A Doll's House and Other Plays (Penguin)

by Henrik Ibsen

  MANDERS: It was about the orphanage we were going to talk, yes. But – prudence, dear lady! And now let us indeed turn to our business. [Opens the packet and takes out some papers.] You see these?

  MRS ALVING: The documents?

  MANDERS: All of them. In perfect order. It’s been quite a business getting them ready in time, believe me. I had to exert a fair bit of pressure. The authorities are almost painfully conscientious when it comes to decision-making. But here they are. [Leafs through the bundle.] This is the deed of conveyance for the site known as Solvik,29 being part of the Rosenvold estate,30 together with the newly erected buildings thereon, the schoolhouse, teachers’ accommodation and chapel. And here’s the legal approval of the bequest and of the statutes of the foundation. Would you like to see – [Reads] Statutes for the orphanage known as the ‘Captain Alving Memorial Foundation’.

  MRS ALVING [looks for a long time at the document]: So there it is.

  MANDERS: I’ve chosen the title Captain rather than Chamberlain. Captain seems less ostentatious.

  MRS ALVING: Quite, whatever you think best.

  MANDERS: And here you have the savings bankbook for the interest-raising capital set aside to cover the orphanage’s running costs.

  MRS ALVING: Thank you; but do please hold on to it for convenience’s sake.

  MANDERS: With pleasure. I think we’ll leave the money in the savings bank to begin with. The interest rate isn’t all that attractive; four per cent with six months’ notice. If we could find a decent mortgage investment later – it would, of course, have to be a first mortgage with absolutely impeccable collateral – then we can discuss that further.

  MRS ALVING: Quite, dear Pastor Manders, you know best about these things.

  MANDERS: I’ll keep my eyes open anyway. – And then there’s one more thing that I’ve thought of asking you a few times.

  MRS ALVING: And what’s that?

  MANDERS: Are the orphanage buildings to be insured or not?

  MRS ALVING: Naturally, they must be insured.

  MANDERS: Well, stop a little, Mrs Alving. Let’s take a closer look at the matter.

  MRS ALVING: I keep everything insured; buildings and contents, livestock and crops.

  MANDERS: Of course. On your own property. I do the same – naturally. But this, you see, is quite a different matter. The orphanage is to be consecrated, as it were, to a higher purpose.31

  MRS ALVING: Yes, but even so –

  MANDERS: From my own personal perspective, I really wouldn’t find it the least objectionable to cover ourselves against all eventualities –

  MRS ALVING: Yes, I’m in absolute agreement.

  MANDERS: – but what’s the feeling among the locals out here? You know that better than I, of course.

  MRS ALVING: Hm, the feeling –

  MANDERS: Are there a significant number of men with influence out here – men with substantial influence, who might take exception?

  MRS ALVING: What exactly do you mean by substantial influence?

  MANDERS: Well, I’m thinking principally of men in such independent and prominent positions that one can’t very well avoid giving their opinions a certain weight.

  MRS ALVING: There are numerous such men here who could perhaps take exception, if –

  MANDERS: Exactly! Back in town we have plenty of their sort. Just think of all my colleague’s32 staunch followers! It would be awfully easy for people to conclude that neither you nor I had the proper faith in Divine Providence.33

  MRS ALVING: But as far as you’re concerned, dear pastor, you know in yourself at least –

  MANDERS: Yes, I know; I know – I’d be confident in my own mind, that’s true enough. But nevertheless we’d be unable to prevent a distorted and unfavourable interpretation. And this in turn could easily have a detrimental effect on the activities of the orphanage itself.

  MRS ALVING: Well, if that’s the case, then –

  MANDERS: Neither can I wholly ignore the awkward – I might say embarrassing position I might find myself in. The town’s leading circles have taken a huge interest in this matter. After all, the orphanage was partially set up to be of benefit to the town too, and it’ll hopefully make a significant contribution to lightening our council’s social burden.34 But since I’ve been your advisor and guided the business side of things, I can’t but fear that the zealots would first and foremost come down on me –

  MRS ALVING: No, you oughtn’t to expose yourself to that.

  MANDERS: Not to mention the attacks that would undoubtedly be directed at me in certain magazines and periodicals, which –

  MRS ALVING: Enough, dear Pastor Manders; that decides the matter.

