HELLA. It will be a long time before the estate sees us again. Prepare for that. As for the rest, we shall see later. AUNT CLARA (turns away). Then I might as well order my grave at once, the sooner the better. HELLA (with an air of superiority). Don't worry! You will be cared for. AUNT CLARA (straightening up). Not a soul needs to care for me henceforth, madam! My way is quite clear to me. It will not be very long. Look at the men and women on these walls, they all followed this course. Now I shall emulate their example. What is coming now is no longer suitable for me. (She slowly steps to the door with head bowed). HELLA (partly to herself). No, what is coming now is the new world and new men and women! (She stands and reflects for a moment, then resolutely.) New men and women! Yes! Yes, we are ready to fight for that! (She clasps her hands vigorously, suggesting inflexible resolution.) PAUL (enters from the right, comes upon AUNT CLARA, who is going out). What ails you, Auntie? How you do look! AUNT CLARA (shakes her head). Don't ask me, my boy. I have lived my life! (She goes out slowly and closes the door.) PAUL (steps to the fireplace pondering deeply and drops down in a chair). What did she say?... Lived my life?... A soothing phrase! A cradle-song! No more pain, no more care! All over!... Lived my life! (Supports his head on his hand.) [Short pause.] HELLA (steps up to PAUL, lays her hand on his shoulder and says kindly). Paul! PAUL. And? HELLA. Be a man, Paul! I beg of you. PAUL (looks up, with a deep breath). That is just what I intend to do. HELLA. For two days you have been walking around without saying a word. That surely cannot continue. PAUL. That _will_ not continue, I am sure. HELLA. Why don't you speak? What have I done to you? PAUL (bitterly). You to me?... Nothing. HELLA. See here, Paul, I stayed here on your account, longer than I had intended and than seems justifiable to me. PAUL. Why did you? I did not ask you again. HELLA. Quite right. I did it of my own accord. Now don't you think that counts for more, Paul? (She closely draws up a chair and sits down facing PAUL.) PAUL. Up to the day before yesterday _anything_ would have counted with me. Today no longer, Hella! HELLA (eagerly). I remained because I kept in mind that it might be agreeable to you to have me near you. I have given you time to come to yourself again. I know very well what is going on in you. PAUL. Hardly! HELLA. Indeed, Paul, indeed! You have seen the soil of your boyhood home again. You have buried your father. I understand your crisis completely. PAUL. Really! All at once! HELLA. From the very beginning! PAUL. I did not realize very much of it! HELLA (interrupting him). Simply because I thought it would be best to let you settle that for yourself. That is why I have not interfered; allowed you to go your own way, these days. (PAUL shrugs his shoulders and is silent.) Does all this fail to convince you?