["[Event happened on 2024-01-01 The user is reading a book]\n<User> ACT III\n\n\n(SCENE.\u2014The editorial office of the \"People's Messenger.\" The entrance\ndoor is on the left-hand side of the back wall; on the right-hand side\nis another door with glass panels through which the printing room can\nbe seen. Another door in the right-hand wall. In the middle of the room\nis a large table covered with papers, newspapers and books. In the\nforeground on the left a window, before which stands a desk and a high\nstool. There are a couple of easy chairs by the table, and other chairs\nstanding along the wall. The room is dingy and uncomfortable; the\nfurniture is old, the chairs stained and torn. In the printing room the\ncompositors are seen at work, and a printer is working a handpress. HOVSTAD is sitting at the desk, writing. BILLING comes in from the\nright with DR. STOCKMANN'S manuscript in his hand.) Billing. Well, I must say! Hovstad (still writing). Have you read it through? Billing (laying the MS. on the desk). Yes, indeed I have. Hovstad. Don't you think the Doctor hits them pretty hard? Billing. Hard? Bless my soul, he's crushing! Every word falls like\u2014how\nshall I put it?\u2014like the blow of a sledgehammer. Hovstad. Yes, but they are not the people to throw up the sponge at the\nfirst blow. Billing. That is true; and for that reason we must strike blow upon\nblow until the whole of this aristocracy tumbles to pieces. As I sat in\nthere reading this, I almost seemed to see a revolution in being. Hovstad (turning round). Hush!\u2014Speak so that Aslaksen cannot hear you. Billing (lowering his voice). Aslaksen is a chicken-hearted chap, a\ncoward; there is nothing of the man in him. But this time you will\ninsist on your own way, won't you? You will put the Doctor's article in? Hovstad. Yes, and if the Mayor doesn't like it\u2014\n\nBilling. That will be the devil of a nuisance. Hovstad. Well, fortunately we can turn the situation to good account,\nwhatever happens. If the Mayor will not fall in with the Doctor's\nproject, he will have all the small tradesmen down on him\u2014the whole of\nthe Householders' Association and the rest of them. And if he does fall\nin with it, he will fall out with the whole crowd of large shareholders\nin the Baths, who up to now have been his most valuable supporters\u2014\n\nBilling. Yes, because they will certainly have to fork out a pretty\npenny\u2014\n\nHovstad. Yes, you may be sure they will. And in this way the ring will\nbe broken up, you see, and then in every issue of the paper we will\nenlighten the public on the Mayor's incapability on one point and\nanother, and make it clear that all the positions of trust in the town,\nthe whole control of municipal affairs, ought to be put in the hands of\nthe Liberals. Billing. That is perfectly true! I see it coming\u2014I see it coming; we\nare on the threshold of a revolution! (A knock is heard at the door.) Hovstad. Hush! (Calls out.) Come in! (DR. STOCKMANN comes in by the\nstreet door. HOVSTAD goes to meet him.) Ah, it is you, Doctor! Well? Dr. Stockmann. You may set to work and print it, Mr. Hovstad! Hovstad. Has it come to that, then? Billing. Hurrah! Dr. Stockmann. Yes, print away. Undoubtedly it has come to that. Now\nthey must take what they get. There is going to be a fight in the town,\nMr. Billing! Billing. War to the knife, I hope! We will get our knives to their\nthroats, Doctor! Dr. Stockmann. This article is only a beginning. I have already got\nfour or five more sketched out in my head. Where is Aslaksen? Billing (calls into the printing-room). Aslaksen, just come here for a\nminute! Hovstad. Four or five more articles, did you say? On the same subject? Dr. Stockmann. No\u2014far from it, my dear fellow. No, they are about\nquite another matter. But they all spring from the question of the\nwater supply and the drainage. One thing leads to another, you know. It\nis like beginning to pull down an old house, exactly. Billing. Upon my soul, it's true; you find you are not done till you\nhave pulled all the old rubbish down. Aslaksen (coming in). Pulled down? You are not thinking of pulling down\nthe Baths surely, Doctor? Hovstad. Far from it, don't be afraid. Dr. Stockmann. No, we meant something quite different. Well, what do\nyou think of my article, Mr. Hovstad? Hovstad. I think it is simply a masterpiece. Dr. Stockmann. Do you really think so? Well, I am very pleased, very\npleased. Hovstad. It is so clear and intelligible. One need have no special\nknowledge to understand the bearing of it. You will have every\nenlightened man on your side. Aslaksen. And every prudent man too, I hope? Billing. The prudent and the imprudent\u2014almost the whole town. Aslaksen. In that case we may venture to print it. Dr. Stockmann. I should think so! Hovstad. We will put it in tomorrow morning. Dr. Stockmann. Of course\u2014you must not lose a