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diff --git a/2296.txt b/2296.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7701cfa --- /dev/null +++ b/2296.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5233 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pillars of Society, by Henrik Ibsen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Pillars of Society + +Author: Henrik Ibsen + +Translator: R. Farquharson Sharp + +Posting Date: February 27, 2010 [EBook #2296] +Release Date: August, 2000 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PILLARS OF SOCIETY *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Adamson. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +Pillars of Society + +A play in four acts. + + +by + +Henrik Ibsen + + + + +Translated by R. Farquharson Sharp + + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE + + Karsten Bernick, a shipbuilder. + Mrs. Bernick, his wife. + Olaf, their son, thirteen years old. + Martha Bernick, Karsten Bernick's sister. + Johan Tonnesen, Mrs. Bernick's younger brother. + Lona Hessel, Mrs. Bernick's elder half-sister. + Hilmar Tonnesen, Mrs. Bernick's cousin. + Dina Dorf, a young girl living with the Bernicks. + Rorlund, a schoolmaster. + Rummel, a merchant. + Vigeland and Sandstad, tradesman + Krap, Bernick's confidential clerk. + Aune, foreman of Bernick's shipbuilding yard. + Mrs. Rummel. + Hilda Rummel, her daughter. + Mrs. Holt. + Netta Holt, her daughter. + Mrs. Lynge. + +Townsfolk and visitors, foreign sailors, steamboat passengers, etc., +etc. + +(The action takes place at the Bernicks' house in one of the smaller +coast towns in Norway) + + + + +ACT I. + + +(SCENE.--A spacious garden-room in the BERNICKS' house. In the +foreground on the left is a door leading to BERNICK'S business room; +farther back in the same wall, a similar door. In the middle of the +opposite wall is a large entrance-door, which leads to the street. The +wall in the background is almost wholly composed of plate-glass; a door +in it opens upon a broad flight of steps which lead down to the garden; +a sun-awning is stretched over the steps. Below the steps a part of the +garden is visible, bordered by a fence with a small gate in it. On the +other side of the fence runs a street, the opposite side of which is +occupied by small wooden houses painted in bright colours. It is +summer, and the sun is shining warmly. People are seen, every now and +then, passing along the street and stopping to talk to one another; +others going in and out of a shop at the corner, etc. + +In the room a gathering of ladies is seated round a table. MRS. BERNICK +is presiding; on her left side are MRS. HOLT and her daughter NETTA, +and next to them MRS. RUMMEL and HILDA RUMMEL. On MRS. BERNICK'S right +are MRS. LYNGE, MARTHA BERNICK and DINA DORF. All the ladies are busy +working. On the table lie great piles of linen garments and other +articles of clothing, some half finished, and some merely cut out. +Farther back, at a small table on which two pots of flowers and a glass +of sugared water are standing, RORLUND is sitting, reading aloud from a +book with gilt edges, but only loud enough for the spectators to catch +a word now and then. Out in the garden OLAF BERNICK is running about +and shooting at a target with a toy crossbow. + +After a moment AUNE comes in quietly through the door on the right. +There is a slight interruption in the reading. MRS. BERNICK nods to him +and points to the door on the left. AUNE goes quietly across, knocks +softly at the door of BERNICK'S room, and after a moment's pause, +knocks again. KRAP comes out of the room, with his hat in his hand and +some papers under his arm.) + +Krap: Oh, it was you knocking? + +Aune: Mr. Bernick sent for me. + +Krap: He did--but he cannot see you. He has deputed me to tell you-- + +Aune: Deputed you? All the same, I would much rather-- + +Krap: --deputed me to tell you what he wanted to say to you. You must +give up these Saturday lectures of yours to the men. + +Aune: Indeed? I supposed I might use my own time-- + +Krap: You must not use your own time in making the men useless in +working hours. Last Saturday you were talking to them of the harm that +would be done to the workmen by our new machines and the new working +methods at the yard. What makes you do that? + +Aune: I do it for the good of the community. + +Krap: That's curious, because Mr. Bernick says it is disorganising the +community. + +Aune: My community is not Mr. Bernick's, Mr. Krap! As President of the +Industrial Association, I must-- + +Krap: You are, first and foremost, President of Mr. Bernick's +shipbuilding yard; and, before everything else, you have to do your +duty to the community known as the firm of Bernick & Co.; that is what +every one of us lives for. Well, now you know what Mr. Bernick had to +say to you. + +Aune: Mr. Bernick would not have put it that way, Mr. Krap! But I know +well enough whom I have to thank for this. It is that damned American +boat. Those fellows expect to get work done here the way they are +accustomed to it over there, and that-- + +Krap: Yes, yes, but I can't go into all these details. You know now +what Mr. Bernick means, and that is sufficient. Be so good as to go +back to the yard; probably you are needed there. I shall be down myself +in a little while. --Excuse me, ladies! (Bows to the ladies and goes +out through the garden and down the street. AUNE goes quietly out to +the right. RORLUND, who has continued his reading during the foregoing +conversation, which has been carried on in low tones, has now come to +the end of the book, and shuts it with a bang.) + +Rorlund: There, my dear ladies, that is the end of it. + +Mrs. Rummel: What an instructive tale! + +Mrs. Holt: And such a good moral! + +Mrs. Bernick: A book like that really gives one something to think +about. + +Rorlund: Quite so; it presents a salutary contrast to what, +unfortunately, meets our eyes every day in the newspapers and +magazines. Look at the gilded and painted exterior displayed by any +large community, and think what it really conceals!--emptiness and +rottenness, if I may say so; no foundation of morality beneath it. In a +word, these large communities of ours now-a-days are whited sepulchres. + +Mrs. Holt: How true! How true! + +Mrs. Rummel: And for an example of it, we need look no farther than at +the crew of the American ship that is lying here just now. + +Rorlund: Oh, I would rather not speak of such offscourings of humanity +as that. But even in higher circles--what is the case there? A spirit +of doubt and unrest on all sides; minds never at peace, and instability +characterising all their behaviour. Look how completely family life is +undermined over there! Look at their shameless love of casting doubt on +even the most serious truths! + +Dina (without looking up from her work): But are there not many big +things done there too? + +Rorlund: Big things done--? I do not understand--. + +Mrs. Holt (in amazement): Good gracious, Dina--! + +Mrs. Rummel (in the same breath): Dina, how can you--? + +Rorlund: I think it would scarcely be a good thing for us if such "big +things" became the rule here. No, indeed, we ought to be only too +thankful that things are as they are in this country. It is true enough +that tares grow up amongst our wheat here too, alas; but we do our best +conscientiously to weed them out as well as we are able. The important +thing is to keep society pure, ladies--to ward off all the hazardous +experiments that a restless age seeks to force upon us. + +Mrs. Holt: And there are more than enough of them in the wind, +unhappily. + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, you know last year we only by a hair's breadth +escaped the project of having a railway here. + +Mrs. Bernick: Ah, my husband prevented that. + +Rorlund: Providence, Mrs. Bernick. You may be certain that your husband +was the instrument of a higher Power when he refused to have anything +to do with the scheme. + +Mrs. Bernick: And yet they said such horrible things about him in the +newspapers! But we have quite forgotten to thank you, Mr. Rorlund. It +is really more than friendly of you to sacrifice so much of your time +to us. + +Rorlund: Not at all. This is holiday time, and-- + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, but it is a sacrifice all the same, Mr. Rorlund. + +Rorlund (drawing his chair nearer): Don't speak of it, my dear lady. +Are you not all of you making some sacrifice in a good cause?--and that +willingly and gladly? These poor fallen creatures for whose rescue we +are working may be compared to soldiers wounded on the field of battle; +you, ladies, are the kind-hearted sisters of mercy who prepare the lint +for these stricken ones, lay the bandages softly on their wounds, heal +them and cure them. + +Mrs. Bernick: It must be a wonderful gift to be able to see everything +in such a beautiful light. + +Rorlund: A good deal of it is inborn in one--but it can be to a great +extent acquired, too. All that is needful is to see things in the light +of a serious mission in life. (To MARTHA:) What do you say, Miss +Bernick? Have you not felt as if you were standing on firmer ground +since you gave yourself up to your school work? + +Martha: I really do not know what to say. There are times, when I am in +the schoolroom down there, that I wish I were far away out on the +stormy seas. + +Rorlund: That is merely temptation, dear Miss Bernick. You ought to +shut the doors of your mind upon such disturbing guests as that. By the +"stormy seas"--for of course you do not intend me to take your words +literally--you mean the restless tide of the great outer world, where +so many are shipwrecked. Do you really set such store on the life you +hear rushing by outside? Only look out into the street. There they go, +walking about in the heat of the sun, perspiring and tumbling about +over their little affairs. No, we undoubtedly have the best of it, who +are able to sit here in the cool and turn our backs on the quarter from +which disturbance comes. + +Martha: Yes, I have no doubt you are perfectly right. + +Rorlund: And in a house like this, in a good and pure home, where +family life shows in its fairest colours--where peace and harmony +rule-- (To MRS. BERNICK:) What are you listening to, Mrs. Bernick? + +Mrs. Bernick (who has turned towards the door of BERNICK'S room): They +are talking very loud in there. + +Rorlund: Is there anything particular going on? + +Mrs. Bernick: I don't know. I can hear that there is somebody with my +husband. + +(HILMAR TONNESEN, smoking a cigar, appears in the doorway on the right, +but stops short at the sight of the company of ladies.) + +Hilmar: Oh, excuse me-- (Turns to go back.) + +Mrs. Bernick: No, Hilmar, come along in; you are not disturbing us. Do +you want something? + +Hilmar: No, I only wanted to look in here--Good morning, ladies. (To +MRS. BERNICK:) Well, what is the result? + +Mrs. Bernick: Of what? + +Hilmar: Karsten has summoned a meeting, you know. + +Mrs. Bernick: Has he? What about? + +Hilmar: Oh, it is this railway nonsense over again. + +Mrs. Rummel: Is it possible? + +Mrs. Bernick: Poor Karsten, is he to have more annoyance over that? + +Rorlund: But how do you explain that, Mr. Tonnesen? You know that last +year Mr. Bernick made it perfectly clear that he would not have a +railway here. + +Hilmar: Yes, that is what I thought, too; but I met Krap, his +confidential clerk, and he told me that the railway project had been +taken up again, and that Mr. Bernick was in consultation with three of +our local capitalists. + +Mrs. Rummel: Ah, I was right in thinking I heard my husband's voice. + +Hilmar: Of course Mr. Rummel is in it, and so are Sandstad and Michael +Vigeland, "Saint Michael", as they call him. + +Rorlund: Ahem! + +Hilmar: I beg your pardon, Mr. Rorlund? + +Mrs. Bernick: Just when everything was so nice and peaceful. + +Hilmar: Well, as far as I am concerned, I have not the slightest +objection to their beginning their squabbling again. It will be a +little diversion, any way. + +Rorlund: I think we can dispense with that sort of diversion. + +Hilmar: It depends how you are constituted. Certain natures feel the +lust of battle now and then. But unfortunately life in a country town +does not offer much in that way, and it isn't given to every one to +(turns the leaves of the book RORLUND has been reading). "Woman as the +Handmaid of Society." What sort of drivel is this? + +Mrs. Bernick: My dear Hilmar, you must not say that. You certainly have +not read the book. + +Hilmar: No, and I have no intention of reading it, either. + +Mrs. Bernick: Surely you are not feeling quite well today. + +Hilmar: No, I am not. + +Mrs. Bernick: Perhaps you did not sleep well last night? + +Hilmar: No, I slept very badly. I went for a walk yesterday evening for +my health's sake; and I finished up at the club and read a book about a +Polar expedition. There is something bracing in following the +adventures of men who are battling with the elements. + +Mrs. Rummel: But it does not appear to have done you much good, Mr. +Tonnesen. + +Hilmar: No, it certainly did not. I lay all night tossing about, only +half asleep, and dreamt that I was being chased by a hideous walrus. + +Olaf (who meanwhile has come up the steps from the garden): Have you +been chased by a walrus, uncle? + +Hilmar: I dreamt it, you duffer! Do you mean to say you are still +playing about with that ridiculous bow? Why don't you get hold of a +real gun? + +Olaf: I should like to, but-- + +Hilmar: There is some sense in a thing like that; it is always an +excitement every time you fire it off. + +Olaf: And then I could shoot bears, uncle. But daddy won't let me. + +Mrs. Bernick: You really mustn't put such ideas into his head, Hilmar. + +Hilmar: Hm! It's a nice breed we are educating up now-a-days, isn't +it! We talk a great deal about manly sports, goodness knows--but we +only play with the question, all the same; there is never any serious +inclination for the bracing discipline that lies in facing danger +manfully. Don't stand pointing your crossbow at me, blockhead--it might +go off! + +Olaf: No, uncle, there is no arrow in it. + +Hilmar: You don't know that there isn't--there may be, all the same. +Take it away, I tell you!--Why on earth have you never gone over to +America on one of your father's ships? You might have seen a buffalo +hunt then, or a fight with Red Indians. + +Mrs. Bernick: Oh, Hilmar--! + +Olaf: I should like that awfully, uncle; and then perhaps I might meet +Uncle Johan and Aunt Lona. + +Hilmar: Hm!--Rubbish. + +Mrs. Bernick: You can go down into the garden again now, Olaf. + +Olaf: Mother, may I go out into the street too? + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, but not too far, mind. + +(OLAF runs down into the garden and out through the gate in the fence.) + +Rorlund: You ought not to put such fancies into the child's head, Mr. +Tonnesen. + +Hilmar: No, of course he is destined to be a miserable stay-at-home, +like so many others. + +Rorlund: But why do you not take a trip over there yourself? + +Hilmar: I? With my wretched health? Of course I get no consideration on +that account. But putting that out of the question, you forget that one +has certain obligations to perform towards the community of which one +forms a part. There must be some one here to hold aloft the banner of +the Ideal.--Ugh, there he is shouting again! + +The Ladies: Who is shouting? + +Hilmar: I am sure I don't know. They are raising their voices so loud +in there that it gets on my nerves. + +Mrs. Bernick: I expect it is my husband, Mr. Tonnesen. But you must +remember he is so accustomed to addressing large audiences. + +Rorlund: I should not call the others low-voiced, either. + +Hilmar: Good Lord, no!--not on any question that touches their +pockets. Everything here ends in these petty material considerations. +Ugh! + +Mrs. Bernick: Anyway, that is a better state of things than it used to +be when everything ended in mere frivolity. + +Mrs. Lynge: Things really used to be as bad as that here? + +Mrs. Rummel: Indeed they were, Mrs. Lynge. You may think yourself lucky +that you did not live here then. + +Mrs. Holt: Yes, times have changed, and no mistake, when I look back +to the days when I was a girl. + +Mrs. Rummel: Oh, you need not look back more than fourteen or fifteen +years. God forgive us, what a life we led! There used to be a Dancing +Society and a Musical Society-- + +Mrs. Bernick: And the Dramatic Club. I remember it very well. + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, that was where your play was performed, Mr. Tonnesen. + +Hilmar (from the back of the room): What, what? + +Rorlund: A play by Mr. Tonnesen? + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, it was long before you came here, Mr. Rorlund. And it +was only performed once. + +Mrs. Lynge: Was that not the play in which you told me you took the +part of a young man's sweetheart, Mrs. Rummel? + +Mrs. Rummel (glancing towards RORLUND): I? I really cannot remember, +Mrs. Lynge. But I remember well all the riotous gaiety that used to go +on. + +Mrs. Holt: Yes, there were houses I could name in which two large +dinner-parties were given in one week. + +Mrs. Lynge: And surely I have heard that a touring theatrical company +came here, too? + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, that was the worst thing of the lot. + +Mrs. Holt (uneasily): Ahem! + +Mrs. Rummel: Did you say a theatrical company? No, I don't remember +that at all. + +Mrs. Lynge: Oh yes, and I have been told they played all sorts of mad +pranks. What is really the truth of those stories? + +Mrs. Rummel: There is practically no truth in them, Mrs. Lynge. + +Mrs. Holt: Dina, my love, will you give me that linen? + +Mrs. Bernick (at the same time): Dina, dear, will you go and ask +Katrine to bring us our coffee? + +Martha: I will go with you, Dina. (DINA and MARTHA go out by the +farther door on, the left.) + +Mrs. Bernick (getting up): Will you excuse me for a few minutes? I +think we will have our coffee outside. (She goes out to the verandah +and sets to work to lay a table. RORLUND stands in the doorway talking +to her. HILMAR sits outside, smoking.) + +Mrs. Rummel (in a low voice): My goodness, Mrs. Lynge, how you +frightened me! + +Mrs. Lynge: I? + +Mrs. Holt: Yes, but you know it was you that began it, Mrs. Rummel. + +Mrs. Rummel: I? How can you say such a thing, Mrs. Holt? Not a syllable +passed my lips! + +Mrs. Lynge: But what does it all mean? + +Mrs. Rummel: What made you begin to talk about--? Think--did you not +see that Dina was in the room? + +Mrs. Lynge: Dina? Good gracious, is there anything wrong with--? + +Mrs. Holt: And in this house, too! Did you not know it was Mrs. +Bernick's brother--? + +Mrs. Lynge: What about him? I know nothing about it at all; I am quite +new to the place, you know. + +Mrs. Rummel: Have you not heard that--? Ahem! (To her daughter) Hilda, +dear, you can go for a little stroll in the garden? + +Mrs. Holt: You go too, Netta. And be very kind to poor Dina when she +comes back. (HILDA and NETTA go out into the garden.) + +Mrs. Lynge: Well, what about Mrs. Bernick's brother? + +Mrs. Rummel: Don't you know the dreadful scandal about him? + +Mrs. Lynge: A dreadful scandal about Mr. Tonnesen? + +Mrs. Rummel: Good Heavens, no. Mr. Tonnesen is her cousin, of course, +Mrs. Lynge. I am speaking of her brother-- + +Mrs. Holt: The wicked Mr. Tonnesen-- + +Mrs. Rummel: His name was Johan. He ran away to America. + +Mrs. Holt: Had to run away, you must understand. + +Mrs. Lynge: Then it is he the scandal is about? + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes; there was something--how shall I put it?