GERARDO. Your social position gave you the opportunity to make advances to me. You availed yourself of it.--I am the last person to think ill of you for that. But no more should you think ill of me for wishing to maintain my rights. No man could be franker with a woman than I have been with you. I told you that there could be no thought of any sentimentalities between you and me. I told you that my profession prevented me from binding myself. I told you that my engagement in this city would end today ... HELEN (rising). Oh how my head rings! It's just words, words, words I hear! But I (putting her hands to her heart and throat) am choking here and choking here! Oscar--matters are worse than you realize! A woman such as I am more or less in the world--I have given life to two children. What would you say, Oscar ... what would you say if tomorrow I should go and make another man as happy as you have been with me? What would you say then, Oscar?--Speak!--Speak! GERARDO. What I should say? Just nothing. (Looking at his watch.) Helen ... HELEN. Oscar!--(On her knees.) I am imploring you for my life! For my life! It's the last time I shall ask you for it! Demand anything of me! But not that! Don't ask my life! You don't know what you are doing! You are mad! You are beside yourself! It's the last time! You detest me because I love you! Let not these minutes pass!--Save me! Save me! GERARDO (pulls her up in spite of her). Now listen to a kind word!-- Listen to a--kind--word ... HELEN (in an undertone). So it must be! GERARDO. Helen--how old are your children? HELEN. One is six and the other four. GERARDO. Both girls? HELEN. No. GERARDO. The one four years old is a boy? HELEN. Yes. GERARDO. And the younger one a girl? HELEN. No. GERARDO. Both boys? HELEN. Yes. GERARDO. Have you no pity for them? HELEN. No. GERARDO. How happy I should be if they were mine!--Helen--would you give them to me? HELEN. Yes. GERARDO (half jokingly). Suppose I should be as unreasonable as you--taking it into my head that I am in love with some particular woman and can love no other! I cannot marry her. I cannot take her with me. Yet I must leave. Just what would that lead me to? HELEN (from now on growing constantly calmer). Yes, yes.--Certainly.--I understand. GERARDO. Believe me, Helen, there are any number of men in this world like me. The very way you and I have met ought to teach you something. You say you cannot live without me. How many men do you know? The more you will come to know the lower you will rate them. Then you won't think again of taking your life for a man's sake. You will have no higher opinion of them than I have of women. HELEN. You think I am just like you. I am not. GERARDO. I am quite serious, Helen. Nobody loves just one particular person unless he does not know any other. Everybody loves his own kind and can find it anywhere when he has once learned how to go about it.