grasp it! How in the world was it possible? How could such a
state of things remain concealed?

Mrs. Alving. That was just what I had to fight for incessantly,
day after day. When Oswald was born, I thought I saw a slight
improvement. But it didn't last long. And after that I had to
fight doubly hard--fight a desperate fight so that no one should
know what sort of a man my child's father was. You know quite
well what an attractive manner he had; it seemed as if people
could believe nothing but good of him. He was one of those men
whose mode of life seems to have no effect upon their
reputations. But at last, Mr. Manders--you must hear this too--at
last something happened more abominable than everything else.

Manders. More abominable than what you have told me!

Mrs. Alving. I had borne with it all, though I knew only too well
what he indulged in in secret, when he was out of the house. But
when it came to the point of the scandal coming within our four
walls--

Manders. Can you mean it! Here?

Mrs. Alving. Yes, here, in our own home. It was in there
(pointing to the nearer door on the right) in the dining-room
that I got the first hint of it. I had something to do in there
and the door was standing ajar. I heard our maid come up from the
garden with water for the flowers in the conservatory.

Manders. Well--?