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[Act II

Robert

[Continuing.] And every night when we two—he and I—came to that corner to meet you I saw it and felt it. You remember the corner, Bertha?

Bertha

[As before.] Yes.

Robert

And when you and he went away for your walk and I went along the street alone I felt it. And when he spoke to me about you and told me he was going away—then most of all.

Bertha

Why then most of all?

Robert

Because it was then that I was guilty of my first treason towards him.

Bertha

Robert, what are you saying? Your first treason against Dick?

Robert

[Nods.] And not my last. He spoke of you and himself. Of how your life would be together—free and all that. Free, yes! He would not even ask you to go with him. [Bitterly.] He did not. And you went all the same.

Bertha

I wanted to be with him. You know . . . [Raising her head and looking at him.] You know how we were then—Dick and I.

Robert

[Unheeding.] I advised him to go alone—not to take you with him—to live alone in order to see if what he