Mrs. Alving.
Oh—ideals, ideals! If only I were not such a coward!
Manders.
Do not despise ideals, Mrs. Alving; they will avenge themselves cruelly. Take Oswald’s case: he, unfortunately, seems to have few enough ideals as it is; but I can see that his father stands before him as an ideal.
Mrs. Alving.
Yes, that is true.
Manders.
And this habit of mind you have yourself implanted and fostered by your letters.
Mrs. Alving.
Yes; in my superstitious awe for duty and the proprieties, I lied to my boy, year after year. Oh, what a coward—what a coward I have been!