[Waving his hand.] No, please be seated. [With rising
excitement.] When the hour of my restoration strikes--when they
see that they cannot get on without me--when they come to me, here
in the gallery, and crawl to my feet, and beseech me to take the
reins of the bank again----! The new bank, that they have founded
and can't carry on---- [Placing himself beside the writing-table
in the same attitude as before, and striking his breast.] Here
I shall stand, and receive them! And it shall be known far and
wide, all the country over, what conditions John Gabriel Borkman
imposes before he will---- [Stopping suddenly and staring at
FOLDAL.] You're looking so doubtfully at me! Perhaps you do not
believe that they will come? That they must, must, must come to
me some day? Do you not believe it?

FOLDAL.
Yes, Heaven knows I do, John Gabriel.

BORKMAN.
[Seating himself again on the sofa.] I firmly believe it. I
am immovably convinced--I know that they will come. If I had not
been certain of that I would have put a bullet through my head
long ago.

FOLDAL.
[Anxiously.] Oh no, for Heaven's sake----!

BORKMAN.
[Exultantly.] But they will come! They will come sure enough!
You shall see! I expect them any day, any moment. And you see,
I hold myself in readiness to receive them.

FOLDAL.
[With a sigh.] If only they would come quickly.

BORKMAN.
[Restlessly.] Yes, time flies: the years slip away; life----
Ah, no--I dare not think of it! [Looking at him.] Do you know
what I sometimes feel like?

FOLDAL.
What?

BORKMAN.
I feel like a Napoleon who has been maimed in his first battle.

FOLDAL.
[Placing his hand upon his portfolio.] I have that feeling too.

BORKMAN.
Oh, well, that is on a smaller scale, of course.

FOLDAL.
[Quietly.] My little world of poetry is very precious to me,
John Gabriel.

BORKMAN.
[Vehemently.] Yes, but think of me, who could have created
millions! All the mines I should have controlled! New veins
innumerable! And the water-falls! And the quarries! And the
trade routes, and the steamship-lines all the wide world over!
I would have organised it all--I alone!

FOLDAL.
Yes, I know, I know. There was nothing in the world you would
have shrunk from.

BORKMAN.
[Clenching his hands together.] And now I have to sit here,
like a wounded eagle, and look on while others pass me in the
race, and take everything away from me, piece by