Lona: That stands to reason. But who was the thief?

Bernick: There was no thief. There was no money stolen--not a
penny.

Lona: How is that?

Bernick: Not a penny, I tell you.

Lona: But those rumours? How did that shameful rumour get about
that Johan--

Bernick: Lona, I think I can speak to you as I could to no one
else. I will conceal nothing from you. I was partly to blame for
spreading the rumour.

Lona: You? You could act in that way towards a man who for your
sake--!

Bernick: Do not condemn me without bearing in mind how things
stood at that time. I told you about it yesterday. I came home
and found my mother involved in a mesh of injudicious
undertakings; we had all manner of bad luck--it seemed as if
misfortunes were raining upon us, and our house was on the verge
of ruin. I was half reckless and half in despair. Lona, I believe
it was mainly to deaden my thoughts that I let myself drift into
that entanglement that ended in Johan's going away.

Lona: Hm--