Hjalmar. Yes, yes, I’ll see to it—I say, Gina, a little bit of herring-salad’d be very nice—for Relling and Molvik were out on the spree again last night.
Gina. If only they don’t come up too soon for me I——
Hjalmar. Oh! they won’t; take your own time.
Gina. Very good, and you can go on doing a little work meantime.
Hjalmar. Why, I’m sitting here working! Why, I’m working as hard as ever I can!
Gina. Then you’ll have it off your hands, don’t you see.
She goes into the kitchen with the basket. Hjalmar sits a few minutes retouching the photograph; he does it lazily and with disrelish.
Ekdal (peeps in looking around the studio, and says in a whisper). Are you busy?
Hjalmar. Yes, I’m sitting here slaving over these portraits.
Ekdal. All right—God forbid—if you’re so busy, I’ll—h’m——