n. Why?

Mrs. Riis. Because all confidence is destroyed.

Nordan. More so now than before?

Mrs. Riis. Yes. I will confess that up to the moment. When Alfred's word
of honour was offered yesterday--up to the moment when he demanded that
his word of honour should be believed--I did not recognise the fact that
it was my own story over again. But it was--word for word my own story!
That was just the way we began; who will vouch for it that the sequel
would not be the same as in our case?

Christensen. My son's character will vouch for that, Mrs. Riis!

Mrs. Riis. Character? A nice sort of character a man is likely to
develop who indulges in secret and illicit courses from his boyhood!
That is the very way faithlessness is bred. If any one wants to know the
reason why character is such a rare thing, I think they will find the
answer in that.

Christensen. A man's youth is by no means the test of his life. That
depends on his marriage.

Mrs. Riis. And why should a man's faithlessness disappear when he is
married? Can you tell me that?

Christensen. Because then he loves, of course.

Mrs. Riis. Because he loves? But do you mean that he has not loved
before then? How absolutely you men have blinded yourselves!--No, love
is not the least likely to be lasting when the will is vitiated. And
that is what it is--vitiated by the life a bachelor leads.

Christensen. And yet I know plenty of sensual men who have strong wills.

Mrs. Riis. I am not speaking of strength of will, but of purity,
faithfulness, nobility of will.

Christensen. Well, if my son is to be judged by any such nonsensical
standard as that, I am devoutly thankful he has got out of the whole
thing before it became serious--indeed I am! Now we have had enough of
this. (Prepares to go.)

Mrs. Riis. As far as your son is concerned--. (Turns to NORDAN.) Doctor,
answer me this, so that his father may hear it before he goes. When you
refused to go with us to the betrothal party, had you already heard some
thing about Alfred Christensen? Was what you had heard of such a nature
that you felt you could not trust him?

Nordan (after a moment's thought). Not altogether, certainly.

Mrs. Riis (to CHRISTENSEN). There, you hear!--But will you let me ask
you this, doctor: why did you not say so? Good God, why did you not
speak?

Nordan. Listen to me, Mrs. Riis. When two young people, who after all
are suited to one another--for they are that, are they not?

Chr