Don’t you remember! That was one of our first talks. We wanted to be comrades, nothing more. Oh, how nice that was … at my sister’s ball in January, during the quadrille… For heaven’s sake, I should have gone long ago… My sister expects me—what shall I tell her… Good-by, Alfred— YOUNG MAN Emma!—You will leave me in this way! YOUNG WIFE Yes—so!— YOUNG MAN Five minutes more… YOUNG WIFE All right. Five minutes more. But you must promise me … not to move?… Yes?… I want to give you a good-by kiss… Psst … be still … don’t move, I told you, otherwise I’ll get up at once, you, my sweetheart, sweet… YOUNG MAN Emma … my ador… … * * * * * YOUNG WIFE My Alfred! YOUNG MAN Oh, it is heaven to be with you. YOUNG WIFE But now I’ve really got to go. YOUNG MAN Oh, let your sister wait. YOUNG WIFE I must go home. It is much too late to see my sister. How late is it? YOUNG MAN How should I know? YOUNG WIFE You might look at your watch. YOUNG MAN My watch is in my waistcoat. YOUNG WIFE Get it. YOUNG MAN (_Gets up with a jump_) Eight o’clock. YOUNG WIFE (_Jumps up quickly_) For heaven’s sake… Quick, Alfred, give me my stockings. What shall I say? They must be waiting for me at home … eight o’clock… YOUNG MAN When shall I see you again? YOUNG WIFE Never. YOUNG MAN Emma! Don’t you love me any more? YOUNG WIFE Just for that reason. Give me my shoes. YOUNG MAN Never again? Here are your shoes. YOUNG WIFE My button-hook is in my bag. Please, be quick… YOUNG MAN Here is the button-hook. YOUNG WIFE Alfred, this may cost us our lives. YOUNG MAN (_Unpleasantly moved_) In what way? YOUNG WIFE What shall I say, if he asks me where I’ve been? YOUNG MAN At your sister’s. YOUNG WIFE Oh, if I only could lie. YOUNG MAN Well, you’ll have to. YOUNG WIFE Everything for a man like you. Oh, come here … let me give you a last kiss. (_She embraces him_)—And now—leave me by myself, go in the other room.—I can’t dress, if you are around. YOUNG MAN (_Goes into the drawing-room, where he dresses. He eats some pastry and drinks a glass of cognac_) YOUNG WIFE (_Calls after a while_) Alfred! YOUNG MAN Yes, sweetheart. YOUNG WIFE Isn’t it better that we didn’t weep? YOUNG MAN (_Smiling, not without pride_) How can you talk so frivolously?— YOUNG WIFE Oh, how difficult it will be now—if we should meet by chance in company? YOUNG MAN By chance?—sometime?… Surely you are coming to Lobheimer’s to-morrow? YOUNG WIFE Yes. You too? YOUNG MAN Of course. May I ask for the cotillion? YOUNG WIFE Oh, I shall not go. What do you imagine?—I would… (_She enters the drawing-room fully dressed, and takes a piece of chocolate pastry_) sink through the floor. YOUNG MAN To-morrow at Lobheimer’s. That’s fine. YOUNG WIFE No, no… I shall decline … certainly decline— YOUNG MAN Well, the day after to-morrow … here. YOUNG WIFE The idea! YOUNG MAN At six… YOUNG WIFE