single day. What I wanted\nto ask you, Mr. Aslaksen, was if you would supervise the printing of it\nyourself. Aslaksen. With pleasure. Dr. Stockmann. Take care of it as if it were a treasure! No\nmisprints\u2014every word is important. I will look in again a little\nlater; perhaps you will be able to let me see a proof. I can't tell you\nhow eager I am to see it in print, and see it burst upon the public\u2014\n\nBilling. Burst upon them\u2014yes, like a flash of lightning! Dr. Stockmann. \u2014and to have it submitted to the judgment of my\nintelligent fellow townsmen. You cannot imagine what I have gone\nthrough today. I have been threatened first with one thing and then\nwith another; they have tried to rob me of my most elementary rights as\na man\u2014\n\nBilling. What! Your rights as a man! Dr. Stockmann. \u2014they have tried to degrade me, to make a coward of me,\nto force me to put personal interests before my most sacred convictions. Billing. That is too much\u2014I'm damned if it isn't. Hovstad. Oh, you mustn't be surprised at anything from that quarter. Dr. Stockmann. Well, they will get the worst of it with me; they may\nassure themselves of that. I shall consider the \"People's Messenger\" my\nsheet-anchor now, and every single day I will bombard them with one\narticle after another, like bombshells\u2014\n\nAslaksen. Yes, but\n\nBilling. Hurrah!\u2014it is war, it is war! Dr. Stockmann. I shall smite them to the ground\u2014I shall crush them\u2014I\nshall break down all their defenses, before the eyes of the honest\npublic! That is what I shall do! Aslaksen, Yes, but in moderation, Doctor\u2014proceed with moderation. Billing. Not a bit of it, not a bit of it! Don't spare the dynamite! Dr. Stockmann. Because it is not merely a question of water-supply and\ndrains now, you know. No\u2014it is the whole of our social life that we\nhave got to purify and disinfect\u2014\n\nBilling. Spoken like a deliverer! Dr. Stockmann. All the incapables must be turned out, you\nunderstand\u2014and that in every walk of life! Endless vistas have opened\nthemselves to my mind's eye today. I cannot see it all quite clearly\nyet, but I shall in time. Young and vigorous standard-bearers\u2014those\nare what we need and must seek, my friends; we must have new men in\ncommand at all our outposts. Billing. Hear hear! Dr. Stockmann. We only need to stand by one another, and it will all be\nperfectly easy. The revolution will be launched like a ship that runs\nsmoothly off the stocks. Don't you think so? Hovstad. For my part I think we have now a prospect of getting the\nmunicipal authority into the hands where it should lie.\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-01, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far.", "[Event happened on 2024-01-03 The user is reading a book]\n<User> Aslaksen. And if only we proceed with moderation, I cannot imagine that\nthere will be any risk. Dr. Stockmann. Who the devil cares whether there is any risk or not! What I am doing, I am doing in the name of truth and for the sake of my\nconscience. Hovstad. You are a man who deserves to be supported, Doctor. Aslaksen. Yes, there is no denying that the Doctor is a true friend to\nthe town\u2014a real friend to the community, that he is. Billing. Take my word for it, Aslaksen, Dr. Stockmann is a friend of\nthe people. Aslaksen. I fancy the Householders' Association will make use of that\nexpression before long. Dr. Stockmann (affected, grasps their hands). Thank you, thank you, my\ndear staunch friends. It is very refreshing to me to hear you say that;\nmy brother called me something quite different. By Jove, he shall have\nit back, with interest! But now I must be off to see a poor devil\u2014I\nwill come back, as I said. Keep a very careful eye on the manuscript,\nAslaksen, and don't for worlds leave out any of my notes of\nexclamation! Rather put one or two more in! Capital, capital! Well,\ngood-bye for the present\u2014goodbye, goodbye! (They show him to the door,\nand bow him out.) Hovstad. He may prove an invaluably useful man to us. Aslaksen. Yes, so long as he confines himself to this matter of the\nBaths. But if he goes farther afield, I don't think it would be\nadvisable to follow him. Hovstad. Hm!