by Henrik Ibsen
MAJA [filling his glass]: Shame on you, Rubek! Now drink, and be merry.12
RUBEK [strokes his brow repeatedly and sits back in his chair]: I am merry, Maja. Genuinely merry. In a way, that is. [Is silent for a short while.] Because there is a certain happiness in feeling free from everything and independent of everything. To have had my fill of everything anyone could ever wish for. To all appearances, at least. – Don’t you feel the same way I do, Maja?
MAJA: Oh, yes, I do. Up to a point, I suppose. [Looks at him.] But do you remember what you promised me the day we agreed about that difficult –
RUBEK [nods]: – that the two of us should marry. It was very hard for you, that, Maja.
MAJA [remains unruffled]: – and that I would go abroad with you and live there permanently – and have a good life. – Can you remember what you promised me then?
RUBEK [shakes his head]: No, I honestly can’t. So, what did I promise you?
MAJA: You said you would take me with you up on to a high mountain and show me all the glory of the world.13
RUBEK [taken aback]: Did I really promise you that too?
MAJA [looks at him]: Me too? Who else?
RUBEK [indifferently]: No, no, I just meant whether I promised to show you –?
MAJA: – all the glory of the world. Yes, you did say that. And all the glory was to be mine and yours, you said.
RUBEK: It’s a sort of catch-phrase I used in the past.
MAJA: Just a catch-phrase?
RUBEK: Yes, from my schooldays. I used it to entice the neighbours’ children when I wanted them to come out and play with me in the forests and the mountains.
MAJA [looks fixedly at him]: So perhaps all you wanted from me was to come out and play as well?
RUBEK [brushes it off in jest]: Well, it has been a rather amusing game, hasn’t it, Maja?
MAJA [coldly]: I did not go away with you just to play.
RUBEK: No, no, I dare say you didn’t.
MAJA: And you never took me up any high mountain to show me –
RUBEK [irritated]: – all the glory of the world? No, I didn’t. And let me tell you this, little Maja: you’re not really built for mountaineering.
MAJA [attempts to control herself]: But you seemed to think I was once.
RUBEK: Four or five years ago, yes. [Stretches out in his chair] Four-five years, that’s a long, long time, Maja.
MAJA [looks at him with a bitter expression]: Has the time passed so very slowly for you, Rubek?
RUBEK: It’s beginning to feel a little slow now. [Yawns.] You know, every now and then.
MAJA [goes back to her seat]: Well, I won’t bore you any longer.
She sits down in her chair, picks up her newspaper and starts turning the pages.
Silence on both sides.
RUBEK [leans across with his elbows on the table and looks teasingly at her]: Is the Frau Professor14 offended?
MAJA [coldly, without looking up]: No, not in the least.
VISITORS TO THE SPA, mostly ladies, begin arriving singly and in groups through the park from the right and out to the left.
WAITERS bring refreshments from the hotel, emerging from behind the pavilion.
The MANAGER, with gloves and cane in hand, arrives from his rounds of the park, meets the guests and greets them affably, exchanging a few words with some of them.
MANAGER [walks up to PROFESSOR RUBEK’s table and politely removes his hat]: May I have the honour of wishing you a good morning, Frau Professor? – Good morning, professor.
RUBEK: Good morning, good morning, sir.
MANAGER [addressing MAJA]: May I inquire if our esteemed guests had a restful night?
MAJA: Yes, thank you very much; absolutely fine – for my part at any rate. I always sleep like a log.
MANAGER: I’m delighted to hear it. The first night in a strange place can sometimes be rather uncomfortable. – And what about the professor –?
RUBEK: Oh, my sleep has been pretty poor. Especially of late.
MANAGER [appears sympathetic]: Oh – it pains me to hear it. But a few weeks’ stay up here at the spa – should see to that.
RUBEK [looks up at him]: Tell me, sir – are any of your patients in the habit of bathing at night?
MANAGER [surprised]: At night? No, I’ve never heard tell of such a thing.
RUBEK: You haven’t?
MANAGER: No, I don’t know if there’s anyone here who is so sick as to require that.
RUBEK: Well, but is anyone here in the habit of walking in the park at night?
MANAGER [smiles and shakes his head]: No, professor – that would be against the regulations.
