SOLNESS: Hardly a fair
question!
World's Greatest Books - Volume 17 - Poetry and Drama
SOLNESS: Yes, indeed. She's useful in all sorts of
ways.
MRS. SOLNESS: So it seems.
[MRS. SOLNESS _goes out_.
SOLNESS: Tell me, doctor, did you notice anything odd
about Aline?
DR. HERDAL _(smiling_): Well, one couldn't help noticing
that your wife--h'm------
SOLNESS: Well?
DR. HERDAL: That your wife isn't particularly fond
of this Miss Fosli. There's nothing of any sort in the
case, is there?
SOLNESS: Not on _my_ side.
DR. HERDAL: On hers, then?
SOLNESS: Hardly a fair question! Still, you know
she's engaged to Ragnar; but since she came here she
seemed to drift quite away from _him_.
DR. HERDAL: She drifted over to you, then?
SOLNESS: Yes, entirely. She quivers when she comes
near me.
DR. HERDAL: Why on earth don't you tell your wife
the rights of it?
SOLNESS: Because I seem to find a sort of--of salutary
self-sacrifice in allowing Aline to do me an injustice.
It's like paying off a little bit of a huge, immeasurable
debt I owe her. Oh, I know she thinks I'm ill--crazy.
And, I think, so do you.
DR. HERDAL: And what then?
SOLNESS: Then I dare say you fancy I'm an extremely
happy man--Solness, the master builder!
DR.
