Adventures...! Is it actually necessary, then, to live through them? A painter who has risen above pot-boiling, and who has left the follies of youth behind him, can be satisfied with a single model for all the figures that are created out of his dreams--and one who knows how to live may have all the adventures he could ever desire within the peaceful precincts of his own home. He can experience them just as fully as anybody else, but without waste of time, without unpleasantness, without danger. And if he only possess a little imagination, his wife may bear him nothing but illegitimate children without being at all aware of it. AMADEUS It's an open question whether you have the right to force such a part on anybody whom you respect. ALBERT It is not wise to let people know what they mean to you. I have put this thought into an aphorism: If you grasp me, you rasp me; If I know you, I own you. MARIE (_entering from the garden with little Peter_) Peter wants me absolutely to come in. I wanted to wait for Cecilia in the garden. AMADEUS How are you, Marie? MARIE I'm not disturbing you, I hope? GOVERNESS (_comes from the garden with the intention of taking the boy away_) Peter! PETER No, I want to stay with the grown-ups. AMADEUS Yes, let him be with us for a while. GOVERNESS (_returns to the veranda, where she remains visible_) MARIE Well, have you been working a lot? AMADEUS Oh, we have just been talking. ALBERT Do you know why she asks? Because she is in love with Mr. von Rabagas. AMADEUS With whom? ALBERT Don't you remember him? He's that interesting young chap who appears in the first act as one of the King's attendants. She used, at least, to fall in love only with the heroes of my plays, but nowadays she can't even resist the subordinate characters. AMADEUS That should make you proud. ALBERT Proud, you say? But at times you can't help regretting that you must put all the beauties and virtues of the world into the figures you create, so that you have nothing but your wee bit of talent left to get along with personally. CECILIA (_enters from the right_) PETER There's mamma! CECILIA Good afternoon. (_She shakes hands with everybody_) How are you, Marie? This is awfully nice. If I had only known.... I went for a short walk. It's such a wonderful day.--Well, Peter (_kissing him_), have you had your meal yet? PETER Yes. GOVERNESS (_entering from the veranda_) Good afternoon, Madame. Peter hasn't had his nap yet. MARIE Does he still have to sleep in the daytime? Our two children have quit entirely. ALBERT Instead they play a most exciting game every afternoon--one invented by themselves. They call it "drums and bugles." MARIE You must come and see us soon, Peter, so that you can learn to play that game. PETER I've got a music-box, and I'll take it along so we can make more noise. CECILIA Now you have to go. But first you must say good-by nicely. PETER