ge: Oh yes, and I have been told they played all sorts of mad
pranks. What is really the truth of those stories?

Mrs. Rummel: There is practically no truth in them, Mrs. Lynge.

Mrs. Holt: Dina, my love, will you give me that linen?

Mrs. Bernick (at the same time): Dina, dear, will you go and ask
Katrine to bring us our coffee?

Martha: I will go with you, Dina. (DINA and MARTHA go out by the
farther door on, the left.)

Mrs. Bernick (getting up): Will you excuse me for a few minutes? I
think we will have our coffee outside. (She goes out to the verandah
and sets to work to lay a table. RORLUND stands in the doorway talking
to her. HILMAR sits outside, smoking.)

Mrs. Rummel (in a low voice): My goodness, Mrs. Lynge, how you
frightened me!

Mrs. Lynge: I?

Mrs. Holt: Yes, but you know it was you that began it, Mrs. Rummel.

Mrs. Rummel: I? How can you say such a thing, Mrs. Holt? Not a syllable
passed my lips!

Mrs. Lynge: But what does it all mean?

Mrs. Rummel: What made you begin to talk about--? Think--did you not
see that Dina was in the room?

Mrs. Lynge: Dina? Good gracious, is there anything wrong with--?

Mrs. Holt: And in this house, too! Did you not know it was Mrs.
Bernick's brother--?

Mrs. Lynge: What about him? I know nothing about it at all; I am quite
new to the place, you know.

Mrs. Rummel: Have you not heard that--? Ahem! (To her daughter) Hilda,
dear, you can go for a little stroll in the garden?

Mrs. Holt: You go too, Netta. And be very kind to poor Dina when she
comes back. (HILDA and NETTA go out into the garden.)

Mrs. Lynge: Well, what about Mrs. Bernick's brother?

Mrs. Rummel: Don't you know the dreadful scandal about him?

Mrs. Lynge: A dreadful scandal about Mr. Tonnesen?

Mrs. Rummel: Good Heavens, no. Mr. Tonnesen is her cousin, of course,
Mrs. Lynge. I am speaking of her brother--

Mrs. Holt: The wicked Mr. Tonnesen--

Mrs. Rummel: His name was Johan. He ran away to America.

Mrs. Holt: Had to run away, you must understand.

Mrs. Lynge: Then it is he the scandal is about?

Mrs. Rummel: Yes; there was something--how shall I put it?--there was
something of some kind between him and Dina's mother. I remember it all
as if it were yesterday. Johan Tonnesen was in old Mrs. Bernick's
office then; Karsten Bernick had just come back from Paris--he had not
yet become engaged--

Mrs. Lynge: Yes, but what was the scandal?

Mrs. Rummel: Well, you must know tha