BEERMANN. No. Lena, listen. Someone has been telling you tales and I cannot defend myself, because I don't know what I am accused of. You must tell me everything right now. I demand it of you. FRAU BEERMANN. If I wanted to do that, I would have to begin "many, many years ago ..." BEERMANN. Well, why didn't you do it then? FRAU BEERMANN. You can well understand, I had my reasons. BEERMANN. For such silence there can be no reasons. FRAU BEERMANN. I could shut my eyes and remain silent. That was my privilege. But if I had spoken out and permitted you to appease me ... no, that was something beyond me. To do that I would have been obliged to lie and for that I, for one, have not the ability. [Beermann makes a motion.] No, do not interrupt me. These things will have no consequences as long as I do not wish them to, but if I should name them, then they would have. BEERMANN. Then shall I let this suspicion rest upon me? FRAU BEERMANN. Yes. BEERMANN. How coldly you speak. If what you suspect were true, you could not be so indifferent about it. FRAU BEERMANN. Do the by-laws of your society prescribe that in cases like these the wife shall be unhappy? BEERMANN. Imagine! The many years that you and I have lived together and you had these suspicions right along and never said a word about them. Why do you speak today? FRAU BEERMANN. Because you have reached the point where our friendship for one another may break. Everything I see and hear from you now hurts me. You speak in a tone of strictness, which must be unpleasant even to you. For weeks past there has been nothing around me but lies. What you say to me, all that you say to the children, and what you preached here publicly last night. Every word hurts my ears and urges me to contradict you; I am silent and by doing that I endorse your lies. BEERMANN. But, Lena ... FRAU BEERMANN. Finally when your every glance is artificial, each motion of yours is a pose. Then it is unbearable. Add to that my anxiety for our children. How shall they still retain faith in us, if through an accident their eyes are opened? I had remained silent all this time for their sake and now you are inviting the whole world to speak. I cannot continue to live this life of worry and hypocrisy. All that I have already overcome awakens again and appears to me more ugly than ever before. I do not know if I can still believe in your good fellowship and remain your friend. [She rises and goes slowly to the door.] BEERMANN. I do not seem to know you any more. During our entire married life, you have not spoken as seriously as in the last fifteen minutes. FRAU BEERMANN. That perhaps was my great mistake. But I have paid for it. [She opens the door.] BEERMANN. Lena dear, have you nothing further to tell me? FRAU BEERMANN. I just beg of you; do not bring your family into ridicule. [Exit.]