THE FATHER. You're quite right to laugh: because we are all making believe here (_to Manager_). And you can therefore object that it's only for a joke that that gentleman there (_indicates the Leading Man_), who naturally is himself, has to be me, who am on the contrary myself--this thing you see here. You see I've caught you in a trap! (_The actors laugh_). THE MANAGER (_annoyed_). But we've had all this over once before. Do you want to begin again? THE FATHER. No, no! That wasn't my meaning! In fact, I should like to request you to abandon this game of art (_looking at the Leading Lady as if anticipating her_) which you are accustomed to play here with your actors, and to ask you seriously once again: who are you? THE MANAGER (_astonished and irritated, turning to his actors_). If this fellow here hasn't got a nerve! A man who calls himself a character comes and asks me who I am! THE FATHER (_with dignity, but not offended_). A character, sir, may always asks a man who he is. Because a character has really a life of his own, marked with his especial characteristics; for which reason he is always "somebody." But a man--I'm not speaking of you now--may very well be "nobody." THE MANAGER. Yes, but you are asking these questions of me, the boss, the manager! Do you understand? THE FATHER. But only in order to know if you, as you really are now, see yourself as you once were with all the illusions that were yours then, with all the things both inside and outside of you as they seemed to you--as they were then indeed for you. Well, sir, if you think of all those illusions that mean nothing to you now, of all those things which don't even _seem_ to you to exist any more, while once they _were_ for you, don't you feel that--I won't say these boards--but the very earth under your feet is sinking away from you when you reflect that in the same way this _you_ as you feel it today--all this present reality of yours--is fated to seem a mere illusion to you tomorrow? THE MANAGER (_without having understood much, but astonished by the specious argument_). Well, well! And where does all this take us anyway? THE FATHER. Oh, nowhere! It's only to show you that if we (_indicating the Characters_) have no other reality beyond the illusion, you too must not count overmuch on your reality as you feel it today, since, like that of yesterday, it may prove an illusion for you tomorrow. THE MANAGER (_determining to make fun of him_). Ah, excellent! Then you'll be saying next that you, with this comedy of yours that you brought here to act, are truer and more real than I am. THE FATHER (_with the greatest seriousness_). But of course; without doubt! THE MANAGER. Ah, really?