Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (36 page)

THE GUESTS AND LADY KIRSTEN’S PEOPLE.
[Whispering among themselves.]
Thorgjerd the fiddler! The crazy Thorgjerd!

INGEBORG. He has learned the nixie’s songs.

HEMMING. Let him go, let him go!

ARNE. No, — not even were he the nixie himself —

SCENE
V

[The Preceding.]

[THORGJERD has in the meantime gone to the edge of the stage to the left; at ARNE’s last words he turns about suddenly as if he had been addressed.]

THORGJERD.
[As he draws a step or two nearer.]
What do you want of me?

ARNE.
[Startled.]
What’s that?

HEMMING. Now see!

ARNE. Let me manage this.

ARNE.
[To THORGJERD.]
We seek Olaf Liljekrans. Have you met him about here today?

THORGJERD. Olaf Liljekrans?

LADY KIRSTEN. Why, yes, — you know him well.

THORGJERD. Is he not one of the evil men from the villages?

LADY KIRSTEN. Evil?

THORGJERD. They are all evil there! Olaf Liljekrans curses the little bird when it sings on his mother’s roof.

LADY KIRSTEN. You lie, you fiddler!

THORGJERD.
[With an artful smile.]
So much the better for him.

ARNE. How so?

THORGJERD. You ask about Olaf Liljekrans? Has he gone astray in here? You seek him and cannot find him?

LADY KIRSTEN. Yes, yes!

THORGJERD. So much the better for him; — if it were a lie that I told, he will suffer no want.

INGEBORG. Speak out what you know!

THORGJERD. Then I should never be done!

THORGJERD.
[Mischievously.]
Elves and sprites hold sway here. Be you of good cheer! If you find him not he is at play with the elves; they are fond of all who love little birds, and Olaf, you said…. Go home, — go home again. Olaf is up in the mountain; he suffers no want.

LADY KIRSTEN. Curse you for saying such things!

ARNE.
[To LADY KIRSTEN.]
Do not heed what he says.

THORGJERD.
[Approaches again.]
I go hence now to tune my harp; Olaf Liljekrans is up in the mountain, — there shall his wedding be held. — Mad Thorgjerd must also be there; he can make tables and benches dance, so stirring is the music he plays. But you, take you heed; go you home again; it is not safe for you here. Have you not heard the old saying: Beware of the elves when they frolic around, They may draw you into their play; And all that you see and all that you hear Will stay with your mind alway.

THORGJERD.
[Suddenly breaking out with wild joy.]
But here there are wedding guests, — ah! Each lady has on her very best gown, each man his very best coat, — now I see. Olaf Liljekrans is likewise a groom in the village, — there also he has a betrothed! Well, you have heard of such things before! I know that at any rate once, — it is years ago — but well I remember….

THORGJERD.
[He continues after a moment’s pause, more and more
wildly.]
  Sir Alvar and Ingrid had plighted their troth,
  She was a sprightly maiden;
  Three blessed long days they feasted and sang,
  With jolly good wine they were laden.
  The bride was fair and the bride was gay,
  The dance of the guests she led,
  When in came the nixie, the evil wight,
  And sat on the edge of the bed.
  Like a fiddler he sat on the edge of the bed,
  And music bewitchingly played.
  Around danced the benches and tables and all,
  As lightly as servant and maid! —
  The nixie he went through the open door, —
  The truth it boots not to hide! —
  And while he played on the harpstrings sweet,
  There followed him ever — the bride!

THORGJERD.
[Wildly, triumphantly.]
  Fast in a spell lay knight and page,
  The groom knew not whither to go,
  The nixie made ready the bridal bed,
  Little Ingrid’s bed in the river below.

THORGJERD.
[Suddenly becomes quiet and says softly.]
That song
I shall never forget! — But go you home, night is coming on, and
when the sun is down the forest belongs to the others. Farewell!
I shall take greetings to Olaf where he sits — in the mountain!

[Goes out to the left.]

SCENE V
I

[The Preceding except THORGJERD.]

ARNE.
[To LADY KIRSTEN.]
He lies! Do not believe him!

HEMMING. But it is nevertheless true, — the tale of the bride who disappeared on the eve of her wedding.

ARNE. Aye, that was many years ago; nowadays such things never happen. But we’ll all help to find him.

INGEBORG. It was not sung at my cradle that I should run about in forest and field to find my bridegroom.

ARNE. Be still!

INGEBORG. If he is enthralled in the mountain, then let her take him who has done it; I don’t propose to share my betrothed’s heart and soul.

HEMMING.
[Softly and feelingly.]
The Lord bless you for those words!

INGEBORG.
[With a haughty look of dismissal.]
What?

ARNE. Will you be silent, I say!

ARNE.
[To the Guests.]
Now quick, my good men! Spread out and search for him on every ridge and in every hillock! Away! Quite so! Tomorrow we drink to the wedding!

[The Guests and LADY KIRSTEN’s People go out in different groups to the right and the left.]

ARNE.
[Softly, to LADY KIRSTEN.]
We must find him! It would cause me eternal shame if the wedding —

LADY KIRSTEN. Come, then, come!

INGEBORG.
[Softly, to HEMMING, who stands downcast.]
Why do you not go with the rest? Better it were that you brought me again my betrothed than stand here thus and bless me for words I really don’t mean.

