Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 6).djvu/53

 Stensgård.

Listen to me, my glad-hearted brothers and sisters! Hear me, all you who have in your souls—though it may not reach your lips—the exultant song of the day, the day of our freedom! I am a stranger among you

Aslaksen.

No!

Stensgård.

Thanks for that "No!" I take it as the utterance of a longing, an aspiration. A stranger I am, however; but this I swear, that I come among you with a great and open-hearted sympathy for your sorrows and your joys, your victories and defeats. If it lay in my power

Aslaksen.

It does, it does!

Lundestad.

No interruptions! You have no right to speak.

Stensgård.

You still less! I abolish the Committee! Freedom on the day of freedom, boys!

The Young Men.

Hurrah for freedom!

Stensgård.

They deny you the right of speech! You hear it—they want to gag you! Away with this tyranny! I won't stand here declaiming to a flock of dumb animals. I will talk; but you shall talk too. We will talk to each other, from the heart!