--there was +something of some kind between him and Dina's mother. I remember it all +as if it were yesterday. Johan Tonnesen was in old Mrs. Bernick's +office then; Karsten Bernick had just come back from Paris--he had not +yet become engaged-- + +Mrs. Lynge: Yes, but what was the scandal? + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, you must know that Moller's company were acting in +the town that winter-- + +Mrs. Holt: And Dorf, the actor, and his wife were in the company. All +the young men in the town were infatuated with her. + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, goodness knows how they could think her pretty. Well, +Dorf came home late one evening-- + +Mrs. Holt: Quite unexpectedly. + +Mrs. Rummel: And found his-- No, really it isn't a thing one can talk +about. + +Mrs. Holt: After all, Mrs. Rummel, he didn't find anything, because the +door was locked on the inside. + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, that is just what I was going to say--he found the +door locked. And--just think of it--the man that was in the house had +to jump out of the window. + +Mrs. Holt: Right down from an attic window. + +Mrs. Lynge: And that was Mrs. Bernick's brother? + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, it was he. + +Mrs. Lynge: And that was why he ran away to America? + +Mrs. Holt: Yes, he had to run away, you may be sure. + +Mrs. Rummel: Because something was discovered afterwards that was +nearly as bad; just think--he had been making free with the cash-box... + +Mrs. Holt: But, you know, no one was certain of that, Mrs. Rummel; +perhaps there was no truth in the rumour. + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, I must say--! Wasn't it known all over the town? Did +not old Mrs. Bernick nearly go bankrupt as the result of it? However, +God forbid I should be the one to spread such reports. + +Mrs. Holt: Well, anyway, Mrs. Dorf didn't get the money, because she-- + +Mrs. Lynge: Yes, what happened to Dina's parents afterwards? + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, Dorf deserted both his wife and his child. But +madam was impudent enough to stay here a whole year. Of course she had +not the face to appear at the theatre any more, but she kept herself by +taking in washing and sewing-- + +Mrs. Holt: And then she tried to set up a dancing school. + +Mrs. Rummel: Naturally that was no good. What parents would trust their +children to such a woman? But it did not last very long. The fine madam +was not accustomed to work; she got something wrong with her lungs and +died of it. + +Mrs. Lynge: What a horrible scandal! + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, you can imagine how hard it was upon the Bernicks. +It is the dark spot among the sunshine of their good fortune, as Rummel +once put it. So never speak about it in this house, Mrs. Lynge. + +Mrs. Holt: And for heaven's sake never mention the stepsister, either! + +Mrs. Lynge: Oh, so Mrs. Bernick has a step-sister, too? + +Mrs. Rummel: Had, luckily-- for the relationship between them is all +over now. She was an extraordinary person too! Would you believe it, +she cut her hair short, and used to go about in men's boots in bad +weather! + +Mrs. Holt: And when her step-brother, the black sheep, had gone away, +and the whole town naturally was talking about him--what do you think +she did? She went out to America to him! + +Mr. Rummel: Yes, but remember the scandal she caused before she went, +Mrs. Holt. + +Mrs. Holt: Hush, don't speak of it. + +Mrs. Lynge: My goodness, did she create a scandal too? + +Mrs. Rummel: I think you ought to hear it, Mrs. Lynge. Mr. Bernick had +just got engaged to Betty Tonnesen, and the two of them went arm in arm +into her aunt's room to tell her the news-- + +Mrs. Holt: The Tonnesens' parents were dead, you know-- + +Mrs. Rummel: When, suddenly, up got Lona Hessel from her chair and +gave our refined and well-bred Karsten Bernick such a box on the ear +that his head swam. + +Mrs. Lynge: Well, I am sure I never-- + +Mrs. Holt: It is absolutely true. + +Mrs. Rummel: And then she packed her box and went away to America. + +Mrs. Lynge: I suppose she had had her eye on him for herself. + +Mrs. Rummel: Of course she had. She imagined that he and she would +make a match of it when he came back from Paris. + +Mrs. Holt: The idea of her thinking such a thing! Karsten Bernick--a +man of the world and the pink of courtesy, a perfect gentleman, the +darling of all the ladies... + +Mrs. Rummel: And, with it all, such an excellent young man, Mrs. +Holt--so moral. + +Mrs. Lynge: But what has this Miss Hessel made of herself in America? + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, you see, over that (as my husband once put it) has +been drawn a veil which one should hesitate to lift. + +Mrs. Lynge: What do you mean? + +Mrs. Rummel: She no longer has any connection with the family, as you +may suppose; but this much the whole town knows, that she has sung for +money in drinking saloons over there-- + +Mrs. Holt: And has given lectures in public-- + +Mrs. Rummel: And has published some mad kind of book. + +Mrs. Lynge: You don't say so! + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, it is true enough that Lona Hessel is one of the +spots on the sun of the Bernick family's good fortune. Well, now you +know the whole story, Mrs. Lynge. I am sure I would never have spoken +about it except to put you on your guard. + +Mrs. Lynge: Oh, you may be sure I shall be most careful. But that poor +child Dina Dorf! I am truly sorry for her. + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, really it was a stroke of good luck for her. Think +what it would have meant if she had been brought up by such parents! Of +course we did our best for her, every one of us, and gave her all the +good advice we could. Eventually Miss Bernick got her taken into this +house. + +Mrs. Holt: But she has always been a difficult child to deal with. It +is only natural--with all the bad examples she had had before her. A +girl of that sort is not like one of our own; one must be lenient with +her. + +Mrs. Rummel: Hush--here she comes. (In a louder voice.) Yes, Dina is +really a clever girl. Oh, is that you, Dina? We are just putting away +the things. + +Mrs. Holt: How delicious your coffee smells, my dear Dina. A nice cup +of coffee like that-- + +Mrs. Bernick (calling in from the verandah): Will you come out here? +(Meanwhile MARTHA and DINA have helped the Maid to bring out the +coffee. All the ladies seat themselves on the verandah, and talk with a +great show of kindness to DINA. In a few moments DINA comes back into +the room and looks for her sewing.) + +Mrs. Bernick (from the coffee table): Dina, won't you--? + +Dina: No, thank you. (Sits down to her sewing. MRS. BERNICK and +RORLUND exchange a few words; a moment afterwards he comes back into +the room, makes a pretext for going up to the table, and begins +speaking to DINA in low tones.) + +Rorlund: Dina. + +Dina: Yes? + +Rorlund: Why don't you want to sit with the others? + +Dina: When I came in with the coffee, I could see from the strange +lady's face that they had been talking about me. + +Rorlund: But did you not see as well how agreeable she was to you out +there? + +Dina: That is just what I will not stand + +Rorlund: You are very self-willed, Dina. + +Dina: Yes. + +Rorlund: But why? + +Dina: Because it is my nature. + +Rorlund: Could you not try to alter your nature? + +Dina: No. + +Rorlund: Why not? + +Dina (looking at him): Because I am one of the "poor fallen creatures", +you know. + +Rorlund: For shame, Dina. + +Dina: So was my mother. + +Rorlund: Who has spoken to you about such things? + +Dina: No one; they never do. Why don't they? They all handle me in +such a gingerly fashion, as if they thought I should go to pieces if +they---. Oh, how I hate all this kind-heartedness. + +Rorlund: My dear Dina, I can quite understand that you feel repressed +here, but-- + +Dina: Yes; if only I could get right away from here. I could make my +own way quite well, if only I did not live amongst people who are +so--so-- + +Rorlund: So what? + +Dina: So proper and so moral. + +Rorlund: Oh but, Dina, you don't mean that. + +Dina: You know quite well in what sense I mean it. Hilda and Netta +come here every day, to be exhibited to me as good examples. I can +never be so beautifully behaved as they; I don't want to be. If only I +were right away from it all, I should grow to be worth something. + +Rorlund: But you are worth a great deal, Dina dear. + +Dina: What good does that do me here? + +Rorlund: Get right away, you say? Do you mean it seriously? + +Dina: I would not stay here a day longer, if it were not for you. + +Rorlund: Tell me, Dina--why is it that you are fond of being with me? + +Dina: Because you teach me so much that is beautiful. + +Rorlund: Beautiful? Do you call the little I can teach you, beautiful? + +Dina: Yes. Or perhaps, to be accurate, it is not that you teach me +anything; but when I listen to you talking I see beautiful visions. + +Rorlund: What do you mean exactly when you call a thing beautiful? + +Dina: I have never thought it out. + +Rorlund: Think it out now, then. What do you understand by a beautiful +thing? + +Dina: A beautiful thing is something that is great--and far off. + +Rorlund: Hm!--Dina, I am so deeply concerned about you, my dear. + +Dina: Only that? + +Rorlund: You know perfectly well that you are dearer to me than I can +say. + +Dina: If I were Hilda or Netta, you would not be afraid to let people +see it. + +Rorlund: Ah, Dina, you can have no idea of the number of things I am +forced to take into consideration. When it is a man's lot to be a moral +pillar of the community he lives in, he cannot be too circumspect. If +only I could be certain that people would interpret my motives +properly. But no matter for that; you must, and shall be, helped to +raise yourself. Dina, is it a bargain between us that when I come--when +circumstances allow me to come--to you and say: "Here is my hand," you +will take it and be my wife? Will you promise me that, Dina? + +Dina: Yes. + +Rorlund: Thank you, thank you! Because for my part, too--oh, Dina, I +love you so dearly. Hush! Some one is coming. Dina--for my sake--go out +to the others.(She goes out to the coffee table. At the same moment +RUMMEL, SANDSTAD and VIGELAND come out of BERNICK'S room, followed by +Bernick, who has a bundle of papers in his hand.) + +Bernick: Well, then, the matter is settled. + +Vigeland: Yes, I hope to goodness it is. + +Rummel: It is settled, Bernick. A Norseman's word stands as firm as the +rocks on Dovrefjeld, you know! + +Bernick: And no one must falter, no one give way, no matter what +opposition we meet with. + +Rummel: We will stand or fall together, Bernick. + +Hilmar (coming in from the verandah): Fall? If I may ask, isn't it the +railway scheme that is going to fall? + +Bernick: No, on the contrary, it is going to proceed-- + +Rummel: Full steam, Mr. Tonnesen. + +Hilmar (coming nearer): Really? + +Rorlund: How is that? + +Mrs. Bernick (at the verandah door): Karsten, dear, what is it that--? + +Bernick: My dear Betty, how can it interest you? (To the three men.) +We must get out lists of subscribers, and the sooner the better. +Obviously our four names must head the list. The positions we occupy in +the community makes it our duty to make ourselves as prominent as +possible in the affair. + +Sandstad: Obviously, Mr. Bernick. + +Rummel: The thing shall go through, Bernick; I swear it shall! + +Bernick: Oh, I have not the least anticipation of failure. We must see +that we work, each one among the circle of his own acquaintances; and +if we can point to the fact that the scheme is exciting a lively +interest in all ranks of society, then it stands to reason that our +Municipal Corporation will have to contribute its share. + +Mrs. Bernick: Karsten, you really must come out here and tell us-- + +Bernick: My dear Betty, it is an affair that does not concern ladies at +all. + +Hilmar: Then you are really going to support this railway scheme after +all? + +Bernick: Yes, naturally. + +Rorlund: But last year, Mr. Bernick-- + +Bernick: Last year it was quite another thing. At that time it was a +question of a line along the coast-- + +Vigeland: Which would have been quite superfluous, Mr. Rorlund; +because, of course, we have our steamboat service-- + +Sandstad: And would have been quite unreasonably costly-- + +Rummel: Yes, and would have absolutely ruined certain important +interests in the town. + +Bernick: The main point was that it would not have been to the +advantage of the community as a whole. That is why I opposed it, with +the result that the inland line was resolved upon. + +Hilmar: Yes, but surely that will not touch the towns about here. + +Bernick: It will eventually touch our town, my dear Hilmar, because we +are going to build a branch line here. + +Hilmar: Aha--a new scheme, then? + +Rummel: Yes, isn't it a capital scheme? What? + +Rorlund: Hm!-- + +Vigeland: There is no denying that it looks as though Providence had +just planned the configuration of the country to suit a branch line. + +Rorlund: Do you really mean it, Mr. Vigeland? + +Bernick: Yes, I must confess it seems to me as if it had been the hand +of Providence that caused me to take a journey on business this spring, +in the course of which I happened to traverse a valley through which I +had never been before. It came across my mind like a flash of lightning +that this was where we could carry a branch line down to our town. I +got an engineer to survey the neighbourhood, and have here the +provisional calculations and estimate; so there is nothing to hinder us. + +Mrs. Bernick (who is still with the other ladies at the verandah door): +But, my dear Karsten, to think that you should have kept it all a +secret from us! + +Bernick: Ah, my dear Betty, I knew you would not have been able to +grasp the exact situation. Besides, I have not mentioned it to a living +soul until today. But now the decisive moment has come, and we must +work openly and with all our might. Yes, even if I have to risk all I +have for its sake, I mean to push the matter through. + +Rummel: And we will back you up, Bernick; you may rely upon that. + +Rorlund: Do you really promise us so much, then, from this undertaking, +gentlemen? + +Bernick: Yes, undoubtedly. Think what a lever it will be to raise the +status of our whole community. Just think of the immense tracts of +forest-land that it will make accessible; think of all the rich +deposits of minerals we shall be able to work; think of the river with +one waterfall above another! Think of the possibilities that open out +in the way of manufactories! + +Rorlund: And are you not afraid that an easier intercourse with the +depravity of the outer world--? + +Bernick: No, you may make your mind quite easy on that score, Mr. +Rorlund. Our little hive of industry rests now-a-days, God be thanked, +on such a sound moral basis; we have all of us helped to drain it, if I +may use the expression; and that we will continue to do, each in his +degree. You, Mr. Rorlund, will continue your richly blessed activity in +our schools and our homes. We, the practical men of business, will be +the support of the community by extending its welfare within as wide a +radius as possible; and our women--yes, come nearer ladies--you will +like to hear it--our women, I say, our wives and daughters--you, +ladies--will work on undisturbed in the service of charity, and +moreover will be a help and a comfort to your nearest and dearest, as +my dear Betty and Martha are to me and Olaf.(Looks around him.) Where +is Olaf today? + +Mrs. Bernick: Oh, in the holidays it is impossible to keep him at home. + +Bernick: I have no doubt he is down at the shore again. You will see he +will end by coming to some harm there. + +Hilmar: Bah! A little sport with the forces of nature + +Mrs. Rummel: Your family affection is beautiful, Mr. Bernick! + +Bernick: Well, the family is the kernel of society. A good home, +honoured and trusty friends, a little snug family circle where no +disturbing elements can cast their shadow-- (KRAP comes in from the +right, bringing letters and papers.) + +Krap: The foreign mail, Mr. Bernick--and a telegram from New York. + +Bernick (taking the telegram): Ah--from the owners of the "Indian Girl". + +Rummel: Is the mail in? Oh, then you must excuse me. + +Vigeland: And me too. + +Sandstad: Good day, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Good day, good day, gentlemen. And remember, we have a meeting +this afternoon at five o'clock. + +The Three Men: Yes--quite so--of course. (They go out to the right.) + +Bernick (who has read the telegram): This is thoroughly American! +Absolutely shocking! + +Mrs. Bernick: Good gracious, Karsten, what is it? + +Bernick: Look at this, Krap! Read it! + +Krap (reading): "Do the least repairs possible. Send over 'Indian +Girl' as soon as she is ready to sail; good time of year; at a pinch +her cargo will keep her afloat." Well, I must say-- + +Rorlund: You see the state of things in these vaunted great communities! + +Bernick: You are quite right; not a moment's consideration for human +life, when it is a question of making a profit. (To KRAP:) Can the +"Indian Girl" go to sea in four--or five--days? + +Krap: Yes, if Mr. Vigeland will agree to our stopping work on the "Palm +Tree" meanwhile. + +Bernick: Hm--he won't. Well, be so good as to look through the letters. +And look here, did you see Olaf down at the quay? + +Krap: No, Mr. Bernick. (Goes into BERNICK'S room.) + +Bernick (looking at the telegram again): These gentlemen think nothing +of risking eight men's lives-- + +Hilmar: Well, it is a sailor's calling to brave the elements; it must +be a fine tonic to the nerves to be like that, with only a thin plank +between one and the abyss-- + +Bernick: I should like to see the ship-owner amongst us who would +condescend to such a thing! There is not one that would do it--not a +single one! (Sees OLAF coming up to the house.) Ah, thank Heaven, here +he is, safe and sound. (OLAF, with a fishing-line in his hand, comes +running up the garden and in through the verandah.) + +Olaf: Uncle Hilmar, I have been down and seen the steamer. + +Bernick: Have you been down to the quay again? + +Olaf: No, I have only been out in a boat. But just think, Uncle Hilmar, +a whole circus company has come on shore, with horses and animals; and +there were such lots of passengers. + +Mrs. Rummel: No, are we really to have a circus? + +Rorlund: We? I certainly have no desire to see it. + +Mrs. Rummel: No, of course I don't mean we, but-- + +Dina: I should like to see a circus very much. + +Olaf: So should I. + +Hilmar: You are a duffer. Is that anything to see? Mere tricks. No, it +would be something quite different to see the Gaucho careering over the +Pampas on his snorting mustang. But, Heaven help us, in these wretched +little towns of ours. + +Olaf (pulling at MARTHA'S dress): Look, Aunt Martha! Look, there they +come! + +Mrs. Holt: Good Lord, yes--here they come. + +Mrs. Lynge: Ugh, what horrid people! + +(A number of passengers and a whole crowd of townsfolk, are seen coming +up the street.) + +Mrs. Rummel: They are a set of mountebanks, certainly. Just look at +that woman in the grey dress, Mrs. Holt--the one with a knapsack over +her shoulder. + +Mrs. Holt: Yes--look--she has slung it on the handle of her parasol. +The manager's wife, I expect. + +Mrs. Rummel: And there is the manager himself, no doubt. He looks a +regular pirate. Don't look at him, Hilda! + +Mrs. Holt: Nor you, Netta! + +Olaf: Mother, the manager is bowing to us. + +Bernick: What? + +Mrs. Bernick: What are you saying, child? + +Mrs. Rummel: Yes, and--good Heavens--the woman is bowing to us too. + +Bernick: That is a little too cool-- + +Martha (exclaims involuntarily): Ah--! + +Mrs. Bernick: What is it, Martha? + +Martha: Nothing, nothing. I thought for a moment-- + +Olaf (shrieking with delight): Look, look, there are the rest of them, +with the horses and animals! And there are the Americans, too! All the +sailors from the "Indian Girl"! (The strains of "Yankee Doodle," played +on a clarinet and a drum, are heard.) + +Hilmar (stopping his ears): Ugh, ugh, ugh! + +Rorlund: I think we ought to withdraw ourselves from sight a little, +ladies; we have nothing to do with such goings on. Let us go to our +work again. + +Mrs. Bernick: Do you think we had better draw the curtains? + +Rorlund: Yes, that was exactly what I meant. + +(The ladies resume their places at the work-table; RORLUND shuts the +verandah door, and draws the curtains over it and over the windows, so +that the room becomes half dark.) + +Olaf (peeping out through the curtains): Mother, the manager's wife is +standing by the fountain now, washing her face. + +Mrs. Bernick: What? In the middle of the marketplace? + +Mrs. Rummel: And in broad daylight, too! + +Hilmar: Well, I must say if I were travelling across a desert waste and +found myself beside a well, I am sure I should not stop to think +whether--. Ugh, that frightful clarinet! + +Rorlund: It is really high time the police interfered. + +Bernick: Oh no; we must not be too hard on foreigners. Of course these +folk have none of the deep-seated instincts of decency which restrain +us within proper bounds. Suppose they do behave outrageously, what does +it concern us? Fortunately this spirit of disorder, that flies in the +face of all that is customary and right, is absolutely a stranger to +our community, if I may say so--. What is this! (LONA HESSEL walks +briskly in from the door on the right.) + +The Ladies (in low, frightened tones): The circus woman! The manager's +wife! + +Mrs. Bernick: Heavens, what does this mean? + +Martha (jumping up): Ah--! + +Lona: How do you do, Betty dear! How do you do, Martha! How do you do, +brother-in-law! + +Mrs. Bernick (with a cry): Lona--! + +Bernick (stumbling backwards): As sure as I am alive--! + +Mrs. Holt: Mercy on us--! + +Mrs. Rummel: It cannot possibly be--! + +Hilmar: Well! Ugh! + +Mrs. Bernick: Lona--! Is it really--? + +Lona: Really me? Yes, indeed it is; you may fall on my neck if you +like. + +Hilmar: Ugh, ugh! + +Mrs. Bernick: And coming back here as--? + +Mrs. Bernick: And actually mean to appear in--? + +Lona: Appear? Appear in what? + +Bernick: Well, I mean--in the circus-- + +Lona: Ha, ha, ha! Are you mad, brother-in-law? Do you think I belong to +the circus troupe? No, certainly I have turned my hand to a good many +things and made a fool of myself in a good many ways-- + +Mrs. Rummel: Hm! + +Lona: But I have never tried circus riding. + +Bernick: Then you are not--? + +Mrs. Bernick: Thank Heaven! + +Lona: No, we travelled like other respectable folk, second-class, +certainly, but we are accustomed to that. + +Mrs. Bernick: We, did you say? + +Bernick (taking a step for-ward): Whom do you mean by "we"? + +Lona: I and the child, of course. + +The Ladies (with a cry): The child! + +Hilmar: What? + +Rorlund: I really must say--! + +Mrs. Bernick: But what do you mean, Lona? + +Lona: I mean John, of course; I have no other child, as far as I know, +but John, or Johan as you used to call him. + +Mrs. Bernick: Johan-- + +Mrs. Rummel (in an undertone to MRS. LYNGE): The scapegrace brother! + +Bernick (hesitatingly): Is Johan with you? + +Lona: Of course he is; I certainly would not come without him. Why do +you look so tragical? And why are you sitting here in the gloom, sewing +white things? There has not been a death in the family, has there? + +Rorlund: Madam, you find yourself in the Society for Fallen Women. + +Lona (half to herself): What? Can these nice, quiet-looking ladies +possibly be--? + +Mrs. Rummel: Well, really--! + +Lona: Oh, I understand! But, bless my soul, that is surely Mrs. Rummel? +And Mrs. Holt sitting there too! Well, we three have not grown younger +since the last time we met. But listen now, good people; let the Fallen +Women wait for a day--they will be none the worse for that. A joyful +occasion like this-- + +Rorlund: A home-coming is not always a joyful occasion. + +Lona: Indeed? How do you read your Bible, Mr. Parson? + +Rorlund: I am not a parson. + +Lona: Oh, you will grow into one, then. But--faugh!--this moral linen +of yours smells tainted, just like a winding-sheet. I am accustomed to +the air of the prairies, let me tell you. + +Bernick (wiping his forehead): Yes, it certainly is rather close in +here. + +Lona: Wait a moment; we will resurrect ourselves from this vault. +(Pulls the curtains to one side) We must have broad daylight in here +when the boy comes. Ah, you will see a boy then that has washed himself. + +Hilmar: Ugh! + +Lona (opening the verandah door and window): I should say, when he has +washed himself, up at the hotel--for on the boat he got piggishly dirty. + +Hilmar: Ugh, ugh! + +Lona: Ugh? Why, surely isn't that--? (Points at HILDAR and asks the +others): Is he still loafing about here saying "Ugh"? + +Hilmar: I do not loaf; it is the state of my health that keeps me here. + +Rorlund: Ahem! Ladies, I do not think-- + +Lona (who has noticed OLAF): Is he yours, Betty? Give me a paw, my boy! +Or are you afraid of your ugly old aunt? + +Rorlund (putting his book under his arm): Ladies, I do not think any of +us is in the mood for any more work today. I suppose we are to meet +again tomorrow? + +Lona (while the others are getting up and taking their leave): Yes, let +us. I shall be on the spot. + +Rorlund: You? Pardon me, Miss Hessel, but what do you propose to do in +our Society? + +Lona: I will let some fresh air into it, Mr. Parson. + + + + +ACT II + + +(SCENE.