HELMS [_his voice trembling_]. You have made my dead wife a strumpet and my dead daughter a bastard. [_Krakau bridles and turns to him with clenched fists. Helms continues pitifully._] And you have robbed me in my old age of a grandson ... all I have in the world. [_Querulously musing._] When men are young they see red and kill for that sort of thing ... yes ... they kill.... But when you are old it's different.... I can't even be very angry with you, Krakau.... Isn't it queer?... It's all so far back ... in the past ... impersonal ... and blurred like a half-remembered dream. KRAKAU [_with contrition_]. I shouldn't have told you. HELMS. You shouldn't have told me.... No ... but you did ... and I can't be angry with you.... I am an old fool.... After all ... honor ... fidelity ... marriage vows ... what do they matter when there is nothing to do but to sit and count the days until you die? KRAKAU [_chokingly_]. Helms! HELMS [_with a flash of anger_]. But Knut matters. He _is_ my grandson ... in spite of you.... You shan't take him away from me. KRAKAU. I don't want to take him away from you. HELMS. Your blood ... perhaps ... but _my grandson_-- KRAKAU [_eagerly_]. Of course, he is, Helms. We can share him between us. Don't you see? He need never know. No one need know ... just you and I.... We can have him together ... our own little secret. HELMS [_looks at him_]. Nobody else will know? KRAKAU [_solemnly_]. Not a soul. I swear it. HELMS. Nobody? KRAKAU. Nobody. HELMS [_a faint smile dispels his frown_]. And when we talk about Knut you won't say "So-o" any more? KRAKAU. Never ... for hereafter he'll be _our_ Knut ... just as if you were his father and I his mother. HELMS [_the idea pleases him, considers it, then gives his assent like a child playing a game_]. No, I'll be the mother. And we can quarrel about him ... of course, in a friendly way. KRAKAU. Always friendly. HELMS. And just think--we shall have something to talk about all the time. KRAKAU. Especially at night ... after supper ... under the lamp. HELMS. And when we are in bed in the dark and cannot sleep. KRAKAU. Always about our Knut. HELMS. Ha, ha.... Do you know, Krakau, I think you should have told me long ago. KRAKAU. I was afraid. HELMS. Afraid! Absurd. What was there to be afraid about? You can see for yourself that we are better friends since you told me. [_Goes to the chiffonier and gets the photograph._] He does look something like you. KRAKAU [_magnanimously_]. Oh, no! He's your wife's son all over. HELMS [_with equal magnanimity_]. He looks a good deal like you just the same.... Don't you want to borrow this for a few days? KRAKAU. Why, you only got it this morning. HELMS. Never mind. Take it.... Saturday I'll get it back from you. Then in a few days I'll lend it to you again. KRAKAU. Thanks. [_Takes the photograph_]. Can I borrow the paper, too? HELMS. Sure, take it with you.... And lend me your chess men, will you?