ARNE.
[At the exit.]
Come, come!

INGEBORG.
[To HEMMING, who starts to go.]
Wait, Hemming!
Fasten my shoe buckle!

[LADY KIRSTEN and ARNE go out to the left.]

SCENE VI
I

[INGEBORG. HEMMING.]

INGEBORG.
[Puts her foot forward.]
See there, — fasten it tight!

[HEMMING kneels and does her bidding.]

INGEBORG.
[As she puts the other foot forward.]
There, — buckle this one too! Well, why do you bow your head? Has something gone wrong?

HEMMING. Do you demand that I shall speak honestly?

INGEBORG. Certainly I do.

HEMMING. Well, then you must know —

INGEBORG.
[Quickly.]
O no, it isn’t necessary.

[She moves away a few steps; HEMMING rises.]

HEMMING. Alas, Lady Ingeborg! Once you were so kind to me; but now since you have become a real grown-up lady — and especially, I imagine, since you gave your betrothal vow —

INGEBORG. What then?

HEMMING. O nothing! —

[A pause.]

HEMMING. Can you remember, — we have been up here once before?

INGEBORG.
[Curtly.]
I don’t remember!

HEMMING. You had run after your spotted goat, and I followed you, as was always my custom, — yes, that was a long time ago, but I remember it as if it happened today; right down there lies the swamp, which —

INGEBORG.
[Comes nearer.]
Was it the time we heard the bear?

HEMMING. Yes, the very time.

INGEBORG.
[Constantly becoming more animated.]
I found the goat again.

HEMMING. No, it was I who first discovered it.

INGEBORG. Yes, yes, you are right; up there on the slope —

HEMMING. And then you took your garter.

INGEBORG. And bound it.

HEMMING. Yes, for we had come to pick strawberries.

INGEBORG. Over there on the hill, yes! And you had made me a birch-bark scrip.

HEMMING. But then it was we heard —

INGEBORG. The bear, ha, ha, ha! We had to cross the swamp just where it was the wettest, —

HEMMING. And then I took you in my arms.

INGEBORG. And jumped with me from tuft to tuft.

INGEBORG.
[Laughing.]
How frightened we were, the two of us!

HEMMING. Of course I was most frightened for your sake.

INGEBORG. And I for yours —

[Stops suddenly and as she continues to look at him her face assumes an imperious and wounded expression.]

INGEBORG. What is it you stand here and say? Why don’t you go? Is it fitting to speak thus to your master’s daughter? Go, go; you were to find my betrothed!

HEMMING. Alas, I forgot your betrothed; I forgot that you are my master’s daughter.

INGEBORG. If you find him, I promise you an embroidered jacket for Christmas, — so pleased shall I be.

HEMMING. I don’t want any jacket; I serve you neither for gold nor silver, neither for keep nor for knightly dress. But now I am off; what lies in my power I shall do, if I know it pleases you.

INGEBORG.
[Who has climbed up on a stone and is picking some blossoming cherry twigs.]
Hemming! how rich is my betrothed?

HEMMING. How rich he is I really can’t say; but it is said of his grandsire in the song: With golden attire he can provide A hundred maids or more for his bride! So mighty perhaps is not Olaf Liljekrans, but still he owns both forest and field.

INGEBORG.
[Still occupied.]
And you, what do you possess?

HEMMING.
[Sighing.]
My poverty — is all I have.

INGEBORG. That isn’t very much, Hemming!

HEMMING. No, it isn’t very much, Mistress Ingeborg!

INGEBORG.
[Hums, turned away from him, without changing her
position, and still occupied as before.]
  ’Tis little my heart is attracted indeed
  To him who has all the wealth he may need!
  Much more I fancy the humble swain,
  The friend of my heart he will ever remain!

HEMMING.
[In the greatest joy.]
Ingeborg! O, if what you say is true, I must tenfold bless my poverty.

INGEBORG.
[Turns her head and speaks coldly.]
I don’t understand you; the song was only an ancient ballad.

[Comes down from the rock with the cherry twigs in her hand, and approaches him as she looks at him fixedly.]

INGEBORG. But I know another song too, and that I will sing for
you:
  The king’s court within stand the steeds so fair;
  The suitor who lacks not the courage to dare, —
  He shoes the yellow, he shoes the gray,
  The swiftest he saddles before it is day!
  He places his bride on the steed behind,
  She follows him safe, she follows him blind.
  He rides with her off, to the sea they hie,
  With him she would willingly live and die!

HEMMING.
[As though beside himself.]
Ingeborg! Ingeborg! then nothing shall henceforth terrify me! Not that you have a betrothed, not that you are my master’s daughter; — yea, as sure as I live, I shall steal you tonight!

INGEBORG.
[Vehemently, as she constantly struggles to suppress a smile.]
Help me, God! what is amiss with you? What is it you are thinking of? Will you steal your master’s daughter? You must be sick or mad to conceive such a thing! Yet, it shall be forgotten — for this once. Go, now! and thank heaven you escape so lightly; for you have certainly earned a blow —

INGEBORG.
[Raises the twigs, but lets them fall, and says in a changed tone.]
— and my red golden ring — see there, take it!

[Throws him a ring, which she has removed from her arm, and rushes out quickly to the left.]