"Henrik Ibsen - The Wild Duck" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ibsen Henrik)

Hialmar.
Don't you remember that she used to be in service here?
Gregers (looks at him.)
Is it Gina Hansen — ?
Hialmar.
Yes, of course it is Gina Hansen.
Gregers.
— -who kept house for us during the last year of my mother's illness?
Hialmar.
Yes, exactly. But, my dear friend, I'm quite sure your father told you that I
was married.
Gregers (who has risen).
Oh yes, he mentioned it; but not that — (Walking about the room.) Stay — perhaps
he did — now that I think of it. My father always writes such short letters.
(Half seats himself on the arm of the chair.) Now, tell me, Hialmar — this is
interesting — how did you come to know Gina — your wife?
Hialmar.
The simplest thing in the world. You know Gina did not stay here long,
everything was so much upset at that time, owing to your mother's illness and so
forth, that Gina was not equal to it all; so she gave notice and left. That was
the year before your mother died — or it may have been the same year.
Gregers.
It was the same year. I was up at the works then. But afterwards — ?
Hialmar.
Well, Gina lived at home with her mother, Madam Hansen, an excellent
hard-working woman, who kept a little eating-house. She had a room to let too; a
very nice comfortable room.
Gregers.
And I suppose you were lucky enough to secure it?
Hialmar.
Yes; in fact, it was your father that recommended it to me. So it was there, you
see, that I really came to know Gina.
Gregers.
And then you got engaged?
Hialmar.
Yes. It doesn't take young people long to fall in love — ; h'm —
Gregers (rises and moves about a little).
Tell me: was it after your engagement — was it then that my father — I mean was
it then that you began to take up photography?
Hialmar.
Yes, precisely. I wanted to make a start, and to set up house as soon as
possible; and your father and I agreed that this photography business was the
readiest way. Gina thought so too. Oh, and there was another thing in its
favour, by-the-bye: it happened, luckily, that Gina had learnt to retouch.
Gregers.
That chimed in marvellously.
Hialmar (pleased, rises).
Yes, didn't it? Don't you think it was a marvellous piece of luck?
Gregers.
Oh, unquestionably. My father seems to have been almost a kind of providence for