if he had been your own? To take the child away from me--home with you--and keep him there year after year, until the boy was nearly grown up. [Looking suspiciously at her.] What was your real reason, Ella? Why did you keep him with you? ELLA RENTHEIM. I came to love him so dearly---- MRS. BORKMAN. More than I--his mother? ELLA RENTHEIM. [Evasively.] I don't know about that. And then, you know, Erhart was rather delicate as a child---- MRS. BORKMAN. Erhart--delicate! ELLA RENTHEIM. Yes, I thought so--at that time at any rate. And you know the air of the west coast is so much milder than here. MRS. BORKMAN. [Smiling bitterly.] H'm--is it indeed? [Breaking off.] Yes, it is true you have done a great deal for Erhart. [With a change of tone.] Well, of course, you could afford it. [Smiling.] You were so lucky, Ella; you managed to save all your money. ELLA RENTHEIM. [Hurt.] I did not manage anything about it, I assure you. I had no idea--until long, long afterwards--that the securities belonging to me--that they had been left untouched. MRS. BORKMAN. Well, well; I don't understand anything about these things! I only say you were lucky. [Looking inquiringly at her.] But when you, of your own accord, undertook to educate Erhart for me--what was your motive in that? ELLA RENTHEIM. [Looking at her.] My motive? MRS. BORKMAN. Yes, some motive you must have had. What did you want to do with him? To make of him, I mean? ELLA RENTHEIM. [Slowly.] I wanted to smooth the way for Erhart to happiness in life. MRS. BORKMAN.