Manders. Aha! Hm! 

 Mrs. Alving. Oh, it's you, Engstrand! 

 Engstrand. There were none of the maids about, so I took the great liberty of knocking. 

 Mrs. Alving. That's all right. Come in. Do you want to speak to me? 

 Engstrand (coming in). No, thank you very much, ma'am. It was Mr. Menders I wanted to speak to for a moment. 

 Manders (walking up and down). Hm!—do you. You want to speak to me, do you? 

 Engstrand. Yes, sir, I wanted so very much to— 

 Manders (stopping in front of him). Well, may I ask what it is you want? 

 Engstrand. It's this way, Mr. Manders. We are being paid off now. And many thanks to you, Mrs. Alving. And now the work is quite finished, I thought it would be so nice and suitable if all of us, who have worked so honestly together all this time, were to finish up with a few prayers this evening. 

 Manders. Prayers? Up at the Orphanage? 

 Engstrand. Yes, sir, but if it isn't agreeable to you, then— 

 Manders. Oh, certainly—but—hm!— 

 Engstrand. I have made a practice of saying a few prayers there myself each evening. 

 Mrs. Alving. Have you? 

 Engstrand. Yes, ma'am, now—and then—just as a little edification, so to speak. But I am only a poor common man, and haven't rightly the gift, alas—and so I thought that as Mr. Manders happened to be here, perhaps— 

 Manders. Look here, Engstrand! First of all I must ask you a question. Are you in a proper frame of mind for such a thing? Is your conscience free and untroubled? 

 Engstrand. Heaven have mercy on me a sinner! My conscience isn't worth our speaking about, Mr. Manders. 

 Manders. But it is just what we must speak about. What do you say to 

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