reached the edge of the grave. Why not resign yourself before the
end comes? Or have you raised your son so poorly that he is still
a child and needs your guidance? If you want gratitude, come and
look for it, but not in this way. Or do you think it is the
destiny of a child to sacrifice its own life merely to show you
gratitude? His mission is calling: "Go!" And you cry to him:
"Come to me, you ingrate!" Is he to go astray--is he to waste his
powers, that belong to his country, to mankind--merely for the
satisfaction of your private little selfishness? Or do you
imagine that the fact of having borne and raised him does even
entitle you to gratitude? Did not your life's mission and destiny
lie in that? Should you not thank the Lord for being given such a
high mission? Or did you do it only that you might spend the rest
of your life clamoring for gratitude? Don't you see that by using
that word "gratitude" you tear down all that you have built up
before? And what makes you presume that you have rights over me?
Is marriage to mean a mortgaging of my free will to anybody whom
nature has made the mother or father of my husband--who
unfortunately could not exist without either? You are not _my_
mother. My troth was not pledged to you when I took Olof as my
husband. And I have sufficient respect for my husband not to
permit anybody to insult him, even if it be his own mother.
That's why I have spoken as I have!

Mother. Alas, such are the fruits borne by the teachings of my
son!

Christine. If you choose to revile your son, it had better be in
his presence. (She goes to the door and calls.) Olof!