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_ 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 piles of wood that he paints on.
BERTHA.
H'm! Tell me one thing, Ida; has monsieur ever been familiar with you?
MAID.
Oh, never! No, he is such a proper gentleman.
BERTHA.
Are you sure?
MAID
[Positive].
Does madame think that I am such a--
BERTHA.
--What time is it now?
MAID.
It must be along toward twelve.
BERTHA.
Very well. Then you may go to bed.
MAID.
Won't you be afraid to be alone with all these skeletons?
BERTHA.
I, afraid?--Hush, some one is coming through the gate--so, good night to you.
MAID.
Good night, Madame. Sleep well.
[Goes out. Bertha alone; she puts the work away; throws herself on the couch, arranges lace on her gown, then she jumps up, turns down the lamp to half-light, then returns to couch and pretends to sleep. A pause before Axel enters.]
AXEL.
Is any one here? Are you here, Bertha?
[Bertha is silent. Axel goes to her.]
Are you asleep?
BERTHA.
[Softly.]
Ah, is it you, my friend? Good evening! I was lying here and fell asleep, and I had such a bad dream.
AXEL.
Now you are lying, for I saw you thro' the window from the garden when you took this pose. [Bertha jumps up.]
AXEL
[Quietly].
And we don't want any seductive scenes in nightgowns, nor any melodramas. Be calm and listen to what I am going to tell you. [He sits down in the middle of the room.]
BERTHA.
What have you got to tell me?
AXEL.
A whole lot of things; but I shall begin with the ending. We must dissolve this concubinage.
BERTHA.
What?
[Throwing herself on the couch.]
Oh, my God, what am I not made to live through!
AXEL.
No hysteria, or I will empty the water bottle on your laces!
BERTHA.
This is your revenge because I defeated you in an open competition!
AXEL.
That has no connection with this matter.
BERTHA.
You have never loved me!
AXEL.
Yes, I have loved you; that was my only motive for marrying you. But why did you marry me? Because you were hard up, and because you had green sickness!
BERTHA.
It's fortunate that no one can hear us.
AXEL.
It would be no misfortune if any one did hear us. I've treated you like a comrade, with unlimited trust, and I've even made small sacrifices that you know about.--Has the locksmith been here yet?
BERTHA.
No, he didn't come.
AXEL.
It doesn't matter--I have looked over your accounts.
BERTHA.
So, you've been spying in my book, have you?
AXEL.
The household account-book is common property. You have entered false expenses and neglected to put down some of the income.
BERTHA.
Can I help it if we are not taught bookkeeping at school?
AXEL.
Nor are we. And as far as your bringing-up is concerned, you had things much better then I did; you went to a seminary, but I only went to a grade school.
BERTHA.
It's not books that bring one up--
AXEL.
No, it's the parents! But it's strange that they can't teach their daughters to be honorable--
BERTHA.
Honorable! I wonder if the majority of criminals are not to be found among men?
AXEL.
The majority of the punished, you should say; but of ninety-nine per cent. of criminal men one can ask with the judge, "Ou est la femme?" But--to return to you. You have lied to me all the way through, and finally you have cheated me. For instance, you put down twenty francs for paints instead of for a twenty franc luncheon at Marguery.
BERTHA.
That's not true; the luncheon only cost twelve francs.
AXEL.
That is to say, you put eight in your pocket. Then you have received three hundred francs for the picture that you sold.
BERTHA. "What a woman earns by her work, she also controls." That's what the law states.
AXEL. That's not a paradox, then? Not monomania?
BERTHA.
No, it seems not.
AXEL.
Of course, we must not be petty; you control your earnings, and have controlled mine, in an unspeakable way; still, don't you think that, as comrades, you should have told me about the sale?
BERTHA.
That didn't concern you.
AXEL.
It didn't concern me? Well, then it only remains for me to bring suit for divorce.
BERTHA.
Divorce! Do you think I would stand the disgrace of being a divorced wife? Do you think that I will allow myself to be driven from my home, like a servant-maid who is sent away with her trunk?
AXEL.
I could throw you out into the street if I wished, but I shall do a more humane thing and get the divorce on the grounds of incompatibility of temperament.
BERTHA.
If you can talk like that, you have never loved me!
AXEL.
Tell me, why do you think I asked for your hand?
BERTHA.
Because you wanted me to love you.
AXEL.
Oh, holy, revered, uncorruptible stupidity--yes! I could accuse you of counterfeiting, for you have gone into debt to Willmer and made me responsible for the amount.
BERTHA.
Ah, the little insect! he has been talking, has he?
AXEL.
I just left him after paying him the three hundred and fifty francs for which you were indebted to him. But we mustn't be small about money matters, and we have more serious business to settle. You have allowed this scoundrel partially to pay for my household, and in doing so you have completely ruined my reputation. What have you done with the money?
BERTHA.
The whole thing is a lie.
AXEL.
Have you squandered it on luncheon and dinner parties?
BERTHA.
No, I have saved it; and that's something you have no conception of, spendthrift!
AXEL.
Oh, you saving soul! That negligee cost two hundred francs, and my dressing-gown cost twenty-five.
BERTHA.
Have you anything else to say to me?
AXEL.
Nothing else, except that you must think about supporting yourself from now on. I don't care to decorate wooden panels any more and let you reap the earnings.
BERTHA.
A-ha, you think you can so easily get out of the duty that you made yourself responsible for when you fooled me into becoming your wife? You shall see!
AXEL.
