ENGSTRAND. Lord, no, Sir!
MANDERS. Yes, assuredly. And I do it with all my heart. Forgive me for
misunderstanding you. I only wish I could give you some proof of my
hearty regret, and of my good-will towards you--
ENGSTRAND. Would your Reverence do it?
MANDERS. With the greatest pleasure.
ENGSTRAND. Well then, here's the very chance. With the bit of money I've
saved here, I was thinking I might set up a Sailors' Home down in the
town.
MRS. ALVING. You?
ENGSTRAND. Yes; it might be a sort of Orphanage, too, in a manner of
speaking. There's such a many temptations for seafaring folk ashore. But
in this Home of mine, a man might feel like as he was under a father's
eye, I was thinking.
MANDERS. What do you say to this, Mrs. Alving?
ENGSTRAND. It isn't much as I've got to start with, Lord help me! But if
I could only find a helping hand, why--
MANDERS. Yes, yes; we will look into the matter more closely. I entirely
approve of your plan. But now, go before me and make everything
ready, and get the candles lighted, so as to give the place an air of
festivity. And then we will pass an edifying hour together, my good
fellow; for now I quite believe you are in the right frame of mind.
ENGSTRAND. Yes, I trust I am. And so I'll say good-bye, ma'am, and thank
you kindly; and take good care of Regina for me--[Wipes a tear from his
eye]--poor Johanna's child. Well, it's a queer thing, now; but it's just
like as if she'd growd into the very apple of my eye. It is, indeed. [He
bows and goes out through the hall.]
MANDERS. Well, what do you say of that man now, Mrs. Alving? That was a
very different account of matters, was it not?
MRS. ALVING. Yes, it certainly was.
MANDERS. It only shows how excessively careful one ought to be in
judging one's fellow creatures. But what a heartfelt joy it is to
ascertain that one has been mistaken! Don't you think so?
MRS. ALVING. I think you are, and will always be, a great baby, Manders.