FullReads

JEAN.
Now it is the king’s blood talking. Splendid, Miss Julie! Only keep the miller in his sack.

[Enter Kristin with prayer-book in hand.]

JULIE
[Hastening to Kristin and falls in her arms as though seeking protection].
Help me, Kristin, help me against this man.

KRISTIN
[Cold and unmoved].

What kind of performance is this for a holy day morning? What does this mean–this noise and fuss?

JULIE.
Kristin, you are a woman,–and my friend. Beware of this wretch.

JEAN
[A little embarrassed and surprised]. While the ladies are arguing I’ll go and shave myself.

[Jean goes, R.]

JULIE
. You must understand me–you must listen to me.

KRISTIN
. No–I can’t understand all this bosh. Where may you be going in your traveling dress?–and he had his hat on! Hey?

JULIE
. Listen to me, Kristin, listen to me and I’ll tell you everything.

KRISTIN.
I don’t want to know anything–

JULIE.
You must listen to me–

KRISTIN.
What about? Is it that foolishness with Jean? That doesn’t concern me at all. That I won’t be mixed up with, but if you’re trying to lure him to run away with you then we must put a stop to it.

JULIE
[Nervously].

Try to be calm now Kristin, and listen to me. I can’t stay here and Jean can’t stay here. That being true, we must leave– –Kristin.

KRISTIN.
Hm, hm!

JULIE
[Brightening up].

But I have an idea–what if we three should go–away–to foreign parts. To Switzerland and set up a hotel together–I have money you see–and Jean and I would back the whole thing, you could run the kitchen. Won’t that be fine? Say yes, now–and come with us–there everything would be arranged–say yes! [Throws her arms around Kristin and coaxes her].

KRISTIN
[Cold and reflecting].

Hm–hm!

JULIE
[Presto tempo].

You leave never been out and traveled, Kristin. You shall look about you in the world. You can’t believe how pleasant traveling on a train is–new faces continually, new countries–and we’ll go to Hamburg–and passing through we’ll see the zoological gardens–that you will like–then we’ll go to the theatre and hear the opera–and when we reach Munich there will be the museum–there are Rubins and Raphaels and all the big painters that you know–you have heard of Munich–where King Ludwig lived–the King, you know, who went mad. Then we’ll see his palace–a palace like those in the Sagas–and from there it isn’t far to Switzerland–and the Alps, the Alps mind you with snow in mid-summer. And there oranges grow and laurel–green all the year round if–[Jean is seen in the doorway R. stropping his razor on the strop which he holds between his teeth and left hand. He listens and nods his head favorably now and then. Julie continues, tempo prestissimo] And there we’ll take a hotel and I’ll sit taking the cash while Jean greets the guests–goes out and markets writes letters–that will be life, you may believe–then the train whistles–then the omnibus comes–then a bell rings upstairs, then in the restaurant–and then I make out the bills–and I can salt them–you can’t think how people tremble when they receive their bill–and you–you can sit like a lady–of course you won’t have to stand over the stove–you can dress finely and neatly when you show yourself to the people–and you with your appearance–Oh, I’m not flattering, you can catch a husband some fine day–a rich Englishman perhaps–they are so easy to–[Slowing up] to catch– –Then we’ll be rich–and then we’ll build a villa by Lake Como–to be sure it rains sometimes–but [becoming languid] the sun must shine too sometimes– — –although it seems dark– — –and if not–we can at least travel homeward–and come back–here–or some other place.