MANDERS. We must stand by Engstrand and his Sailors’
Home. Regina must go to him and help him—
REGINA. No thank you, sir.
MANDERS. [Noticing her for the first tine.] What—?
You here? And with a glass in your hand!
REGINA. [Hastily putting the glass down.] Pardon!
OSWALD. Regina is going with me, Mr. Manders.
MANDERS. Going! With you!
OSWALD. Yes; as my wife—if she wishes
it.
MANDERS. But, merciful God—!
REGINA. I can’t help it, sir.
OSWALD. Or she’ll stay here, if I stay.
REGINA. [Involuntarily.] Here!
MANDERS. I am thunderstruck at your conduct,
Mrs. Alving.
MRS. ALVING. They will do neither one thing nor
the other; for now
I can speak out plainly.
MANDERS. You surely will not do that! No,
no, no!
MRS. ALVING. Yes, I can speak and I will.
And no ideals shall suffer after all.
OSWALD. Mother—what is it you are
hiding from me?
REGINA. [Listening.] Oh, ma’am, listen!
Don’t you hear shouts outside. [She goes into
the conservatory and looks out.]
OSWALD. [At the window on the left.] What’s
going on? Where does that light come from?
REGINA. [Cries out.] The Orphanage is on fire!
MRS. ALVING. [Rushing to the window.] On fire!
MANDERS. On fire! Impossible! I’ve
just come from there.
OSWALD. Where’s my hat? Oh, never
mind it—Father’s Orphanage—!
[He rushes out through the garden door.]
MRS. ALVING. My shawl, Regina! The whole
place is in a blaze!
MANDERS. Terrible! Mrs. Alving, it is a
judgment upon this abode of lawlessness.
MRS. ALVING. Yes, of course. Come, Regina.
[She and REGINA hasten out through the hall.]
MANDERS. [Clasps his hands together.] And we left
it uninsured! [He goes out the same way.]
[The room as before. All the doors stand open.
The lamp is still burning on the table. It is
dark out of doors; there is only a faint glow from
the conflagration in the background to the left.]
[MRS. ALVING, with a shawl over her head, stands in
the conservatory, looking out. REGINA, also with
a shawl on, stands a little behind her.]
MRS. ALVING. The whole thing burnt!—burnt
to the ground!
REGINA. The basement is still burning.
MRS. ALVING. How is it Oswald doesn’t come
home? There’s nothing to be saved.
REGINA. Should you like me to take down his hat
to him?
MRS. ALVING. Has he not even got his hat on?
REGINA. [Pointing to the hall.] No; there it hangs.
MRS. ALVING. Let it be. He must come up
now. I shall go and look for him myself. [She
goes out through the garden door.]
MANDERS. [Comes in from the hall.] Is not Mrs. Alving
here?
