_LOTH puts his arm about her once more and draws her closer to him. At first she resists a little, then she yields and gazes, with frank blessedness, into the joyous face of LOTH which bends above her. Involuntarily, in the awkwardness of her very timidity, she kisses his mouth. Both grow red; then LOTH returns her kiss. His caress is long and heartfelt. A giving and taking of kisses--silent and eloquent at once--is, for a time, all that passes between them. LOTH is the first to speak._ LOTH Nellie, dearest! Nellie is your name, isn't it? HELEN [_Kisses him._] Call me something else ... call me what you like best ... LOTH Dearest!... _The exchange of kisses and of mutual contemplation is repeated._ HELEN [_Held tight in LOTH'S arms, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with dim, happy eyes, whispers ecstatically._] Oh, how beautiful! How beautiful! LOTH To die with you--thus ... HELEN [_Passionately._] To live!... [_She disengages herself from his embrace._] Why die now?... now ... LOTH Yon must not misunderstand me. Always, in happy moments, it has come over me with a sense of intoxication--the consciousness of the fact that it is in our power, in my power, to embrace--you understand? HELEN To embrace death, if you desired it? LOTH [_Quite devoid of sentimentality._] Yes! And the thought of death has nothing horrible in it for me. On the contrary, it seems like the thought of a friend. One calls and knows surely that death will come. And so one can rise above so many, many things--above one's past, above one's future fate ... [_Looking at HELEN'S hand._] What a lovely hand you have. [_He caresses it._ HELEN Ah, yes!--so!... [_She nestles anew in his arms._ LOTH No, do you know, I haven't really lived--until now! HELEN Do you think I have?... And I feel faint--faint with happiness. Dear God, how suddenly it all came ... LOTH Yes, it came all at once ... HELEN Listen, I feel this way: all the days of my life are like one day; but yesterday and to-day are like a year--a whole year! LOTH Didn't I come till yesterday? HELEN Of course not! Naturally! That's just it!... Oh, and you don't even know it! LOTH And surely it seems to me ... HELEN Doesn't it? Like a whole, long year! Doesn't it? [_Half jumping up._] Wait...! Don't you hear ... [_They move away from each other._] Oh, but I don't care one bit! I am so full of courage now. [_She remains seated and invites LOTH with her eyes to move nearer, which he does._ HELEN [_In LOTH'S arms._] Dear, what are we going to do first? LOTH Your step-mother, I suppose, would send me packing. HELEN Oh, my step-mother ... that won't matter ... it doesn't even concern her! I do as I please! I have my mother's fortune, you must know. LOTH Did you think on that account ... HELEN I am of age; father will have to give me my share. LOTH