HAUSER. Did you say UNFORTUNATELY? DR. WASNER. Please don't interrupt. I maintain "unfortunately"! For the last four years, I have been persistently following obscene literature, and to-day I have gotten together a collection of it, which I dare say is pretty complete. So I am speaking of matters about which I am thoroughly informed. [With importance.] The degree of vulgarity our people have reached is incredible. FRAU LUND. And you have been the "persistent collector" of this vulgarity? DR. WASNER. Let me assure you that I took upon myself this task with loathing. HAUSER. Herr Professor, in all my life I have never met a man who for four years voluntarily did something which was loathsome to him. DR. WASNER. You have no business to make such a remark. HAUSER. Have you derived no satisfaction from it at all? DR. WASNER. Satisfaction--if you mean the satisfaction of participating in the uplift of our people. FRAU LUND. Uplift? Our reformers capitalize our national lack of good taste. Good proof of that are the moral works of art which you patronize. DR. WASNER. The matter we are discussing is more serious than reforming bad taste. FRAU LUND. There is nothing more serious. DR. WASNER [knowingly]. If you but knew, Frau Lund! FRAU LUND. I don't have to call and see your collection. Frankly, to me, the most obscene picture in your gallery could not be more disgusting than the talk you carry on in your meetings. BEERMANN. Oh! Oh! FRAU LUND. The nudity of the human body is not disgusting. It is the nudity of your mind. No vice is as repulsive as that virtue of yours which loudly uncovers itself in public--in market places. Vice has at least the shame to hide itself. BEERMANN [to Bolland]. Can you understand her? BOLLAND. I must admit, I can't. DR. WASNER. Gnadige Frau stated that vice hides itself. But in spite of that it exists. BOLLAND. Yes, she admitted that it exists. DR. WASNER. Shall we tolerate it merely because it crawls into dark nooks and corners? FRAU LUND. You reformers! Let more sunshine into this world and vice will not find so many dark corners and nooks to hide in. BOLLAND. You would not be as opposed to us if you had a son who would be exposed to the temptations of our great cities. FRAU LUND. I would be ashamed of myself if for personal reasons I became narrow-minded. BEERMANN. But just stop to think! Picture a healthy young man in his prime falling into the hands of one of these abominable creatures! FRAU LUND. I could picture something worse than that. BEERMANN. Still worse? FRAU LUND. For instance, if he should, with all the credulity of youth, enter into the work of your society. BOLLAND. Well! Well! BEERMANN. You don't seem to take anything seriously to-day.