h to divulge. Your conduct has been absolutely
inexcusable, Engstrand, and from today everything is at an end between
us.

Engstrand (with a sigh). Yes, I can see that's what it means.

Manders. Yes, because how can you possibly justify what you did?

Engstrand. Was the poor girl to go and increase her load of shame by
talking about it? Just suppose, sir, for a moment that your reverence
was in the same predicament as my poor Joanna.

Manders. I!

Engstrand. Good Lord, sir, I don't mean the same predicament. I mean,
suppose there were something your reverence was ashamed of in the eyes
of the world, so to speak. We men ought not judge a poor woman too
hardly, Mr. Manders.

Manders. But I am not doing so at all. It is you I am blaming.

Engstrand. Will your reverence grant me leave to ask you a small
question?

Manders. Ask away.

Engstrand. Shouldn't you say it was right for a man to raise up the
fallen?

Manders. Of course it is.

Engstrand. And isn't a man bound to keep his word of honour?

Manders. Certainly he is; but--

Engstrand. At the time when Joanna had her misfortune with this
Englishman--or maybe he was an American or a Russian, as they call
'em--well, sir, then she came to town. Poor thing, she had refused me
once or twice before; she only had eyes for good-looking men in those
days, and I had this crooked leg then. Your reverence will remember how
I had ventured up into a dancing-saloon where seafaring men were
revelling in drunkenness and intoxication, as they say. And when I
tried to exhort them to turn from their evil ways--

Mrs. Alving (coughs from the window). Ahem!

Manders. I know, Engstrand, I know--the rough brutes threw you
downstairs. You have told me about that incident before. The affliction
to your leg is a credit to you.

Engstrand. I don't want to claim credit for it, your reverence. But
what I wanted to tell you was that she came then and confided in me
with tears and gnashing of teeth. I can tell you, sir, it went to my
heart to hear her.

Manders. Did it, indeed, Engstrand? Well, what then?

Engstrand. Well, then I said to her: "The American is roaming about on
the high seas, he is. And you, Joanna," I said, "you have committed a
sin and are a fallen woman. But here stands Jacob Engstrand," I said,
"on two strong legs"--of course that was only speaking in a kind of
metaphor, as it were, your reverence.

Manders. I quite understand. Go on.

Engstrand. Well, si