purifying their minds!

_Kroll_. What _do_ you mean? [_Takes up his hat._

_Rosmer_ (_bowing his head_). I don't quite know, my dear friend; it
was REB--I should say. Miss WEST's scheme.

_Kroll_. H'm! (_A suspicion appears in his face._) Now I begin to
believe that what BEATA said about schemes--no matter. But, under the
circumstances, I will _not_ stay to supper.

[_Takes up his stick, and walks out._

_Rosmer_. I _told_ you he would be annoyed, I shall go to bed now. I
don't want any supper. [_He lights a candle, and goes out; presently
his footsteps are heard overhead, as he undresses. REBECCA pulls a
bell-rope._

_Reb._ (_to Madam HELSETH, who enters with dishes_). No, Mr. ROSMER
will not have supper to-night. (_In a lighter tone._) Perhaps he is
afraid of the nightmare. There are so many sorts of White Horses in
this world!

_Mad. H._ (_shaking_). Lord! lord! that Miss WEST--the things she does
say! [_REB. goes out through door, knitting antimacassar thoughtfully,
as Curtain falls._

ACT II.

ROSMER's _study. Doors and windows, bookshelves, a
writing-table. Door, with curtain, leading to ROSMER's
bedroom. ROSMER discovered in a smoking-jacket cutting
a pamphlet with a paper-knife. There is a knock at the
door. ROSMER says, "Come in." REBECCA enters in a morning
wrapper and curl-papers. She sits on a chair close to ROSMER,
and looks over his shoulder as he cuts the leaves. Rector
KROLL is shown up._

_Kroll_ (_lays his hat on the table and looks at REB. from head to
foot_). I am really afraid that I am in the way.

_Reb._ (_surprised_). Because I am in my morning wrapper and
curl-papers? You forget that I am _emancipated_, Rector KROLL.

[_She leaves them and listens behind curtain in ROSMER's
bedroom._

_Rosmer_. Yes, Miss WEST and I have worked our way forward in faithful
comradeship.

_Kroll_ (_shakes his head at him slowly_). So I perceive. Miss WEST
is naturally inclined to be forward. But, I say, _really_ you know--
However, I came to tell you that poor BEATA was not so mad as she
looked, though flowers _did_ bewilder her so. (_Taking off his gloves
meaningly._) She jumped into the mill-race because she had an idea
that you ought to marry Miss WEST!

_Rosmer_ (_jumps half up from his chair_). I? Marry--Miss WEST!
my good gracious, KROLL! I don't _understand_, it is _most_
incomprehensible. (_Looks fixedly before him_.) How _can_ people--
(_l