Tjaelde. No, no! Publish my accounts openly--put me under trustees, if you like; but let me go on with the scheme that I believe will succeed!
Every clear-headed man will see that it must succeed!
Berent. Come and sit down. Let us discuss it. (TJAELDE sits down.) Isn"t what you are now proposing exactly what you have been trying to do for the last three years? You _have_ been able to borrow the means; but what good has it done?
Tjaelde. Times have been so bad!
Berent (shaking his head). You have mixed up falsehood and truth for so long that you have forgotten the simplest laws of commerce. To speculate during bad times, on the chance of their becoming better, is all very well for those who can afford it. Others must leave such things alone.
Tjaelde. But it is to the advantage of my creditors themselves, and of the banks too, that my estate should hold together!
Berent. It is of no advantage to sound firms to prop up unsound ones.
Tjaelde. But, surely, to avoid losing their capital--?
Berent, Oh, perhaps in the Receiver"s hands the estate may--
Tjaelde (hopefully, half rising from his chair). Yes? Well?
Berent. But not till you have been removed from the control of it.
Tjaelde (sinking down again). Not till I have been removed from the control of it!
Berent. On _its own_ resources I dare say the estate can hold out until better times come, but not on borrowed money.
Tjaelde. Not on borrowed money--
Berent. You understand the difference, of course?
Tjaelde. Oh, yes.
Berent. Good. Then you must understand that there is nothing left for you to do but to sign this.
Tjaelde. Nothing left but to sign--
Berent. Here is the paper. Come, now!
Tjaelde (rousing himself). Oh, I cannot, I cannot!
Berent. Very well. But in that case the crash will come of itself in a short time, and everything will be worse than it is now.
Tjaelde (falling on his knees).Mercy, mercy! I cannot let go of all hope! Think, after a fight like mine!
Berent. Tell the truth and say: "I haven"t the courage to face the consequences."
Tjaelde. Yes, that is the truth.
Berent. "I haven"t the courage to begin an honest life."
Tjaelde. Yes.
Berent. You don"t know what you are saying, man!
Tjaelde. No, I don"t. But spare me!
Berent (getting up). This is nothing but despair! I am sorry for you.
Tjaelde (getting up). Yes, surely you must be? Try me! Ask me to do anything you like! Tell me what you--
Berent. No, no! Before anything else, you must sign this.
Tjaelde (sinking back into his chair). Oh!--How shall I ever dare to look any one in the face again?--I, who, have defied everything and deceived every one!
Berent. The man who has enjoyed the respect which he did not deserve must some day undergo the humiliation which he has deserved. That is a law; and I cannot save you from that.
Tjaelde. But they will be crueller to me than to any one else! I deserve it, I know; but I shall not be able to endure it!
Berent. Hm! You are remarkably tough; your fight, these last three years, proves that.
Tjaelde. Be merciful! Surely your ingenuity--your influence--_must_ be able to find some way out for me?
Berent. Yes. The way out is for you to sign this.
Tjaelde. Won"t you even take it over from me by private contract? If you did that, everything would come right.
Berent. Sign! Here is the paper! Every hour is precious.
Tjaelde. Oh! (Takes up a pen; but turns to BERENT with a gesture of supplication.) Daren"t you test me, after what I have just gone through?
Berent. Yes, when you have signed. (TJAELDE signs the paper, and sinks back in his chair with an expression of the keenest anguish. BERENT takes the paper, folds it, and puts it in his pocket-book.) Now I will go to the Bankruptcy Court with this, and afterwards to the telegraph office. Probably the officials of the court will come this evening to make their inventory. So you ought to warn your family.
Tjaelde. How shall I be able to do that? Give me a little time! Be merciful!
Berent. The sooner the better for you--not to speak of the interests of all concerned. Well, I have finished for the present.
Tjaelde. Don"t desert me like this! Don"t desert me!
Berent. You would like your wife to come to you, wouldn"t you?
Tjaelde (resignedly). Yes.
Berent (taking up the revolver). And this--I will not take it with me.
There is no danger from it now. But I will put it in the desk, for the sake of the others. Now, if you or yours should need me, send word to me.
Tjaelde. Thank you.
Berent. I shall not leave the town until the worst is over.--Remember, night or day, if you need me, send word to me.
Tjaelde. Thank you.