Yes; it forms a refreshing contrast to what we unhappily see every day, both in newspapers and magazines. The rouged and gilded exterior flaunted by the great communities—what does it really conceal? Hollowness and rottenness, if I may say so. They have no moral foundation under their feet. In one word—they are whited sepulchres, these great communities of the modern world. MRS. HOLT. Too true! too true! MRS. RUMMEL. We have only to look at the crew of the American ship that’s lying here. RÖRLUND. Oh, I won’t speak of such scum of humanity. But even in the higher classes—how do matters stand? Doubt and fermenting unrest on every side; the soul at war with itself; insecurity in every relation of life. See how the family is undermined!—how a brazen spirit of subversion is assailing the most vital truths! DINA. [_Without looking up._] But many great things are done there too, are they not? RÖRLUND. Great things——? I don’t understand—— MRS. HOLT. [_Astonished._] Good heavens, Dina——! MRS. RUMMEL. [_At the same time._] Oh, Dina, how can you? RÖRLUND. It would scarcely be for our good if such “great things” came into fashion among us. No; we ought to thank God that our lot is ordered as it is. A tare, alas! will now and then spring up among the wheat; but we honestly do our best to weed it out. The great point, ladies, is to keep society pure—to exclude from it all the questionable elements which an impatient age would force upon us. MRS. HOLT. Ah, there’s more than enough of that sort of thing, unfortunately. MRS. RUMMEL. Yes; last year we only escaped the railway by a hair’s-breadth. MRS. BERNICK. Karsten managed to put a stop to that. RÖRLUND. Providentially, Mrs. Bernick! You may be sure your husband was an instrument in a higher hand when he refused to support that scheme. MRS. BERNICK. And yet the papers said such horrid things about him! But we are quite forgetting to thank you, my dear Doctor. It is really more than kind of you to sacrifice so much of your time to us. RÖRLUND. Oh, not at all; in holiday-time, you know—— MRS. BERNICK. Yes, yes; but it’s a sacrifice, nevertheless. RÖRLUND.