:00
  Speaker 1: do dear miss Vangel keep as firm hold of him
• 2:40:03
  Speaker 1: as ever you can. Hilda. Would it not be best
• 2:40:07
  Speaker 1: for you to do that, Missus Zolness, yes, God knows
• 2:40:11
  Speaker 1: that it is my duty. But when one has duties
• 2:40:14
  Speaker 1: in so many directions, Doctor Hardahl looks towards the garden.
• 2:40:19
  Speaker 1: There he is coming, Missus Zolness, and I have to
• 2:40:22
  Speaker 1: go in. Doctor Herdahl to Hilda. Don't say anything about
• 2:40:27
  Speaker 1: my being here, Hilda, Oh no, I dare say. I
• 2:40:31
  Speaker 1: shall find something else to talk to mister Zolnis about
• 2:40:34
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnas, and be sure you keep firm hold of him.
• 2:40:38
  Speaker 1: I believe you can do it best. Missus Zolnis and
• 2:40:41
  Speaker 1: doctor Herdahl go into the house. Hilda remains standing on
• 2:40:46
  Speaker 1: the verandah Zolness comes from the garden up the flight
• 2:40:49
  Speaker 1: of steps. Zolnas somebody wants me, I hear, Hilda, Yes,
• 2:40:55
  Speaker 1: it is I, mister Zolns. Zolnas, Oh is it you, Hilda?
• 2:41:00
  Speaker 1: I was afraid it might be Elena or the doctor. Hilda.
• 2:41:04
  Speaker 1: You are very easily frightened, it seems, Zolnas. Do you
• 2:41:08
  Speaker 1: think so, Hilda, Yes, people say that you are afraid
• 2:41:12
  Speaker 1: to climb about on the scaffoldings. You know, Zolnus, Well,
• 2:41:17
  Speaker 1: that is quite a special thing, Hilda. Then it is
• 2:41:21
  Speaker 1: true that you are afraid to do it, Zolness. Yes,
• 2:41:24
  Speaker 1: I am, Hilda, afraid of falling down and killing yourself. Zolnas. No,
• 2:41:31
  Speaker 1: not of that, Hilda. Of what, then, Zolnas, I am
• 2:41:37
  Speaker 1: afraid of retribution, Hilda. Hilda of retribution shakes her head.
• 2:41:44
  Speaker 1: I don't understand that, Zolnas. Sit down and I will
• 2:41:49
  Speaker 1: tell you something. Hilda. Yes, do at once. She sits
• 2:41:54
  Speaker 1: on a stool by the railing and looks expectantly at him.
• 2:41:58
  Speaker 1: Zolnus throws his hat on the table. You know that
• 2:42:01
  Speaker 1: I began by building churches, Hilda nods. I know that well, Zolness.
• 2:42:07
  Speaker 1: For you see, I came as a boy from a
• 2:42:10
  Speaker 1: pious home in the country, and so it seemed to
• 2:42:12
  Speaker 1: me that this church building was the noblest task I
• 2:42:15
  Speaker 1: could set myself, Hilda. Yes, yes, Zolness. And I venture
• 2:42:21
  Speaker 1: to say that I built those poor little churches with
• 2:42:24
  Speaker 1: such honest and warm and heartfelt devotion that that, Hilda,
• 2:42:29
  Speaker 1: that well, Zolness, Well that I think he ought to
• 2:42:33
  Speaker 1: have been pleased with me, Hilda. He what he, Zolnus,
• 2:42:40
  Speaker 1: He who was to have the churches, of course, he
• 2:42:43
  Speaker 1: to whose honor and glory they were dedicated, Hilda. Oh indeed,
• 2:42:49
  Speaker 1: but are you certain then that that he was not
• 2:42:53
  Speaker 1: pleased with you, Zolness? Scornfully? He pleased with me? How
• 2:42:58
  Speaker 1: can you talk so, Hilda? He who gave the troll
• 2:43:02
  Speaker 1: in me leave to lord it just as it pleased,
• 2:43:05
  Speaker 1: He who bade them be at hand to serve me
• 2:43:07
  Speaker 1: both day and night, all these all these Hilda, devils, Zolnus, Yes,
• 2:43:14
  Speaker 1: of both kinds. Oh No, he made me feel clearly
• 2:43:18
  Speaker 1: enough that he was not pleased with me. Mysteriously, you see,
• 2:43:23
  Speaker 1: that was really the reason why he made the old
• 2:43:26
  Speaker 1: house burn down? Hilda? Was that why, Zolnas? Yes, don't
• 2:43:32
  Speaker 1: you understand? He wanted to give me the chance of
• 2:43:35
  Speaker 1: becoming an accomplished master in my own sphere, so that
• 2:43:39
  Speaker 1: I might build all the more glorious churches for him.
