BERNICK. There are rumours abroad of great purchases of property along the projected line. This property I have bought—all of it—I alone. SUPPRESSED VOICES. What does he say? The Consul? Consul Bernick? BERNICK. It is for the present in my hands. Of course, I have confided in my fellow workers, Messrs. Rummel, Vigeland, and Sandstad, and we have agreed to—— RUMMEL. It’s not true! Prove!—prove——! VIGELAND. We have not agreed to anything! SANDSTAD. Well, I must say—— BERNICK. Quite right; we have not yet agreed on what I was about to mention. But I am confident that these three gentlemen will acquiesce when I say that I have this evening determined to form a joint-stock company for the exploitation of these properties; whoever will can have shares in it. MANY VOICES. Hurrah! Long live Consul Bernick! RUMMEL. [_Aside to_ BERNICK.] Such base treachery——! SANDSTAD. [_Likewise._] Then you’ve been fooling us——! VIGELAND. Why then, devil take——! Oh, Lord, what am I saying! THE CROWD. [_Outside._] Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! BERNICK. Silence, gentlemen. I have no right to this homage; for what I have now determined was not my original intention. My intention was to retain the whole myself; and I am still of opinion that the property can be most profitably worked if it remains in the control of one man. But it is for the shareholders to choose. If they wish it, I am willing to manage it for them to the best of my ability. VOICES. Yes, yes, yes! BERNICK. But, first, my fellow citizens must know me to the core. Then let every one look into his own heart, and let us realise the prediction that from this evening we begin a new era. The old, with its tinsel, its hypocrisy and hollowness, its sham propriety, and its despicable cowardice, shall lie behind us like a museum, open for instruction; and to this museum we will present—will we not, gentlemen?—the coffee service, and the goblet, and the album, and the family devotions on vellum and luxuriously bound. RUMMEL. Yes, of course. VIGELAND. [_Mutters._] When you’ve taken all the rest, why—— SANDSTAD. As you please. BERNICK. And now to come to the chief point in my settlement with society. It has been said that elements of evil have left us this evening. I can add what you do not know: the man thus alluded to did not go alone; with him went, to become his wife——