Leonarda. Hans, will you see this gentleman off my premises.
Hans. Certainly, ma"am.
Hagbart. Wait a moment, Hans!
Hans. Shall I, ma"am? (Looks at LEONARDA.)
Hagbart. It concerns your niece, Mrs. Falk.
Leonarda. Aagot! Has anything happened to her? I have had no letter from her!
Hagbart. Wait outside, Hans!
Hans (to LEONARDA). Shall I, ma"am?
Leonarda. Yes, yes! (HANS goes out.) What is it?
Hagbart. No bad news.
Leonarda. But how is it you are here on her behalf?
Hagbart. It is difficult to avoid people at a watering-place, you know--although I must admit your niece did her best. She treated me as contemptuously as possible even went farther than that; but she could not prevent my talking to people she used to talk to, or my happening to be where she was; so that--well--she heard them talk about me, and heard me talk to them--and in the end she talked to me herself.
Leonarda. Talked to you?
Hagbart. Yes, it is no good denying it--she actually talked to me, and that more than once.
Leonarda. But what is the meaning of this visit to me?
Hagbart. If you will only allow me to--
Leonarda. I want you to deliver your message briefly and concisely--and not a word more than that.
Hagbart. But I cannot do that until you have allowed me to--
Leonarda. Whether you can or not, I shall allow nothing else. I am not going to give you an excuse for saying that you have been holding conversations with me too.
Hagbart. If you have no objection, I am in love with your niece, Mrs.
Falk.
Leonarda. You? With Aagot?--It serves you right!
Hagbart. I know.
Leonarda. Ha, ha! That is how the land lies.
[HANS appears at the open door.]
Hans. Can I go now, ma"am?
Leonarda. Ha, ha!--Yes, you can go. (Exit HANS ) Well, what more have you to tell me? Have you given Aagot any hint of this?
Hagbart. Yes.
Leonarda. And what answer did you get?--You are silent. Do you find it difficult to tell me?
Hagbart. I am very glad you take it so well, Mrs. Falk.
Leonarda. Yes, it"s funny, isn"t it?--Well, what did Aagot say? She generally has plenty to say.
Hagbart. Indeed she has. We came here to-day by the same boat--
Leonarda. By the same boat? Aagot and you? Have you been persecuting her?
Hagbart. Mrs. Falk, you cannot possibly understand if you will not allow me to--
Leonarda. I wish to hear the rest of it from my niece, as I suppose she will be here directly.
Hagbart. Of course, but still--
Leonarda. There will be no more of that sort of thing here! If you intend to persecute my niece with your attentions in the same way as you have persecuted me with your malice, you are at liberty to try. But you shall not come here! I can forbid it here.
Hagbart. But, my dear Mrs. Falk--
Leonarda. I am really beginning to lose my patience, or rather I have lost it already. What have you come here for?
Hagbart. As there is no help for it--well, I will tell you straight out, although it may be a shock to you--I am here to ask for your niece"s hand.
Leonarda (taking up her gloves). If I were a man, so that there should be nothing "doubtful" about my reply, I would strike you across the face with my gloves.
Hagbart. But you are a woman, so you will not.
[Enter HANS.]
Hans. Here is Miss Aagot, ma"am.
Aagot (from without). Aunt!
Leonarda. Aagot!
[Enter AAGOT. HANS goes out.]
Aagot. Aunt!--That wretched Hans! I was signalling to him--I wanted to surprise you. (Throws herself into LEONARDA"S arms.)
Leonarda. Child, have you deceived me?
Aagot. Deceived you? I?
Leonarda. I knew it! (Embraces her.) Forgive me! I had a moment"s horrible doubt--but as soon as I looked at you it was gone!--Welcome, welcome! How pretty you look! Welcome!