Three Comedies by Bjornstjerne M. Bjornson

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Mother. Why should you be shy about it? Why have you never
told us about it? Good gracious, didn't you think your parents
would be only too glad to hear how lucky their little girl was?

Father. I think it is a very good idea of your mother's. Now let
us sit down and hear all about it. (They sit down; LAURA turns
away.) No, come and sit down beside your mother, Laura! We are
going to have a good look at you while he tells us about it.
(Pulls her to him.)

Mother. And don't forget anything, Axel! Tell us of the very
first sign of love, the first little kindness, Laura showed you.

Axel. Yes, I will tell you how it came about.

Laura (getting up). But, Axel--!

Axel. I shall only be supplementing what you told in your
letters, Laura.

Mother. It is all to your credit, my child! Now be quiet and
listen to him, and correct him if he forgets anything. (Pulls her
down to her seat again.)

Axel. Yes, my dear parents. You know, of course, that we did not
begin very well--

Father. Quite so--but you can pass over that.

Axel. As soon as she was left to depend on herself alone, I
realised the great wrong I had done to Laura. She used to tremble
when I came near her, and before long she used to tremble just as
much before any one. At first I felt the humility of a strong man
who has triumphed; but after a time I became anxious, for I had
acted too strongly. Then I dedicated my love to the task of
winning back, in a Jacob's seven years of service, what I had
lost in one moment. You see this house--I made everything smooth
in it for her feet. You see what we have round us--I set that
before her eyes. By means of nights of work, by exerting myself
to the uttermost, I got it all together, bit by bit--in order
that she should never feel anything strange or inhospitable in
her home, but only what she was accustomed to and fond of. She
understood; and soon the birds of spring began to flutter about
our home. And, though she always ran away when I came, I was
conscious of her presence in a hundred little loving touches in
my room--at my desk--

Laura (ashamed). Oh, it isn't true!

Axel. Don't believe her! Laura is so kind-hearted--her fear of me
made her shy, but she could not withstand her own kind impulses
and my humble faithfulness. When I was sitting late in my room,
working for her, she was sitting up in hers--at any rate I often
thought I heard her footstep; and when I came home late after a
wearisome journey, if she did not run to welcome me, it was not
because she was wanting in wifely gratitude--Laura has no lack of
that--but because she did not wish to betray her happiness till
the great day of our reconciliation should come. (LAURA gets up.)

Father. Then you were not reconciled immediately?

Axel. Not immediately.

Mother (anxiously, in a subdued voice). My goodness, Laura did
not say a word about that!

Axel. Because she loved you, and did not want to distress you
unnecessarily. But does not her very silence about it show that
she was waiting for me? That was her love's first gift to me.
(LAURA sits down again.) After a while she gave me others. She
saw that I was not angry; on the contrary, she saw that where I
had erred, I had erred through my love for her; and she is so
loving herself, that little by little she schooled herself to
meet me in gentle silence--she longed to be a good wife. And
then, one lovely morning--just like to-day--we both had been
reading a book which was like a voice from afar, threatening our
happiness, and we were driven together by fear. Then, all at
once, all the doors and windows flew wide open! It was your
letter! The room seemed to glow with warmth--just as it does now
with you sitting there; summer went singing through the house--
and then I saw in her eyes that all the blossoms were going to
unfold their petals! Then I knelt down before her, as I do now,
and said: For your parents' sake, that they may be happy about
us--for my sake, that I may not be punished any longer--for your
own sake, that you may be able again to live as the fulness of
your kind heart prompts--let us find one another now! And then
Laura answered-- (LAURA throws herself into his arms, in a burst
of tears. All get up.)

Mother. That was beautiful, children!

Father. As beautiful as if we were young again ourselves, and
had found one another!--How well he told it, too!

Mother. Yes, it was just as if it was all happening before our
eyes!

Father. Wasn't it?--He's a very gifted man.

Mother (in a low voice). He will do something big!

Father (in the same tones). Ay, a big man--and one of our family!

Axel (who has advanced towards the foreground with LAURA). So
that was your answer, Laura?

