COMRADES
Comedy in Four Acts
AXEL, an artist
BERTHA, his wife, artist
ABEL, her friend
WILLMER, litterateur
ÖSTERMARK, a doctor
MRS. HALL, his divorced wife
THE MISSES HALL, her daughters by a second marriage
CARL STARCK, lieutenant
MRS. STARCK, his wife
MAID
[SCENE for the whole play.—An artist's studio in Paris; it is on the ground floor, has glass windows looking out on an orchard. At back of scene a large window and door to hall. On the walls hang studies, canvases, weapons, costumes and plaster casts. To right there is a door leading to Axel's room; to left a door leading to Bertha's room. There is a model stand left center. To right an easel and painting materials. A large sofa, a large store through the doors of which one sees a hot coal fire. There is a hanging-lamp from ceiling. At rise of curtain Axel and Doctor Östermark are discovered.]
ACT I.
AXEL [Sitting, painting]. And you, too, are in Paris!
DR. ÖSTERMARK. Everything gathers here as the center of the world; and so you are married—and happy?
AXEL. Oh, yes, so, so. Yes, I'm quite happy. That's understood.
DR. ÖSTERMARK. What's understood?
AXEL. Look here, you're a widower. How was it with your marriage?