Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (183 page)

Bernick
(to himself)
: The “Indian Girl” — ?
(Quickly.)
Lona, you must prevent that!

Lona: You see for yourself, Karsten — I have no influence over him any longer.
(Follows JOHAN into the other room.)

Bernick
(a prey to uneasy thoughts)
: Go to the bottom — ?

(AUNE comes in from the right.)

Aune: Excuse me, sir, but if it is convenient —

Bernick
(turning round angrily)
: What do you want?

Aune: To know if I may ask you a question, sir.

Bernick: Be quick about it, then. What is it?

Aune: I wanted to ask if I am to consider it as certain — absolutely certain — that I should be dismissed from the yard if the “Indian Girl” were not ready to sail tomorrow?

Bernick: What do you mean? The ship is ready to sail?

Aune: Yes — it is. But suppose it were not, should I be discharged?

Bernick: What is the use of asking such idle questions?

Aune: Only that I should like to know, sir. Will you answer me that? — should I be discharged?

Bernick: Am I in the habit of keeping my word or not?

Aune: Then tomorrow I should have lost the position I hold in my house and among those near and dear to me — lost my influence over men of my own class — lost all opportunity of doing anything for the cause of the poorer and needier members of the community?

Bernick: Aune, we have discussed all that before.

Aune: Quite so — then the “Indian Girl” will sail.

(A short silence.)

Bernick: Look here — it is impossible for me to have my eyes everywhere — I cannot be answerable for everything. You can give me your assurance, I suppose, that the repairs have been satisfactorily carried out?

Aune: You gave me very short grace, Mr. Bernick.

Bernick: But I understand you to warrant the repairs?

Aune: The weather is fine, and it is summer.

(Another pause.)

Bernick: Have you anything else to say to me?

Aune: I think not, sir.

Bernick: Then — the “Indian Girl” will sail...

Aune: Tomorrow?

Bernick: Yes.

Aune: Very good. (Bows and goes out. BERNICK stands for a moment irresolute; then walks quickly towards the door, as if to call AUNE back; but stops, hesitatingly, with his hand on the door-handle. At that moment the door is opened from without, and KRAP comes in.)

Krap
(in a low voice)
: Aha, he has been here. Has he confessed?

Bernick: Hm — ; have you discovered anything?

Krap: What need of that, sir? Could you not see the evil conscience looking out of the man’s eyes?

Bernick: Nonsense — such things don’t show. Have you discovered anything, I want to know?

Krap: I could not manage it; I was too late. They had already begun hauling the ship out of the dock. But their very haste in doing that plainly shows that —

Bernick: It shows nothing. Has the inspection taken place, then?

Krap: Of course; but —

Bernick: There, you see! And of course they found nothing to complain of?

Krap: Mr. Bernick, you know very well how much this inspection means, especially in a yard that has such a good name as ours has.

Bernick: No matter — it takes all responsibility off us.

Krap: But, sir, could you really not tell from Aune’s manner that — ?

Bernick: Aune has completely reassured me, let me tell you.

Krap: And let me tell you, sir, that I am morally certain that —

Bernick: What does this mean, Krap? I see plainly enough that you want to get your knife into this man; but if you want to attack him, you must find some other occasion. You know how important it is to me — or, I should say, to the owners — that the “Indian Girl” should sail to-morrow.

Krap: Very well — so be it; but if ever we hear of that ship again — hm!

(VIGELAND comes in from the right.)

Vigeland: I wish you a very good morning, Mr. Bernick. Have you a moment to spare?

Bernick: At your service, Mr. Vigeland.

Vigeland: I only want to know if you are also of opinion that the “Palm Tree” should sail tomorrow?

Bernick: Certainly; I thought that was quite settled.

Vigeland: Well, the captain came to me just now and told me that storm signals have been hoisted.

Bernick: Oh! Are we to expect a storm?

Vigeland: A stiff breeze, at all events; but not a contrary wind — just the opposite.

Bernick: Hm — well, what do you say?

Vigeland: I say, as I said to the captain, that the “Palm Tree” is in the hands of Providence. Besides, they are only going across the North Sea at first; and in England, freights are running tolerably high just now, so that —

Bernick: Yes, it would probably mean a loss for us if we waited.

Vigeland: Besides, she is a stout ship, and fully insured as well. It is more risky, now, for the “Indian Girl” —

Bernick: What do you mean?

Vigeland: She sails tomorrow, too.

Bernick: Yes, the owners have been in such a hurry, and, besides —

Vigeland: Well, if that old hulk can venture out — and with such a crew, into the bargain — it would be a disgrace to us if we —

Bernick: Quite so. I presume you have the ship’s papers with you.

Vigeland: Yes, here they are.

Bernick: Good; then will you go in with Mr. Krap?

Krap: Will you come in here, sir, and we will dispose of them at once.

