Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 6).djvu/425

 *theless, you steadily pursue your undertaking, well knowing that a patriotic citizen must not be exclusively concerned with the interests of his own parish.

Different Voices.

H'm! No, no! Yes, yes!

Rörlund.

We have assembled, then, this evening to do homage, in your person, to the ideal citizen—the model of all the civic virtues. May your enterprise contribute to the true and lasting welfare of this community! The railway is, no doubt, an institution by means of which elements of evil may be imported from without, but it is also an institution that enables us to get quickly rid of them. From elements of evil from without we cannot even now keep ourselves quite free. But if, as I hear, we have, just on this auspicious evening, been unexpectedly relieved of certain elements of this nature

Voices.

Sh, sh!

Rörlund.

I accept the fact as a good omen for the undertaking. If I touch upon this point here, it is because we know ourselves to be in a house where family ties are subordinated to the ethical ideal.

Voices.

Hear, hear! Bravo!

Bernick.

[At the same tune.] Permit me