[_Quite calmly._] Would you mind telling me, if possible, who has been treading on your corns? HASSENREUTER My boy, it's scarcely an hour since I had my legs under the same table with a prince; _post hoc, ergo propter hoc!_--On your account I got into a confounded bus and drove out to this, confounded bole, and so ... if you don't know how to value my kindness, you can get out! JETTEL You made an appointment with use for four o'clock. Then you let me wait one solid hour in this horrible tenement, in these lovely halls with their filthy brats! Well, I waited and didn't address the slightest reproach to you. And now you have the good taste and the good manners to use me as a kind of a cuspidor! HASSENREUTER My boy ... JETTEL The devil! I'm not your boy! You seem to be kind of a clown that I ought to force to turn sommersaults for pennies! [_Highly indignant, he picks up his hat and cane and goes._ HASSENREUTER [_Starts, breaks out into boisterous laughter and then calls out after JETTEL:_] Don't make yourself ridiculous! And, anyhow, I'm not a costumer! _The slamming of the outer door is heard._ HASSENREUTER [_Pulls out his watch._] The confounded idiot! The damned mutton head.--It's a blessing the ridiculous ass went! [_He puts the match back into his pocket, pulls it out again at once and listens. He walks restlessly to and fro, then stops, gases into his top-hat, which contains a mirror, and combs his hair carefully. He walks over to the middle door and opens a few of the letters that lie heaped up there. At the same time he sings in a trilling voice:_ "O Strassburg, O Strassburg, Thou beautiful old town." _Once more he looks at his watch. Suddenly the doorbell at his head rings._] On the minute! Ah, but these little girls can be punctual when they really care about it! [_He hurries out into the hall and is heard to extend a loud and merry welcome to someone. The trumpet notes of his voice are soon accompanied by the bell-like tones of a woman's speaking. Very soon he reappears, at his side an elegant young lady, ALICE RUeTTERBUSCH._]--Alice! My little Alice! Come here where I can see you, little girl! Come here into the light! I must see whether you're the same infinitely delightful, mad little Alice that you were in the great days of my career in Alsace? Girl, it was I who taught you to walk! I held your leading strings for your first steps. I taught you how to talk, girl! The things you said! I hope you haven't forgotten! ALICE RUeTTERBUSCH Now, look here! You don't believe that I'm an ungrateful girl? HASSENREUTER [_Draws up her veil._] Why, girlie, you've grown younger instead of older. ALICE RUeTTERBUSCH [_Flushed with delight._] Well, a person would just have to be like everything to say that you had changed to your disadvantage! But, do you know--it's awful dark up here really and--Harro, maybe you wouldn't mind opening a window a little--oh, the air's a bit heavy, too, HASSENREUTER