Ghosts | Page 5

sofa, with a worktable in front of
it. In the background, the room is continued into a somewhat narrower
conservatory, the walls of which are formed by large panes of glass. In
the right-hand wall of the conservatory is a door leading down into the
garden. Through the glass wall a gloomy fjord landscape is faintly
visible, veiled by steady rain.]
[ENGSTRAND, the carpenter, stands by the garden door. His left leg is
somewhat bent; he has a clump of wood under the sole of his boot.
REGINA, with an empty garden syringe in her hand, hinders him from
advancing.]
REGINA. [In a low voice.] What do you want? Stop where you are.
You're positively dripping.
ENGSTRAND. It's the Lord's own rain, my girl.
REGINA. It's the devil's rain, I say.
ENGSTRAND. Lord, how you talk, Regina. [Limps a step or two
forward into the room.] It's just this as I wanted to say--
REGINA. Don't clatter so with that foot of yours, I tell you! The young
master's asleep upstairs.
ENGSTRAND. Asleep? In the middle of the day?
REGINA. It's no business of yours.
ENGSTRAND. I was out on the loose last night--
REGINA. I can quite believe that.
ENGSTRAND. Yes, we're weak vessels, we poor mortals, my girl--

REGINA. So it seems.
ENGSTRAND. --and temptations are manifold in this world, you see.
But all the same, I was hard at work, God knows, at half-past five this
morning.
REGINA. Very well; only be off now. I won't stop here and have
_rendezvous's_ [Note: This and other French words by Regina are in
that language in the original] with you.
ENGSTRAND. What do you say you won't have?
REGINA. I won't have any one find you here; so just you go about
your business.
ENGSTRAND. [Advances a step or two.] Blest if I go before I've had a
talk with you. This afternoon I shall have finished my work at the
school house, and then I shall take to-night's boat and be off home to
the town.
REGINA. [Mutters.] Pleasant journey to you!
ENGSTRAND. Thank you, my child. To-morrow the Orphanage is to
be opened, and then there'll be fine doings, no doubt, and plenty of
intoxicating drink going, you know. And nobody shall say of Jacob
Engstrand that he can't keep out of temptation's way.
REGINA. Oh!
ENGSTRAND. You see, there's to be heaps of grand folks here
to-morrow. Pastor Manders is expected from town, too.
REGINA. He's coming to-day.
ENGSTRAND. There, you see! And I should be cursedly sorry if he
found out anything against me, don't you understand?
REGINA. Oho! is that your game?

ENGSTRAND. Is what my game?
REGINA. [Looking hard at him.] What are you going to fool Pastor
Manders into doing, this time?
ENGSTRAND. Sh! sh! Are you crazy? Do I want to fool Pastor
Manders? Oh no! Pastor Manders has been far too good a friend to me
for that. But I just wanted to say, you know--that I mean to be off home
again to-night.
REGINA. The sooner the better, say I.
ENGSTRAND. Yes, but I want you with me, Regina.
REGINA. [Open-mouthed.] You want me--? What are you talking
about?
ENGSTRAND. I want you to come home with me, I say.
REGINA. [Scornfully.] Never in this world shall you get me home with
you.
ENGSTRAND. Oh, we'll see about that.
REGINA. Yes, you may be sure we'll see about it! Me, that have been
brought up by a lady like Mrs Alving! Me, that am treated almost as a
daughter here! Is it me you want to go home with you?--to a house like
yours? For shame!
ENGSTRAND. What the devil do you mean? Do you set yourself up
against your father, you hussy?
REGINA. [Mutters without looking at him.] You've sail often enough I
was no concern of yours.
ENGSTRAND. Pooh! Why should you bother about that--
REGINA. Haven't you many a time sworn at me and called me a--? Fi
donc!

ENGSTRAND. Curse me, now, if ever I used such an ugly word.
REGINA. Oh, I remember very well what word you used.
ENGSTRAND. Well, but that was only when I was a bit on, don't you
know? Temptations are manifold in this world, Regina.
REGINA. Ugh!
ENGSTRAND. And besides, it was when your mother was that
aggravating--I had to find something to twit her with, my child. She
was always setting up for a fine lady. [Mimics.] "Let me go, Engstrand;
let me be. Remember I was three years in Chamberlain Alving's family
at Rosenvold." [Laughs.] Mercy on us! She could never forget that the
Captain was made a Chamberlain while she was in service here.
REGINA. Poor mother! you very soon tormented her into her grave.
ENGSTRAND. [With a twist of his shoulders.] Oh, of course! I'm to
have