Johan: Well, I am glad of it, Karsten; some good came of that mad
story after all, then.
Bernick (grasping his hands again): But still you must let me
thank you! Not one in ten thousand would have done what you did
for me.
Johan: Rubbish! Weren't we, both of us, young and thoughtless?
One of us had to take the blame, you know.
Bernick: But surely the guilty one was the proper one to do that?
Johan: Stop! At the moment the innocent one happened to be the
proper one to do it. Remember, I had no ties--I was an orphan; it
was a lucky chance to get free from the drudgery of the office.
You, on the other hand, had your old mother still alive; and,
besides that, you had just become secretly engaged to Betty, who
was devoted to you. What would have happened between you and her
if it had come to her ears?
Bernick: That is true enough, but still--
Johan: And wasn't it just for Betty's sake that you broke off
your acquaintance with Mrs. Dorf? Why, it was merely in order to
put an end to the whole thing that you were up there with her
that evening.
Bernick: Yes, that unfortunate evening when that drunken creature
came home! Yes, Johan, it was for Betty's sake; but, all the
same, it was splendid of you to let all the appearances go
against you, and to go away.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78