HILDA.
Yes, I know you have built a tremendous lot.
SOLNESS.
I have indeed—especially of late years.
HILDA.
Many church-towers among the rest? Immensely high ones?
SOLNESS.
No. I build no more church-towers now. Nor churches either.
HILDA.
What _do_ you build then?
SOLNESS.
Homes for human beings.
HILDA.
[_Reflectively._] Couldn’t you build a little—a little bit of a
church-tower over these homes as well?
SOLNESS.
[_Starting._] What do you mean by _that_?
HILDA.
I mean—something that points—points up into the free air. With the vane
at a dizzy height.
SOLNESS.
[_Pondering a little._] Strange that you should say _that_—for that is
just what I am most anxious to do.
HILDA.
[_Impatiently._] Why don’t you do it, then?
SOLNESS.
[_Shakes his head._] No, the people will not have it.
HILDA.
Fancy their not wanting it!
SOLNESS.
[_More lightly._] But now I am building a new home for myself—just
opposite here.
HILDA.
For yourself?
SOLNESS.
Yes. It is almost finished. And on that there is a tower.
HILDA.
A high tower?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
Very high?
SOLNESS.
No doubt people will say it is _too_ high—too high for a dwelling-house.
HILDA.
I’ll go out and look at that tower the first thing to-morrow morning.
SOLNESS.
[_Sits resting his check on his hand, and gazes at her._] Tell me, Miss
Wangel—what is your name? Your Christian name, I mean?
HILDA.
Why, Hilda, of course.
SOLNESS.
[_As before._] Hilda? Indeed?
HILDA.
Don’t you remember _that_? You called me Hilda yourself—that day when
you misbehaved.
SOLNESS.
Did I really?
HILDA.
But then you said “_little_ Hilda”; and I didn’t like that.
SOLNESS.
Oh, you didn’t like that, Miss Hilda?
HILDA.
No, not at such a time as that. But—“Princess Hilda”—that will sound
very well, I think.
SOLNESS.
Very well indeed. Princess Hilda of—of—what was to be the name of the
kingdom?
HILDA.
Pooh! I won’t have anything to do with _that_ stupid kingdom. I have set
my heart upon quite a different one!
SOLNESS.
[_Has leaned back in the chair, still gazing at her._] Isn’t it
strange——? The more I think of it now, the more it seems to me as though
I had gone about all these years torturing myself with—h’m——
HILDA.
With what?
SOLNESS.
With the effort to recover something—some experience, which I seemed to
have forgotten. But I never had the least inkling of what it could be.
HILDA.
You should have tied a knot in your pocket-handkerchief, Mr. Solness.
SOLNESS.
In that case, I should simply have had to go racking my brains to
discover what the knot could mean.
HILDA.
Oh yes, I suppose there are trolls of _that_ kind in the world, too.
SOLNESS.
[_Rises slowly._] What a good thing it is that _you_ have come to me
now.
HILDA.
[_Looks deeply into his eyes._] _Is_ it a good thing!
SOLNESS.
For I have been so lonely here. I have been gazing so helplessly at it
all. [_In a lower voice._] I must tell you—I have begun to be so
afraid—so terribly afraid of the younger generation.
HILDA.
[_With a little snort of contempt._] Pooh—is the younger generation a
thing to be afraid of?
SOLNESS.
It is indeed. And that is why I have locked and barred myself in.
[_Mysteriously_] I tell you the younger generation will one day come and
thunder at my door! They will break in upon me!
HILDA.
Then I should say you ought to go out and open the door to the younger
generation.
SOLNESS.
Open the door?
HILDA.
Yes. Let them come in to you on friendly terms, as it were.
SOLNESS.
No, no, no! The younger generation—it means retribution, you see. It
comes, as if under a new banner, heralding the turn of fortune.
HILDA.
[_Rises, looks at him, and says with a quivering twitch of her lips._]
Can _I_ be of any use to you, Mr. Solness?
SOLNESS.
Yes, you can indeed! For you, too, come—under a new banner, it seems to
me. Youth marshalled against youth——!
_DR. HERDAL comes in by the hall-door._
DR. HERDAL.
What—you and Miss Wangel here still?
SOLNESS.
Yes. We have had no end of things to talk about.
HILDA.
Both old and new.
DR. HERDAL.
Have you really?
HILDA.
