Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 6).djvu/259

 Aune.

Indeed? I sort of thought my free time was my own to

Krap.

Not to make the men useless in work-time. Last Saturday you must needs hold forth about the harm that will be done to the workmen by our machines and new method of work. What makes you do that?

Aune.

I do it to support society.

Krap.

That's an odd notion! The Consul says you are undermining society.

Aune.

My "society" is not the Consul's "society," Mr. Krap! Seeing as I'm the foreman of the Industrial Society, I have to

Krap.

Your first duty is as foreman of Consul Bernick's shipyard. Your first duty is to the society called Bernick & Co., for by it we all live.—Well, now you know what the Consul wanted to say to you.

Aune.

The Consul wouldn't have said it like that, Mr. Krap! But I know well enough what I've got to thank for this. It's that cursed American that has put in for repairs. These people think work can be done here as they do it over there, and that

Krap.

Well, well—I have no time to go into generalities. I have told you the Consul's wishes, and