THE LADY FROM THE SEA
(1888)
CHARACTERS.
- Doctor Wangel,[12] district physician.
- Ellida[13] Wangel, his second wife.
- Boletta
Hilda } his daughters by his a
former marriage - Arnholm, a schoolmaster.
- Lyngstrand.
- Ballested.[14]
- A Stranger.
- Young Townspeople.
- Tourists, etc.
ACT FIRST.
Doctor Wangel’s house, with a large verandah, on the left. Garden in front and around. Near the verandah, a flag-staff. To the right, in the garden, an arbour, with table and chairs. At the back, a hedge, with a small gate. Beyond the hedge, a road along the shore, shaded by trees on either side. Between the trees there is a view of the fiord, with high mountain ranges and peaks in the distance. It is a warm and brilliantly clear summer morning.
Ballasted, a middle-aged man, dressed in an old velvet jacket and broad-brimmed artist’s hat, stands at the foot of the flag staff, arranging the cord. The flag is lying on the ground. A little way off stands an easel with a stretched canvas. Beside it, on a camp-stool, are brushes, palette, and a paint-box.
Boletta Wangel comes out upon the verandah through the open garden-room door. She is carrying a large vase of flowers, which she places upon the table.
Well, Ballested,—can you get it to run?
Oh yes, Miss Boletta. It’s easy enough.—May I ask if you are expecting visitors to-day?
Yes, we expect Mr. Arnholm this morning. He came to town last night.
Arnholm? Wait a moment—wasn’t Arnholm the name of the tutor you had here some years ago?
Yes; it is he that is coming.
Ah, indeed. So he is in these parts again?
That is why we want the flag run up.
Ah, I see, I see.
Shortly afterwards, Lyngstrand comes along the road from the right, and stops, interested by the sight of the easel and painter’s materials. He is a slightly-built young man, of delicate appearance, poorly but neatly dressed.
[Outside, by the hedge.] Good morning.
[Turning round.] Ah—good morning. [Hoists the flag.] So-ho!—up goes the balloon! [Makes the cord fast, and begins to busy himself at the easel.] I take off my hat to you, sir—though I don’t think I have the pleasure——
You are a painter, are you not?
Yes, certainly. Why should I not be a painter?
Ah, I can see you are.—Should you mind my coming in for a moment?
Do you want to have a look at it?
Yes, I should like to extremely.
Oh there’s nothing much to see as yet. But pray come in—you’re quite welcome.
Many thanks.
[Painting.] It’s the inner part of the fiord, among the islands, that I am working at.
Yes, I see.
But I haven’t put in the figure yet. There is no such thing as a model to be had in the town.
There is to be a figure, is there?
Yes. By the rock in the foreground here, I mean to have a half-dead mermaid lying.
Why half-dead?
She has strayed in from the sea, and can’t find her way out again. So she lies here dying by inches in the brackish water, you understand.
Oh, that is the idea?
It was the lady of this house that suggested it to me.
What will you call the picture when it is finished?
I think of calling it “The Mermaid’s End.”
Capital.—You are sure to make something good out of this.
[Looking at him.] An artist yourself, perhaps?
A painter, you mean?
Yes.
No, I am not. But I am going to be a sculptor. My name is Hans Lyngstrand.
Going to be a sculptor, are you? Well, well, sculpture, too, is a fine, gentleman-like art.—I fancy I’ve seen you in the street once or twice. Have you been staying here long?
No, I have only been here a fortnight. But I hope I may be able to stay the whole summer.
To enjoy the gaieties of the season, eh?
Well, rather to get up my strength a bit.
Not an invalid, I hope?
Well, I’m what you might call a little bit of an invalid. Nothing to speak of, you know. It’s only a sort of short-windedness in my chest.
Pooh—a mere trifle. Still, I would consult a good doctor, if I were you.
I thought, if I could find an opportunity, I might speak to Dr. Wangel.
Yes, do. [Looks out to the left.] Here comes another steamer. Chock full of passengers. It’s extraordinary how the tourist business has increased here during the last few years.
Yes, there seems to be a continual coming and going.
The place is full of summer visitors too. I’m sometimes afraid that our good town may lose its character with all this foreign invasion.
Are you a native of the place?
No, I am not. But I have accla—acclimatised myself. I have become attached to the place by the bonds of time and habit.
You have lived here a long time, then?
