GINA. Nobody but the two sweethearts. HIALMAR. No new orders? GINA. No, not to-day. HEDVIG. There will be some to-morrow, father, you’ll see. HIALMAR. I hope there will; for to-morrow I am going to set to work in real earnest. HEDVIG. To-morrow! Don’t you remember what day it is to-morrow? HIALMAR. Oh yes, by-the-bye——. Well, the day after, then. Henceforth I mean to do everything myself; I shall take all the work into my own hands. GINA. Why, what can be the good of that, Ekdal? It’ll only make your life a burden to you. I can manage the photography all right; and you can go on working at your invention. HEDVIG. And think of the wild duck, father,—and all the hens and rabbits and——! HIALMAR. Don’t talk to me of all that trash! From to-morrow I will never set foot in the garret again. HEDVIG. Oh but, father, you promised that we should have a little party—— HIALMAR. H'm, true. Well then, from the day after tomorrow. I should almost like to wring that cursëd wild duck’s neck! HEDVIG. [_Shrieks._] The wild duck! GINA. Well I never! HEDVIG. [_Shaking him._] Oh no, father; you know it’s _my_ wild duck! HIALMAR. That is why I don’t do it. I haven’t the heart to—for your sake, Hedvig. But in my inmost soul I feel that I ought to do it. I ought not to tolerate under my roof a creature that has been through _those_ hands. GINA. Why, good gracious, even if grandfather did get it from that poor creature, Pettersen—— HIALMAR. [_Wandering about._] There are certain claims—what shall I call them?—let me say claims of the ideal—certain obligations, which a man cannot disregard without injury to his soul. HEDVIG. [_Going after him._] But think of the wild duck,—the poor wild duck! HIALMAR. [_Stops._] I tell you I will spare it—for your sake. Not a hair of its head shall be—I mean, it shall be spared. There are greater problems than that to be dealt with. But you should go out a little now, Hedvig, as usual; it is getting dusk enough for you now. HEDVIG. No? I don’t care about going out now. HIALMAR. Yes do; it seems to me your eyes are blinking a great deal; all these vapours in here are bad for you. The air is heavy under this roof. HEDVIG.