Vigeland: Thank you. — And the issue we leave in the hands of the Almighty, Mr. Bernick.
(Goes with KRAP into BERNICK’S room. RORLUND comes up from the garden.)

Rorlund: At home at this time of day, Mr. Bernick?

Bernick
(lost in thought)
: As you see.

Rorlund: It was really on your wife’s account I came. I thought she might be in need of a word of comfort.

Bernick: Very likely she is. But I want to have a little talk with you, too.

Rorlund: With the greatest of pleasure, Mr. Bernick. But what is the matter with you? You look quite pale and upset.

Bernick: Really? Do I? Well, what else could you expect — a man so loaded with responsibilities as I am? There is all my own big business — and now the planning of this railway. — But tell me something, Mr. Rorlund, let me put a question to you.

Rorlund: With pleasure, Mr. Bernick.

Bernick: It is about a thought that has occurred to me. Suppose a man is face to face with an undertaking which will concern the welfare of thousands, and suppose it should be necessary to make a sacrifice of one — ?

Rorlund: What do you mean?

Bernick: For example, suppose a man were thinking of starting a large factory. He knows for certain — because all his experience has taught him so — that sooner or later a toll of human life will be exacted in the working of that factory.

Rorlund: Yes, that is only too probable.

Bernick: Or, say a man embarks on a mining enterprise. He takes into his service fathers of families and young men in the first flush of their youth. Is it not quite safe to predict that all of them will not come out of it alive?

Rorlund: Yes, unhappily that is quite true.

Bernick: Well — a man in that position will know beforehand that the undertaking he proposes to start must undoubtedly, at some time or other, mean a loss of human life. But the undertaking itself is for the public good; for every man’s life that it costs, it will undoubtedly promote the welfare of many hundreds.

Rorlund: Ah, you are thinking of the railway — of all the dangerous excavating and blasting, and that sort of thing —

Bernick: Yes — quite so — I am thinking of the railway. And, besides, the coming of the railway will mean the starting of factories and mines. But do not think, nevertheless —

Rorlund: My dear Mr. Bernick, you are almost over-conscientious. What I think is that, if you place the affair in the hands of Providence —

Bernick: Yes — exactly; Providence —

Rorlund: You are blameless in the matter. Go on and build your railway hopefully.

Bernick: Yes, but now I will put a special instance to you. Suppose a charge of blasting-powder had to be exploded in a dangerous place, and that unless it were exploded the line could not be constructed? Suppose the engineer knew that it would cost the life of the workman who lit the fuse, but that it had to be lit, and that it was the engineer’s duty to send a workman to do it?

Rorlund: Hm —

Bernick: I know what you will say. It would be a splendid thing if the engineer took the match himself and went and lit the fuse. But that is out of the question, so he must sacrifice a workman.

Rorlund: That is a thing no engineer here would ever do.

Bernick: No engineer in the bigger countries would think twice about doing it.

Rorlund: In the bigger countries? No, I can quite believe it. In those depraved and unprincipled communities.

Bernick: Oh, there is a good deal to be said for those communities.

Rorlund: Can you say that? — you, who yourself —

Bernick: In the bigger communities a man finds space to carry out a valuable project — finds the courage to make some sacrifice in a great cause; but here, a man is cramped by all kinds of petty considerations and scruples.

Rorlund: Is human life a petty consideration?

Bernick: When that human life threatens the welfare of thousands.

Rorlund: But you are suggesting cases that are quite inconceivable, Mr. Bernick! I do not understand you at all today. And you quote the bigger countries — well, what do they think of human life there? They look upon it simply as part of the capital they have to use. But we look at things from a somewhat different moral standpoint, I should hope. Look at our respected shipping industry! Can you name a single one of our ship-owners who would sacrifice a human life for the sake of paltry gain? And then think of those scoundrels in the bigger countries, who for the sake of profit send out freights in one unseaworthy ship after another —

Bernick: I am not talking of unseaworthy ships!

Rorlund: But I am, Mr. Bernick.

Bernick: Yes, but to what purpose? They have nothing to do with the question — Oh, these small, timid considerations! If a General from this country were to take his men under fire and some of them were shot, I suppose he would have sleepless nights after it! It is not so in other countries. You should bear what that fellow in there says —

Rorlund: He? Who? The American — ?

Bernick: Yes. You should hear how in America —

Rorlund: He, in there? And you did not tell me? I shall at once —

Bernick: It is no use; you won’t be able to do anything with him.

Rorlund: We shall see. Ah, here he comes.
(JOHAN comes in from the other room.)

Johan
(talking back through the open door)
: Yes, yes, Dina — as you please; but I do not mean to give you up, all the same. I shall come back, and then everything will come right between us.

Rorlund: Excuse me, but what did you mean by that? What is it you propose to do?