Well, seventeen or eighteen years. I came here with Skive’s[15] dramatic company. But we got into financial difficulties; so the company broke up and was scattered to the winds.
But you remained?
I remained. And I have had no cause to regret it. You see in those days I was mainly employed as a scene-painter.
Boletta comes out with a rocking-chair, which she places in the verandah.
[Speaking into the garden-room.] Hilda,—see if you can find the embroidered footstool for father.
[Approaches the verandah and bows.] Good morning, Miss Wangel.
[By the balustrade.] Ah, is that you, Mr. Lyngstrand? Good morning. Excuse me one moment.
Do you know the family here?
Very slightly. I have met the young ladies once or twice at other houses. And I had a little talk with Mrs. Wangel the last time the band played up at the Prospect. She said I might come and see them.
I’ll tell you what,—you ought to cultivate their acquaintance.
Yes, I’ve been thinking of paying them a visit—I mean calling on them, you know. If I could only find some pretext——
Oh nonsense,—a pretext——[Looks out to the left.] Confound it all! [Collects his things.] The steamer’s alongside the pier already. I must be off to the hotel. Perhaps some of the new arrivals may require my services. For I practise as a hair-cutter and friseur, too, I must tell you.
You seem to be very versatile.
One must know how to ac—climatise oneself to various professions in these small places. If you should ever require anything in the hair line—pomade or what not—you have only to ask for Dancing-Master Ballested.
Dancing-Master——
President of the Musical Society, if you prefer it. We give a concert up at the Prospect this evening. Good-bye, good-bye.
[He goes with his painting materials through the garden gate, and then out to the left.
Hilda comes out with the stool. Boletta brings more flowers. Lyngstrand bows to Hilda from the garden.
[By the balustrade, without returning the bow.] Boletta said you had ventured in to-day.
Yes, I took the liberty of coming into the garden.
Have you been out for your morning walk?
Well, no,—I haven’t had much of a walk to-day.
Have you been bathing then?
Yes, I had a little dip. I saw your mother down there. She was just going into her bathing-house.
Who was?
Your mother.
Oh indeed.
[She places the stool in front of the rocking-chair.
[As if to change the subject.] Did you see anything of my father’s boat out on the fiord?
Yes, I saw a sailing-boat that seemed to be standing inwards.
That must have been father. He has been out visiting patients on the islands.
[Standing on the lowest of the verandah steps.] Why, what a splendid show of flowers you have here——!
Yes, doesn’t it look nice?
Oh, charming. It looks as if the day were some family festival.
So it is.
I guessed as much. Your father’s birthday, I suppose?
[Warningly to Hilda.] H’m,—h’m!
[Not heeding her.] No, mother’s.
Oh indeed,—your mother’s, is it?
[In a low, angry tone.] Now, Hilda——!
[In the same tone.] Let me alone! [To Lyngstrand.] I suppose you’re going home to lunch now?
[Descending from the step.] Yes, I suppose I must see about getting something to eat.
I daresay you live on the fat of the land at the hotel.
I am not staying at the hotel now. It was too expensive for me.
Where are you now, then?
I have a room at Madam Jensen’s.[16]
Which Madam Jensen’s?
The midwife’s.
Excuse me, Mr. Lyngstrand, but I really have no time to——
Oh, I suppose I oughtn’t to have said that.
Said what?
What I said just now.
[Looks at him witheringly from top to toe.] I don’t in the least understand you.
No, no. Well, I must bid you good-bye for the present, ladies.
[Comes forward to the steps.] Good-bye, good-bye, Mr. Lyngstrand. You must please excuse us for to-day.—But another time, when you have nothing better to do—and when you feel inclined,—I hope you’ll look in and see father and—and the rest of us.
Many thanks. I shall be only too delighted.
[He bows and goes out by the garden gate. As he passes along the road outside, to the left, he bows again towards the verandah.
[Under her breath.] Adieu, Mossyoo! My love to Mother Jensen.
[Softly, shakes her by the arm.] Hilda——! You naughty child! Are you mad? He might easily hear you!
Pooh,—do you think I care?
[Looks out to the right.] Here comes father.
Doctor Wangel, in travelling dress, and carrying a hand-bag, comes along the foot-path from the right.
Well, here I am again, little girls!
[Goes down to meet him in the garden.] Oh, I’m so glad you have come.
[Also going down to him.] Have you finished for the day now, father?
