you might purge my stains
away--if I made you my confessor? Was it not so?

HEDDA.

No, not quite.

LOVBORG.

What was you motive, then?

HEDDA.

Do think it quite incomprehensible that a young girl--when it can be
done--without any one knowing--

LOVBORG.

Well?

HEDDA.

--should be glad to have a peep, now and then, into a world which--?

LOVBORG.

Which--?

HEDDA.

--which she is forbidden to know anything about?

LOVBORG.

So that was it?

HEDDA.

Partly. Partly--I almost think.

LOVBORG.

Comradeship in the thirst for life. But why should not that, at any
rate, have continued?

HEDDA.

The fault was yours.

LOVBORG.

It was you that broke with me.

HEDDA.

Yes, when our friendship threatened to develop into something more
serious. Shame upon you, Eilert Lovborg! How could you think of wronging
your--your frank comrade.

LOVBORG.

[Clenches his hands.] Oh, why did you not carry out your threat? Why did
you not shoot me down?

HEDDA.

Because I have such a dread of scandal.

LOVBORG.

Yes, Hedda, you are a coward at heart.

HEDDA.

A terrible coward. [Changing her tone.] But it was a lucky thing for
you. And now you have found ample consolation at the Elvsteds'.

LOVBORG.

I know what Thea has confided to you.

HEDDA.

And perhaps you have confided to her something about us?

LOVBORG.

Not a word. She is too stupid to understand anything of that sort.

HEDDA.

Stupid?

LOVBORG.

She is stupid about matters of that sort.

HEDDA.

And I am cowardly. [Bends over towards him, without looking him in the
face, and says more softly:] But now I will confide something to you.

LOVBORG.

[Eagerly.] Well?

HEDDA.

The fact that I dared not shoot you down--

LOVBORG.

Yes!

HEDDA.

--that was not my arrant cowardice--that evening.

LOVBORG.

[Looks at her a moment, understands, and whispers passionately.] Oh,
Hedda! Hedda Gabler! Now I begin to see a hidden reason beneath our
comradeship! You(11) and I--! After all, then, it was your craving for
life--

HEDDA.

[Softly, with a sharp glance.] Take care! Believe nothing of the sort!

[Twilight has begun to fall. The hall door is opened from
without by BERTA.

HEDDA.

[Closes the album with a bang and calls smilingly:] Ah, at last! My
darling Thea,--come along!

MRS. ELVSTED enters from the hall. She is in even