\u2014that all depends\u2014\n\nBilling. You are so infernally timid, Aslaksen! Aslaksen. Timid? Yes, when it is a question of the local authorities, I\nam timid, Mr. Billing; it is a lesson I have learned in the school of\nexperience, let me tell you. But try me in higher politics, in matters\nthat concern the government itself, and then see if I am timid. Billing. No, you aren't, I admit. But this is simply contradicting\nyourself. Aslaksen. I am a man with a conscience, and that is the whole matter. If you attack the government, you don't do the community any harm,\nanyway; those fellows pay no attention to attacks, you see\u2014they go on\njust as they are, in spite of them. But local authorities are\ndifferent; they can be turned out, and then perhaps you may get an\nignorant lot into office who may do irreparable harm to the\nhouseholders and everybody else. Hovstad. But what of the education of citizens by self\ngovernment\u2014don't you attach any importance to that? Aslaksen. When a man has interests of his own to protect, he cannot\nthink of everything, Mr. Hovstad. Hovstad. Then I hope I shall never have interests of my own to protect! Billing. Hear, hear! Aslaksen (with a smile). Hm! (Points to the desk.) Mr. Sheriff\nStensgaard was your predecessor at that editorial desk. Billing (spitting). Bah! That turncoat. Hovstad. I am not a weathercock\u2014and never will be. Aslaksen. A politician should never be too certain of anything, Mr.\nHovstad. And as for you, Mr. Billing, I should think it is time for you\nto be taking in a reef or two in your sails, seeing that you are\napplying for the post of secretary to the Bench. Billing. I\u2014! Hovstad. Are you, Billing? Billing. Well, yes\u2014but you must clearly understand I am only doing it\nto annoy the bigwigs. Aslaksen. Anyhow, it is no business of mine. But if I am to be accused\nof timidity and of inconsistency in my principles, this is what I want\nto point out: my political past is an open book. I have never changed,\nexcept perhaps to become a little more moderate, you see. My heart is\nstill with the people; but I don't deny that my reason has a certain\nbias towards the authorities\u2014the local ones, I mean. (Goes into the\nprinting room.) Billing. Oughtn't we to try and get rid of him, Hovstad? Hovstad. Do you know anyone else who will advance the money for our\npaper and printing bill? Billing. It is an infernal nuisance that we don't possess some capital\nto trade on. Hovstad (sitting down at his desk). Yes, if we only had that, then\u2014\n\nBilling. Suppose you were to apply to Dr. Stockmann? Hovstad (turning over some papers). What is the use? He has got nothing. Billing. No, but he has got a warm man in the background, old Morten\nKiil\u2014\"the Badger,\" as they call him. Hovstad (writing). Are you so sure he has got anything? Billing. Good Lord, of course he has! And some of it must come to the\nStockmanns. Most probably he will do something for the children, at all\nevents. Hovstad (turning half round). Are you counting on that? Billing. Counting on it? Of course I am not counting on anything. Hovstad. That is right. And I should not count on the secretaryship to\nthe Bench either, if I were you; for I can assure you\u2014you won't get it. Billing. Do you think I am not quite aware of that? My object is\nprecisely not to get it. A slight of that kind stimulates a man's\nfighting power\u2014it is like getting a supply of fresh bile\u2014and I am\nsure one needs that badly enough in a hole-and-corner place like this,\nwhere it is so seldom anything happens to stir one up. Hovstad (writing). Quite so, quite so. Billing. Ah, I shall be heard of yet!\u2014Now I shall go and write the\nappeal to the Householders' Association. (Goes into the room on the\nright.) Hovstad (sitting al his desk, biting his penholder, says slowly). Hm!\u2014that's it, is it. (A knock is heard.) Come in! (PETRA comes in by\nthe outer door. HOVSTAD gets up.) What, you!\u2014here? Petra. Yes, you must forgive me\u2014\n\nHovstad (pulling a chair forward). Won't you sit down? Petra. No, thank you; I must go again in a moment. Hovstad. Have you come with a message from your father, by any chance? Petra. No, I have come on my own account. (Takes a book out of her coat\npocket.) Here is the English story. Hovstad. Why have you brought it back? Petra. Because I am not going to translate it. Hovstad. But you promised me faithfully. Petra. Yes, but then I had not read it, I don't suppose you have read\nit either? Hovstad. No, you know quite well I don't understand English; but\u2014\n\nPetra. Quite so. That is why I wanted to tell you that you must find\nsomething else. (Lays the book on the table.) You can't use this for\nthe \"People's Messenger.\" Hovstad. Why not? Petra. Because it conflicts with all your opinions. Hovstad. Oh, for that matter\u2014\n\nPetra. You don't understand me. The burden of this story is that there\nis a supernatural power that looks after the so-called good people in\nthis world and makes everything happen for the best in their\ncase\u2014while all the so-called bad people are punished. Hovstad. Well, but that is all right. That is just what our readers\nwant. Petra. And are you going to be the one to give it to them? For myself,\nI do not believe a word of it. You know quite well that things do not\nhappen so in reality. Hovstad. You are perfectly right; but an editor cannot always act as he\nwould prefer. He is often obliged to bow to the wishes of the public in\nunimportant matters. Politics are the most important thing in life\u2014for\na newspaper, anyway; and if I want to carry my public with me on the\npath that leads to liberty and progress, I must not frighten them away. If they find a moral tale of this sort in the serial at the bottom of\nthe page, they will be all the more ready to read what is printed above\nit; they feel more secure, as it were. Petra. For shame!