LULU--Oh! It’s Mr. Alva! DR. GOLL--Don’t mind. Just come along in. ALVA--[_Stepping forward, shakes hands with_ SCHÖN _and_ GOLL.] Glad to see you. [_Turning toward_ LULU.] Do I see aright? Oh, if only I could engage you for my title part! LULU--I don’t think I could dance nearly well enough for your show! ALVA--Ah, but you have a dancing-master whose like cannot be found on any stage in Europe. SCHÖN--But what brings you here? DR. GOLL--Maybe you’re having somebody or other painted here, too, in secret! ALVA--[_To_ SCHÖN.] I wanted to take you to the dress rehearsal. DR. GOLL--[_As_ SCHÖN _rises_.] Oho, do you have ’em dance to-day in full costume already? ALVA--Of course. Come along, too. In five minutes I must be on the stage. [_To_ LULU.] Poor me! DR. GOLL--I’ve forgotten--what’s the name of your ballet? ALVA--Dalailama. DR. GOLL--I thought =he= was in a madhouse. SCHÖN--You’re thinking of Nietzsche, Doctor. DR. GOLL--You’re right; I got ’em mixed up. ALVA--I have helped Buddhism to its legs. DR. GOLL--By his legs is the stage-poet known. ALVA--Corticelli dances the youthful Buddha as tho she had seen the light of the world by the Ganges. SCHÖN--So long as her mother lived, she danced with her legs. ALVA--Then when she got free she danced with her intelligence. DR. GOLL--Now she dances with her heart. ALVA--If you’d like to see her---- DR. GOLL--Thank you. ALVA--Come along with us! DR. GOLL--Impossible. SCHÖN--Anyway, we have no time to lose. ALVA--Come with us, Doctor. In the third act you see Dalailama in his cloister, with his monks---- DR. GOLL--The only thing I care about is the young Buddha. ALVA--Well, what’s hindering you? DR. GOLL--I can’t. I can’t do it. ALVA--We’re going to Peter’s, after it. There you can express your admiration. DR. GOLL--Don’t press me any further, please. ALVA--You’ll see the tame monkey, the two Brahmans, the little girls.... DR. GOLL--For heaven’s sake, keep away from me with your little girls! LULU--Reserve us a proscenium box for Monday, Mr. Alva. ALVA--How could you doubt that I would, dear lady! DR. GOLL--When I come back this Hellebreugel will have messed up the whole picture on me. ALVA--Well, it could be painted over. DR. GOLL--If I don’t explain to this Caravacci every stroke of his brush---- SCHÖN--Your fears are unfounded, I think.... DR. GOLL--Next time, gentlemen! ALVA--The Brahmans are getting impatient. The daughters of Nirvana are shivering in their tights. DR. GOLL--Damned splotchiness! SCHÖN--We’ll get jumped on if we don’t bring you with us. DR. GOLL--In five minutes I’ll be back. [_Stands down right, behind_ SCHWARZ _and compares the picture with_ LULU.] ALVA--[_To_ LULU, _regretfully_.] Duty calls me, gracious lady! DR. GOLL--[_To_ SCHWARZ.] You must model it a bit more here. The hair is bad. You aren’t paying enough attention to your business! ALVA--Come on. DR. GOLL--Now, just hop it! Ten horses will not drag me to Peter’s.