_I_ forbid it—_I_, your chief; and when I issue an order, you have simply to obey. DR. STOCKMANN. [_Controlling himself._] Upon my word, Peter, if you weren’t my brother—— PETRA. [_Tears open the door._] Father, you shan’t submit to this! MRS. STOCKMANN. [_Following her._] Petra, Petra! BURGOMASTER. Ah! So we have been listening! MRS. STOCKMANN. The partition is so thin, we couldn’t help—— PETRA. I stood and listened on purpose. BURGOMASTER. Well, on the whole, I am not sorry—— DR. STOCKMANN. [_Coming nearer to him._] You spoke to me of forbidding and obeying—— BURGOMASTER. You have forced me to adopt that tone. DR. STOCKMANN. And am I to give myself the lie, in a public declaration? BURGOMASTER. We consider it absolutely necessary that you should issue a statement in the terms indicated. DR. STOCKMANN. And if I do not obey? BURGOMASTER. Then we shall ourselves put forth a statement to reassure the public. DR. STOCKMANN. Well and good; then I shall write against you. I shall stick to my point and prove that _I_ am right, and you wrong. And what will you do then? BURGOMASTER. Then I shall be unable to prevent your dismissal. DR. STOCKMANN. What——! PETRA. Father! Dismissal! MRS. STOCKMANN. Dismissal! BURGOMASTER. Your dismissal from the Baths. I shall be compelled to move that notice be given you at once, and that you have henceforth no connection whatever with the Baths. DR. STOCKMANN. You would dare to do that! BURGOMASTER. It is you who are playing the daring game. PETRA. Uncle, this is a shameful way to treat a man like father! MRS. STOCKMANN. Do be quiet, Petra! BURGOMASTER. [_Looking at PETRA._] Aha! We have opinions of our own already, eh? To be sure, to be sure! [_To MRS. STOCKMANN._] Sister-in-law, you are presumably the most rational member of this household. Use all your influence with your husband; try to make him realise what all this will involve both for his family—— DR. STOCKMANN. My family concerns myself alone! BURGOMASTER. ——both for his family, I say, and for the town he lives in. DR. STOCKMANN.