The Doctor. Well, at all events, you have me.

Evje. Would you really be willing to--? Do you mean it? (Grasps his
hand.)

The Doctor. Of course I will! He can't eat me!

Mrs. Evje. How good you are! Of course you only need tell him--what is
quite true--that my husband would never be able to bear it! He, who all
these years--

Evje.--have put up with an incredible amount for his sake, both from
himself and from others!

Mrs. Evje. Yes, that is true! And now you will go, dear friend--our only
friend!--and talk to him quite amicably and sensibly, won't you?

Evje. But don't delay! He is so hot-headed that we must find him
before--

The Doctor. Oh, I will find him; he is always about the town.

Evje. And tell him--ask him--

The Doctor. Oh, I know what to say to him.

Mrs. Evje. That is right!

Evje. Thank you! I shall never forget how, at a moment when everything
threatened to overwhelm me, you were the only one to stand by me! Ah, I
feel as if a load had fallen off my shoulders! I feel all at once quite
happy again!

The Doctor. That's right. You pull yourself together! I will see to
everything else.

Evje. Thanks, thanks! But make haste!

The Doctor. I am off! My hat? (Turns, and sees HARALD, and says to
himself.) A-ha! He looks as if he had had about enough of this. It would
have been a joke to--

Evje. Oh, do make haste, my friend!

The Doctor. Yes, yes--if only I could find my hat.

Mrs. Evje. It is on the table.

The Doctor. So it is!

Evje. Good luck to you!

Mrs. Evje. And do it very tactfully!

The Doctor (meaningly). And I hope you three will enjoy yourselves!
(Goes out.)

Evje. What a morning!

Mrs. Evje. We, who have always endeavoured to take everything quietly
and indulgently--

Evje. Yes, and to conduct our family affairs peaceably and
affectionately! (Jumps up and turns to HARALD.) The whole thing is
_your_ fault!

Mrs. Evje. Yes, it is Harald's fault! From the day this unfortunate
engagement came about, we have scarcely had a moment's peace here.

Evje. No, no, that is not the case! We must be reasonable. At first,
when Mr. Rejn had a fine future before him, when people vied with one
another to catch him, then the engagement was an honour to us as well
as to our daughter. But from the moment he took up these wretched
politics--that is to say, from the time his brother fell ill--well, he
can see for himself what the result has been to us!

Mrs. Evje. And he certainly