John Gabriel Borkman Part 21

BORKMAN.

[Gloomily.] It is a long, long time. And terrible things have pa.s.sed since then.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

A whole lifetime has pa.s.sed--a wasted lifetime.

BORKMAN.

[Looking keenly at her.] Wasted!

ELLA RENTHEIM.

Yes, I say wasted--for both of us.

BORKMAN.

[In a cold business tone.] I cannot regard my life as wasted yet.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

And what about mine?

BORKMAN.

There you have yourself to blame, Ella.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[With a start.] And you can say that?

BORKMAN.

You could quite well have been happy without me.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

Do you believe that?

BORKMAN.

If you had made up your mind to.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Bitterly.] Oh, yes, I know well enough there was some one else ready to marry me.

BORKMAN.

But you rejected him.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

Yes, I did.

BORKMAN.

Time after time you rejected him. Year after year----

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Scornfully.] Year after year I rejected happiness, I suppose you think?

BORKMAN.

You might perfectly well have been happy with him. And then I should have been saved.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

You?

BORKMAN.

Yes, you would have saved me, Ella.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

How do you mean?

BORKMAN.

He thought I was at the bottom of your obstinacy--of your perpetual refusals. And then he took his revenge. It was so easy for him; he had all my frank, confiding letters in his keeping. He made his own use of them; and then it was all over with me--for the time, that is to say. So you see it is all your doing, Ella!

ELLA RENTHEIM.

Oh indeed, Borkman. If we look into the matter, it appears that it is I who owe you reparation.

BORKMAN.

It depends how you look at it. I know quite well all that you have done for us. You bought in this house, and the whole property, at the auction. You placed the house entirely at my disposal--and your sister too. You took charge of Erhart, and cared for him in every way----

ELLA RENTHEIM.

As long as I was allowed to----

BORKMAN.

By your sister, you mean. I have never mixed myself up in these domestic affairs. As I was saying, I know all the sacrifices you have made for me and for your sister. But you were in a position to do so, Ella; and you must not forget that it was I who placed you in that position.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Indignantly.] There you make a great mistake, Borkman! It was the love of my inmost heart for Erhart--and for you too--that made me do it!

BORKMAN.

[Interrupting.] My dear Ella, do not let us get upon questions of sentiment and that sort of thing. I mean, of course, that if you acted generously, it was I that put it in your power to do so.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Smiling.] H'm! In my power----

BORKMAN.

[Warmly.] Yes, put it in your power, I say! On the eve of the great decisive battle--when I could not afford to spare either kith or kin--when I had to grasp at--when I did grasp at the millions that were entrusted to me--then I spared all that was yours, every farthing, although I could have taken it, and made use of it, as I did of all the rest!

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Coldly and quietly.] That is quite true, Borkman.

BORKMAN.

Yes it is. And that was why, when they came and took me, they found all your securities untouched in the strong-room of the bank.

ELLA RENTHEIM.

[Looking at him.] I have often and often wondered what was your real reason for sparing all my property? That, and that alone.

BORKMAN.

My reason?

ELLA RENTHEIM.