afford to set up house and support a family. 
OSWALD. There are many who cannot afford to marry, sir. 
MANDERS. Yes, that is just what I say. 
OSWALD. But they may have a home for all that. And several of them have, as a matter of fact; and very pleasant, well-ordered homes they are, too. 
[MRS. ALVING follows with breathless interest; nods, but says nothing.] 
MANDERS. But I'm not talking of bachelors' quarters. By a "home" I understand the home of a family, where a man lives with his wife and children. 
OSWALD. Yes; or with his children and his children's mother. 
MANDERS. [Starts; clasps his hands.] But, good heavens-- 
OSWALD. Well? 
MANDERS. Lives with--his children's mother! 
OSWALD. Yes. Would you have him turn his children's mother out of doors? 
MANDERS. Then it is illicit relations you are talking of! Irregular marriages, as people call them! 
OSWALD. I have never noticed anything particularly irregular about the life these people lead. 
MANDERS. But how is it possible that a--a young man or young woman with any decency of feeling can endure to live in that way?--in the eyes of all the world! 
OSWALD. What are they to do? A poor young artist--a poor girl--marriage costs a great deal. What are they to do? 
MANDERS. What are they to do? Let me tell you, Mr. Alving, what they ought to do. They ought to exercise self-restraint from the first; that is what they ought to do. 
OSWALD. That doctrine will scarcely go down with warm-blooded young people who love each other. 
MRS. ALVING. No, scarcely! 
MANDERS. [Continuing.] How can the authorities tolerate such things! Allow them to go on in the light of day! [Confronting MRS. ALVING.] Had I not cause to be deeply concerned about your son? In circles where open immorality prevails, and has even a sort of recognised position--! 
OSWALD. Let me tell you, sir, that I have been in the habit of spending nearly all my Sundays in one or two such irregular homes-- 
MANDERS. Sunday of all days! 
OSWALD. Isn't that the day to enjoy one's self? Well, never have I heard an offensive word, and still less have I witnessed anything that could be called immoral. No; do you know when and where I have come across immorality in artistic circles? 
MANDERS. No, thank heaven, I don't! 
OSWALD. Well, then, allow me to inform you. I have met with it when one or other of our pattern husbands and fathers has come to Paris to have a look round on his own account, and has done the artists the honour of visiting their humble haunts. They knew what was what. These gentlemen could tell us all about places and things we had never dreamt of. 
MANDERS. What! Do you mean to say that respectable men from home here would--? 
OSWALD. Have you never heard these respectable men, when they got home again, talking about the way 

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