sincerely happy and fortunate; but for all that I have suffered
keenly, because I knew quite well it would cause you bitter
sorrow.

Kroll. Rosmer, Rosmer, I shall never get over this. (Looks at him
sadly.) To think that you, too, could bring yourself to
sympathise with and join in the work of disorder and ruin that is
playing havoc with our unhappy country.

Rosmer. It is the work of emancipation that I sympathise with.

Kroll. Oh yes, I know all about that. That is what it is called,
by both those who are leading the people astray and by their
misguided victims. But, be sure of this--you need expect no
emancipation to be the result of the spirit that relies on the
poisoning of the whole of our social life.

Rosmer. I do not give my allegiance to the spirit that is
directing this, nor to any of those who are leading the fight. I
want to try to bring men of all shades of opinion together--as
many as I can reach--and bind them as closely together as I can.
I want to live for and devote all the strength that is in me to
one end only--to create a real public opinion in the country.

Kroll. So you do not consider that we have sufficient public
opinion! I, for my part, consider that the whole lot of us are on
the high road to be dragged down into the mire where otherwise
only the common people would be wallowing.

Rosmer. It is just for that reason that I have made up my mind as