Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 6).djvu/385

 Rörlund.

My dear Consul, you are almost too scrupulous. If you place the affair in the hands of Providence

Bernick.

Yes; yes, of course; Providence

Rörlund.

you can have nothing to reproach yourself with. Go on and prosper with the railway

Bernick.

Yes, but let us take a peculiar case. Let us suppose a blasting has to be made at a dangerous place; and unless it is carried out, the railway will come to a standstill. Suppose the engineer knows that it will cost the life of the workman who fires the fuse; but fired it must be, and it is the engineer's duty to send a workman to do it.

Rörlund.

H'm

Bernick.

I know what you will say: It would be heroic if the engineer himself took the match and went and fired the fuse. But no one does such things. So he must sacrifice a workman.

Rörlund.

No engineer among us would ever do that.

Bernick

No engineer in the great nations would think twice about doing it.