Chapter 8

Billing.

War to the knife, say I! War to the death, Doctor!

Dr. Stockmann.

This article is only the beginning. I have four or five others sketched out in my head already. But where do you keep Aslaksen?

Billing.

[Calling into the printing-room.]AslaksenAslaksen! just come here a moment.

Hovstad.

Four or five more articles, eh? On the same subject?

Dr. Stockmann.

Oh no—not at all, my dear fellow. No; they will deal with quite different matters. But they’re all of a piece with the water-works and sewer question. One thing leads to another. It’s just like beginning to pick at an old house, don’t you know?

Billing.

Strike me dead, but that’s true! You feel you can’t leave off till you’ve pulled the whole lumber-heap to pieces.

Aslaksen.

[Enters from the printing-room.] Pulled to pieces! Surely the Doctor isn’t thinking of pulling the Baths to pieces?

Hovstad.

Not at all. Don’t be alarmed.

Dr. Stockmann.

No, we were talking of something quite different. Well, what do you think of my article, Mr. Hovstad?

Hovstad.

I think it’s simply a masterpiece——

Dr. Stockmann.

Yes, isn’t it? I'm glad you think so—very glad.

Hovstad.

It’s so clear and to the point. One doesn’t in the least need to be a specialist to understand the gist of it. I am certain every intelligent man will be on your side.

Aslaksen.

And all the prudent ones too, I hope?

Billing.

Both the prudent and imprudent—in fact, almost the whole town.

Aslaksen.

Then I suppose we may venture to print it.

Dr. Stockmann.

I should think so!

Hovstad.

It shall go in to-morrow.

Dr. Stockmann.

Yes, plague take it, not a day must be lost.Look here, Mr. Aslaksen, this is what I wanted to ask you: won’t you take personal charge of the article?

Aslaksen.

Certainly I will.

Dr. Stockmann.

Be as careful as if it were gold. No printers' errors; every word is important. I shall look in again presently; perhaps you’ll be able to let me see a proof.—Ah! I can’t tell you how I long to have the thing in print—to see it launched——

Billing.

Yes, like a thunderbolt!

Dr. Stockmann.

——and submitted to the judgment of every intelligent citizen. Oh, you have no idea what I have had to put up with to-day. I've been threatened with all sorts of things. I was to be robbed of my clearest rights as a human being——

Billing.

What! Your rights as a human being!

Dr. Stockmann.

——I was to humble myself, and eat the dust; I was to set my personal interests above my deepest, holiest convictions——

Billing.

Strike me dead, but that’s toooutrageous!outrageous!

Hovstad.

Oh, what can you expect from that quarter?

Dr. Stockmann.

But they shall find they were mistaken in me; they shall learn that in black and white, I promise them! I shall throw myself into the breach every day in theMessenger, bombard them with one explosive article after another——

Aslaksen.

Yes, but look here——

Billing.

Hurrah! It’s war! War!

Dr. Stockmann.

I shall smite them to the earth, I shall crush them, I shall level their entrenchments to the ground in the eyes of all right-thinking men! That’s what I shall do!

Aslaksen.

But above all things be temperate, Doctor; bombard with moderation——

Billing.

Not at all, not at all! Don’t spare the dynamite!

Dr. Stockmann.

[Going on imperturbably.] For now it’s no mere question of water-works and sewers, you see. No, the whole community must be purged, disinfected——

Billing.

Theresounds the word of salvation!

Dr. Stockmann.

All the old bunglers must be sent packing, youunderstand. And that in every possible department! Such endless vistas have opened out before me to-day. I am not quite clear about everything yet, but I shall see my way presently. It’s young and vigorous standard-bearers we must look for, my friends; we must have new captains at all the outposts.

Billing.

Hear, hear!

Dr. Stockmann.

And if only we hold together, it will go so smoothly, so smoothly! The whole revolution will glide off the stocks just like a ship. Don’t you think so?

Hovstad.

