"And if he died in disgrace, perhaps it was only because he wanted to come back rich, so that he could pay the mortgage and make us all happy. I used to think of that and pray for it so often. But now if he could only come back poor--I shouldn't care how poor--as poor as the prodigal in the parable----"
"Mother!" cried Magnus. "I can't hear you talk like this--I can't and I won't. Oscar is dead, but he treated you shamefully."
"Don't say that, Magnus."
"But I do say it. I say you were the best mother to him a son ever had, and the only return he made to you for your care and loving-kindness was to neglect you and forget you."
"Don't say it, my son."
"I will say it, mother. And I'll say, too, that Oscar lived in disgrace and died in disgrace, and now that he is gone I am not going to pretend that I wish he could come back again."
"Magnus! Magnus!"
"I don't wish it. If he came back poor, what right would he have to bring his poverty here? And if he came back rich, what reason to expect that his money would make amends to us for the evil days we have had through him? I don't believe in the return of the prodigal, mother, and I don't believe in the parable, either. That may be the way in the other world, but it isn't the way in this one, and it shouldn't be--I say it shouldn't be."
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"
"As for Oscar, I tried to forgive him--you know I did--but there are some crimes that seem to be past forgiveness, and when I think of this last one against Thora I'm not sorry he never came back--I shouldn't have been able to keep my hands off him. I was thinking of him when I was following Hans, and if he had returned with the ship that brought the news of his death it would have been God help both him and me."