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64 Strindberg
nary wife, at least, does not pretend to play an im
portant role in the life of her husband. But the
Berthas deceive themselves and others with the no
tion that the
"
emancipated
"
wife is a great moral
force, an inspiration to the man. Whereas in
reality she is often a cold-blooded exploiter of the
work and ideas of the man, a heavy handicap to his
life-purpose, retarding his growth as effectively as
did her grandmothers in the long ago. Bertha
takes advantage of Axel s affection to further her
own artistic ambitions, just as the Church and
State married woman uses her husband s love to
advance her social ambitions. It never occurs to
Bertha that she is no less despicable than her le
gally married sister. She cannot understand
Axel s opposition to an art that clamors only for
approval, distinction and decorations.
However, Axel can not resist Bertha s plead
ings. He visits the patron saint of the salon, who,
by the way, is not M. Roubey, but Mme. Roubey;
for she is the
"
President of the Woman-Painter
Protective Society." What chance would Berlha
have with one of her own sex in authority?
Hence her husband must be victimized. During
Axel s absence Bertha learns that his picture has
been refused by the salon, while hers is accepted.
She is not in the least disturbed, nor at all con
cerned over the effect of the news on Axel. On
the contrary, she is rather pleased because
"
so
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