It will be a hard blow for him. Nobody knows better than I how deeply he has been attached to you. Although he has never said a word to me about it. LOLO Do you think it's so very easy for me either, Countess? But tell me. Countess, what else could I do? I am no longer a spring chicken, you know. And one can't help hankering for something more settled. As long as I had a profession of my own, I could allow myself--what do they call it now?--to entertain liberal ideas. It goes in a way with the position I have held. But how would that look now, when I am retiring to private life? MIZZIE Oh, I can see that perfectly. But what is _he_ going to do now? LOLO Why shouldn't he marry, too? I assure you, Countess, that there are many who would give all their five fingers.... Don't you realize, Countess, that I, too, have found it a hard step to take? MIZZIE Do you know what I have been wondering often? Whether he never thought of making _you_ his wife? LOLO Oh, yes, that's just what he wanted. MIZZIE Why...?! LOLO Do you know when he asked me the last time, Countess? Less than a month ago. MIZZIE And you said no? LOLO I did. It would have done no good. Me a Countess! Can you imagine it? I being your stepmother, Countess...! Then we could not have been chatting nicely as we are doing now. MIZZIE If you only knew how sympathetically you affect me.... LOLO But I don't want to appear better than I am. And who knows what I might.... MIZZIE What might you? LOLO Well, this is the truth of it. I have gone clear off my head about Wasner. Which I hope won't make you think the worse of me. In all these eighteen years I have had nothing to blame myself with, as far as your dear papa is concerned. But you can't wonder if my feelings began to cool off a little as the years passed along. And rather than to make your dear papa--oh, no, no, Countess ... I owe him too much gratitude for that.... Lord! MIZZIE What is it? LOLO There he is now, looking right at me. MIZZIE (_looks in the direction indicated_) WASNER (_who has appeared at the entrance, raises his tall hat in salute_) LOLO Don't you think me an awful fool, Countess? Every time I catch sight of him suddenly, my heart starts beating like everything. Yes, there's no fool like an old one. MIZZIE Old...? Do you call yourself old? Why, there can't be much difference between us. LOLO Oh, mercy.... (_With a glance at Mizzie_) MIZZIE I am thirty-seven.--No, don't look at me with any pity. There is no cause for that. None whatever. LOLO (_apparently relieved_) I have heard some whispers. Countess--of course, I didn't believe anything. But I thank heaven it was true. (_They shake hands_) MIZZIE I should like to congratulate your fiance right now, if you'll permit me. LOLO That's too sweet of you--but what about the Count--perhaps he wouldn't like...? MIZZIE My dear, I have always been accustomed to do as I pleased. (_They go together toward the entrance_) WASNER