Valborg. If he undeniably owes more than he possesses, any venture he undertakes must be a speculation with other people's money.
Tjaelde. Well—perhaps that is so; but that does not mean that he steals the money—he only uses it in trust for them.
Valborg. Entrusted to him on the false supposition that he is solvent.
Tjaelde. But possibly that money may save the whole situation.
Valborg. That does not alter the fact that he has got the use of it by a lie.
Tjaelde. You use very harsh terms. (MRS. TJAELDE has once or twice been making signs to VALBORG, which the latter sees but pays no attention to.)
Valborg. In that case the lie consists in the concealment.
Tjaelde. But what do you want him to do? To lay all his cards on the table, and so ruin both himself and the others?
Valborg. Yes, he ought to take every one concerned into his confidence.
Tjaelde. Bah! In that case we should see a thousand failures every year, and fortunes lost one after the other everywhere! No, you have a level head, Valborg, but your ideas are narrow. Look here, where are the newspapers? (SIGNE, who has been talking confidentially to HAMAR on the verandah, comes forward.)