An Enemy of the People
Dr. Stockmann. Yes, that I made the discovery in good time.
Morten Kiil (as before). Yes, yes. Yes!—But I should never have
thought you the sort of man to pull your own brother's leg like this!
Dr. Stockmann. Pull his leg!
Mrs. Stockmann. Really, father dear—
Morten Kiil (resting his hands and his chin on the handle of his stick
and winking slyly at the DOCTOR). Let me see, what was the story? Some
kind of beast that had got into the water-pipes, wasn't it?
Dr. Stockmann. Infusoria—yes.
Morten Kiil. And a lot of these beasts had got in, according to
Petra—a tremendous lot.
Dr. Stockmann. Certainly; hundreds of thousands of them, probably.
Morten Kiil. But no one can see them—isn't that so?
Dr. Stockmann. Yes; you can't see them,
Morten Kiil (with a quiet chuckle). Damn—it's the finest story I have
ever heard!
Dr. Stockmann. What do you mean?
Morten Kiil. But you will never get the Mayor to believe a thing like
that.
Dr. Stockmann. We shall see.
Morten Kiil. Do you think he will be fool enough to—?
Dr. Stockmann. I hope the whole town will be fools enough.
Morten Kiil. The whole town! Well, it wouldn't be a bad thing. It would
just serve them right, and teach them a lesson. They think themselves
so much cleverer than we old fellows. They hounded me out of the
council; they did, I tell you—they hounded me out. Now they shall pay
for it. You pull their legs too, Thomas!
Dr. Stockmann. Really, I—
Morten Kiil. You pull their legs! (Gets up.) If you can work it so that
the Mayor and his friends all swallow the same bait, I will give ten
pounds to a charity—like a shot!
Dr. Stockmann. That is very kind of you.
Morten Kiil. Yes, I haven't got much money to throw away, I can tell
you; but, if you can work this, I will give five pounds to a charity at
Christmas.
(HOVSTAD comes in by the hall door.)
Hovstad. Good morning! (Stops.) Oh, I beg your pardon
Dr. Stockmann. Not at all; come in.
Morten Kiil (with another chuckle). Oho!—is he in this too?
Hovstad. What do you mean?
Dr. Stockmann. Certainly he is.
Morten Kiil. I might have known it! It must get into the papers. You
know how to do it, Thomas! Set your wits to work. Now I must go.
Dr. Stockmann. Won't you stay a little while?
Morten Kiil. No, I must be off now. You keep up this game for all it is
worth; you won't repent it, I'm damned if you will!
(He goes out; MRS. STOCKMANN follows him into the hall.)
Dr. Stockmann (laughing). Just imagine—the old chap doesn't believe a
word of all this about the water supply.
Hovstad. Oh that was it, then?
Dr. Stockmann. Yes, that was what we were talking about. Perhaps it is
the same thing that brings you here?
Hovstad. Yes, it is, Can you spare me a few minutes, Doctor?
Dr. Stockmann. As long as you like, my dear fellow.
Hovstad. Have you heard from the Mayor yet?
Dr. Stockmann. Not yet. He is coming here later.
Hovstad. I have given the matter a great deal of thought since last
night.
Dr. Stockmann. Well?
Hovstad. From your point of view, as a doctor and a man of science,
this affair of the water supply is an isolated matter. I mean, you do
not realise that it involves a great many other things.
Dr. Stockmann. How do you mean?—Let us sit down, my dear fellow. No,
sit here on the couch. (HOVSTAD Sits down on the couch, DR. STOCKMANN
On a chair on the other side of the table.) Now then. You mean that—?
Hovstad. You said yesterday that the pollution of the water was due to
impurities in the soil.
Dr. Stockmann. Yes, unquestionably it is due to that poisonous morass
up at Molledal.
Hovstad. Begging your pardon, Doctor, I fancy it is due to quite
another morass altogether.
Dr. Stockmann. What morass?
Hovstad. The morass that the whole life of our town is built on and is
rotting in.
Dr. Stockmann. What the deuce are you driving at, Hovstad?
Hovstad. The whole of the town's interests have, little by little, got
into the hands of a pack of officials.
Dr. Stockmann. Oh, come!—they are not all officials.
Hovstad. No, but those that are not officials are at any rate the
officials' friends and adherents; it is the wealthy folk, the old
families in the town, that have got us entirely in their hands.
Dr. Stockmann. Yes, but after all they are men of ability and knowledge.
Hovstad. Did they show any ability or knowledge when they laid the
conduit pipes where they are now?
Dr. Stockmann. No, of course that was a great piece of stupidity on
their part. But that is going to be set right now.
Hovstad. Do you think that will be all such plain sailing?
Dr. Stockmann. Plain sailing or no, it has got to be done, anyway.
Hovstad. Yes, provided the press takes up the question.
Dr. Stockmann. I don't think that will be necessary, my dear fellow, I
am certain my brother—
Hovstad. Excuse me, doctor; I feel bound to tell you I am inclined to
take the matter up.
Dr. Stockmann. In the paper?
Hovstad. Yes. When I took over the "People's Messenger" my idea was to
break up this ring of self-opinionated old fossils who had got hold of
all the influence.
Dr. Stockmann. But you know you told me yourself what the result had
been; you nearly ruined your paper.
Hovstad. Yes, at the time we were obliged to climb down a peg or two,
it is quite true—because there was a danger of the whole project of
the Baths coming to nothing if they failed us. But now the scheme has
been carried through, and we can dispense with these grand gentlemen.
Dr. Stockmann. Dispense with them, yes; but, we owe them a great debt
of gratitude.
Hovstad. That shall be recognised ungrudgingly, But a journalist of my
democratic tendencies cannot let such an opportunity as this slip. The
bubble of official infallibility must be pricked. This superstition
must be destroyed, like any other.
