ut yourself to-day?" Haakon asked. Then I suppose
there is something about me in it to-day. (Puts his hand over his
heart.) My heart doesn't seem to be beating any the faster for my
knowing that. (Gets half up.) There it lies! (Sinks back again.) No, I
am only trying to tempt myself. All the same, I should like to know how
many stations I have passed on my journey to the great City of
Peace! Can their malice affect me still? Surely I have passed _that_
station?--It would be worth trying, to see. There it lies! (Takes up
a stick that is standing by the sofa.) Surely I can get over there by
myself? (Gets up from the sofa with the help of the stick, and smiles.)
I have not much strength left. (Takes a few steps.) Scarcely enough
to get across the floor. (A few more steps.) To think that I should
have--so much vanity--my weak point--. (His breath fails him, but he
gets as far as the chair on which EVJE was sitting, and sits down.) One
ought to have done with all that before the soul can get quite away from
the dust that--. (Begins to rake the paper towards him with his stick.)
And here am I, sitting here raking more of it towards me!--No, let the
thing lie! I won't soil my wings any more.--Poor Harald! He has to
take up the burden now! What a horrible bungle it is, that we should
be brought into the world to give each other as much pain as possible!
(Decidedly.) Well, I am going to see what legacy of unhappiness I
am leaving him! I want to have a vivid impression of the misery I am
escaping from. There is a certain comfort even in that. (Bends down and
picks up the paper, rests for a moment, and then unfolds the paper.) But
this is not to-day's paper; it is dated for to-morrow! How can Evje have
got hold of it? Yes, here is the date--Sunday. "Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath Day!" On that day men's souls should turn to God--and
they offer Him _this_! It is after reading _this_ that these fine ladies
and gentlemen go to church! (Pushes the paper away from him.) Suppose
these "Christians" were to be brought to judgment one day without
warning?--Let us think of ourselves and not of others! (Lets his eye
rest on the paper.) Does that mean me? (Reads.) "Not yet actually dead,
but already canonised by a calculating brother--." (Checks himself.)
God forgive them! (Reads on.) "His teachings will no doubt obtain him
a paean of praise, but this will be--or, at least, so it is to be
hoped--from within the closely locked doors of