and. I have
come at an inopportune moment with my complaints of John? You have all
got something more serious on your minds?

Mrs. Evje. Yes, we have had it out, as we agreed yesterday.

The Doctor. You must forgive me, my dear Rejn, for having told my old
friends the whole truth yesterday. She (pointing to MRS. EVJE) was an
old playfellow of mine, and her husband and I have been friends from
boyhood; so we have no secrets from each other. And Gertrud's condition
makes me very uneasy.

Harald. Why have you never told me that before?

The Doctor. Goodness knows I have often enough given her parents hints
that she was not well; but they have only made up their minds that her
happiness in her engagement would quite cure her. They are a considerate
couple, these two dear people, you know; they didn't want to seem
interfering.

Harald. Their consideration--which I appreciate and have lately had
constant reason to be grateful for--has all at once become a more
powerful weapon than open opposition. It makes a duty of what I should
otherwise have felt to be unfair coercion. But now the situation is such
that I can neither go forward nor back. After what I have gone through,
you must see that I cannot withdraw on the very eve of the election--and
after the election it will be too late. On the other hand--(with
emotion)--I cannot, I dare not, go on with it if it is to cost me--.
(Breaks off.)

Evje (standing in front of the fire). There, there! Take time to think
it over, my dear boy; talk it over with her and with your brother.

The Doctor (who has sat down on a chair to the left, a little away from
the others). I have just been to see your brother. A remarkable man! But
do you know what occurred to me as I sat there? He is dying because he
_is_ a man. The only people that are fit for political life nowadays are
those whose hearts have been turned to stone. (Picks up something from
the table and gets up.) Ah, just look here! Here is a fine specimen
of petrifaction. It is a fragment of palm leaf of some kind, found
impressed in a bit of rock from Spitzbergen. I sent it you myself, so
I know it. That is what you have to be like to withstand arctic
storms!--it will take to harm. But your brother--well, his life had been
like that of the original palm tree, with the air sighing through its
branches; the change of climate was too sudden for him. (Goes up to
HARALD.) You have still to try it. Shall you be able to kill all the