A Master Builder Page #5

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I would imagine not, when you think

of what you were about to do.

What in the world was I about to do?

You're saying now

that you've forgotten that?

I'm sorry.

No, no!

Those are things that

a person remembers forever.

Please, I'm sorry.

You held me.

- You kissed me, Master Builder Solness.

- I did?

Yes, you did.

You took hold of me,

and you wrapped your arms around me...

and you pressed into me so hard that we

leaned over backwards, and you kissed me.

No. No.

No, you can't! You're not going to say

that you didn't do that!

No, I absolutely did not do that!

No! No!

Listen! This story that you told me...

this has to be something

that you dreamed...

very vividly, maybe, or...

Or... Or, all right. All right.

I must have wanted to do it.

I must have felt like doing it.

I must have felt like doing it...

and the impression of... of...

Yes! All right.

Yes! Yes, yes! Yes!

I did. It happened.

- So you admit it now?

- Yes.

You took hold of me.

- You wrapped your arms tightly around me.

- Yes.

And you pressed into me hard

so that we leaned over backwards...

and you were kissing me

and kissing me again and again.

That's right.

So, you see...

I finally lured the little animal

out of its hole.

I brought it out of you.

Yes, how strange...

how strange that I could forget

something like that.

I'm sure you've kissed so many girls

in the course of your life...

it's hard to remember them all.

Don't say that!

Don't.

But then, how did... how did...

What happened then?

Nothing happened,

as you know very well...

'cause all the other guests

came into the room.

Yes!

t's so incredible

that I could forget that too.

You haven't actually forgotten anything.

You're just a little bit...

a little bit embarrassed

about what you did.

People don't forget things like that.

They just don't.

Yes, it would seem impossible

to forget things like that.

Have you perhaps forgotten

one thing anyway?

- What day it was.

- What day it was?

Yes. What day it was.

The day when you carried the wreath

to the top of the tower.

What was the day? Tell me. Say it.

What? You mean the actual day?

I mean, I only know it was 10 years ago.

- It was the end of the summer.

- Yes, it was 10 years ago.

It was September the 19th.

Well, it was definitely around then.

My goodness.

So you remember that too.

Wait a minute.

- It's September the 19th today, isn't it?

- Yes.

It's September the 19th today.

And the 10 years are up.

And you didn't come,

as you promised you would.

Promised?

Yes, well, I threatened

to come get you, didn't I?

I didn't see it as a threat.

Well, a teasing sort of threat.

Is that

what you were doing?

Were you teasing me?

Well, I was joking around.

I was having a little fun with you.

I don't know. I don't remember.

Jesus Christ!

That's all it could possibly have been...

because you were only a child!

I don't know how much of a child I was.

I wasn't exactly the innocent little girl

you might think I was.

What are you saying?

Are you saying...

that you've quite seriously,

for 10 years...

been expecting

that I would return to Sangerly?

Yes, of course.

That's exactly what I expected.

That I would come to your house

and carry you away with me?

Like some weird

half-human mountain creature.

And that I would make you my princess?

That's what you promised me.

And that I would give you a kingdom?

Well, why not?

It didn't have to be

the ordinary kind of kingdom.

No, just something

that would be just as nice as one.

Yes.

Something that would be

just as nice as one or maybe nicer.

After all...

if you could build

the highest church tower in the world...

surely you could find

some way of creating...

a special sort of kingdom.

Do you know that

I honestly can't figure you out at all?

You can't?

Really?

I'm so simple.

Well, you're not so simple...

'cause I honestly can't tell whether you

really mean all these things you're saying...

or whether you're joking.

You mean teasing?

The way you teased me.

And...

by the way...

haven't you known for all these years...

that I happen to be married?

Yes, of course.

Why do you ask me that?

I don't know. I just...

Look.

Please tell me honestly.

Why have you come here?

I've come to take over my kingdom.

The 10 years are up now.

"Bring me my kingdom,

Master Builder! Now! Now!"

No, really, tell me, tell me.

Why have you come?

What do you actually want to do here?

What do I want to do?

Well, first, before anything...

I so much want to make a tour of all the

buildings you've built around here.

Well...

You're gonna have

a lot of running around to do.

Yes, I know. You've done such

an enormous amount of work.

Well, I have, especially

in these last few years.

Have you done a lot of those towers?

- The really high ones?

- No.

I don't do them anymore.

- What do you do then?

- I build homes.

You know, for human beings.

I wonder...

wouldn't it be possible

to build something like a church tower...

on people's homes?

God, it's remarkable that you say that...

'cause, you know,

that's exactly what I'd like to do...

more than anything in the world.

- Why don't you do it?

- Because people don't want it.

That is unbelievable!

They don't want it?

God, that's just incredible!

But just now, I'm building a new home

for Aline and myself just in front here.

- Really?

- Yeah, it's almost finished.

And on top of that home,

yes, there is a tower.

- A high one?

- Yes!

- A very high one?

- Believe me.

The people around here

are going to say it's much too high.

So tell me now, what's your first name?

You don't...

You don't remember

that my first name is Hilde?

Hilde.

Of course.

You certainly called

me that 10 years ago.

I did?

Actually, you called me "little Hilde."

That I didn't like.

No? You didn't like it

that I called you "little Hilde"?

No, I didn't. But in any case...

now... I quite like the sound

of "Princess Hilde."

Exactly.

Hilde.

It is so good for me that you came here

at this particular moment.

It is? Really?

Because I have been

sitting here in this house...

with a feeling

of being completely alone...

and just sort of staring helplessly

at absolutely everything.

And you know, the funny thing is...

that I've become so disturbed

by younger people.

What?

Younger people?

They upset me so much...

that I've sort of closed my door here

and locked myself in.

I mean, I'm afraid that

they're gonna come here...

and they're gonna knock on the door...

and then they're going to break in.

Well, I think you

should just open the door and let them in.

- Open the door?

- Yes.

Yes.

So that they can gently

and quietly come inside...

and it can be something good for you.

- Open the door?

- Can you?

Master Builder,

can you in some way make use of me?

Well, are you two still talking?

Well, you know,

we found quite a bit to talk about.

Yes, it's been wonderfully interesting

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