A Gauntlet (finished in 1883) shows a great advance in dramatic technique. The whole is closely knit and coherent, and the problems involved are treated with an exhaustiveness that is equally fair to both sides. As has been already said, the plays that had preceded it from Björnson's pen aroused such active controversy that he found it at first impossible to get A Gauntlet produced in his own country. Its first performance was in Hamburg, in 1883, and for that the author modified and altered it greatly. Eventually it was played, in its original form, in the Scandinavian countries, and in its turn stirred up a bitter controversy on the ethics of male and female morality as regards marriage. It was currently said that hundreds of contemplated marriages were broken off in Norway as an effect of its statement of a vital problem. The remodelling the play originally underwent for its performance in Germany was drastic. The second and third acts were entirely recast, the character of Dr. Nordan was omitted and others introduced, and the ending was changed. The first version was, however, evidently the author's favourite, and it is that that is presented here. Björnson never published the recast version, and in the "memorial edition" of his works it is the present version that is given. The recast version was translated into English by Mr. Osman Edwards and produced (in an "adapted" and mangled form, for which the translator was not responsible) at the Royalty Theatre in London in 1894.
R. FARQUHARSON SHARP.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
DRAMATIC AND POETIC WORKS.—Mellem Slagene (Between the Battles), 1857. Halte-Hulda (Lame Hulda), 1858. Kong Sverre (King Sverre), 1861. Sigurd Slembe (Sigurd the Bastard), 1862; translated by W. M. Payne, 1888. Maria Stuart i Skotland, 1864. De Nygifte (The Newly-Married Couple), 1865; translated by T. Soelfeldt, 1868; by S. and E. Hjerleid, 1870; as A Lesson in Marriage, by G. I. Colbron, 1911. Sigurd Jorsalfar (Sigurd the Crusader), 1872. Redaktören (The Editor), 1874. En Fallit (A Bankruptcy), 1874. Kongen (The King), 1877. Leonarda, 1879. Det ny System (The New System), 1879. En Hanske, 1883; translated as A Gauntlet, by H. L. Braekstad 1890; by Osman Edwards 1894. Over AEvne (Beyond our Strength), Part I., 1883; translated as Pastor Sang, by W. Wilson, 1893; Part II., 1895. Geografi og Kaerlighed (Geography and Love), 1885; Paul Lange og Tora Parsberg, 1898; translated by H. L. Braekstad, 1899. Laboremus, 1901; translation published by Chapman and Hall, 1901. Paa Storhove (At Storhove), 1904; Daglannet, 1904; Naar den ny Vin blomstrer (When the Vineyards are in Blossom), 1909.
Digte og Sange (Poems and Songs), 1870; Arnljot Gelline, 1870.
FICTION.—Synnöve Solbakken 1857; translated as Trust and Trial, by Mary Howitt, 1858; as Love and Life in Norway, by Hon. Augusta Bethell and A. Plesner, 1870; as The Betrothal, in H. and A. Zimmern's Half-hours with Foreign Novelists, 1880; also translated by Julie Sutter, 1881; by R. B. Anderson, 1881. Arne, 1858; translated by T. Krag, 1861; by A. Plesner and S. Rugeley-Powers, 1866; by R. B. Anderson, 1881; by W. Low (Bohn's Library), 1890. Smaastykker (Sketches), 1860. En glad Gut, 1860; translated as Ovind, by S. and E. Hjerleid 1869; as The Happy Boy, by R. B. Anderson, 1881; as The Happy Lad (published by Blackie), 1882. Fiskerjenten, 1868 translated as The Fisher Maiden, by M. E. Niles, 1869; as The Fishing Girl, by A. Plesner and F. Richardson, 1870; as The Fishing Girl, by S. and E. Hjerleid, 1871; as The Fisher Maiden, by R. B. Anderson, 1882. Brude-Slaatten, 1873; translated as The Bridal March, by R. B. Anderson, 1882; by J. E. Williams, 1893. Fortaellinger (Tales), 1872. Magnhild, 1877; translated by R. B. Anderson, 1883. Kaptejn Mansana, 1879; translated as Captain Mansana by R. B. Anderson, 1882. Det flager i Byen og paa Havnen (Flags are Flying in Town and Port), 1884; translated as The Heritage of the Kurts, by C Fairfax 1892. Paa Guds Veje, 1889; translated as In God's Way, by E. Carmichael, 1890. Nye Fortaellinger (New Tales), 1894; To Fortaelinger (Two Tales), 1901; Mary, 1906. Collected edition of the Novels, translated into English, edited by E. Gosse, 13 vols., 1895-1909.