MAJA [becoming impatient]: For heaven’s sake, Rubek, it’s just as I said to you this morning – you’ve been dreaming.
RUBEK [drily]: Really? Have I? Thanks! [Turns to the MANAGER.] I happened to get up in the night; I couldn’t sleep. And I wanted to see what the weather was like –
MANAGER [attentive]: Yes, professor? And –?
RUBEK: So I looked out of the window – and a bright figure caught my eye over there, among the trees.
MAJA [smiling at the MANAGER]: And the professor tells us that this figure was wearing a bathing suit –
RUBEK – or something of the kind, I said. I couldn’t see that clearly. But it was definitely something white I saw.
MANAGER: Most remarkable. Was it a gentleman or a lady?
RUBEK: It seemed to me that it almost certainly had to be a lady. But another figure followed it. And it was quite dark. Like a shadow –
MANAGER [puzzled]: A dark figure? Completely black perhaps?
RUBEK: Yes, it almost seemed so, to my eyes.
MANAGER [as though beginning to understand]: Behind the white one? Close behind her –?
RUBEK: Yes. At some distance behind –
MANAGER: Aha! Then perhaps I can explain, professor.
RUBEK: Oh, what was it then?
MAJA [at the same time]: So the professor hasn’t been dreaming after all!
MANAGER [suddenly changing to a whisper as he points towards the background, right]: Sir, madam, shh! Look, over there –. Keep your voices down, now!
A slender LADY, dressed in fine cream-coloured cashmere and followed by a SISTER OF MERCY in black with a silver cross on a chain on her breast, enters from behind the corner of the hotel and walks through the park across to the pavilion to the left, in the foreground. Her face is pale and her features somewhat rigid; her eyelids droop, her eyes appear to be without the power of sight. Her dress is floor length and falls downs her body in regular cascading folds. A large white crêpe shawl covers her neck, chest, shoulders and arms. She keeps her arms folded across her chest. Her posture is rigid. Her steps are stiff and measured. The SISTER OF MERCY’s bearing is similarly measured, reminiscent of a serving girl’s. She follows the LADY constantly with her sharp brown eyes. WAITERS with napkins over their arms come to the door of the hotel and peer at the two strangers in curiosity. They take no notice and walk into the pavilion without looking round.
RUBEK [has risen slowly and involuntarily from his chair and stares at the pavilion door, now closed]: Who was that lady?
MANAGER: A stranger; she’s renting that small pavilion there.
RUBEK: Foreign?
MANAGER: Apparently so. They came here from abroad, at any rate. A week ago. Never been here before.
RUBEK [decisive, looks at him]: It was her I saw in the park last night.
MANAGER: It must have been. I thought that straight away.
RUBEK: What’s the lady’s name, sir?
MANAGER: She registered as a Madam de Satow and companion. That’s all we know.
RUBEK [pondering]: Satow? Satow –?
MAJA [laughs scornfully]: Do you know anyone of that name, Rubek? Do you?
RUBEK [shakes his head]: No, no one at all. – Satow? That sounds Russian. Or Slavonic at least. [To the MANAGER] What language does she speak?
MANAGER: When the two ladies tal
k to each other they do so in a language I can’t place. But otherwise she speaks excellent Norwegian, like a native.
RUBEK [exclaims in surprise]: Norwegian! Are you sure you’re not mistaken?
MANAGER: How could I be mistaken?
RUBEK [looks expectantly at him]: You’ve heard her speak yourself, then?
MANAGER: Yes. I have spoken with her myself. Just a few times. – Only a couple of words, come to think of it. She’s extremely taciturn. But –
RUBEK: But it was Norwegian?
MANAGER: Good, honest Norwegian. Perhaps with a slight northern15 inflection.
RUBEK [stares fascinated into space and whispers]: That too!
MAJA [a little hurt and ill at ease]: Perhaps this lady modelled for you at some point, Rubek? Think about it.
RUBEK [looks sharply at her]: Model!
MAJA [with a teasing smile]: Yes, in your younger years, I mean. Because you’re said to have had an unbelievable number of models. Back then, of course.
RUBEK [in the same tone]: Oh, no, my little Maja. I’ve only really ever had one model. One single model – for everything I’ve created.
