Albert I've circled the house, all night long, and found everybody asleep. This will foil the efforts of my enemies. I've even patrolled outside. Thank heaven, everything is all right. A secret terror disquiets me, despite my efforts. I've seen a certain inquisitive person prowling around here, from a distance, who seems to me to be examining the place. For nearly six months, my cowardly complacence has endangered my prudent action, and to let Arabella breathe easily disquiets my soul, so I must shut her up. You don't make girls wise by softness. I am going to bar the windows--with bars as big as my hand--to foil all human efforts. But, I hear some noise! I see an object which walks and turns about in the half light. Who goes there? . . . Nobody answers. This affected silence bodes no good. Jenny I tremble. Albert It's jenny. Arabella is with her. Arabella So, it's you, sir, playing sentinel? Albert Yes, yes, it's me, it's me. But at this time of day, what are you doing in this place, if you please? Arabella Neither Jenny nor I sleep in the morning, so we came here to be under the trees and to see the sun rise and take the air. Jenny (trying to be helpful) Yes. Albert You are to watch the dawn and take the air from your window. You are conspiring here to betray me. Jenny (aside) That wouldn't be a bad idea! Albert What do you say? Jenny Not a word. Albert Prudent, circumspect girls who are not up to some intrigue sleep tranquilly in their bed--and don't take the air so early--be it hot or cold. Jenny And how, if you please, do you expect us to rest when all night one hears nothing but coming, going, opening, closing, crying, tossing, scratching, running, sneezing, coughing? When, by great luck, I fall asleep--a frightful jangling of keys starts me awake. I try to go back to sleep, but cannot. A Wandering Jew who does evil with the greatest pleasure, a mischievous imp vomited by hell to earth, to make an eternal war with sleeping men begins his uproar and annoys us all. Albert And what is this imp and Wandering Jew? Jenny You. Albert Me? Jenny Yes, you. I believe that these rude manners come from some spirit who is in need of prayers. And to better understand whether this angry thing was soul or body, that made this Sabbath, one evening, I took a cord with two ends firmly attached upstairs. It had the effect I hoped. So soon as all were retired to sleep, I waited in person without noise or light, on guard in a corner. I wasn't long waiting. So pitty-pat down the spirit came, noisily tumbling over the cord. He measured the stairs with his nose. Suddenly, I heard him cry: "Help, I am dead." As these cries increased--at which I laughed very much--I ran and found you spread out--with an apostrophe in place of your face. Your nose gave proof that you were a body and not a spirit. Albert Ah, miserable scoundrel, adherent of the devil! It was you who played that abominable trick. You wished to kill me with this cursed act!