Now that I've had my eyes opened, the past is beginning to take on another color. It seems to me almost as if you conjured that courtship of ours; it seems almost as if I had been the victim of what you women call seduction; it now seems to me as if I had fallen into the hands of an adventuress, who lured my money away from me in a _hotel garni_; it seems almost as if I had lived in vice ever since I was united with you! [Rising.] And now, as you stand there with your back turned to me and I see your neck with your short hair, it is--yes, it is exactly as if--ugh!--as if you were Judith and had given your body to be able to behead me! Look, there is the dress I was going to wear, that you wished to humiliate me with. Yes, you felt that it was debasing to wear those things, and thought it disguised your desire to irritate,--this low-cut bodice and the corsets which were to advertise your woman's wares. No, I return your love-token and shake off the fetters. [He throws down the wedding-ring. Bertha looks at him in wonderment. Axel pushes back his hair.] You didn't want to see that my forehead is higher than yours, so I let my hair conceal it, so as not to humble and frighten you. But now I am going to humble you, and since you were not willing to be my equal when I lowered myself to your level, you shall be my inferior, which you are.
BERTHA.
And all this--all this noble revenge because _you_ were _my_ inferior!
AXEL.
Yes, I was your inferior, even when I painted your picture!
BERTHA.
Did you paint my picture? If you repeat that, I'll strike you.
AXEL.
Yes, your kind, who despise raw strength, are always the first to resort to it. Go ahead and strike.
BERTHA
[Advancing].
Don't you think I can measure strength with you?
[Axel takes both her wrists in one hand.]
AXEL.
No, I don't think so. Are you convinced now that I am also your physical superior? Bend, or I'll break you!
BERTHA.
Do you dare strike me?
AXEL.
Why not? I know of only one reason why I should not strike you.
BERTHA.
What's that?
AXEL.
Because you are morally irresponsible.
BERTHA
[Trying to free herself].
Let go!
AXEL.
When you have begged for forgiveness! So, down on your knees. [He forces her down with one hand.] There, now look up to me, from below! That's your place, that you yourself have chosen.
BERTHA
[Giving in].
Axel, Axel, I don't know you any more. Are you he who swore to love me, who begged to carry me, to lift me?
AXEL.
It is I. I was strong then, and believed I had the power to do it; but you sapped my strength while my tired head lay in your lap, you sucked my best blood while I slept--and still there was enough left to subdue you. But get up and let us end this declaiming. We have business to talk over! [Berths rises, sits on couch and weeps.] Why are you crying?
BERTHA.
I don't know! Because I'm weak, perhaps.
[Bertha's attitude and actions are those of complete surrender.]
AXEL.
You see--I was your strength. When I took what was mine, you had nothing left. You were a rubber ball that I blew up; when I let go of you, you fell together like an empty bag.
BERTHA
[Without looking up].
I don't know whether you are right or not, but since we have quarreled, my strength has left me. Axel, will you believe me,--I have never experienced before what I now feel--
AXEL.
So? What do you feel, then?
BERTHA.
I can't say it! I don't know whether it is--love, but--
AXEL.
What do you mean by love? Isn't it a quiet longing to eat me alive once more? You begin to love me! Why didn't you do that before, when I was good to you? Goodness is stupidity, though; let us be evil! Isn't that right?
BERTHA.
Be a little evil, rather, but don't be weak. [Rises.] Axel, forgive me, but don't desert me. Love me! Oh, love me!
AXEL.
It is too late! Yesterday, this morning, I would have fallen before you as you stand there now, but it's too late now.
BERTHA.
Why is it too late now?
AXEL.
Because tonight I have broken all ties, even the last.
BERTHA
[Taking his hands].
What do you mean?
AXEL.
I have been untrue to you.
BERTHA
[Falls in a heap].
Oh!
AXEL.
It was the only way to tear myself loose.
BERTHA
[Collecting herself].
Who was she?
AXEL.
A woman--
[Pause.]
BERTHA. How did she look?
AXEL. Like a woman! With long hair and high breasts, et cetera.--Spare yourself.
BERTHA. Do you think I am jealous of one of that kind?
AXEL. One of that kind, two of that kind, many of that kind!
BERTHA [Gasping]. And tomorrow our friends are invited here! Do you want to create a scandal and call in the invitations?
AXEL.
No, I don't want to be mean in my revenge. Tomorrow we'll have our friends, and the day after our ways will part.
BERTHA.
Yes, our ways must part now. Good night! [Goes to door left.]
AXEL
[Going to door right].
Good night!
BERTHA
[Stops].
Axel!
AXEL.
Yes?
BERTHA.
Oh, it wasn't anything!--Yes, wait. [Goes toward Axel with clasped hands.] Love me, Axel! Love me!
AXEL.
Would you share with another?
BERTHA
[Pause].
If only you loved me!
AXEL.
No, I cannot. You can't draw me to you as you used to do.
BERTHA.
Love me, be merciful! I am honest now, I believe, otherwise I would never humiliate myself as--as I am doing now, before a man.
AXEL.
Even if I had compassion for you, I cannot call forth any love. It has come to an end. It is dead.
BERTHA.
I beg for a man's love, I, a woman, and he shoves me away from him!
AXEL.
Why not? _We_ should also have leave to say no for once, although we are not always very hard to please.
BERTHA.
A woman offers herself to a man and is refused!
AXEL.
Feel now how millions have felt, when they have begged on their knees for the mercy of being allowed to give what the other accepts. Feel it for your whole sex, and then tell them how it felt.
BERTHA
[Rising].
Good night. The day after tomorrow, then.
AXEL.
You still want the party tomorrow, then?
BERTHA.
Yes, I want the party tomorrow.
AXEL.
Good. The day after tomorrow, then.
[They go out, each their own way right and left.]
CURTAIN. _
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