Ingeborg. The messenger has gone.--Yes, sir, I told him everything you told me to.
The Doctor. Of course. You would! Why the deuce does any one pay any attention to what I say! (The bell rings.) Here they are at last! Now we shall have a delightful evening! (EVJE and MRS. EVJE come in.) I am first, you see!
Evje and Mrs. Evje. Were you at the meeting, too?
Mrs. Evje. There were so many people there, dear.
Mrs. Evje. Yes, he was standing on a seat!
The Doctor. There were plenty of people doing that.
Evje. I wanted to be seen!--There _have_ been goings on here to-day, my friend!
Mrs. Evje. You will never guess what has happened!
The Doctor. Anyway I can see that something has happened.
Evje. Those articles will be in to-morrow's paper.
The Doctor. In the paper?--Yes, I didn't find him.
Evje. I will tell you all about it another time. But I have read them--
Mrs. Evje. And he has told me all about them!
The Doctor (with a look of pleased curiosity.) As bad as all that?
The Doctor. And _that_ was why you went to the meeting!
Evje. Of course--tit for tat! It was my wife's idea.
Mrs. Evje. It was the obvious thing to do, dear.
Evje. Our whole family at the meeting!--So that all the town should know that it was nothing but the meanest political persecution because I had joined my son-in-law's party.
Mrs. Evje. We are party people now, you know!
Evje. Do you know, there is something exciting about being mixed up with such things--something invigorating, something--
The Doctor (stepping back). Are _you_ bitten with it, too?
Evje. Yes, if I can't be left in peace, I shall become a party man.
The Doctor (enthusiastically). Did you see Gertrud?
Evje and Mrs. Evje (with emotion). Our Gertrud! Yes, indeed we did!
The Doctor. Did you see her coming in with him!
Evje and Mrs. Evje (as before). Yes, we saw her coming in with him!
The Doctor. I suppose you did not know she was going?
Mrs. Evje. She had said she would go with us--
Evje. But when we went to fetch her, the bird had flown!
The Doctor. How pretty she looked, too! All the men were looking at her. And how she looked at him!
Mrs. Evje. It made me want to cry. I had quite a job to prevent myself.
Evje. You need not have minded, dear! God has given us great happiness. Her faith in him and her love shone to from her eyes that it went to my heart. I felt quite upset! (Wipes his eyes.)