Laura. You haven't remembered everything.

Mother. Is there something more? Let us hear some more!

Axel. What did you say, then?

Laura. You know I said that something had held me back a long,
long time! I saw well enough that you were fond of me, but I
was afraid it was only as you would be fond of a child.

Axel. Laura!

Laura. I am not so clever as--as some others, you know; but I am
not a child any longer, because now I love you!

Axel. You are a child, all the same!

Father (to the MOTHER). But what about our arrangements? We
were to have gone on our travels at once.

Axel. No, stay with us a few days now! (LAURA makes a sign to
him.) Not?

Laura (softly). I would rather be alone with you, now.

Mother. What are you saying, Laura?

Laura. I?--I was saying that I should like to ask you, if you are
going abroad now, to take Mathilde with you.

Mother. That is very nice of you, Laura, to remember Mathilde.
People generally say that newly-married couples think of no one
but themselves.

Father. No, Laura is not like that!

All. No, Laura is not like that!

Laura (gently). Mathilde, forgive me! (They embrace, and LAURA
says softly:) I understand you now for the first time!

Mathilde. Not quite.

Laura. I know that I should never have got Axel, but for you.

Mathilde. That is true.

Laura. Oh, Mathilde, I am so happy now!

Mathilde. And I wish you every happiness.

Axel (taking LAURA'S arm). Now you may go and travel abroad,
Mathilde!

Mathilde. Yes!--and my next book shall be a better one.

Axel. Your next--?

[Curtain.]

LEONARDA

A PLAY IN FOUR ACTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

The BISHOP.
CORNELIA, his sister.
HAGBART, his nephew.
The GRANDMOTHER.
LEONARDA FALK.
AAGOT, her niece.
GENERAL ROSEN.
CHIEF JUSTICE RÖST.
MRS. RÖST.
PEDERSEN, agent to Mrs. Falk.
HANS.
A Maid.

LEONARDA

ACT I

(SCENE.--A large room in LEONARDA FALK's house. At the back,
folding doors which are standing open. Antique furniture.
LEONARDA, dressed in a riding-habit, is standing beside a
writing-desk on the left, talking to her agent PEDERSEN.)

Leonarda. It is a complete loss.

Pedersen. But, Mrs. Falk--

Leonarda. A loss, every scrap of it. I can't sell burnt bricks.
How much is there of it? Two kilns' full, that is 24,000 bricks--
at their present price about thirty pounds' worth. What am I to
do with you?--send you about your business?

Pedersen. Madam, it is the first time--

Leonarda. No, indeed it is not; that is to say, it is certainly
the first time the bricks have been burnt, but your accounts have
been wrong over and over again, so that I have been led into
sending out faulty invoices. What is the matter with you?

Pedersen. Madam, I beg--.

[Enter HANS.]

Hans. Your horse is saddled, madam, and the General is coming
up the avenue.

Leonarda. Very well. (HANS goes out.) Have you taken to drink,
Pedersen?

Pedersen. No, madam.

Leonarda. That wouldn't be like you. But what is it? You look
quite changed.--Pedersen! I believe I know! I saw you rowing back
across the river last night, from the summer-house in the wood.
Are you in love? (PEDERSEN turns away.) So that is it. And
crossed in love? (She goes up to him, puts her hand on his
shoulder and stands with her back turned to the audience, as he
does.) Are you engaged to her?

Pedersen. Yes.

Leonarda. Then she is not treating you well? She is not true to
you? (Stoops and looks into his face.) And you love her in spite
of it? (Moves away from him.) Then you are a weak man, Pedersen.
We cannot possibly love those who are false to us. (Draws on one
of her gloves.) We may suffer horribly for a while; but love
them--no!

Pedersen (still turning away from her). It is easy for those to
talk who have not experienced it.

Leonarda. Experienced it?--You never can tell that. Come to me
this evening at seven o'clock.

Pedersen. Yes, madam.

Leonarda. I will talk things over with you then. We will go for a
stroll together.

Pedersen. Thank you, madam.

