Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (214 page)

Arnoldus Reimers
(
1844-1899), who first played the part of Dr. Stockmann

DRAMATIS PERSONA
E

Dr. Thomas Stockmann, Medical Officer of the Municipal Baths.
Mrs. Stockmann, his wife.
Petra
(their daughter)
a teacher.
Ejlif & Morten
(their sons, aged 13 and 10 respectively)
.
Peter Stockmann
(the Doctor’s elder brother)
, Mayor of the
Town and Chief Constable, Chairman of the Baths’ Committee, etc.
Morten Kiil, a tanner
(Mrs. Stockmann’s adoptive father)
.
Hovstad, editor of the “People’s Messenger.”
Billing, sub-editor.
Captain Horster.
Aslaksen, a printer.

Men of various conditions and occupations, a few women, and a troop of schoolboys — the audience at a public meeting.

SCENE: the action takes place in a coastal town in southern Norway.

ACT
I

(SCENE. — DR. STOCKMANN’S sitting-room. It is evening. The room is plainly but neatly appointed and furnished. In the right-hand wall are two doors; the farther leads out to the hall, the nearer to the doctor’s study. In the left-hand wall, opposite the door leading to the hall, is a door leading to the other rooms occupied by the family. In the middle of the same wall stands the stove, and, further forward, a couch with a looking-glass hanging over it and an oval table in front of it. On the table, a lighted lamp, with a lampshade. At the back of the room, an open door leads to the dining-room. BILLING is seen sitting at the dining table, on which a lamp is burning. He has a napkin tucked under his chin, and MRS. STOCKMANN is standing by the table handing him a large plate-full of roast beef. The other places at the table are empty, and the table somewhat in disorder, evidently a meal having recently been finished.)

Mrs. Stockmann. You see, if you come an hour late, Mr. Billing, you have to put up with cold meat.

Billing
(as he eats)
. It is uncommonly good, thank you — remarkably good.

Mrs. Stockmann. My husband makes such a point of having his meals punctually, you know.

Billing. That doesn’t affect me a bit. Indeed, I almost think I enjoy a meal all the better when I can sit down and eat all by myself, and undisturbed.

Mrs. Stockmann. Oh well, as long as you are enjoying it — .
(Turns to the hall door, listening.)
I expect that is Mr. Hovstad coming too.

Billing. Very likely.

(PETER STOCKMANN comes in. He wears an overcoat and his official hat, and carries a stick.)

Peter Stockmann. Good evening, Katherine.

Mrs. Stockmann
(coming forward into the sitting-room)
. Ah, good evening — is it you? How good of you to come up and see us!

Peter Stockmann. I happened to be passing, and so —
(looks into the dining-room)
. But you have company with you, I see.

Mrs. Stockmann
(a little embarrassed)
. Oh, no — it was quite by chance he came in.
(Hurriedly.)
Won’t you come in and have something, too?

Peter Stockmann. I! No, thank you. Good gracious — hot meat at night! Not with my digestion.

Mrs. Stockmann. Oh, but just once in a way —

Peter Stockmann. No, no, my dear lady; I stick to my tea and bread and butter. It is much more wholesome in the long run — and a little more economical, too.

Mrs. Stockmann
(smiling)
. Now you mustn’t think that Thomas and I are spendthrifts.

Peter Stockmann. Not you, my dear; I would never think that of you.
(Points to the Doctor’s study.)
Is he not at home?

Mrs. Stockmann. No, he went out for a little turn after supper — he and the boys.

Peter Stockmann. I doubt if that is a wise thing to do.
(Listens.)
I fancy I hear him coming now.

Mrs. Stockmann. No, I don’t think it is he.
(A knock is heard at the door.)
Come in!
(HOVSTAD comes in from the hall.)
Oh, it is you, Mr. Hovstad!

Hovstad. Yes, I hope you will forgive me, but I was delayed at the printers. Good evening, Mr. Mayor.

Peter Stockmann
(bowing a little distantly)
. Good evening. You have come on business, no doubt.

Hovstad. Partly. It’s about an article for the paper.

Peter Stockmann. So I imagined. I hear my brother has become a prolific contributor to the “People’s Messenger.”

Hovstad. Yes, he is good enough to write in the “People’s Messenger” when he has any home truths to tell.

Mrs. Stockmann
(to HOVSTAD)
. But won’t you — ?
(Points to the dining-room.)

Peter Stockmann. Quite so, quite so. I don’t blame him in the least, as a writer, for addressing himself to the quarters where he will find the readiest sympathy. And, besides that, I personally have no reason to bear any ill will to your paper, Mr. Hovstad.

Hovstad. I quite agree with you.

Peter Stockmann. Taking one thing with another, there is an excellent spirit of toleration in the town — an admirable municipal spirit. And it all springs from the fact of our having a great common interest to unite us — an interest that is in an equally high degree the concern of every right-minded citizen.

Hovstad. The Baths, yes.

Peter Stockmann. Exactly — our fine, new, handsome Baths. Mark my words, Mr. Hovstad — the Baths will become the focus of our municipal life! Not a doubt of it!

Mrs. Stockmann. That is just what Thomas says.

Peter Stockmann. Think how extraordinarily the place has developed within the last year or two! Money has been flowing in, and there is some life and some business doing in the town. Houses and landed property are rising in value every day.

Hovstad. And unemployment is diminishing,

Peter Stockmann. Yes, that is another thing. The burden on the poor rates has been lightened, to the great relief of the propertied classes; and that relief will be even greater if only we get a really good summer this year, and lots of visitors — plenty of invalids, who will make the Baths talked about.

Hovstad. And there is a good prospect of that, I hear.

Peter Stockmann. It looks very promising. Inquiries about apartments and that sort of thing are reaching us, every day.

