Mrs. Evje. And he has told me all about them!
The Doctor. Are they very bad?
Evje. Oh--oh!
Mrs. Evje. Oh--oh--oh!
The Doctor (with a look of pleased curiosity.) As bad as all that?
Evje and Mrs. Evje. Oh--oh--oh--oh!
The Doctor. And _that_ was why you went to the meeting!
Evje. Of course--t.i.t for tat! It was my wife"s idea.
Mrs. Evje. It was the obvious thing to do, dear.
Evje. Our whole family at the meeting!--So that all the town should know that it was nothing but the meanest political persecution because I had joined my son-in-law"s party.
Mrs. Evje. We are party people now, you know!
Evje. Do you know, there is something exciting about being mixed up with such things--something invigorating, something--
The Doctor (stepping back). Are _you_ bitten with it, too?
Evje. Yes, if I can"t be left in peace, I shall become a party man.
The Doctor (enthusiastically). Did you see Gertrud?
Evje and Mrs. Evje (with emotion). Our Gertrud! Yes, indeed we did!
The Doctor. Did you see her coming in with him!
Evje and Mrs. Evje (as before). Yes, we saw her coming in with him!
The Doctor. I suppose you did not know she was going?
Evje and Mrs. Evje. Oh, yes!
Mrs. Evje. She had said she would go with us--
Evje. But when we went to fetch her, the bird had flown!
The Doctor. How pretty she looked, too! All the men were looking at her.
And how she looked at him!
Mrs. Evje. It made me want to cry. I had quite a job to prevent myself.
Evje. You need not have minded, dear! G.o.d has given us great happiness.
Her faith in him and her love shone to from her eyes that it went to my heart. I felt quite upset! (Wipes his eyes.)
The Doctor. And what about _him_--eh? I don"t fancy any one will think about stopping his career. We have been a pack of fools.
Evje. That we have!
The Doctor. He is not exactly eloquent, but--
Evje. That is precisely what I was saying to my wife! He is not exactly eloquent, but he is--
The Doctor.--a man!
Evje. A man! My very words, weren"t they, my dear?
Mrs. Evje. Yes.--And I say he is so strong a man that he can afford to be tender-hearted. For he certainly has been that.
Evje. Yes, he has been that!
The Doctor (laughing). In spite of his strength!
Evje. Oh, you may make the most of your--. Aha! (Loud ringing at the bell is heard.) Here they are!
Mrs. Evje. Let us go and meet them!
The Doctor. No; look here--let us wait for them at the other side of the room, so that they may make a triumphal progress up to us!
Evje and Mrs. Evje, Yes! (They go to the opposite end of the room, while HARALD comes in rather quickly, with GERTRUD on his arm. As they cross the room, the others cry out: "Bravo! Bravo!" and clap their hands.)
Gertrud (still holding to HARALD"s arm). And he is my man! My man!
(Throws her arms round his neck, crying with happiness, and kisses him; then does the same to her mother, and then to her father, to whom she whispers: Thank you!)
The Doctor. Oh--me too!
Gertrud (after a moment"s hesitation). Yes--you too!
(The DOCTOR helps her to take off her cloak, and talks to her, whispering and laughing.)
Harald (shaking EVJE"s hand). Good evening!
Evje. Forgive me!
Harald. With all my heart!
Mrs. Evje. And now everything is all right!
Harald. For good!
Evje and Mrs. Evje. For good!