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HOVSTAD: What do you want to do when you grow up?
MORTEN: I want to be a Viking.
EJLIF: You'd have to be a heathen, then.
MORTEN: Well--so I'd be a heathen!
BILLING: Good for you, Morten! That's the spirit!
MRS. STOCKMANN (Makes a sign to him): I'm sure you don't really mean that, Mr. Billing! BILLING: Strike me dead if I don't! I'm a heathen and I'm proud of it. You'll see--we'll all be heathens before long.
MORTEN: Then we could do anything we liked, couldn't we?
BILLING: Well--I don't know about that, Morten--
MRS. STOCKMANN: You'd better run along, boys; you must have home-work to do.
EJLIF: Couldn't I stay a little bit longer--?
MRS. STOCKMANN: No--you couldn't. Now, run along--both of you.
(The boys say goodnight and go into the room, left.)
HOVSTAD: Do you think it's bad for them to hear that sort of talk?
MRS. STOCKMANN: I don't know; but I know I don't like it.
PETRA: Don't be so stuffy, Mother!
MRS. STOCKMANN: That's all very well--but I don't. Not in one's own home at any rate. PETRA: All this hypocrisy! At home we're taught to hold our tongues; and at school we have to teach the children lies!
HORSTER: Teach them lies?
PETRA: Yes, of course-- We have to teach all kinds of things we don't believe a word of!
BILLING: That's true enough.
PETRA: If I had enough money, I'd start a school myself--then I'd run things quite differently.
BILLING: Well--as far as the money goes--
HORSTER: If you're really serious about that, Miss Stockmann, I'd be glad to provide the necessary space; my father's old house is practically empty, and there's a huge dining-room on the ground floor that would--
PETRA: Oh, I don't suppose anything will come of it--but, thanks, all the same!
HOVSTAD: I've a feeling Miss Petra is more likely to take up journalism. And, that reminds me--have you had a chance to read that English story you promised to translate for us?
PETRA: No, not yet. But I'll get it done for you in time--don't worry. (DR. STOCKMANN comes in from his study with the letter open in his hand.)
DR. STOCKMANN (Flourishing the letter); Well! Here's some news that will make the town sit up and take notice!
BILLING: News?
MRS. STOCKMANN: What sort of news, Tomas?
DR. STOCKMANN: A great discovery, Katrine!
HOVSTAD: Really?
MRS. STOCKMANN: A discovery of yours, you mean?
DR. STOCKMANN: Of mine-yes! (Paces up and down) And I defy them this time to call me a crack-pot, and laugh it off as nonsense. They won't dare! They simply won't dare!
PETRA. What is it, Father? Tell us!
DR. STOCKMANN: Just give me time, and I'll tell you all about it. I do wish Peter were here! It only goes to show how blind we are--just like a lot of moles!
HOVSTAD: What do you mean, Doctor?
DR. STOCKMANN. It's the general opinion that this town of ours is an exceedingly healthy place,--isn't that true?
HOVSTAD: Of course.
DR. STOCKMANN. A quite exceptionally healthy place, as a matter of fact; a place to be highly recommended, not only to ordinary inhabitants, but to invalids as well--
MRS. STOCKMANN: My dear Tomas--
DR. STOCKMANN: And, as such, we have duly praised and recommended it; I myself have sung its praises innumerable times--not only in The People's Monitor, but in many pamphlets too--
HOVSTAD: Well--what then?
DR. STOCKMANN: And these Mineral Baths that have been called "the pulse of the town"--its "nerve center"--and the devil only knows what else besides--
BILLING: "The throbbing heart of our city" I remember I once called them--in a somewhat convivial mood--
DR. STOCKMANN: Yes--that too, Well--do you know what these Baths are? These precious, magnificent Baths that have been established at such great expense --- can you guess what they really are?
HOVSTAD: No-what?
MRS. STOCKMANN. Tell us, Tomas!
DR. STOCKMANN: They're nothing but a pest hotel
PETRA: The Baths, Father?
MRS. STOCKMANN (At the same time). Our Baths!
HOVSTAD (Simultaneously): But, Doctor--!
BILLING: This is incredible!
DR. STOCKMANN: I tell you the whole institution is a whited-sepulcher, spreading poison; it's a menace to the Public Health! All that filth from the tanners up at Milldale--and you what a stench there is around there!--seeps into the feed-pipes of the pump-room; and, not only that, but this same poisonous offal seeps out onto the beach as well.
HOVSTAD: In the salt-water baths, you mean?
DR. STOCKMANN: Precisely.
HOVSTAD: How can you be sure of all this, Doctor?
DR. STOCKMANN: I've made the most painstaking investigations. I'd suspected something of the sort for quite some time, you see. I was struck by the curious amount of illness among the visitors at the Baths last year--there were several cases of typhoid and gastric fever--
MRS. STOCKMANN: Yes, I remember.