Hovstad. Well, the doctor’s article will come in very suitably.

Peter Stockmann. Has he been writing something just lately?

Hovstad. This is something he wrote in the winter; a recommendation of the Baths — an account of the excellent sanitary conditions here. But I held the article over, temporarily.

Peter Stockmann. Ah, — some little difficulty about it, I suppose?

Hovstad. No, not at all; I thought it would be better to wait until the spring, because it is just at this time that people begin to think seriously about their summer quarters.

Peter Stockmann. Quite right; you were perfectly right, Mr. Hovstad.

Hovstad. Yes, Thomas is really indefatigable when it is a question of the Baths.

Peter Stockmann. Well remember, he is the Medical Officer to the Baths.

Hovstad. Yes, and what is more, they owe their existence to him.

Peter Stockmann. To him? Indeed! It is true I have heard from time to time that some people are of that opinion. At the same time I must say I imagined that I took a modest part in the enterprise.

Mrs. Stockmann. Yes, that is what Thomas is always saying.

Hovstad. But who denies it, Mr. Stockmann? You set the thing going and made a practical concern of it; we all know that. I only meant that the idea of it came first from the doctor.

Peter Stockmann. Oh, ideas yes! My brother has had plenty of them in his time — unfortunately. But when it is a question of putting an idea into practical shape, you have to apply to a man of different mettle. Mr. Hovstad. And I certainly should have thought that in this house at least...

Mrs. Stockmann. My dear Peter —

Hovstad. How can you think that — ?

Mrs. Stockmann. Won’t you go in and have something, Mr. Hovstad? My husband is sure to be back directly.

Hovstad. Thank you, perhaps just a morsel.
(Goes into the dining-room.)

Peter Stockmann
(lowering his voice a little)
. It is a curious thing that these farmers’ sons never seem to lose their want of tact.

Mrs. Stockmann. Surely it is not worth bothering about! Cannot you and Thomas share the credit as brothers?

Peter Stockmann. I should have thought so; but apparently some people are not satisfied with a share.

Mrs. Stockmann. What nonsense! You and Thomas get on so capitally together.
(Listens.)
There he is at last, I think.
(Goes out and opens the door leading to the hall.)

Dr. Stockmann
(laughing and talking outside)
. Look here — here is another guest for you, Katherine. Isn’t that jolly! Come in, Captain Horster; hang your coat up on this peg. Ah, you don’t wear an overcoat. Just think, Katherine; I met him in the street and could hardly persuade him to come up!
(CAPTAIN HORSTER comes into the room and greets MRS. STOCKMANN. He is followed by DR. STOCKMANN.)
Come along in, boys. They are ravenously hungry again, you know. Come along, Captain Horster; you must have a slice of beef.
(Pushes HORSTER into the dining-room. EJLIF and MORTEN go in after them.)

Mrs. Stockmann. But, Thomas, don’t you see — ?

Dr. Stockmann
(turning in the doorway)
. Oh, is it you, Peter?
(Shakes hands with him.)
Now that is very delightful.

Peter Stockmann. Unfortunately I must go in a moment —

Dr. Stockmann. Rubbish! There is some toddy just coming in. You haven’t forgotten the toddy, Katherine?

Mrs. Stockmann. Of course not; the water is boiling now.
(Goes into the dining-room.)

Peter Stockmann. Toddy too!

Dr. Stockmann. Yes, sit down and we will have it comfortably.

Peter Stockmann. Thanks, I never care about an evening’s drinking.

Dr. Stockmann. But this isn’t an evening’s drinking.

Peter Stockmann. It seems to me — .
(Looks towards the dining-room.)
It is extraordinary how they can put away all that food.

Dr. Stockmann
(rubbing his hands)
. Yes, isn’t it splendid to see young people eat? They have always got an appetite, you know! That’s as it should be. Lots of food — to build up their strength! They are the people who are going to stir up the fermenting forces of the future, Peter.

Peter Stockmann. May I ask what they will find here to “stir up,” as you put it?

Dr. Stockmann. Ah, you must ask the young people that — when the times comes. We shan’t be able to see it, of course. That stands to reason — two old fogies, like us.

Peter Stockmann. Really, really! I must say that is an extremely odd expression to —

Dr. Stockmann. Oh, you mustn’t take me too literally, Peter. I am so heartily happy and contented, you know. I think it is such an extraordinary piece of good fortune to be in the middle of all this growing, germinating life. It is a splendid time to live in! It is as if a whole new world were being created around one.

Peter Stockmann. Do you really think so?

Dr. Stockmann. Ah, naturally you can’t appreciate it as keenly as I. You have lived all your life in these surroundings, and your impressions have been blunted. But I, who have been buried all these years in my little corner up north, almost without ever seeing a stranger who might bring new ideas with him — well, in my case it has just the same effect as if I had been transported into the middle of a crowded city.

Peter Stockmann. Oh, a city — !

Dr. Stockmann. I know, I know; it is all cramped enough here, compared with many other places. But there is life here — there is promise — there are innumerable things to work for and fight for; and that is the main thing.
(Calls.)
Katherine, hasn’t the postman been here?

Mrs. Stockmann
(from the dining-room)
. No.

Dr. Stockmann. And then to be comfortably off, Peter! That is something one learns to value, when one has been on the brink of starvation, as we have.

Peter Stockmann. Oh, surely —

Dr. Stockmann. Indeed I can assure you we have often been very hard put to it, up there. And now to be able to live like a lord! Today, for instance, we had roast beef for dinner — and, what is more, for supper too. Won’t you come and have a little bit? Or let me show it you, at any rate? Come here —

Peter Stockmann. No, no — not for worlds!