Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 6).djvu/287

 Bernick.

The chief objection was that it would have conferred no benefit on the great mass of the community. Therefore I opposed it; and then the inland line was adopted.

Hilmar.

Yes, but that won't touch the towns about here.

Bernick.

It will touch our town, my dear Hilmar, for we are going to build a branch line.

Hilmar.

Aha; an entirely new idea, then?

Rummel.

Yes; a magnificent idea, isn't it?

Rörlund.

H'm

Vigeland.

It cannot be denied that Providence seems specially to have smoothed the way for a branch line.

Rörlund.

Do you really say so, Mr. Vigeland?

Bernick.

Yes, for my part, I cannot but regard it as a special guidance that sent me up country on business this spring, and led me by chance into a valley where I had never been before. It struck me like a flash of lightning that here was the very track for a branch line. I at once sent an engineer to inspect it; I have here the provisional