Oh, it has been the greatest fun. For Mr. Solness—he has such a
miraculous memory. All the least little details he remembers instantly.
_MRS. SOLNESS enters by the door on the right._
MRS. SOLNESS.
Well, Miss Wangel, your room is quite ready for you now.
HILDA.
Oh, how kind you are to me!
SOLNESS.
[_To MRS. SOLNESS._] The nursery?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, the middle one. But first let us go in to supper.
SOLNESS.
[_Nods to HILDA._] Hilda shall sleep in the nursery, she shall.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Looks at him._] Hilda?
SOLNESS.
Yes, Miss Wangel’s name is Hilda. I knew her when she was a child.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Did you really, Halvard? Well, shall we go? Supper is on the table.
[_She takes_ DR. HERDAL’S _arm and goes out with him to the
right._ HILDA _has meanwhile been collecting her travelling
things._
HILDA.
[_Softly and rapidly to SOLNESS._] Is it true, what you said? _Can_ I be
of use to you?
SOLNESS.
[_Takes the things from her._] _You_ are the very being I have needed
most.
HILDA.
[_Looks at him with happy, wondering eyes and clasps her hands._] But
then, great heavens——!
SOLNESS.
[_Eagerly._] What——?
HILDA.
Then I _have_ my kingdom!
SOLNESS.
[_Involuntarily._] Hilda——!
HILDA.
[_Again with the quivering twitch of her lips._] _Almost_—I was going to
say.
[_She goes out to the right,_ SOLNESS _follows her._
-----
Footnote 26:
In the original “Appelsinia,” “appelsin” meaning “orange.”
ACT SECOND.
_A prettily furnished small drawing-room in_ SOLNESS’S _house. In the
back, a glass-door leading out to the verandah and garden. The
right-hand corner is cut off transversely by a large bay-window,
in which are flower-stands. The left-hand corner is similarly cut
off by a transverse wall, in which is a small door papered like
the wall. On each side, an ordinary door. In front, on the right,
a console table with a large mirror over it. Well-filled stands of
plants and flowers. In front, on the left, a sofa with a table and
chairs. Further back, a bookcase. Well forward in the room, before
the bay window, a small table and some chairs. It is early in the
day._
SOLNESS _sits by the little table with_ RAGNAR BROVIK’S _portfolio open
in front of him. He is turning the drawings over and closely
examining some of them._ MRS. SOLNESS _moves about noiselessly
with a small watering-pot, attending to her flowers. She is
dressed in black as before. Her hat, cloak and parasol lie on a
chair near the mirror. Unobserved by her,_ SOLNESS _now and again
follows her with his eyes. Neither of them speaks._
KAIA FOSLI _enters quietly by the door on the left._
SOLNESS.
[_Turns his head, and says in an off hand tone of indifference_] Well,
is that you?
KAIA.
I merely wished to let you know that I have come.
SOLNESS.
Yes, yes, that’s all right. Hasn’t Ragnar come too?
KAIA.
No, not yet. He had to wait a little while to see the doctor. But he is
coming presently to hear——
SOLNESS.
How is the old man to-day?
KAIA.
Not well. He begs you to excuse him; he is obliged to keep his bed
to-day.
SOLNESS.
Why, of course; by all means let him rest. But now, get to your work.
KAIA.
Yes. [_Pauses at the door._] Do you wish to speak to Ragnar when he
comes?
SOLNESS.
No—I don’t know that I have anything particular to say to him.
[KAIA _goes out again to the left._ SOLNESS _remains seated,
turning over the drawings._
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Over beside the plants._] I wonder if he isn’t going to die now, as
well?
SOLNESS.
[_Looks up at her._] As well as who?
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Without answering._] Yes, yes—depend upon it, Halvard, old Brovik is
going to die too. You’ll see that he will.
SOLNESS.
My dear Aline, ought you not to go out for a little walk?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, I suppose I ought to.
[_She continues to attend to the flowers._
SOLNESS.
[_Bending over the drawings._] Is she still asleep?
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Looking at him._] Is it Miss Wangel you are sitting there thinking
about?
SOLNESS.
[_Indifferently._] I just happened to recollect her.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Miss Wangel was up long ago.
SOLNESS.
Oh, was she?
MRS. SOLNESS.
When I went in to see her, she was busy putting her things in order.
[_She goes in front of the mirror and slowly begins to put on
her hat._
SOLNESS.
