You are not, then, on good terms with everyone here?--Where has your father gone to? HELEN Gone? You have?... Oh, you haven't seen my father yet? LOTH No; Hoffmann told me.... HELEN Surely, you saw him once. LOTH Not that I know of. Where, dearest? HELEN I.... [_She bursts into tears._] No, I can't. I can't tell you ... it's too, too fearful! LOTH So fearful? But, Helen, is anything wrong with your father? HELEN Oh, don't ask me! Not now, at least! Some time...! LOTH I will not urge you to tell me anything, dear, that you don't voluntarily speak of. And, look, as far as the money is concerned ... if the worst came ... though I don't exactly earn superfluous cash with my articles--still, in the end, we could both manage to exist on it. HELEN And I wouldn't be idle either, would I? But the other way is better. My inheritance Is more than enough.--And there's your life work ... no, you're not to give that up under any circumstances ... now less than ever ...! Now you're to have your real chance to pursue it! LOTH [_Kissing her tenderly._] Dearest, best ... HELEN Oh, do you truly care...? Truly? Truly? LOTH Truly. HELEN You must say truly a hundred times. LOTH Truly and truly and truthfully. HELEN Oh, now, you're not playing fair! LOTH I am, though. That truthfully is equal to a hundred trulys. HELEN Oh? Is that the custom in Berlin? LOTH No, but it is here in Witzdorf. HELEN Oh! But now, look at my little finger and don't laugh. LOTH Gladly. HELEN Did you ever love any one before your first betrothed? Oh, now you _are_ laughing! LOTH I will tell you in all seriousness, dearest; indeed, I think it is my duty.... In the course of my life a considerable number of women.... HELEN [_With a quick and violent start, pressing her hand over his mouth._] For the love of.... Tell me that some day, later, when we are old, when the years have passed, when I shall say to you: "now!" Do you hear! Not before! LOTH Just as you will. HELEN Rather tell me something sweet now!... Listen: repeat after me: LOTH What? HELEN I have loved-- LOTH I have loved-- HELEN Always you only-- LOTH Always you only-- HELEN All the days of my life-- LOTH All the days of my life-- HELEN And will love you only as long as I live-- LOTH And will love you only as long as I live--and that is true so surely as I am an honest man. HELEN [_Joyfully._] I didn't add that! LOTH But I did. [_They kiss each other._ HELEN [_Hums very softly._] "Thou in my heart art lying ..." LOTH But now you must confess too. HELEN Anything you like. LOTH Confess now! Am I the first? HELEN No. LOTH Who? HELEN [_Laughing out in the fullness of her joy._] Willy Kahl! LOTH [_Laughing._] Who else? HELEN Oh, no, there's no one else really. You must believe me ... Truly there wasn't. Why should I tell you a falsehood? LOTH So there _was_ someone else? HELEN [_Passionately._] Oh, please, please, please, don't ask me now.