Then you wouldn’t be here to-night—because you are not like other women. YOUNG WIFE How do you know that? YOUNG MAN (_Drawing her close beside him on the sofa_) I have thought a lot about it. I know you are unhappy. YOUNG WIFE (_Pleased_) Yes. YOUNG MAN Life is so dreary, so empty—and then,—so short—so horribly short! There is only one happiness—to find some one who loves you.— YOUNG WIFE (_Takes a candied pear from the table, and puts it into her mouth_) YOUNG MAN Give me half of it! (_She offers it to him with her lips_) YOUNG WIFE (_Catches the hands of the Young Man that threaten to stray_) What are you doing, Alfred?… Is that the way you keep your promise? YOUNG MAN (_Swallows the pear, then, more daringly_) Life is so short. YOUNG WIFE (_Weakly_) But that’s no reason— YOUNG MAN (_Mechanically_) Oh, yes. YOUNG WIFE (_Still more weakly_) Alfred, you promised to be good … and then it’s so light… YOUNG MAN Come, come, you only, only… (_He lifts her from the sofa_) YOUNG WIFE What are you doing? YOUNG MAN It’s not so light in the other room. YOUNG WIFE Is there another room? YOUNG MAN (_Drawing her with him_) A beautiful one … and quite dark. YOUNG WIFE We’d better stay in here. YOUNG MAN (_Already past the bedroom portières with her, loosening her waist_) YOUNG WIFE You are so… O merciful Heaven, what are you doing with me!—Alfred! YOUNG MAN I adore you, Emma! YOUNG WIFE So then wait, wait a little… (_Weakly_) Go… I’ll call you. YOUNG MAN Let you help me—let us help you (_becoming confused_) … let … me—help—you. YOUNG WIFE But you’ll tear everything. YOUNG MAN You have no corset on? YOUNG WIFE I never wear a corset. Odilon[2] doesn’t wear any either. But you can unbutton my shoes. YOUNG MAN (_Unbuttons her shoes and kisses her feet_) YOUNG WIFE (_Slips into bed_) Oh, how cold it is. YOUNG MAN It’ll be warm in a minute. YOUNG WIFE (_Laughing softly_) Do you think so? YOUNG MAN (_Slightly hurt, to himself_) She ought not to have said that. (_He undresses in the dark_) YOUNG WIFE (_Tenderly_) Come, come, come! YOUNG MAN (_Mollified_) In a minute, dear— YOUNG WIFE It smells like violets here. YOUNG MAN That’s you… Yes (_To her_) you, yourself. YOUNG WIFE Alfred… Alfred!!!! YOUNG MAN Emma… * * * * * YOUNG MAN Apparently I love you too much … yes… I am as if out of my senses. YOUNG WIFE … … YOUNG MAN I have been beside myself all these days. I was afraid of this. YOUNG WIFE Don’t mind. YOUNG MAN Oh, certainly not. It’s perfectly natural, if one… YOUNG WIFE No … don’t… You are nervous. Calm yourself first. YOUNG MAN Do you know Stendhal? YOUNG WIFE Stendhal? YOUNG MAN The “Psychologie de l’amour.” YOUNG WIFE No. Why do you ask me? YOUNG MAN There’s a story in that book which is very much to the point. YOUNG WIFE What kind of a story? YOUNG MAN There is a gathering of cavalry officers— YOUNG WIFE Yes. YOUNG MAN