Exiles

to meet my cousin now. Bertha Of course. She takes her hand. It is so strange that we spoke like this now. But I always wanted to. Did you? Beatrice I think I did, too. Bertha Smiling. Even in Rome. When I went out for a walk with Archie I used to think about you, what you were like, because I knew about you from Dick. I used to look at different persons, coming out of churches or going by in carriages, and think that perhaps they were like you. Because Dick told me you were dark. Beatrice Again nervously. Really? Bertha Pressing her hand. Goodbye then⁠—for the present. Beatrice Disengaging her hand. Good morning. Bertha I will see you to the gate. She accompanies her out through the double doors. They go down through the garden. Richard Rowan comes in from the study. He halts near the doors, looking down the garden. Then he turns away, comes to the little table, takes up the paper and reads. Bertha, after some moments, appears in the doorway and stands watching him till he has finished. He lays down the paper again and turns to go back to his study. Bertha Dick! Richard Stopping. Well? Bertha You have not spoken to me. Richard I have nothing to say. Have you? Bertha Do you not wish to know⁠—about what happened last night? Richard That I will never know. Bertha I will tell you if you ask me. Richard You will tell me. But I will never know. Never in this world. Bertha Moving towards him. I will tell you the truth, Dick, as I always told you. I never lied to you. Richard Clenching his hands in the air, passionately. Yes, yes. The truth! But I will never know, I tell you. Bertha Why, then, did you leave me last night? Richard Bitterly. In your hour of need. Bertha Threateningly. You urged me to it. Not because you love me. If you loved me or if you knew what love was you would not have left me. For your own sake you urged me to it. Richard I did not make myself. I am what I am. Bertha To have it always to throw against me. To make me humble before you, as you always did. To be free yourself. Pointing towards the garden. With her! And that is your love! Every word you say is false. Richard Controlling himself. It is useless to ask you to listen to me. Bertha Listen to you! She is the person for listening. Why would you waste your time with me? Talk to her. Richard Nods his head. I see. You have driven her away from me now, as you drove everyone else from my side⁠—every friend I ever had, every human being that ever tried to approach me. You hate her. Bertha Warmly. No such thing! I think you have made her unhappy as you have made me and as you made your dead mother unhappy and killed her. Womankiller! That is your name. Richard Turns to go. Arrivederci! Bertha Excitedly. She is a fine and high character. I like her. She is everything that I am not⁠—in birth and education. You tried to ruin her but you could not. Because she is well able for you⁠—what I am not. And you know it. Richard Almost shouting. What the devil are you talking about her for? Bertha Clasping her hands. O, how I wish I had never met you! How I curse that day! Richard Bitterly. I am in the way, is it? You would like to be free now. You have only to say the word. Bertha Proudly. Whenever you like I am ready. Richard So that you could meet your lover⁠—freely? Bertha Yes. Richard Night after night? Bertha Gazing before her and speaking with intense passion. To meet my lover! Holding out her arms before her. My lover! Yes! My lover! She bursts suddenly into tears and sinks down on a chair, covering her face with her hands. Richard approaches her slowly and touches her on the shoulder. Richard Bertha! She does not answer. Bertha, you are free. Bertha Pushes his hand aside and starts to her feet. Don’t touch me! You are a stranger to me. You do not understand anything in me⁠—not one thing in my heart or soul. A stranger! I am living with a stranger! A knock is heard at the hall door. Bertha dries her eyes quickly with her handkerchief and settles the front of her gown. Richard listens for a moment, looks at her keenly and, turning away, walks into his study. Robert Hand enters from the left. He is dressed in dark brown and carries in his hand a brown Alpine hat. Robert Closing the door quietly behind him. You sent for me. Bertha Rises. Yes. Are you mad to think of going away like that⁠—without even coming here⁠—without saying anything? Robert Advancing towards the table on which the paper lies, glances at it. What I have to say I said here. Bertha When did you write it? Last night⁠—after I went away? Robert Gracefully. To be quite accurate, I wrote part of it⁠—in my mind⁠—before you went away. The rest⁠—the worst part⁠—I wrote after. Much later. Bertha And you could write last night! Robert Shrugs his shoulders. I am a welltrained animal. He comes closer to her. I passed a long wandering night after⁠ ⁠… in my office, at the vicechancellor’s house, in a nightclub, in the streets, in my room. Your image was always before my eyes, your hand in my hand. Bertha, I will never forget last night. He lays his hat on the table and takes her hand. Why do you not look at me? May I not touch you? Bertha Points to the study. Dick is in there. Robert Drops her hand. In that case children be good. Bertha Where are you going? Robert To foreign parts. That is, to my cousin Jack Justice, alias Doggy Justice, in Surrey. He has