tously). Can I help you, sir?

Evje. Will you leave me alone--! No, I will have my revenge on him
immediately! I will go and ring his bell, and go into his house and call
him a scoundrel and spit in his face--! Did I bring my stick out with
me? Where is my stick? I will send my man for it, and then I will thrash
him round and round his own room!

John (eagerly). I will fetch it for you, sir!

Evje (without hearing him). No, it would only make more scandal!--How
can I take my revenge? I must do him some injury--some real injury that
will seem to poison his food for him and rob him of his rest. Scoundrels
like that don't deserve sleep! It must be something, too, that will
make his family every bit as unhappy as mine will be when they have
read this--something that will make them hide their heads for
shame--something that will make them terrified every time their
door-bell rings, out of shame for what their servants may hear! No, no,
I am getting as evil-minded as he is, now!--What a horrible trade--for
ever sowing the seeds of sin and reaping a crop of curses! Now I
understand what Harald Rejn meant by saying that no one ought to give
his help to such things!--Heavens, hear my vow: never again will I give
my help to such things!--What am I to say to my wife--my dear, good
wife, who has no suspicion how disgraced I am! And Gertrud, our good
Gertrud--ah, at all events I can give her some pleasure at once. I
cannot conceal it from them; but I will tell them myself, so that they
shall not read it.

John. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?

Evje (almost screaming at him). Once for all, can't you let me alone!

Mrs. Evje (leaning out of a window she has opened). The sound must have
come from the street, all the same. Are you there, my dear?

Evje (drawing back in alarm). There she is! Shall I answer?

Mrs. Evje. Are you there, my dear?

Evje. Yes, dear, here I am!

Mrs. Evje. So you are! I heard your voice, and looked all over the
house. What is the matter, dear?

Evje. Oh, I am so unhappy!

Mrs. Evje. Good heavens, are you, dear? Come along in--or shall I come
down to you?

Evje. No, I will come in. Shut the window, or you will catch cold.

Mrs. Evje. Do you know, Gertrud is sitting up here, crying?

Evje. Good gracious, is she? I will come up--I will come up!

John. I will help him up, ma'am! (Pretends to be doing so.)

Mrs. Evje. Is that you, John?

Evje (in a low voice). Will you be off!