Part 7 (2/2)

[With a little nervous twitch.] Did I? Yes, I suppose I did. [Vehemently, but not loudly.] No-I may just as well make a clean breast of it at once! For it must all come out in any case.

HEDDA.

Why, my dear Thea-?

MRS. ELVSTED.

Well, to make a long story short: My husband did not know that I was coming.

HEDDA.

What! Your husband didn't know it!

MRS. ELVSTED.

No, of course not. For that matter, he was away from home himself- he was travelling. Oh, I could bear it no longer, Hedda! I couldn't indeed-so utterly alone as I should have been in future.

HEDDA.

Well? And then?

MRS. ELVSTED.

So I put together some of my things-what I needed most-as quietly as possible. And then I left the house.

HEDDA.

Without a word?

MRS. ELVSTED.

Yes-and took the train to town.

HEDDA.

Why, my dear, good Thea-to think of you daring to do it!

MRS. ELVSTED.

[Rises and moves about the room.] What else could I possibly do?

HEDDA.

But what do you think your husband will say when you go home again?

MRS. ELVSTED.

[At the table, looks at her.] Back to him?

HEDDA.

Of course.

MRS. ELVSTED.

I shall never go back to him again.

HEDDA.

[Rising and going towards her.] Then you have left your home-for good and all?

MRS. ELVSTED.

Yes. There was nothing else to be done.

HEDDA.

But then-to take flight so openly.

MRS. ELVSTED.

Oh, it's impossible to keep things of that sort secret.

HEDDA.

But what do you think people will say of you, Thea?

MRS. ELVSTED.

They may say what they like, for aught I care. [Seats herself wearily and sadly on the sofa.] I have done nothing but what I had to do.

HEDDA.

[After a short silence.] And what are your plans now? What do you think of doing.

MRS. ELVSTED.

I don't know yet. I only know this, that I must live here, where Eilert Lovborg is-if I am to live at all.

HEDDA.

[Takes a chair from the table, seats herself beside her, and strokes her hands.] My dear Thea-how did this-this friends.h.i.+p-between you and Eilert Lovborg come about?

MRS. ELVSTED.

Oh it grew up gradually. I gained a sort of influence over him.

<script>