Now comes the point which may or may not be interpreted favourably—a risk which no man in our community could afford to incur, unless he had a spotless and honoured name to rely upon. LONA. Well? BERNICK. It is I who have bought up the whole. LONA. You? JOHAN. On your own account? BERNICK. On my own account. If the branch line is made, I am a millionaire; if not, I am ruined. LONA. This is a great risk, Karsten. BERNICK. I have staked all I possess upon the throw. LONA. I was not thinking of the money; but when it comes out that—— BERNICK. Yes, that is the great point. With the unblemished reputation I have hitherto borne, I can take the whole affair upon my shoulders and carry it through, saying to my fellow citizens, “See, this I have ventured for the good of the community!” LONA. Of the community? BERNICK. Yes; and not a soul will question my motives. LONA. Then there are some people, it seems, who have acted more openly than you, with no private interests, no ulterior designs. BERNICK. Who? LONA. Why, Rummel and Sandstad and Vigeland, of course. BERNICK. To make sure of their support, I had to let them into the secret. LONA. And they? BERNICK. They have stipulated for a fifth of the profits. LONA. Oh, these pillars of society! BERNICK. Can you not see that it is society itself that compels us to adopt these indirect courses? What would have happened if I had not acted secretly? Why, every one would have thrown himself into the undertaking, and the whole thing would have been broken up, frittered away, bungled, and ruined. There is not a single man here, except myself, that knows how to organise an enormous concern such as this will become; in this country the men of real business ability are almost all of foreign descent. That is why my conscience acquits me in this matter. Only in my hands can all this property be of permanent benefit to the many whose subsistence will depend upon it. LONA. I believe you are right there, Karsten. JOHAN. But I know nothing of “the many,” and my life’s happiness is at stake. BERNICK.