[_After a short pause._] So we have found a use for one of our nurseries
after all, Aline.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, we have.
SOLNESS.
That seems to me better than to have them all standing empty.
MRS. SOLNESS.
That emptiness is dreadful; you are right there.
SOLNESS.
[_Closes the portfolio, rises and approaches her._] You will find that
we shall get on far better after this, Aline. Things will be more
comfortable. Life will be easier—especially for _you_.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Looks at him._] After this?
SOLNESS.
Yes, believe me, Aline——
MRS. SOLNESS.
Do you mean—because _she_ has come here?
SOLNESS.
[_Checking himself._] I mean, of course—when once we have moved into the
new house.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Takes her cloak._] Ah, do you think so, Halvard? Will it be better
then?
SOLNESS.
I can’t think otherwise. And surely you think so too?
MRS. SOLNESS.
I think nothing at all about the new house.
SOLNESS.
[_Cast down._] It’s hard for me to hear you say that; for you know it is
mainly for your sake that I have built it.
[_He offers to help her on with her cloak._
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Evades him._] The fact is, you do far too much for my sake.
SOLNESS.
[_With a certain vehemence._] No, no, you really mustn’t say that,
Aline! I cannot bear to hear you say such things!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Very well, then I won’t say it, Halvard.
SOLNESS.
But I stick to what _I_ said. You’ll see that things will be easier for
you in the new place.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh heavens—easier for me——
SOLNESS.
[_Eagerly._] Yes, indeed they will! You may be quite sure of that! For
you see—there will be so very, very much _there_ that will remind you of
your own home——
MRS. SOLNESS.
The home that used to be father’s and mother’s—and that was burnt to the
ground——
SOLNESS.
[_In a low voice._] Yes, yes, my poor Aline. That was a terrible blow
for you.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Breaking out in lamentation._] You may build as much as ever you like,
Halvard—you can never build up again a real home for _me_!
SOLNESS.
[_Crosses the room._] Well, in Heaven’s name, let us talk no more about
it then.
MRS. SOLNESS.
We are not in the habit of talking about it. For you always put the
thought away from you——
SOLNESS.
[_Stops suddenly and looks at her._] Do I? And why should I do _that_?
Put the thought away from me?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh yes, Halvard, I understand you very well. You are so anxious to spare
me—and to find excuses for me too—as much as ever you can.
SOLNESS.
[_With astonishment in his eyes._] _You!_ Is it _you_—yourself, that you
are talking about Aline?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, who else should it be but myself?
SOLNESS.
[Involuntarily to himself.] _That_ too!
MRS. SOLNESS.
As for the old house, I wouldn’t mind so much about that. When once
misfortune was in the air—why——
SOLNESS.
Ah, you are right there. Misfortune will have its way—as the saying
goes.
MRS. SOLNESS.
But it’s what came of the fire—the dreadful thing that followed——!
_That_ is the thing! That, that, that!
SOLNESS.
[_Vehemently._] Don’t think about _that_, Aline!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Ah, that is exactly what I cannot help thinking about. And now, at last,
I must speak about it, too; for I don’t seem able to bear it any longer.
And then never to be able to forgive myself——
SOLNESS.
[_Exclaiming._] Yourself——!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Yes, for I had duties on both sides—both towards you and towards the
little ones. I ought to have hardened myself—not to have let the horror
take such hold upon me—nor the grief for the burning of my home.
[_Wrings her hands._] Oh, Halvard, if I had only had the strength!
SOLNESS.
[_Softly, much moved, comes closer._] Aline—you must promise me never to
think these thoughts any more.—Promise me that, dear!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh, promise, promise! One can promise anything.
SOLNESS.
[_Clenches his hands and crosses the room._] Oh, but this is hopeless,
hopeless! Never a ray of sunlight! Not so much as a gleam of brightness
to light up our home!
MRS. SOLNESS.
This is no home, Halvard.
SOLNESS.
Oh no, you may well say that. [_Gloomily._] And God knows whether you
are not right in saying that it will be no better for us in the new
house, either.
MRS. SOLNESS.
It will never be any better. Just as empty—just as desolate—there as
here.
SOLNESS.
[_Vehemently._] Why in all the world have we built it then! Can you tell
me that?
MRS. SOLNESS.
No; you must answer that question for yourself.