--The same room. MRS. BERNICK is sitting alone at the +work-table, sewing. BERNICK comes in from the right, wearing his hat +and gloves and carrying a stick.) + +Mrs. Bernick: Home already, Karsten? + +Bernick: Yes, I have made an appointment with a man. + +Mrs. Bernick (with a sigh): Oh yes, I suppose Johan is coming up here +again. + +Bernick: With a man, I said. (Lays down his hat.) What has become of +all the ladies today? + +Mrs. Bernick: Mrs. Rummel and Hilda hadn't time to come. + +Bernick: Oh!--did they send any excuse? + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, they had so much to do at home. + +Bernick: Naturally. And of course the others are not coming either? + +Mrs. Bernick: No, something has prevented them today, too. + +Bernick: I could have told you that, beforehand. Where is Olaf? + +Mrs. Bernick: I let him go out a little with Dina. + +Bernick: Hm--she is a giddy little baggage. Did you see how she at once +started making a fuss of Johan yesterday? + +Mrs. Bernick: But, my dear Karsten, you know Dina knows nothing +whatever of-- + +Bernick: No, but in any case Johan ought to have had sufficient tact +not to pay her any attention. I saw quite well, from his face, what +Vigeland thought of it. + +Mrs. Bernick (laying her sewing down on her lap): Karsten, can you +imagine what his objective is in coming here? + +Bernick: Well--I know he has a farm over there, and I fancy he is not +doing particularly well with it; she called attention yesterday to the +fact that they were obliged to travel second class-- + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, I am afraid it must be something of that sort. But +to think of her coming with him! She! After the deadly insult she +offered you! + +Bernick: Oh, don't think about that ancient history. + +Mrs. Bernick: How can I help thinking of it just now? After all, he is +my brother--still, it is not on his account that I am distressed, but +because of all the unpleasantness it would mean for you. Karsten, I am +so dreadfully afraid! + +Bernick: Afraid of what? + +Mrs. Bernick: Isn't it possible that they may send him to prison for +stealing that money from your mother? + +Bernick: What rubbish! Who can prove that the money was stolen? + +Mrs. Bernick: The whole town knows it, unfortunately; and you know you +said yourself. + +Bernick: I said nothing. The town knows nothing whatever about the +affair; the whole thing was no more than idle rumour. + +Mrs. Bernick: How magnanimous you are, Karsten! + +Bernick: Do not let us have any more of these reminiscences, please! +You don't know how you torture me by raking all that up. (Walks up and +down; then flings his stick away from him.) And to think of their +coming home now--just now, when it is particularly necessary for me +that I should stand well in every respect with the town and with the +Press. Our newspaper men will be sending paragraphs to the papers in +the other towns about here. Whether I receive them well, or whether I +receive them ill, it will all be discussed and talked over. They will +rake up all those old stories--as you do. In a community like +ours--(Throws his gloves down on the table.) And I have not a soul here +to whom I can talk about it and to whom I can go for support. + +Mrs. Bernick: No one at all, Karsten? + +Bernick: No--who is there? And to have them on my shoulders just at +this moment! Without a doubt they will create a scandal in some way or +another--she, in particular. It is simply a calamity to be connected +with such folk in any way! + +Mrs. Bernick: Well, I can't help their-- + +Bernick: What can't you help? Their being your relations? No, that is +quite true. + +Mrs. Bernick: And I did not ask them to come home. + +Bernick: That's it--go on! "I did not ask them to come home; I did not +write to them; I did not drag them home by the hair of their heads!" +Oh, I know the whole rigmarole by heart. + +Mrs. Bernick (bursting into tears): You need not be so unkind-- + +Bernick: Yes, that's right--begin to cry, so that our neighbours may +have that to gossip about too. Do stop being so foolish, Betty. Go and +sit outside; some one may come in here. I don't suppose you want people +to see the lady of the house with red eyes? It would be a nice thing, +wouldn't it, if the story got out about that--. There, I hear some one +in the passage. (A knock is heard at the door.) Come in! (MRS. BERNICK +takes her sewing and goes out down the garden steps. AUNE comes in from +the right.) + +Aune: Good morning, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Good morning. Well, I suppose you can guess what I want you +for? + +Aune: Mr. Krap told me yesterday that you were not pleased with-- + +Bernick: I am displeased with the whole management of the yard, Aune. +The work does not get on as quickly as it ought. The "Palm Tree" ought +to have been under sail long ago. Mr. Vigeland comes here every day to +complain about it; he is a difficult man to have with one as part owner. + +Aune: The "Palm Tree" can go to sea the day after tomorrow. + +Bernick: At last. But what about the American ship, the "Indian Girl," +which has been laid up here for five weeks and-- + +Aune: The American ship? I understood that, before everything else, we +were to work our hardest to get your own ship ready. + +Bernick: I gave you no reason to think so. You ought to have pushed on +as fast as possible with the work on the American ship also; but you +have not. + +Aune: Her bottom is completely rotten, Mr. Bernick; the more we patch +it, the worse it gets. + +Bernick: That is not the reason. Krap has told me the whole truth. You +do not understand how to work the new machines I have provided--or +rather, you will not try to work them. + +Aune: Mr. Bernick, I am well on in the fifties; and ever since I was a +boy I have been accustomed to the old way of working-- + +Bernick: We cannot work that way now-a-days. You must not imagine, +Aune, that it is for the sake of making profit; I do not need that, +fortunately; but I owe consideration to the community I live in, and to +the business I am at the head of. I must take the lead in progress, or +there would never be any. + +Aune: I welcome progress too, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Yes, for your own limited circle--for the working class. Oh, I +know what a busy agitator you are; you make speeches, you stir people +up; but when some concrete instance of progress presents itself--as +now, in the case of our machines--you do not want to have anything to +do with it; you are afraid. + +Aune: Yes, I really am afraid, Mr. Bernick. I am afraid for the number +of men who will have the bread taken out of their mouths by these +machines. You are very fond, sir, of talking about the consideration we +owe to the community; it seems to me, however, that the community has +its duties too. Why should science and capital venture to introduce +these new discoveries into labour, before the community has had time to +educate a generation up to using them? + +Bernick: You read and think too much, Aune; it does you no good, and +that is what makes you dissatisfied with your lot. + +Aune: It is not, Mr. Bernick; but I cannot bear to see one good workman +dismissed after another, to starve because of these machines. + +Bernick: Hm! When the art of printing was discovered, many a +quill-driver was reduced to starvation. + +Aune: Would you have admired the art so greatly if you had been a +quill-driver in those days, sir? + +Bernick: I did not send for you to argue with you. I sent for you to +tell you that the "Indian Girl" must be ready to put to sea the day +after tomorrow. + +Aune: But, Mr. Bernick-- + +Bernick: The day after tomorrow, do you hear?--at the same time as our +own ship, not an hour later. I have good reasons for hurrying on the +work. Have you seen today's paper? Well, then you know the pranks these +American sailors have been up to again. The rascally pack are turning +the whole town upside down. Not a night passes without some brawling in +the taverns or the streets--not to speak of other abominations. + +Aune: Yes, they certainly are a bad lot. + +Bernick: And who is it that has to bear the blame for all this +disorder? It is I! Yes, it is I who have to suffer for it. These +newspaper fellows are making all sorts of covert insinuations because +we are devoting all our energies to the "Palm Tree." I, whose task in +life it is to influence my fellow-citizens by the force of example, +have to endure this sort of thing cast in my face. I am not going to +stand that. I have no fancy for having my good name smirched in that +way. + +Aune: Your name stands high enough to endure that and a great deal +more, sir. + +Bernick: Not just now. At this particular moment I have need of all the +respect and goodwill my fellow-citizens can give me. I have a big +undertaking on, the stocks, as you probably have heard; but, if it +should happen that evil-disposed persons succeeded in shaking the +absolute confidence I enjoy, it might land me in the greatest +difficulties. That is why I want, at any price, to avoid these shameful +innuendoes in the papers, and that is why I name the day after tomorrow +as the limit of the time I can give you. + +Aune: Mr. Bernick, you might just as well name this afternoon as the +limit. + +Bernick: You mean that I am asking an impossibility? + +Aune: Yes, with the hands we have now at the yard. + +Bernick: Very good; then we must look about elsewhere. + +Aune: Do you really mean, sir, to discharge still more of your old +workmen? + +Bernick: No, I am not thinking of that. + +Aune: Because I think it would cause bad blood against you both among +the townsfolk and in the papers, if you did that. + +Bernick: Very probably; therefore, we will not do it. But, if the +"Indian Girl" is not ready to sail the day after tomorrow, I shall +discharge you. + +Aune (with a start): Me! (He laughs.) You are joking, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: I should not be so sure of that, if I were you. + +Aune: Do you mean that you can contemplate discharging me?--Me, whose +father and grandfather worked in your yard all their lives, as I have +done myself--? + +Bernick: Who is it that is forcing me to do it? + +Aune: You are asking what is impossible, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Oh, where there's a will there's a way. Yes or no; give me a +decisive answer, or consider yourself discharged on the spot. + +Aune (coming a step nearer to him): Mr. Bernick, have you ever realised +what discharging an old workman means? You think he can look about for +another job? Oh, yes, he can do that; but does that dispose of the +matter? You should just be there once, in the house of a workman who +has been discharged, the evening he comes home bringing all his tools +with him. + +Bernick: Do you think I am discharging you with a light heart? Have I +not always been a good master to you? + +Aune: So much the worse, Mr. Bernick. Just for that very reason those +at home will not blame you; they will say nothing to me, because they +dare not; but they will look at me when I am not noticing, and think +that I must have deserved it. You see, sir, that is--that is what I +cannot bear. I am a mere nobody, I know; but I have always been +accustomed to stand first in my own home. My humble home is a little +community too, Mr. Bernick--a little community which I have been able +to support and maintain because my wife has believed in me and because +my children have believed in me. And now it is all to fall to pieces. + +Bernick: Still, if there is nothing else for it, the lesser must go +down before the greater; the individual must be sacrificed to the +general welfare. I can give you no other answer; and that, and no +other, is the way of the world. You are an obstinate man, Aune! You are +opposing me, not because you cannot do otherwise, but because you will +not exhibit 'the superiority of machinery over manual labour'. + +Aune: And you will not be moved, Mr. Bernick, because you know that if +you drive me away you will at all events have given the newspapers +proof of your good will. + +Bernick: And suppose that were so? I have told you what it means for +me--either bringing the Press down on my back, or making them +well-disposed to me at a moment when I am working for an objective +which will mean the advancement of the general welfare. Well, then, can +I do otherwise than as I am doing? The question, let me tell you, turns +upon this--whether your home is to be supported, as you put it, or +whether hundreds of new homes are to be prevented from +existing--hundreds of homes that will never be built, never have a fire +lighted on their hearth, unless I succeed in carrying through the +scheme I am working for now. That is the reason why I have given you +your choice. + +Aune: Well, if that is the way things stand, I have nothing more to say. + +Bernick: Hm--my dear Aune, I am extremely grieved to think that we are +to part. + +Aune: We are not going to part, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: How is that? + +Aune: Even a common man like myself has something he is bound to +maintain. + +Bernick: Quite so, quite so--then I presume you think you may promise--? + +Aune: The "Indian Girl" shall be ready to sail the day after tomorrow. +(Bows and goes out to the right.) + +Bernick: Ah, I have got the better of that obstinate fellow! I take it +as a good omen. (HILMAR comes in through the garden door, smoking a +cigar.) + +Hilmar (as he comes up the steps to the verandah): Good morning, Betty! +Good morning, Karsten! + +Mrs. Bernick: Good morning. + +Hilmar: Ah, I see you have been crying, so I suppose you know all about +it too? + +Mrs. Bernick: Know all about what? + +Hilmar: That the scandal is in full swing. Ugh! + +Bernick: What do you mean? + +Hilmar (coming into the room): Why, that our two friends from America +are displaying themselves about the streets in the company of Dina Dorf. + +Mrs. Bernick (coming in after him): Hilmar, is it possible? + +Hilmar: Yes, unfortunately, it is quite true. Lona was even so wanting +in tact as to call after me, but of course I appeared not to have heard +her. + +Bernick: And no doubt all this has not been unnoticed. + +Hilmar: You may well say that. People stood still and looked at them. +It spread like wildfire through the town--just like a prairie fire out +West. In every house people were at the windows waiting for the +procession to pass, cheek by jowl behind the curtains--ugh! Oh, you +must excuse me, Betty, for saying "ugh"--this has got on my nerves. If +it is going on, I shall be forced to think about getting right away +from here. + +Mrs. Bernick: But you should have spoken to him and represented to him +that-- + +Hilmar: In the open street? No, excuse me, I could not do that. To +think that the fellow should dare to show himself in the town at all! +Well, we shall see if the Press doesn't put a stopper on him; +yes--forgive me, Betty, but-- + +Bernick: The Press, do you say? Have you heard a hint of anything of +the sort? + +Hilmar: There are such things flying about. When I left here yesterday +evening I looked in at the club, because I did not feel well. I saw at +once, from the sudden silence that fell when I went in, that our +American couple had been the subject of conversation. Then that +impudent newspaper fellow, Hammer, came in and congratulated me at the +top of his voice on the return of my rich cousin. + +Bernick: Rich? + +Hilmar: Those were his words. Naturally I looked him up and down in the +manner he deserved, and gave him to understand that I knew nothing +about Johan Tonnesen's being rich. "Really," he said, "that is very +remarkable. People usually get on in America when they have something +to start with, and I believe your cousin did not go over there quite +empty-handed." + +Bernick: Hm--now will you oblige me by-- + +Mrs. Bernick (distressed): There, you see, Karsten! + +Hilmar: Anyhow, I have spent a sleepless night because of them. And +here he is, walking about the streets as if nothing were the matter. +Why couldn't he disappear for good and all? It really is insufferable +how hard some people are to kill. + +Mrs. Bernick: My dear Hilmar, what are you saying P + +Hilmar: Oh, nothing. But here this fellow escapes with a whole skin +from railway accidents and fights with California grizzlies and +Blackfoot Indians--has not even been scalped--. Ugh, here they come! + +Bernick (looking down the street): Olaf is with them too! + +Hilmar: Of course! They want to remind everybody that they belong to +the best family in the town. Look there!--look at the crowd of loafers +that have come out of the chemist's to stare at them and make remarks. +My nerves really won't stand it; how a man is to be expected to keep +the banner of the Ideal flying under such circumstances, I-- + +Bernick: They are coming here. Listen, Betty; it is my particular wish +that you should receive them in the friendliest possible way. + +Mrs. Bernick: Oh, may I, Karsten. + +Bernick: Certainly, certainly--and you too, Hilmar. It is to be hoped +they will not stay here very long; and when we are quite by +ourselves--no allusions to the past; we must not hurt their feelings in +any way. + +Mrs. Bernick: How magnanimous you are, Karsten! + +Bernick: Oh, don't speak of that. + +Mrs. Bernick: But you must let me thank you; and you must forgive me +for being so hasty. I am sure you had every reason to-- + +Bernick: Don't talk about it, please. + +Hilmar: Ugh! + +(JOHAN TONNESEN and DINA come up through the garden, followed by LONA +and OLAF.) + +Lona: Good morning, dear people! + +Johan: We have been out having a look round the old place, Karsten. + +Bernick: So I hear. Greatly altered, is it not? + +Lona: Mr. Bernick's great and good works everywhere. We have been up +into the Recreation Ground you have presented to the town. + +Bernick: Have you been there? + +Lona: "The gift of Karsten Bernick," as it says over the gateway. You +seem to be responsible for the whole place here. + +Johan: Splendid ships you have got, too. I met my old schoolfellow, the +captain of the "Palm Tree." + +Lona: And you have built a new school-house too; and I hear that the +town has to thank you for both the gas supply and the water supply. + +Bernick: Well, one ought to work for the good of the community one +lives in. + +Lona: That is an excellent sentiment, brother-in-law, but it is a +pleasure, all the same, to see how people appreciate you. I am not +vain, I hope; but I could not resist reminding one or two of the people +we talked to that we were relations of yours. + +Hilmar: Ugh! + +Lona: Do you say "ugh" to that? + +Hilmar: No, I said "ahem." + +Lona: Oh, poor chap, you may say that if you like. But are you all by +yourselves today? + +Bernick: Yes, we are by ourselves today. + +Lona: Ah, yes, we met a couple of members of your Morality Society up +at the market; they made out they were very busy. You and I have never +had an opportunity for a good talk yet. Yesterday you had your three +pioneers here, as well as the parson. + +Hilmar: The schoolmaster. + +Lona: I call him the parson. But now tell me what you think of my work +during these fifteen years? Hasn't he grown a fine fellow? Who would +recognise the madcap that ran away from home? + +Hilmar: Hm! + +Johan: Now, Lona, don't brag too much about me. + +Lona: Well, I can tell you I am precious proud of him. Goodness knows +it is about the only thing I have done in my life; but it does give me +a sort of right to exist. When I think, Johan, how we two began over +there with nothing but our four bare fists. + +Hilmar: Hands. + +Lona: I say fists; and they were dirty fists. + +Hilmar: Ugh! + +Lona: And empty, too. + +Hilmar: Empty? Well, I must say-- + +Lona: What must you say? + +Bernick: Ahem! + +Hilmar: I must say--ugh! (Goes out through the garden.) + +Lona: What is the matter with the man? + +Bernick: Oh, do not take any notice of him; his nerves are rather upset +just now. Would you not like to take a look at the garden? You have not +been down there yet, and I have got an hour to spare. + +Lona: With pleasure. I can tell you my thoughts have been with you in +this garden many and many a time. + +Mrs. Bernick: We have made a great many alterations there too, as you +will see. (BERNICK, MRS. BERNICK, and LONA go down to the garden, where +they are visible every now and then during the following scene.) + +Olaf (coming to the verandah door): Uncle Hilmar, do you know what +uncle Johan asked me? He asked me if I would go to America with him. + +Hilmar: You, you duffer, who are tied to your mother's apron strings--! + +Olaf: Ah, but I won't be that any longer. You will see, when I grow big. + +Hilmar: Oh, fiddlesticks! You have no really serious bent towards the +strength of character necessary to--. + +(They go down to the garden. DINA meanwhile has taken off her hat and +is standing at the door on the right, shaking the dust off her dress.) + +Johan (to DINA): The walk has made you pretty warm. + +Dina: Yes, it was a splendid walk. I have never had such a splendid +walk before. + +Johan: Do you not often go for a walk in the morning? + +Dina: Oh, yes--but only with Olaf. + +Johan: I see.--Would you rather go down into the garden than stay here? + +Dina: No, I would rather stay here. + +Johan: So would I. Then shall we consider it a bargain that we are to +go for a walk like this together every morning? + +Dina: No, Mr. Tonnesen, you mustn't do that. + +Johan: What mustn't I do? You promised, you know. + +Dina: Yes, but--on second thought--you mustn't go out with me. + +Johan: But why not? + +Dina: Of course, you are a stranger--you cannot understand; but I must +tell you-- + +Johan: Well? + +Dina: No, I would rather not talk about it. + +Johan: Oh, but you must; you can talk to me about whatever you like. + +Dina: Well, I must tell you that I am not like the other young girls +here. There is something--something or other about me. That is why you +mustn't. + +Johan: But I do not understand anything about it. You have not done +anything wrong? + +Dina: No, not I, but--no, I am not going to talk any more about it now. +You will hear about it from the others, sure enough. + +Johan: Hm! + +Dina: But there is something else I want very much to ask you. + +Johan: What is that? + +Dina: I suppose it is easy to make a position for oneself over in +America? + +Johan: No, it is not always easy; at first you often have to rough it +and work very hard. + +Dina: I should be quite ready to do that. + +Johan: You? + +Dina: I can work now; I am strong and healthy; and Aunt Martha taught +me a lot. + +Johan: Well, hang it, come back with us! + +Dina: Ah, now you are only making fun of me; you said that to Olaf too. +But what I wanted to know is if people are so very--so very moral over +there? + +Johan: Moral? + +Dina: Yes; I mean are they as--as proper and as well-behaved as they +are here? + +Johan: Well, at all events they are not so bad as people here make out. +You need not be afraid on that score. + +Dina: You don't understand me. What I want to hear is just that they +are not so proper and so moral. + +Johan: Not? What would you wish them to be, then? + +Dina: I would wish them to be natural. + +Johan: Well, I believe that is just what they are. + +Dina: Because in that case I should get on if I went there. + +Johan: You would, for certain!