Your wine is all gone. (_He fills her glass_) MISS No … stop. I’ll leave it anyway. HUSBAND Why are you so shy? MISS Am I?—Well, it takes time to get acquainted. HUSBAND Come and sit here with me. MISS Right away… I’m not ready yet. HUSBAND (_Rises and stands behind her chair, and puts his arms around her, turning her face toward him_) MISS What’s the matter? HUSBAND I want a kiss. MISS (_Kissing him_) You are … excuse me, you have a lot of nerve. HUSBAND You’re just finding that out? MISS Oh, no, I knew that long ago … from the first, in the street.—You must— HUSBAND What? MISS You must have a nice opinion of me. HUSBAND Why? MISS Because I went right away with you to a private dining room. HUSBAND Well, you can hardly say “right away.” MISS But you asked in such a nice way. HUSBAND Do you think so? MISS And, after all, what is the harm? HUSBAND Of course. MISS Whether we go walking or— HUSBAND Besides, it’s much too cold for walking. MISS Yes, it was too cold. HUSBAND But here it’s nice and warm, isn’t it? (_He sits down again, puts his arms around the girl, and draws her to his side_) MISS (_Weakly_) Don’t. HUSBAND Tell me… You noticed me before, didn’t you? MISS Certainly. Several blocks before you spoke to me. HUSBAND I don’t mean to-day. I mean yesterday and the day before, when I was following you. MISS A lot of people follow me. HUSBAND I don’t doubt that. But did you notice me? MISS Guess … do you know what happened to me the other day? My cousin’s husband followed me in the dark, and didn’t recognize me. HUSBAND Did he speak to you? MISS What do you suppose? Do you imagine every one is as bold as you? HUSBAND But they sometimes do, don’t they? MISS Of course, they do. HUSBAND Well, and what do you do? MISS Why nothing—I just don’t answer. HUSBAND Hm-m … but you answered me. MISS Are you sorry? HUSBAND (_Kisses her violently_) Your lips taste like cream-cakes. MISS Oh, they are sweet by nature. HUSBAND I suppose many have told you that? MISS Many! What are you dreaming of? HUSBAND Now, be honest. How many have kissed this mouth before? MISS Why do you ask? You wouldn’t believe me anyhow, if I told you. HUSBAND Why not? MISS Guess, then. HUSBAND All right, I’ll guess—but you mustn’t get angry! MISS Why should I get angry? HUSBAND Well, then, I’ll guess … twenty. MISS (_Slipping away from him_) So—why not make it a hundred? HUSBAND Oh, I was just guessing. MISS You guessed badly. HUSBAND Say—ten. MISS (_Offended_) Oh, of course. A girl who lets a man talk to her on the street, and goes right away with him to a private dining-room! HUSBAND Don’t be childish. Whether we walk about in the streets or sit in a room… We are in a restaurant. The waiter may come in at any moment—it doesn’t signify anything at all… MISS That’s just what I thought. HUSBAND Have you ever been in a private dining-room before? MISS