eat fun! I wish _I'd_ written
it. Pity he's so irreclaimable.

_Hedda_. I suppose you mean he has more of the courage of life than
most people?

_George_. Good Lord! He had the courage to get more drunk than
most people. But, altogether, it was what you might almost call a
Bacchanalian orgy. We finished up by going to have early coffee with
some of these jolly chaps, and poor old LOeVBORG dropped his precious
manuscript in the mud, and I picked it up--and here it is! Fancy
if anything were to happen to it! He never could write it again.
_Wouldn't_ it be sad, eh? Don't tell anyone about it.

[_He leaves the packet of MSS. on a chair, and rushes out;
HEDDA hides the packet as BRACK enters._

_Brack_. _Another_ early call, you see! My party was such a singularly
animated _soiree_ that I haven't undressed all night. Oh, it was
the liveliest affair conceivable! And, like a true Norwegian host,
I tracked LOeVBORG home; and it is only my duty, as a friend of the
house, and cock of the walk, to take the first opportunity of telling
you that he finished up the evening by coming to mere loggerheads with
a red-haired opera-singer, and being taken off to the police-station!
You mustn't have him here any more. Remember our little triple
alliance!

_Hedda_ (_her smile fading away_). You are certainly a dangerous
person--but you must not get a hold over me!

_Brack_ (_ambiguously_). What an idea! But I might--I am an
insinuating dog. Good morning! [_Goes out._

_Loevborg_ (_bursting in, confused and excited_). I suppose you've
heard where _I've_ been?

_Hedda_ (_evasively_). I heard you had a very jolly party at Judge
BRACK's. [Mrs. ELVSTED _comes in._

_Loevborg_. It's all over. I don't mean to do any more work. I've no
use for a companion now, THEA. Go home to your Sheriff!

_Mrs. E._ (_agitated_). Never! I want to be with you when your book
comes out!

_Loevborg_. It won't _come_ out--I've torn it up! (_Mrs. E. rushes out,
wringing her hands_.) Mrs. TESMAN, I told her a lie--but no matter.
I haven't torn my book up--I've done worse! I've taken it about to
several parties, and it's been through a police-row with me--now I've
lost it. Even if I found it again, it wouldn't be the same--not to me!
I am a Norwegian literary man, and peculiar. So I must make an end of
it altogether!

_Hedda_. Quite so--but look here, you must do it beautifully. I
don't insist on your putting vine-leaves in your hair--but do it
b