[_Snapping his fingers and springing down from the table._] Now I have it! Now I have it, on my soul! You shall never set foot in school again! THE BOYS. Never go to school! MRS. STOCKMANN. Why, Thomas—— DR. STOCKMANN. Never, I say! I shall teach you myself—that’s to say, I won’t teach you any mortal thing—— MORTEN. Hurrah! DR. STOCKMANN. ——but I shall help you to grow into free, high-minded men.—Look here, you’ll have to help me, Petra. PETRA. Yes, father, you may be sure I will. DR. STOCKMANN. And we’ll have our school in the room where they reviled me as an enemy of the people. But we must have more pupils. I must have at least a dozen boys to begin with. MRS. STOCKMANN. You’ll never get them in this town. DR. STOCKMANN. We shall see. [_To the boys._] Don’t you know any street urchins—any regular ragamuffins——? MORTEN. Yes, father, I know lots! DR. STOCKMANN. That’s all right; bring me a few of them. I shall experiment with the street-curs for once in a way; there are sometimes excellent heads amongst them. MORTEN. But what are we to do when we’ve grown into free and high-minded men? DR. STOCKMANN. Drive all the wolves out to the far west, boys! [EILIF _looks rather doubtful;_ MORTEN _jumps about shouting “Hurrah!”_ MRS. STOCKMANN. If only the wolves don’t drive you out, Thomas. DR. STOCKMANN. Are you quite mad, Katrina! _Drive me out!_ Now that I am the strongest man in the town? MRS. STOCKMANN. The strongest—now? DR. STOCKMANN. Yes, I venture to say this: that now I am one of the strongest men in the whole world. MORTEN. I say, what fun! DR. STOCKMANN. [_In a subdued voice._] Hush; you mustn’t speak about it yet; but I have made a great discovery. MRS. STOCKMANN. What, another? DR. STOCKMANN. Yes, of course! [_Gathers them about him, and speaks confidentially._] This is what I have discovered, you see: the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone. MRS. STOCKMANN. [_Shakes her head, smiling._] Ah, Thomas dear——! PETRA. [_Grasping his hands cheerily._] Father! ----- Footnote 13: