art from much, Dina. (Kisses her.) But I hope you
may never experience that, my sweet child. Promise me to make him happy.

Dina: I will promise nothing; I hate promises; things must happen as
they will.

Martha: Yes, yes, that is true; only remain what you are--true and
faithful to yourself.

Dina: I will, aunt.

Lona (putting into her pocket some papers that JOHAN has given her):
Splendid, splendid, my dear boy. But now you must be off.

Johan: Yes, we have no time to waste now. Goodbye, Lona, and thank you
for all your love. Goodbye, Martha, and thank you, too, for your loyal
friendship.

Martha: Goodbye, Johan! Goodbye, Dina! And may you be happy all your
lives! (She and LONA hurry them to the door at the back. JOHAN and DINA
go quickly down the steps and through the garden. LONA shuts the door
and draws the curtains over it.)

Lona: Now we are alone, Martha. You have lost her and I him.

Martha: You--lost him?

Lona: Oh, I had already half lost him over there. The boy was longing
to stand on his own feet; that was why I pretended to be suffering from
homesickness.

Martha: So that was it? Ah, then I understand why you came. But he will
want you back, Lona.

Lona: An old step-sister--what use will he have for her now? Men break
many very dear ties to win their happiness.

Martha: That sometimes is so.

Lona: But we two will stick together, Martha.

Martha: Can I be anything to you?

Lona: Who more so? We two foster-sisters--haven't we both lost our
children? Now we are alone.

Martha: Yes, alone. And therefore, you ought to know this too--I loved
him more than anything in the world.

Lona: Martha! (Grasps her by the arm.) Is that true?

Martha: All my existence lies in those words. I have loved him and
waited for him. Every summer I waited for him to come. And then he
came--but he had no eyes for me.

Lona: You loved him! And it was you yourself that put his happiness
into his hands.

Martha: Ought I not to be the one to put his happiness into his hands,
since I loved him? Yes, I have loved him. All my life has been for him,
ever since he went away. What reason had I to hope, you mean? Oh, I
think I had some reason, all the same. But when he came back--then it
seemed as if everything had been wiped out of his memory. He had no
eyes for me.

Lona: It was Dina that overshadowed you, Martha?

Martha: And it is a good thing she did. At the time he went away, we
were of the same age; but wh