ELLA RENTHEIM.
And how do you think that is to be done?
MRS. BORKMAN.
It must be done as best it can; I don"t know how. But I know that it must and shall be done. [Looks searchingly at her.] Come now, Ella; isn"t that really what you have had in mind too, ever since he was a child?
ELLA RENTHEIM.
No, I can"t exactly say that.
MRS. BORKMAN.
No? Then why did you take charge of him when the storm broke upon--upon this house?
ELLA RENTHEIM.
You could not look after him yourself at that time, Gunhild.
MRS. BORKMAN.
No, no, I could not. And his father--he had a valid enough excuse--while he was there--in safe keeping----
ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Indignant.] Oh, how can you say such things!--You!
MRS. BORKMAN.
[With a venomous expression.] And how could you make up your mind to take charge of the child of a--a John Gabriel! Just as if he had been your own? To take the child away from me--home with you--and keep him there year after year, until the boy was nearly grown up. [Looking suspiciously at her.] What was your real reason, Ella? Why did you keep him with you?
ELLA RENTHEIM.
I came to love him so dearly----
MRS. BORKMAN.
More than I--his mother?
ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Evasively.] I don"t know about that. And then, you know, Erhart was rather delicate as a child----
MRS. BORKMAN.
Erhart--delicate!
ELLA RENTHEIM.
Yes, I thought so--at that time at any rate. And you know the air of the west coast is so much milder than here.
MRS. BORKMAN.
[Smiling bitterly.] H"m--is it indeed? [Breaking off.] Yes, it is true you have done a great deal for Erhart. [With a change of tone.] Well, of course, you could afford it. [Smiling.] You were so lucky, Ella; you managed to save all your money.
ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Hurt.] I did not manage anything about it, I a.s.sure you. I had no idea--until long, long afterwards--that the securities belonging to me--that they had been left untouched.
MRS. BORKMAN.
Well, well; I don"t understand anything about these things! I only say you were lucky. [Looking inquiringly at her.] But when you, of your own accord, undertook to educate Erhart for me--what was your motive in that?
ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Looking at 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.