SOLNESS.
[_Glances suspiciously at her._] What do you mean by _that_, Aline?
MRS. SOLNESS.
What do I mean?
SOLNESS.
Yes, in the devil’s name! You said it so strangely—as if you had some
hidden meaning in it.
MRS. SOLNESS.
No, indeed, I assure you——
SOLNESS.
[_Comes closer._] Oh, come now—I know what I know. I have both my eyes
and my ears about me, Aline—you may depend upon that!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Why, what are you talking about? What is it?
SOLNESS.
[_Places himself in front of her._] Do you mean to say you don’t find a
kind of lurking, hidden meaning in the most innocent word I happen to
say?
MRS. SOLNESS.
_I_, do you say? _I_ do that?
SOLNESS.
[_Laughs._] Ho-ho-ho! It’s natural enough, Aline! When you have a sick
man on your hands——
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Anxiously._] _Sick?_ Are you ill, Halvard?
SOLNESS.
[_Violently._] A half-mad man then! A crazy man! Call me what you will.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Feels blindly for a chair and sits down._] Halvard—for God’s sake——
SOLNESS.
But you are wrong, both you and the doctor. I am not in the state you
imagine.
[_He walks up and down the room._ MRS. SOLNESS _follows him
anxiously with her eyes. Finally he goes up to her._
SOLNESS.
[_Calmly._] In reality there is nothing whatever the matter with me.
MRS. SOLNESS.
No, there isn’t, is there? But then what is it that troubles you so?
SOLNESS.
Why _this_, that I often feel ready to sink under this terrible burden
of debt——
MRS. SOLNESS.
Debt, do you say? But you owe no one anything, Halvard!
SOLNESS.
[_Softly, with emotion._] I owe a boundless debt to you—to you—to you,
Aline.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Rises slowly._] What is behind all this? You may just as well tell me
at once.
SOLNESS.
But there is nothing behind it! I have never done you any wrong—not
wittingly and wilfully, at any rate. And yet—and yet it seems as though
a crushing debt rested upon me and weighed me down.
MRS. SOLNESS.
A debt to me?
SOLNESS.
Chiefly to you.
MRS. SOLNESS.
Then you are—ill after all, Halvard.
SOLNESS.
[_Gloomily._] I suppose I must be—or not far from it. [_Looks towards
the door to the right, which is opened at this moment._] Ah! now it
grows lighter.
HILDA WANGEL _comes in. She has made some alteration in her
dress, and let down her skirt._
HILDA.
Good morning, Mr. Solness!
SOLNESS.
[_Nods._] Slept well?
HILDA.
Quite deliciously! Like a child in a cradle. Oh—I lay and stretched
myself like—like a princess!
SOLNESS.
[_Smiles a little._] You were thoroughly comfortable then?
HILDA.
I should think so.
SOLNESS.
And no doubt you dreamed, too.
HILDA.
Yes, I did. But _that_ was horrid.
SOLNESS.
Was it?
HILDA.
Yes, for I dreamed I was falling over a frightfully high, sheer
precipice. Do you never have that kind of dream?
SOLNESS.
Oh yes—now and then——
HILDA.
It’s tremendously thrilling—when you fall and fall——
SOLNESS.
It seems to make one’s blood run cold.
HILDA.
Do you draw your legs up under you while you are falling?
SOLNESS.
Yes, as high as ever I can.
HILDA.
So do I.
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Takes her parasol._] I must go into town now, Halvard. [_To HILDA._]
And I’ll try to get one or two things that you may require.
HILDA.
[_Making a motion to throw her arms round her neck._] Oh, you dear,
sweet Mrs. Solness! You are really much too kind to me! Frightfully
kind——
MRS. SOLNESS.
[_Deprecatingly, freeing herself._] Oh, not at all. It’s only my duty,
so I am very glad to do it.
HILDA.
[_Offended, pouts._] But really, I think I am quite fit to be seen in
the streets—now that I’ve put my dress to rights. Or do you think I am
not?
MRS. SOLNESS.
To tell you the truth, I think people would stare at you a little.
HILDA.
[_Contemptuously._] Pooh! Is that all? That only amuses me.
SOLNESS.
[_With suppressed ill-humour._] Yes, but people might take it into their
heads that _you_ were mad too, you see.
HILDA.
Mad? Are there so many mad people here in town, then?
SOLNESS.