--and that is why you must come back with +us. + +Dina: No, I don't want to go with you; I must go alone. Oh, I would +make something of my life; I would get on-- + +Bernick (speaking to LONA and his wife at the foot of the garden +steps): Wait a moment--I will fetch it, Betty dear; you might so easily +catch cold. (Comes into the room and looks for his wife's shawl.) + +Mrs. Bernick (from outside): You must come out too, Johan; we are going +down to the grotto. + +Bernick: No, I want Johan to stay here. Look here, Dina; you take my +wife's shawl and go with them. Johan is going to stay here with me, +Betty dear. I want to hear how he is getting on over there. + +Mrs. Bernick: Very well--then you will follow us; you know where you +will find us. (MRS. BERNICK, LONA and DINA go out through the garden, +to the left. BERNICK looks after them for a moment, then goes to the +farther door on the left and locks it, after which he goes up to JOHAN, +grasps both his hands, and shakes them warmly.) + +Bernick: Johan, now that we are alone, you must let me thank you. + +Johan: Oh, nonsense! + +Bernick: My home and all the happiness that it means to me--my position +here as a citizen--all these I owe to you. + +Johan: Well, I am glad of it, Karsten; some good came of that mad story +after all, then. + +Bernick (grasping his hands again): But still you must let me thank +you! Not one in ten thousand would have done what you did for me. + +Johan: Rubbish! Weren't we, both of us, young and thoughtless? One of +us had to take the blame, you know. + +Bernick: But surely the guilty one was the proper one to do that? + +Johan: Stop! At the moment the innocent one happened to be the proper +one to do it. Remember, I had no ties--I was an orphan; it was a lucky +chance to get free from the drudgery of the office. You, on the other +hand, had your old mother still alive; and, besides that, you had just +become secretly engaged to Betty, who was devoted to you. What would +have happened between you and her if it had come to her ears? + +Bernick: That is true enough, but still-- + +Johan: And wasn't it just for Betty's sake that you broke off your +acquaintance with Mrs. Dorf? Why, it was merely in order to put an end +to the whole thing that you were up there with her that evening. + +Bernick: Yes, that unfortunate evening when that drunken creature came +home! Yes, Johan, it was for Betty's sake; but, all the same, it was +splendid of you to let all the appearances go against you, and to go +away. + +Johan: Put your scruples to rest, my dear Karsten. We agreed that it +should be so; you had to be saved, and you were my friend. I can tell +you, I was uncommonly proud of that friendship. Here was I, drudging +away like a miserable stick-in-the-mud, when you came back from your +grand tour abroad, a great swell who had been to London and to Paris; +and you chose me for your chum, although I was four years younger than +you--it is true it was because you were courting Betty, I understand +that now--but I was proud of it! Who would not have been? Who would not +willingly have sacrificed himself for you?--especially as it only meant +a month's talk in the town, and enabled me to get away into the wide +world. + +Bernick: Ah, my dear Johan, I must be candid and tell you that the +story is not so completely forgotten yet. + +Johan: Isn't it? Well, what does that matter to me, once I am back over +there on my farm again? + +Bernick: Then you mean to go back? + +Johan: Of course. + +Bernick: But not immediately, I hope? + +Johan: As soon as possible. It was only to humour Lona that I came over +with her, you know. + +Bernick: Really? How so? + +Johan: Well, you see, Lona is no longer young, and lately she began to +be obsessed with home-sickness; but she never would admit it. (Smiles.) +How could she venture to risk leaving such a flighty fellow as me +alone, who before I was nineteen had been mixed up in... + +Bernick: Well, what then? + +Johan: Well, Karsten, now I am coming to a confession that I am ashamed +to make. + +Bernick: You surely haven't confided the truth to her? + +Johan: Yes. It was wrong of me, but I could not do otherwise. You can +have no conception what Lona has been to me. You never could put up +with her; but she has been like a mother to me. The first year we were +out there, when things went so badly with us, you have no idea how she +worked! And when I was ill for a long time, and could earn nothing and +could not prevent her, she took to singing ballads in taverns, and gave +lectures that people laughed at; and then she wrote a book that she has +both laughed and cried over since then--all to keep the life in me. +Could I look on when in the winter she, who had toiled and drudged for +me, began to pine away? No, Karsten, I couldn't. And so I said, "You go +home for a trip, Lona; don't be afraid for me, I am not so flighty as +you think." And so--the end of it was that she had to know. + +Bernick: And how did she take it? + +Johan: Well, she thought, as was true, that as I knew I was innocent +nothing need prevent me from taking a trip over here with her. But make +your mind easy; Lona will let nothing out, and I shall keep my mouth +shut as I did before. + +Bernick: Yes, yes I rely on that. + +Johan: Here is my hand on it. And now we will say no more about that +old story; luckily it is the only mad prank either of us has been +guilty of, I am sure. I want thoroughly to enjoy the few days I shall +stay here. You cannot think what a delightful walk we had this morning. +Who would have believed that that little imp, who used to run about +here and play angels' parts on the stage--! But tell me, my dear +fellow, what became of her parents afterwards? + +Bernick: Oh, my boy, I can tell you no more than I wrote to you +immediately after you went away. I suppose you got my two letters? + +Johan: Yes, yes, I have them both. So that drunken fellow deserted her? + +Bernick: And drank himself to death afterwards. + +Johan: And she died soon afterwards, too? + +Bernick: She was proud; she betrayed nothing, and would accept nothing. + +Johan: Well, at all events you did the right thing by taking Dina into +your house. + +Bernick: I suppose so. As a matter of fact it was Martha that brought +that about. + +Johan: So it was Martha? By the way, where is she today? + +Bernick: She? Oh, when she hasn't her school to look after, she has her +sick people to see to. + +Johan: So it was Martha who interested herself in her. + +Bernick: Yes, you know Martha has always had a certain liking for +teaching; so she took a post in the boarding-school. It was very +ridiculous of her. + +Johan: I thought she looked very worn yesterday; I should be afraid her +health was not good enough for it. + +Bernick: Oh, as far as her health goes, it is all right enough. But it +is unpleasant for me; it looks as though I, her brother, were not +willing to support her. + +Johan: Support her? I thought she had means enough of her own. + +Bernick: Not a penny. Surely you remember how badly off our mother was +when you went away? She carried things on for a time with my +assistance, but naturally I could not put up with that state of affairs +permanently. I made her take me into the firm, but even then things did +not go well. So I had to take over the whole business myself, and when +we made up our balance-sheet, it became evident that there was +practically nothing left as my mother's share. And when mother died +soon afterwards, of course Martha was left penniless. + +Johan: Poor Martha! + +Bernick: Poor! Why? You surely do not suppose I let her want for +anything? No, I venture to say I am a good brother. Of course she has a +home here with us; her salary as a teacher is more than enough for her +to dress on; what more could she want? + +Johan: Hm--that is not our idea of things in America. + +Bernick: No, I dare say not--in such a revolutionary state of society +as you find there. But in our small circle--in which, thank God, +depravity has not gained a footing, up to now at all events--women are +content to occupy a seemly, as well as modest, position. Moreover, it +is Martha's own fault; I mean, she might have been provided for long +ago, if she had wished. + +Johan: You mean she might have married? + +Bernick: Yes, and married very well, too. She has had several good +offers--curiously enough, when you think that she is a poor girl, no +longer young, and, besides, quite an insignificant person. + +Johan: Insignificant? + +Bernick: Oh, I am not blaming her for that. I most certainly would not +wish her otherwise. I can tell you it is always a good thing to have a +steady-going person like that in a big house like this--some one you +can rely on in any contingency. + +Johan: Yes, but what does she--? + +Bernick: She? How? Oh well, of course she has plenty to interest +herself in; she has Betty and Olaf and me. People should not think +first of themselves--women least of all. We have all got some +community, great or small, to work for. That is my principle, at all +events. (Points to KRAP, who has come in from the right.) Ah, here is +an example of it, ready to hand. Do you suppose that it is my own +affairs that are absorbing me just now? By no means. (Eagerly to KRAP.) +Well? + +Krap (in an undertone, showing him a bundle of papers): Here are all +the sale contracts, completed. + +Bernick: Capital! Splendid!--Well, Johan, you must really excuse me for +the present. (In a low voice, grasping his hand.) Thanks, Johan, +thanks! And rest assured that anything I can do for you-- Well, of +course you understand. Come along, Krap. (They go into BERNICK'S room.) + +Johan (looking after them for a moment): Hm!-- (Turns to go down to the +garden. At the same moment MARTHA comes in from the right, with a +little basket over her arm.) Martha! + +Martha: Ah, Johan--is it you? + +Johan: Out so early? + +Martha: Yes. Wait a moment; the others are just coming. (Moves towards +the door on the left.) + +Johan: Martha, are you always in such a hurry? + +Martha: I? + +Johan: Yesterday you seemed to avoid me, so that I never managed to +have a word with you--we two old playfellows. + +Martha: Ah, Johan; that is many, many years ago. + +Johan: Good Lord--why, it is only fifteen years ago, no more and no +less. Do you think I have changed so much? + +Martha: You? Oh yes, you have changed too, although-- + +Johan: What do you mean? + +Martha: Oh, nothing. + +Johan: You do not seem to be very glad to see me again. + +Martha: I have waited so long, Johan--too long. + +Johan: Waited? For me to come? + +Martha: Yes. + +Johan. And why did you think I would come? + +Martha: To atone for the wrong you had done. + +Johan: I? + +Martha: Have you forgotten that it was through you that a woman died in +need and in shame? Have you forgotten that it was through you that the +best years of a young girl's life were embittered? + +Johan: And you can say such things to me? Martha, has your brother +never--? + +Martha: Never what? + +Johan: Has he never--oh, of course, I mean has he never so much as said +a word in my defence? + +Martha: Ah, Johan, you know Karsten's high principles. + +Johan: Hm--! Oh, of course; I know my old friend Karsten's high +principles! But really this is--. Well, well. I was having a talk with +him just now. He seems to me to have altered considerably. + +Martha: How can you say that? I am sure Karsten has always been an +excellent man. + +Johan: Yes, that was not exactly what I meant--but never mind. Hm! Now +I understand the light you have seen me in; it was the return of the +prodigal that you were waiting for. + +Martha: Johan, I will tell you what light I have seen you in. (Points +down to the garden.) Do you see that girl playing on the grass down +there with Olaf? That is Dina. Do you remember that incoherent letter +you wrote me when you went away? You asked me to believe in you. I have +believed in you, Johan. All the horrible things that were rumoured +about you after you had gone must have been done through being led +astray--from thoughtlessness, without premeditation. + +Johan: What do you mean? + +Martha: Oh! you understand me well enough--not a word more of that. But +of course you had to go away and begin afresh--a new life. Your duties +here which you never remembered to undertake--or never were able to +undertake--I have undertaken for you. I tell you this, so that you +shall not have that also to reproach yourself with. I have been a +mother to that much-wronged child; I have brought her up as well as I +was able. + +Johan: And have wasted your whole life for that reason. + +Martha: It has not been wasted. But you have come late, Johan. + +Johan: Martha--if only I could tell you--. Well, at all events let me +thank you for your loyal friendship. + +Martha (with a sad smile): Hm.--Well, we have had it out now, Johan. +Hush, some one is coming. Goodbye, I can't stay now. (Goes out through +the farther door on the left. LONA comes in from the garden, followed +by MRS. BERNICK.) + +Mrs. Bernick: But good gracious, Lona--what are you thinking of? + +Lona: Let me be, I tell you! I must and will speak to him. + +Mrs. Bernick: But it would be a scandal of the worst sort! Ah, +Johan--still here? + +Lona: Out with you, my boy; don't stay here in doors; go down into the +garden and have a chat with Dina. + +Johan: I was just thinking of doing so. + +Mrs. Bernick: But-- + +Lona: Look here, Johan--have you had a good look at Dina? + +Johan: I should think so! + +Lona: Well, look at her to some purpose, my boy. That would be somebody +for you! + +Mrs. Bernick: But, Lona! + +Johan: Somebody for me? + +Lona: Yes, to look at, I mean. Be off with you! + +Johan: Oh, I don't need any pressing. (Goes down into the garden.) + +Mrs. Bernick: Lona, you astound me! You cannot possibly be serious +about it? + +Lona: Indeed I am. Isn't she sweet and healthy and honest? She is +exactly the wife for Johan. She is just what he needs over there; it +will be a change from an old step-sister. + +Mrs. Bernick: Dina? Dina Dorf? But think-- + +Lona: I think first and foremost of the boy's happiness. Because, help +him I must; he has not much idea of that sort of thing; he has never +had much of an eye for girls or women. + +Mrs. Bernick: He? Johan? Indeed I think we have had only too sad proofs +that-- + +Lona: Oh, devil take all those stupid stories! Where is Karsten? I mean +to speak to him. + +Mrs. Bernick: Lona, you must not do it, I tell you. + +Lona: I am going to. If the boy takes a fancy to her--and she to +him--then they shall make a match of it. Karsten is such a clever man, +he must find some way to bring it about. + +Mrs. Bernick: And do you think these American indecencies will be +permitted here? + +Lona: Bosh, Betty! + +Mrs. Bernick: Do you think a man like Karsten, with his strictly moral +way of thinking-- + +Lona: Pooh! he is not so terribly moral. + +Mrs. Bernick: What have you the audacity to say? + +Lona: I have the audacity to say that Karsten is not any more +particularly moral than anybody else. + +Mrs. Bernick: So you still hate him as deeply as that! But what are you +doing here, if you have never been able to forget that? I cannot +understand how you, dare look him in the face after the shameful insult +you put upon him in the old days. + +Lona: Yes, Betty, that time I did forget myself badly. + +Mrs. Bernick: And to think how magnanimously he has forgiven you--he, +who had never done any wrong! It was not his fault that you encouraged +yourself with hopes. But since then you have always hated me too. +(Bursts into tears.) You have always begrudged me my good fortune. And +now you come here to heap all this on my head--to let the whole town +know what sort of a family I have brought Karsten into. Yes, it is me +that it all falls upon, and that is what you want. Oh, it is abominable +of you! (Goes out by the door on the left, in tears.) + +Lona (looking after her): Poor Betty! (BERNICK comes in from his room. +He stops at the door to speak to KRAP.) + +Bernick: Yes, that is excellent, Krap--capital! Send twenty pounds to +the fund for dinners to the poor. (Turns round.) Lona! (Comes forward.) +Are you alone? Is Betty not coming in? + +Lona: No. Would you like me to call her? + +Bernick: No, no--not at all. Oh, Lona, you don't know how anxious I +have been to speak openly to you--after having begged for your +forgiveness. + +Lona: Look here, Karsten--do not let us be sentimental; it doesn't suit +us. + +Bernick: You must listen to me, Lona. I know only too well how much +appearances are against me, as you have learnt all about that affair +with Dina's mother. But I swear to you that it was only a temporary +infatuation; I was really, truly and honestly, in love with you once. + +Lona: Why do you think I have come home? + +Bernick: Whatever you have in your mind, I entreat, you to do nothing +until I have exculpated myself. I can do that, Lona; at all events I +can excuse myself. + +Lona: Now you are frightened. You once were in love with me, you say. +Yes, you told me that often enough in your letters; and perhaps it was +true, too--in a way--as long as you were living out in the great, free +world which gave you the courage to think freely and greatly. Perhaps +you found in me a little more character and strength of will and +independence than in most of the folk at home here. And then we kept it +secret between us; nobody could make fun of your bad taste. + +Bernick: Lona, how can you think--? + +Lona: But when you came back--when you heard the gibes that were made +at me on all sides--when you noticed how people laughed at what they +called my absurdities... + +Bernick: You were regardless of people's opinion at that time. + +Lona: Chiefly to annoy the petticoated and trousered prudes that one +met at every turn in the town. And then, when you met that seductive +young actress-- + +Bernick: It was a boyish escapade--nothing more; I swear to you that +there was no truth in a tenth part of the rumours and gossip that went +about. + +Lona: Maybe. But then, when Betty came home--a pretty young girl, +idolised by every one--and it became known that she would inherit all +her aunt's money and that I would have nothing! + +Bernick: That is just the point, Lona; and now you shall have the truth +without any beating about the bush. I did not love Betty then; I did +not break off my engagement with you because of any new attachment. It +was entirely for the sake of the money. I needed it; I had to make sure +of it. + +Lona: And you have the face to tell me that? + +Bernick: Yes, I have. Listen, Lona. + +Lona: And yet you wrote to me that an unconquerable passion for Betty +had overcome you--invoked my magnanimity--begged me, for Betty's sake, +to hold my tongue about all that had been between us. + +Bernick: I had to, I tell you. + +Lona: Now, by Heaven, I don't regret that I forgot myself as I did that +time-- + +Bernick: Let me tell you the plain truth of how things stood with me +then. My mother, as you remember, was at the head of the business, but +she was absolutely without any business ability whatever. I was +hurriedly summoned home from Paris; times were critical, and they +relied on me to set things straight. What did I find? I found--and you +must keep this a profound secret--a house on the brink of ruin. Yes--as +good as on the brink of ruin, this old respected house which had seen +three generations of us. What else could I--the son, the only son--do +than look about for some means of saving it? + +Lona: And so you saved the house of Bernick at the cost of a woman. + +Bernick: You know quite well that Betty was in love with me. + +Lona: But what about me? + +Bernick: Believe me, Lona, you would never have been happy with me. + +Lona: Was it out of consideration for my happiness that you sacrificed +me? + +Bernick: Do you suppose I acted as I did from selfish motives? If I had +stood alone then, I would have begun all over again with cheerful +courage. But you do not understand how the life of a man of business, +with his tremendous responsibilities, is bound up with that of the +business which falls to his inheritance. Do you realise that the +prosperity or the ruin of hundreds--of thousands--depends on him? Can +you not take into consideration the fact that the whole community in +which both you and I were born would have been affected to the most +dangerous extent if the house of Bernick had gone to smash? + +Lon: Then is it for the sake of the community that you have maintained +your position these fifteen years upon a lie? + +Bernick: Upon a lie? + +Lona: What does Betty know of all this...that underlies her union with +you? + +Bernick: Do you suppose that I would hurt her feelings to no purpose by +disclosing the truth? + +Lona: To no purpose, you say? Well, well--You are a man of business; +you ought to understand what is to the purpose. But listen to me, +Karsten--I am going to speak the plain truth now. Tell me, are you +really happy? + +Bernick: In my family life, do you mean? + +Lona: Yes. + +Bernick: I am, Lona. You have not been a self-sacrificing friend to me +in vain. I can honestly say that I have grown happier every year. Betty +is good and willing; and if I were to tell you how, in the course of +years, she has learned to model her character on the lines of my own-- + +Lona: Hm! + +Bernick: At first, of course, she had a whole lot of romantic notions +about love; she could not reconcile herself to the idea that, little by +little, it must change into a quiet comradeship. + +Lona: But now she is quite reconciled to that? + +Bernick: Absolutely. As you can imagine, daily intercourse with me has +had no small share in developing her character. Every one, in their +degree, has to learn to lower their own pretensions, if they are to +live worthily of the community to which they belong. And Betty, in her +turn, has gradually learned to understand this; and that is why our +home is now a model to our fellow citizens. + +Lona: But your fellow citizens know nothing about the lie? + +Bernick: The lie? + +Lona: Yes--the lie you have persisted in for these fifteen years. + +Bernick: Do you mean to say that you call that--? + +Lona: I call it a lie--a threefold lie: first of all, there is the lie +towards me; then, the lie towards Betty; and then, the lie towards +Johan. + +Bernick: Betty has never asked me to speak. + +Lona: Because she has known nothing. + +Bernick: And you will not demand it--out of consideration for her. + +Lona: Oh, no--I shall manage to put up with their gibes well enough; I +have broad shoulders. + +Bernick: And Johan will not demand it either; he has promised me that. + +Lona: But you yourself, Karsten? Do you feel within yourself no impulse +urging you to shake yourself free of this lie? + +Bernick: Do you suppose that of my own free will I would sacrifice my +family happiness and my position in the world? + +Lona: What right have you to the position you hold? + +Bernick: Every day during these fifteen years I have earned some little +right to it--by my conduct, and by what I have achieved by my work. + +Lona: True, you have achieved a great deal by your work, for yourself +as well as for others. You are the richest and most influential man in +the town; nobody in it dares do otherwise than defer to your will, +because you are looked upon as a man without spot or blemish; your home +is regarded as a model home, and your conduct as a model of conduct. +But all this grandeur, and you with it, is founded on a treacherous +morass. A moment may come and a word may be spoken, when you and all +your grandeur will be engulfed in the morass, if you do not save +yourself in time. + +Bernick: Lona--what is your object in coming here? + +Lona: I want to help you to get firm ground under your feet, Karsten. + +Bernick: Revenge!