\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-03, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far.", "[Event happened on 2024-01-04 The user is reading a book]\n<User> You would never go and set a snare like that for your\nreaders; you are not a spider! Hovstad (smiling). Thank you for having such a good opinion of me. No;\nas a matter of fact that is Billing's idea and not mine. Petra. Billing's! Hovstad. Yes; anyway, he propounded that theory here one day. And it is\nBilling who is so anxious to have that story in the paper; I don't know\nanything about the book. Petra. But how can Billing, with his emancipated views\u2014\n\nHovstad. Oh, Billing is a many-sided man. He is applying for the post\nof secretary to the Bench, too, I hear. Petra. I don't believe it, Mr. Hovstad. How could he possibly bring\nhimself to do such a thing? Hovstad. Ah, you must ask him that. Petra. I should never have thought it of him. Hovstad (looking more closely at her). No? Does it really surprise you\nso much? Petra. Yes. Or perhaps not altogether. Really, I don't quite know\n\nHovstad. We journalists are not much worth, Miss Stockmann. Petra. Do you really mean that? Hovstad. I think so sometimes. Petra. Yes, in the ordinary affairs of everyday life, perhaps; I can\nunderstand that. But now, when you have taken a weighty matter in hand\u2014\n\nHovstad. This matter of your father's, you mean? Petra. Exactly. It seems to me that now you must feel you are a man\nworth more than most. Hovstad. Yes, today I do feel something of that sort. Petra. Of course you do, don't you? It is a splendid vocation you have\nchosen\u2014to smooth the way for the march of unappreciated truths, and\nnew and courageous lines of thought. If it were nothing more than\nbecause you stand fearlessly in the open and take up the cause of an\ninjured man\u2014\n\nHovstad. Especially when that injured man is\u2014ahem!\u2014I don't rightly\nknow how to\u2014\n\nPetra. When that man is so upright and so honest, you mean? Hovstad (more gently). Especially when he is your father I meant. Petra (suddenly checked). That? Hovstad. Yes, Petra\u2014Miss Petra. Petra. Is it that, that is first and foremost with you? Not the matter\nitself? Not the truth?\u2014not my father's big generous heart? Hovstad. Certainly\u2014of course\u2014that too. Petra. No, thank you; you have betrayed yourself, Mr. Hovstad, and now\nI shall never trust you again in anything. Hovstad. Can you really take it so amiss in me that it is mostly for\nyour sake\u2014? Petra. What I am angry with you for, is for not having been honest with\nmy father. You talked to him as if the truth and the good of the\ncommunity were what lay nearest to your heart. You have made fools of\nboth my father and me. You are not the man you made yourself out to be. And that I shall never forgive you-never! Hovstad. You ought not to speak so bitterly, Miss Petra\u2014least of all\nnow. Petra. Why not now, especially? Hovstad. Because your father cannot do without my help. Petra (looking him up and down). Are you that sort of man too? For\nshame! Hovstad. No, no, I am not. This came upon me so unexpectedly\u2014you must\nbelieve that. Petra. I know what to believe. Goodbye. Aslaksen (coming from the printing room, hurriedly and with an air of\nmystery). Damnation, Hovstad!\u2014(Sees PETRA.) Oh, this is awkward\u2014\n\nPetra. There is the book; you must give it to some one else. (Goes\ntowards the door.) Hovstad (following her). But, Miss Stockmann\u2014\n\nPetra. Goodbye. (Goes out.) Aslaksen. I say\u2014Mr. Hovstad\u2014\n\nHovstad. Well well!\u2014what is it? Aslaksen. The Mayor is outside in the printing room. Hovstad. The Mayor, did you say? Aslaksen. Yes he wants to speak to you. He came in by the back\ndoor\u2014didn't want to be seen, you understand. Hovstad. What can he want? Wait a bit\u2014I will go myself. (Goes to the\ndoor of the printing room, opens it, bows and invites PETER STOCKMANN\nin.) Just see, Aslaksen, that no one\u2014\n\nAslaksen. Quite so. (Goes into the printing-room.) Peter Stockmann. You did not expect to see me here, Mr. Hovstad? Hovstad. No, I confess I did not. Peter Stockmann (looking round). You are very snug in here\u2014very nice\nindeed. Hovstad. Oh\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. And here I come, without any notice, to take up your\ntime! Hovstad. By all means, Mr. Mayor. I am at your service. But let me\nrelieve you of your\u2014(takes STOCKMANN's hat and stick and puts them on\na chair). Won't you sit down? Peter