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? |
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