Oh, yes, to sit in the inn playing at cards with a crowd of Philistines or to be stilted with his honour, the prefect of the county! God forbid! I have enough of that nonsense! It couldn't tempt me out of the house! If it weren't for the bit of hunting a man could do--if one couldn't shoulder one's gun occasionally, one would be tempted to run away to sea. MRS. FLAMM Well, you see! There you are! That's what I say! You've just changed entirely! Till two, three months ago, you was as merry as the day's long; you shot birds an' stuffed them, increased your botanical collection, hunted birds' eggs--and sang the livelong day! 'Twas a joy to see you! An' now, suddenly, you're like another person. FLAMM If only we had been able to keep Kurt! MRS. FLAMM How would it be if we adopted a child? FLAMM All of a sudden? No, mother. I don't care about it now. Before, you couldn't make up your mind to it; now I've passed that stage too. MRS. FLAMM 'Tis easily said: Take a child into the house! First of all it seemed to me like betraying Kurt ... yes, like a regular betrayal ... that's what the very thought of It seemed to me. I felt--how shall I say it?--as if we were putting the child away from us utterly--out of the house, out of his little room an' his little bed, an', last of all, out of our hearts.--But the main thing was this: Where can you get a child in whom you can hope to have some joy?--But let that rest where it is. Let's go back to Rose once more!--Do you know how it is with her, Christopher? FLAMM Oh, well! Of course; why not? Streckmann has cast a slur upon her conduct and old Bernd won't suffer that! 'Tis folly, to be sure, to bring suit in such a matter.--Because it is the woman who has to bear the brunt of it in the end. MRS. FLAMM I wrote a couple of letters to Rose and asked the lass to come here. In her situation, Christopher, she may really not know what to do nor where to turn. FLAMM Why do you think so? MRS. FLAMM Because Streckmann is right! FLAMM [_Taken aback and with a show of stupidity._] What, mother? You must express yourself more clearly. MRS. FLAMM Now, Christie, don't let your temper get the better of you again! I've kept the truth from you till now because I know you're a bit harsh in such matters. You remember the little maid that you put straight out o' the house, and the trunk-maker to whom you gave a beating! Now this lass o' ours made a confession to me long ago--maybe eight weeks. An' we have to consider that 'tis not only Rose that's to be considered now, but ... a second being ... the one that's on the way. Did you understand me? Did you? FLAMM