--you want to revenge yourself! I suspected it. But +you won't succeed! There is only one person here that can speak with +authority, and he will be silent. + +Lona: You mean Johan? + +Bernick: Yes, Johan. If any one else accuses me, I shall deny +everything. If any one tries to crush me, I shall fight for my life. +But you will never succeed in that, let me tell you! The one who could +strike me down will say nothing--and is going away. + +(RUMMEL and VIGELAND come in from the right.) + +Rummel: Good morning, my dear Bernick, good morning. You must come up +with us to the Commercial Association. There is a meeting about the +railway scheme, you know. + +Bernick: I cannot. It is impossible just now. + +Vigeland: You really must, Mr. Bernick. + +Rummel: Bernick, you must. There is an opposition to us on foot. +Hammer, and the rest of those who believe in a line along the coast, +are declaring that private interests are at the back of the new +proposals. + +Bernick: Well then, explain to them-- + +Vigeland: Our explanations have no effect, Mr. Bernick. + +Rummel: No, no, you must come yourself. Naturally, no one would dare to +suspect you of such duplicity. + +Lona: I should think not. + +Bernick: I cannot, I tell you; I am not well. Or, at all events, +wait--let me pull myself together. (RORLUND comes in from the right.) + +Rorlund: Excuse me, Mr. Bernick, but I am terribly upset. + +Bernick: Why, what is the matter with you? + +Rorlund. I must put a question to you, Mr. Bernick. Is it with your +consent that the young girl who has found a shelter under your roof +shows herself in the open street in the company of a person who-- + +Lona: What person, Mr. Parson? + +Rorlund: With the person from whom, of all others in the world, she +ought to be kept farthest apart! + +Lona: Ha! ha! + +Rorlund: Is it with your consent, Mr. Bernick? + +Bernick (looking for his hat and gloves). I know nothing about it. You +must excuse me; I am in a great hurry. I am due at the Commercial +Association. + +(HILMAR comes up from the garden and goes over to the farther door on +the left.) + +Hilmar: Betty--Betty, I want to speak to you. + +Mrs. Bernick (coming to the door): What is it? + +Hilmar: You ought to go down into the garden and put a stop to the +flirtation that is going on between a certain person and Dina Dorf! It +has quite got on my nerves to listen to them. + +Lona: Indeed! And what has the certain person been saying? + +Hilmar: Oh, only that he wishes she would go off to America with him. +Ugh! + +Rorlund: Is it possible? + +Mrs. Bernick: What do you say? + +Lona: But that would be perfectly splendid! + +Bernick: Impossible! You cannot have heard right. + +Hilmar: Ask him yourself, then. Here comes the pair of them. Only, +leave me out of it, please. + +Bernick (to RUMMEL and VIGELAND): I will follow you--in a moment. +(RUMMEL and VIGELAND go out to the right. JOHAN and DINA come up from +the garden.) + +Johan: Hurrah, Lona, she is going with us! + +Mrs. Bernick: But, Johan--are you out of your senses? + +Rorlund: Can I believe my ears! Such an atrocious scandal! By what arts +of seduction have you--? + +Johan: Come, come, sir--what are you saying? + +Rorlund: Answer me, Dina; do you mean to do this--entirely of your own +free will? + +Dina: I must get away from here. + +Rorlund: But with him!--with him! + +Dina: Can you tell me of any one else here who would have the courage +to take me with him? + +Rorlund: Very well, then--you shall learn who he is. + +Johan: Do not speak! + +Bernick: Not a word more! + +Rorlund: If I did not, I should be unworthy to serve a community of +whose morals I have been appointed a guardian, and should be acting +most unjustifiably towards this young girl, in whose upbringing I have +taken a material part, and who is to me-- + +Johan: Take care what you are doing! + +Rorlund: She shall know! Dina, this is the man who was the cause of all +your mother's misery and shame. + +Bernick: Mr. Rorlund--? + +Dina: He! (TO JOHAN.) Is this true? + +Johan: Karsten, you answer. + +Bernick: Not a word more! Do not let us say another word about it today. + +Dina: Then it is true. + +Rorlund: Yes, it is true. And more than that, this fellow--whom you +were going to trust--did not run away from home empty-handed; ask him +about old Mrs. Bernick's cash-box.... Mr. Bernick can bear witness to +that! + +Lona: Liar + +Bernick: Ah! + +Mrs. Bernick: My God! my God! + +Johan (rushing at RORLUND with uplifted arm): And you dare to-- + +Lona (restraining him): Do not strike him, Johan! + +Rorlund: That is right, assault me! But the truth will out; and it is +the truth--Mr. Bernick has admitted it--and the whole town knows it. +Now, Dina, you know him. (A short silence.) + +Johan (softly, grasping BERNICK by the arm): Karsten, Karsten, what +have you done? + +Mrs. Bernick (in tears): Oh, Karsten, to think that I should have mixed +you up in all this disgrace! + +Sandstad (coming in hurriedly from the right, and calling out, with his +hand still on the door-handle): You positively must come now, Mr. +Bernick. The fate of the whole railway is hanging by a thread. + +Bernick (abstractedly): What is it? What have I to-- + +Lona (earnestly and with emphasis): You have to go and be a pillar of +society, brother-in-law. + +Sandstad: Yes, come along; we need the full weight of your moral +excellence on our side. + +Johan (aside, to BERNICK): Karsten, we will have a talk about this +tomorrow. (Goes out through the garden. BERNICK, looking half dazed, +goes out to the right with SANDSTAD.) + + + + +ACT III + + +(SCENE--The same room. BERNICK, with a cane in his hand and evidently +in a great rage, comes out of the farther room on the left, leaving the +door half-open behind him.) + +Bernick (speaking to his wife, who is in the other room): There! I have +given it him in earnest now; I don't think he will forget that +thrashing! What do you say?--And I say that you are an injudicious +mother! You make excuses for him, and countenance any sort of rascality +on his part--Not rascality? What do you call it, then? Slipping out of +the house at night, going out in a fishing boat, staying away till well +on in the day, and giving me such a horrible fright when I have so much +to worry me! And then the young scamp has the audacity to threaten that +he will run away! Just let him try it!--You? No, very likely; you don't +trouble yourself much about what happens to him. I really believe that +if he were to get killed--! Oh, really? Well, I have work to leave +behind me in the world; I have no fancy for being left childless--Now, +do not raise objections, Betty; it shall be as I say--he is confined to +the house. (Listens.) Hush; do not let any one notice anything. (KRAP +comes in from the right.) + +Krap: Can you spare me a moment, Mr. Bernick? + +Bernick (throwing away the cane): Certainly, certainly. Have you come +from the yard? + +Krap: Yes. Ahem--! + +Bernick: Well? Nothing wrong with the "Palm Tree," I hope? + +Krap: The "Palm Tree" can sail tomorrow, but + +Bernick: It is the "Indian Girl," then? I had a suspicion that that +obstinate fellow-- + +Krap: The "Indian Girl" can sail tomorrow, too; but I am sure she will +not get very far. + +Bernick: What do you mean? + +Krap: Excuse me, sir; that door is standing ajar, and I think there is +some one in the other room-- + +Bernick (shutting the door): There, then! But what is this that no one +else must hear? + +Krap: Just this--that I believe Aune intends to let the "Indian Girl" +go to the bottom with every mother's son on board. + +Bernick: Good God!--what makes you think that? + +Krap: I cannot account for it any other way, sir. + +Bernick: Well, tell me as briefly as you can + +Krap: I will. You know yourself how slowly the work has gone on in the +yard since we got the new machines and the new inexperienced hands? + +Bernick: Yes, yes. + +Krap: But this morning, when I went down there, I noticed that the +repairs to the American boat had made extraordinary progress; the great +hole in the bottom--the rotten patch, you know-- + +Bernick: Yes, yes--what about it? + +Krap: Was completely repaired--to all appearance at any rate, covered +up--looked as good as new. I heard that Aune himself had been working +at it by lantern light the whole night. + +Bernick: Yes, yes--well? + +Krap: I turned it over in my head for a bit; the hands were away at +their breakfast, so I found an opportunity to have a look around the +boat, both outside and in, without anyone seeing me. I had a job to get +down to the bottom through the cargo, but I learned the truth. There is +something very suspicious going on, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: I cannot believe it, Krap. I cannot and will not believe such +a thing of Aune. + +Krap: I am very sorry--but it is the simple truth. Something very +suspicious is going on. No new timbers put in, as far as I could see, +only stopped up and tinkered at, and covered over with sailcloth and +tarpaulins and that sort of thing--an absolute fraud. The "Indian Girl" +will never get to New York; she will go to the bottom like a cracked +pot. + +Bernick: This is most horrible! But what can be his object, do you +suppose? + +Krap: Probably he wants to bring the machines into discredit--wants to +take his revenge--wants to force you to take the old hands on again. + +Bernick: And to do this he is willing to sacrifice the lives of all on +board. + +Krap: He said the other day that there were no men on board the "Indian +Girl"--only wild beasts. + +Bernick: Yes, but--apart from that--has he no regard for the great loss +of capital it would mean? + +Krap: Aune does not look upon capital with a very friendly eye, Mr. +Bernick. + +Bernick: That is perfectly true; he is an agitator and a fomenter of +discontent; but such an unscrupulous thing as this--Look here, Krap; +you must look into the matter once more. Not a word of it to any one. +The blame will fall on our yard if any one hears anything of it. + +Krap: Of course, but-- + +Bernick: When the hands are away at their dinner you must manage to get +down there again; I must have absolute certainty about it. + +Krap: You shall, sir; but, excuse me, what do you propose to do? + +Bernick: Report the affair, naturally. We cannot, of course, let +ourselves become accomplices in such a crime. I could not have such a +thing on my conscience. Moreover, it will make a good impression, both +on the press and on the public in general, if it is seen that I set all +personal interests aside and let justice take its course. + +Krap: Quite true, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: But first of all I must be absolutely certain. And meanwhile, +do not breathe a word of it. + +Krap: Not a word, sir. And you shall have your certainty. (Goes out +through the garden and down the street.) + +Bernick (half aloud): Shocking!--But no, it is impossible! +Inconceivable! + +(As he turns to go into his room, HILMAR comes in from the right.) + +Hilmar: Good morning, Karsten. Let me congratulate you on your triumph +at the Commercial Association yesterday. + +Bernick: Thank you. + +Hilmar: It was a brilliant triumph, I hear; the triumph of intelligent +public spirit over selfishness and prejudice--something like a raid of +French troops on the Kabyles. It is astonishing that after that +unpleasant scene here, you could-- + +Bernick: Yes, yes--quite so. + +Hilmar: But the decisive battle has not been fought yet. + +Bernick: In the matter of the railway, do you mean? + +Hilmar: Yes; I suppose you know the trouble that Hammer is brewing? + +Bernick (anxiously): No, what is that? + +Hilmar: Oh, he is greatly taken up with the rumour that is going +around, and is preparing to dish up an article about it. + +Bernick: What rumour? + +Hilmar: About the extensive purchase of property along the branch line, +of course. + +Bernick: What? Is there such a rumour as that going about? + +Hilmar: It is all over the town. I heard it at the club when I looked +in there. They say that one of our lawyers has quietly bought up, on +commission, all the forest land, all the mining land, all the +waterfalls-- + +Bernick: Don't they say whom it was for? + +Hilmar: At the club they thought it must be for some company, not +connected with this town, that has got a hint of the scheme you have in +hand, and has made haste to buy before the price of these properties +went up. Isn't it villainous?--ugh! + +Bernick: Villainous? + +Hilmar: Yes, to have strangers putting their fingers into our pie--and +one of our own local lawyers lending himself to such a thing! And now +it will be outsiders that will get all the profits! + +Bernick: But, after all, it is only an idle rumour. + +Hilmar: Meanwhile people are believing it, and tomorrow or the next +day, I have no doubt Hammer will nail it to the counter as a fact. +There is a general sense of exasperation in the town already. I heard +several people say that if the rumour were confirmed they would take +their names off the subscription lists. + +Bernick: Impossible! + +Hilmar: Is it? Why do you suppose these mercenary-minded creatures were +so willing to go into the undertaking with you? Don't you suppose they +have scented profit for themselves-- + +Bernick: It is impossible, I am sure; there is so much public spirit in +our little community-- + +Hilmar: In our community? Of course you are a confirmed optimist, and +so you judge others by yourself. But I, who am a tolerably experienced +observer--! There isn't a single soul in the place--excepting +ourselves, of course--not a single soul in the place who holds up the +banner of the Ideal. (Goes towards the verandah.) Ugh, I can see them +there-- + +Bernick: See whom? + +Hilmar: Our two friends from America. (Looks out to the right.) And who +is that they are walking with? As I am alive, if it is not the captain +of the "Indian Girl." Ugh! + +Bernick: What can they want with him? + +Hilmar. Oh, he is just the right company for them. He looks as if he +had been a slave-dealer or a pirate; and who knows what the other two +may have been doing all these years. + +Bernick: Let me tell you that it is grossly unjust to think such things +about them. + +Hilmar: Yes--you are an optimist. But here they are, bearing down upon +us again; so I will get away while there is time. (Goes towards the +door on the left. LONA comes in from the right.) + +Lona: Oh, Hilmar, am I driving you away? + +Hilmar: Not at all; I am in rather a hurry; I want to have a word with +Betty. (Goes into the farthest room on the left.) + +Bernick (after a moment's silence): Well, Lona? + +Lona: Yes? + +Bernick: What do you think of me today? + +Lona: The same as I did yesterday. A lie more or less-- + +Bernick: I must enlighten you about it. Where has Johan gone? + +Lona: He is coming; he had to see a man first. + +Bernick: After what you heard yesterday, you will understand that my +whole life will be ruined if the truth comes to light. + +Lona: I can understand that. + +Bernick: Of course, it stands to reason that I was not guilty of the +crime there was so much talk about here. + +Lona: That stands to reason. But who was the thief? + +Bernick: There was no thief. There was no money stolen--not a penny. + +Lona: How is that? + +Bernick: Not a penny, I tell you. + +Lona: But those rumours? How did that shameful rumour get about that +Johan-- + +Bernick: Lona, I think I can speak to you as I could to no one else. I +will conceal nothing from you. I was partly to blame for spreading the +rumour. + +Lona: You? You could act in that way towards a man who for your sake--! + +Bernick: Do not condemn me without bearing in mind how things stood at +that time. I told you about it yesterday. I came home and found my +mother involved in a mesh of injudicious undertakings; we had all +manner of bad luck--it seemed as if misfortunes were raining upon us, +and our house was on the verge of ruin. I was half reckless and half in +despair. Lona, I believe it was mainly to deaden my thoughts that I let +myself drift into that entanglement that ended in Johan's going away. + +Lona: Hm-- + +Bernick: You can well imagine how every kind of rumour was set on foot +after you and he had gone. People began to say that it was not his +first piece of folly--that Dorf had received a large sum of money to +hold his tongue and go away; other people said that she had received +it. At the same time it was obvious that our house was finding it +difficult to meet its obligations. What was more natural than that +scandal-mongers should find some connection between these two rumours? +And as the woman remained here, living in poverty, people declared that +he had taken the money with him to America; and every time rumour +mentioned the sum, it grew larger. + +Lona: And you, Karsten--? + +Bernick: I grasped at the rumour like a drowning man at a straw. + +Lona: You helped to spread it? + +Bernick: I did not contradict it. Our creditors had begun to be +pressing, and I had the task of keeping them quiet. The result was the +dissipating of any suspicion as to the stability of the firm; people +said that we had been hit by a temporary piece of ill-luck--that all +that was necessary was that they should not press us--only give us time +and every creditor would be paid in full. + +Lona: And every creditor was paid in full? + +Bernick: Yes, Lona, that rumour saved our house and made me the man I +now am. + +Lona: That is to say, a lie has made you the man you now are. + +Bernick: Whom did it injure at the time? It was Johan's intention never +to come back. + +Lona: You ask whom it injured. Look into your own heart, and tell me if +it has not injured you. + +Bernick: Look into any man's heart you please, and you will always +find, in every one, at least one black spot which he has to keep +concealed. + +Lona: And you call yourselves pillars of society! + +Bernick: Society has none better. + +Lona: And of what consequence is it whether such a society be propped +up or not? What does it all consist of? Show and lies--and nothing +else. Here are you, the first man in the town, living in grandeur and +luxury, powerful and respected--you, who have branded an innocent man +as a criminal. + +Bernick: Do you suppose I am not deeply conscious of the wrong I have +done him? And do you suppose I am not ready to make amends to him for +it? + +Lona: How? By speaking out? + +Bernick: Would you have the heart to insist on that? + +Lona: What else can make amends for such a wrong? + +Bernick: I am rich, Lona; Johan can demand any sum he pleases. + +Lona: Yes, offer him money, and you will hear what he will say. + +Bernick: Do you know what he intends to do? + +Lona: No; since yesterday he has been dumb. He looks as if this had +made a grown man of him all at once. + +Bernick: I must talk to him. + +Lona: Here he comes. (JOHAN comes in from the right.) + +Bernick (going towards hint): Johan--! + +Johan (motioning him away): Listen to me first. Yesterday morning I +gave you my word that I would hold my tongue. + +Bernick: You did. + +Johan: But then I did not know-- + +Bernick: Johan, only let me say a word or two to explain the +circumstances-- + +Johan: It is unnecessary; I understand the circumstances perfectly. The +firm was in a dangerous position at the time; I had gone off, and you +had my defenceless name and reputation at your mercy. Well, I do not +blame you so very much for what you did; we were young and thoughtless +in those days. But now I have need of the truth, and now you must speak. + +Bernick: And just now I have need of all my reputation for morality, +and therefore I cannot speak. + +Johan: I don't take much account of the false reports you spread about +me; it is the other thing that you must take the blame of. I shall make +Dina my wife, and here--here in your town--I mean to settle down and +live with her. + +Lona: Is that what you mean to do? + +Bernick: With Dina? Dina as your wife?