RICHARD. [_Points towards the garden._] He is waiting. Out there. He was waiting when I came. BERTHA. [_Selfpossessed again._] You see, you came after all. RICHARD. Did you think I would not? BERTHA. I knew you could not remain away. You see, after all you are like all other men. You had to come. You are jealous like the others. RICHARD. You seem annoyed to find me here. BERTHA. What happened between you? RICHARD. I told him I knew everything, that I had known for a long time. He asked how. I said from you. BERTHA. Does he hate me? RICHARD. I cannot read in his heart. BERTHA. [_Sits down helplessly._] Yes. He hates me. He believes I made a fool of him—betrayed him. I knew he would. RICHARD. I told him you were sincere with him. BERTHA. He does not believe it. Nobody would believe it. I should have told him first—not you. RICHARD. I thought he was a common robber, prepared to use even violence against you. I had to protect you from that. BERTHA. That I could have done myself. RICHARD. Are you sure? BERTHA. It would have been enough to have told him that you knew I was here. Now I can find out nothing. He hates me. He is right to hate me. I have treated him badly, shamefully. RICHARD. [_Takes her hand._] Bertha, look at me. BERTHA. [_Turns to him._] Well? RICHARD. [_Gazes into her eyes and then lets her hand fall._] I cannot read in your heart either. BERTHA. [_Still looking at him._] You could not remain away. Do you not trust me? You can see I am quite calm. I could have hidden it all from you. RICHARD. I doubt that. BERTHA. [_With a slight toss of her head._] O, easily if I had wanted to. RICHARD. [_Darkly._] Perhaps you are sorry now that you did not. BERTHA. Perhaps I am. RICHARD. [_Unpleasantly._] What a fool you were to tell me! It would have been so nice if you had kept it secret. BERTHA. As you do, no? RICHARD. As I do, yes. [_He turns to go._] Goodbye for a while. BERTHA. [_Alarmed, rises._] Are you going? RICHARD. Naturally. My part is ended here. BERTHA. To her, I suppose? RICHARD. [_Astonished._] Who? BERTHA. Her ladyship. I suppose it is all planned so that you may have a good opportunity. To meet her and have an intellectual conversation! RICHARD. [_With an outburst of rude anger._] To meet the devil’s father! BERTHA. [_Unpins her hat and sits down._] Very well. You can go. Now I know what to do. RICHARD. [_Returns, approaches her._] You don’t believe a word of what you say. BERTHA. [_Calmly._] You can go. Why don’t you? RICHARD. Then you have come here and led him on in this way on account of me. Is that how it is? BERTHA. There is one person in all this who is not a fool. And that is you. I am though. And he is. RICHARD. [_Continuing._] If so you have indeed treated him badly and shamefully. BERTHA. [_Points at him._] Yes. But it was your fault. And I will end it now. I am simply a tool for you. You have no respect for me. You never had because I did what I did.