[_Points to his own forehead._] Here you see _one_ at all events.
HILDA.
You—Mr. Solness!
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh, don’t talk like that, my dear Halvard!
SOLNESS.
Have you not noticed _that_ yet?
HILDA.
No, I certainly have not. [_Reflects and laughs a little._] And
yet—perhaps in one single thing.
SOLNESS.
Ah, do you hear _that_, Aline?
MRS. SOLNESS.
What is that one single thing, Miss Wangel?
HILDA.
No, I won’t say.
SOLNESS.
Oh yes, do!
HILDA.
No thank you—I am not so mad as that.
MRS. SOLNESS.
When you and Miss Wangel are alone, I daresay she will tell you,
Halvard.
SOLNESS.
Ah—you think she will?
MRS. SOLNESS.
Oh yes, certainly. For you have known her so well in the past. Ever
since she was a child—you tell me.
[_She goes out by the door on the left._
HILDA.
[_After a little while._] Does your wife dislike me very much?
SOLNESS.
Did you think you noticed anything of the kind?
HILDA.
Did you not notice it yourself?
SOLNESS.
[_Evasively._] Aline has become exceedingly shy with strangers of late
years.
HILDA.
Has she really?
SOLNESS.
But if only you could get to know her thoroughly——! Ah, she is so
good—so kind—so excellent a creature——
HILDA.
[_Impatiently._] But if she is all that—what made her say that about her
duty?
SOLNESS.
Her duty?
HILDA.
She said that she would go out and buy something for me, because it was
her _duty_. Oh I can’t bear that ugly, horrid word!
SOLNESS.
Why not?
HILDA.
It sounds so cold, and sharp, and stinging. Duty—duty—duty. Don’t _you_
think so, too? Doesn’t it seem to sting you?
SOLNESS.
H’m—haven’t thought much about it.
HILDA.
Yes, it does. And if she is so good—as you say she is—why should she
talk in that way?
SOLNESS.
But, good Lord, what would you have had her say, then?
HILDA.
She might have said she would do it because she had taken a tremendous
fancy to me. She might have said something like that—something really
warm and cordial, you understand.
SOLNESS.
[_Looks at her._] Is that how you would like to have it?
HILDA.
Yes, precisely. [_She wanders about the room, stops at the bookcase and
looks at the books._] What a lot of books you have.
SOLNESS.
Yes, I have got together a good many.
HILDA.
Do you read them all, too?
SOLNESS.
I used to try to. Do you read much?
HILDA.
No, never! I have given it up. For it all seems so irrelevant.
SOLNESS.
That is just my feeling.
[HILDA _wanders about a little, stops at the small table,
opens the portfolio and turns over the contents._
HILDA.
Are all these drawings yours?
SOLNESS.
No, they are drawn by a young man whom I employ to help me.
HILDA.
Some one you have taught?
SOLNESS.
Oh yes, no doubt he has learnt something from _me_, too.
HILDA.
[_Sits down._] Then I suppose he is very clever. [_Looks at a drawing._]
Isn’t he?
SOLNESS.
Oh, he might be worse. For _my_ purpose——
HILDA.
Oh yes—I’m sure he is frightfully clever.
SOLNESS.
Do you think you can see that in the drawings?
HILDA.
Pooh—these scrawlings! But if he has been learning from _you_——
SOLNESS.
Oh, so far as that goes——there are plenty of people here that have
learnt from _me_, and have come to little enough for all that.
HILDA.
[_Looks at him and shakes her head._] No, I can’t for the life of me
understand how you can be so stupid.
SOLNESS.
Stupid? Do you think I am so very stupid?
HILDA.
Yes, I do indeed. If you are content to go about here teaching all these
people——
SOLNESS.
[_With a slight start._] Well, and why not?
HILDA.
[_Rises, half serious, half laughing._] No indeed, Mr. Solness! What can
be the good of that? No one but _you_ should be allowed to build. You
should stand quite alone—do it all yourself. Now you know it.
SOLNESS.
[_Involuntarily._] Hilda——!
HILDA.
Well!
SOLNESS.
How in the world did _that_ come into your head?
HILDA.
Do you think I am so very far wrong then?
SOLNESS.
No, that’s not what I mean. But now I’ll tell you something.
HILDA.
Well?
SOLNESS.
I keep on—incessantly—in silence and alone—brooding on that very
thought.