Leonarda. I believe I may be able to help you in your trouble,
Pedersen. That is all right--don't think any more about the
bricks, or of what I said. Forgive me! (Holds out her hand to
him.)

Pedersen (grasping her hand). Oh, madam!

[Enter GENERAL ROSEN.]

Rosen. Good morning! (PEDERSEN crosses the room.) Bless my soul,
Pedersen, you look like a pat of melting butter! (PEDERSEN goes
out. ROSEN turns to LEONARDA.) Have you been playing father
confessor so early in the morning, and on such a fine day too?
That is too bad.--By the way, have you heard from Aagot?

Leonarda (putting on her hat). No, I don't know what
has come over the child. It is close on a fortnight since--

Rosen. She is enjoying herself. I remember when I was enjoying
myself I never used to write letters.

Leonarda (looking at him). You were enjoying yourself last night,
I rather think?

Rosen. Do I show it? Dear, dear! I thought that after a bath and
a ride--

Leonarda. This sort of thing cannot go on!

Rosen. You know quite well that if I can't be here I have to go
to my club.

Leonarda. But can't you go to your club without--? (Stops, with a
gesture of disgust.)

Rosen. I know what you mean, worse luck. But they always give one
a glass too much.

Leonarda. One glass? Say three!

Rosen. Three, if you like. You know I never was good at counting.

Leonarda. Well, now you can go for your ride alone.

Rosen. Oh, but--

Leonarda. Yes, I am not going for a ride to-day with a man who
was tipsy last night. (Takes off her hat.) Hans! (HANS is heard
answering her from without.) Put my horse up for the present!

Rosen. You are punishing yourself as well as me, you know. You
ought to be out on a day like this--and it is a sin to deprive
the countryside of the pleasure of seeing you!

Leonarda. Will nothing ever make you take things seriously?

Rosen. Yes. When the day comes that you are in need of anything,
I will be serious.

Leonarda. And you propose to hang about here waiting, till I have
some ill luck? You will have to wait a long time, I hope. (Goes
to her desk.)

Rosen. I hope so too!--because meanwhile I shall be able to
continue coming here.

Leonarda. Till you get your orders from America.

Rosen. Of course--till I get my orders from Sherman.

Leonarda. You have not had any orders, then?

Rosen. No.

Leonarda. It is beginning to look very suspicious. How long is it
since I made you write to him?

Rosen. Oh, I am sure I forget.

Leonarda. It has just struck me--. I suppose you did write?

Rosen. Of course I did. I always do what you tell me.

Leonarda. You stand there twirling your moustache--and when you
do that I always know there is some nonsense going on--.

Rosen. How can you suppose such a thing?

Leonarda. You have never written! Why on earth did that never
strike me before?

Rosen. I have written repeatedly, I assure you!

Leonarda. But not to Sherman? You have not reported yourself for
service again?

Rosen. Do you remember the Russian cigarettes I have so often
spoken of? I have got some now. I brought a few with me to try;
may I offer you one?

Leonarda. Are you not ashamed to look me in the face?

Rosen. I do everything you tell me--

Leonarda. You have been putting me off with evasions for more than
two months--playing a perfect comedy with me! To think that an
officer, who has been through the American war and won honours,
rank, and a definite position, could throw away his time in this
way--and in other ways too--for a whole year now--

Rosen. Excuse me--only eight months.

Leonarda. And isn't that long enough?

Rosen. Too long. But you know, better than any one, why I have
done it!

Leonarda. Did I ask you to come here? Do you think you can tire
me out?

Rosen. Leonarda! (She looks at him; he bows formally.) I beg your
pardon. Mrs. Falk.

Leonarda. You shall write the letter here, now, and report
yourself for immediate service.

Rosen. If you order me to.

Leonarda. I shall post it.

Rosen. Many thanks.

Leonarda. You are twirling your moustache again. What are you
planning in your mind?

Rosen. I?--Shall I write here? (Goes to the desk.)

Leonarda. Yes. (He takes up a pen.) Ah, I know what it is! As
soon as you get home, you will write another letter recalling
this one.

Rosen. Yes, naturally.

Leonarda. Ha, ha, ha! (Sits down.) Well, I give you up!

