s?

Aslaksen (with his hand on his bell). Doctor--!

Dr. Stockmann. I cannot understand how it is that I have only now
acquired a clear conception of what these gentry are, when I had almost
daily before my eyes in this town such an excellent specimen of
them--my brother Peter--slow-witted and hide-bound in prejudice--.
(Laughter, uproar and hisses. MRS. STOCKMANN Sits coughing assiduously.
ASLAKSEN rings his bell violently.)

The Drunken Man (who has got in again). Is it me he is talking about?
My name's Petersen, all right--but devil take me if I--

Angry Voices. Turn out that drunken man! Turn him out. (He is turned
out again.)

Peter Stockmann. Who was that person?

1st Citizen. I don't know who he is, Mr. Mayor.

2nd Citizen. He doesn't belong here.

3rd Citizen. I expect he is a navvy from over at--(the rest is
inaudible).

Aslaksen. He had obviously had too much beer. Proceed, Doctor; but
please strive to be moderate in your language.

Dr. Stockmann. Very well, gentlemen, I will say no more about our
leading men. And if anyone imagines, from what I have just said, that
my object is to attack these people this evening, he is
wrong--absolutely wide of the mark. For I cherish the comforting
conviction that these parasites--all these venerable relics of a dying
school of thought--are most admirably paving the way for their own
extinction; they need no doctor's help to hasten their end. Nor is it
folk of that kind who constitute the most pressing danger to the
community. It is not they who are most instrumental in poisoning the
sources of our moral life and infecting the ground on which we stand.
It is not they who are the most dangerous enemies of truth and freedom
amongst us.

Shouts from all sides. Who then? Who is it? Name! Name!

Dr. Stockmann. You may depend upon it--I shall name them! That is
precisely the great discovery I made yesterday. (Raises his voice.) The
most dangerous enemy of truth and freedom amongst us is the compact
majority--yes, the damned compact Liberal majority--that is it! Now you
know! (Tremendous uproar. Most of the crowd are shouting, stamping and
hissing. Some of the older men among them exchange stolen glances and
seem to be enjoying themselves. MRS. STOCKMANN gets up, looking
anxious. EJLIF and MORTEN advance threateningly upon some schoolboys
who are playing pranks. ASLAKSEN rings his bell and begs for silence.
HOVSTAD and BILLING both talk at once, but are inaudible.