HILDA.
Yes, that seems to me perfectly natural.
SOLNESS.
[_Looks somewhat searchingly at her._] Perhaps you have noticed it
already?
HILDA.
No, indeed I haven’t.
SOLNESS.
But just now—when you said you thought I was—off my balance? In one
thing, you said——
HILDA.
Oh, I was thinking of something quite different.
SOLNESS.
What was it?
HILDA.
I am not going to tell you.
SOLNESS.
[_Crosses the room._] Well, well—as you please. [_Stops at the
bow-window._] Come here, and I will show you something.
HILDA.
[_Approaching._] What is it?
SOLNESS.
Do you see—over there in the garden——?
HILDA.
Yes?
SOLNESS.
[_Points._] Right above the great quarry——?
HILDA.
That new house, you mean?
SOLNESS.
The one that is being built, yes. Almost finished.
HILDA.
It seems to have a very high tower.
SOLNESS.
The scaffolding is still up.
HILDA.
Is that your new house?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
The house you are soon going to move into?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
[_Looks at him._] Are there nurseries in _that_ house, too?
SOLNESS.
Three, as there are here.
HILDA.
And no child.
SOLNESS.
And there never will be one.
HILDA.
[_With a half-smile._] Well, isn’t it just as I said——?
SOLNESS.
That——?
HILDA.
That you _are_ a little—a little mad after all.
SOLNESS.
Was that what you were thinking of?
HILDA.
Yes, of all the empty nurseries I slept in.
SOLNESS.
[_Lowers his voice._] We _have_ had children—Aline and I.
HILDA.
[_Looks eagerly at him._] Have you——?
SOLNESS.
Two little boys. They were of the same age.
HILDA.
Twins, then.
SOLNESS.
Yes, twins. It’s eleven or twelve years ago now.
HILDA.
[_Cautiously._] And so both of them——? You have lost both the twins,
then?
SOLNESS.
[_With quiet emotion._] We kept them only about three weeks. Or scarcely
so much. [_Bursts forth._] Oh, Hilda, I can’t tell you what a good thing
it is for me that you have come! For now at last I have some one I can
talk to!
HILDA.
Can you not talk to—_her_, too?
SOLNESS.
Not about this. Not as I want to talk and must talk. [_Gloomily._] And
not about so many other things, either.
HILDA.
[_In a subdued voice._] Was that all you meant when you said you needed
me?
SOLNESS.
That was mainly what I meant—at all events, yesterday. For to-day I am
not so sure—[_Breaking off._] Come here and let us sit down, Hilda. Sit
there on the sofa—so that you can look into the garden. [_HILDA seats
herself in the corner of the sofa. SOLNESS brings a chair closer._]
Should you like to hear about it?
HILDA.
Yes, I shall love to sit and listen to you.
SOLNESS.
[_Sits down._] Then I will tell you all about it.
HILDA.
Now I can see both the garden and you, Mr. Solness. So now, tell away!
Begin!
SOLNESS.
[_Points towards the bow-window._] Out there on the rising ground—where
you see the new house——
HILDA.
Yes?
SOLNESS.
Aline and I lived there in the first years of our married life. There
was an old house up there that had belonged to her mother; and we
inherited it, and the whole of the great garden with it.
HILDA.
Was there a tower on _that_ house, too?
SOLNESS.
No, nothing of the kind. From the outside it looked like a great, dark,
ugly wooden box; but all the same, it was snug and comfortable enough
inside.
HILDA.
Then did you pull down the ramshackle old place?
SOLNESS.
No, it was burnt down.
HILDA.
The whole of it?
SOLNESS.
Yes.
HILDA.
Was that a great misfortune for you?
SOLNESS.
That depends on how you look at it. As a builder, the fire was the
making of me——
HILDA.
Well, but——?
SOLNESS.
It was just after the birth of the two little boys——
HILDA.
The poor little twins, yes.
SOLNESS.
They came healthy and bonny into the world. And they were growing
too—you could see the difference from day to day.
HILDA.
Little children do grow quickly at first.
SOLNESS.
It was the prettiest sight in the world to see Aline lying with the two
of them in her arms.—But then came the night of the fire——
HILDA.
[_Excitedly._] What happened? Do tell me! Was any one burnt?
SOLNESS.
No, not that. Every one got safe and sound out of the house——