No. Not any longer.
Kroll (trying to jump up from his seat). What is this?
Rosmer (restraining him). No, you must sit still. Please, Kroll.
Kroll. What does it all mean? I do not understand you. Tell me,
straight out!
Rosmer. A new summer has blossomed in my heart--my eyes have
regained the clearness of youth. And, accordingly, I am now
standing where--
Kroll. Where? Where are you standing?
Rosmer. Where your children are standing.
Kroll. You? You! The thing is impossible! Where do you say you
are standing?
Rosmer. On the same side as Laurits and Hilda.
Kroll (letting his head drop). An apostate. John Rosmer an
apostate.
Rosmer. What you are calling apostasy ought to have made me feel
sincerely happy and fortunate; but for all that I have suffered
keenly, because I knew quite well it would cause you bitter
sorrow.
Kroll. Rosmer, Rosmer, I shall never get over this. (Looks at him
sadly.) To think that you, too, could bring yourself to
sympathise with and join in the work of disorder and ruin that is
playing havoc with our unhappy country.
Rosmer. It is the work of emancipation that I sympathise with.
Kroll. Oh yes, I know all about that. That is what it is called,
by both those who are leading the people astray and by their
misguided victims. But, be sure of this--you need expect no
emancipation to be the result of the spirit that relies on the
poisoning of the whole of our social life.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47