That’s easily said. After getting out of your class you can’t get into it again. They took the ground from under my feet, and shoved me out on the slippery ice—and then they abuse me because I stumble. FIELDBO. Well, far be it from me to judge you harshly—— ASLAKSEN. No; you have no right to.—What a queer jumble it is! Daniel Heire, and Providence, and the Chamberlain, and Destiny, and Circumstance—and I myself in the middle of it! I’ve often thought of unravelling it all and writing a book about it; but it’s so cursedly entangled that——[_Glances towards the door on the left._] Ah! They’re rising from table. [_The party, ladies and gentlemen, pass from the dining-room into the garden, in lively conversation. Among the guests is_ STENSGÅRD, _with_ THORA _on his left arm and_ SELMA _on his right. _FIELDBO _and_ ASLAKSEN _stand beside the door at the back._ STENSGÅRD. I don’t know my way here yet; you must tell me where I am to take you, ladies. SELMA. Out into the air; you must see the garden. STENSGÅRD. Oh, that will be delightful. [_They go out by the foremost glass door on the right._ FIELDBO. Why, by all that’s wonderful, there’s Stensgård! ASLAKSEN. It’s him I want to speak to. I’ve had a fine chase after him; fortunately I met Daniel Heire—— DANIEL HEIRE _and_ ERIK BRATSBERG _enter from the dining-room._ HEIRE. Hee-hee! Excellent sherry, upon my word. I’ve tasted nothing like it since I was in London. ERIK. Yes, it’s good, isn’t it? It puts life into you. HEIRE. Well, well—it’s a real pleasure to see one’s money so well spent. ERIK. How so? [_Laughing._] Oh, yes; I see, I see. [_They go into the garden._ FIELDBO. You want to speak to Stensgård, you say? ASLAKSEN. Yes. FIELDBO. On business? ASLAKSEN. Of course; the report of the fête—— FIELDBO. Well, then, you must wait out there in the meantime. ASLAKSEN. In the passage? FIELDBO. In the anteroom. This is scarcely the time or place—but the moment I see Stensgård alone, I’ll tell him—— ASLAKSEN. Very well; I’ll bide my time. [_Goes out by the back._