• 2:43:42
  Speaker 1: At first I did not understand what he was driving at.
• 2:43:45
  Speaker 1: But all of a sudden it flashed upon me, Hilda.
• 2:43:48
  Speaker 1: When was that, Zolnas? It was when I was building
• 2:43:52
  Speaker 1: the church tower up at Lezangar, Hilda, I thought, so, Zolness.
• 2:43:58
  Speaker 1: For you see, Hilda, Up there, amidst those new surroundings,
• 2:44:02
  Speaker 1: I used to go about musing and pondering within myself.
• 2:44:06
  Speaker 1: Then I saw plainly why he had taken my little
• 2:44:08
  Speaker 1: children from me. It was that I should have nothing
• 2:44:11
  Speaker 1: else to attach myself to, no such thing as love
• 2:44:15
  Speaker 1: and happiness. You understand, I was to be only a
• 2:44:18
  Speaker 1: master builder, nothing else, and all my life long I
• 2:44:21
  Speaker 1: was to go on building for him. Laughs. But I
• 2:44:24
  Speaker 1: can tell you nothing came of that, Hilda. What did
• 2:44:28
  Speaker 1: you do then, Zolness. First of all, I searched and
• 2:44:32
  Speaker 1: tried my own heart, Hilda, and then Zolness. Then I
• 2:44:38
  Speaker 1: did the impossible. I know less than he, Hilda, be impossible, Zolness.
• 2:44:46
  Speaker 1: I had never before been able to climb up to
• 2:44:48
  Speaker 1: a great free height, But that day I did it, Hilda,
• 2:44:52
  Speaker 1: leaping up, Yes, yes, you did, Zolness. And when I
• 2:44:57
  Speaker 1: stood there high over everything, and was hanging the wreath
• 2:45:01
  Speaker 1: over the vane. I said to him, hear me now,
• 2:45:03
  Speaker 1: thou mighty one, from this day forward, I will be
• 2:45:06
  Speaker 1: a free builder, I too in my sphere, just as
• 2:45:10
  Speaker 1: thou in thine. I will never more build churches for thee,
• 2:45:14
  Speaker 1: only homes for human beings, Hilda, with great sparkling eyes.
• 2:45:19
  Speaker 1: That was the song that I heard through the air, Zolness.
• 2:45:23
  Speaker 1: But afterwards his turn came, Hilda, what do you mean
• 2:45:27
  Speaker 1: by that? Zolnas looks despondently at her. Building homes for
• 2:45:33
  Speaker 1: human beings is not worth a rap, Hilda. Hilda, do
• 2:45:37
  Speaker 1: you say that now, Zolnus, Yes, for now I see it.
• 2:45:43
  Speaker 1: Men have no use for these homes of theirs to
• 2:45:45
  Speaker 1: be happy in, and I should not have had any
• 2:45:48
  Speaker 1: use for such a home if I had had one.
• 2:45:50
  Speaker 1: With a quiet, bitter laugh, see that is the upshot
• 2:45:54
  Speaker 1: of the whole affair. However, far back I look, nothing
• 2:45:58
  Speaker 1: really built, nor anything sack sacrifice for the chance of
• 2:46:01
  Speaker 1: building nothing nothing. The whole is nothing, Hilda. Then you
• 2:46:07
  Speaker 1: will never build anything more, Zolness. With animation. On the contrary,
• 2:46:13
  Speaker 1: I'm just going to begin, Hilda, What then, what will
• 2:46:17
  Speaker 1: you build? Tell? Me at once, Zolnas, I believe there
• 2:46:21
  Speaker 1: is only one possible dwelling place for human happiness, and
• 2:46:25
  Speaker 1: that is what I am going to build now. Hilda
• 2:46:28
  Speaker 1: looked fixedly at him. Mister Zolnas, you mean our castles
• 2:46:32
  Speaker 1: in the air, Zolnas, The castles in the air, Yes, Hilda,
• 2:46:39
  Speaker 1: I am afraid you would turn dizzy before we got
• 2:46:41
  Speaker 1: half way up, Zolnus. Not if I can mount hand
• 2:46:45
  Speaker 1: in hand with you, Hilda, Hilda, with an expression of
• 2:46:49
  Speaker 1: suppressed resentment. Only with me will there be no others
• 2:46:53
  Speaker 1: of the party, Zolnas. Who else should there be? Hilda? Oh?
