irls.

Christensen. Yes, indeed!

Mrs. Christensen. And when I reminded her of certain words of St.
Paul's, she said: "Yes, it is behind those bars that we women are still
shut up." Then I knew that something would happen. Pride goes before a
fall, you know.

Christensen. Oh, come, come! That won't do at all! Your chain of
reasoning isn't sound!

Mrs. Christensen. How?

Christensen. It is not. Because in the first place it was not Miss Riis
that fell, but your precious son. And in the second place his fall was
not a consequence of Miss Riis's pride, because of course it happened
many years before Miss Riis showed any of her pride. So that if you knew
that his fall would happen as a consequence of Miss Riis's pride, you
knew something that you certainly did not know.

Mrs. Christensen. Oh, you are making fun of me!

Christensen. I ought to be at a committee meeting punctually at
one.--May I ask what has become of your daughter?

Riis. Indeed I am really beginning to wonder--(During the foregoing,
NORDAN has remained in the background, sometimes in the room and
sometimes outside in the park. MARGIT now goes fast the window outside,
and NORDAN is heard speaking to her.)

Nordan. Have you only just found her?

Margit. No, sir--I have been down once already to take Miss Riis her
hat, gloves and parasol.

Nordan. Is she going out?

Margit. I don't know, sir. (Goes out.)

Christensen. Dear me!

Riis. What does it mean? (Turns to go and fetch her.)

Nordan. No, no! Do not you go!

Mrs. Riis. I expect I had better go--

Riis. Yes, you go!

Nordan. No, I will go. I am afraid I am responsible for--. (As he goes)
I'll answer for it I will bring her back!

Christensen. Dear me!

Mrs. Christensen (getting up). I am afraid, my dear Mrs. Riis, we have
come at an inconvenient time for your daughter?

Riis. Ah, you must be lenient with her! I assure you it is these
high-flown ideas--this reading, that her mother has not been nearly firm
enough in keeping her from.

Mrs. Riis. I? What are you talking about?

Riis. I say that this is a very important moment! And at moments like
this one sees very clearly, very--well, that is what happens!

Christensen. Your husband, Mrs. Riis, has suddenly had the same sort of
revelation as our parson had lately--I should say, my wife's parson. It
was one day just after dinner--after an extremely good dinner, by the
way--a moment when a man often has very bright ideas. We w