DR. STOCKMANN: At first we took it for granted that the visitors brought the infection with them; but later--this past winter--I began to think differently. I set to work to analyze the water, as best I could--
MRS. STOCKMANN: So that's what you've been working at!
DR. STOCKMANN: Yes--I've worked very hard at it, Katrine, but I didn't have the necessary equipment here; so I finally sent samples of the drinking-water and the sea-water by the beach to the laboratories at the university, and asked them to give me a full analysis.
HOVSTAD: And is that what you just received?
DR. STOCKMANN (Showing the letter): Yes--here it is! It proves beyond the shadow of a doubt the presence of decayed animal-matter in the water--millions of infusoria. The use of this water, both internally and externally, is in the highest degree dangerous to health.
MRS. STOCKMANN: What a blessing you found it out in time!
DR. STOCKMANN: It is indeed, Katrine!
HOVSTAD: What do you propose to do about it, Doctor?
DR. STOCKMANN: Set things straight, of course.
HOVSTAD: You think that can be done?
DR. STOCKMANN: It must be done. Otherwise the Baths are entirely useless--ruined! But there's no need for that to happen; I'm quite clear as to how we should proceed.
MRS. STOCKMANN: To think of your keeping all this secret, Tomas, dear!
DR. STOCKMANN: You wouldn't have had me rushing all over town gabbing about it before I was absolutely certain, would you? I'm not as mad as all that, you know!
PETRA: But, surely, to us--
DR. STOCKMANN: I couldn't say a word to a living soul But tomorrow you can run and tell that badger of yours all about it--
MRS. STOCKMANN: Oh, Tomas!
DR. STOCKMANN. Well--your grandfather, then. That'll give the old man something to gape at! He thinks I'm cracked in the head--and a lot of other people think so too, I've noticed. But I'll show them! Yes--this time I'll show them! (Walks up and down rubbing his hands) What a commotion there'll be in the town, Katrine! Think of it; they'll have to re-lay all the waterpipes.
HOVSTAD (Rising): All the waterpipes--?
DR. STOCKMANN: Well--naturally. The intake must be moved much higher up; I always said it down too low.
PETRA: You were right after all, Father.
DR. STOCKANN: Yes--you remember, Petra? I sent in a protest before they even started on the work; but, of course, at that time, no one listened to me. Well--I'll let them have it now! I've prepared a report for the Board of Directors; it's been ready for a week--I was only waiting for this. (Points to the letter) I'll send it off at once. (Goes into his study and returns with a manuscript) Look! Four closely written pages! And I'll enclose this letter too. A paper, Katrine! Something to wrap this up in. Good. And now give this to--to--what the devil is that girl's name! To the maid--you know! Tell her to deliver it to the Mayor immediately!
(MRS. STOCKMANN takes the package and goes out through the dining room.)
PETRA: What do you think Uncle Peter will say, Father?
DR. STOCKMANN: What can he say? He can't fail to be pleased that such an important fact has come to light.
HOVSTAD: May we announce this in The People's Monitor?
DR. STOCKMANN: I'd be most grateful if you would.
HOVSTAD. It's important that the public should know of this without delay.
DR. STOCKANN: It is indeed!
MRS. STOCKMANN (Returning): She's gone with it.
BILLINGS: Strike me dead if you're not hailed as the leading citizen of our community, Dr. Stockmann!
DR. STOCKMANN: (Walks up and down in high glee): Oh, nonsense! I only did my duty. I simply was lucky enough to spot it--that's all. But still--
BILLINGS: Hovstad, don't you think the town should get up some sort of a demonstration in Dr. Stockmann's honor?
HOVSTAD: I shall certainly propose it.
BILLINGS: I'll talk it over with Aslaksen.
DR. STOCKMANN: No, no--my dear friends! You mustn't bother with such nonsense; I won't hear of it! And, I warn you, Katrine--if the Board of Directors should think of offering me a raise in salary I shall refuse it. I simply won't accept!
MRS. STOCKMANN: You're quite right, Tomas, dear.
PETRA (Raising her glass): Your health, Father!
HOVSTAD and BILLING: Your good health, Doctor!
HORSTER (Clinks glasses with him): I hope this brings you joy.
DR. STOCKMANN: Thank you, thank you--my dear, dear friends! I can't tell you how happy I am--! It's a wonderful thing to feel you've deserved well of your own hometown, and of your fellow-citizens. Hurrah, Katrine! (He puts his arms round her and whirls her round the room. MRS. STOCKMANN screams and struggles to free herself. Laughter, applause and cheers for the doctor. The two boys poke their heads in the door to see what is going on.)

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An Enemy of the People
Henrik Ibsen

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