Hjalmar (in a lower voice). I don’t think you’d better stand there looking at father; he doesn’t like it. (Gregers moves away from the door of the loft.) And I’d better shut up before the others come in. (Shooing with his hands.) S’h! s’h! Get away with you! (He pulls up the curtain and shuts the doors.) These contrivances are my own inventions. It’s really very amusing to have something like that to arrange, and to mend when it gets broken. And besides, it is quite necessary, too, you see, for Gina doesn’t like having the rabbits and fowls in the studio.
Gregers. No, of course not; and, perhaps, it’s your wife who manages the business?
Hjalmar. I usually leave every-day business to her, for then I can seek refuge in the sitting-room, and think over more important matters.
Gregers. What sort of matters, Hjalmar?
Hjalmar. I wonder you’ve not asked about that before? Or, perhaps, you’ve not heard about the invention?
Gregers. Invention? No.
Hjalmar. Really? You’ve not? Ah! well, up there in the woods and wilds——
Gregers. So you’ve made an invention!
Hjalmar. Well, I’ve not exactly made it yet, but I’m working at it. Surely you can understand that when I decided to sacrifice myself to photography, it wasn’t in order to take likenesses of all sorts of commonplace people.
Gregers. No, no, that was what your wife was just saying.