--in this town? + +Johan: Yes, here and nowhere else. I mean to stay here to defy all +these liars and slanderers. But before I can win her, you must +exonerate me. + +Bernick: Have you considered that, if I confess to the one thing, it +will inevitably mean making myself responsible for the other as well? +You will say that I can show by our books that nothing dishonest +happened? But I cannot; our books were not so accurately kept in those +days. And even if I could, what good would it do? Should I not in any +case be pointed at as the man who had once saved himself by an untruth, +and for fifteen years had allowed that untruth and all its consequences +to stand without having raised a finger to demolish it? You do not know +our community very much, or you would realise that it would ruin me +utterly. + +Johan: I can only tell you that I mean to make Mrs. Dorf's daughter my +wife, and live with her in this town. + +Bernick (wiping the perspiration from his forehead): Listen to me, +Johan--and you too, Lona. The circumstances I am in just now are quite +exceptional. I am situated in such a way that if you aim this blow at +me you will not only destroy me, but will also destroy a great future, +rich in blessings, that lies before the community which, after all, was +the home of your childhood. + +Johan: And if I do not aim this blow at you, I shall be destroying all +my future happiness with my own hand. + +Lona: Go on, Karsten. + +Bernick: I will tell you, then. It is mixed up with the railway +project, and the whole thing is not quite so simple as you think. I +suppose you have heard that last year there was some talk of a railway +line along the coast? Many influential people backed up the +idea--people in the town and the suburbs, and especially the press; but +I managed to get the proposal quashed, on the ground that it would have +injured our steamboat trade along the coast. + +Lona: Have you any interest in the steamboat trade? + +Bernick: Yes. But no one ventured to suspect me on that account; my +honoured name fully protected me from that. For the matter of that, I +could have stood the loss; but the place could not have stood it. So +the inland line was decided upon. As soon as that was done, I assured +myself--without saying anything about it--that a branch line could be +laid to the town. + +Lona: Why did you say nothing about it, Karsten? + +Bernick: Have you heard the rumours of extensive buying up of forest +lands, mines and waterfalls--? + +Johan: Yes, apparently it is some company from another part of the +country. + +Bernick: As these properties are situated at present, they are as good +as valueless to their owners, who are scattered about the +neighbourhood; they have therefore been sold comparatively cheap. If +the purchaser had waited till the branch line began to be talked of, +the proprietors would have asked exorbitant prices. + +Lona: Well--what then? + +Bernick: Now I am going to tell you something that can be construed in +different ways--a thing to which, in our community, a man could only +confess provided he had an untarnished and honoured name to take his +stand upon. + +Lona: Well? + +Bernick: It is I that have bought up the whole of them. + +Lona: You? + +Johan: On your own account? + +Bernick: On my own account. If the branch line becomes an accomplished +fact, I am a millionaire; if it does not, I am ruined. + +Lona: It is a big risk, Karsten. + +Bernick: I have risked my whole fortune on it. + +Lona: I am not thinking of your fortune; but if it comes to light that-- + +Bernick. Yes, that is the critical part of it. With the unblemished and +honoured name I have hitherto borne, I can take the whole thing upon my +shoulders, carry it through, and say to my fellow-citizens: "See, I +have taken this risk for the good of the community." + +Lona: Of the community? + +Bernick: Yes; and not a soul will doubt my motives. + +Lona: Then some of those concerned in it have acted more +openly--without any secret motives or considerations. + +Bernick: Who? + +Lona: Why, of course, Rummel and Sandstad and Vigeland. + +Bernick: To get them on my side I was obliged to let them into the +secret. + +Lona: And they? + +Bernick: They have stipulated for a fifth part of the profits as their +share. + +Lona: Oh, these pillars of society. + +Bernick: And isn't it society itself that forces us to use these +underhanded means? What would have happened if I had not acted +secretly? Everybody would have wanted to have a hand in the +undertaking; the whole thing would have been divided up, mismanaged and +bungled. There is not a single man in the town except myself who is +capable of directing so big an affair as this will be. In this country, +almost without exception, it is only foreigners who have settled here +who have the aptitude for big business schemes. That is the reason why +my conscience acquits me in the matter. It is only in my hands that +these properties can become a real blessing to the many who have to +make their daily bread. + +Lona: I believe you are right there, Karsten. + +Johan: But I have no concern with the many, and my life's happiness is +at stake. + +Bernick: The welfare of your native place is also at stake. If things +come out which cast reflections on my earlier conduct, then all my +opponents will fall upon me with united vigour. A youthful folly is +never allowed to be forgotten in our community. They would go through +the whole of my previous life, bring up a thousand little incidents in +it, interpret and explain them in the light of what has been revealed; +they would crush me under the weight of rumours and slanders. I should +be obliged to abandon the railway scheme; and, if I take my hand off +that, it will come to nothing, and I shall be ruined and my life as a +citizen will be over. + +Lona: Johan, after what we have just heard, you must go away from here +and hold your tongue. + +Bernick: Yes, yes, Johan--you must! + +Johan: Yes, I will go away, and I will hold my tongue; but I shall come +back, and then I shall speak. + +Bernick: Stay over there, Johan; hold your tongue, and I am willing to +share with you-- + +Johan: Keep your money, but give me back my name and reputation. + +Bernick: And sacrifice my own! + +Johan: You and your community must get out of that the best way you +can. I must and shall win Dina for my wife. And therefore, I am going +to sail tomorrow in the "Indian Girl"-- + +Bernick: In the "Indian Girl"? + +Johan: Yes. The captain has promised to take me. I shall go over to +America, as I say; I shall sell my farm, and set my affairs in order. +In two months I shall be back. + +Bernick: And then you will speak? + +Johan: Then the guilty man must take his guilt on himself. + +Bernick: Have you forgotten that, if I do that, I must also take on +myself guilt that is not mine? + +Johan: Who is it that for the last fifteen years has benefited by that +shameful rumour? + +Bernick: You will drive me to desperation! Well, if you speak, I shall +deny everything! I shall say it is a plot against me--that you have +come here to blackmail me! + +Lona: For shame, Karsten! + +Bernick: I am a desperate man, I tell you, and I shall fight for my +life. I shall deny everything--everything! + +Johan: I have your two letters. I found them in my box among my other +papers. This morning I read them again; they are plain enough. + +Bernick: And will you make them public? + +Johan: If it becomes necessary. + +Bernick: And you will be back here in two months? + +Johan: I hope so. The wind is fair. In three weeks I shall be in New +York--if the "Indian Girl" does not go to the bottom. + +Bernick (with a start): Go to the bottom? Why should the "Indian Girl" +go to the bottom? + +Johan: Quite so--why should she? + +Bernick (scarcely audibly): Go to the bottom? + +Johan: Well, Karsten, now you know what is before you. You must find +your own way out. Good-bye! You can say good-bye to Betty for me, +although she has not treated me like a sister. But I must see Martha. +She shall tell Dina---; she shall promise me--(Goes out through the +farther door on the left.) + +Bernick (to himself): The "Indian Girl"--? (Quickly.) Lona, you must +prevent that! + +Lona: You see for yourself, Karsten--I have no influence over him any +longer. (Follows JOHAN into the other room.) + +Bernick (a prey to uneasy thoughts): Go to the bottom--? + +(AUNE comes in from the right.) + +Aune: Excuse me, sir, but if it is convenient-- + +Bernick (turning round angrily): What do you want? + +Aune: To know if I may ask you a question, sir. + +Bernick: Be quick about it, then. What is it? + +Aune: I wanted to ask if I am to consider it as certain--absolutely +certain--that I should be dismissed from the yard if the "Indian Girl" +were not ready to sail tomorrow? + +Bernick: What do you mean? The ship is ready to sail? + +Aune: Yes--it is. But suppose it were not, should I be discharged? + +Bernick: What is the use of asking such idle questions? + +Aune: Only that I should like to know, sir. Will you answer me +that?--should I be discharged? + +Bernick: Am I in the habit of keeping my word or not? + +Aune: Then tomorrow I should have lost the position I hold in my house +and among those near and dear to me--lost my influence over men of my +own class--lost all opportunity of doing anything for the cause of the +poorer and needier members of the community? + +Bernick: Aune, we have discussed all that before. + +Aune: Quite so--then the "Indian Girl" will sail. + +(A short silence.) + +Bernick: Look here--it is impossible for me to have my eyes +everywhere--I cannot be answerable for everything. You can give me your +assurance, I suppose, that the repairs have been satisfactorily carried +out? + +Aune: You gave me very short grace, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: But I understand you to warrant the repairs? + +Aune: The weather is fine, and it is summer. + +(Another pause.) + +Bernick: Have you anything else to say to me? + +Aune: I think not, sir. + +Bernick: Then--the "Indian Girl" will sail... + +Aune: Tomorrow? + +Bernick: Yes. + +Aune: Very good. (Bows and goes out. BERNICK stands for a moment +irresolute; then walks quickly towards the door, as if to call AUNE +back; but stops, hesitatingly, with his hand on the door-handle. At +that moment the door is opened from without, and KRAP comes in.) + +Krap (in a low voice): Aha, he has been here. Has he confessed? + +Bernick: Hm--; have you discovered anything? + +Krap: What need of that, sir? Could you not see the evil conscience +looking out of the man's eyes? + +Bernick: Nonsense--such things don't show. Have you discovered +anything, I want to know? + +Krap: I could not manage it; I was too late. They had already begun +hauling the ship out of the dock. But their very haste in doing that +plainly shows that-- + +Bernick: It shows nothing. Has the inspection taken place, then? + +Krap: Of course; but-- + +Bernick: There, you see! And of course they found nothing to complain +of? + +Krap: Mr. Bernick, you know very well how much this inspection means, +especially in a yard that has such a good name as ours has. + +Bernick: No matter--it takes all responsibility off us. + +Krap: But, sir, could you really not tell from Aune's manner that--? + +Bernick: Aune has completely reassured me, let me tell you. + +Krap: And let me tell you, sir, that I am morally certain that-- + +Bernick: What does this mean, Krap? I see plainly enough that you want +to get your knife into this man; but if you want to attack him, you +must find some other occasion. You know how important it is to me--or, +I should say, to the owners--that the "Indian Girl" should sail +to-morrow. + +Krap: Very well--so be it; but if ever we hear of that ship again--hm! + +(VIGELAND comes in from the right.) + +Vigeland: I wish you a very good morning, Mr. Bernick. Have you a +moment to spare? + +Bernick: At your service, Mr. Vigeland. + +Vigeland: I only want to know if you are also of opinion that the "Palm +Tree" should sail tomorrow? + +Bernick: Certainly; I thought that was quite settled. + +Vigeland: Well, the captain came to me just now and told me that storm +signals have been hoisted. + +Bernick: Oh! Are we to expect a storm? + +Vigeland: A stiff breeze, at all events; but not a contrary wind--just +the opposite. + +Bernick: Hm--well, what do you say? + +Vigeland: I say, as I said to the captain, that the "Palm Tree" is in +the hands of Providence. Besides, they are only going across the North +Sea at first; and in England, freights are running tolerably high just +now, so that-- + +Bernick: Yes, it would probably mean a loss for us if we waited. + +Vigeland: Besides, she is a stout ship, and fully insured as well. It +is more risky, now, for the "Indian Girl"-- + +Bernick: What do you mean? + +Vigeland: She sails tomorrow, too. + +Bernick: Yes, the owners have been in such a hurry, and, besides-- + +Vigeland: Well, if that old hulk can venture out--and with such a +crew, into the bargain--it would be a disgrace to us if we-- + +Bernick: Quite so. I presume you have the ship's papers with you. + +Vigeland: Yes, here they are. + +Bernick: Good; then will you go in with Mr. Krap? + +Krap: Will you come in here, sir, and we will dispose of them at once. + +Vigeland: Thank you.--And the issue we leave in the hands of the +Almighty, Mr. Bernick. (Goes with KRAP into BERNICK'S room. RORLUND +comes up from the garden.) + +Rorlund: At home at this time of day, Mr. Bernick? + +Bernick (lost in thought): As you see. + +Rorlund: It was really on your wife's account I came. I thought she +might be in need of a word of comfort. + +Bernick: Very likely she is. But I want to have a little talk with you, +too. + +Rorlund: With the greatest of pleasure, Mr. Bernick. But what is the +matter with you? You look quite pale and upset. + +Bernick: Really? Do I? Well, what else could you expect--a man so +loaded with responsibilities as I am? There is all my own big +business--and now the planning of this railway.--But tell me something, +Mr. Rorlund, let me put a question to you. + +Rorlund: With pleasure, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: It is about a thought that has occurred to me. Suppose a man +is face to face with an undertaking which will concern the welfare of +thousands, and suppose it should be necessary to make a sacrifice of +one--? + +Rorlund: What do you mean? + +Bernick: For example, suppose a man were thinking of starting a large +factory. He knows for certain--because all his experience has taught +him so--that sooner or later a toll of human life will be exacted in +the working of that factory. + +Rorlund: Yes, that is only too probable. + +Bernick: Or, say a man embarks on a mining enterprise. He takes into +his service fathers of families and young men in the first flush of +their youth. Is it not quite safe to predict that all of them will not +come out of it alive? + +Rorlund: Yes, unhappily that is quite true. + +Bernick: Well--a man in that position will know beforehand that the +undertaking he proposes to start must undoubtedly, at some time or +other, mean a loss of human life. But the undertaking itself is for the +public good; for every man's life that it costs, it will undoubtedly +promote the welfare of many hundreds. + +Rorlund: Ah, you are thinking of the railway--of all the dangerous +excavating and blasting, and that sort of thing-- + +Bernick: Yes--quite so--I am thinking of the railway. And, besides, the +coming of the railway will mean the starting of factories and mines. +But do not think, nevertheless-- + +Rorlund: My dear Mr. Bernick, you are almost over-conscientious. What I +think is that, if you place the affair in the hands of Providence-- + +Bernick: Yes--exactly; Providence-- + +Rorlund: You are blameless in the matter. Go on and build your railway +hopefully. + +Bernick: Yes, but now I will put a special instance to you. Suppose a +charge of blasting-powder had to be exploded in a dangerous place, and +that unless it were exploded the line could not be constructed? Suppose +the engineer knew that it would cost the life of the workman who lit +the fuse, but that it had to be lit, and that it was the engineer's +duty to send a workman to do it? + +Rorlund: Hm-- + +Bernick: I know what you will say. It would be a splendid thing if the +engineer took the match himself and went and lit the fuse. But that is +out of the question, so he must sacrifice a workman. + +Rorlund: That is a thing no engineer here would ever do. + +Bernick: No engineer in the bigger countries would think twice about +doing it. + +Rorlund: In the bigger countries? No, I can quite believe it. In those +depraved and unprincipled communities. + +Bernick: Oh, there is a good deal to be said for those communities. + +Rorlund: Can you say that?--you, who yourself-- + +Bernick: In the bigger communities a man finds space to carry out a +valuable project--finds the courage to make some sacrifice in a great +cause; but here, a man is cramped by all kinds of petty considerations +and scruples. + +Rorlund: Is human life a petty consideration? + +Bernick: When that human life threatens the welfare of thousands. + +Rorlund: But you are suggesting cases that are quite inconceivable, Mr. +Bernick! I do not understand you at all today. And you quote the bigger +countries--well, what do they think of human life there? They look upon +it simply as part of the capital they have to use. But we look at +things from a somewhat different moral standpoint, I should hope. Look +at our respected shipping industry! Can you name a single one of our +ship-owners who would sacrifice a human life for the sake of paltry +gain? And then think of those scoundrels in the bigger countries, who +for the sake of profit send out freights in one unseaworthy ship after +another-- + +Bernick: I am not talking of unseaworthy ships! + +Rorlund: But I am, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Yes, but to what purpose? They have nothing to do with the +question--Oh, these small, timid considerations! If a General from this +country were to take his men under fire and some of them were shot, I +suppose he would have sleepless nights after it! It is not so in other +countries. You should bear what that fellow in there says-- + +Rorlund: He? Who? The American--? + +Bernick: Yes. You should hear how in America-- + +Rorlund: He, in there? And you did not tell me? I shall at once-- + +Bernick: It is no use; you won't be able to do anything with him. + +Rorlund: We shall see. Ah, here he comes. (JOHAN comes in from the +other room.) + +Johan (talking back through the open door): Yes, yes, Dina--as you +please; but I do not mean to give you up, all the same. I shall come +back, and then everything will come right between us. + +Rorlund: Excuse me, but what did you mean by that? What is it you +propose to do? + +Johan: I propose that that young girl, before whom you blackened my +character yesterday, shall become my wife. + +Rorlund: Your wife? And can you really suppose that--? + +Johan: I mean to marry her. + +Rorlund: Well, then you shall know the truth. (Goes to the half-open +door.) Mrs. Bernick, will you be so kind as to come and be a +witness--and you too, Miss Martha. And let Dina come. (Sees LONA at the +door.) Ah, you here too? + +Lona: Shall I come too? + +Rorlund: As many as you please--the more the better. + +Bernick: What are you going to do? (LONA, MRS. BERNICK, MARTHA, DINA +and HILMAR come in from the other room.) + +Mrs. Bernick: Mr. Rorlund, I have tried my hardest, but I cannot +prevent him... + +Rorlund: I shall prevent him, Mrs. Bernick. Dina, you are a thoughtless +girl, but I do not blame you so greatly. You have too long lacked the +necessary moral support that should have sustained you. I blame myself +for not having afforded you that support. + +Dina: You mustn't speak now! + +Mrs. Bernick: What is it? + +Rorlund: It is now that I must speak, Dina, although your conduct +yesterday and today has made it ten times more difficult for me. But +all other considerations must give way to the necessity for saving you. +You remember that I gave you my word; you remember what you promised +you would answer when I judged that the right time had come. Now I dare +not hesitate any longer, and therefore--. (Turns to JOHAN.) This young +girl, whom you are persecuting, is my betrothed. + +Mrs. Bernick: What? + +Bernick: Dina! + +Johan: She? Your--? + +Martha: No, no, Dina! + +Lona: It is a lie! + +Johan: Dina--is this man speaking the truth? + +Dina (after a short pause): Yes. + +Rorlund: I hope this has rendered all your arts of seduction powerless. +The step I have determined to take for Dina's good, I now wish openly +proclaimed to every one. I cherish the certain hope that it will not be +misinterpreted. And now, Mrs. Bernick, I think it will be best for us +to take her away from here, and try to bring back peace and +tranquillity to her mind. + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, come with me. Oh, Dina--what a lucky girl you are! +(Takes DINA Out to the left; RORLUND follows them.) + +Martha: Good-bye, Johan! (Goes out.) + +Hilmar (at the verandah door): Hm--I really must say... + +Lona (who has followed DINA with her eyes, to JOHAN): Don't be +downhearted, my boy! I shall stay here and keep my eye on the parson. +(Goes out to the right.) + +Bernick: Johan, you won't sail in the "Indian Girl" now? + +Johan: Indeed I shall. + +Bernick: But you won't come back? + +Johan: I am coming back. + +Bernick: After this? What have you to do here after this? + +Johan: Revenge myself on you all; crush as many of you as I can. (Goes +out to the right. VIGELAND and KRAP come in from BERNICK'S room.) + +Vigeland: There, now the papers are in order, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Good, good. + +Krap (in a low voice): And I suppose it is settled that the "Indian +Girl" is to sail tomorrow? + +Bernick: Yes. (Goes into his room. VIGELAND and KRAP go out to the +right. HILMAR is just going after them, when OLAF puts his head +carefully out of the door on the left.) + +Olaf: Uncle! Uncle Hilmar! + +Hilmar: Ugh, is it you? Why don't you stay upstairs? You know you are +confined to the house. + +Olaf (coming a step or two nearer): Hush! Uncle Hilmar, have you heard +the news? + +Hilmar: Yes, I have heard that you got a thrashing today. + +Olaf (looking threateningly towards his father's room): He shan't +thrash me any more. But have you heard that Uncle Johan is going to +sail tomorrow with the Americans? + +Hilmar: What has that got to do with you? You had better run upstairs +again. + +Olaf: Perhaps I shall be going for a buffalo hunt, too, one of these +days, uncle. + +Hilmar: Rubbish! A coward like you-- + +Olaf: Yes--just you wait! You will learn something tomorrow! + +Hilmar: Duffer! (Goes out through the garden. OLAF runs into the room +again and shuts the door, as he sees KRAP coming in from the right.) + +Krap (going to the door of BERNICK'S room and opening it slightly): +Excuse my bothering you again, Mr. Bernick; but there is a tremendous +storm blowing up. (Waits a moment, but there is no answer.) Is the +"Indian Girl" to sail, for all that? (After a short pause, the +following