Rosen. Thank you!--Then will you try one of my cigarettes?

Leonarda. No.

Rosen. Nor come for a ride?

Leonarda. No.

Rosen. Am I to come here this evening?

Leonarda. I shall be engaged.

Rosen. But you will be riding to-morrow morning?

Leonarda. I don't know.

Rosen. Then I shall take the liberty of coming to ask I wish you
a very good day.

Leonarda. Look, there is a strange man at the door (Gets up.)

Rosen. What? (Turns round.) He? Has he the face to come here?
(Looks out of the open window.) Pst! Pst!--Hans!--Don't you see
my horse has got loose? (Goes hurriedly out past the stranger,
who bows to him.) Pst! Pst!

[Enter HAGBART.]

Hagbart. Madam! (Stops short.)

Leonarda. May I ask--?

Hagbart. You do not know me, then?

Leonarda. No.

Hagbart. I am Hagbart Tallhaug.

Leonarda. And you dare to tell me so--with a smile on your lips?

Hagbart. If you will only allow me to--

Leonarda. How is it you dare to come here?

Hagbart. If you will only allow me to--

Leonarda. Not a word! Or can there be two men of that name?

Hagbart. No.

Leonarda. So it was you who came forward at the Philharmonic
concert, when I was seeking admittance for myself and my
adopted daughter, and spoke of me as "a woman of doubtful
reputation"? Is that so?

Hagbart. Yes, madam; and I must--

Leonarda (interrupting him impetuously). Then get out of here!--
Hans! (HANS is heard answering her from without.)

Hagbart. Mrs. Falk, first allow me to--.

[Enter HANS.]

Leonarda. Hans, will you see this gentleman off my premises.

Hans. Certainly, ma'am.

Hagbart. Wait a moment, Hans!

Hans. Shall I, ma'am? (Looks at LEONARDA.)

Hagbart. It concerns your niece, Mrs. Falk.

Leonarda. Aagot! Has anything happened to her? I have had no
letter from her!

Hagbart. Wait outside, Hans!

Hans (to LEONARDA). Shall I, ma'am?

Leonarda. Yes, yes! (HANS goes out.) What is it?

Hagbart. No bad news.

Leonarda. But how is it you are here on her behalf?

Hagbart. It is difficult to avoid people at a watering-place, you
know--although I must admit your niece did her best. She treated
me as contemptuously as possible even went farther than that; but
she could not prevent my talking to people she used to talk to,
or my happening to be where she was; so that--well--she heard
them talk about me, and heard me talk to them--and in the end she
talked to me herself.

Leonarda. Talked to you?

Hagbart. Yes, it is no good denying it--she actually talked to
me, and that more than once.

Leonarda. But what is the meaning of this visit to me?

Hagbart. If you will only allow me to--

Leonarda. I want you to deliver your message briefly and
concisely--and not a word more than that.

Hagbart. But I cannot do that until you have allowed me to--

Leonarda. Whether you can or not, I shall allow nothing else. I
am not going to give you an excuse for saying that you have been
holding conversations with me too.

Hagbart. If you have no objection, I am in love with your niece,
Mrs. Falk.

Leonarda. You? With Aagot?--It serves you right!

Hagbart. I know.

Leonarda. Ha, ha! That is how the land lies.

[HANS appears at the open door.]

Hans. Can I go now, ma'am?

Leonarda. Ha, ha!--Yes, you can go. (Exit HANS ) Well, what more
have you to tell me? Have you given Aagot any hint of this?

Hagbart. Yes.

Leonarda. And what answer did you get?--You are silent. Do you
find it difficult to tell me?

Hagbart. I am very glad you take it so well, Mrs. Falk.

Leonarda. Yes, it's funny, isn't it?--Well, what did Aagot say?
She generally has plenty to say.

Hagbart. Indeed she has. We came here to-day by the same boat--

Leonarda. By the same boat? Aagot and you? Have you been
persecuting her?

Hagbart. Mrs. Falk, you cannot possibly understand if you will
not allow me to--

Leonarda. I wish to hear the rest of it from my niece, as I
suppose she will be here directly.

