Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Heinemann Volume 3).djvu/164

He who would grow a bed of crime,
Let him with poverty manure it:
I'll set a dam to this manure!

Brand.

How?

The Mayor.

     Do you take me? I can cure
A want, of long and bitter proof,
By building, for the Town's behoof,
A Pest-house for the afflicted Poor.
Pest-house I call a thing projected
To rid us of the crime-infected.
And, I reflected, to the Pest-house
Might well be added an Arrest-house,
The cause with its effect confined
The selfsame bars and bolts behind,
And nothing but a wall between.
And, while my hand is in, I mean
In the same block to build withal
A wing for balls and ballotings,
Social and business gatherings,
With platform and Assembly-Hall;
In short, a half-political,
Half-social, smart and festive Guest-house.

Brand.

Sorely required; this most of all;
But yet there's <g>one</g> thing needed more.

The Mayor.

You mean a Mad-house? Yes, indeed;
A very peremptory need;
That was my own idea before.
But now, by friendly counsel wrought,
I've utterly renounced the thought;