en I saw him again--oh, that dreadful
moment!--I realised that now I was ten years older than he. He had gone
out into the bright sparkling sunshine, and breathed in youth and
health with every breath; and here I sat meanwhile, spinning and
spinning--

Lona: Spinning the thread of his happiness, Martha.

Martha: Yes, it was a golden thread I spun. No bitterness! We have been
two good sisters to him, haven't we, Lona?

Lona (throwing her arms round her): Martha!

(BERNICK comes in from his room.)

Bernick (to the other men, who are in his room): Yes, yes, arrange it
any way you please. When the time comes, I shall be able to--. (Shuts
the door.) Ah, you are here. Look here, Martha--I think you had better
change your dress; and tell Betty to do the same. I don't want anything
elaborate, of course--something homely, but neat. But you must make
haste.

Lona: And a bright, cheerful face, Martha; your eyes must look happy.

Bernick: Olaf is to come downstairs too; I will have him beside me.

Lona: Hm! Olaf.

Martha: I will give Betty your message. (Goes out by the farther door
on the left.)

Lona: Well, the great and solemn moment is at hand.

Bernick (walking uneasily up and down): Yes, it is.

Lona: At such a moment I should think a man would feel proud and happy.

Bernick (looking at her): Hm!

Lona: I hear the whole town is to be illuminated.

Bernick: Yes, they have some idea of that sort.

Lona: All the different clubs will assemble with their banners--your
name will blaze out in letters of fire--tonight the telegraph will
flash the news to every part of the country: "In the bosom of his happy
family, Mr. Bernick received the homage of his fellow citizens, as one
of the pillars of society."

Bernick: That is so; and they will begin to cheer outside, and the
crowd will shout in front of my house until I shall be obliged to go
out and bow to them and thank them.

Lona: Obliged to?

Bernick. Do you suppose I shall feel happy at that moment?

Lona: No, I don't suppose you will feel so very happy.

Bernick: Lona, you despise me.

Lona: Not yet.

Bernick: And you have no right to; no right to despise me! Lona, you
can have no idea how utterly alone I stand in this cramped and stunted
community--where I have had, year after year, to stifle my ambition for
a fuller life. My work may seem many-sided, but what have I really
accomplished? Odds and ends--scraps. They would not stand anything else
here