LULU. (_When Bob has whispered to her._) Certainly! Let him come in! (_Bob opens the door and lets Schigolch enter, in evening dress, his patent-leather shoes much worn, and keeping on his shabby opera hat._) SCHIGOLCH. (_With a look at Bob._) Where d'd you get him from? LULU. The circus. SCHIGOLCH. How much does he get? LULU. Ask him if it interests you. (_To Bob._) Shut the doors. (_Bob goes out lower left, shutting the door behind him._) SCHIGOLCH. (_Sitting down._) The truth is, I'm in need of money. I've hired a flat for my mistress. LULU. Have you taken another mistress here, too? SCHIGOLCH. She's from Frankfort. In her youth she was mistress to the King of Naples. She tells me every day she was once very bewitching. LULU. (_Outwardly with complete composure._) Does she need the money very badly? SCHIGOLCH. She wants to fit up her own apartments. Such sums are of no account to *you*. (_Lulu is suddenly overcome with a fit of weeping._) LULU. (_Flinging herself at Schigolch._) O God Omnipotent! SCHIGOLCH. (_Patting her._) Well? What is it now? LULU. (_Sobbing violently._) It's too horrible! SCHIGOLCH. (_Draws her onto his knee and holds her in his arms like a little child._) Hm--You're trying to do too much, child. You must go to bed, now and then, with a story.--Cry, that's right, cry it all out. It used to shake you just so fifteen years ago. Nobody has screamed since then, the way you could scream! You didn't wear any white tufts on your head then, nor any transparent stockings on your legs: you had neither shoes nor stockings then. LULU. (_Crying._) Take me home with you! Take me home with you to-night! Please! We'll find carriages enough downstairs! SCHIGOLCH. I'll take you with me; I'll take you with me.--What is it? LULU. It's going round my neck! I'm to be shown up! SCHIGOLCH. By who? Who's showing you up? LULU. The acrobat. SCHIGOLCH. (_With the utmost composure._) I'll look after him. LULU. Look after him! *Please*, look after him! Then do with me what you will! SCHIGOLCH. If he comes to me, he's done for. My window is over the water. But (_shaking his head_) he won't come; he won't come. LULU. What number do you live at? SCHIGOLCH. 376, the last house before the hippodrome. LULU. I'll send him there. He'll come with the crazy person that creeps about my feet. He'll come this very evening. Go home and let them find it comfortable. SCHIGOLCH. Just let them come. LULU. To-morrow bring the gold rings he wears in his ears. SCHIGOLCH. Has he got rings in his ears? LULU. You can take them out before you let him down. He doesn't notice anything when he's drunk. SCHIGOLCH. And then, child--what then? LULU. Then I'll give you the money for your mistress. SCHIGOLCH. I call that pretty stingy. LULU. And whatever else you want! What I have! SCHIGOLCH. It's pretty near ten years since we knew each other. LULU. Is that all?--But you've got a mistress. SCHIGOLCH. My Frankforter is no longer of to-day.