Hadda Pada | Page 6

fond of you. I shall never forget that moment. I saw you come up again with an angelica crown on your head. I saw you rise up like a green-crowned sea-god from the deep.--
INGOLF. I can't bear the thought that I shall leave you in a few days.
HADDA PADDA [smiles].
INGOLF. You smile?
HADDA PADDA. I am thinking of something. Shall I tell you?
LITTLE SKULI [comes rushing in from the right]. Hadda Padda! Have you seen--? Ah, Ingolf, are you here? [Runs straight up to Ingolf, catching hold of both his hands]. Why did you leave home so soon, Ingolf?
INGOLF. Because I wanted to go to Copenhagen.
HADDA PADDA. Skuli dear, will you be a good boy and make me a ship?
LITTLE SKULI. Oh no, not now.
HADDA PADDA. Oh yes, your last ship was so well cut out, with great big masts. [Pats him.] You're a dear.
INGOLF. Then you'll be allowed to come along with us to the country next summer.
HADDA PADDA. And sit in front, on the Sheriff's horse, many, many times.
LITTLE SKULI. Then will the Sheriff give me a sheep again?
INGOLF. Yes, my little friend, father will give you a sheep, and I will give you one too; I'll give you one with pretty rounded horns.
LITTLE SKULI. Does it butt?
INGOLF. O, of course not, it eats bread from your hand.
LITTLE SKULI. Then I'll saw its horns off, and give them to Sigga- -she has lots of horns she plays sheep with. [Laughter.]
INGOLF. Well, are you going to make that ship?
LITTLE SKULI. Are you the one who gets all Hadda Padda's ships?
INGOLF. Well, I daresay I get most of them.--What makes you think so?
LITTLE SKULI. Because, whenever she is with you, she always wants me to make ships. [Ingolf and Hadda look at each other and laugh.]
INGOLF. Yes, she knows I am very fond of your ships.
LITTLE SKULI. Then I'll make ships for you often. [Runs out, Ingolf and Hadda still laughing.]
INGOLF. What was it you were going to tell me before?
HADDA PADDA. Something that ...
INGOLF. That ..?
HADDA PADDA. That ...
INGOLF. Are you teasing me?
RANNVEIG [enters from the back, knitting, sits down]. What a lovely day it is.
HADDA PADDA. Veiga, dear, you promised to darn my lilac stockings for me. I haven't any to wear to-morrow.
RANNVEIG [considering]. How about the yellow ones?
HADDA PADDA. Oh, Runa must have taken them; I couldn't find them.
RANNVEIG [gets up]. Well, I can't let you go barefooted. [Goes out.]
INGOLF. You are shrewd, Hadda Padda!--Now, tell it to me.
HADDA PADDA. First, kiss me!
INGOLF [kisses her].
HADDA PADDA. Do you think you will miss me very much when you are gone?
INGOLF. How can you ask?
RANNVEIG [enters from the back, with the stockings in her hand]. I knew as much. I was right.--[Sees them embracing.]--I might have saved myself the trouble of looking for the stockings. [Turns round, and goes out.]
HADDA PADDA. Ingolf!
INGOLF. Yes--
HADDA PADDA. Now listen:--
THE JUDGE [enters from the back].
INGOLF [looks impatiently at his watch, and walks toward the door on the right.]
THE JUDGE. Are you going out, Ingolf?
INGOLF. I'm just going up to my room. I have a letter to answer. [Goes out.]
THE JUDGE. Well, my dear, to-morrow is the great day. HADDA PADDA. How good you are, father, to make me feel your gladness as you do.
THE JUDGE [takes her to his side, and sits down with her]. You happy child! I can't believe that you are grown up. It is as if I were beginning to realise it now, for the first time. But still, I shall have you one year more.
HADDA PADDA. Father!
THE JUDGE. Yes, dear.
HADDA PADDA. Father. ...!
THE JUDGE. What is the matter, dear?
HADDA PADDA. There is something I want to ask you.
THE JUDGE. And that is?
HADDA PADDA. I want to ask you--[Stops abruptly.]
LADY ANNA [enters from the back].
THE JUDGE [to Hadda]. What did you want to ask me? [Smiles to his wife.] Something mother may not hear?
HADDA PADDA. No, something I have to ask both of you.
THE JUDGE. Let us hear it, then.
HADDA PADDA. It is a very great favor, but you must not say no.
THE JUDGE. Ask it.
LADY ANNA. Well, what is it? [She has taken some work from the basket, and sits down to sew.]
HADDA PADDA. I want you to let me go to Copenhagen again. I want to go with Ingolf.
THE JUDGE. Now?
HADDA PADDA. Yes, now, Tuesday.
LADY ANNA. You are not in earnest, Hrafnhild. You know, Kristrun is going to leave for England next month, your brother has written for her. And she hasn't been abroad yet, while you have been twice.
HADDA PADDA. Nor do I want her to abandon her plan.
LADY ANNA. But do you want me to do without both of you at the same time?
HADDA PADDA. Would that be hard for you, mother?
LADY ANNA. Hard--it would be impossible. With all the parties we have, I must have