the matter once more. Not a word of it to any one.
The blame will fall on our yard if any one hears anything of it.

Krap: Of course, but--

Bernick: When the hands are away at their dinner you must manage to get
down there again; I must have absolute certainty about it.

Krap: You shall, sir; but, excuse me, what do you propose to do?

Bernick: Report the affair, naturally. We cannot, of course, let
ourselves become accomplices in such a crime. I could not have such a
thing on my conscience. Moreover, it will make a good impression, both
on the press and on the public in general, if it is seen that I set all
personal interests aside and let justice take its course.

Krap: Quite true, Mr. Bernick.

Bernick: But first of all I must be absolutely certain. And meanwhile,
do not breathe a word of it.

Krap: Not a word, sir. And you shall have your certainty. (Goes out
through the garden and down the street.)

Bernick (half aloud): Shocking!--But no, it is impossible!
Inconceivable!

(As he turns to go into his room, HILMAR comes in from the right.)

Hilmar: Good morning, Karsten. Let me congratulate you on your triumph
at the Commercial Association yesterday.

Bernick: Thank you.

Hilmar: It was a brilliant triumph, I hear; the triumph of intelligent
public spirit over selfishness and prejudice--something like a raid of
French troops on the Kabyles. It is astonishing that after that
unpleasant scene here, you could--

Bernick: Yes, yes--quite so.

Hilmar: But the decisive battle has not been fought yet.

Bernick: In the matter of the railway, do you mean?

Hilmar: Yes; I suppose you know the trouble that Hammer is brewing?

Bernick (anxiously): No, what is that?

Hilmar: Oh, he is greatly taken up with the rumour that is going
around, and is preparing to dish up an article about it.

Bernick: What rumour?

Hilmar: About the extensive purchase of property along the branch line,
of course.

Bernick: What? Is there such a rumour as that going about?

Hilmar: It is all over the town. I heard it at the club when I looked
in there. They say that one of our lawyers has quietly bought up, on
commission, all the forest land, all the mining land, all the
waterfalls--

Bernick: Don't they say whom it was for?

Hilmar: At the club they thought it must be for some company, not
connected with this town, that has got a hint of the scheme you have in
hand, and has made haste to buy before the price of these