• 2:46:58
  Speaker 1: That girl, that Kaiah at the desk, poor thing? Don't
• 2:47:03
  Speaker 1: you want to take her with you too? Zolness. Oh
• 2:47:07
  Speaker 1: was it about her that Elena was talking to you? Hilda?
• 2:47:11
  Speaker 1: Is it so? Or is it not? Zolnas? Vehemently, I
• 2:47:16
  Speaker 1: will not answer such a question. You must believe in
• 2:47:19
  Speaker 1: me wholly and entirely, Hilda. All these ten years I
• 2:47:24
  Speaker 1: have believed in you so utterly, so utterly, Zolnas. You
• 2:47:29
  Speaker 1: must go on believing in me, Hilda. Then let me
• 2:47:33
  Speaker 1: see you stand free and high up, Zolnas. Sadly, oh, Hilda,
• 2:47:39
  Speaker 1: it is not every day that I can do that, Hilda, passionately.
• 2:47:44
  Speaker 1: I will have you do it. I will have it imploringly.
• 2:47:48
  Speaker 1: Just once more, mister Zolnas, do the impossible once again.
• 2:47:54
  Speaker 1: Zulnus stands and looks deep into her eyes. If I
• 2:47:57
  Speaker 1: try it, Hilda, I will stand up there and talk
• 2:48:00
  Speaker 1: to him as I did that time before. Hilda, in
• 2:48:04
  Speaker 1: rising excitement. What will you say to him, Zolnus, I
• 2:48:09
  Speaker 1: will say to him, hear me, mighty Lord, thou mayst
• 2:48:12
  Speaker 1: judge me as seems best to thee. But hereafter I
• 2:48:16
  Speaker 1: will build nothing but the loveliest thing in the world.
• 2:48:19
  Speaker 1: Hilda carried away. Yes, yes, yes, Zolnus, build it together
• 2:48:25
  Speaker 1: with a princess whom I love. Hilda. Yes, tell him that.
• 2:48:30
  Speaker 1: Tell him that, Zolnus. Yes, And then I will say
• 2:48:34
  Speaker 1: to him, Now I shall go down and throw my
• 2:48:36
  Speaker 1: arms round her and kiss her. Hilda many times, say that, Zolnus,
• 2:48:42
  Speaker 1: many many times, I will say, Hilda, and then Zolnus.
• 2:48:47
  Speaker 1: Then I will wave my hat and come down to
• 2:48:50
  Speaker 1: the earth and do as I said to him, Hilda
• 2:48:53
  Speaker 1: with outstretched arms. Now I see you again as I
• 2:48:57
  Speaker 1: did when there was song in the air. Zolnas looks
• 2:49:00
  Speaker 1: at her with his head bowed. How have you become
• 2:49:04
  Speaker 1: what you are? Hilda? Hilda? How have you made me
• 2:49:08
  Speaker 1: what I am? Zolnas? Shortly and firmly, the princess shall
• 2:49:13
  Speaker 1: have her castle, Hilda jubilant, clapping her hands. Oh, mister Zolnas,
• 2:49:19
  Speaker 1: my lovely, lovely castle, our castle. In the air, Zolnas
• 2:49:24
  Speaker 1: on a firm foundation. In the street, a crowd of
• 2:49:29
  Speaker 1: people has assembled, vaguely seen through the trees. Music of
• 2:49:33
  Speaker 1: wind instruments is heard far away behind the new house.
• 2:49:37
  Speaker 1: Missus Zolnas with a fur collar around her neck, Doctor
• 2:49:41
  Speaker 1: Herdahl with her white shawl on his arm, and some
• 2:49:44
  Speaker 1: ladies come out on the veranda. Rognar Brovich comes at
• 2:49:48
  Speaker 1: the same time up from the garden. Missus Zolnas to Rognar,
• 2:49:53
  Speaker 1: Are we to have music too? Rognar? Yes, it's the
• 2:49:57
  Speaker 1: band of the Mason's Union. To Zolnus. The foreman asked
• 2:50:02
  Speaker 1: me to tell you that he is ready now to
• 2:50:04
  Speaker 1: go up with the wreath. Zolness takes his hat. Good.
