Hedda Gabler
Act I
A spacious, handsome, and tastefully furnished drawing-room, decorated in dark colours. In the back, a wide doorway with curtains drawn back, leading into a smaller room decorated in the same style as the drawing-room. In the right-hand wall of the front room, a folding door leading out to the hall. In the opposite wall, on the left, a glass door, also with curtains drawn back. Through the panes can be seen part of a verandah outside, and trees covered with autumn foliage. An oval table, with a cover on it, and surrounded by chairs, stands well forward. In front, by the wall on the right, a wide stove of dark porcelain, a high-backed arm-chair, a cushioned foot-rest, and two footstools. A settee, with a small round table in front of it, fills the upper right-hand corner. In front, on the left, a little way from the wall, a sofa. Further back than the glass door, a piano. On either side of the doorway at the back a whatnot with terra-cotta and majolica ornaments.âAgainst the back wall of the inner room a sofa, with a table, and one or two chairs. Over the sofa hangs the portrait of a handsome elderly man in a Generalâs uniform. Over the table a hanging lamp, with an opal glass shade.âA number of bouquets are arranged about the drawing-room, in vases and glasses. Others lie upon the tables. The floors in both rooms are covered with thick carpets.âMorning light. The sun shines in through the glass door.
MISS JULIANA TESMAN, with her bonnet on and carrying a parasol, comes in from the hall, followed by BERTA, who carries a bouquet wrapped in paper. MISS TESMAN is a comely and pleasant-looking lady of about sixty-five. She is nicely but simply dressed in a grey walking-costume. BERTA is a middle-aged woman of plain and rather countrified appearance.
MISS TESMAN (stops close to the door, listens, and says softly). Upon my word, I donât believe they are stirring yet!
BERTA (also softly). I told you so, Miss. Remember how late the steamboat got in last night. And then, when they got home!âgood Lord, what a lot the young mistress had to unpack before she could get to bed.
MISS TESMAN. Well, wellâlet them have their sleep out. But let us see that they get a good breath of the fresh morning air when they do appear. (She goes to the glass door and throws it open.)
BERTA (beside the table, at a loss what to do with the bouquet in her hand). I declare there isnât a bit of room left. I think Iâll put it down here, Miss. (She places it on the piano.)
MISS TESMAN. So youâve got a new mistress now, my dear Berta. Heaven knows it was a wrench to me to part with you.
BERTA (on the point of weeping). And do you think it wasnât hard for me too, Miss? After all the blessed years Iâve been with you and Miss Rina. *
MISS TESMAN. We must make the best of it, Berta. There was nothing else to be done. George canât do without you, you seeâhe absolutely canât. He has had you to look after him ever since he was a little boy.
BERTA. Ah but, Miss Julia, I canât help thinking of Miss Rina lying helpless at home there, poor thing. And with only that new girl too! Sheâll never learn to take proper care of an invalid.
MISS TESMAN. Oh, I shall manage to train her. And of course, you know, I shall take most of it upon myself. You neednât be uneasy about my poor sister, my dear Berta.
BERTA. Well, but thereâs another thing, Miss. Iâm so mortally afraid I shanât be able to suit the young mistress.
MISS TESMAN. Oh wellâjust at first there may be one or two thingsâ
BERTA. Most like sheâll be terrible grand in her ways.
MISS TESMAN. Well, you canât wonder at thatâGeneral Gablerâs daughter! Think of the sort of life she was accustomed to in her fatherâs time. Donât you remember how we used to see her riding down the road along with the General? In that long black habitâand with feathers in her hat?
BERTA. Yes, indeedâI remember well enoughâ! But good Lord, I should never have dreamt in those days that she and Master George would make a match of it.
MISS TESMAN. Nor I.âBut, by-the-bye, Bertaâwhile I think of it: in future you mustnât say Master George. You must say Dr. Tesman.
BERTA. Yes, the young mistress spoke of that tooâlast nightâthe moment they set foot in the house. Is it true then, Miss?
MISS TESMAN. Yes, indeed it is. Only think, Bertaâsome foreign university has made him a doctorâwhile he has been abroad, you understand. I hadnât heard a word about it, until he told me himself upon the pier.
BERTA. Well, well, heâs clever enough for anything, he is. But I didnât think heâd have gone in for doctoring people too.
MISS TESMAN. No, no, itâs not that sort of doctor he is. (Nods significantly.) But let me tell you, we may have to call him something still grander before long.
BERTA. You donât say so! What can that be, Miss?
MISS TESMAN (smiling). Hâmâwouldnât you like to know! (With emotion.) Ah, dear, dearâif my poor brother could only look up from his grave now, and see what his little boy has grown into! (Looks around.) But bless me, Bertaâwhy have you done this? Taken the chintz covers off all the furniture?
BERTA. The mistress told me to. She canât abide covers on the chairs, she says.
MISS TESMAN. Are they going to make this their everyday sitting-room then?
BERTA. Yes, thatâs what I understoodâfrom the mistress. Master George âthe doctorâhe said nothing.
GEORGE TESMAN comes from the right into the inner room, humming to himself, and carrying an unstrapped empty portmanteau. He is a middle-sized, young-looking man of thirty-three, rather stout, with a round, open, cheerful face, fair hair and beard. He wears spectacles, an...