OLGA. There.
SIGURD. The top one of all isn’t lit, Mother.
OLGA. No, Father is the only one who can reach that. We’ll have to
leave it. Come, Halla.
(_Enter_ LILJEKRONA _by the stairs without his violin_.)
OLGA. We’re all ready for a polka.
LILJEKRONA. I have no new string for my fiddle.
OLGA. But you _can_ play on three strings.
LILJEKRONA. I can remember no polkas.
OLGA. (_Approaching him persuasively_) Why, Liljekrona, can’t you play
anything? Sha’n’t we be able to dance at all?
LILJEKRONA. Torstein is not back yet. He is the best dancer of all.
Perhaps it was hard to find the house. (_Goes to the window._)
OLGA. Well then, we’ll wait our dancing for Torstein, and have our
punch and cakes while they are hot.
LILJEKRONA. The sparrows are twittering about the window sill most
miserably. Where is the pole with the sheaves for them?
OLGA. I did not think of it till now. Did you remember, Halla?
HALLA. No, I didn’t. Poor little things!
LILJEKRONA. How is it that you forgot on this day, of all days? Do old
customs mean nothing to you? Or is it the heartlessness of those who
shut their eyes to the meaning of old beliefs? At Ekeby no one ever
forgot!
OLGA. (_Disturbed_) No, my dear, we are not heartless. The sheaves
shall be put out as soon as Torstein returns. Come, shall we have our
punch and cakes? Children, are you hungry?
OSWALD. I am.
SIGURD. I want a cookie from my plate.
LILJEKRONA. And there are no candles in the windows. Nothing is done as
it used to be. (_He seats himself on the wooden bench._)
OLGA. Oh, why--why, I had intended to light the candles. (_Goes to
mantel._) Come, children, before you have your cookies will you help
Mother? (_She takes from the shelf above the fireplace two wooden
frames, in each of which is set a row of candles. She lights them and
gives one to each of the boys._) Careful. Put them on the windowsills.
OSWALD. I want mine in this window. You put yours over there, Sigurd.
OLGA. Halla, take the punch to the table by the fire. (OLGA _seats
herself near_ LILJEKRONA.) Come, children. (OSWALD _and_ SIGURD _come
to her side_.) Sigurd, do you know why we put candles in the windows on
Christmas Eve?
OSWALD. So that people can see where we live!
OLGA. Yes--dear; and there is a story that the little Christ-Child goes
about on Christmas Eve looking for a welcome. (_She pours some punch
for_ LILJEKRONA, _who is looking intently at her_.)
SIGURD. And if he sees our lights, Mother, will he come to our house?
OLGA. Yes, dear, and when you hear him say: “Behold I stand at the
door and knock----” (_She passes glass of punch to_ LILJEKRONA.)
LILJEKRONA. (_Ignoring it, and meeting her glance with a steady gaze_)
“And if any man hear my voice and will open the door, I will come in
and sup with him, and he with me.” Your candles are too late. The door
is closed. The voice is gone. (_Rises and exits slowly to his room._)
OSWALD. (_After a pause_) Why did Father go away, Mother?
HALLA. Is it anything the matter with the punch, Ma’am?
OLGA. (_Hesitating_) No, Halla, it’s not the punch--I think he’s
not--very happy----
SIGURD. Won’t he come back, Mother? Who will tell us stories?
(_Wild music is heard from_ LILJEKRONA’S _room. It rises and
falls in passionate rushes and casts a spell over those who
listen_.)
OLGA. (_Rising suddenly at the sound_) He is playing. Why--he has not
played like that since he came home. It is his great heart full of
revolt from all that is small about us. “You thought to bind me,” he is
saying, “you thought to make me as small-minded as yourselves.” Oh, I
was wrong! I thought to shut out unhappiness, but with it I have shut
out love. To-morrow he will be gone, if God does not work a miracle
in the night. (_She sinks into her chair and covers her face with her
hands. The boys sit quite still and look with awe at their mother._
HALLA _wrings her hands in a half-understanding and miserable way_.)
(_Sleighbells are heard._ HALLA _goes to the window_.)
HALLA. It must be Torstein come back again at last. No, there are two
of them. And yet that’s Torstein. He’s getting out. He’s helping the
other. (_In a tone of horror._) Why, it must be Ruster with him!
OLGA. (_Until now heedless, looking and drying her eyes_) _Ruster_, did
you say, Halla? Has Ruster come back again? (_She approaches the window
and looks out._) Surely it is he! (_She opens the door. The two men
enter. They are covered with snow._ TORSTEIN _is blue with the cold,
and_ RUSTER _seems half-frozen. His mustache hangs down over his mouth.
He leans on_ TORSTEIN. _The children jump up from the floor._) Ruster,
you are welcome back to Lofdala. (_She loosens his coat and leads him,
with_ TORSTEIN’S _help, to the fire_. HALLA _draws up the armchair into
which_ RUSTER _sinks weakly. The children watch._)
TORSTEIN. (_Apologetically_) I had to bring him back, Ma’am. At every
house they were either going away over Christmas, or were crowded with
company. They didn’t even ask him to get out of the sledge. And the
snow was so thick I thought we’d both be frozen.
OLGA. You did well to bring him, Torstein. (_She rubs_ RUSTER’S _hands
to give them life_. TORSTEIN _stands by the fire_.) Halla, is the punch
still hot?
HALLA. Yes, Ma’am.
OLGA. Then pour out a glass. It will warm him.
(HALLA _pours out two glasses. One she gives to_ TORSTEIN, _the
other_ OLGA _holds to_ RUSTER’S _lips_.)
TORSTEIN. (_Smacking his lips_) Um! That puts life into you! (_Sets
down his glass._) Well, I must drive the horses around, or they’ll be
drifted in.
(_Exit by front door._ OSWALD _and_ SIGURD _watch from the
window_.)
RUSTER. (_Gaining consciousness and looking about with a sad, puzzled
expression_) How did I come here again? It is strange, all strange to
be in Liljekrona’s house--I thought---- (_Abruptly._) Why are you so
kind to me? I am only an old broken-down instrument....
OLGA. We are glad to see you, Ruster! And I want you to think--you have
never been away. Let me have your wet coat. (_Helps him out of it._)
Halla will dry it in the kitchen.
(_Exit_ HALLA _with coat_.)
OLGA. (_Refilling his glass and putting it on the table by him_) Are
you warmer now?
RUSTER. Yes--quite warm, thank you.
OSWALD. (_Offering the cookie he has been holding_) Here’s a cookie.
(SIGURD, _who is about to eat the last fragment of his, stops and holds
it out to_ RUSTER.)
RUSTER. (_Starting up suddenly_) I can’t stay here! I am of no
use--here--or anywhere!
OLGA. (_Putting a hand on his arm_) You are mistaken, Ruster. You may
help, if you will. I must attend to setting the table for dinner and
the children will be quite forsaken. Will you look after them a little?