by Henrik Ibsen
IRENE [suddenly, with a wild look in her eyes]: Would you spend a summer’s night on the plateau – with me?
RUBEK [with outstretched arms]: Yes, yes – come!
IRENE: My beloved lord and master!
RUBEK: Oh, Irene!
IRENE [hoarse, smiles and gropes around in her bosom]: It will just be an episode –. [Hurried, whispering] Shh – don’t look round, Arnold!
RUBEK [similarly quiet]: What is it?
IRENE: A face, staring at me.
RUBEK [turns round involuntarily]: Where? [Starts] Oh –! The SISTER OF MERCY’s head has come half into view between the bushes on the downward path to the left. Her eyes are fixed on IRENE.
IRENE [stands up and says in a muted voice]: Then we must part. No, don’t get up. Do you hear! You must not come with me. [Bends over him and whispers] See you tonight. On the plateau.
RUBEK: And you’ll be there, Irene?
IRENE: Of course I’ll be there. Wait here for me.
RUBEK [repeats dreamily]: Summer night on the plateau. With you. With you. [His eyes meet hers.] Oh, Irene – that could have been life. – And we’ve wasted that – the two of us.
IRENE: We only see what is irredeemably lost – when – [breaks off suddenly]
RUBEK [looks questioningly at her]: When –?
IRENE: When we dead awaken.
RUBEK [shakes his head sadly]: Yes, and what do we see then?
IRENE: We see that we have never lived.
She walks across to the hillside and climbs down. The SISTER OF MERCY makes way for her and follows her.
RUBEK remains sitting motionless by the stream.
MAJA is heard singing exultantly up in the mountains.
MAJA: I am free! I am free! I am free!
Prison life’s over for me!
I’m free as a bird! I am free!
Act Three
Wild, high mountain ravine with sheer precipices in the background. Snow-capped peaks rise to the right and are lost in the floating mist high above. To the left amid a rock fall stands an old, semi-derelict cabin. It is early morning. Day is breaking. The sun has not yet risen.
MAJA, flushed and agitated, comes down over the rocks to the left. ULFHEIM follows, half angry, half amused, holding her tight by the sleeve.
MAJA [tries to free herself]: Let go of me! Let me go, I said!
ULFHEIM: Steady on – you’ll be biting me next. You’ve got the temper of a wolverine.1
MAJA [strikes him on the hand]: Let go, I said! And be quiet –
ULFHEIM: On my soul, I will not.
MAJA: Well, I’m not taking a step further with you, do you hear? Not a single step –!
ULFHEIM: Ha, ha – how do you expect to be free of me up here in the wilds of the mountains?
MAJA: I’ll jump straight over that precipice over there – if I have to –
ULFHEIM: And end up like dog food, mashed and pulped to bits – delicious and bloody –. [Lets go of her.] All right. Go ahead – jump over the precipice, if that’s what you want. It’s so steep it’ll make you giddy. Only a narrow footpath that’s just about impassable.
MAJA [dusts her skirt down and looks at him angrily]: Well. You really are a fine one to go hunting with!
ULFHEIM: You mean ‘to sport2 with’.
MAJA: Oh, you call this sport, do you?
ULFHEIM: Yes, I’ll take that liberty. – This is my very favourite kind of sport.
MAJA [tosses her head]: Well, I – is that so? [After a short pause; looks at him inquiringly.] Why did you let the hounds off up there?
ULFHEIM [blinks and smiles]: So they could go and have a bit of a hunt on their own too, of course.
MAJA: That’s simply not true! It wasn’t for the dogs’ sake you let them go.
ULFHEIM [smiling still]: Oh no? Let’s hear it then! Why did I let them go?
MAJA: You let them go because you wanted to get rid of Lars. You told him to run after them and catch them again. So that while – yes, that was really nice of you!
ULFHEIM: – so that while –?
MAJA [curt, abrupt]: Doesn’t matter.
ULFHEIM [in a confidential tone]: Lars won’t find them. You can damn well bet on it. He won’t be back with them before I’m ready.
MAJA [looks angrily at him]: No, I’m sure he won’t.
ULFHEIM [grabs at her arm]: You see, Lars is familiar with my – my sporting habits.
MAJA [eludes him and sizes him up]: Do you know what you resemble, Squire Ulfheim?