• 2:50:08
  Speaker 1: I will go down to him myself. Missus zulnes anxiously,
• 2:50:12
  Speaker 1: what have you to do down there? Halvard? Zolnas curtly,
• 2:50:17
  Speaker 1: I must be down below with the men missus Zolns. Yes,
• 2:50:22
  Speaker 1: down below, only down below, Zolness, that is where I
• 2:50:27
  Speaker 1: always stand on every day occasions. He goes down the
• 2:50:31
  Speaker 1: flight of steps and away through the garden. Missus Zolns
• 2:50:36
  Speaker 1: calls after him over the railing. But do beg the
• 2:50:39
  Speaker 1: man to be careful when he goes up. Promise me
• 2:50:42
  Speaker 1: that Halvard, Doctor herdall to missus Zolns, don't you see
• 2:50:47
  Speaker 1: that I was right? He has given up all thought
• 2:50:50
  Speaker 1: of that folly. Missus Zolns, Oh, what a relief. Twice
• 2:50:56
  Speaker 1: workmen have fallen, and each time they were killed on
• 2:50:59
  Speaker 1: the spot. Turns to Hilda. Thank you, miss Vanngle, for
• 2:51:03
  Speaker 1: having kept such a firm hold upon him. I should
• 2:51:06
  Speaker 1: never have been able to manage him. Doctor Hardahl playfully, yes, yes,
• 2:51:11
  Speaker 1: miss Vanngle, you know how to keep firm hold on
• 2:51:13
  Speaker 1: a man when you give your mind to it. Missus
• 2:51:16
  Speaker 1: Zulnis and doctor Hardahl go up to the ladies who
• 2:51:20
  Speaker 1: are standing nearer to the steps and looking over the garden.
• 2:51:24
  Speaker 1: Hilda remains standing beside the railing in the foreground. Rognar
• 2:51:28
  Speaker 1: goes up to her. Rognar with suppressed laughter, half whispering,
• 2:51:33
  Speaker 1: Miss Vanngle, you see all those young fellows down in
• 2:51:36
  Speaker 1: the street, Hilda, Yes, Rognar, they are my fellow students.
• 2:51:42
  Speaker 1: Come to look at the master, Hilda. What do they
• 2:51:45
  Speaker 1: want to look at him? For? Rognar? They want to
• 2:51:49
  Speaker 1: see how he daren't climb to the top of his
• 2:51:51
  Speaker 1: own house. Hilda. Oh, that is what those boys want,
• 2:51:55
  Speaker 1: is it? Rognar? Spitefully and scornfully. He's kept us down
• 2:52:01
  Speaker 1: so long. Now we are going to see him keep
• 2:52:03
  Speaker 1: quietly down below himself. Hilda, you will not see that,
• 2:52:09
  Speaker 1: not this time. Rognar smiles. Indeed, then where shall we
• 2:52:14
  Speaker 1: see him, Hilda, High, high up by the vein, that
• 2:52:19
  Speaker 1: is where you will see him. Rognar laughs him. Oh, yes,
• 2:52:23
  Speaker 1: I dare say, Hilda. His will is to reach the top,
• 2:52:28
  Speaker 1: So at the top you shall see him. Rognar his will, yes,
• 2:52:33
  Speaker 1: that I can easily believe. But he simply cannot do it.
• 2:52:37
  Speaker 1: His head would swim round long long before he got
• 2:52:40
  Speaker 1: half way. He would have to crawl down again on
• 2:52:42
  Speaker 1: his hands and knees. Doctor Hardahl points across. Look, there
• 2:52:47
  Speaker 1: goes the foreman up the ladders. This is Zolnus, And
• 2:52:51
  Speaker 1: of course he has the wreath to carry two. Oh,
• 2:52:53
  Speaker 1: I do hope he will be careful Rognar stares incredulously
• 2:52:58
  Speaker 1: and shouts, why but it, Hilda, breaking out in jubilation.
• 2:53:03
  Speaker 1: It is the master builder himself. Missus Zulnes screams with terror. Yes,
• 2:53:08
  Speaker 1: it is Halvard, Oh, my great god, Halvard Halvard. Doctor Herdahl, Hush,
• 2:53:15
  Speaker 1: don't shout to him. Missus Zolnas hap beside herself. I
• 2:53:19
  Speaker 1: must go to him. I must get him to come
• 2:53:21
  Speaker 1: down again. Doctor Hardahl holds her. Don't move any of you.
• 2:53:26
  Speaker 1: Not a sound. Hilda immovable, follows Zolnas with her eyes.
• 2:53:31
  Speaker 1: He climbs and climbs, higher and higher, higher and higher. Look,
• 2:53:36
  Speaker 1: just look, Rugnar breathless. He must turn now. He can't
• 2:53:40
  Speaker 1: possibly help it, Hilda. He climbs and climbs. He will
• 2:53:44
  Speaker 1: soon be at the top. Now, Missus Zolnas, Oh, I
• 2:53:48
  Speaker 1: shall die of terror. I cannot bear to see it.
