_A theatrical dressing-room, hung with red. Door upper right. Across upper left corner, a Spanish screen. Centre, a table set endwise, on which dance costumes lie. Chair on each side of this table. Lower right, a smaller table with a chair. Lower left, a high, very wide, old-fashioned arm-chair. Above it, a tall mirror, with a make-up stand before it holding puff, rouge, etc., etc._ _Alva is at lower right, filling two glasses with red wine and champagne._ ALVA. Never since I began to work for the stage have I seen a public so uncontrolled in enthusiasm. LULU. (Voice from behind the screen.) Don't give me too much red wine. Will he see me to-day? ALVA. Father? LULU. Yes. ALVA. I don't know if he's in the theater. LULU. Doesn't he want to see me at all? ALVA. He has so little time. LULU. His =bride= occupies him. ALVA. Speculations. He gives himself no rest. (Schön enters.) You? We're just speaking of you. LULU. Is he there? SCHÖN. You're changing? LULU. (Peeping over the Spanish screen, to Schön.) You write in all the papers that I'm the most gifted danseuse who ever trod the stage, a second Taglioni and I don't know what else--and you haven't once found me gifted enough to convince yourself of the fact. SCHÖN. I have so much to write. You see, I was right: there were hardly any seats left. You must keep rather more in the proscenium. LULU. I must first accustom myself to the light. ALVA. She has kept herself strictly to her part. SCHÖN. (To Alva.) You must get more out of your performers! You don't know enough yet about the technique. (To Lulu.) What do you come as now? LULU. As a flower-girl. SCHÖN. (To Alva.) In tights? ALVA. No. In a skirt to the ankles. SCHÖN. It would have been better if you hadn't ventured on symbolism. ALVA. I look at a dancer's feet. SCHÖN. The point is, what the public looks at. An apparition like =her= has no need, thank heaven, of your symbolic mummery. ALVA. The public doesn't look as if it was bored! SCHÖN. Of course not; because I have been working for her success in the press for six months. Has the prince been here? ALVA. Nobody's been here. SCHÖN. Who lets a dancer come on thru two acts in raincoats? ALVA. Who is the prince? SCHÖN. Shall we see each other afterwards? ALVA. Are you alone? SCHÖN. With acquaintances. At Peter's? ALVA. At twelve? SCHÖN. At twelve. (Exit.) LULU. I'd given up hoping he'd ever come. ALVA. Don't let yourself be misled by his grumpy growls. If you'll only be careful not to spend your strength before the last number begins-- (Lulu steps out in a classical, sleeveless dress, white with a red border, a bright wreath in her hair and a basket of flowers in her hands.) LULU. He doesn't seem to have noticed at all how cleverly you have used your performers. ALVA. I won't blow in sun, moon and stars in the first act! LULU. (Sipping.) You disclose me by degrees. ALVA. I knew, though, that you knew all about changing costumes.