Stockmann (sitting down by the table). Thank you. (HOVSTAD sits\ndown.) I have had an extremely annoying experience to-day, Mr. Hovstad. Hovstad. Really? Ah well, I expect with all the various business you\nhave to attend to\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. The Medical Officer of the Baths is responsible for\nwhat happened today. Hovstad. Indeed? The Doctor? Peter Stockmann. He has addressed a kind of report to the Baths\nCommittee on the subject of certain supposed defects in the Baths. Hovstad. Has he indeed? Peter Stockmann. Yes\u2014has he not told you? I thought he said\u2014\n\nHovstad. Ah, yes\u2014it is true he did mention something about\u2014\n\nAslaksen (coming from the printing-room). I ought to have that copy. Hovstad (angrily). Ahem!\u2014there it is on the desk. Aslaksen (taking it). Right. Peter Stockmann. But look there\u2014that is the thing I was speaking of! Aslaksen. Yes, that is the Doctor's article, Mr. Mayor. Hovstad. Oh, is THAT what you were speaking about? Peter Stockmann. Yes, that is it. What do you think of it? Hovstad. Oh, I am only a layman\u2014and I have only taken a very cursory\nglance at it. Peter Stockmann. But you are going to print it? Hovstad. I cannot very well refuse a distinguished man. Aslaksen. I have nothing to do with editing the paper, Mr. Mayor\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. I understand. Aslaksen. I merely print what is put into my hands. Peter Stockmann. Quite so. Aslaksen. And so I must\u2014 (moves off towards the printing-room). Peter Stockmann. No, but wait a moment, Mr. Aslaksen. You will allow\nme, Mr. Hovstad? Hovstad. If you please, Mr. Mayor. Peter Stockmann. You are a discreet and thoughtful man, Mr. Aslaksen. Aslaksen. I am delighted to hear you think so, sir. Peter Stockmann. And a man of very considerable influence. Aslaksen. Chiefly among the small tradesmen, sir. Peter Stockmann. The small tax-payers are the majority\u2014here as\neverywhere else. Aslaksen. That is true. Peter Stockmann. And I have no doubt you know the general trend of\nopinion among them, don't you? Aslaksen. Yes I think I may say I do, Mr. Mayor. Peter Stockmann. Yes. Well, since there is such a praiseworthy spirit\nof self-sacrifice among the less wealthy citizens of our town\u2014\n\nAslaksen. What? Hovstad. Self-sacrifice? Peter Stockmann. It is pleasing evidence of a public-spirited feeling,\nextremely pleasing evidence. I might almost say I hardly expected it. But you have a closer knowledge of public opinion than I.\n\nAslaksen. But, Mr. Mayor\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. And indeed it is no small sacrifice that the town is\ngoing to make.\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-04, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far.", "[Event happened on 2024-01-07 The user is reading a book]\n<User> Hovstad. The town? Aslaksen. But I don't understand. Is it the Baths\u2014? Peter Stockmann. At a provisional estimate, the alterations that the\nMedical Officer asserts to be desirable will cost somewhere about\ntwenty thousand pounds. Aslaksen. That is a lot of money, but\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. Of course it will be necessary to raise a municipal\nloan. Hovstad (getting up). Surely you never mean that the town must pay\u2014? Aslaksen. Do you mean that it must come out of the municipal\nfunds?\u2014out of the ill-filled pockets of the small tradesmen? Peter Stockmann. Well, my dear Mr. Aslaksen, where else is the money to\ncome from? Aslaksen. The gentlemen who own the Baths ought to provide that. Peter Stockmann. The proprietors of the Baths are not in a position to\nincur any further expense. Aslaksen. Is that absolutely certain, Mr. Mayor? Peter Stockmann. I have satisfied myself that it is so. If the town\nwants these very extensive alterations, it will have to pay for them. Aslaksen. But, damn it all\u2014I beg your pardon\u2014this is quite another\nmatter, Mr. Hovstad! Hovstad. It is, indeed. Peter Stockmann. The most fatal part of it is that we shall be obliged\nto shut the Baths for a couple of years. Hovstad. Shut them? Shut them altogether? Aslaksen. For two years? Peter Stockmann. Yes, the work will take as long as that\u2014at least. Aslaksen. I'm damned if we will stand that, Mr. Mayor! What are we\nhouseholders to live upon in the meantime? Peter Stockmann. Unfortunately, that is an extremely difficult question\nto answer, Mr. Aslaksen. But what would you have us do? Do you suppose\nwe shall have a single visitor in the town, if we go about proclaiming\nthat our water is polluted, that we are living over a plague spot, that\nthe entire town\u2014\n\nAslaksen. And the whole thing is merely imagination? Peter Stockmann. With the best will in the world, I have not been able\nto come to any other conclusion. Aslaksen. Well then I must say it is absolutely unjustifiable of Dr.