Mrs.Lynge: Well, what about Mrs. Bernick's brother?

Mrs.Rummel: Don't you know the dreadful scandal about him?

Mrs.Lynge: A dreadful scandal about Mr. Tonnesen?

Mrs.Rummel: Good Heavens, no. Mr. Tonnesen is her cousin, of
course, Mrs. Lynge. I am speaking of her brother--

Mrs.Holt: The wicked Mr. Tonnesen--

Mrs.Rummel: His name was Johan. He ran away to America.

Mrs.Holt: Had to run away, you must understand.

Mrs.Lynge: Then it is he the scandal is about?

Mrs.Rummel: Yes; there was something--how shall I put it?--there
was something of some kind between him and Dina's mother. I
remember it all as if it were yesterday. Johan Tonnesen was in
old Mrs. Bernick's office then; Karsten Bernick had just come
back from Paris--he had not yet become engaged--

Mrs.Lynge: Yes, but what was the scandal?

Mrs.Rummel: Well, you must know that Moller's company were
acting in the town that winter--

Mrs.Holt: And Dorf, the actor, and his wife were in the company.
All the young men in the town were infatuated with her.