answer is heard.) + +Bernick (from his room): The "Indian Girl" is to sail, for all that. + +(KRAP Shuts the door and goes out again to the right.) + + + + +ACT IV + + +(SCENE--The same room. The work-table has been taken away. It is a +stormy evening and already dusk. Darkness sets in as the following +scene is in progress. A man-servant is lighting the chandelier; two +maids bring in pots of flowers, lamps and candles, which they place on +tables and stands along the walls. RUMMEL, in dress clothes, with +gloves and a white tie, is standing in the room giving instructions to +the servants.) + +Rummel: Only every other candle, Jacob. It must not look as if it were +arranged for the occasion--it has to come as a surprise, you know. And +all these flowers--? Oh, well, let them be; it will probably look as if +they stood there everyday. (BERNICK comes out of his room.) + +Bernick (stopping at the door): What does this mean? + +Rummel: Oh dear, is it you? (To the servants.) Yes, you might leave us +for the present. (The servants go out.) + +Bernick: But, Rummel, what is the meaning of this? + +Rummel: It means that the proudest moment of your life has come. A +procession of his fellow citizens is coming to do honour to the first +man of the town. + +Bernick: What! + +Rummel: In procession--with banners and a band! We ought to have had +torches too; but we did not like to risk that in this stormy weather. +There will be illuminations--and that always sounds well in the +newspapers. + +Bernick: Listen, Rummel--I won't have anything to do with this. + +Rummel: But it is too late now; they will be here in half-an-hour. + +Bernick: But why did you not tell me about this before? + +Rummel: Just because I was afraid you would raise objections to it. But +I consulted your wife; she allowed me to take charge of the +arrangements, while she looks after the refreshments. + +Bernick (listening): What is that noise? Are they coming already? I +fancy I hear singing. + +Rummel (going to the verandah door): Singing? Oh, that is only the +Americans. The "Indian Girl" is being towed out. + +Bernick: Towed out? Oh, yes. No, Rummel, I cannot this evening; I am +not well. + +Rummel: You certainly do look bad. But you must pull yourself together; +devil take it--you must! Sandstad and Vigeland and I all attach the +greatest importance to carrying this thing through. We have got to +crush our opponents under the weight of as complete an expression of +public opinion as possible. Rumours are getting about the town; our +announcement about the purchase of the property cannot be withheld any +longer. It is imperative that this very evening--after songs and +speeches, amidst the clink of glasses--in a word, in an ebullient +atmosphere of festivity--you should inform them of the risk you have +incurred for the good of the community. In such an ebullient atmosphere +of festivity--as I just now described it--you can do an astonishing lot +with the people here. But you must have that atmosphere, or the thing +won't go. + +Bernick: Yes, yes. + +Rummel: And especially when so delicate and ticklish a point has to be +negotiated. Well, thank goodness, you have a name that will be a tower +of strength, Bernick. But listen now; we must make our arrangements, to +some extent. Mr. Hilmar Tonnesen has written an ode to you. It begins +very charmingly with the words: "Raise the Ideal's banner high!" And +Mr. Rorlund has undertaken the task of making the speech of the +evening. Of course you must reply to that. + +Bernick: I cannot tonight, Rummel. Couldn't you--? + +Rummel: It is impossible, however willing I might be; because, as you +can imagine, his speech will be especially addressed to you. Of course +it is possible he may say a word or two about the rest of us; I have +spoken to Vigeland and Sandstad about it. Our idea is that, in +replying, you should propose the toast of "Prosperity to our +Community"; Sandstad will say a few words on the subject of harmonious +relations between the different strata of society; then Vigeland will +express the hope that this new undertaking may not disturb the sound +moral basis upon which our community stands; and I propose, in a few +suitable words, to refer to the ladies, whose work for the community, +though more inconspicuous, is far from being without its importance. +But you are not listening to me. + +Bernick: Yes--indeed I am. But, tell me, do you think there is a very +heavy sea running outside? + +Rummel: Why, are you nervous about the "Palm Tree"? She is fully +insured, you know. + +Bernick: Yes, she is insured; but-- + +Rummel: And in good repair--and that is the main thing. + +Bernick: Hm--. Supposing anything does happen to a ship, it doesn't +follow that human life will be in danger, does it? The ship and the +cargo may be lost--and one might lose one's boxes and papers-- + +Rummel: Good Lord--boxes and papers are not of much consequence. + +Bernick: Not of much consequence! No, no; I only meant--. Hush--I hear +voices again. + +Rummel: It is on board the "Palm Tree." + +(VIGELAND comes in from the right.) + +Vigeland: Yes, they are just towing the "Palm Tree" out. Good evening, +Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: And you, as a seafaring man, are still of opinion that-- + +Vigeland: I put my trust in Providence, Mr. Bernick. Moreover, I have +been on board myself and distributed a few small tracts which I hope +may carry a blessing with them. + +(SANDSTAD and KRAP come in from the right.) + +Sandstad (to some one at the door): Well, if that gets through all +right, anything will. (Comes in.) Ah, good evening, good evening! + +Bernick: Is anything the matter, Krap? + +Krap: I say nothing, Mr. Bernick. + +Sandstad: The entire crew of the "Indian Girl" are drunk; I will stake +my reputation on it that they won't come out of it alive. (LONA comes +in from the right.) + +Lona: Ah, now I can say his good-byes for him. + +Bernick: Is he on board already? + +Lona: He will be directly, at any rate. We parted outside the hotel. + +Bernick: And he persists in his intention? + +Lona: As firm as a rock. + +Rummel (who is fumbling at the window): Confound these new-fangled +contrivances; I cannot get the curtains drawn. + +Lona: Do you want them drawn? I thought, on the contrary-- + +Rummel: Yes, drawn at first, Miss Hessel. You know what is in the wind, +I suppose? + +Lona: Yes. Let me help you. (Takes hold of the cords.) I will draw down +the curtains on my brother-in-law--though I would much rather draw them +up. + +Rummel: You can do that too, later on. When the garden is filled with +a surging crowd, then the curtains shall be drawn back, and they will +be able to look in upon a surprised and happy family. Citizens' lives +should be such that they can live in glass houses! (BERNICK opens his +mouth, as though he were going to say something; but he turns hurriedly +away and goes into his room.) + +Rummel: Come along, let us have a final consultation. Come in, too, Mr. +Krap; you must assist us with information on one or two points of +detail. (All the men go into BERNICK'S room. LONA has drawn the +curtains over the windows, and is just going to do the same over the +open glass door, when OLAF jumps down from the room above on to the +garden steps; he has a wrap over his shoulders and a bundle in his +hand.) + +Lona: Bless me, child, how you frightened me! + +Olaf (hiding his bundle): Hush, aunt! + +Lona: Did you jump out of the window? Where are you going? + +Olaf: Hush!--don't say anything. I want to go to Uncle Johan--only on +to the quay, you know--only to say goodbye to him. Good-night, aunt! +(Runs out through the garden.) + +Lona: No--stop! Olaf--Olaf! + +(JOHAN, dressed for his journey, with a bag over his shoulder, comes +warily in by the door on the right.) + +Johan: Lona! + +Lona (turning round): What! Back again? + +Johan: I have still a few minutes. I must see her once more; we cannot +part like this. (The farther door on the left opens, and MARTHA and +DINA, both with cloaks on, and the latter carrying a small travelling +bag in her hand, come in.) + +Dina: Let me go to him! Let me go to him! + +Martha: Yes, you shall go to him, Dina! + +Dina: There he is! + +Johan: Dina! + +Dina: Take me with you! + +Johan: What--! + +Lona: You mean it? + +Dina: Yes, take me with you. The other has written to me that he means +to announce to everyone this evening. + +Johan: Dina--you do not love him? + +Dina: I have never loved the man! I would rather drown myself in the +fjord than be engaged to him! Oh, how he humiliated me yesterday with +his condescending manner! How clear he made it that he felt he was +lifting up a poor despised creature to his own level! I do not mean to +be despised any longer. I mean to go away. May I go with you? + +Johan: Yes, yes--a thousand times, yes! + +Dina: I will not be a burden to you long. Only help me to get over +there; help me to go the right way about things at first. + +Johan: Hurrah, it is all right after all, Dina! + +Lona (pointing to BERNICK'S door): Hush!--gently, gently! + +Johan: Dina, I shall look after you. + +Dina: I am not going to let you do that. I mean to look after myself; +over there, I am sure I can do that. Only let me get away from here. +Oh, these women!--you don't know--they have written to me today, +too--exhorting me to realise my good fortune--impressing on me how +magnanimous he has been. Tomorrow, and every day afterwards, they would +be watching me to see if I were making myself worthy of it all. I am +sick and tired of all this goodness! + +Johan: Tell me, Dina--is that the only reason you are coming away? Am I +nothing to you? + +Dina: Yes, Johan, you are more to me than any one else in the world. + +Johan: Oh, Dina--! + +Dina: Every one here tells me I ought to hate and detest you--that it +is my duty; but I cannot see that it is my duty, and shall never be +able to. + +Lona: No more you shall, my dear! + +Martha: No, indeed you shall not; and that is why you shall go with him +as his wife. + +Johan: Yes, yes! + +Lona: What? Give me a kiss, Martha. I never expected that from you! + +Martha: No, I dare say not; I would not have expected it myself. But I +was bound to break out some time! Ah, what we suffer under the tyranny +of habit and custom! Make a stand against that, Dina. Be his wife. Let +me see you defy all this convention. + +Johan: What is your answer, Dina? + +Dina: Yes, I will be your wife. + +Johan: Dina! + +Dina: But first of all I want to work--to make something of myself--as +you have done. I am not going to be merely a thing that is taken. + +Lona: Quite right--that is the way. + +Johan: Very well; I shall wait and hope-- + +Lona: And win, my boy! But now you must get on board! + +Johan: Yes, on board! Ah, Lona, my dear sister, just one word with you. +Look here-- (He takes her into the background and talks hurriedly to +her.) + +Martha: Dina, you lucky girl, let me look at you, and kiss you once +more--for the last time. + +Dina: Not for the last time; no, my darling aunt, we shall meet again. + +Martha: Never! Promise me, Dina, never to come back! (Grasps her hands +and looks at her.) Now go to your happiness, my dear child--across the +sea. How often, in my schoolroom, I have yearned to be over there! It +must be beautiful; the skies are loftier than here--a freer air plays +about your head-- + +Dina: Oh, Aunt Martha, some day you will follow us. + +Martha: I? Never--never. I have my little vocation here, and now I +really believe I can live to the full the life that I ought. + +Dina: I cannot imagine being parted from you. + +Martha: Ah, one can part from much, Dina. (Kisses her.) But I hope you +may never experience that, my sweet child. Promise me to make him happy. + +Dina: I will promise nothing; I hate promises; things must happen as +they will. + +Martha: Yes, yes, that is true; only remain what you are--true and +faithful to yourself. + +Dina: I will, aunt. + +Lona (putting into her pocket some papers that JOHAN has given her): +Splendid, splendid, my dear boy. But now you must be off. + +Johan: Yes, we have no time to waste now. Goodbye, Lona, and thank you +for all your love. Goodbye, Martha, and thank you, too, for your loyal +friendship. + +Martha: Goodbye, Johan! Goodbye, Dina! And may you be happy all your +lives! (She and LONA hurry them to the door at the back. JOHAN and DINA +go quickly down the steps and through the garden. LONA shuts the door +and draws the curtains over it.) + +Lona: Now we are alone, Martha. You have lost her and I him. + +Martha: You--lost him? + +Lona: Oh, I had already half lost him over there. The boy was longing +to stand on his own feet; that was why I pretended to be suffering from +homesickness. + +Martha: So that was it? Ah, then I understand why you came. But he will +want you back, Lona. + +Lona: An old step-sister--what use will he have for her now? Men break +many very dear ties to win their happiness. + +Martha: That sometimes is so. + +Lona: But we two will stick together, Martha. + +Martha: Can I be anything to you? + +Lona: Who more so? We two foster-sisters--haven't we both lost our +children? Now we are alone. + +Martha: Yes, alone. And therefore, you ought to know this too--I loved +him more than anything in the world. + +Lona: Martha! (Grasps her by the arm.) Is that true? + +Martha: All my existence lies in those words. I have loved him and +waited for him. Every summer I waited for him to come. And then he +came--but he had no eyes for me. + +Lona: You loved him! And it was you yourself that put his happiness +into his hands. + +Martha: Ought I not to be the one to put his happiness into his hands, +since I loved him? Yes, I have loved him. All my life has been for him, +ever since he went away. What reason had I to hope, you mean? Oh, I +think I had some reason, all the same. But when he came back--then it +seemed as if everything had been wiped out of his memory. He had no +eyes for me. + +Lona: It was Dina that overshadowed you, Martha? + +Martha: And it is a good thing she did. At the time he went away, we +were of the same age; but when I saw him again--oh, that dreadful +moment!--I realised that now I was ten years older than he. He had gone +out into the bright sparkling sunshine, and breathed in youth and +health with every breath; and here I sat meanwhile, spinning and +spinning-- + +Lona: Spinning the thread of his happiness, Martha. + +Martha: Yes, it was a golden thread I spun. No bitterness! We have been +two good sisters to him, haven't we, Lona? + +Lona (throwing her arms round her): Martha! + +(BERNICK comes in from his room.) + +Bernick (to the other men, who are in his room): Yes, yes, arrange it +any way you please. When the time comes, I shall be able to--. (Shuts +the door.) Ah, you are here. Look here, Martha--I think you had better +change your dress; and tell Betty to do the same. I don't want anything +elaborate, of course--something homely, but neat. But you must make +haste. + +Lona: And a bright, cheerful face, Martha; your eyes must look happy. + +Bernick: Olaf is to come downstairs too; I will have him beside me. + +Lona: Hm! Olaf. + +Martha: I will give Betty your message. (Goes out by the farther door +on the left.) + +Lona: Well, the great and solemn moment is at hand. + +Bernick (walking uneasily up and down): Yes, it is. + +Lona: At such a moment I should think a man would feel proud and happy. + +Bernick (looking at her): Hm! + +Lona: I hear the whole town is to be illuminated. + +Bernick: Yes, they have some idea of that sort. + +Lona: All the different clubs will assemble with their banners--your +name will blaze out in letters of fire--tonight the telegraph will +flash the news to every part of the country: "In the bosom of his happy +family, Mr. Bernick received the homage of his fellow citizens, as one +of the pillars of society." + +Bernick: That is so; and they will begin to cheer outside, and the +crowd will shout in front of my house until I shall be obliged to go +out and bow to them and thank them. + +Lona: Obliged to? + +Bernick. Do you suppose I shall feel happy at that moment? + +Lona: No, I don't suppose you will feel so very happy. + +Bernick: Lona, you despise me. + +Lona: Not yet. + +Bernick: And you have no right to; no right to despise me! Lona, you +can have no idea how utterly alone I stand in this cramped and stunted +community--where I have had, year after year, to stifle my ambition for +a fuller life. My work may seem many-sided, but what have I really +accomplished? Odds and ends--scraps. They would not stand anything else +here. If I were to go a step in advance of the opinions and views that +are current at the moment, I should lose all my influence. Do you know +what we are--we who are looked upon as pillars of society? We are +nothing more, nor less, than the tools of society. + +Lona: Why have you only begun to realise that now? + +Bernick: Because I have been thinking a great deal lately--since you +came back--and this evening I have thought more seriously than ever +before. Oh, Lona, why did not I really know you then--in the old days, +I mean? + +Lona: And if you had? + +Bernick: I should never have let you go; and, if I had had you, I +should not be in the position I am in tonight. + +Lona: And do you never consider what she might have been to you--she +whom you chose in my place? + +Bernick: I know, at all events, that she has been nothing to me of what +I needed. + +Lona: Because you have never shared your interests with her; because +you have never allowed her full and frank exchange of thoughts with +you; because you have allowed her to be borne under by self-reproach +for the shame you cast upon one who was dear to her. + +Bernick: Yes, yes; it all comes from lying and deceit. + +Lona: Then why not break with all this lying and deceit? + +Bernick: Now? It is too late now, Lona. + +Lona: Karsten, tell me--what gratification does all this show and +deception bring you? + +Bernick: It brings me none. I must disappear someday, and all this +community of bunglers with me. But a generation is growing up that will +follow us; it is my son that I work for--I am providing a career for +him. There will come a time when truth will enter into the life of the +community, and on that foundation he shall build up a happier existence +than his father. + +Lona: With a lie at the bottom of it all? Consider what sort of an +inheritance it is that you are leaving to your son. + +Bernick (in tones of suppressed despair): It is a thousand times worse +than you think. But surely some day the curse must be lifted; and +yet--nevertheless--. (Vehemently.) How could I bring all this upon my +own head! Still, it is done now; I must go on with it now. You shall +not succeed in crushing me! (HILMAR comes in hurriedly and agitatedly +from the right, with an open letter in his hand.) + +Hilmar: But this is--Betty, Betty. + +Bernick: What is the matter? Are they coming already? + +Hilmar: No, no--but I must speak to some one immediately. (Goes out +through the farther door on the left.) + +Lona: Karsten, you talk about our having come here to crush you. So let +me tell you what sort of stuff this prodigal son, whom your moral +community shuns as if he had the plague, is made of. He can do without +any of you--for he is away now. + +Bernick: But he said he meant to come back + +Lona: Johan will never come back. He is gone for good, and Dina with +him. + +Bernick: Never come back?--and Dina with him? + +Lona: Yes, to be his wife. That is how these two strike your virtuous +community in the face, just as I did once--but never mind that. + +Bernick: Gone--and she too--in the "Indian Girl"-- + +Lona: No; he would not trust so precious a freight to that rascally +crew. Johan and Dina are on the "Palm Tree." + +Bernick: Ah! Then it is all in vain-- (Goes hurriedly to the door of +his room, opens it and calls in.) Krap, stop the "Indian Girl"--she +must not sail tonight! + +Krap (from within): The "Indian Girl" is already standing out to sea, +Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick (shutting the door and speaking faintly): Too late--and all to +no purpose-- + +Lona: What do you mean? + +Bernick: Nothing, nothing. Leave me alone! + +Lona: Hm!--look here, Karsten. Johan was good enough to say that he +entrusted to me the good name and reputation that he once lent to you, +and also the good name that you stole from him while he was away. Johan +will hold his tongue; and I can act just as I please in the matter. +See, I have two letters in my hand. + +Bernick: You have got them! And you mean now--this very evening-perhaps +when the procession comes-- + +Lona: I did not come back here to betray you, but to stir your +conscience so that you should speak of your own free will. I did not +succeed in doing that--so you must remain as you are, with your life +founded upon a lie. Look, I am tearing your two letters in pieces. Take +the wretched things--there you are. Now there is no evidence against +you, Karsten. You are safe now; be happy, too--if you can. + +Bernick (much moved): Lona--why did you not do that sooner! Now it is +too late; life no longer seems good to me; I cannot live on after today. + +Lona: What has happened? + +Bernick: Do not ask me--But I must live on, nevertheless! I will +live--for Olaf's sake. He shall make amends for everything--expiate +everything. + +Lona: Karsten--! (HILMAR comes hurriedly back.) + +Hilmar: I cannot find anyone; they are all out--even Betty! + +Bernick: What is the matter with you? + +Hilmar: I daren't tell you. + +Bernick: What is it? You must tell me! + +Hilmar: Very well--Olaf has run away, on board the "Indian Girl." + +Bernick (stumbling back): Olaf--on board the "Indian Girl"! No, no! + +Lona: Yes, he is! Now I understand--I saw him jump out of the window. + +Bernick (calls in through the door of his room in a despairing voice): +Krap, stop the "Indian Girl" at any cost! + +Krap: It is impossible, sir. How can you suppose--? + +Bernick: We must stop her; Olaf is on board! + +Krap: What! + +Rummel (coming out of BERNICK'S room): Olaf, run away? Impossible! + +Sandstad (following him): He will be sent back with the pilot, Mr. +Bernick. + +Hilmar: No, no; he has written to me. (Shows the letter.) He says he +means to hide among the cargo till they are in the open sea. + +Bernick: I shall never see him again! + +Rummel: What nonsense!