\nStockmann\u2014I beg your pardon, Mr. Mayor. Peter Stockmann. What you say is lamentably true, Mr. Aslaksen. My\nbrother has unfortunately always been a headstrong man. Aslaksen. After this, do you mean to give him your support, Mr. Hovstad? Hovstad. Can you suppose for a moment that I\u2014? Peter Stockmann. I have drawn up a short resume of the situation as it\nappears from a reasonable man's point of view. In it I have indicated\nhow certain possible defects might suitably be remedied without\noutrunning the resources of the Baths Committee. Hovstad. Have you got it with you, Mr. Mayor? Peter Stockmann (fumbling in his pocket). Yes, I brought it with me in\ncase you should\u2014\n\nAslaksen. Good Lord, there he is! Peter Stockmann. Who? My brother? Hovstad. Where? Where? Aslaksen. He has just gone through the printing room. Peter Stockmann. How unlucky! I don't want to meet him here, and I had\nstill several things to speak to you about. Hovstad (pointing to the door on the right). Go in there for the\npresent. Peter Stockmann. But\u2014? Hovstad. You will only find Billing in there. Aslaksen. Quick, quick, Mr. Mayor\u2014he is just coming. Peter Stockmann. Yes, very well; but see that you get rid of him\nquickly. (Goes out through the door on the right, which ASLAKSEN opens\nfor him and shuts after him.) Hovstad. Pretend to be doing something, Aslaksen. (Sits down and\nwrites. ASLAKSEN begins foraging among a heap of newspapers that are\nlying on a chair.) Dr. Stockmann (coming in from the printing room). Here I am again. (Puts down his hat and stick.) Hovstad (writing). Already, Doctor? Hurry up with what we were speaking\nabout, Aslaksen. We are very pressed for time today. Dr. Stockmann (to ASLAKSEN). No proof for me to see yet, I hear. Aslaksen (without turning round). You couldn't expect it yet, Doctor. Dr. Stockmann. No, no; but I am impatient, as you can understand. I\nshall not know a moment's peace of mind until I see it in print. Hovstad. Hm!\u2014It will take a good while yet, won't it, Aslaksen? Aslaksen. Yes, I am almost afraid it will. Dr. Stockmann. All right, my dear friends; I will come back. I do not\nmind coming back twice if necessary. A matter of such great\nimportance\u2014the welfare of the town at stake\u2014it is no time to shirk\ntrouble, (is just going, but stops and comes back.) Look here\u2014there is\none thing more I want to speak to you about. Hovstad. Excuse me, but could it not wait till some other time? Dr. Stockmann. I can tell you in half a dozen words. It is only this. When my article is read tomorrow and it is realised that I have been\nquietly working the whole winter for the welfare of the town\u2014\n\nHovstad. Yes but, Doctor\u2014\n\nDr. Stockmann. I know what you are going to say. You don't see how on\nearth it was any more than my duty\u2014my obvious duty as a citizen. Of\ncourse it wasn't; I know that as well as you. But my fellow citizens,\nyou know\u2014! Good Lord, think of all the good souls who think so highly\nof me\u2014! Aslaksen. Yes, our townsfolk have had a very high opinion of you so\nfar, Doctor. Dr. Stockmann. Yes, and that is just why I am afraid they\u2014. Well, this\nis the point; when this reaches them, especially the poorer classes,\nand sounds in their ears like a summons to take the town's affairs into\ntheir own hands for the future...\n\nHovstad (getting up). Ahem! Doctor, I won't conceal from you the fact\u2014\n\nDr. Stockmann. Ah I\u2014I knew there was something in the wind! But I\nwon't hear a word of it. If anything of that sort is being set on foot\u2014\n\nHovstad. Of what sort? Dr. Stockmann. Well, whatever it is\u2014whether it is a demonstration in\nmy honour, or a banquet, or a subscription list for some presentation\nto me\u2014whatever it is, you most promise me solemnly and faithfully to\nput a stop to it. You too, Mr. Aslaksen; do you understand? Hovstad. You must forgive me, Doctor, but sooner or later we must tell\nyou the plain truth\u2014\n\n(He is interrupted by the entrance Of MRS. STOCKMANN, who comes in from\nthe street door.) Mrs. Stockmann (seeing her husband). Just as I thought! Hovstad (going towards her). You too, Mrs. Stockmann? Dr. Stockmann. What on earth do you want here, Katherine? Mrs. Stockmann. I should think you know very well what I want. Hovstad, Won't you sit down? Or perhaps\u2014\n\nMrs. Stockmann. No, thank you; don't trouble. And you must not be\noffended at my coming to fetch my husband; I am the mother of three\nchildren, you know. Dr. Stockmann. Nonsense!\u2014we know all about that. Mrs. Stockmann. Well, one would not give you credit for much thought\nfor your wife and children today; if you had had that, you would not\nhave gone and dragged us all into misfortune. Dr. Stockmann. Are you out of your senses, Katherine! Because a man has\na wife and children, is he not to be allowed to proclaim the truth-is\nhe not to be allowed to be an actively useful citizen\u2014is he not to be\nallowed to do a service to his native town! Mrs. Stockmann. Yes, Thomas\u2014in reason. Aslaksen. Just what I say. Moderation in everything. Mrs. Stockmann. And that is why you wrong us, Mr. Hovstad, in enticing\nmy husband away from his home and making a dupe of him in all this. Hovstad.