John Gabriel Borkman | Page 6

her.] My motive?
MRS. BORKMAN. Yes, some motive you must have had. What did
you want to do with him? To make of him, I mean?
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Slowly.] I wanted to smooth the way for Erhart to

happiness in life.
MRS. BORKMAN. [Contemptuously.] Pooh--people situated as we are
have something else than happiness to think of.
ELLA RENTHEIM. What, then?
MRS. BORKMAN. [Looking steadily and earnestly at her.] Erhart has
in the first place to make so brilliant a position for himself, that no trace
shall be left of the shadow his father has cast upon my name--and my
son's.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Searchingly.] Tell me, Gunhild, is this what
Erhart himself demands of his life?
MRS. BORKMAN. [Slightly taken aback.] Yes, I should hope so!
ELLA RENTHEIM. Is it not rather what you demand of him?
MRS. BORKMAN. [Curtly.] Erhart and I always make the same
demands upon ourselves.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Sadly and slowly.] You are so very certain of
your boy, then, Gunhild?
MRS. BORKMAN. [With veiled triumph.] Yes, that I am--thank
Heaven. You may be sure of that!
ELLA RENTHEIM. Then I should think in reality you must be happy
after all; in spite of all the rest.
MRS. BORKMAN. So I am--so far as that goes. But then, every
moment, all the rest comes rushing in upon me like a storm.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [With a change of tone.] Tell me--you may as well
tell me at once--for that is really what I have come for----
MRS. BORKMAN. What?

ELLA RENTHEIM. Something I felt I must talk to you about.--Tell
me--Erhart does not live out here with--with you others?
MRS. BORKMAN. [Harshly.] Erhart cannot live out here with me. He
has to live in town----
ELLA RENTHEIM. So he wrote to me.
MRS. BORKMAN. He must, for the sake of his studies. But he comes
out to me for a little while every evening.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Well, may I see him then? May I speak to him at
once?
MRS. BORKMAN. He has not come yet; but I expect him every
moment.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Why, Gunhild, surely he must have come. I can
hear his footsteps overhead.
MRS. BORKMAN. [With a rapid upward glance.] Up in the long
gallery?
ELLA RENTHEIM. Yes. I have heard him walking up and down there
ever since I came.
MRS. BORKMAN. [Looking away from her.] That is not Erhart, Ella.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Surprised.] Not Erhart? [Divining.] Who is it
then?
MRS. BORKMAN. It is he.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Softly, with suppressed pain.] Borkman? John
Gabriel Borkman?
MRS. BORKMAN. He walks up and down like that--backwards and
forwards--from morning to night--day out and day in.

ELLA RENTHEIM. I have heard something of this----
MRS. BORKMAN. I daresay. People find plenty to say about us, no
doubt.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Erhart has spoken of it in his letters. He said that
his father generally remained by himself--up there--and you alone
down here.
MRS. BORKMAN. Yes; that is how it has been, Ella, ever since they
let him out, and sent him home to me. All these long eight years.
ELLA RENTHEIM. I never believed it could really be so. It seemed
impossible!
MRS. BORKMAN. [Nods.] It is so; and it can never be otherwise.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Looking at her.] This must be a terrible life,
Gunhild.
MRS. BORKMAN. Worse than terrible--almost unendurable.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Yes, it must be.
MRS. BORKMAN. Always to hear his footsteps up there--from early
morning till far into the night. And everything sounds so clear in this
house!
ELLA RENTHEIM. Yes, it is strange how clear the sound is.
MRS. BORKMAN. I often feel as if I had a sick wolf pacing his cage
up there in the gallery, right over my head. [Listens and whispers.]
Hark! Do you hear! Backwards and forwards, up and down, goes the
wolf.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [Tentatively.] Is no change possible, Gunhild?
MRS. BORKMAN. [With a gesture of repulsion.] He has never made
any movement towards a change.

ELLA RENTHEIM. Could you not make the first movement, then?
MRS. BORKMAN. [Indignantly.] I! After all the wrong he has done
me! No thank you! Rather let the wolf go on prowling up there.
ELLA RENTHEIM. This room is too hot for me. You must let me take
off my things after all.
MRS. BORKMAN. Yes, I asked you to.
[ELLA RENTHEIM takes off her hat and cloak and lays them on a
chair beside the door leading to the hall.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Do you never happen to meet him, away from
home?
MRS. BORKMAN. [With a bitter laugh.] In society, do you mean?
ELLA RENTHEIM. I mean, when he goes out walking. In the woods,
or----
MRS. BORKMAN. He never goes out.
ELLA RENTHEIM. Not even in the twilight?
MRS. BORKMAN. Never.
ELLA RENTHEIM. [With emotion.] He cannot bring himself to