--a good strong ship, newly repaired... + +Vigeland (who has followed the others out of BERNICK'S room): And in +your own yard, Mr. Bernick! + +Bernick: I shall never see him again, I tell you. I have lost him, +Lona; and--I see it now--he never was really mine. (Listens.) What is +that? + +Rummel: Music. The procession must be coming. + +Bernick. I cannot take any part in it--I will not. + +Rummel: What are you thinking of! That is impossible. + +Sandstad: Impossible, Mr. Bernick; think what you have at stake. + +Bernick: What does it all matter to me now? What have I to work for now? + +Rummel: Can you ask? You have us and the community. + +Vigeland: Quite true. + +Sandstad: And surely, Mr. Bernick, you have not forgotten that +we--.(MARTHA comes in through the farther door to the left. Music is +heard in the distance, down the street.) + +Martha: The procession is just coming, but Betty is not in the house. I +don't understand where she-- + +Bernick: Not in the house! There, you see, Lona--no support to me, +either in gladness or in sorrow. + +Rummel: Draw back the curtains! Come and help me, Mr. Krap--and you, +Mr. Sandstad. It is a thousand pities that the family should not be +united just now; it is quite contrary to the program. (They draw back +all the curtains. The whole street is seen to be illuminated. Opposite +the house is a large transparency, bearing the words: "Long live +Karsten Bernick, Pillar of our Society ") + +Bernick (shrinking back): Take all that away! I don't want to see it! +Put it out, put it out! + +Rummel: Excuse me, Mr. Bernick, but are you not well? + +Martha: What is the matter with him, Lona? + +Lona: Hush! (Whispers to her.) + +Bernick: Take away those mocking words, I tell you! Can't you see that +all these lights are grinning at us? + +Rummel: Well, really, I must confess-- + +Bernick: Oh, how could you understand--! But I, I--! It is all like +candles in a dead-room! + +Rummel: Well, let me tell you that you are taking the thing a great +deal too seriously. + +Sandstad: The boy will enjoy a trip across the Atlantic, and then you +will have him back. + +Vigeland: Only put your trust in the Almighty, Mr. Bernick. + +Rummel: And in the vessel, Bernick; it is not likely to sink, I know. + +Krap: Hm-- + +Rummel: Now if it were one of those floating coffins that one hears are +sent out by men in the bigger countries-- + +Bernick: I am sure my hair must be turning grey-- + +(MRS. BERNICK comes in from the garden, with a shawl thrown over her +head.) + +Mrs. Bernick: Karsten, Karsten, do you know--? + +Bernick: Yes. I know; but you--you, who see nothing that is going +on--you, who have no mother's eyes for your son--! + +Mrs. Bernick: Listen to me, do! + +Bernick: Why did you not look after him? Now I have lost him. Give him +back to me, if you can. + +Mrs. Bernick: I can! I have got him. + +Bernick: You have got him! + +The Men: Ah! + +Hilmar: Yes, I thought so. + +Martha: You have got him back, Karsten. + +Lona: Yes--make him your own, now. + +Bernick: You have got him! Is that true? Where is he? + +Mrs. Bernick: I shall not tell you, till you have forgiven him. + +Bernick: Forgiven! But how did you know--? + +Mrs. Bernick: Do you not think a mother sees? I was in mortal fear of +your getting to know anything about it. Some words he let fall +yesterday--and then his room was empty, and his knapsack and clothes +missing... + +Bernick: Yes, yes? + +Mrs. Bernick: I ran, and got hold of Aune; we went out in his boat; the +American ship was on the point of sailing. Thank God, we were in +time--got on board--searched the hold--found him! Oh, Karsten, you must +not punish him! + +Bernick: Betty! + +Mrs. Bernick: Nor Aune, either! + +Bernick: Aune? What do you know about him? Is the "Indian Girl" under +sail again? + +Mrs. Bernick: No, that is just it. + +Bernick: Speak, speak! + +Mrs. Bernick: Aune was just as agitated as I was; the search took us +some time; it had grown dark, and the pilot made objections; and so +Aune took upon himself--in your name-- + +Bernick: Well? + +Mrs. Bernick: To stop the ship's sailing till tomorrow. + +Krap: Hm-- + +Bernick: Oh, how glad I am! + +Mrs. Bernick: You are not angry? + +Bernick: I cannot tell you how glad I am, Betty + +Rummel: You really take things far too seriously. + +Hilmar: Oh yes, as soon as it is a question of a little struggle with +the elements--ugh! + +Krap (going to the window): The procession is just coming through your +garden gate, Mr. Bernick. + +Bernick: Yes, they can come now. + +Rummel: The whole garden is full of people. + +Sandstad: The whole street is crammed. + +Rummel: The whole town is afoot, Bernick. It really is a moment that +makes one proud. + +Vigeland: Let us take it in a humble spirit, Mr. Rummel. + +Rummel: All the banners are out! What a procession! Here comes the +committee with Mr. Rorlund at their head. + +Bernick: Yes, let them come in! + +Rummel: But, Bernick--in your present agitated frame of mind-- + +Bernick: Well, what? + +Rummel: I am quite willing to speak instead of you, if you like. + +Bernick: No, thank you; I will speak for myself tonight. + +Rummel: But are you sure you know what to say? + +Bernick: Yes, make your mind easy, Rummel--I know now what to say. + +(The music grows louder. The verandah door is opened. RORLUND comes in, +at the head of the Committee, escorted by a couple of hired waiters, +who carry a covered basket. They are followed by townspeople of all +classes, as many as can get into the room. An apparently endless crowd +of people, waving banners and flags, are visible in the garden and the +street.) + +Rorlund: Mr. Bernick! I see, from the surprise depicted upon your face, +that it is as unexpected guests that we are intruding upon your happy +family circle and your peaceful fireside, where we find you surrounded +by honoured and energetic fellow citizens and friends. But it is our +hearts that have bidden us come to offer you our homage--not for the +first time, it is true, but for the first time on such a comprehensive +scale. We have on many occasions given you our thanks for the broad +moral foundation upon which you have, so to speak, reared the edifice +of our community. On this occasion we offer our homage especially to +the clear-sighted, indefatigable, unselfish--nay, self-sacrificing +citizen who has taken the initiative in an undertaking which, we are +assured on all sides, will give a powerful impetus to the temporal +prosperity and welfare of our community. + +Voices: Bravo, bravo! + +Rorlund: You, sir, have for many years been a shining example in our +midst. This is not the place for me to speak of your family life, which +has been a model to us all; still less to enlarge upon your unblemished +personal character. Such topics belong to the stillness of a man's own +chamber, not to a festal occasion such as this! I am here to speak of +your public life as a citizen, as it lies open to all men's eyes. +Well-equipped vessels sail away from your shipyard and carry our flag +far and wide over the seas. A numerous and happy band of workmen look +up to you as to a father. By calling new branches of industry into +existence, you have laid the foundations of the welfare of hundreds of +families. In a word--you are, in the fullest sense of the term, the +mainstay of our community. + +Voices: Hear, hear! Bravo! + +Rorlund: And, sir, it is just that disinterestedness, which colours all +your conduct, that is so beneficial to our community--more so than +words can express--and especially at the present moment. You are now on +the point of procuring for us what I have no hesitation in calling +bluntly by its prosaic name--a railway! + +Voices: Bravo, bravo! + +Rorlund: But it would seem as though the undertaking were beset by +certain difficulties, the outcome of narrow and selfish considerations. + +Voices: Hear, hear! + +Rorlund: For the fact has come to light that certain individuals, who +do not belong to our community, have stolen a march upon the +hard-working citizens of this place, and have laid hands on certain +sources of profit which by rights should have fallen to the share of +our town. + +Voices: That's right! Hear, hear! + +Rorlund: This regrettable fact has naturally come to your knowledge +also, Mr. Bernick. But it has not had the slightest effect in deterring +you from proceeding steadily with your project, well knowing that a +patriotic man should not solely take local interests into consideration. + +Voices: Oh!--No, no!--Yes, yes! + +Rorlund: It is to such a man--to the patriot citizen, whose character +we all should emulate--that we bring our homage this evening. May your +undertaking grow to be a real and lasting source of good fortune to +this community! It is true enough that a railway may be the means of +our exposing ourselves to the incursion of pernicious influences from +without; but it gives us also the means of quickly expelling them from +within. For even we, at the present time, cannot boast of being +entirely free from the danger of such outside influences; but as we +have, on this very evening--if rumour is to be believed--fortunately +got rid of certain elements of that nature, sooner than was to be +expected-- + +Voices: Order, order! + +Rorlund:--I regard the occurrence as a happy omen for our undertaking. +My alluding to such a thing at such a moment only emphasises the fact +that the house in which we are now standing is one where the claims of +morality are esteemed even above ties of family. + +Voices: Hear, hear! Bravo! + +Bernick (at the same moment): Allow me-- + +Rorlund: I have only a few more words to say, Mr. Bernick. What you +have done for your native place we all know has not been done with any +underlying idea of its bringing tangible profit to yourself. But, +nevertheless, you must not refuse to accept a slight token of grateful +appreciation at the hands of your fellow-citizens--least of all at this +important moment when, according to the assurances of practical men, we +are standing on the threshold of a new era. + +Voices: Bravo! Hear, hear! + +(RORLUND signs to the servants, who bring forward the basket. During +the following speech, members of the Committee take out and present the +various objects mentioned.) + +Rorlund: And so, Mr. Bernick, we have the pleasure of presenting you +with this silver coffee-service. Let it grace your board when in the +future, as so often in the past, we have the happiness of being +assembled under your hospitable roof. You, too, gentlemen, who have so +generously seconded the leader of our community, we ask to accept a +small souvenir. This silver goblet is for you, Mr. Rummel. Many a time +have you, amidst the clink of glasses, defended the interests of your +fellow-citizens in well-chosen words; may you often find similar worthy +opportunities to raise and empty this goblet in some patriotic toast! +To you, Mr. Sandstad, I present this album containing photographs of +your fellow-citizens. Your well-known and conspicuous liberality has +put you in the pleasant position of being able to number your friends +amongst all classes of society. And to you, Mr. Vigeland, I have to +offer this book of Family Devotions, printed on vellum and handsomely +bound, to grace your study table. The mellowing influence of time has +led you to take an earnest view of life; your zeal in carrying out your +daily duties has, for a long period of years, been purified and enobled +by thoughts of higher and holier things. (Turns to the crowd.) And now, +friends, three cheers for Mr. Bernick and his fellow-workers! Three +cheers for the Pillars of our Society! + +The whole crowd: Bernick! Pillars of Society! Hurrah-hurrah-hurrah! + +Lona: I congratulate you, brother-in-law. + +(An expectant hush follows.) + +Bernick (speaking seriously and slowly): Fellow citizens--your +spokesman said just now that tonight we are standing on the threshold +of a new era. I hope that will prove to be the case. But before that +can come to pass, we must lay fast hold of truth--truth which, till +tonight, has been altogether and in all circumstances a stranger to +this community of ours. (Astonishment among the audience.) To that end, +I must begin by deprecating the praises with which you, Mr. Rorlund, +according to custom on such occasions, have overwhelmed me. I do not +deserve them; because, until today, my actions have by no means been +disinterested. Even though I may not always have aimed at pecuniary +profit, I at all events recognise now that a craving for power, +influence and position has been the moving spirit of most of my actions. + +Rummel (half aloud): What next! + +Bernick: Standing before my fellow citizens, I do not reproach myself +for that; because I still think I am entitled to a place in the front +rank of our capable men of affairs. + +Voices: Yes, yes, yes! + +Bernick: But what I charge myself with is that I have so often been +weak enough to resort to deceitfulness, because I knew and feared the +tendency of the community to espy unclean motives behind everything a +prominent man here undertakes. And now I am coming to a point which +will illustrate that. + +Rummel (uneasily): Hm-hm! + +Bernick: There have been rumours of extensive purchases of property +outside the town. These purchases have been made by me--by me alone, +and by no one else. (Murmurs are heard: "What does he +say?--He?--Bernick?") The properties are, for the time being, in my +hands. Naturally I have confided in my fellow-workers, Mr. Rummel, Mr. +Vigeland and Mr. Sandstad, and we are all agreed that-- + +Rummel: It is not true! Prove it--prove it! + +Vigeland: We are not all agreed about anything! + +Sandstad: Well, really I must say--! + +Bernick: That is quite true--we are not yet agreed upon the matter I +was going to mention. But I confidently hope that these three gentlemen +will agree with me when I announce to you that I have tonight come to +the decision that these properties shall be exploited as a company of +which the shares shall be offered for public subscription; any one that +wishes can take shares. + +Voices: Hurrah! Three cheers for Bernick! + +Rummel (in a low voice, to BERNICK): This is the basest treachery--! + +Sandstad (also in an undertone): So you have been fooling us! + +Vigeland: Well, then, devil take--! Good Lord, what am I saying? +(Cheers are heard without.) + +Bernick: Silence, gentlemen. I have no right to this homage you offer +me; because the decision I have just come to does not represent what +was my first intention. My intention was to keep the whole thing for +myself; and, even now, I am of opinion that these properties would be +worked to best advantage if they remained in one man's hands. But you +are at liberty to choose. If you wish it, I am willing to administer +them to the best of my abilities. + +Voices: Yes, yes, yes! + +Bernick: But, first of all, my fellow townsmen must know me thoroughly. +And let each man seek to know himself thoroughly, too; and so let it +really come to pass that tonight we begin a new era. The old era--with +its affectation, its hypocrisy and its emptiness, its pretence of +virtue and its miserable fear of public opinion--shall be for us like a +museum, open for purposes of instruction; and to that museum we will +present--shall we not, gentlemen?--the coffee service, and the goblet, +and the album, and the Family Devotions printed on vellum, and +handsomely bound. + +Rummel: Oh, of course. + +Vigeland (muttering): If you have taken everything else, then-- + +Sandstad: By all means. + +Bernick: And now for the principal reckoning I have to make with the +community. Mr. Rorlund said that certain pernicious elements had left +us this evening. I can add what you do not yet know. The man referred +to did not go away alone; with him, to become his wife, went-- + +Lona (loudly): Dina Dorf! + +Rorlund: What? + +Mrs. Bernick: What? (Great commotion.) + +Rorlund: Fled? Run away--with him! Impossible! + +Bernick: To become his wife, Mr. Rorlund. And I will add more. (In a +low voice, to his wife.) Betty, be strong to bear what is coming. +(Aloud.) This is what I have to say: hats off to that man, for he has +nobly taken another's guilt upon his shoulders. My friends, I want to +have done with falsehood; it has very nearly poisoned every fibre of my +being. You shall know all. Fifteen years ago, I was the guilty man. + +Mrs. Bernick (softly and tremblingly): Karsten! + +Martha (similarly): Ah, Johan--! + +Lona: Now at last you have found yourself! + +(Speechless consternation among the audience.) + +Bernick: Yes, friends, I was the guilty one, and he went away. The vile +and lying rumours that were spread abroad afterwards, it is beyond +human power to refute now; but I have no right to complain of that. For +fifteen years I have climbed up the ladder of success by the help of +those rumours; whether now they are to cast me down again, or not, each +of you must decide in his own mind. + +Rorlund: What a thunderbolt! Our leading citizen--! (In a low voice, to +BETTY.) How sorry I am for you, Mrs. Bernick! + +Hilmar: What a confession! Well, I must say--! + +Bernick: But come to no decision tonight. I entreat every one to go +home--to collect his thoughts--to look into his own heart. When once +more you can think calmly, then it will be seen whether I have lost or +won by speaking out. Goodbye! I have still much--very much--to repent +of; but that concerns my own conscience only. Good night! Take away all +these signs of rejoicing. We must all feel that they are out of place +here. + +Rorlund: That they certainly are. (In an undertone to MRS. BERNICK.) +Run away! So then she was completely unworthy of me. (Louder, to the +Committee.) Yes, gentlemen, after this I think we had better disperse +as quietly as possible. + +Hilmar: How, after this, any one is to manage to hold the Ideal's +banner high--Ugh! + +(Meantime the news has been whispered from mouth to mouth. The crowd +gradually disperses from the garden. RUMMEL, SANDSTAD and VIGELAND go +out, arguing eagerly but in a low voice. HILMAR slinks away to the +right. When silence is restored, there only remain in the room BERNICK, +MRS. BERNICK, MARTHA, LONA and KRAP.) + +Bernick: Betty, can you forgive me? + +Mrs. Bernick (looking at him with a smile): Do you know, Karsten, that +you have opened out for me the happiest prospect I have had for many a +year? + +Bernick: How? + +Mrs. Bernick: For many years, I have felt that once you were mine and +that I had lost you. Now I know that you never have been mine yet; but +I shall win you. + +Bernick (folding her in his arms): Oh, Betty, you have won me. It was +through Lona that I first learned really to know you. But now let Olaf +come to me. + +Mrs. Bernick: Yes, you shall have him now. Mr. Krap--! (Talks softly to +KRAP in the background. He goes out by the garden door. During what +follows, the illuminations and lights in the houses are gradually +extinguished.) + +Bernick (in a low voice): Thank you, Lona--you have saved what was best +in me--and for me. + +Lona: Do you suppose I wanted to do anything else? + +Bernick: Yes, was that so--or not? I cannot quite make you out. + +Lona: Hm-- + +Bernick: Then it was not hatred? Not revenge? Why did you come back, +then? + +Lona: Old friendship does not rust. + +Bernick: Lona! + +Lona: When Johan told me about the lie, I swore to myself that the hero +of my youth should stand free and true. + +Bernick: What a wretch I am!--and how little I have deserved it of you! + +Lona. Oh, if we women always looked for what we deserve, Karsten--! +(AUNE comes in with OLAF from the garden.) + +Bernick (going to meet them): Olaf! + +Olaf: Father, I promise I will never do it again-- + +Bernick: Never run away? + +Olaf: Yes, yes, I promise you, father. + +Bernick: And I promise you, you shall never have reason to. For the +future you shall be allowed to grow up, not as the heir to my life's +work, but as one who has his own life's work before him. + +Olaf: And shall I be allowed to be what I like, when I grow up? + +Bernick: Yes. + +Olaf. Oh, thank you! Then I won't be a pillar of society. + +Bernick: No? Why not? + +Olaf: No--I think it must be so dull. + +Bernick: You shall be yourself, Olaf; the rest may take care of +itself--And you, Aune... + +Aune: I know, Mr. Bernick; I am dismissed. + +Bernick: We remain together, Aune; and forgive me. + +Aune: What? The ship has not sailed tonight. + +Bernick: Nor will it sail tomorrow, either. I gave you too short grace. +It must be looked to more thoroughly. + +Aune: It shall, Mr. Bernick--and with the new machines! + +Bernick: By all means--but thoroughly and conscientiously. There are +many among us who need thorough and conscientious repairs, Aune. Well, +good night. + +Aune: Good-night, sir--and thank you, thank you. (Goes out.) + +Mrs. Bernick: Now they are all gone. + +Bernick: And we are alone. My name is not shining in letters of fire +any longer; all the lights in the windows are out. + +Lona: Would you wish them lit again? + +Bernick: Not for anything in the world. Where have I been! You would be + +horrified if you knew. I feel now as if I had come back to my right +senses, after being poisoned. But I feel this that I can be young and +healthy again. Oh, come nearer--come closer round me. Come, Betty! +Come, Olaf, my boy! And you, Martha--it seems to me as if I had never +seen you all these years. + +Lona: No, I can believe that. Your community is a community of bachelor +souls; you do not see women. + +Bernick: That is quite true; and for that very reason--this is a +bargain, Lona--you must not leave Betty and me. + +Mrs. Bernick: No, Lona, you must not. + +Lona: No, how could I have the heart to go away and leave you young +people who are just setting up housekeeping? Am I not your +foster-mother? You and I, Martha, the two old aunts-- What are you +looking at? + +Martha: Look how the sky is clearing, and how light it is over the sea. +The "Palm Tree" is going to be lucky. + +Lona: It carries its good luck on board. + +Bernick: And we--we have a long earnest day of work ahead of us; I most +of all. But let it come; only keep close round me you true, loyal +women. I have learned this too, in these last few days; it is you women +that are the pillars of society. + +Lona: You have learned a poor sort of wisdom, then, brother-in-law. +(Lays her hand firmly upon his shoulder.) No, my friend; the spirit of +truth and the spirit of freedom--they are the pillars of society. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pillars of Society, by Henrik Ibsen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PILLARS OF SOCIETY *** + +***** This file should be named 2296.txt or 2296.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/9/2296/ + +Produced by Martin Adamson. HTML version by Al Haines. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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