For my part, I believe we have now every prospect of placing our municipal affairs in the right hands.

Aslaksen.

And if only we proceed with moderation, I really don’t think there can be any danger.

Dr. Stockmann.

Who the devil cares whether there’s danger or not! What I do, I do in the name of truth and for conscience' sake.

Hovstad.

You are a man to be backed up, Doctor.

Aslaksen.

Yes, there’s no doubt the Doctor is a true friend to the town; he’s what I call a friend of society.

Billing.

Strike me dead if Dr. Stockmann isn’t a Friend of the People, Aslaksen!

Aslaksen.

I have no doubt the House-owners' Association will soon adopt that expression.

Dr. Stockmann.

[Shaking their hands, deeply moved.] Thanks, thanks, my dear, faithful friends; it does me good to hear you. My respected brother called me something very different. Never mind! Trust me to pay him back with interest! But I must be off now to see a poor devil of a patient. I shall look in again, though. Be sure you look after the article, Mr. Aslaksen; and, whatever you do, don’t leave out any of my notes of exclamation! Rather put in a few more! Well, good-bye for the present, good-bye, good-bye.

[Mutual salutations while they accompany him to the door. He goes out.

Hovstad.

He will be invaluable to us.

Aslaksen.

Yes, so long as he confines himself to this matter of the Baths. But if he goes further, it will scarcely be advisable to follow him.

Hovstad.

H'm—that entirely depends on——

Billing.

You’re always so confoundedly timid, Aslaksen.

Aslaksen.

Timid? Yes, when it’s a question of attacking local authorities, I am timid, Mr. Billing; I have learnt caution in the school of experience, let me tell you. But start me on the higher politics, confront me with the Government itself, and then see if I'm timid.

Billing.

No, you’re not; but that’s just where your inconsistency comes in.

Aslaksen.

The fact is, I am keenly alive to my responsibilities. If you attack the Government, you at least do society no harm; for the men attacked don’t care a straw, you see—they stay where they are all the same. Butlocalauthorities can be turned out; and then we might get some incompetent set into power, to the irreparable injury both of house-owners and other people.

Hovstad.

But the education of citizens by self-government—do you never think ofthat?

Aslaksen.

When a man has solid interests to protect, he can’t think of everything, Mr. Hovstad.

Hovstad.

Then I hope I may never have solid interests to protect.

Billing.

Hear, hear!

Aslaksen.

[Smiling.] H'm! [Points to the desk.] Governor Stensgård[10]sat in that editorial chair before you.

Billing.

[Spitting.] Pooh! A turncoat like that!

Hovstad.

I am no weathercock—and never will be.

Aslaksen.

A politician should never be too sure of anything on earth, Mr. Hovstad. And as for you, Mr. Billing, you ought to take in a reef or two, I should say, now that you are applying for the secretaryship to the Town Council.

Billing.

I——!

Hovstad.

Is that so, Billing?

Billing.

Well, yes—but, deuce take it, you understand, I'm only doing it to spite their high-mightinesses.

Aslaksen.

Well, that has nothing to do with me. But if I am to be accused of cowardice and inconsistency, I should just like to point outthis: My political record is open to every one. I have not changed at all, except in becoming more moderate. Myheart still belongs to the people; but I don’t deny that my reason inclines somewhat towards the authorities—the local ones, I mean.

[Goes into the printing-room.]

Billing.

Don’t you think we should try to get rid of him, Hovstad?

Hovstad.

Do you know of any one else that will pay for our paper and printing?

Billing.

What a confounded nuisance it is to have no capital!

Hovstad.

[Sitting down by the desk.] Yes, if we only had that——

Billing.

Suppose you applied to Dr. Stockmann?

Hovstad.

[Turning over his papers.] What would be the good? He hasn’t a rap.

Billing.

No; but he has a good man behind him—old Morten Kiil—“The Badger,” as they call him.

Hovstad.

[Writing.] Are you so sure he has money?

