ying for things!--of revenge!

The Editor. You shall pay for it, I tell you!

Evje. You are absolutely mad!--Poof! I am sweating as if it were the dog
days! (Changes his tone.) Think of the time when we used to go to school
together--when you never could go to bed without first coming to thank
me for the jolly times we were having together!

The Editor. None of that nonsense! I am accustomed to be hated,
despised, spit upon, scourged; if any one speaks kindly to me, I do not
trust them!

Evje. You must trust me!

The Editor. No--and, besides, I observed very clearly to-day that you
had counted on having me in reserve if ever you got into a scrape.

Evje. Well, who doesn't count on his friends? Doesn't every one take
them into his reckoning?

The Editor. I don't; I have no friends.

Evje. Haven't you me? Do you think I would leave you in the lurch?

The Editor. That is hypocrisy! At times when I have needed it, the very
last thing you have thought of has been to give me any help!

Evje. Have I not helped you?

The Editor. That is hypocrisy, too-to pretend you think I am speaking
of money. No; when I have been accused of being dishonourable--of
lying--you, the "old schoolfellow," the "old friend," the "neighbour,"
have never once had the courage to come forward on my behalf.

Evje. I never meddle with politics.

The Editor (with rising temper). More hypocrisy! Another of your damned
evasions!

Evje. Hush, hush, hush!

The Editor. You try to excuse yourself with a lie! You are doubly a
traitor!--And then you expect me to have compassion on you!

Evje. As sure as I stand here, I have never thought of deserting you,
however bad things were.

The Editor. And you have the face to take credit to yourself for that?
It is all calculation from beginning to end! You thought it would be the
best way of making me remember your loyalty, and reward you for it.

Evje. This is abominable!

The Editor. Oh, you are cunning enough! You represent wealth of another
kind, which at first was not entirely irreproachably come by--

Evje. There you go again!

The Editor.--and want to give it the cachet of good society; so you take
care to keep friends with a newspaper that may be able to give you a
helping hand in gaining what you want. Can you deny it?

Evje. There may be a slight tinge of calculation even in our highest
purposes. But the misfortune about you is that you can see nothing but
the calculation, though it m