you women.

BERTHA [Worried]. Where are you going?

AXEL. I don't need to account for myself, as I don't ask you to account
for your actions.

BERTHA. You won't forget that we have invited guests for the masquerade
tomorrow evening?

AXEL. Guests? That's true, tomorrow evening. H'm!

BERTHA. It won't do to postpone it when both Oestermark and Carl have
arrived today, and I have asked them to come.

AXEL. So much the better!

BERTHA. And now come home early enough to try on your costume.

AXEL. My Costume? Yes, of course; I am to take the part of a woman.

[The maid enters.]

MAID. The smith hasn't time now, but he'll come within two hours.

AXEL. He hasn't time, eh? Well, perhaps the key will turn up anyway.
However, I must be off now. Good-bye.

BERTHA [Very mild]. Good-bye then. Don't come home late.

AXEL. I don't know just what I will do. Goodbye.

[Abel nods good-bye, Axel goes out.]

ABEL. How very cocky his lordship was!

BERTHA. Such impudence! Do you know, I had a good mind to tame him,
break him so that he'd come back crawling to me.

ABEL. Yes, that tweak the salon disappointment gave him doesn't seem
to have taken all the spunk out of him. Bertha, tell me, have you ever
loved that clown?

BERTHA. Loved him? I liked him very much because he was nice to me. But
he is so silly and--when he nags as he did just now, I feel that I could
hate him. Think of it, it's already around that he painted my picture!

ABEL. Well, if it's gone as far as that, then you must do something
eclatant.

BERTHA. If I only knew how!

ABEL. I'm usually inventive. Let me see. Look here, why couldn't you
have his refused picture brought home just as all your friends have
gathered here?

BERTHA. No, that would look as if I wanted to triumph. No, that would be
too terrible.

ABEL. Yes, but if I should have it done? Or Gaga, that would be better
still. It would be sent here in Axel's name by the porter. It's got to
come home anyway, and it's no secret that it was refused.

BERTHA. No, but you know--

ABEL. What? Hasn't he spread false reports, and haven't you the right to
defend yourself?

BERTHA. I would like it to happen very much, but I don't want to have
anything to do with the doing of it. I want to be able to stand and
swear that I am quite clean and innocent.

ABEL. You shall be able to do so. I'll attend to it.

BERTHA. What do you think he wanted the account-book for? He has never
asked to see