t Mrs. Borkman!

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Rather drily.] Good evening, Mrs. Wilton. [To THE MAID,
pointing toward the garden-room.] Take the lamp that is in there
and light it.

[THE MAID takes the lamp and goes out with it.

MRS. WILTON.
[Observing ELLA RENTHEIM.] Oh, I beg your pardon--you have
a visitor.

MRS. BORKMAN.
Only my sister, who has just arrived from----

[ERHART BORKMAN flings the half-open door wide open and rushes
in. He is a young man with bright cheerful eyes. He is
well dressed; his moustache is beginning to grow.

ERHART.
[Radiant with joy; on the threshold.] What is this! Is Aunt
Ella here? [Rushing up to her and seizing her hands.] Aunt,
aunt! Is it possible? Are you here?

ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Throws her arms round his neck.] Erhart! My dear, dear boy!
Why, how big you have grown! Oh, how good it is to see you again!

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Sharply.] What does this mean, Erhart? Were you hiding out in
the hallway?

MRS. WILTON.
[Quickly.] Erhart--Mr. Borkman came in with me.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Looking hard at him.] Indeed, Erhart! You don't come to your
mother first?

ERHART.
I had just to look in at Mrs. Wilton's for a moment--to call
for little Frida.

MRS. BORKMAN.
Is that Miss Foldal with you too?

MRS. WILTON.
Yes, we have left her in the hall.

ERHART.
[Addressing some one through the open door.] You can go right
upstairs, Frida.

[Pause. ELLA RENTHEIM observes ERHART. He seems embarrassed
and a little impatient; his face has assumed a nervous and
colder expression.

[THE MAID brings the lighted lamp into the garden-room, goes
out again and closes the door behind her.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[With forced politeness.] Well, Mrs. Wilton, if you will give
us the pleasure of your company this evening, won't you----

MRS. WILTON.
Many thanks, my dear lady, but I really can't. We have another
invitation. We're going down to the Hinkels'.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Looking at her.] We? Whom do you mean by we?

MRS. WILTON.
[Laughing.] Oh, I ought really to have said I. But I was
commissioned by the ladies of the house to bring Mr. Borkman
with me--if I happened to see him.

MRS. BORKMAN.
And you did happen to see him, it appears.

MRS. WILTON.
Yes, fortunately. He was good enough to look in at my house--
to call for Frida.

MRS. BORKMAN.
[Drily.] But, Erhart, I did not kno