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 Werle.

Much too closely; I have felt that to my cost for many a year. It is thanks to him that I—yes I—have had a kind of slur cast upon my reputation.

Gregers.

[Softly.] Are you sure that he alone was to blame?

Werle. Who else do you suppose?

Gregers.

You and he acted together in that affair of the forests

Werle.

But was it not Ekdal that drew the map of the tracts we had bought—that fraudulent map! It was he who felled all that timber illegally on Government ground. In fact, the whole management was in his hands. I was quite in the dark as to what Lieutenant Ekdal was doing.

Gregers.

Lieutenant Ekdal himself seems to have been very much in the dark as to what he was doing.

Werle.

That may be. But the fact remains that he was found guilty and I acquitted.

Gregers.

Yes, I know that nothing was proved against you.

Werle.

Acquittal is acquittal. Why do you rake up these