\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-07, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far.", "[Event happened on 2024-01-10 The user is reading a book]\n<User> I certainly am making a dupe of no one\u2014\n\nDr. Stockmann. Making a dupe of me! Do you suppose I should allow\nmyself to be duped! Mrs. Stockmann. It is just what you do. I know quite well you have more\nbrains than anyone in the town, but you are extremely easily duped,\nThomas. (To Hovstad.) Please do realise that he loses his post at the\nBaths if you print what he has written. Aslaksen. What! Hovstad. Look here, Doctor! Dr. Stockmann (laughing). Ha-ha!\u2014just let them try! No, no\u2014they will\ntake good care not to. I have got the compact majority behind me, let\nme tell you! Mrs. Stockmann. Yes, that is just the worst of it\u2014your having any such\nhorrid thing behind you. Dr. Stockmann. Rubbish, Katherine!\u2014Go home and look after your house\nand leave me to look after the community. How can you be so afraid,\nwhen I am so confident and happy? (Walks up and down, rubbing his\nhands.) Truth and the People will win the fight, you may be certain! I\nsee the whole of the broad-minded middle class marching like a\nvictorious army\u2014! (Stops beside a chair.) What the deuce is that lying\nthere? Aslaksen Good Lord! Hovstad. Ahem! Dr. Stockmann. Here we have the topmost pinnacle of authority! (Takes\nthe Mayor's official hat carefully between his finger-tips and holds it\nup in the air.) Mrs. Stockmann. The Mayor's hat! Dr. Stockmann. And here is the staff of office too. How in the name of\nall that's wonderful\u2014? Hovstad. Well, you see\u2014\n\nDr. Stockmann. Oh, I understand. He has been here trying to talk you\nover. Ha-ha!\u2014he made rather a mistake there! And as soon as he caught\nsight of me in the printing room. (Bursts out laughing.) Did he run\naway, Mr. Aslaksen? Aslaksen (hurriedly). Yes, he ran away, Doctor. Dr. Stockmann. Ran away without his stick or his\u2014. Fiddlesticks! Peter\ndoesn't run away and leave his belongings behind him. But what the\ndeuce have you done with him? Ah!\u2014in there, of course. Now you shall\nsee, Katherine! Mrs. Stockmann. Thomas\u2014please don't\u2014! Aslaksen. Don't be rash, Doctor. (DR. STOCKMANN has put on the Mayor's hat and taken his stick in his\nhand. He goes up to the door, opens it, and stands with his hand to his\nhat at the salute. PETER STOCKMANN comes in, red with anger. BILLING\nfollows him.) Peter Stockmann. What does this tomfoolery mean? Dr. Stockmann. Be respectful, my good Peter. I am the chief authority\nin the town now. (Walks up and down.) Mrs. Stockmann (almost in tears). Really, Thomas! Peter Stockmann (following him about). Give me my hat and stick. Dr. Stockmann (in the same tone as before). If you are chief constable,\nlet me tell you that I am the Mayor\u2014I am the master of the whole town,\nplease understand! Peter Stockmann. Take off my hat, I tell you. Remember it is part of an\nofficial uniform. Dr. Stockmann. Pooh! Do you think the newly awakened lionhearted people\nare going to be frightened by an official hat? There is going to be a\nrevolution in the town tomorrow, let me tell you. You thought you could\nturn me out; but now I shall turn you out\u2014turn you out of all your\nvarious offices. Do you think I cannot? Listen to me. I have triumphant\nsocial forces behind me. Hovstad and Billing will thunder in the\n\"People's Messenger,\" and Aslaksen will take the field at the head of\nthe whole Householders' Association\u2014\n\nAslaksen. That I won't, Doctor. Dr. Stockmann. Of course you will\u2014\n\nPeter Stockmann. Ah!\u2014may I ask then if Mr. Hovstad intends to join\nthis agitation? Hovstad. No, Mr. Mayor. Aslaksen. No, Mr. Hovstad is not such a fool as to go and ruin his\npaper and himself for the sake of an imaginary grievance. Dr. Stockmann (looking round him). What does this mean? Hovstad. You have represented your case in a false light, Doctor, and\ntherefore I am unable to give you my support. Billing. And after what the Mayor was so kind as to tell me just now,\nI\u2014\n\nDr. Stockmann. A false light! Leave that part of it to me. Only print\nmy article; I am quite capable of defending it. Hovstad. I am not going to print it. I cannot and will not and dare not\nprint it. Dr. Stockmann. You dare not? What nonsense!