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.)