he couch.
CORNELIA stays beside her. The BISHOP turns to HAGBART.) Hagbart!
(HAGBART throws himself into his arms.) Courage! Courage, my boy!

Grandmother (getting up). It is like going back to the days of great
emotions!

[The Curtain falls slowly.]

A GAUNTLET

A PLAY IN THREE ACTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

RIIS.
MRS. RIIS.
SVAVA, their daughter.
MARGIT, their maid.
CHRISTENSEN.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN.
ALFRED, their son, betrothed to Svava.
DR. NORDAN.
THOMAS, his servant.
HOFF.

The action of the play passes in Christiania.

ACT I

(SCENE.--A room in RIIS' house. An open door at the back leads into a
park and gives a glimpse of the sea beyond. Windows on each side of the
door. Doors also in the right and left walls. Beyond the door on the
right is a piano; opposite to the piano a cupboard. In the foreground,
to the right and left, two couches with small tables in front of them.
Easy-chairs and smaller hairs scattered about. MRS. RIIS is sitting on
the couch to the left, and DR. NORDAN in a chair in the centre of the
room. He is wearing a straw hat pushed on to the back of his head, and
has a large handkerchief spread over his knees. He is sitting with his
arms folded, leaning upon his stick.)

Mrs. Riis. A penny for your thoughts!

Nordan. What was it you were asking me about?

Mrs. Riis. About that matter of Mrs. North, of course.

Nordan. That matter of Mrs. North? Well, I was talking to Christensen
about it just now. He has advanced the money and is going to try and get
the bank to suspend proceedings. I have told you that already. What else
do you want to know?

Mrs. Riis. I want to know how much gossip there is about it, my dear
friend.

Nordan. Oh, men don't gossip about each other's affairs.--By the way,
isn't our friend in there (nodding towards the door on the right) going
to be told about it? This seem, a good opportunity.

Mrs. Riis. Let us wait.

Nordan. Because Christensen will have to be repaid, you know. I told him
he would be.

Mrs. Riis. Naturally. What else would you suppose?

Nordan (getting up). Well, I am going away for my holidays, so
Christensen must look after it now.--Was it a very grand party
yesterday?

Mrs. Riis. There was not much display.

Nordan. No, the Christensens' parties are never very luxurious. But I
suppose there were a lot of people?

Mrs. Riis. I have never seen so many at a private enter