  MANDERS: So you don’t want it insured then?

  MRS ALVING: No; we’ll leave things as they are.

  MANDERS [leaning back in his chair]: But if misfortune were to strike? One never can know, after all –. Would you be able to make good the damage?

  MRS ALVING: No, I can tell you plainly, I certainly could not.

  MANDERS: But then you know what, Mrs Alving – it’s actually a rather worrying responsibility we’re taking upon ourselves.

  MRS ALVING: But do you think we can do otherwise?

  MANDERS: No, that’s just it; we can’t really do otherwise. We oughtn’t to expose ourselves to a skewed judgement; and we have absolutely no right to cause offence35 among the parishioners.

  MRS ALVING: You, as a clergyman, least of all.

  MANDERS: And I really do think too that we should trust that such an institution has luck on its side – that it stands under special protection.

  MRS ALVING: Let’s hope so, Pastor Manders.

  MANDERS: So we’ll leave it at that, then?

  MRS ALVING: Indeed we shall.

  MANDERS: Good. As you wish. [Makes a note] So – do not insure.

  MRS ALVING: It’s strange though, that you should mention this today of all days –

  MANDERS: I’ve often meant to ask you about it –

  MRS ALVING: – because yesterday we very nearly had a fire down there.

  MANDERS: What?

  MRS ALVING: Well, it wasn’t anything much. Some wood shavings caught fire in the carpenter’s workshop.

  MANDERS: Where Engstrand works?

  MRS ALVING: Yes. He’s often rather careless with matches, they say.

  MANDERS: He has so many things in his head, that man – all manner of things to wrestle with.36 But thanks be to God, he’s endeavouring to lead a blameless life now, I hear.

  MRS ALVING: Oh? Who told you that?

  MANDERS: He assured me of it himself. And he’s a good worker too.

  MRS ALVING: Yes, so long as he’s sober –

  MANDERS: Yes, that lamentable weakness! But he’s often driven to it on account of his bad leg, he says. Last time he was in town, I was truly touched by him. He came up to see me and thanked me so sincerely for having got work for him here, so he could be with Regine.

  MRS ALVING: I don’t think he sees much of her.

  MANDERS: Oh yes, he talks to her every day, he sat there himself and told me so.

  MRS ALVING: Well, well, perhaps.

  MANDERS: He’s so acutely aware that he needs somebody who can hold him back when temptation looms. That’s what’s so lovable about Jakob Engstrand, the fact that he comes to one so utterly helpless, berating himself and confessing his frailty. Last time he came up to talk to me –. Listen, Mrs Alving, if there were a heartfelt need in him to have Regine at home with him again –

  MRS ALVING [rises quickly]: Regine!

  MANDERS: – then you mustn’t oppose it.

  MRS ALVING: Oh, I most certainly will oppose it. Besides – Regine is to have a position at the orphanage, as you know.

  MANDERS: But don’t forget, now, he is her father –

  MRS ALVING: Oh, I know best what sort of father he’s been to her. No, I’ll never give my blessing for her to go to him.

  MANDERS [getting up]: But my dear lady, don’t
take it so violently. It’s very sad that you should misjudge Engstrand like this. It seems almost as though you were terrified –

  MRS ALVING [calmer]: That’s neither here nor there. I’ve taken Regine in, and this is where she will stay. [Listens.] Shh, my dear Pastor Manders, don’t talk any more about it. [Her face lights up with happiness.] Listen! Osvald’s coming down the stairs. Now we’ll only think of him.

  OSVALD ALVING, in a light overcoat, hat in hand and smoking a large meerschaum pipe, comes in through the door to the left.

  OSVALD [standing by the door]: Oh, I beg your pardon – I thought you were sitting in the office.37 [Coming in] Good afternoon, Pastor Manders.

  MANDERS [staring]: Ah –! That’s quite extraordinary –

  MRS ALVING: So, what do you say about him, Pastor Manders?

  MANDERS: I – I’d say –. But is it really –?

  OSVALD: Yes, it really is the Prodigal Son,38 Pastor Manders.

  MANDERS: But my dear young friend –

  OSVALD: Well, the long-lost son at least.