• 2:53:52
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl. Then don't look up at him, Hilda. There
• 2:53:56
  Speaker 1: he is standing on the topmost planks, right at the top,
• 2:54:00
  Speaker 1: Doctor Herdahl. Nobody must move, do you, hear Hilda exulting
• 2:54:05
  Speaker 1: with quiet intensity. At last, at last, now I see
• 2:54:11
  Speaker 1: him great and free again. Ragnar almost voiceless. But this
• 2:54:16
  Speaker 1: is imp Hilda, So I have seen him all through
• 2:54:18
  Speaker 1: these ten years. How secure he stands, frightfully, thrilling all
• 2:54:24
  Speaker 1: the same. Look at him now, he is hanging the
• 2:54:26
  Speaker 1: wreath round the vane, Ragnar, I feel as if I
• 2:54:31
  Speaker 1: were looking at something utterly impossible. Hilda, Yes, it is
• 2:54:36
  Speaker 1: the impossible that he is doing now with the indefinable
• 2:54:40
  Speaker 1: expression in her eyes. Can you see anyone else up
• 2:54:44
  Speaker 1: there with him? Rognar? There is no one else, Hilda, Yes,
• 2:54:49
  Speaker 1: there is one. He is striving with Rognar. You are mistaken, Hilda.
• 2:54:55
  Speaker 1: Then do you hear no song in the air either, Ragnar?
• 2:55:00
  Speaker 1: It must be the wind in the tree tops. Hilda,
• 2:55:04
  Speaker 1: I hear a song, a mighty song, shouts in wild
• 2:55:08
  Speaker 1: jubilation and glee. Look. Look now he is waving his hat.
• 2:55:12
  Speaker 1: He is waving it to us down here. Oh, wave,
• 2:55:16
  Speaker 1: wave back to him, for now it is finished. Snatches
• 2:55:19
  Speaker 1: the white shawl from the doctor, waves it and shouts
• 2:55:23
  Speaker 1: up to Zolnas. Hurrah from master Builder, Zolnas. Doctor hardall stop,
• 2:55:28
  Speaker 1: stop for God's sake. The ladies on the veranda wave
• 2:55:32
  Speaker 1: their pocket handkerchiefs, and the shouts of Hurrah are taken
• 2:55:35
  Speaker 1: up in the street below. Then they are suddenly silenced,
• 2:55:39
  Speaker 1: and the crowd bursts out into a shriek of horror.
• 2:55:42
  Speaker 1: A human body with planks and fragments of wood is
• 2:55:46
  Speaker 1: vaguely perceived crashing down behind the trees Missus Zolnus and
• 2:55:51
  Speaker 1: the ladies at the same time he is falling. He
• 2:55:54
  Speaker 1: is falling. Missus Zulness totters falls backwards, swooning, and is caught.
• 2:55:59
  Speaker 1: Amid cries confusion by the ladies. The crowd in the
• 2:56:02
  Speaker 1: street breaks down the fence and storms into the garden.
• 2:56:06
  Speaker 1: At the same time, Doctor Herridahl too rushes down thither
• 2:56:10
  Speaker 1: a short pause, Hilda stares fixedly upwards and says, as
• 2:56:15
  Speaker 1: if petrified, my master builder. Rognar supports himself, trembling against
• 2:56:22
  Speaker 1: the railing. He must be dashed to pieces, killed on
• 2:56:25
  Speaker 1: the spot one of the ladies, whilst Missus Zolnis is
• 2:56:29
  Speaker 1: carried into the house run down for the doctor, Rognar, I,
• 2:56:33
  Speaker 1: I can't stir a foot. Another lady then call to someone.
• 2:56:38
  Speaker 1: Rognar tries to call out, how is it is he alive?
• 2:56:42
  Speaker 1: A voice below in the garden mister Zolnas is dead.
• 2:56:46
  Speaker 1: Other voices nearer. The head is all crushed. He fell
• 2:56:50
  Speaker 1: right into the quarry Hilda turns to Rognar and says quietly,
• 2:56:55
  Speaker 1: I can't see him up there now, Rognar, this is terrible.
• 2:57:00
  Speaker 1: So after all he could not do it, Hilda, as
• 2:57:04
  Speaker 1: if in quiet spellbound triumph. But he mounted right to
• 2:57:08
  Speaker 1: the top, and I heard harps in the air, waves,
• 2:57:12
  Speaker 1: her shawl in the air, and shrieks with wild intensity.
• 2:57:16
  Speaker 1: My my master Builder. End of Act three recording by
• 2:57:23
  Speaker 1: expatriate in Bangor, Maine. End of The Master Builder by
• 2:57:28
  Speaker 1: Henrik Ibsen, translated by Edmund Gaussi eighteen forty nine to
• 2:57:33
  Speaker 1: nineteen twenty eight and William Archer