Alma. (_Her mouth full of cake_) I have lessons every afternoon--Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si--si, la, sol,--fa--Oh, those scales! Terrible bore! And practice--Eternal practice!--My nerves are ruined already! Frau Heinecke. Poor child! Alma. "Oh, yes. Ma!"[5] I've been studying English, too! I'm awfully cultured.--Oh, what I've learned! Heinecke. Yes sir! D'ye see! Alma. And above all--we only live once--have a good time, that's the main thing! Are you happy, too, brother? Robert. Certainly, when I have reason to be. Alma. The great art is to be happy without any reason. Why are we young? Oh, it's good to live! Every day something new!--And Berlin is so lovely! You know--the Linden!--and the electric light! Have you seen it yet? That's what I like the best of all. Everybody is so pretty and pale, so interesting!--And the restaurants have all got electric lights now, too. Grand!--I saw a chandelier in a cafe in the Donhoffplatz--it was a great big wreath of flowers and every flower had a light in it! Robert. Were you in the cafe? Alma. I? How could I be? Through the window it was! You don't have things like that in India? Do you? Robert. No, we certainty don't. Alma. We're pretty far advanced in culture here. Somebody told me that Berlin was almost as beautiful as Paris. Is that so? Robert. I don't know Paris, dear. Alma. Ugh! That's a shame! Every young man ought to know Paris. Robert. (_Charmed, yet shocked by her vulgarity_) You little silly! Alma. Ha I ha! ha! I'm a funny one! don't you think? Ha! ha! Yes, that's the way! (_She goes about laughing, and rocks back and forth. She takes a little handkerchief, which she carries folded in triangular form in her belt; and holds it under_ Auguste's _nose_) Smell it? Auguste. (_Aside_) Fine! What's that? Alma. (_Aside_) Ixora, the very latest from Paris--got it to-day! Auguste. Coming out to-night? Alma. Don't know! He'll send me word--But to-morrow evening we're going to the masked ball! Ha! ha! Robert. Now let's be sensible again, little one. Come here--Sit down--Here! Here! Alma. Heavens! How you act! This is going to be a regular cross-examination! Robert. I'm going to ask you a lot of questions. (Frau _and_ Herr Heinecke _group themselves about_ Alma's _chair_. Michalski _sits on the work table_, Auguste _beside him on the stool._) Alma. Go ahead! S'il vous plait. Monsieur! Michalski. (_Aside to_ Auguste) This will be a nice mess! Robert. How did you happen to discover this talent? Alma. It comes like love--can't tell how! Robert. (_Unpleasantly affected_) Hum--But someone must have told you about it! (Alma _shrugs her shoulders._) Frau Heinecke. Don't you remember, child? It was Herr Kurt that---- Robert. The young manager? Heinecke. Certainly. Robert. But how did he know----? Frau Heinecke. He heard her singing--through the window on the court. And the next thing, he said it was a sin and a shame that a voice like hers----