MANAGER [who has turned and stands looking out to the left]: Yes, unfortunately I must excuse myself now. Because there’s someone who is not particularly pleasant to run into. Not least in the presence of ladies.
RUBEK [looking in the same direction]: That hunter over there? Who is that?
MANAGER: That’s Ulfheim, the squire out from –
RUBEK: Oh, Squire Ulfheim.
MANAGER: – the bear killer, as they call him –
RUBEK: I know him.
MANAGER: Yes, who doesn’t?
RUBEK: Only very slightly, that is. Is he a patient here now – at last?
MANAGER: No, oddly enough – not yet. He just passes through once a year – on his way up to the hunting grounds. – Do excuse me for a moment – [He is about to head inside the hotel.]
ULFHEIM [heard outside]: Hold on! For Christ’s sake! Why are you always running away from me?
MANAGER [stops]: Not running at all, squire.
SQUIRE ULFHEIM enters from the left, followed by a servant leading a pack of hunting dogs. The squire is in hunting dress, with tall boots and a felt hat with a feather in it. He is a tall, thin, sinewy figure with unkempt beard and hair, and a loud voice. It is impossible to tell his age from his appearance, but he is no longer young.
ULFHEIM [rushes at the MANAGER]: Is that any way to receive guests, eh? Rushing off with your tail between your hind legs – as though you had a devil at your heels.
MANAGER [calm, without answering him]: Have you just arrived on the steamer, sir?
ULFHEIM [growls]: Haven’t had the honour of seeing any steamer. [With his hands on his hips] Surely you know that I always sail in my own cutter? [To the SERVANT] Take good care of your fellow creatures, Lars. But keep them good and hungry, you hear. Fresh bones. Not too much meat on them, mind. Make sure they’re raw, reeking and bloody. And while you’re at it, stick something inside your own belly. [Kicks at him] To hell with you now!
The SERVANT takes the dogs out behind the corner of the hotel.
MANAGER: Perhaps the squire would like to go to the dining room in the meantime?
ULFHEIM: In among those half-dead flies and people? No, thank you so very much, sir, I’ll pass.
MANAGER: Yes, yes, as you wish.
ULFHEIM: But get the housekeeper to get my supplies ready as usual. Make sure there’s plenty of food. Lots of drink –! And tell her that if she doesn’t, either Lars or I will come and ram the very devil into her –
MANAGER [interrupting]: We know all this from before. [Turns] Shall I tell the waiter to bring you anything, professor? Or perhaps something for Mrs Rubek?
RUBEK: No thanks; nothing for me.
MAJA: Nor for me.
The MANAGER goes into the hotel.
ULFHEIM [stares at them for a moment; he then raises his hat]: Well, death and damnation! What frightfully refined company for a mongrel peasant to be mixing in!
RUBEK [looks up]: What do you mean by that, sir?
ULFHEIM [more gentle and better mannered]: It seems that I’ve bumped into Rubek the famous sculptor16 himself!
RUBEK [nods]: We have met socially once or twice. The autumn I was last in the country.
ULFHEIM: Yes, but that was many years ago now. And at that time you weren’t as well known as I gather you are now. Because back then, even a filthy bear hunter would dare to approach you.
RUBEK [smiles]: I don’t bite now either.
MAJA [looks at ULFHEIM with interest]: Are you a real, genuine bear hunter?
ULFHEIM [sits down at the next table, closer to the hotel]: Yes, bears, when I can, madam. Otherwise I make do with anything wild that happens to cross my path. Anything from eagles to wolves, women to elk and reindeer –. As long as they’re healthy and vigorous and full-blooded, they’re – [He drinks from his hip flask.]
MAJA [looks at him fixedly]: But a bear hunter, given the choice?
ULFHEIM: Given the choice, yes. Because if things get tricky, you can easily use your knife. [Smiles a little] We both work with awkward material, madam – your husband and I. I expect he struggles a bit with that marble. And I struggle with tense, throbbing bear sinews. In the end both of us manage to subdue our material. Make ourselves lord and master17 over it. Don’t give up till we’ve got the better of what resists us so fiercely.
RUBEK [musing]: That’s true enough, I suppose.
