DRAMATIS PERSONAE
John Rosmer, of Rosmersholm, an ex-clergyman.
Rebecca West, one of his household, originally engaged as
companion to the late Mrs. Rosmer.
Kroll, headmaster of the local grammar school, Rosmer's
brother-in-law.
Ulrik Brendel.
Peter Mortensgaard.
Mrs. Helseth, Rosmer's housekeeper.
(The action takes place at Rosmersholm, an old manor-house in theneighbourhood of a small town on a fjord in western Norway.)
(SCENE—The sitting-room at Rosmersholm; a spacious room, comfortablyfurnished in old-fashioned style. In the foreground, against theright-hand wall, is a stove decorated with sprigs of fresh birch andwild flowers. Farther back, a door. In the back wall folding doorsleading into the entrance hall. In the left-hand wall a window, infront of which is a stand filled with flowers and plants. Near thestove stand a table, a couch and an easy-chair. The walls are hunground with portraits, dating from various periods, of clergymen,military officers and other officials in uniform. The window is open,and so are the doors into the lobby and the outer door. Through thelatter is seen an avenue of old trees leading to a courtyard. It is asummer evening, after sunset. REBECCA WEST is sitting by the windowcrocheting a large white woollen shawl, which is nearly completed. Fromtime to time she peeps out of window through the flowers. MRS. HELSETHcomes in from the right.)
Mrs. Helseth. Hadn't I better begin and lay the table for supper, miss?
Rebecca. Yes, do. Mr. Rosmer ought to be in directly.
Mrs. Helseth. Isn't there a draught where you are sitting, miss?
Rebecca. There is a little. Will you shut up, please? (MRS. HELSETHgoes to the hall door and shuts it. Then she goes to the window, toshut it, and looks out.)
Mrs. Helseth. Isn't that Mr. Rosmer coming there?
Rebecca. Where? (Gets up.) Yes, it is he. (Stands behind thewindow-curtain.) Stand on one side. Don't let him catch sight of us.
Mrs. Helseth (stepping back). Look, miss—he is beginning to use themill path again.
Rebecca. He came by the mill path the day before yesterday too. (Peepsout between the curtain and the window-frame). Now we shall seewhether—
Mrs. Helseth. Is he going over the wooden bridge?
Rebecca. That is just what I want to see. (After a moment.) No. He hasturned aside. He is coming the other way round to-day too. (Comes awayfrom the window.) It is a long way round.
Mrs. Helseth. Yes, of course. One can well understand his shrinkingfrom going over that bridge. The spot where such a thing has happenedis—
Rebecca (folding up her work). They cling to their dead a long time atRosmersholm.
Mrs. Helseth. If you ask me, miss, I should say it is the dead thatcling to Rosmersholm a lon