Relling. Most people are, unfortunately.
Gregers. And what remedy are you applying to Hjalmar?
Relling. My usual one. I take care to keep up his life-lie.
Gregers. The life—lie? Did I hear correctly?
Relling. Yes, I said life-lie. For the life-lie is the stimulating principle, you see.
Gregers. May I ask with what sort of a life-lie Hjalmar is infected?
Relling. No, thanks, I don’t betray such secrets to quacks. You’d be quite capable of muddling him up even more for me. But the method is infallible. I’ve applied it to Molvik, too. I’ve made him “dæmonic.” That’s the phantasy I’ve had to put into his head.
Gregers. Then he’s not dæmonic?
Relling. What the devil does it mean to be dæmonic? That’s only the gammon I invented to keep him going. If I’d not done that the poor, inoffensive fellow would have succumbed to self-contempt and despair many a long year ago. And then the old lieutenant! But he really hit upon his own cure.
Gregers. Lieutenant Ekdal? What of him?