ULFHEIM: I imagine I most resemble myself.
MAJA: You’re absolutely right about that. You’re the image of a satyr.3
ULFHEIM: Satyr –?
MAJA: Exactly, a satyr.
ULFHEIM: A satyr – isn’t that some kind of monster? Or something like a, what you’d call a wood demon?
MAJA: Yes, a creature just like you. Like a he-goat: with a goat’s beard and goat’s legs. Oh, and of course, a satyr has horns4 too!
ULFHEIM: Ah, ha – he has horns too, does he?
MAJA: Yes, an ugly pair of horns, just like you do.
ULFHEIM: Can you see my poor horns?
MAJA: Yes, I can see them quite clearly.
ULFHEIM [takes the dog leash out of his pocket]: In that case it’s probably best if I take you and tie you up.
MAJA: Have you completely lost your mind? You want to tie me up –?
ULFHEIM: If I am a devil, let me be a devil. So! You can see my horns, can you?
MAJA [soothingly]: Oh, come now – do behave yourself, squire. [Breaks off] Where’s this hunting lodge of yours that we’ve heard so much about? It should be somewhere round here, you said.
ULFHEIM [points at the hut]: Right in front of your eyes.
MAJA [looks at him]: That old pigsty there?
ULFHEIM [laughs into his beard]: It’s accommodated more than one king’s daughter, has that!
MAJA: Was it there the ghastly man you talked about visited the king’s daughter in the shape of a bear?5
ULFHEIM: Yes, Madam Hunting Companion – the very place! [With an inviting gesture] If you’d like to step inside –
MAJA: Eugh! I wouldn’t set foot, no –! Eugh!
ULFHEIM: A couple could while away a summer’s night quite comfortably in there. Or an entire summer – if it comes to that.
MAJA: Thanks! You’d really have to have an appetite for that. [Impatient] But now I’m tired of you and I’m tired of this hunting expedition. I want to go down to the hotel now – before everyone down there wakes up.
ULFHEIM: How do you imagine you’ll get down there from here?
MAJA: That’s for you to work out. There must be a way down somewhere round here, I suppose.
ULFHEIM [points to the background]: Bless you, yes; there is a path, of sorts – just over the precipice there –
MAJA: You see –! All it takes is a little goodwill and –
ULFHEIM: – go ahead; try it, if you dare go down that way.
MAJA [doubtfully]: You don’t think I can?
ULFHEIM: Never in this world. Not unless you let me help you –
MAJA [uneasily]: Well, come and help me then! You’re of no other use to me.
ULFHEIM: Would you prefer me to carry you on my back?
MAJA: Don’t be silly!
ULFHEIM: – or in my arms?
MAJA: Oh, don’t be ridiculous!
ULFHEIM [with suppressed indignation]: I once took a wretch of a young girl – lifted her up out of the gutter and carried her away, I carried her in my arms. Wanted to carry her through life – so her feet would never get hurt on any stones.6 You see, her shoes were so horribly worn when I found her –
MAJA: And you still lifted her up and carried her in your arms.
ULFHEIM: Lifted her out of the gutter in my arms and carried her as high and as carefully as I could. [With a gruff laugh] And you know what thanks I got?
MAJA: No, what?
ULFHEIM [looks at her, smiles and nods]: My horns. The horns
you see so clearly. – Isn’t that a funny story, Madam Bear Slayer?
MAJA: Oh, yes, funny enough. But I know another story which is even funnier.
ULFHEIM: How does that go, then?
MAJA: Like this. Once upon a time there was a stupid little girl, who had both a mother and a father. But they were quite poor. Then one day a high and mighty gentleman appeared in the midst of all this poverty. And he took the little girl in his arms – just like you – and carried the girl off, far, far away –
ULFHEIM: Did she want to be with him so very much?
MAJA: Yes, because she was stupid, you see.
ULFHEIM: And perhaps because he was such a very handsome man?
MAJA: Oh, no. Not so very handsome either. But he led her to believe that she would be allowed to join him up on the highest mountain,7 where it would be so immeasurably bright and full of sunshine.
ULFHEIM: So was this man a mountaineer, then?
MAJA: Yes, he was – in a way.
ULFHEIM: So did he take the young girl up with him to –?
