ROBERT. [_Watching her._] Your face is a flower too—but more beautiful. A wild flower blowing in a hedge. [_Moving his chair closer to her._] Why are you smiling? At my words? BERTHA. [_Laying the flowers in her lap._] I am wondering if that is what you say—to the others. ROBERT. [_Surprised._] What others? BERTHA. The other women. I hear you have so many admirers. ROBERT. [_Involuntarily._] And that is why you too...? BERTHA. But you have, haven’t you? ROBERT. Friends, yes. BERTHA. Do you speak to them in the same way? ROBERT. [_In an offended tone._] How can you ask me such a question? What kind of person do you think I am? Or why do you listen to me? Did you not like me to speak to you in that way? BERTHA. What you said was very kind. [_She looks at him for a moment._] Thank you for saying it—and thinking it. ROBERT. [_Leaning forward._] Bertha! BERTHA. Yes? ROBERT. I have the right to call you by your name. From old times—nine years ago. We were Bertha—and Robert—then. Can we not be so now, too? BERTHA. [_Readily._] O yes. Why should we not? ROBERT. Bertha, you knew. From the very night you landed on Kingstown pier. It all came back to me then. And you knew it. You saw it. BERTHA. No. Not that night. ROBERT. When? BERTHA. The night we landed I felt very tired and dirty. [_Shaking her head._] I did not see it in you that night. ROBERT. [_Smiling._] Tell me what did you see that night—your very first impression. BERTHA. [_Knitting her brows._] You were standing with your back to the gangway, talking to two ladies. ROBERT. To two plain middleaged ladies, yes. BERTHA. I recognized you at once. And I saw that you had got fat. ROBERT. [_Takes her hand._] And this poor fat Robert—do you dislike him then so much? Do you disbelieve all he says? BERTHA. I think men speak like that to all women whom they like or admire. What do you want me to believe? ROBERT. All men, Bertha? BERTHA. [_With sudden sadness._] I think so. ROBERT. I too? BERTHA. Yes, Robert. I think you too. ROBERT. All then—without exception? Or with one exception? [_In a lower tone._] Or is he too—Richard too—like us all—in that at least? Or different? BERTHA. [_Looks into his eyes._] Different. ROBERT. Are you quite sure, Bertha? BERTHA. [_A little confused, tries to withdraw her hand._] I have answered you. ROBERT. [_Suddenly._] Bertha, may I kiss your hand? Let me. May I? BERTHA. If you wish. [_He lifts her hand to his lips slowly. She rises suddenly and listens._] BERTHA. Did you hear the garden gate? ROBERT. [_Rising also._] No. [_A short pause. The piano can be heard faintly from the upper room._] ROBERT. [_Pleading._] Do not go away. You must never go away now. Your life is here. I came for that too today—to speak to him—to urge him to accept this position. He must. And you must persuade him to. You have a great influence over him. BERTHA. You want him to remain here. ROBERT. Yes. BERTHA. Why?