CONSUL BERNICK. MRS. BERNICK, _his wife_. OLAF, _their son, a boy of thirteen_. MISS BERNICK [MARTHA], _the Consul’s sister_. JOHAN TÖNNESEN, _Mrs. Bernick’s younger brother_. MISS HESSEL [LONA], _her elder step-sister_. HILMAR TÖNNESEN, _Mrs. Bernick’s cousin_. DOCTOR RÖRLUND, _a schoolmaster_. RUMMEL, } VIGELAND, } _Merchants_. SANDSTAD, } DINA DORF, _a young girl living in the Consul’s house_. KRAP, _the Consul’s chief clerk_. AUNE, _a foreman shipbuilder_. MRS. RUMMEL. MRS. POSTMASTER HOLT. MRS. DOCTOR LYNGE. MISS RUMMEL. MISS HOLT. _Townspeople and others, foreign sailors, steamboat passengers, etc._ _The action takes place in Consul Bernick’s house, in a small Norwegian seaport._ _Pronunciation of Names_: Rörlund = Rörloond; Dina = Deena; Rummel = Roomel; Vigeland = Veeghëland; Aune = Ownë; Lynge = Lynghë. The modified “ö” is pronounced much as in German. PILLARS OF SOCIETY. ------- ACT FIRST. _A spacious garden-room in_ CONSUL BERNICK’S _house. In front, to the left, a door lends into the Consul’s office; farther back, in the same wall, a similar door. In the middle of the opposite wall is a large entrance door. The back wall is almost entirely composed of plate-glass, with an open doorway leading to a broad flight of steps,[23] over which a sun-shade is let down. Beyond the steps a part of the garden can be seen, enclosed by a railing with a little gate. Beyond the railing, and running parallel with it, is a street of small, brightly painted wooden houses. It is summer, and the sun shines warmly. Now and then people pass along the street: they stop and speak to each other: customers come and go at the little corner shop, and so forth._ _In the garden-room a number of ladies are gathered round a table. At the head of the table sits_ MRS. BERNICK. _On her left sit_ MRS. HOLT _and her daughter; next to them,_ MRS. _and_ MISS RUMMEL. _On_ MRS. BERNICK’S _right sit_ MRS. LYNGE, MISS BERNICK (MARTHA), _and_ DINA DORF. _All the ladies are busy sewing. On the table lie large heaps of half-finished and cut-out linen, and other articles of clothing. Farther back, at a little table on which are two flower-pots and a glass of_ eau sucré, _sits_ DOCTOR RÖRLUND, _reading from a book with gilt edges, a word here and there being heard by the audience. Out in the garden_ OLAF BERNICK _is running about, shooting at marks with a crossbow._