Oh no, I must go down to the surgery for a little while by-and-by.—Tell me,—do you know whether Arnholm has arrived?
Yes, he came last night. We sent to the hotel to inquire.
Then you haven’t seen him yet?
No. But he’s sure to look in this forenoon.
Yes, of course he will.
[Drawing him round.] Father you must look about you now.
[Looking towards the verandah.] Yes, yes, my child, I see.—There is quite an air of festivity about the place.
Don’t you think we have arranged it prettily?
Yes, you have indeed—Is—are we alone in the house?
Yes, she has gone to——
[Interrupts quickly.] Mother is bathing.
[Looks kindly at Boletta and pats her head.] Then he says, with some hesitation:] Look here, little girls—do you intend to keep up this display all day? And the flag flying too?
Why, of course we do, father!
H’m—yes. But you see——
[Nodding and smiling to him.] Of course you understand that it’s all in honour of Mr. Arnholm. When such an old friend comes to pay his first visit to you——
[Smiling and shaking him.] Remember—wasn’t he Boletta’s tutor, father?
[Half smiling.] You are a pair of young rogues.—Well well,—after all, it’s only natural that we should remember her who is no longer among us. But all the same——. Look here, Hilda. [Gives her his hand-bag.] This must go down to the surgery.—No, little girls,—I don’t like all this—the manner of it, I mean. That we should make a practice every year of——. Well, what can one say? I suppose there is no other way of doing it.
[Is about to go through the garden to the left with the hand-bag, but stops, turns, and points.] Look at that gentleman coming along the road. I believe it’s Mr. Arnholm.
[Looks in the same direction.] He! [Laughs.] What an absurd idea! To take that middle-aged man for Mr Arnholm.
Wait a bit, child. Upon my life, I believe it’s he!—Yes, I am sure of it!
[Gazing fixedly, in quiet astonishment.] Yes, I do believe it is!
Arnholm, in elegant morning dress, with gold spectacles and a light cane, appears on the road, coming from the left. He looks somewhat over-worked. On seeing the party in the garden, he bows in a friendly way, and comes through the gate.
[Going to meet him.] Welcome my dear Arnholm! Heartily welcome to your old haunts again.
Thank you, thank you, Doctor Wangel. A thousand thanks. [They shake hands and cross the garden together.] And here are the children! [Holds out his hands to them and looks at them.] These two I should scarcely have known again.
No, I daresay not.
Oh well,—perhaps Boletta.—Yes, I should have known Boletta.
Scarcely, I think. Let me see, it’s eight or nine years since you saw her last. Ah yes, there has been many a change here since then.
[Looking about him.] I should hardly say so. Except that the trees have grown a bit—and you have planted a new arbour there——
Oh no, outwardly I daresay.
[Smiles.] And now, of course, you have two grown-up daughters in the house.
Oh, only one grown-up, surely.
[Half-aloud.] Just listen to father!
And now suppose we sit in the verandah. It’s cooler there than here. Come along.
Thanks, thanks, my dear Doctor.
[They go up the steps. Wangel gives Arnholm the rocking-chair.
That’s right. Now you shall just sit quiet and have a good rest. You are looking rather tired after your journey.
Oh, that’s nothing. Now that I am here again——
[To Wangel.] Shall we bring a little soda-water and syrup into the garden-room? It will soon be too warm out here.
Yes do, little girls. Soda-water and syrup. And perhaps a little cognac.
Cognac too?
Just a little. In case any one should care for it.
Very well. Hilda, will you take the hand-bag down to the surgery?
[Boletta goes into the garden-room and closes the door after her. Hilda takes the bag and, going through the garden, disappears behind the house to the left.
[Who has been following Boletta with his eyes.] What a splendid girl—what splendid girls they have grown into!
[Seats himself.] Yes, don’t you think so?
Boletta quite astonishes me—and Hilda too, for that matter.—But you yourself, my dear Doctor—do you intend to remain here for the rest of your days?
Oh yes, that’s what it will come to, I suppose. I was born and bred here, you see. Here I lived very very happily with her who was so early taken from us—with her whom you knew when you were here before, Arnholm.
Yes—yes.
And now I live here so happily with one who has come to me in her stead. I must say that, take it all in all, the fates have been kind to me.
You have no children by your second marriage?
We had a little boy, two or two and a half years ago. But we did not keep him long. He died when he was four or five months old.