Not coming? Is it that affair of the bonnet that keeps her away?

TESMAN.

Oh, not at all. How could you think such a thing of Aunt Julia? Just
fancy--! The fact is, Aunt Rina is very ill.

HEDDA.

She always is.

TESMAN.

Yes, but to-day she is much worse than usual, poor dear.

HEDDA.

Oh, then it's only natural that her sister should remain with her. I
must bear my disappointment.

TESMAN.

And you can't imagine, dear, how delighted Aunt Julia seemed to be--
because you had come home looking so flourishing!

HEDDA.

[Half aloud, rising.] Oh, those everlasting Aunts!

TESMAN.

What?

HEDDA.

[Going to the glass door.] Nothing.

TESMAN.

Oh, all right. [He goes through the inner room, out to the right.

BRACK.

What bonnet were you talking about?

HEDDA.

Oh, it was a little episode with Miss Tesman this morning. She had laid
down her bonnet on the chair there--[Looks at him and smiles.]--and I
pretended to think it was the servant's.

BRACK.

[Shaking his head.] Now my dear Mrs. Hedda, how could you do such a
thing? To the excellent old lady, too!

HEDDA.

[Nervously crossing the room.] Well, you see--these impulses come over
me all of a sudden; and I cannot resist them. [Throws herself down in
the easy-chair by the stove.] Oh, I don't know how to explain it.

BRACK.

[Behind the easy-chair.] You are not really happy--that is at the bottom
of it.

HEDDA.

[Looking straight before her.] I know of no reason why I should be--
happy. Perhaps you can give me one?

BRACK.

Well-amongst other things, because you have got exactly the home you had
set your heart on.

HEDDA.

[Looks up at him and laughs.] Do you too believe in that legend?

BRACK.

Is there nothing in it, then?

HEDDA.

Oh yes, there is something in it.

BRACK.

Well?

HEDDA.

There is this in it, that I made use of Tesman to see me home from
evening parties last summer--

BRACK.

I, unfortunately, had to go quite a different way.

HEDDA.

That's true. I know you were going a different way last summer.

BRACK.

[Laughing.] Oh fie, Mrs. Hedda! Well, then--you and Tesman--?

HEDDA.

Well, we happened to pass here one evening; Tesman, poor fellow, was
writhing in the agony of having to find conversation; so I took pity on
the learned man--

BRACK.

[Smiles doubtfully.] You took pity? H'm--

HEDDA.

Yes, I really did. And so-