HELLA. Woman or not! I shall show you with whom you have to deal! I shall not retreat and that settles it! Under the law, you shall never get each other. Now show your courage. ANTOINETTE. I shall show you my courage! HELLA. Dare to do so without the law! Bear the consequences! Suffer yourself to be cast out by all the world! Have them point their fingers at you! That is the absconded wife who is living with a run-away husband! Take that ban upon you! Do you see now? _I_ should. I should scorn the whole world! Can you do the same? [ANTOINETTE bows her head and is silent.] HELLA (triumphantly). You can't do that! I knew it very well. ANTOINETTE (composed). What I can and what I cannot do is in the hand of God. That is all that I have to say to you. HELLA. That is all I need to know! I wish you a happy life! PAUL (has been restraining himself, steps up to HELLA). Hella, one last word! HELLA. It has been spoken! PAUL. Do you remember what we agreed to do once upon a time? HELLA. I don't remember anything now! PAUL. Hella, remember! On our wedding day we agreed, if either one of us, from an honest conviction, should demand his freedom, he should have it, our compact should be ended. That occasion is here. Remember! HELLA. I don't remember a thing now. _You_ certainly do not. ANTOINETTE. Don't say another word, dear! HELLA. It would certainly do no good! Good-by! As for the rest, we shall see! PAUL. We shall. [HELLA goes out with head erect and closes the door behind her. Pause. PAUL and Antoinette stand face to face for a moment and look into each other's eyes.] PAUL (morosely). Now the bridges are burned behind us! ANTOINETTE. They are, dear. Do you realize it? PAUL. What now? What now? ANTOINETTE (sinks upon his breast). Paul! My Paul! PAUL (embraces her, presses her to him fervently. They embrace in silence, then he draws her down beside him on the divan, and looks at her affectionately). It was a long time before you came, Toinette. ANTOINETTE. But now I am here, and shall leave you no more. PAUL. You will not leave me, beloved? ANTOINETTE. I shall never leave you. PAUL. And I shall not leave you. ANTOINETTE. And you will not leave me. (They embrace each other.) PAUL (straightens up). Why did you stay so long, Toinette? ANTOINETTE. Much was to be set in order, dear. PAUL. I was almost beginning to doubt you. ANTOINETTE. You wicked man. Then I should have been forced to go alone. PAUL. Alone? Where would you have gone, you poor, helpless, little soul ANTOINETTE. Do not think that! I have the thing that will help me. That is why I am so late! PAUL (shrinking). Antoinette! ANTOINETTE (smiling). Don't be frightened, dear! Two drops and all is over. PAUL (has risen). You would? ANTOINETTE (gently). Yes, I will. Are you going with me? PAUL. Toinette! Toinette! (Walks through the room excitedly.) ANTOINETTE. Think of her words, she will not release you!