of your own actions.—But what do you say to all this, Rebecca? Oh, I seem never to have needed you so much before!
Rebecca. Both you and I have been prepared for what must happen some time.
Rosmer. No, no—not for this.
Rebecca. Not for this?
Rosmer. I knew well enough that sooner or later our beautiful, pure friendship might be misinterpreted and soiled. Not by Kroll—I could never have believed such a thing of him—but by all those other people with the coarse souls and the ignoble eyes. Oh yes—I had reason enough for keeping our alliance so jealously concealed. It was a dangerous secret.
Rebecca. Oh, why should we care what all those people think! We know in our own hearts that we are blameless.
Rosmer. Blameless? I? Yes, I thought so—till to-day. But now—now, Rebecca?
Rebecca. Well, what now?
Rosmer. How am I to explain Beata's terrible accusation?
