John. Yes, it is me, ma'am. He is so unwell.

Mrs. Evje. Is he! Heavens, it is one of his attacks! Help him, John!

Evje (as before). Don't you dare!

John (who has rung the bell loudly). I do hope you will moon be better,
sir! (Calls up to the window.) I can leave him now, ma'am! (To EVJE, as
he goes.) This has been a bit of luck, for me; but you shall have some
more of it! (Disappears into the fog as EVJE goes into his house. The
two Passers-by, that were seen at the beginning of the scene, are now
indistinctly seen returning along the street at the back.)

First Passer-by. Well, the land of Fogs used to be thought by the
ancients to lie in the north, where all confused ideas come from--

Second Passer-by (who does not seem to be able to get a word in). But,
listen to me for a moment-do you think it means--?

[Curtain]

ACT III

(SCENE.--A room in HALVDAN REJN's house. He is lying, supported on
pillows, on a sofa on the left-hand side of the room. There is a table
in the background, and another near the sofa. A lamp is hanging from the
ceiling, and another standing on the table at the back. HAAKON REJN, his
dress proclaiming him to be a well-to-do yeoman farmer, is sitting on a
chair by the sofa.)

Halvdan. So she couldn't come?

Haakon. No; there are the youngsters, you know--she finds it difficult
to get away.

Halvdan (after a moment's silence). Remember to thank her for all her
kindness to me. The happiest moments of my life have been those Sundays
and evenings that she and you and I spent together at your house. (A
pause.)

Haakon. She wanted very much to know how you were feeling--whether you,
who have suffered so much, are at peace now.

Halvdan. At peace? A man who has to die with all his work unfinished,
cannot easily root out all thoughts of that from his heart.

Haakon. You should try to lay in God's hands all that you have striven
for.

Halvdan. That is what I struggle daily to do. (A pause.)

Haakon. A sister of my wife's, who was a widow and badly off, died
leaving three young children. But she was glad to die. "Their Heavenly
Father will help them better when I am out of the way," she said. "I
took up too much room," she said; "I know I have often stood in their
way." (A pause.)

Halvdan. You tell that just as your wife would; she told me that story
once.

Haakon. I was to tell you from her that she believes you are to die in
order that what you have worked for may come to