Billing.

Yes, strike me dead if he hasn’t! And part of it must certainly go to Stockmann’s family. He’s bound to provide for—for the children at any rate.

Hovstad.

[Half turning.] Are you counting onthat?

Billing.

Counting? How should I be counting on it?

Hovstad.

Best not! And that secretaryship you shouldn’t count on either; for I can assure you you won’t get it.

Billing.

Do you think I don’t know that? A refusal is the very thing I want. Such a rebuff fires the spirit of opposition in you, gives you a fresh supply of gall, as it were; and that’s just what you need in a god-forsaken hole like this, where anything really stimulating so seldom happens.

Hovstad.

[Writing.] Yes, yes.

Billing.

Well—they shall soon hear from me!—Now I'll go and write the appeal to the House-owners' Association.[Goes into the room on the right.

Hovstad.

[Sits at his desk, biting his penholder, and says slowly:] H'm—so that’s the way of it.—[A knock at the door.] Come in.

Petraenters from the back, left.

Hovstad.

[Rising.] What! Is it you? Here?

Petra.

Yes; please excuse me——

Hovstad.

[Offering her an arm-chair.] Won’t you sit down?

Petra.

No, thanks; I must go again directly.

Hovstad.

Perhaps you bring a message from your father——?

Petra.

No, I have come on my own account. [Takes a book from the pocket of her cloak.] Here is that English story.

Hovstad.

Why have you brought it back?

Petra.

Because I won’t translate it.

Hovstad.

But you promised——

Petra.

Yes; but then I hadn’t read it. I suppose you have not read it either?

Hovstad.

No; you know I can’t read English; but——

Petra.

Exactly; and that’s why I wanted to tell you that you must find something else. [Putting thebook on the table.] This will never do for theMessenger.

Hovstad.

Why not?

Petra.

Because it flies in the face of all your convictions.

Hovstad.

Well, for that matter——

Petra.

You don’t understand me. It makes out that a supernatural power looks after the so-called good people in this world, and turns everything to their advantage at last; while all the so-called bad people are punished.

Hovstad.

Yes, but that’s all right. That’s the very thing the public like.

Petra.

And would you supply the public with such stuff? You don’t believe a word of it yourself. You know well enough that things do not really happen like that.

Hovstad.

Of course not; but an editor can’t always do as he likes. He has often to humour people’s fancies in minor matters. After all, politics is the chief thing in life—at any rate for a newspaper; and if I want the people to follow me along the path of emancipation and progress, I mustn’t scare them away. If they find a moral story like this downin the cellar,[11]they are all the more ready to take in what we tell them above—they feel themselves safer.

Petra.

For shame! You’re not such a hypocrite as to set traps like that for your readers. You’re not a spider.

Hovstad.

[Smiling.] Thanks for your good opinion. It’s true that the idea is Billing’s, not mine.

Petra.

Mr. Billing’s!

Hovstad.

Yes, at least he was talking in that strain the other day. It was Billing that was so anxious to get the story into the paper; I don’t even know the book.

Petra.

But how can Mr. Billing, with his advanced views——

Hovstad.

Well, Billing is many-sided. He’s applying for the secretaryship to the Town Council, I hear.

Petra.

I don’t believe that, Mr. Hovstad. How could he descend to such a thing?

Hovstad.

That you must ask him.

Petra.

I could never have thought it of Billing!

Hovstad.

[Looking more closely at her.] No? Is it such a surprise to you?

Petra.

Yes. And yet—perhaps not. Oh, I don’t know——

Hovstad.

We journalists are not worth much, Miss Petra.

Petra.

Do you really say that?

Hovstad.

I think so, now and then.

Petra.

Yes, in the little every-day squabbles—that I can understand. But now that you have taken up a great cause——

Hovstad.

You mean this affair of your father’s?

Petra.

Of course. I should think you must feel yourself worth more than the general run of people now.

Hovstad.

