Heire.
Haven't the ghost of an idea.—It pains you? Your hand, young man! Pardon me if my frankness has wounded you. Believe me, you have yet many bitter lessons to learn in this life. You are young; you are confiding; you are trustful. It is beautiful; it is even touching; but—but—trustfulness is silver, experience is gold: that's a proverb of my own invention, sir! God bless you! [Goes.
Chamberlain Bratsberg, his daughter Thora, and Doctor Fieldbo enter from the left.
Lundestad.
[Strikes the bell on the rostrum.} Silence for Mr. Ringdal's speech!
Stensgård.
[Shouts.] Mr. Lundestad, I demand to be heard!
Lundestad.
Afterwards.
Stensgård.
No, now! at once!
Lundestad.
You can't speak just now. Silence for Mr. Ringdal!
Ringdal.
[On the rostrum.] Ladies and gentlemen! We have at this moment the honour of seeing in our midst the man with the warm heart and the open hand—the man we have all looked up to for many a year, as to a father—the man who is always ready to help us, both in word and deed—the man whose door is never closed to any reputable citizen—*
