Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 8).djvu/192

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Horster.

[Smiling]. Yes, I have.

Petra. You too!

Mrs. Stockmann. There, you see, Thomas.

Dr. Stockmann.

And for the truth's sake! Oh, if I could possibly have imagined such a thing——

Horster.

You mustn't be troubled about this; I shall soon find a berth with some other company, elsewhere.

Dr. Stockmann.

And this is that man Vik! A wealthy man, independent of every one! Faugh!

Horster.

Oh, for that matter, he's a very well-meaning man. He said himself he would gladly have kept me on if only he dared——

Dr. Stockmann. But he didn't dare? Of course not!

Horster. It's not so easy, he said, when you belong to a party——

Dr. Stockmann.

My gentleman has hit it there! A party is like a sausage-machine; it grinds all the brains together in one mash; and that's why we see nothing but porridge-heads and pulp-heads all around!