, now, be quiet before you go too far.

WILLMER [To Bertha]. Do you know what one has a right to say about a
married woman who accepts presents from a young bachelor?

BERTHA. Presents?

WILLMER. You've accepted presents from me for two years.

BERTHA. Presents! You should have a thrashing, you lying little snipe,
always hanging around the petticoats! Don't you suppose I can squelch
you?

WILLMER [With a shrug]. Perhaps.

BERTHA. And you dare throw a shadow on a woman's honor!

WILLMER, Honor! H'm! Does it do you any honor to have had me buy part of
the household things which you have charged up to your husband?

BERTHA. Leave my house, you scamp!

WILLMER. Your house! Among comrades one is not careful, but among
enemies one must count every hair! And you shall be compelled to go over
the accounts with me--adventuress--depend on that! [Goes out.]

ABEL. You will suffer for this foolishness! To let a friend leave you as
an enemy--that's dangerous.

BERTHA. Oh, let him do what he likes. He dared to kiss me! He dared to
remind me that I'm a woman.

ABEL. Do you know, I believe a man will always have that in mind. You
have been playing with fire.

BERTHA. Fire! Can one ever find a man and a woman who can live like
comrades without danger of fire?

ABEL. No, I don't think so; as long as there are two sexes there is
bound to be fire.

BERTHA. Yes, but that must be done away with!

ABEL. Yes--it must be--try it!

[The maid comes in; she is bursting with laughter.]

MAID. There is a lady out here who calls herself--Richard--Richard
Wahlstroem!

BERTHA [Going toward door]. Oh! Richard is here.

ABEL. Oh, well then, if she has come, we can open the meeting. And now
to see if we can disentangle your skein.

BERTHA. Disentangle it, or cut it!

ABEL. Or get caught in it!

CURTAIN.

ACT III.

[Same scene. The hanging-lamp is lighted. Moonlight streams in, lighting
up the studio window. There is a fire in the stove. Bertha and the maid
are discovered. Bertha is dressed in a negligee with lace. She is sewing
on the Spanish costume. The maid is cutting out a frill.]

BERTHA. There's no fun sitting up waiting for one's husband.

MAID. Do you think it is more fun for him to sit and wait for madame?
This is the first time that he has been out alone--

BERTHA. Well, what does he do when he sits here alone?

MAID. He paints on pieces of wood.

BERTHA. On wooden panels?

MAID. Yes, he has big pi