[See Life of Björnson by W. M. Payne, 1910; E. Gosse's Study of the Writings of Björnson, in edition of Novels, 1895; H. H. Boyesen's Essays on Scandinavian Literature, 1895; G. Brandes' Critical Studies of Ibsen and Björnson, 1899.]
THE NEWLY-MARRIED COUPLE
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
The FATHER. The MOTHER. LAURA, their daughter. AXEL, her husband. MATHILDE, her friend.
ACT I
(SCENE.—A handsomely furnished, carpeted room, with a door at the back leading to a lobby. The FATHER is sitting on a couch on the left-hand side, in the foreground, reading a newspaper. Other papers are lying on a small table in front of him. AXEL is on another couch drawn up in a similar position on the right-hand side. A newspaper, which he is not reading, is lying on his knee. The MOTHER is sitting, sewing, in an easy-chair drawn up beside a table in the middle of the room.)
[LAURA enters.]
Laura. Good morning, mother! (Kisses her.)
Mother. Good morning, dear. Have you slept well?
Laura. Very well, thanks. Good morning, dad! (Kisses him.)
Father. Good morning, little one, good morning. Happy and in good spirits?
Laura. Very. (Passes in front of AXEL.) Good morning, Axel! (Sits down at the table, opposite her mother.)
Axel. Good morning.
Mother. I am very sorry to say, my child, that I must give up going to the ball with you to-night. It is such a long way to go, in this cold spring weather.
Father (without looking up from his paper). Your mother is not well. She was coughing in the night.
Laura. Coughing again?
Father. Twice. (The MOTHER coughs, and he looks up.) There, do you hear that? Your mother must not go out, on any account.
Laura. Then I won't go, either.
Father. That will be just as well; it is such raw weather. (To the MOTHER.) But you have no shawl on, my love; where is your shawl?
Laura. Axel, fetch mother's shawl; it is hanging in the lobby. (AXEL goes out into the lobby.)
Mother. We are not really into spring yet. I am surprised the stove is not lit in here.
Laura (to AXEL, who is arranging the shawl over the MOTHER'S shoulders). Axel, ring the bell and let us have a fire. (He does so, and gives the necessary instructions to the Servant.)
Mother. If none of us are going to the ball, we ought to send them a note. Perhaps you would see to that, Axel?
Axel. Certainly—but will it do for us to stay away from this ball?
Laura. Surely you heard father say that mother has been coughing in the night.
Axel. Yes, I heard; but the ball is being given by the only friend I have in these parts, in your honour and mine. We are the reason of the whole entertainment—surely we cannot stay away from it?
Laura. But it wouldn't be any pleasure to us to go without mother.
Axel. One often has to do what is not any pleasure.
Laura. When it is a matter of duty, certainly. But our first duty is to mother, and we cannot possibly leave her alone at home when she is ill.
Axel. I had no idea she was ill.
Father (as he reads). She coughed twice in the night. She coughed only a moment ago.
Mother. Axel means that a cough or two isn't illness, and he is quite right.
Father (still reading). A cough may be a sign of something very serious. (Clears his throat.) The chest—or the lungs. (Clears his throat again.) I don't think I feel quite the thing myself, either.
Laura. Daddy dear, you are too lightly clothed.
Mother. You dress as if it were summer—and it certainly isn't that.
