RODRIGO. What did you make to her? SCHIGOLCH. What did he make to her? HUGENBERG. A poem. RODRIGO. (To Schigolch.) A poem. SCHIGOLCH. He's promised me a dollar if I can spy out where he can meet her alone. HUGENBERG. Just who does live here? RODRIGO. Here =we= live! SCHIGOLCH. Jour fix--every stock-market day! Our health. (They clink.) HUGENBERG. Should I read it to her first, maybe? SCHIGOLCH. (To Rodrigo.) What's he mean? RODRIGO. His poem. He'd like to stretch her out and torture her a little first. SCHIGOLCH. (Staring at Hugenberg.) His eyes! His eyes! RODRIGO. His eyes, yes. They've robbed her of sleep for a week. SCHIGOLCH. (To Rodrigo.) You can have yourself pickled. RODRIGO. We can both have ourselves pickled! Our health, gossip Death! SCHIGOLCH. (Clinking with him.) Health, jack-in-the-box! If it's still better later on, I'm ready for departure at any moment; but--but-- (Lulu enters right, in an elegant Parisian ball-dress, much décolleté, with flowers in breast and hair.) LULU. But children, children, I expect company! SCHIGOLCH. But I can tell you what, those things must cost something over there! (Hugenberg has risen. Lulu sits on the arm of his chair.) LULU. You've fallen into pretty company! I expect visitors, children! SCHIGOLCH. I guess I've got to stick something in there, too. (He searches among the flowers on the table.) LULU. Do I look well? SCHIGOLCH. What are those you've got there? LULU. Orchids. (Bending over Hugenberg.) Smell. RODRIGO. Do you expect Prince Escerny? LULU. (Shaking her head.) God forbid! RODRIGO. So somebody else again--! LULU. The prince has gone traveling. RODRIGO. To put his kingdom up for auction? LULU. He's spying out a fresh tribe in the neighborhood of Africa. (Rises, hurries up the stairs, and steps into the gallery.) RODRIGO. (To Schigolch.) He wanted to marry her originally. SCHIGOLCH. (Sticking a lily in his button-hole.) I, too, wanted to marry her originally. RODRIGO. You wanted to marry her originally? SCHIGOLCH. Didn't you, too, want to marry her originally? RODRIGO. You bet I wanted to marry her originally! SCHIGOLCH. Who has not wanted to marry her originally!! RODRIGO. I would never have got a better! SCHIGOLCH. She has let no one regret that he didn't marry her. RODRIGO. Then she's not your child? SCHIGOLCH. Never occurs to her. HUGENBERG. What is her father's name then? SCHIGOLCH. She has boasted of me! HUGENBERG. What is her father's name then? SCHIGOLCH. What's he say? RODRIGO. What her father's name is. SCHIGOLCH. She never had one. LULU. (Comes down from the gallery and sits again on Hugenberg's chair-arm.) What have I never had? ALL THREE. A father. LULU. Yes, sure--I'm a wonder-child. (To Hugenberg.) How are you getting along with your father? RODRIGO. He smokes a respectable cigar, anyway, the police-captain. SCHIGOLCH. Have you locked up upstairs? LULU. There is the key. SCHIGOLCH. Better have left it in the lock. LULU. Why?