Have you considered that, if I plead guilty to the one thing, I plead guilty to the other as well? I can prove by our books, you say, that there was no embezzlement at all? But I cannot; our books were not so accurately kept in those days. And even if I could, what would be gained by it? Should I not figure, at best, as the man who, having once saved himself by falsehood, had let that falsehood, and all its consequences, run on for fifteen years, without taking a single step to retract it? You have forgotten what our society is, or you would know that that would crush me to the very dust. JOHAN. I can only repeat that I shall make Madam Dorf’s daughter my wife, and live with her here, in this town. BERNICK. [_Wipes the perspiration from his forehead._] Hear me, Johan—and you, too, Lona. My position at this moment is not an ordinary one. I am so situated, that if you strike this blow you destroy me utterly, and not only me, but also a great and golden future for the community which was, after all, the home of your childhood. JOHAN. And if I do not strike the blow, I destroy all that makes my own future of value to me. LONA. Go on, Karsten. BERNICK. Then listen. Everything turns upon this question of the railway, and that is not so simple as you think. Of course you have heard that last year there was some talk of a coast-line? It had many powerful advocates in the district, and especially in the press; but I succeeded in blocking it, because it would have injured our steamboat trade along the coast. LONA. Have you an interest in this steamboat trade? BERNICK. Yes; but no one dared to impugn my motives on that account. My spotless name was an ample safeguard. For that matter, I could have borne the loss; but the town could not. Then the inland line was determined on. As soon as the route was fixed, I assured myself secretly that a branch connection between it and the town was practicable. LONA. Why secretly, Karsten? BERNICK. Have you heard any talk of the great buying-up of forests, mines, and water-power? JOHAN. Yes, for a company in some other town—— BERNICK. As these properties now lie, they are as good as worthless to their scattered owners; so they have sold comparatively cheap. If the purchaser had waited until the branch line was known to be in contemplation, the vendors would have demanded fancy prices. LONA. Very likely; but what then? BERNICK.