Father. The fire will burn up directly. (Clears his throat again.) No, not quite the thing at all.
Laura. Axel! (He goes up to her.) You might read the paper to us till breakfast is ready.
Axel. Certainly. But first of all I want to know if we really are not to go to the ball?
Laura. You can go, if you like, and take our excuses.
Mother. That wouldn't do. Remember you are married now.
Axel. That is exactly why it seems to me that Laura cannot stay at home. The fact that she is my wife ought to have most weight with her now; and this ball is being given for us two, who have nothing the matter with us, besides being mainly a dance for young people—
Mother. And not for old folk.
Laura. Thank you; mother has taken to dancing again since I have grown up. I have never been to a ball without mother's leading off the dances.
Mother. Axel apparently thinks it would have been much better if I had not done so.
Father (as he reads). Mother dances most elegantly.
Axel. Surely I should know that, seeing how often I have had the honour of leading off with mother. But on this occasion forty or fifty people have been invited, a lot of trouble and expense incurred and a lot of pleasure arranged, solely for our sakes. It would be simply wicked to disappoint them.
Father (still reading). We can give a ball for them, in return.
Mother. All the more as we owe heaps of people an invitation.
Laura. Yes, that will be better; we have more room here, too. (A pause.)
Axel (leaning over LAURA'S chair). Think of your new ball dress—my first present to you. Won't that tempt you? Blue muslin, with silver stars all over it? Shall they not shine for the first time to-night?
Laura (smiling). No, there would be no shine in the stars if mother were not at the dance.
Axel. Very well—I will send our excuses. (Turns to go out.)
Father (still reading). Perhaps it will be better for me to write. (AXEL stops.)
Mother. Yes, you will do it best.
[MATHILDE comes in, followed by a Servant, who throws the doors open.]
Mathilde. Breakfast is ready.
Father (taking his wife's arm). Keep your shawl on, my dear; it is cold in the hall. (They go out.)
Axel (as he offers LAURA his arm and leads her towards the door). Let me have a word with you, before we follow them!
Laura. But it is breakfast time.
Axel (to MATHILDE, who is standing behind them waiting). Do you mind going on? (MATHILDE goes out, followed by the Servant. AXEL turns to LAURA.) Will nothing move you? Go with me to this dance!
Laura. I thought that was what you were going to say.
Axel. For my sake!
Laura. But you saw for yourself that mother and father do not wish it?
Axel. I wish it.
Laura. When mother and father do not?
Axel. Then I suppose you are their daughter in the first place, and my wife only in the second?
Laura (with a laugh). Well, that is only natural.
Axel. No, it is not natural; because two days ago you promised to forsake your father and your mother and follow me.
Laura (laughing). To the ball? I certainly never promised that.
Axel. Wherever I wish.
Laura. But you mustn't wish that, Axel darling—because it is quite impossible.
Axel. It is quite possible, if you like to do it.
Laura. Yes, but I don't like.
Axel. That same day you also heard that a man is his wife's lord and master. You must be willing to leave them, if I wish it; it was on those terms that you gave me your hand, you obstinate little woman.
Laura. It was just so as to be able to be always with father and mother, that I did it.
Axel. So that was it. Then you have no wish to be always with me?
Laura. Yes—but not to forsake them.
Axel. Never?
Laura. Never? (Softly.) Yes, some day—when I must.
Axel. When must you?
Laura. When? When mother and father—are gone. But why think about such things?
Axel. Don't cry, darling! Listen to me. Would you never be willing to follow me—until they have left us?
Laura. No!—how can you think so?
Axel. Ah, Laura, you don't love me.
Laura. Why do you say such a thing? You only want to make me unhappy.
Axel. You don't even know what love is.
Laura. I don't?—That is not kind of you.
Axel. Tell me what it is then, sweetheart!
Laura (kissing him). Now you mustn't talk about it any more; because you know, if you do, I shall have red eyes, and then father and mother will want to know why they are red, and I shall not be able to tell them, and it will be very embarrassing.
