SCENE--_A spacious salon in white stucco. In the rear wall, between two high mirrors, a wide folding doorway showing in the rear room a big card-table surrounded by Turkish upholstered chairs. In the left wall two doors, the upper one to the entrance-hall, the lower to the dining-room. Between them a rococo console with a white marble top, and above it_ LULU’S _Pierrot-picture in a narrow gold frame let into the wall. Two other doors, right; near the lower one a small table. Wide and brightly covered chairs stand about, with thin legs and fragile arms; and in the middle is a sofa of the same style (Louis XV)._ _A large company is moving about the salon in lively conversation. The men_--ALVA, RODRIGO, MARQUIS CASTI-PIANI, BANKER PUNTSCHU, _and_ JOURNALIST HEILMANN--_are in evening dress_. LULU _wears a white Directoire dress with huge sleeves and white lace falling freely from belt to feet. Her arms are in white kid gloves, her hair done high with a little tuft of white feathers._ GESCHWITZ _is in a bright blue hussar-waist trimmed with white fur and laced with silver braid, a tall tight collar with a white bow, and stiff cuffs with huge ivory links_. MAGELONE _is in bright rainbow-colored shot silk with very wide sleeves, long narrow waist, and three ruffles of spiral rose-colored ribbons and violet bouquets. Her hair is parted in the middle and drawn low over her temples. On her forehead is a mother-of-pearl ornament, held by a fine chain under her hair._ KADIDIA, _her daughter, twelve years old, has bright-green satin gaiters which yet leave visible the tops of her white silk socks, and a white-lace-covered dress with bright-green narrow sleeves, pearl-gray gloves, and free black hair under a big bright-green hat with white feathers_. BIANETTA _is in a loose-sleeved dress of dark-green velvet, the bodice sewn with pearls, and the skirt full, without a waist, embroidered at the hem with great false topazes set in silver_. LUDMILLA STEINHERZ _is in a glaring summer frock striped red and blue_. RODRIGO _stands, centre, a full glass in his hand_. RODRIGO--Ladies and gentlemen--I beg your pardon--please be quiet--I drink--permit me to drink--for this is the birthday party of our amiable hostess--[_taking_ LULU’S _arm_] of Countess Adelaide d’Oubra--damned and done for!--I drink therefore -- -- and so forth, go to it, ladies! [_All surround_ LULU _and clink with her_. ALVA _presses_ RODRIGO’S _hand_.] ALVA--I congratulate you. RODRIGO--I’m sweating like a roast pig. ALVA--[_To_ LULU.] Let’s see if everything’s in order in the card-room. [ALVA _and_ LULU _exeunt, rear_. BIANETTA _speaks to_ RODRIGO.] BIANETTA--They were telling me just now you were the strongest man in the world. RODRIGO--That I am. May I put my strength at your disposal?