--well--make your conditions! There is no doubt
they will be agreed to.

Svava. For shame! For shame!

Riis (despairingly). What is the use of taking it in this way!

Mrs. Riis. What, indeed! You ought rather to try and make things a bit
easier, Svava.

Riis. And you really might condescend, too, to consider who it is that
you are throwing over--a member of one of the richest families in the
country, and, I venture to say, one of the most honourable too. I have
never heard of anything so idiotic! Yes, I repeat--idiotic, idiotic!
What if he have made a false step--or two--well, good heavens--

Svava. Yes, bring heaven into it, too!

Riis. Indeed I well may! There is good need. As I was saying, if he have
made a false step, surely the poor fellow has been sufficiently punished
for it now. Beside it is certainly our duty to be a little reasonable
with one another--it is a commandment, you know, that we are to be
reasonable and forgiving. We must be forgiving! And more than that, we
must help the erring--we must raise up the fallen and set them in
the right way. Yes, set them in the right way. You could do that so
splendidly! It is exactly in your line. You know very well, my dear
child, it is very seldom I talk about morals and that sort of thing. It
doesn't sit well on me at all; I know that only too well. But on this
occasion I cannot help it. Begin with forgiveness, my child; begin with
that! After all, can you contemplate living together with anyone for any
length of time without--without--well, without _that_?

Svava. But there is no question of living with anyone, for any length of
time, or of forgiveness--because I do not mean to have anything more to
do with him.

Riis. Really, this is beyond all bounds! Because he has dared to fall in
love with some one before you--?

Svava. Some one?

Riis. Well, if there was more than one, I am sure I know nothing about
it. No, indeed I do not! Besides, the way people gossip and backbite is
the very devil! But, as I was saying, because he dared to look at some
one before he looked at you--before he ever _thought_ of you--is that a
reason for throwing him over for good and all? How many would ever get
married under those circumstances, I should like to know? Everybody
confirms the opinion that he is an honourable, fine young fellow, to
whom the proudest girl might confidently entrust herself--you said so
yourself, only a day or two ago! Do not deny it! And now he is s