[_He closes the door and sinks into an armchair. A voice is heard outside: "I will not let that man step in my way." Helen rushes into the room followed by the Valet. She is an unusually beautiful young woman in street dress._] HELEN. That man stood there to prevent me from seeing you! GERARDO. Helen! HELEN. You knew that I would come to see you. VALET [_rubbing his cheek_]. I did all I could, sir, but this lady actually-- HELEN. Yes, I slapped his face. GERARDO. Helen! HELEN. Should I have let him insult me? GERARDO [_to the Valet_]. Please leave us. [_The Valet goes out._] HELEN [_placing her muff on a chair_]. I can no longer live without you. Either you take me with you or I will kill myself. GERARDO. Helen! HELEN. Yes, kill myself. A day like yesterday, without even seeing you--no, I could not live through that again. I am not strong enough. I beseech you, Oscar, take me with you. GERARDO. I couldn't. HELEN. You could if you wanted to. You can't leave me without killing me. These are not mere words. This isn't a threat. It is a fact: I will die if I can no longer have you. You must take me with you--it is your duty--if only for a short time. GERARDO. I give you my word of honor, Helen, I can't--I give you my word. HELEN. You must, Oscar. Whether you can or not, you must bear the consequences of your acts. I love life, but to me life and you are one and the same thing. Take me with you, Oscar, if you don't want to have my blood on your hands. GERARDO. Do you remember what I said to you the first day we were together here? HELEN. I remember, but what good does that do me? GERARDO. I said that there couldn't be any question of love between us. HELEN. I can't help that. I didn't know you then. I never knew what a man could be to me until I met you. You know very well that it would come to this, otherwise you wouldn't have obliged me to promise not to make you a parting scene. GERARDO. I simply cannot take you with me. HELEN. Oh, God! I knew you would say that! I knew it when I came here. That's what you say to every woman. And I am just one of a hundred. I know it. But, Oscar, I am lovesick; I am dying of love. This is your work, and you can save me without any sacrifice on your part, without assuming any burden. Why can't you do it? GERARDO [_very slowly_]. Because my contract forbids me to marry or to travel in the company of a woman. HELEN [_disturbed_]. What can prevent you? GERARDO. My contract. HELEN. You cannot.... GERARDO. I cannot marry until my contract expires. HELEN. And you cannot.... GERARDO. I cannot travel in the company of a woman. HELEN. That is incredible. And whom in the world should it concern? GERARDO. My manager. HELEN. Your manager! What business is it of his? GERARDO. It is precisely his business. HELEN. Is it perhaps because it might--affect your voice? GERARDO. Yes. HELEN. That is preposterous. Does it affect your voice? [_Gerardo chuckles._]