[_Brutally._] Oh, pshaw! You ridiculous, pompous wind-bag! What do you suppose I care about being unmasked by you?--Go to work! Leave off this silly drivelling!--Do something! Get ahead! I don't need to sponge on any one for two-hundred marks! [_He rushes out through the middle door._ _For several moments LOTH looks calmly after him. Then, no less calmly, he draws a card case out of his inner pocket, takes a slip of paper therefrom--HOFFMANN'S cheque--and tears it through several times. Then he drops the scraps slowly into the coal-bin. Hereupon he takes his hat and cane and turns to go. At this moment HELEN appears on the threshold of the conservatory._ HELEN [_Softly._] Mr. Loth! LOTH [_Quivers and turns._] Ah, it is you.--Well, then I can at least say farewell to _you_. HELEN [_In spite of herself._] Did you feel the need of doing that? LOTH Yes! I did feel it, indeed. Probably, if you were in there, you heard what has taken place here, and--in that case.... HELEN I heard everything. LOTH In that case it won't astonish you to see me this house with so little ceremony. HELEN No-o! I do understand--! But I should like you to feel less harshly toward my brother-in-law. He always repents very quickly. I have often.... LOTH Quite possibly. But for that very reason what he has said just now probably expresses his true opinion of me.--In fact, it is undoubtedly his real opinion. HELEN Do you seriously believe that? LOTH Oh, yes, quite seriously. And so.... [_He walks toward her and takes her hand._] I hope that life will be kind to you. [_He turns but at once stops again._] I don't know...! or rather:--[_he looks calmly and directly into HELEN'S face_]--I do know, I know--at this moment the knowledge becomes clear--that it is not so easy for me to go away from here ... and ... yes ... and ... well, yes...! HELEN But if I begged you--begged you truly--from my heart ... to stay a little longer-- LOTH So you do not share Hoffmann's opinion? HELEN No!--and that--that is just what I wanted to be sure--quite sure to tell you, before ... before--you--went. LOTH [_Grasps her hand once more._] It helps me _much_ to hear you say that. HELEN [_Struggling with herself. Her excitement mounts rapidly and to the point of unconsciousness. She stammers out half-chokingly._] And more, oh, more I wanted to ... to tell you ... that I esteem and ... and ... honour you as ... I've done no ... man before ... that I trust ... you ... that I'm ready to ... to prove that ... that I feel toward you ... [_She sinks, swooning into his arms._ LOTH Helen! THE CURTAIN DROPS QUICKLY THE FOURTH ACT _The farmyard, as in the second act. Time: a quarter of an hour after HELEN'S avowal._