WENDLA--But what for? I’m so happy that I’m a girl! If I weren’t one, I’d kill myself, so that next time.... [_Stops, seeing_ MELCHIOR. _He crosses past them, greeting them, and goes, followed by their eyes._] THEA--He’s got a wonderful head. MARTHA--That’s how I think of the young Alexander, when he went to school to Aristotle. THEA--Oh, good gracious! Greek History!--I only remember how Socrates lay in his tub when Alexander sold him the donkey’s shadow. WENDLA--They say he’s the third best in his class. THEA--Professor Knochenbruch says he could be first, if he wanted to. MARTHA--He has a lovely forehead, but his friend has more soulful eyes. THEA--Moritz Stiefel?--He’s a stupid! MARTHA--I’ve always gotten on with him perfectly well. THEA--He humiliates you, no matter where you are with him. At the Rilows’ party he offered me some sugar-almonds. Imagine, Wendla,--they were soft and warm! Isn’t that just---- He said he had kept them too long in his trousers pocket! WENDLA--Think of this: Melchi Gabor told me that time that he didn’t believe in anything--not in God, or in a future life--in just nothing in the world! CURTAIN SCENE IV.--_Near the Boys’ School. All the boys but_ MELCHIOR _and_ MORITZ _and_ ERNEST ROEBEL _are standing about expectantly_. MELCHIOR--[_Entering._] Can any of you tell me where Moritz Stiefel is keeping himself? GEORGE--He’s going to catch it--Oh, he’s going to catch it! OTTO--He’ll go too far once, and then he’ll get what’s coming to him good and plenty. LÄMMERMEIER--Lord knows _I_ wouldn’t like to be in his shoes at this moment! ROBERT--Some cheek! Some impudence! MELCHIOR--But wha--wha--what do you mean? GEORGE--What do we mean?--Well, listen.... LÄMMERMEIER--I wish I hadn’t said anything. OTTO--Me too--=wish= I hadn’t! MELCHIOR--If you don’t tell me this minute---- ROBERT--Well, here it is: Moritz Stiefel has broken into the Faculty-Room! MELCHIOR--The Faculty-Room! OTTO--The Faculty-Room! Right after Latin. GEORGE--He was the last out. He stayed behind on purpose. LÄMMERMEIER--As I turned the hall corner I saw him opening the door. MELCHIOR--You go to---- LÄMMERMEIER--Yeah, if only =he= doesn’t go to---- GEORGE--I guess someone had left the key in the lock. ROBERT--Or else Moritz Stiefel has a pick-lock on him. OTTO--I’d believe it of him! LÄMMERMEIER--If he has luck he’ll only get a Sunday afternoon. ROBERT--Along with a demerit in his report. OTTO--If he doesn’t get a suspension on top of a reprimand. HANSY RILOW--There he is! MELCHIOR--Pale as a sheet. [MORITZ _appears, in the utmost excitement_.] LÄMMERMEIER--Moritz, Moritz, what have you done? MORITZ--Nothing--nothing---- ROBERT--You’re feverish. MORITZ--With joy--with rapture--with jubilation---- OTTO--You were caught----?