  MRS ALVING: Osvald’s thinking of the time when you had so much against him becoming a painter.

  MANDERS: To mortal eyes many a step may seem dubious, which later proves – [Shakes his hand.] Welcome, welcome! But, my dear Osvald –. I may, I presume, call you by your first name?39

  OSVALD: Yes, what else should you call me?

  MANDERS: Good. What I wanted to say was this, my dear Osvald – you mustn’t go thinking I condemn the artistic profession indiscriminately. I imagine there are many who can preserve their inward man40 untarnished even in that profession.

  OSVALD: Let’s hope so.

  MRS ALVING [beaming with pleasure]: I know one who has preserved both his inward and his outward man untarnished. Just look at him, Pastor Manders.

  OSVALD [wandering about the room]: All right, all right, Mother dear, that’s enough.

  MANDERS: Yes, absolutely – that can’t be denied. And then you’ve started to make a name for yourself already. The newspapers have often spoken of you, and in exceedingly favourable terms. Although, I must say – recently things do seem to have gone rather quiet.

  OSVALD [standing by the flowers]: I’ve not managed to paint so much lately.

  MRS ALVING: Even a painter needs to take a rest once in a while.

  MANDERS: Yes, I can imagine. And thus prepare himself and gather his powers for something great.

  OSVALD: Quite. – Mother, are we going to eat soon?

  MRS ALVING: In half an hour at most. He’s certainly got an appetite, thank goodness.

  MANDERS: And a taste for tobacco too.

  OSVALD: I found Father’s pipe up in his private room,41 and then –

  MANDERS: Ah, there we have it!

  MRS ALVING: What?

  MANDERS: When Osvald came into the doorway with that pipe in his mouth, it was as though I saw his father there large as life.

  OSVALD: No, really?

  MRS ALVING: Oh, how can you possibly say that? Osvald takes after me.

  MANDERS: Yes; but there’s an expression about the corners of the mouth, something about the lips, that resembles Alving precisely – when he’s smoking at least.

  MRS ALVING: Not at all. Osvald has something rather more priestly about his mouth, to my mind.

  MANDERS: Ah yes, true, true; many of my colleagues do have a similar expression.

  MRS ALVING: But put the pipe away, my dear boy; I don’t want smoke in here.

  OSVALD [does so]: Of course. I just wanted to try it out; because I smoked it once as a child.

  MRS ALVING: You?

  OSVALD: Yes. I was quite small at the time. I remember I went up into father’s private room one evening, he was in such a bright, ebullient mood.

  MRS ALVING: Oh, you remember nothing from those years.

  OSVALD: Oh yes, I remember distinctly, he took me and sat me on his knee and let me smoke his pipe. Puff, boy, he said – puff properly, boy! And I smoked as hard as I could, until I felt myself go quite pale and the sweat break out in huge drops on my forehead. Then he roared with laughter –

  MANDERS: How very peculiar.

  MRS ALVING: Dear me, it’s just something Osvald has dreamed.

  OSVALD: No, Mother, I certainly haven’t dreamed it. Because – don’t you remember – you came in and carried me off to the nursery. Then I was ill, and I saw that you were crying. – Did Father often play pranks like that?

  MANDERS: As a young man, he was certainly full of the joys of life.42

  OSVALD: And still achieved so much here in the world. So much that was good and useful; despite dying so young.

  MANDERS: Yes, you’ve certainly inherited the name of an industrious and worthy man, my dear Osvald Alving. Well, it’ll hopefully be a spur to you –

  OSVALD: It ought to be, yes.

  MANDERS: It was, at any rate, splendid of you to come home for his day of honour.

  OSVALD: It was the least I could do for Father.

  MRS ALVING: And to allow me to keep him for so long, that’s what’s most splendid.

  MANDERS: Yes, you’ll be at home all winter, I hear.

  OSVALD: I’m staying indefinitely, pastor. – Oh, it really is wonderful to be home again!

  MRS ALVING [radiant]: Yes, isn’t it, dear?

  MANDERS [looks sympathetically at him]: You went out into the world early, my dear Osvald.

  OSVALD: Yes, I did. Occasionally I wonder if it wasn’t too early.