Dr. Stockmann. I am whole-heartedly with you in that, Mr. Hovstad; if
it is a superstition, away with it!
Hovstad. I should be very reluctant to bring the Mayor into it, because
he is your brother. But I am sure you will agree with me that truth
should be the first consideration.
Dr. Stockmann. That goes without saying. (With sudden emphasis.) Yes,
but—but—
Hovstad. You must not misjudge me. I am neither more self-interested
nor more ambitious than most men.
Dr. Stockmann. My dear fellow—who suggests anything of the kind?
Hovstad. I am of humble origin, as you know; and that has given me
opportunities of knowing what is the most crying need in the humbler
ranks of life. It is that they should be allowed some part in the
direction of public affairs, Doctor. That is what will develop their
faculties and intelligence and self respect—
Dr. Stockmann. I quite appreciate that.
Hovstad. Yes—and in my opinion a journalist incurs a heavy
responsibility if he neglects a favourable opportunity of emancipating
the masses—the humble and oppressed. I know well enough that in
exalted circles I shall be called an agitator, and all that sort of
thing; but they may call what they like. If only my conscience doesn't
reproach me, then—
Dr. Stockmann. Quite right! Quite right, Mr. Hovstad. But all the
same—devil take it! (A knock is heard at the door.) Come in!
(ASLAKSEN appears at the door. He is poorly but decently dressed, in
black, with a slightly crumpled white neckcloth; he wears gloves and
has a felt hat in his hand.)
Aslaksen (bowing). Excuse my taking the liberty, Doctor—
Dr. Stockmann (getting up). Ah, it is you, Aslaksen!
Aslaksen. Yes, Doctor.
Hovstad (standing up). Is it me you want, Aslaksen?
Aslaksen. No; I didn't know I should find you here. No, it was the
Doctor I—
Dr. Stockmann. I am quite at your service. What is it?
Aslaksen. Is what I heard from Mr. Billing true, sir—that you mean to
improve our water supply?
Dr. Stockmann. Yes, for the Baths.
Aslaksen. Quite so, I understand. Well, I have come to say that I will
back that up by every means in my power.
Hovstad (to the DOCTOR). You see!
Dr. Stockmann. I shall be very grateful to you, but—
Aslaksen. Because it may be no bad thing to have us small tradesmen at
your back. We form, as it were, a compact majority in the town—if we
choose. And it is always a good thing to have the majority with you,
Doctor.
Dr. Stockmann. That is undeniably true; but I confess I don't see why
such unusual precautions should be necessary in this case. It seems to
me that such a plain, straightforward thing—
Aslaksen. Oh, it may be very desirable, all the same. I know our local
authorities so well; officials are not generally very ready to act on
proposals that come from other people. That is why I think it would not
be at all amiss if we made a little demonstration.
Hovstad. That's right.
Dr. Stockmann. Demonstration, did you say? What on earth are you going
to make a demonstration about?
Aslaksen. We shall proceed with the greatest moderation, Doctor.
Moderation is always my aim; it is the greatest virtue in a citizen—at
least, I think so.
Dr. Stockmann. It is well known to be a characteristic of yours, Mr.
Aslaksen.
Aslaksen. Yes, I think I may pride myself on that. And this matter of
the water supply is of the greatest importance to us small tradesmen.
The Baths promise to be a regular gold-mine for the town. We shall all
make our living out of them, especially those of us who are
householders. That is why we will back up the project as strongly as
possible. And as I am at present Chairman of the Householders'
Association.
Dr. Stockmann. Yes—?
Aslaksen. And, what is more, local secretary of the Temperance
Society—you know, sir, I suppose, that I am a worker in the temperance
cause?
Dr. Stockmann. Of course, of course.
Aslaksen. Well, you can understand that I come into contact with a
great many people. And as I have the reputation of a temperate and
law-abiding citizen—like yourself, Doctor—I have a certain influence
in the town, a little bit of power, if I may be allowed to say so.
Dr. Stockmann. I know that quite well, Mr. Aslaksen.
Aslaksen. So you see it would be an easy matter for me to set on foot
some testimonial, if necessary.
Dr. Stockmann. A testimonial?
Aslaksen. Yes, some kind of an address of thanks from the townsmen for
your share in a matter of such importance to the community. I need
scarcely say that it would have to be drawn up with the greatest regard
to moderation, so as not to offend the authorities—who, after all,
have the reins in their hands. If we pay strict attention to that, no
one can take it amiss, I should think!
Hovstad. Well, and even supposing they didn't like it—
Aslaksen. No, no, no; there must be no discourtesy to the authorities,
Mr. Hovstad. It is no use falling foul of those upon whom our welfare
so closely depends. I have done that in my time, and no good ever comes
of it. But no one can take exception to a reasonable and frank
expression of a citizen's views.
Dr. Stockmann (shaking him by the hand). I can't tell you, dear Mr.
Aslaksen, how extremely pleased I am to find such hearty support among
my fellow-citizens. I am delighted—delighted! Now, you will take a
small glass of sherry, eh?
Aslaksen. No, thank you; I never drink alcohol of that kind.
Dr. Stockmann. Well, what do you say to a glass of beer, then?
Aslaksen. Nor that either, thank you, Doctor. I never drink anything as
early as this. I am going into town now to talk this over with one or
two householders, and prepare the ground.
Dr. Stockmann. It is tremendously kind of you, Mr. Aslaksen; but I
really cannot understand the necessity for all these precautions. It
seems to me that the thing should go of itself.
Aslaksen. The authorities are somewhat slow to move, Doctor. Far be it
from me to seem to blame them—