[_Turns round in terror._] Are you after me here, too? ENGSTRAND. Yes, strike me dead, but I must——! Oh, Lord! what am I saying? But this is a terrible ugly business, your Reverence. MANDERS. [_Walks to and fro._] Alas! alas! REGINA. What’s the matter? ENGSTRAND. Why, it all came of this here prayer-meeting, you see. [_Softly._] The bird’s limed, my girl. [_Aloud._] And to think it should be _my_ doing that such a thing should be his Reverence’s doing! MANDERS. But I assure you, Engstrand—— ENGSTRAND. There wasn’t another soul except your Reverence as ever laid a finger on the candles down there. MANDERS. [_Stops._] So you declare. But I certainly cannot recollect that I ever had a candle in my hand. ENGSTRAND. And I _saw_ as clear as daylight how your Reverence took the candle and snuffed it with your fingers, and threw away the snuff among the shavings. MANDERS. And you stood and looked on? ENGSTRAND. Yes; I saw it as plain as a pike-staff, I did. MANDERS. It’s quite beyond my comprehension. Besides, it has never been my habit to snuff candles with my fingers. ENGSTRAND. And terrible risky it looked, too, that it did! But is there such a deal of harm done after all, your Reverence? MANDERS. [_Walks restlessly to and fro._] Oh, don’t ask me! ENGSTRAND. [_Walks with him._] And your Reverence hadn’t insured it, neither? MANDERS. [_Continuing to walk up and down._] No, no, no; I have told you so. ENGSTRAND. [_Following him._] Not insured! And then to go straight away down and set light to the whole thing! Lord, Lord, what a misfortune! MANDERS. [_Wipes the sweat from his forehead._] Ay, you may well say that, Engstrand. ENGSTRAND. And to think that such a thing should happen to a benevolent Institution, that was to have been a blessing both to town and country, as the saying goes! The newspapers won’t be for handling your Reverence very gently, I expect. MANDERS. No; that is just what I am thinking of. That is almost the worst of the whole matter. All the malignant attacks and imputations——! Oh, it makes me shudder to think of it! MRS. ALVING. [_Comes in from the garden._] He is not to be persuaded to leave the fire. MANDERS. Ah, there you are, Mrs. Alving. MRS. ALVING.