A Master Builder Page #4

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Is it you?

So... you did come to visit

our town after all.

Yes. Miss Wangel has just

this very moment arrived in town...

so she wondered if she might be able

to stay here overnight.

Here at the house?

Well... we'd be delighted.

You know, just so that she can sort of get

herself organized a bit and...

I'll certainly do my best

to look after you.

Um, "An unexpected guest

is a blessed obligation"...

my Aunt Thea used to say.

So, I suppose your luggage

will be coming along a little bit later?

No, I - I don't have any.

Well, that's all right.

I'm sure it will all be fine anyway.

Well, I'm afraid that you'll have to be

satisfied with my husband's company...

for a little while

while I see about getting a room...

in some sort of shape for you.

Well, why don't we use

one of the children's rooms?

They're already made up.

Yes.

We certainly have plenty

of space up there.

So...

do you have many children's rooms

here in the house?

Yes, we have three altogether.

That's quite a few.

So I suppose you must have

quite a few children then?

No, no, we don't have any children.

But in the meantime, you can be our child.

Yes.

I'll be your child for tonight.

But I won't cry. I'll try to see if I can

sleep like a stone right through the night.

Well, I'm sure

you're bound to be awfully tired.

No, not at all.

But I do love to lie in bed,

to sleep and to dream.

So, when you go to sleep at night,

do you often dream?

Yes.

Practically always.

And what do you dream about most then?

I'm not gonna tell you that.

I might tell you some time.

Are you...

trying to find something, or...

No, I'm just looking at things.

- Should I not do that?

- No. Go right ahead.

Are you the one who writes in this ledger?

No.

The bookkeeper writes in that ledger.

I see.

Would that happen to be

a member of the other sex?

Yes, naturally.

A person of that sex

who's regularly employed here?

Yes.

Is she perhaps married?

No.

I see.

But she's going to be getting married

very soon, I believe.

That's very nice for her then, isn't it?

But it's not so nice for me...

because I'm going to be left

with no one here to help me.

Can't you find someone else

who'd be just as good?

Well...

maybe you'd like to stay here

and write in the ledger.

Yes.

Thank you very much.

That is something that

is never gonna happen...

because I believe I might have some

business to attend to here...

that has nothing to do with bookkeeping.

- Am I right?

- Yes, absolutely.

Well, I mean, the first thing

you're gonna do, obviously...

is to go around to the shops

and get some proper clothes for yourself.

No, I think I'm going to omit that step.

Yes, because I'm afraid

I've spent all my money.

I squandered it, unfortunately.

So, it seems that you have...

no luggage, no money.

That's right.

But, you know,

"What the hell," as they say.

My dear. Do you know that attitude

really makes me like you?

Is that

the only thing that does?

No. There are actually quite a few things.

I-Is your father still alive?

Yes, he is.

But you were thinking...

that you might like to come

and study here in our town?

No, that thought has never occurred to me.

So you're here for a

long visit or you're...

- Master Builder Solness?

- Yes?

Do you think you're

a very forgetful person?

No, I'm not aware

that I am forgetful. No.

Are you really not going to speak to me

at all about what happened up there?

Up there at Sangerly?

Well, there isn't really very much

to say about it, is there?

Why are you talking like this?

Well, tell me what you're referring to.

When the tower on the old church

was completed...

we had a big celebration in town.

I haven't forgotten that.

I could never forget that remarkable day.

No? Well, that's so nice

of you to say that.

So, there was music in the churchyard...

and many, many hundreds of people.

And all of us girls from the school

were dressed in white...

and we all had little flags.

Yes, I remember those flags!

And you started to climb the tower

right up the scaffolding...

all the way up to the very highest point.

And as you climbed,

you carried this enormous wreath.

And you hung that wreath

all the way up on the weather vane.

Yes, yes,

I used to do that at that time...

because that's a very

old custom, you know...

the "Ceremony of the Wreath."

It was so incredibly

suspenseful and exciting...

to stand down there and watch you.

Just think... Just imagine,

what if he were to fall?

What if the Master Builder were to fall?

Yes, well, yes, that could

have happened, actually.

It could have because one

of those little angels in white...

one of those terrifying

little evil devils...

was screaming up at me...

"Bravo, Master Builder!" Yes!

And she was waving her flag

around so wildly...

that when I saw it, something happened.

I-I became dizzy.

Look.

Yes.

That's right. That was you.

I just couldn't believe

that there was a man on earth...

who could build such a high tower.

And then that very same man

could just stand there on top of it...

and not become even

the slightest bit dizzy.

Well...

That's when the thing happened which...

Which what?

Well, I'm sure I don't have to remind you

of that part of the story.

I'm sorry. Please, I...

Do you remember there was a big banquet

held in your honor at the club?

Yes, of course.

Well, after the banquet, you were invited

to come over to our house for tea.

That's absolutely right.

I must say, Miss Wangel...

it's really rather remarkable

how well you've managed...

to remember

all these meaningless details.

"Meaningless details"?

You really are quite funny, aren't you?

Do you also think it was a sort of

"meaningless detail"...

that when you came into the living room,

I was there, completely alone?

Were you?

I don't think you called me

an evil devil then.

I'm sure I didn't.

You said I looked beautiful

in my white dress.

Beautiful.

"Like a very small princess," you said.

I'm sure you did look like

a princess, Miss Wangel.

And then you said, when I grew up...

I would be your princess.

- I did?

- Yeah.

Yes, you did.

And when I asked you how long

I'd have to wait before you came back...

you said you would return in 10 years...

and like some weird

half-human mountain creature...

you would seize me,

you would kidnap me...

you would abduct me

and you would carry me off to Spain.

And there you promised...

you would buy me a kingdom.

I would buy you a kingdom.

Yes, yes!

Well, after a banquet...

with all sorts of lovely things

to eat and drink...

one would never think

of buying anything cheap.

My God.

Did I really say all those things?

Yes, you did.

You also said what my kingdom

would be called.

Tell me.

The Kingdom of Orange Juice.

Well, that sounds delicious.

Well, I didn't like it. It was as though

you were trying to make fun of me.

Well, I'm sure I had no desire

to hurt your feelings.

No, I'm sure you didn't.

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