Mrs. Riis. Yes. I will confess that up to the moment. When Alfred's word of honour was offered yesterday--up to the moment when he demanded that his word of honour should be believed--I did not recognise the fact that it was my own story over again. But it was--word for word my own story! That was just the way we began; who will vouch for it that the sequel would not be the same as in our case? Christensen. My son's character will vouch for that, Mrs. Riis! Mrs. Riis. Character? A nice sort of character a man is likely to develop who indulges in secret and illicit courses from his boyhood! That is the very way faithlessness is bred. If any one wants to know the reason why character is such a rare thing, I think they will find the answer in that. Christensen. A man's youth is by no means the test of his life. That depends on his marriage. Mrs. Riis. And why should a man's faithlessness disappear when he is married? Can you tell me that? Christensen. Because then he loves, of course. Mrs. Riis. Because he loves? But do you mean that he has not loved before then? How absolutely you men have blinded yourselves!--No, love is not the least likely to be lasting when the will is vitiated. And that is what it is--vitiated by the life a bachelor leads. Christensen. And yet I know plenty of sensual men who have strong wills. Mrs. Riis. I am not speaking of strength of will, but of purity, faithfulness, nobility of will. Christensen. Well, if my son is to be judged by any such nonsensical standard as that, I am devoutly thankful he has got out of the whole thing before it became serious--indeed I am! Now we have had enough of this. (Prepares to go.) Mrs. Riis. As far as your son is concerned--. (Turns to NORDAN.) Doctor, answer me this, so that his father may hear it before he goes. When you refused to go with us to the betrothal party, had you already heard some thing about Alfred Christensen? Was what you had heard of such a nature that you felt you could not trust him? Nordan (after a moment's thought). Not altogether, certainly. Mrs. Riis (to CHRISTENSEN). There, you hear!--But will you let me ask you this, doctor: why did you not say so? Good God, why did you not speak? Nordan. Listen to me, Mrs. Riis. When two young people, who after all are suited to one another--for they are that, are they not? Christensen. They are that, I admit. Nordan. When all of a sudden they fall madly in love with one another, what are you to do? Christensen. Oh, rake up all sorts of stories and exaggerations--create a scandal! Nordan. Indeed, I must confess--what as a matter of fact I have said--that I have become accustomed to things not being exactly as they should be in that respect. I looked upon these young people's engagement in the same light as I have looked on others--on most others--that is cruel to say, as a lottery. It might turn out well; on the other hand it might turn out very badly.