Axel. Better a few tears now than many later on.
Laura. But what have I done to cry about?
Axel. You have given your hand without giving your heart with it; your tongue said "yes," but not your will; you have given yourself without realising what it means. And so, what ought to be the greatest and purest happiness in my life begins to turn to sorrow, and the future looks dark.
Laura. Oh, dear!—and is all this my fault?
Axel. No, it is my own fault. I have been deluding myself with flattering hopes. I thought it would be so easy a matter for my love to awaken yours; but I cannot make you understand me. Every way I have tried has failed. So I must call up my courage, and try the last chance.
Laura. The last chance? What do you mean?
Axel. Laura, I can't tell you how dearly I love you!
Laura. If you did, you wouldn't hurt me. I never hurt you.
Axel. Well, give in to me in just this one thing, and I shall believe it is the promise of more. Go with me to the ball!
Laura. You know I cannot do that!
Axel. Ah! then I dare not delay any longer!
Laura. You frighten me! You look so angry.
Axel. No, no. But things cannot go on like this any longer. I can't stand it!
Laura. Am I so bad, then? No one ever told me so before.
Axel. Don't cry, my dainty little fairy. You have nothing to blame yourself for—except for being so bewitchingly sweet whether you are laughing or crying. You exhale sweetness like a flower. I want your influence to pervade every place where I am, to distract me when I am moody and laugh away my longings. Hush, hush—no red eyes. Let no one see that. Here is your mother coming—no, it is Mathilde.
[Enter MATHILDE.]
Mathilde. Your coffee is getting cold.
Axel. We are just coming. At least, Laura is. I want to speak to you for a moment, if I may.
Mathilde. To me?
Axel. If you will allow me.
Mathilde. By all means.
Laura. But you are coming in to breakfast?
Axel. In a moment, darling.
Laura. And you are not angry with me any longer?
Axel (following her). I never was that. I never could be!
Laura. I am so glad! (Runs out.)
Mathilde. What is it you want?
Axel. Can you keep a secret?
Mathilde. No.
Axel. You won't?
Mathilde. No.
Axel. You won't share any more confidences with me? (Takes her hand.) You used to—
Mathilde (drawing back her hand and moving away from him). Yes, I used to.
Axel. Why won't you any longer? (Goes up to her.) What is changed?
Mathilde. You. You are married now.
Axel. No, that is just what I am not.
Mathilde. Indeed.
Axel. You have sharp eyes. You must have seen that.
Mathilde. I thought it was all just as you wished.
Axel. You are giving me very abrupt answers. Have I offended you?
Mathilde. What makes you ask that?
Axel. Because lately you have avoided me. Remember how kind you were to me once—indeed, that I owe you everything. It was through you, you know, that I got at her. I had to make assignations with you, in order to meet her. I had to offer you my arm so as to be able to give her the other, and to talk to you so that she might hear my voice. The little darling thought she was doing you a service—
Mathilde. When as a matter of fact it was I that was doing her one—
Axel. Yes, and without suspecting it! That was the amusing part of it.
Mathilde. Yes, that was the amusing part of it.
Axel. But soon people began to say that you and I were secretly engaged, and that we were making a stalking-horse of Laura; so for her sake I had to bring matters to a head rather quickly.
Mathilde. Yes, you took a good many people by surprise.
Axel. Including even yourself, I believe—not to mention the old folk and Laura. But the worst of it is that I took my own happiness by surprise, too.
Mathilde. What do you mean?
Axel. Of course I knew Laura was only a child; but I thought she would grow up when she felt the approach of love. But she has never felt its approach; she is like a bud that will not open, and I cannot warm the atmosphere. But you could do that—you, in whom she has confided all her first longings—you, whose kind heart knows so well how to sacrifice its happiness for others. You know you are to some extent responsible, too, for the fact that the most important event in her life came upon her a little unpreparedly; so you ought to take her by the hand and guide her first steps away from her parents and towards me—direct her affections towards me—