MAJA [tosses her head]: Hm! – did he take her up with him! Oh, no! He lured her into a cold, damp cage, where to her it seemed there was no sunshine, no fresh air – just gilt walls instead, with great, spectral, petrified figures of humans all around them.
ULFHEIM: I’ll be damned if she didn’t have it coming to her!
MAJA: Yes, but don’t you think that it’s a pretty strange story even so?
ULFHEIM [briefly looks at her]: Listen to me, my fine hunting companion –
MAJA: Yes, what is it now?
ULFHEIM: Shouldn’t you and I stitch the ragged tatters of our lives together?
MAJA: Oh! The squire fancies trying his hand at patchwork,8 does he?
ULFHEIM: Yes, yes, he does. Couldn’t the two of us try to patch together something from these rags – a bit here, a bit there – and make something of them that resembles a life?
MAJA [laughs]: But what happens when these poor old rags are completely worn out – what then?
ULFHEIM [strikes out with his hand]: Then we’ll stand there, free and undaunted – like the people we are!
MAJA [laughs]: Yes, you with your goat legs!
ULFHEIM: And you with your –. No, let it go.
MAJA: Come on, let us go.
ULFHEIM: Stop! Where to, comrade?
MAJA: Down to the hotel, of course.
ULFHEIM: And then?
MAJA: Then we’ll say goodbye and thank each other very nicely.
ULFHEIM: Can we part, the two of us? Do you believe that we can?
MAJA: Well, you didn’t manage to tie me up, you know.
ULFHEIM: I’ve a castle to offer you –
MAJA [points to the cabin]: Like that thing there?
ULFHEIM: It’s still standing.
MAJA: And all the glory of the world too, perhaps?
ULFHEIM: I said a castle –
MAJA: Thanks! I’ve had enough of castles.
ULFHEIM: – with fine hunting grounds for miles around.
MAJA: Are there any works of art in this castle?
ULFHEIM [slowly]: No – no works of art, I’m afraid, but –
MAJA [relieved]: That’s good!
ULFHEIM: So, will you come with me, then – for as far and as long as I want?
MAJA: There’s a tame bird of prey sitting there keeping watch over me.
ULFHEIM [wildly]: We’ll shoot him in the wing, Maja!
MAJA [looks at him for a moment and says with determination]: Well, come along then and carry me down the ravine.
ULFHEIM [throws his arm round her waist]: About time! The mist is over us –!
MAJA: Is the way down terribly dangerous?
ULFHEIM: The mountain mist is more dangerous.
She tears herself loose, walks over to the ridge and looks down, but quickly rushes back.
ULFHEIM [goes towards her and laughs]: So it makes you dizzy?
MAJA [weakly]: Yes, that too. But go over there and take a look down. Those two coming –
ULFHEIM [walks over to the ridge and bends over]: It’s only your bird of prey – and his strange lady.
MAJA: Can’t we slip past them – without their seeing us?
ULFHEIM: Impossible. The path’s far too narrow. And there’s no other way down.
MAJA [pulling herself together]: Oh well – let’s stand our ground here, then!
ULFHEIM: Spoken like a true bear killer, comrade!
RUBEK and IRENE come into view up above the ravine in the background. His plaid is over his shoulders. She has a fur cape worn loosely over her white dress and a white swansdown hood over her head.
RUBEK [still only semi-visible over the ridge]: Well, Maja! We meet yet again!
MAJA [with affected confidence]: At your service! Please, do come closer.
RUBEK climbs all the way up and holds a hand out to IRENE, who also comes all the way up.
RUBEK [coldly, to MAJA]: I see you’ve been out on the mountain all night too – just like us?
MAJA: Yes, I’ve been hunting. You did give me leave.9
ULFHEIM [points across to the ravine]: Did you come up that path there?
RUBEK: Yes; you saw us.
ULFHEIM: The strange lady as well?
RUBEK: Of course. [Glances at MAJA] From now on the strange lady and I no longer propose to take separate paths.
ULFHEIM: Don’t you know the way you came up, it’s a deadly path –?
RUBEK: We tried it even so. Because it didn’t seem so bad to begin with.
ULFHEIM: No, to begin with nothing seems difficult. But then you can get to an awkward spot where you can’t see your way forward or back. So you’re stuck there, professor! Wedged like a rock, as we hunters say.
