Читать книгу An Enemy of the People онлайн

18 страница из 31

Horster. No, I don’t mix myself up with those things.

Billing. But do you not take an interest in public affairs?

Horster. No, I don’t know anything about politics.

Billing. All the same, one ought to vote, at any rate.

Horster. Even if one doesn’t know anything about what is going on?

Billing. Doesn’t know! What do you mean by that? A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.

Horster. Maybe that is all very well on shore; but on board ship it wouldn’t work.

Hovstad. It is astonishing how little most sailors care about what goes on on shore.

Billing. Very extraordinary.

Dr. Stockmann. Sailors are like birds of passage; they feel equally at home in any latitude. And that is only an additional reason for our being all the more keen, Hovstad. Is there to be anything of public interest in tomorrow’s “Messenger”?

Hovstad. Nothing about municipal affairs. But the day after tomorrow I was thinking of printing your article—

Dr. Stockmann. Ah, devil take it—my article! Look here, that must wait a bit.