Yes, to-day I do feel something of the sort.

Petra.

Yes, surely you must. Oh, it’s a glorious career you have chosen! To be the pioneer of unrecognisedtruths and new and daring ways of thought!—even, if that were all, to stand forth fearlessly in support of an injured man——

Hovstad.

Especially when the injured man is—I hardly know how to put it——

Petra.

You mean when he is so upright and true?

Hovstad.

[In a low voice.] I mean—especially when he is your father.

Petra.

[Suddenly taken aback.]That?

Hovstad.

Yes, Petra—Miss Petra.

Petra.

So that is your chief thought, is it? Not the cause itself? Not the truth? Not father’s great, warm heart?

Hovstad.

Oh, that too, of course.

Petra.

No, thank you; you said too much that time, Mr. Hovstad. Now I shall never trust you again, in anything.

Hovstad.

Can you be so hard on me because it’s mainly for your sake——?

Petra.

What I blame you for is that you have not actedstraightforwardly towards father. You have talked to him as if you cared only for the truth and the good of the community. You have trifled with both father and me. You are not the man you pretended to be. And that I will never forgive you—never.

Hovstad.

You shouldn’t say that so bitterly, Miss Petra—least of all now.

Petra.

Why not now?

Hovstad.

Because your father cannot do without my help.

Petra.

[Measuring him from head to foot.] So you are capable ofthat, too? Oh, shame!

Hovstad.

No, no. I spoke without thinking. You mustn’t believe that of me.

Petra.

I know what to believe. Good-bye.

Aslaksenenters from printing-room, hurriedly and mysteriously.

Aslaksen.

What do you think, Mr. Hovstad—[SeeingPetra.] Ow, that’s awkward——

Petra.

Well, there is the book. You must give it to some one else.[Going towards the main door.

Hovstad.

[Following her.] But, Miss Petra——

Petra.

Good-bye.[She goes.

Aslaksen.

I say, Mr. Hovstad!

Hovstad.

Well well; what is it?

Aslaksen.

The Burgomaster’s out there, in the printing-office.

Hovstad.

The Burgomaster?

Aslaksen.

Yes. He wants to speak to you; he came in by the back way—he didn’t want to be seen, you understand.

Hovstad.

What can be the meaning of this? Stop, I'll go myself——

[Goes towards the printing-room, opens the door, bows and invites theBurgomasterto enter.

Hovstad.

Keep a look-out, Aslaksen, that no one——

Aslaksen.

I understand.[Goes into the printing-room.

Burgomaster.

You didn’t expect to see me here, Mr. Hovstad.

Hovstad.

No, I cannot say that I did.

Burgomaster.

[Looking about him.] You are very comfortably installed here—capital quarters.

Hovstad.

Oh——

Burgomaster.

And here have I come, without with your leave or by your leave, to take up your time——

Hovstad.

You are very welcome, Burgomaster; I am at your service. Let me take your cap and stick. [He does so, and puts them on a chair.] And won’t you be seated?

Burgomaster.

[Sitting down by the table.] Thanks. [Hovstadalso sits by the table.] I have been much—very much worried to-day, Mr. Hovstad.

Hovstad.

Really? Well, I suppose with all your various duties, Burgomaster——

Burgomaster.

It is the Doctor that has been causing me annoyance to-day.

Hovstad.

Indeed! The Doctor?

Burgomaster.

He has written a sort of memorandum to theDirectors about some alleged shortcomings in the Baths.

Hovstad.

Has he really?

Burgomaster.

Yes; hasn’t he told you? I thought he said——

Hovstad.

Oh yes, by-the-bye, he did mention something——

Aslaksen.

[From the printing-office.] I've just come for the manuscript——

Hovstad.

[In a tone of vexation.] Oh!—there it is on the desk.

Aslaksen.

[Finding it.] All right.

Burgomaster.

Why,thatis the very thing——

Aslaksen.

Yes, this is the Doctor’s article, Burgomaster.

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