DR. MACPHERSON. Will rich men never learn wisdom!
FREDERIK. [Rising.] No, they won't! But in every fourth generation there comes along a wise fellow—a spender who knows how to distribute the money others have hoarded: I'm the spender.
DR. MACPHERSON. Shame upon you and your like! Your breed should be exterminated.
FREDERIK. [Taking a little packet of letters from the desk.] Oh, no, we're quite as necessary as you are. And now—I shall answer no more questions. I'm done. Good-night, Doctor.
DR. MACPHERSON. Good-night and good-bye. [With a look of disgust, he has gone to the table, held a medicine bottle to the light to look at the label and poured a spoonful into a wine-glass filled with water. As FREDERIK leaves the house, the DOCTOR taps on a door and calls.] Catherine! [CATHERINE enters, and shows by the glance she directs at the front door that she knows FREDERIK has been in the room and has just left the house.] Burn up your wedding dress. We've made no mistake. I can tell you that! [Goes up the stairs to WILLIAM'S room, taking the lamp with him. JAMES has entered, and, taking CATHERINE'S hand, holds it for a moment.
JAMES. Good-night, Catherine. [She turns and lays her hand on his shoulder.
CATHERINE. I wonder, James, if he can see us now.
JAMES. That's the big mystery!… Who can tell? But any man who works with flowers and things that grow—knows there is no such thing as death— there's nothing but life—life and always life. I'll be back in the morning…. Won't you … see me to the door?
CATHERINE. Yes … yes…. [They go up together, CATHERINE carrying a candle into the dark vestibule. The moment they disappear, a lamp standing on the piano goes out as though the draught from the door or an unseen hand had extinguished it. It is now quite dark outside, and the moon is hidden for a moment. At the same time, a light, seemingly coming from nowhere, reveals PETER GRIMM standing in the room at the door—as though he had been there when the young people passed out. He is smiling and happy. The moon is not seen, but the light of it (as though it had come out from behind a cloud) now reveals the old windmill. From outside the door the voices of JAMES and CATHERINE are heard as they both say:] Good-night.
JAMES. Catherine, … I won't go without it….