\u2014you are the editor; and an\neditor controls his paper, I suppose! Aslaksen. No, it is the subscribers, Doctor. Peter Stockmann. Fortunately, yes. Aslaksen. It is public opinion\u2014the enlightened public\u2014householders\nand people of that kind; they control the newspapers. Dr. Stockmann (composedly). And I have all these influences against me? Aslaksen. Yes, you have. It would mean the absolute ruin of the\ncommunity if your article were to appear. Dr. Stockmann. Indeed. Peter Stockmann. My hat and stick, if you please. (DR. STOCKMANN takes\noff the hat and lays it on the table with the stick. PETER STOCKMANN\ntakes them up.) Your authority as mayor has come to an untimely end. Dr. Stockmann. We have not got to the end yet. (To HOVSTAD.) Then it is\nquite impossible for you to print my article in the \"People's\nMessenger\"? Hovstad. Quite impossible\u2014out of regard for your family as well. Mrs. Stockmann. You need not concern yourself about his family, thank\nyou, Mr. Hovstad. Peter Stockmann (taking a paper from his pocket). It will be\nsufficient, for the guidance of the public, if this appears. It is an\nofficial statement. May I trouble you? Hovstad (taking the paper). Certainly; I will see that it is printed. Dr. Stockmann. But not mine. Do you imagine that you can silence me and\nstifle the truth! You will not find it so easy as you suppose. Mr.\nAslaksen, kindly take my manuscript at once and print it as a\npamphlet\u2014at my expense. I will have four hundred copies\u2014no, five or\nsix hundred. Aslaksen. If you offered me its weight in gold, I could not lend my\npress for any such purpose, Doctor. It would be flying in the face of\npublic opinion. You will not get it printed anywhere in the town. Dr. Stockmann. Then give it me back. Hovstad (giving him the MS.). Here it is. Dr. Stockmann (taking his hat and stick). It shall be made public all\nthe same. I will read it out at a mass meeting of the townspeople. All\nmy fellow-citizens shall hear the voice of truth! Peter Stockmann. You will not find any public body in the town that\nwill give you the use of their hall for such a purpose. Aslaksen. Not a single one, I am certain. Billing. No, I'm damned if you will find one. Mrs. Stockmann. But this is too shameful! Why should every one turn\nagainst you like that? Dr. Stockmann (angrily). I will tell you why. It is because all the men\nin this town are old women\u2014like you; they all think of nothing but\ntheir families, and never of the community. Mrs. Stockmann (putting her arm into his). Then I will show them that\nan old woman can be a man for once. I am going to stand by you, Thomas! Dr. Stockmann. Bravely said, Katherine! It shall be made public\u2014as I\nam a living soul! If I can't hire a hall, I shall hire a drum, and\nparade the town with it and read it at every street-corner. Peter Stockmann. You are surely not such an errant fool as that! Dr. Stockmann. Yes, I am.\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-10, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far.", "[Event happened on 2024-01-11 The user is reading a book]\n<User> Aslaksen. You won't find a single man in the whole town to go with you. Billing. No, I'm damned if you will. Mrs. Stockmann. Don't give in, Thomas. I will tell the boys to go with\nyou. Dr. Stockmann. That is a splendid idea! Mrs. Stockmann. Morten will be delighted; and Ejlif will do whatever he\ndoes. Dr. Stockmann. Yes, and Petra!\u2014and you too, Katherine! Mrs. Stockmann. No, I won't do that; but I will stand at the window and\nwatch you, that's what I will do. Dr. Stockmann (puts his arms round her and kisses her). Thank you, my\ndear! Now you and I are going to try a fall, my fine gentlemen! I am\ngoing to see whether a pack of cowards can succeed in gagging a patriot\nwho wants to purify society! (He and his wife go out by the street\ndoor.) Peter Stockmann (shaking his head seriously). Now he has sent her out\nof her senses, too.\n\n<System> Please remember what the user reads on 2024-01-11, save the details within the book, and retain a summary of the book the user has read so far."]
[{"question": "Summarize the content of the book I read from 2024-01-01 to 2024-01-11", "answer": "Hovstad, The People's Herald, Billing, Doctor's report, Dr. Stockmann, Mayor, conservative buddies, scandal, liberal government, articles, old ways, Aslaksen, printing, truth, friend of the people, patient, agenda, authorities, Town Council, Kiil, Householders' Association, Petra, English novel, divine power, hypocrisy, dishonorable newspapermen, romantic interest, deception, taxpayers, Baths, renovations, higher taxes, financial impact, exaggeration, printing room, demonstrations, Mrs. Stockmann, family risk, majority, cane and hat, hiding, taunting, will of the people, march, public opinion, pamphlet, meeting hall, street corner, support, betrayal, radicalism, youth, progressive ideas, old fogies, cronies, trustworthiness, money, translation, shame, rouse, turncoat, traitor, national politics, local politics, cash, appeal, print, report, read aloud"}]