Hagbart. Of course, but still--

Leonarda. There will be no more of that sort of thing here! If
you intend to persecute my niece with yon attentions in the same
way as you have persecuted me with your malice, you are at
liberty to try. But you shall not come here! I can forbid it
here.

Hagbart. But, my dear Mrs. Falk--

Leonarda. I am really beginning to lose my patience, or rather I
have lost it already. What have you come here for?

Hagbart. As there is no help for it--well, I will tell you
straight out, although it may be a shock to you--I am here to ask
for your niece's hand.

Leonarda (taking up her gloves). If I were a man, so that there
should be nothing "doubtful" about my reply, I would strike
you across the face with my gloves.

Hagbart. But you are a woman, so you will not.

[Enter HANS.]

Hans. Here is Miss Aagot, ma'am.

Aagot (from without). Aunt!

Leonarda. Aagot!

[Enter AAGOT. HANS goes out.]

Aagot. Aunt!--That wretched Hans! I was signalling to him--I
wanted to surprise you. (Throws herself into LEONARDA'S arms.)

Leonarda. Child, have you deceived me?

Aagot. Deceived you? I?

Leonarda. I knew it! (Embraces her.) Forgive me! I had a
moment's horrible doubt--but as soon as I looked at you it was
gone!--Welcome, welcome! How pretty you look! Welcome!

Aagot. Oh, aunt!

Leonarda. What is it?

Aagot. You know.

Leonarda. His shameless persecution of you? Yes! (Meanwhile
HAGBART has slipped out.)

Aagot. Hush!--Oh, he has gone!--Have you been cross with him?

Leonarda. Not as cross as he deserved--

Aagot. Didn't I tell him so?

Leonarda (laughing). What did you tell him?

Aagot. How hasty you could be!--Were you really cruel to him?

Leonarda. Do you mean to say you have any sympathy--with him?

Aagot. Have I any--? But, good heavens, hasn't he told you?

Leonarda. What?

Aagot. That he--that I--that we--oh, aunt, don't look so dreadfully
at me!--You don't know, then?

Leonarda. No!

Aagot. Heaven help me! Aunt--!

Leonarda. You don't mean to say that you--?

Aagot. Yes, aunt.

Leonarda. With him, who--. In spite of that, you--Get away from
me!

Aagot. Dear, darling aunt, listen to me!

Leonarda. Go away to him! Away with you!

Aagot. Have you looked at him, aunt? Have you seen how handsome
he is?

Leonarda. Handsome? He!

Aagot. No, not a bit handsome, of course! Really, you are going
too far!

Leonarda. To me he is the man who made a laughingstock of me in a
censorious little town by calling me "a woman of doubtful
reputation." And one day he presents himself here as my adopted
daughter's lover, and you expect me to think him handsome! You
ungrateful child!

Aagot. Aunt!

Leonarda. I have sacrificed eight years of my life--eight years--
in this little hole, stinting myself in every possible way; and
you, for whom I have done this, are hardly grown up before you
fly into the arms of a man who has covered me with shame. And I
am supposed to put up with it as something quite natural!--and to
say nothing except that I think he is handsome! I--I won't look
at you! Go away!

Aagot (in tears). Don't you suppose I have said all that to
myself, a thousand times? That was why I didn't write. I have
been most dreadfully distressed to know what to do.

Leonarda. At the very first hint of such a thing you might to
have taken refuge here--with me--if you had had a scrap of
loyalty in you.

Aagot. Aunt! (Goes on her knees.) Oh, aunt!

Leonarda. To think you could behave so contemptibly!

Aagot. Aunt!--It was just because he was so sorry for the way he
had behaved to you, that I first--

Leonarda. Sorry? He came here with a smile on his lips!

Aagot. That was because he was in such a fright, aunt.

Leonarda. Do people smile because they are in a fright?

Aagot. Others don't, but he does. Do you know, dear, he was just
the same with me at first--he smiled and looked so silly; and
afterwards he told me that it was simply from fright.

