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it would be I that spiteful persons would attack first of all.

Mrs. Alving. Yes, you ought not to expose yourself to that.

Manders. Not to mention the attacks that would undoubtedly be
made upon me in certain newspapers and reviews.

Mrs. Alving. Say no more about it, dear Mr. Manders; that quite
decides it.

Manders. Then you don't wish it to be insured?

Mrs. Alving. No, we will give up the idea.

Manders (leaning back in his chair). But suppose, now, that some
accident happened?--one can never tell--would you be prepared to
make good the damage?

Mrs. Alving. No; I tell you quite plainly I would not do so under
any circumstances.

Manders. Still, you know, Mrs. Alving--after all, it is a serious
responsibility that we are taking upon ourselves.

Mrs. Alving. But do you think we can do otherwise?

Manders. No, that's just it. We really can't do otherwise. We
ought not to expose ourselves to a mistaken judgment; and we have
no right to do anything that will scandalise the community.

Mrs. Alving. You ought not to, as a clergyman, at any rate.

Manders. And, what is more, I certainly think that we may count
upon our enterprise being attended by good fortune--indeed, that
it will be under a special protection.

Mrs. Alving. Let us hope so, Mr. Manders.

Manders. Then we will leave it alone?

Mrs. Alving. Certainly.

Manders. Very good. As you wish. (Makes a note.) No insurance,
then.

Mrs. Alving. It's a funny thing that you should just have
happened to speak about that today--

Manders. I have often meant to ask you about it.

Mrs. Alving. --because yesterday we very nearly had a fire up
there.

Manders. Do you mean it!

Mrs. Alving. Oh, as a matter of fact it was nothing of any
consequence. Some shavings in the carpenter's shop caught fire.

Manders. Where Engstrand works?

Mrs. Alving. Yes. They say he is often so careless with matches.

Manders. He has so many things on his mind, poor fellow--so many
anxieties. Heaven be thanked, I am told he is really making an
effort to live a blameless life,

Mrs. Alving. Really? Who told you so?

Manders. He assured me himself that it is so. He's good workman,
too.

Mrs. Alving. Oh, yes, when he is sober.

Manders. Ah, that sad weakness of his! But the pain in his poor
leg often drives him to it, he tells me. The last time he was in
town, I was really quite touched by him. He came to my house and
thanked me so gratefully for getting him work here, where he
could have the chance of being with Regina.

Mrs. Alving. He doesn't see very much of her.

Manders. But he assured me that he saw her every day.

Mrs. Alving. Oh well, perhaps he does.

Manders. He feels so strongly that he needs someone who can keep
a hold on him when temptations assail him. That is the most
winning thing about Jacob Engstrand; he comes to one like a
helpless child and accuses himself and confesses his frailty. The
last time he came and had a talk with me... Suppose now, Mrs.
Alving, that it were really a necessity of his existence to have

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