ULFHEIM: Yes, because even the stone has something to fight for, I’d say. It’s dead, but will resist, with might and main, being hammered into life. Just like the bear does when someone comes along and prods it in its den.
MAJA: Are you going hunting up in the forests now?
ULFHEIM: Right up high in the mountains. – You’ve never been up among the peaks, I expect, have you, madam?
MAJA: No, never.
ULFHEIM: Death and damnation. See you get yourself up there this summer, then! Along with me, if you like. I’m happy to take both you and the professor.
MAJA: Thanks, but Rubek has a sea voyage in mind this summer.
RUBEK: Coastal, round the inner skerries.
ULFHEIM: Eugh! – what the devil would you do in those putrid, hellish gutters! Just think about it – floating around aimlessly on brackish water. – Puke-water, more like.
MAJA: Hear that, Rubek?
ULFHEIM: No, you’d be much better off coming up into the mountains with me. There you’re free of people, no taint of people. You can’t imagine what that means to me. But a little lady like – [He stops.]
The SISTER OF MERCY comes out of the pavilion and walks into the hotel.
ULFHEIM [follows her with his eyes]: Would you look at her over there. The black crow. – Who’s being buried?
RUBEK: I don’t know that anybody here is –
ULFHEIM: Well, either that or someone’s lying here ready to croak. Somewhere or other. – The sick and dying should have the decency to go and get themselves buried sooner rather than later.
MAJA: Have you ever been sick yourself, squire?
ULFHEIM: Never. Wouldn’t be sitting here if I had. – But my nearest and dearest – they have been sick, poor things.
MAJA: So what did you do to help your nearest and dearest, then?
ULFHEIM: Shot them, of course.
RUBEK [looks at him]: Shot them?
MAJA [moves her chair back]: Shot them dead?
ULFHEIM [nods]: I never miss, madam.
MAJA: But how can you even contemplate shooting people dead?
ULFHEIM: I’m not talking about people –
MAJA: Your nearest and dearest, you said –
ULFHEIM: My nearest and dearest; they’re the dogs, of course.
MAJA: Your nearest and dearest are your dogs?
ULFHEIM: I’ve no one closer. My honest, faithful, impeccably honourable hunting companions –. When one of them gets sick and weak, then – bang!
And with that a friend is expedited – into the hereafter.
The SISTER OF MERCY comes out of the hotel carrying a tray with bread and milk on it. She puts it down on the table outside the pavilion and then goes back inside.
ULFHEIM [laughs scornfully]: That stuff – is that supposed to be food for humans! Milk and water18 and soft, mushy bread. Ha, you should see my comrades eat! Would you like to see that?
MAJA [smiles at the PROFESSOR and stands up]: Yes, I would.
ULFHEIM [also stands up]: You’re a truly game lady, you are, madam. Come with me, then. Big, fat meaty knuckles, they swallow them whole. Spew them back up and wolf them back down again. Oh, it’s sheer joy to watch. Come here, and I’ll show you. And we’ll talk a bit more about this trip up to the mountains –
He goes out round the corner of the hotel. MAJA follows him. Almost at the same time the STRANGE LADY comes out of the pavilion and sits down at the table. She lifts the milk glass and is about to drink but stops and look across at RUBEK with empty, expressionless eyes.
RUBEK [stays seated at his table and stares seriously and intently at her. He eventually stands up, walks a few paces closer, stops and says in a low voice]: I have no difficulty recognizing you, Irene.
THE LADY19 [in a toneless voice, setting the glass down]: You’ve guessed, have you, Arnold?
RUBEK [without answering]: And you recognize me too, I see.
THE LADY: That’s a completely different matter.
RUBEK: Why?
THE LADY: Because you are still alive.
RUBEK [does not understand]: Alive –?
THE LADY [after a short pause]: Who was the other one? The woman you had with you – there at the table?
RUBEK [slightly hesitant]: That? That was my – my wife.
THE LADY [nods slowly]: I see. That’s good, Arnold. So she’s no concern of mine –
RUBEK [uncertain]: No, that goes without saying –
THE LADY: – someone you found yourself after my lifetime then?
RUBEK [suddenly looks stiffly at her]: After your –? What do you mean by that, Irene?
IRENE [without answering]: And the child? The child too is well? Our child lives on after me. In honour and glory.20