RUBEK [smiles and looks at him]: Words of wisdom, I take it?
ULFHEIM: Words of wisdom, from me? Not bloody likely.
[Urgently – points up to the heights.] But can’t you see that the storm is overhead! Can’t you hear the gusts of wind?
RUBEK [listens]: It sounds like the prelude to the day of resurrection.
ULFHEIM: It’s the blasts blowing down from the peaks, man! Just look at the clouds swelling and sinking. They’ll soon be over us like a shroud.
IRENE [gives a start]: I know that shroud.
MAJA [clings to him]: Let’s just get down.
ULFHEIM [to RUBEK]: I can’t help more than one. Just stay there in the hut as long as – while the storm lasts. Then I’ll send people up to fetch the two of you.
IRENE [terrified]: Fetch us! No! No –!
ULFHEIM [roughly]: With force, if they have to. This is a matter of life and death. Now you know. [To MAJA] Come now – put your trust in your comrade.
MAJA [clings to him]: I’ll sing and shout with joy if I make it down in one piece!
ULFHEIM [starts the descent and cries out to the others]: So go and wait inside, in the hut, till the men arrive with ropes to fetch you.
ULFHEIM with MAJA in his arms climbs quickly but carefully down into the ravine.
IRENE [looks at RUBEK for a while with terror in her eyes]: Did you hear that, Arnold? – Men are coming to get me! Lots of men are coming up here –!
RUBEK: Just keep calm, Irene!
IRENE [with mounting terror]: What about her, the one in black – she’ll come too. Because she must have missed me, long ago. And she’ll come and grab hold of me, Arnold! And put me in the straitjacket. Yes, she’s got it with her, in the suitcase. I’ve seen it myself –
RUBEK: No one will be allowed to touch you.
IRENE [with a crazed smile]: No – I have my own means of preventing that.
RUBEK: What means?
IRENE [draws the knife]: This, here!
RUBEK [tries to grab it]: You’ve got a knife –!
IRENE: Always, always. Day and night. In bed too.
RUBEK: Give me that knife, Irene!
IRENE [hides it]: You’re not having it. I can easily find a use for it myself.
<
br /> RUBEK: What use do you have for it here?
IRENE [looks steadily at him]: It was intended for you, Arnold.
RUBEK: For me!
IRENE: When we sat down beside Taunitzer See last night –
RUBEK: Taunitzer –?
IRENE: Outside the farmhouse. Playing with swans and water-lilies –
RUBEK: What? What then?
IRENE: – and then I heard you say in such an icy, tomb-cold voice – that I was nothing more than an episode in your life –
RUBEK: It was you who said that, Irene! Not I.
IRENE [continues]: – I had pulled out the knife, then. Because I wanted to plunge it into your back.
RUBEK [darkly]: So why didn’t you?
IRENE: Because I realized with horror that you were already dead – had been for a long time.
RUBEK: Dead?
IRENE: Dead. Dead, just like me. We sat there beside Taunitzer See, we two clammy corpses – playing games.
RUBEK: I don’t call that dead. But you don’t understand me.
IRENE: What happened to that burning desire for me that you struggled with and fought against when I stood before you, freely, as woman resurrected?
RUBEK: Our love is certainly not dead, Irene.
IRENE: The love which is of this world, this life – the beautiful, the wonderful – the mysterious life of the earth – that has died in us both.
RUBEK [passionately]: Do you know that just that love, that very love – seethes and burns in me more passionately than ever before!
IRENE: And me? Have you forgotten who I am now?
RUBEK: As far as I’m concerned you can be whoever and whatever you want! For me you are the woman I see when I dream of you.
IRENE: I have stood on a revolving pedestal – naked – on display to hundreds of men – after you.
RUBEK: It was I who pushed you up on to that pedestal – blind, as I was then! I, who prized that lifeless clay image more than life – more than the happiness of love.
IRENE [looking down]: Too late. Too late.
RUBEK: Nothing of all that happened since has reduced you in my eyes, not by a hair’s breadth.
IRENE [with her head up]: Nor in mine.
RUBEK: Well! We’re free, then. And there’s still time for us to live our life, Irene.
IRENE [looks heavily at him]: The appetite for life died in me, Arnold. I am risen now. I search for you. And find you. – And then I see that you and life lie dead – just as I have lain.