We owe a lot of thanks to you, Miss Herms. IRENE Oh, please...! FELIX It always gave my mother so much pleasure to have you with her, chatting, or playing the piano to her. IRENE Oh, don't mention my playing...! [_A clock strikes._ IRENE Is it that late? Then I have to go. JULIAN What's the hurry, Miss Herms? IRENE I'm going to the opera. I have to make good use of the few days I shall still be here. FELIX Shall we see you at our house again, Miss Herms? IRENE Certainly.--You'll have to leave before me, won't you? FELIX Yes, my furlough will be up.... IRENE (_as if en passant_) How long have you been an officer anyhow, Felix? FELIX For three years really--but I didn't apply for a commission until this year--a little too late, perhaps. IRENE Too late? Why?--How old are you, Felix? FELIX Twenty-three. IRENE Oh! (_Pause_) But when I saw you four years ago as a volunteer, I thought at once you would stay in the service.--Do you remember, Julian, I told you so at the time? JULIAN Yes.... FELIX That must have been in the summer, the last time you called on us. IRENE I think so.... FELIX Many things have changed since then. IRENE Indeed! Those were still happy days.--Don't you think so, Julian? For we haven't met either since we spent those beautiful summer evenings in the garden of the Wegrats. JULIAN (_nods assent_) IRENE (_stands again looking now at Julian and now at Felix; brief pause_) Oh, but now it's high time for me to be gone.--Good-by. Remember me at home, Lieutenant.--Good-by, Julian. (_She goes out, accompanied to the door by Julian_) FELIX Haven't you made some changes here? JULIAN Not to my knowledge. And how could you know anyhow? You have only been here two or three times. FELIX Yes. But the last time at one of the most important moments in my life. I came here to get your advice. JULIAN Well, everything has turned out in accordance with your wish. Even your father has resigned himself to it. FELIX Yes, he has resigned himself. Of course, he would have preferred to see me continue my technical studies. But now he has seen that it is quite possible to lead a sensible life in uniform too--without any debts or duels. In fact, my life is almost too smooth. However, there is at least more to anticipate for one of us than for most people. And that's always something. JULIAN And how are things at home? FELIX At home.... Really, it's almost as if that word had lost its meaning. JULIAN Has your father resumed his duties again? FELIX Of course. Two days later he was back in his studio. He is wonderful. But I can't quite understand it.... Am I disturbing you, Mr. Fichtner? You were putting your papers in order, I think. JULIAN Oh, there's no hurry about that. They're easily put in order. Most of them I burn. FELIX Why? JULIAN It's more sensible, don't you think, to destroy things one hardly cares to look at any more? FELIX