Leonarda. If he had felt any qualms of conscience at all, as you
pretend he did, he would at least have taken the very first
opportunity to apologise.

Aagot. Didn't he do that?

Leonarda. No; he stood here beating about the bush and smiling--

Aagot. Then you must have frightened the sense out of him, aunt.
He is shy, you know.--Aunt, let me tell you he is studying for
the church.

Leonarda. Oh, he is that too, is he!

Aagot. Of course he is. You know he is the bishop's nephew, and
is studying for the church, and of course that is what made him
so prejudiced. But his behaviour that day was just what opened
his eyes--because he is very kind-hearted. Dear, darling aunt--

Leonarda. Get up! It is silly to lie there like that. Where did you
learn that trick?

Aagot (getting up). I am sure I don't know. But you frighten me
so. (Cries.)

Leonarda. I can't help that. You frightened me first, you know,
child.

Aagot. Yes, but it is all quite different from what you think,
aunt. He is no longer our enemy. He has reproached himself so
genuinely for treating you as he did--it is perfectly true, aunt.
We all heard him say so. He said so first to other people, so
that it should come round to me; and then I heard him saying so
to them; and eventually he told me so, in so many words.

Leonarda. Why did you not write and tell me?

Aagot. Because you are not like other people, aunt! If I had as
much as mentioned he was there, you would have told me to come
home again at once. You aren't like others, you know.

Leonarda. But how in the world did it come about that you--?

Aagot. You know, dear, that if any one sings _your_ praises, that
is enough to make me their friend at once. And when, to crown
all, this man did it who had behaved so unjustly to you, you can
well believe that I went about singing for joy all day. That was
the beginning of it--

Leonarda. Yes, tell me the whole story.

Aagot. That would be simply impossible, aunt! It would take me
days!--But I can tell you this, that I had no idea what it was
that was upsetting my nerves in such a manner.

Leonarda. If you felt like that, why did you not come away?

Aagot. That was just what I did! But that was also just what made
the whole thing happen!

Leonarda. How? Try and tell me a little more calmly and
consecutively!

Aagot. Thank you, aunt! It is good of you to listen to me! Good
heavens, how I--. (Bursts into tears.)

Leonarda. There--there! Tell me all about it from beginning to end.

Aagot. Yes--I was quite feverish for about a week--I thought I
was ill--and the others kept asking what was the matter with me.
And really I didn't know. There is a whole heap of things I could
tell you about those few days--but you wouldn't be able to
understand.

Leonarda. Yes, I should.

Aagot. No, you couldn't possibly! I can't, either. I was so
wretched then--and now I am so happy--

Leonarda. Well, tell me about it another time. But how did things
come to a head?

Aagot. He spoke to me--straight out!

Leonarda. Proposed to you?

Aagot. Yes.--Oh, I feel I am blushing again at the very thought of it.

Leonarda. And you looked foolish?

Aagot. I don't know what I looked like!

Leonarda. What did you do?

Aagot. I gave one scream--a real good scream--and ran; ran home,
packed my trunk, and got on board the boat as quick as I could.

Leonarda. And was that all?

Aagot. All? It happened out of doors amongst all the people.

Leonarda. Aagot!

Aagot. It happened so frightfully unexpectedly. I never was so
frightened in my life--and so ashamed of myself afterwards. I did
nothing but cry on the boat, all the way.

Leonarda. But he must have come by the same boat.

Aagot. Just fancy, he had travelled overland across the
promontory and caught the boat on the other side. And I knew
nothing about it till I saw him before my eyes! I thought I
should sink through the deck. I wanted to run away then, but--oh,
aunt, I couldn't! He looked at me with such a wonderful look in
his eyes, and took hold of my hands. He spoke to me, but I don't
know what he said; everything seemed to be going round and round.
And his eyes, aunt! Ah, you haven't looked at them, and that is
why you took it so--so--

Leonarda. No, dear.

Aagot. There is something about his mere presence--something so
true. And when he looks at me and says--not in words, you know,
but still says all the same "I love you so much," I tremble all
over. Oh, aunt, kiss me! --There! Thank heaven!--Do you know
what he said to-day?

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