MRS. ELVSTED.
[Shakes her head.] It cannot be otherwise — not with him. I don't think he really cares for any one but himself — and perhaps a little for the children.
HEDDA.
And for Eilert Lovborg, Thea?
MRS. ELVSTED.
[Looking at her.] For Eilert Lovborg? What puts that into your head?
HEDDA.
Well, my dear — I should say, when he sends you after him all the way to town — - [Smiling almost imperceptibly.] And besides, you said so yourself, to Tesman.
MRS. ELVSTED.
[With a little nervous twitch.] Did I? Yes, I suppose I did. [Vehemently, but not loudly.] No — I may just as well make a clean breast of it at once! For it must all come out in any case.
HEDDA.
Why, my dear Thea — -?
MRS. ELVSTED.
Well, to make a long story short: My husband did not know that I was coming.
HEDDA.
What! Your husband didn't know it!
MRS. ELVSTED.
No, of course not. For that matter, he was away from home himself — he was travelling. Oh, I could bear it no longer, Hedda! I couldn't indeed — so utterly alone as I should have been in future.
HEDDA.
Well? And then?
MRS. ELVSTED.
So I put together some of my things — what I needed most — as quietly as possible. And then I left the house.
HEDDA.
Without a word?
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes — and took the train to town.
HEDDA.
Why, my dear, good Thea — to think of you daring to do it!
MRS. ELVSTED.
[Rises and moves about the room.] What else could I possibly do?
HEDDA.
But what do you think your husband will say when you go home again?
MRS. ELVSTED.
[At the table, looks at her.] Back to him?
HEDDA.
Of course.
MRS. ELVSTED.
I shall never go back to him again.
HEDDA.
[Rising and going towards her.] Then you have left your home — for good and all?
MRS. ELVSTED.
Yes. There was nothing else to be done.
HEDDA.
But then — to take flight so openly.
MRS. ELVSTED.
Oh, it's impossible to keep things of that sort secret.
