Your eyes... I want to speak to you. Will you listen to me? May I speak?

BERTHA

(Sitting down.) You may.

ROBERT

(Sitting beside her.) Are you annoyed with me?

BERTHA

No.

ROBERT

I thought you were. You put away my poor flowers so quickly.

BERTHA

(Takes them from the table and holds them close to her face.) Is this what you wish me to do with them?

ROBERT

(Watching her.) Your face is a flower too-- but more beautiful. A wild flower blowing in a hedge. (Moving his chair closer to her.) Why are you smiling? At my words?

BERTHA

(Laying the flowers in her lap.) I am wondering if that is what you say-- to the others.

ROBERT

(Surprised.) What others?

BERTHA

The other women. I hear you have so many admirers.

ROBERT

(Involuntarily.) And that is why you too...?

BERTHA

But you have, haven't you?

ROBERT

Friends, yes.

BERTHA

Do you speak to them in the same way?

ROBERT

(In an offended tone.) How can you ask me such a question? What kind of person do you think I am? Or why do you listen to me? Did you not like me to speak to you in that way?

BERTHA

What you said was very kind. (She looks at him for a moment.) Thank you for saying it-- and thinking it.

ROBERT

(Leaning forward.) Bertha!

BERTHA

Yes?

ROBERT

I have the right to call you by your name. From old times-- nine years ago. We were Bertha-- and Robert-- then. Can we not be so now, too?

BERTHA

(Readily.) O yes. Why should we not?

ROBERT

Bertha, you knew. From the very night you landed on Kingstown pier. It all came back to me then. And you knew it. You saw it.

BERTHA

No. Not that night.

ROBERT

When?

BERTHA

The night we landed I felt very tired and dirty. (Shaking her head.) I did not see it in you that night.

ROBERT

(Smiling.) Tell me what did you see that night-- your very first impression.

BERTHA

(Knitting her brows.) You were standing with your back to the gangway, talking to two ladies.

ROBERT

To two plain middleaged ladies, yes.

BERTHA

I recognized you at once. And I saw that you had got fat.

ROBERT

(Takes her hand.) And this poor fat Robert-- do you dislike him then so much? Do you disbelieve all he says?

BERTHA

I think men speak like that to all women whom they like or admire. What do you want me to believe?

ROBERT

All men, Bertha?

BERTHA

(With sudden sadness.) I think so.

ROBERT

I too?

BERTHA

Yes, Robert. I think you too.

ROBERT

All then-- without exception? Or with one exception? (In a lower tone.) Or is he too-- Richard too-- like us all-- in that at least? Or different?

BERTHA

(Looks into his eyes.) Different.

ROBERT

Are you quite sure, Bertha?

BERTHA

(A little confused, tries to withdraw her hand.) I have answered you.

ROBERT

(Suddenly.) Bertha, may I kiss your hand? Let me. May I?

BERTHA

If you wish.

(He lifts her hand to his lips slowly. She rises suddenly. and listens.)

BERTHA

Did you hear the garden gate?

ROBERT

(Rising also.) No.

(A short pause. The piano can be heard faintly from the upper room.)

ROBERT

(Pleading.) Do not go away. You must never go away now. Your life is here. I came for that too today-- to speak to him-- to urge him to accept this position. He must. And you must persuade him to.