Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 10).djvu/163

 Hedda. Is not that the parcel he had with him yesterday?

Tesman.

Yes, it is the whole of his precious, irreplaceable manuscript! And he had gone and lost it, and knew nothing about it. Only fancy, Hedda! So deplorably

Hedda.

But why did you not give him back the parcel at once?

Tesman.

I didn't dare to—in the state he was then in

Hedda.

Did you not tell any of the others that you had found it?

Tesman.

Oh, far from it! You can surely understand that, for Eilert's sake, I wouldn't do that.

Hedda.

So no one knows that Eilert Lövborg's manuscript is in your possession?

Tesman. No. And no one must know it.

Hedda. Then what did you say to him afterwards?

Tesman.

I didn't talk to him again at all; for when we got in among the streets, he and two or three of the others gave us the slip and disappeared. Fancy that!