He began to pace the room to and fro. Johanna's heart beat fast; she knew how Helena irritated him by this assumption of indifference. "You have placed me in a strange position," he began, after a pause, in a low, stern tone. "I certainly ought to be grateful to you for my birthday fête; but I must at the same time reiterate, and that most decidedly, that we cannot give such extravagant entertainments. We are so much in debt----" "Dear Roderich," she interrupted him, "one benefit and it will all be paid." "But, Helena, I cannot reckon upon the future," he rejoined. "You know I could not make any engagements last summer,--I am not yet well. It seems to me very undesirable to burden ourselves with unnecessary care." "And it seems to me undesirable, sordid, degrading, to be always counting the cost," exclaimed Helena. "Without freedom of action the artist cannot exist." "It is that very freedom which I wish to secure," Roderich said gravely. "At your urgent entreaty, and by Commerzienrath Schmidt's advice, I speculated with our entire fortune, as you know, and lost it. Therefore we must begin afresh, and economize. Therefore, dear Helena, no more of these costly entertainments." She shrugged her shoulders impatiently. "Dear Roderich," she said, "to-night's festival is my affair; it is my birthday present to you----" "Child, you cannot count the cost," he interrupted her; "your salary scarcely suffices to provide your wardrobe." "'Tis little enough!" said Helena. "You might long ago have used your influence to procure me a better position. Instead of which, you always take sides with the Kronberg against me." "No, I do not," he replied. "I wrote to the manager only yesterday that I would renew my present engagement with him only upon condition that the Kronberg were not allowed to usurp any of your parts." Helena threw her arms around him. "Oh, you darling, did you really?" she cried in glee. "You do not know how you delight me. They wanted to persuade me that you cared for the Kronberg." "Helena!" he said reproachfully. "Since I have known you there has been but one woman for me in the world." His words hurt Johanna; she tried to release herself, that she might leave the room, but Lisbeth in her sleep held her fast. Helena had taken her husband's arm and paced the room to and fro with him. She had doffed her lace overdress, and looked wonderfully lovely in the close-fitting blue silk with bare neck and arms. "Why do you always find fault with me, you bad fellow?" she said, looking up at him with an exultant smile. "I live only for you--to fulfil your wishes. I have economized; I have even dismissed my own maid, contenting myself with Johanna's services." "She really seems fit for little else," he replied. "How miserably she acquitted herself in her small part! You ought not to have allowed her to take it." "What could I do?" Helena asked. "She insisted upon making the attempt, and I as her step-mother----"