Exiles

Have you changed? Richard Passes his hand across his brow. Yes. It is the language of my youth. Robert Eagerly, intensely. Richard, you have driven me up to this point. She and I have only obeyed your will. You yourself have roused these words in my brain. Your own words. Shall we? Freely? Together? Richard Mastering his emotion. Together no. Fight your part alone. I will not free you. Leave me to fight mine. Robert Rises, decided. You allow me, then? Richard Rises also, calmly. Free yourself. A knock is heard at the hall door. Robert In alarm. What does this mean? Richard Calmly. Bertha, evidently. Did you not ask her to come? Robert Yes, but⁠ ⁠… Looking about him. Then I am going, Richard. Richard No. I am going. Robert Desperately. Richard, I appeal to you. Let me go. It is over. She is yours. Keep her and forgive me, both of you. Richard Because you are generous enough to allow me? Robert Hotly. Richard, you will make me angry with you if you say that. Richard Angry or not, I will not live on your generosity. You have asked her to meet you here tonight and alone. Solve the question between you. Robert Promptly. Open the door. I shall wait in the garden. He goes towards the porch. Explain to her, Richard, as best you can. I cannot see her now. Richard I shall go. I tell you. Wait out there if you wish. He goes out by the door on the right. Robert goes out hastily through the porch but comes back the same instant. Robert An umbrella! With a sudden gesture. O! He goes out again through the porch. The hall door is heard to open and close. Richard enters, followed by Bertha, who is dressed in a darkbrown costume and wears a small dark red hat. She has neither umbrella nor waterproof. Richard Gaily. Welcome back to old Ireland! Bertha Nervously, seriously. Is this the place? Richard Yes, it is. How did you find it? Bertha I told the cabman. I didn’t like to ask my way. Looking about her curiously. Was he not waiting? Has he gone away? 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. Richard And has he respect? Bertha He has. Of all the persons I met since I came back he is the only one who has. And he knows what they only suspect. And that is why I liked him from the first and like him still. Great respect for me she has! Why did you not ask her to come away with you nine years ago? Richard You know why, Bertha. Ask yourself. Bertha Yes, I know why. You knew the answer you would get. That is why. Richard That is not why. I did not even ask you. Bertha Yes. You knew I would go, asked or not. I do things. But if