The Master Builder Part 79

HILDA.

[Jubilant, clapping her hands.] Oh, Mr. Solness--! My lovely, lovely castle. Our castle in the air!

SOLNESS.

On a firm foundation.

[In the street a crowd of people has a.s.sembled, vaguely seen through the trees. Music of wind-instruments is heard far away behind the new house.

MRS. SOLNESS, with a fur collar round her neck, DOCTOR HERDAL with her white shawl on his arm, and some ladies, come out on the verandah. RAGNAR BROVIK comes at the same time up from the garden.

MRS. SOLNESS.

[To RAGNAR.] Are we to have music, too?

RAGNAR.

Yes. It's the band of the Mason's Union. [To SOLNESS.] The foreman asked me to tell you that he is ready now to go up with the wreath.

SOLNESS.

[Takes his hat.] Good. I will go down to him myself.

MRS. SOLNESS.

[Anxiously.] What have you to do down there, Halvard?

SOLNESS.

[Curtly.] I must be down below with the men.

MRS. SOLNESS.

Yes, down below--only down below.

SOLNESS.

That is where I always stand--on everyday occasions.

[He goes down the flight of steps and away through the garden.

MRS. SOLNESS.

[Calls after him over the railing.] But do beg the man to be careful when he goes up! Promise me that, Halvard!

DR. HERDAL.

[To MRS. SOLNESS.] Don't you see that I was right? He has given up all thought of that folly.

MRS. SOLNESS.

Oh, what a relief! Twice workmen have fallen, and each time they were killed on the spot. [Turns to HILDA.] Thank you, Miss w.a.n.gel, for having kept such a firm hold upon him. I should never have been able to manage him.

DR. HERDAL.

[Playfully.] Yes, yes, Miss w.a.n.gel, you know how to keep firm hold on a man, when you give your mind to it.

[MRS. SOLNESS and DR. HERDAL go up to the ladies, who are standing nearer to the steps and looking over the garden.

HILDA remains standing beside the railing in the foreground.

RAGNAR goes up to her.

RAGNAR.

[With suppressed laughter, half whispering.] Miss w.a.n.gel--do you see all those young fellows down in the street?

HILDA.

Yes.

RAGNAR.

They are my fellow students, come to look at the master.

HILDA.

What do they want to look at him for?

RAGNAR.

They want to see how he daren't climb to the top of his own house.