s what I cannot help liking about
Jacob Engstrand: he comes to you so helplessly, accusing himself and
confessing his own weakness. The last time he was talking to me--Believe
me, Mrs. Alving, supposing it were a real necessity for him to have
Regina home again--

MRS. ALVING. [Rising hastily.] Regina!

MANDERS.--you must not set yourself against it.

MRS. ALVING. Indeed I shall set myself against it. And besides--Regina
is to have a position in the Orphanage.

MANDERS. But, after all, remember he is her father--

MRS. ALVING. Oh, I know very well what sort of a father he has been to
her. No! She shall never go to him with my goodwill.

MANDERS. [Rising.] My dear lady, don't take the matter so warmly. You
sadly misjudge poor Engstrand. You seem to be quite terrified--

MRS. ALVING. [More quietly.] It makes no difference. I have taken Regina
into my house, and there she shall stay. [Listens.] Hush, my dear Mr.
Manders; say no more about it. [Her face lights up with gladness.]
Listen! there is Oswald coming downstairs. Now we'll think of no one but
him.

[OSWALD ALVING, in a light overcoat, hat in hand, and smoking a large
meerschaum, enters by the door on the left; he stops in the doorway.]

OSWALD. Oh, I beg your pardon; I thought you were in the study. [Comes
forward.] Good-morning, Pastor Manders.

MANDERS. [Staring.] Ah--! How strange--!

MRS. ALVING. Well now, what do you think of him, Mr. Manders?

MANDERS. I--I--can it really be--?

OSWALD. Yes, it's really the Prodigal Son, sir.

MANDERS. [Protesting.] My dear young friend--

OSWALD. Well, then, the Lost Sheep Found.

MRS. ALVING. Oswald is thinking of the time when you were so much
opposed to his becoming a painter.

MANDERS. To our human eyes many a step seems dubious, which afterwards
proves--[Wrings his hand.] But first of all, welcome, welcome home! Do
not think, my dear Oswald--I suppose I may call you by your Christian
name?

OSWALD. What else should you call me?

MANDERS. Very good. What I wanted to say was this, my dear Oswald you
must not think that I utterly condemn the artist's calling. I have no
doubt there are many who can keep their inner self unharmed in that
profession, as in any other.

OSWALD. Let us hope so.

MRS. ALVING. [Beaming with delight.] I know one who has kept both his
inner and his outer self unharmed. Just look at him, Mr. Manders.

OSWALD. [Moves restlessly about the room.] Yes, yes, my dear mother;
let