  MRS ALVING: No, not at all. It’s a very good thing for a healthy boy. Particularly an only child. A child like that shouldn’t be at home with his mother and father getting spoiled.

  MANDERS: That’s a highly debatable question, Mrs Alving. The paternal home43 is and always will be a child’s rightful abode.

  OSVALD: I certainly have to agree with the pastor on that.

  MANDERS: Just look at your own son. We can, I’m sure, talk about this in his presence. What has the consequence been for him? He’s reached the age of twenty-six or -seven, and he has never had the chance to learn what a proper home is like.

  OSVALD: I’m sorry, pastor – you’re quite mistaken there.

  MANDERS: Oh? I thought you’d been moving in almost exclusively artistic circles.

  OSVALD: And so I have.

  MANDERS: And mostly among the younger artists?

  OSVALD: Quite so.

  MANDERS: But I thought most of those people couldn’t afford to start a family and establish a home.

  OSVALD: Many can’t afford to get married,44 pastor.

  MANDERS: Well, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

  OSVALD: Yes, but they can still have a home. And one or two of them have; and a very proper and very pleasant home, at that.

  MRS ALVING listens intently, nods, but says nothing.

  MANDERS: But I’m not talking about bachelors’ homes. By a home I mean a family home, where a man lives with his wife and his children.

  OSVALD: Yes; or with his children and his children’s mother.

  MANDERS [taken aback, clasps his hands together]: But merciful God –!

  OSVALD: What?

  MANDERS: Living together with – his children’s mother!

  OSVALD: Would you rather he disowned the mother of his children?

  MANDERS: But you’re talking about unlawful relationships45 here! These so-called wild marriages!46

  OSVALD: I’ve never noticed anything particularly wild about the way these people live together.

  MANDERS: But how is it possible for a – an even moderately well-brought-up man or young woman to bring themselves to live like that – in full view of the world!

  OSVALD: But what should they do, then? A poor young artist – a poor young girl –. It costs a lot to get married. What should they do?

  MANDERS: What they should do? Well, Mr Alving, I’ll tell you what they should do. They should have stayed away from each other from the start – that’s what!

  OSVALD: That sort of talk won’t get
you far with young, warm-blooded people in love.

  MRS ALVING: No, that won’t get you far at all!

  MANDERS [persisting]: And that the authorities tolerate such a thing! That they allow it to take place openly! [Facing MRS ALVING] Didn’t I have grounds to be deeply worried about your son? In circles where such barefaced immorality is rampant and has somehow become the rule –

  OSVALD: I’ll tell you something, pastor. I have been a regular Sunday guest in a couple of these irregular homes –

  MANDERS: On Sundays of all days!

  OSVALD: Yes, surely a day to enjoy oneself. But not once have I heard an offensive word, far less witnessed anything that could be called immoral. No; do you know when and where I have come across immorality in artistic circles?

  MANDERS: No, thank heavens!

  OSVALD: Then permit me to tell you. I’ve encountered it when one of our model husbands and family men came down to take a little look around on their own – and did the artists the honour of visiting them in their lowly taverns. Then we’d hear a few realities. Those gentlemen were able to tell us about places and things we’d never dreamed of.

  MANDERS: What? Are you suggesting that honourable men from home would –?

  OSVALD: Have you never, when these honourable men returned home, have you never heard them pronouncing on the spread of immorality abroad?

  MANDERS: Yes, naturally –

  MRS ALVING: I’ve heard them too.

  OSVALD: Well, one can safely take them at their word. Some of them are experts on the subject. [Clutches his head.] Oh – that this beautiful, glorious life of freedom47 out there – that it should be sullied like this.

  MRS ALVING: You mustn’t over-excite yourself, Osvald; it’s not good for you.

  OSVALD: No, you’re right, Mother. It probably isn’t healthy for me. It’s this damned tiredness, you see. Well, I’ll go for a little walk now before dinner. I’m sorry, pastor; you’ve no way of understanding it, of course; but it just came over me.

  He goes out through the second door on the right.

  MRS ALVING: My poor boy –!

  MANDERS: Yes, well may you say. So this is what he’s come to.

  MRS ALVING looks at him in silence.

  MANDERS [paces up and down]: He called himself the Prodigal Son. Yes, alas – alas!