He doesn’t belong to the town. A THIRD. I believe he’s a timber-dealer from—— [_The rest is inaudible._ ASLAKSEN. The man was evidently intoxicated.—Continue, Dr. Stockmann; but pray endeavour to be moderate. DR. STOCKMANN. Well, fellow citizens, I shall say no more about our leading men. If any one imagines, from what I have just said, that it’s these gentlemen I want to make short work of to-night, he is mistaken—altogether mistaken. For I cherish the comfortable conviction that these laggards, these relics of a decaying order of thought, are diligently cutting their own throats. They need no doctor to hasten their end. And it is not people of _that_ sort that constitute the real danger to society; it is not they who are most active in poisoning the sources of our spiritual life and making a plague-spot of the ground beneath our feet; it is not _they_ who are the most dangerous enemies of truth and freedom in our society. CRIES FROM ALL SIDES. Who, then? Who is it? Name, name! DR. STOCKMANN. Yes, you may be sure I shall name them! For _this_ is the great discovery I made yesterday: [_In a louder tone._] The most dangerous foe to truth and freedom in our midst is the compact majority. Yes, it’s the confounded, compact, liberal majority—that, and nothing else! There, I've told you. [_Immense disturbance in the room. Most of the audience are shouting, stamping, and whistling. Several elderly gentlemen exchange furtive glances and seem to be enjoying the scene._ MRS. STOCKMANN _rises in alarm._ EILIF _and_ MORTEN _advance threateningly towards the school-boys, who are making noises._ ASLAKSEN _rings the bell and calls for order._ HOVSTAD _and_ BILLING _both speak, but nothing can be heard. At last quiet is restored._ ASLAKSEN. I must request the speaker to withdraw his ill-considered expressions. DR. STOCKMANN. Never, Mr. Aslaksen! For it’s this very majority that robs me of my freedom, and wants to forbid me to speak the truth. HOVSTAD. The majority always has right on its side. BILLING. Yes, and truth too, strike me dead! DR. STOCKMANN. The majority never has right on its side. Never I say! That is one of the social lies that a free, thinking man is bound to rebel against. Who make up the majority in any given country? Is it the wise men or the fools? I think we must agree that the fools are in a terrible, overwhelming majority, all the wide world over. But how in the devil’s name can it ever be right for the fools to rule over the wise men? _Uproar and yells._