[_Somewhat aroused. He gets up and walks to and fro while he is speaking._] I don't think evil of women.--Not a bit!--I think evil only of marrying ... of marriage ... of marriage and--at most, of men ... The woman question, you think, has ceased to interest me? What do you suppose I've worked here for, during six years, like a cart horse? Surely in order to devote at last all the power that is in me to the solution of that question. Didn't you know that from the beginning? LOTH How do you suppose I could have known it? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG Well, as I said ... and I've already gathered a lot of very significant material that will be of some service to me! Sh! I've got the bad habit of raising my voice. [_He falls silent, listens, goes to the door and comes back._] But what took you among these gold farmers? LOTH I would like to study the local conditions. DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG [_In a repressed tone._] What a notion! [_Still more softly._] I can give you plenty of material there too. LOTH To be sure. You must be thoroughly informed as to the conditions here. How do things look among the families around here? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG Miserable! There's nothing but drunkenness, gluttony, inbreeding and, in consequence,--degeneration along the whole line. LOTH With exceptions, surely? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG Hardly. LOTH [_Disquieted._] Didn't the temptation ever come to you to ... to marry a daughter of one of these Witzdorf gold farmers? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG The devil! Man, what do you take me for? You might as well ask whether I ... LOTH [_Very pale._] But why ... why? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG Because ... Anything wrong with you? [_He regards LOTH steadily for several moments._ LOTH Certainly not. What should be wrong? DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG [_Has suddenly become very thoughtful. He stops in his walking suddenly and whistles softly, glances at LOTH and then mutters to himself._] That's bad! LOTH You act very strangely all of a sudden. DR. SCHIMMELPFENNIG Sh! [_He listens carefully and then leaves, the room quickly by the middle door._ HELEN [_Comes at the end of several seconds from the middle door. She cries out._] Alfred!--Alfred!... You're here. Oh, thank God! LOTH Well, dear, did you suppose I had run away? [_They embrace each other._ HELEN [_Bends back. With unmistakable terror in her face._] Alfred! LOTH What is it, dearest? HELEN Nothing, nothing ... LOTH But there must be something. HELEN You seemed so cold ... Oh, I have such foolish fancies.... LOTH How are things going upstairs? HELEN The doctor is quarreling with the midwife. LOTH Isn't it going to end soon? HELEN How do I know? But when it ends, when it ends--then.... LOTH What then?... Tell me, please, what were you going to say? HELEN Then we ought soon to go away from here. At once! Oh, right away! LOTH If you think that would really be best, Nellie-- HELEN