ALVA--It’s enough for me that the public finds itself most tremendously stirred up. LULU--But _I_’d like to find myself most tremendously stirred up. [_Drinks._] ALVA--You don’t seem to be in need of much more for that. LULU--Can you wonder, since every one of my scenes has an ulterior purpose? There are some men down there debating with themselves very earnestly already.--I can feel that without looking. ALVA--What does it feel like? LULU--No one of them has any notion of the others. Each thinks that he alone is the unhappy victim. ALVA--But how can you feel that? LULU--One gets such an icy thrill running up one’s body. ALVA--You are incredible. [_An electric bell rings over the door._] LULU--My cape.... I shall keep in the proscenium! ALVA--[_Putting a wide shawl round her shoulders._] Here is your cape. LULU--He shall have nothing more to fear for his shameless boosting. ALVA--Keep yourself under control! LULU--God grant that I dance the last sparks of intelligence out of their heads. [_Exit._] ALVA--Yes, a more interesting piece could be written about her. [_Sits, right, and takes out his notebook. Writes. Looks up._] First act: Dr. Goll. Rotten already! I can call up Dr. Goll from purgatory or wherever he’s doing penance for his orgies, but _I_’ll be made to answer for his sins. [_Long-continued but much deadened applause and bravos outside._] That storm sounds like a menagerie when the meat appears at the cage!--Second act: Walter Schwarz. Still more impossible! How our souls do strip off their last coverings in the light of such lightning-strokes!--Third act?--Is it really to go on this way? [_The attendant opens the door from outside and lets_ ESCERNY _enter. He acts as tho he were at home, and without greeting_ ALVA _takes the chair near the mirror._ ALVA _continues, not heeding him._] It can not go on this way in the third act! ESCERNY--Up to the middle of the third act it didn’t seem to be going so well to-day as sometimes. ALVA--I was not on the stage. ESCERNY--Now she’s in full career again. ALVA--She’s lengthening each number. ESCERNY--I once had the pleasure of meeting the artiste at Dr. Schön’s house. ALVA--My father introduced her to the public through certain critiques in his paper. ESCERNY--[_Bowing slightly._] I was conferring with Dr. Schön about the publication of my discoveries at Lake Tanganyika. ALVA--[_Bowing slightly._] From what he has let drop there can be no doubt that he takes the liveliest interest in your book. ESCERNY--One very good thing about the artiste is that the audience seems not to exist for her at all. ALVA--As a child she learned the quick changing of clothes; but I was surprised to discover in her so important a danseuse. ESCERNY--When she dances her solo she grows intoxicated with her own beauty,--she seems to be mortally love-sick of it herself. ALVA--Here she comes. [_Gets up and opens the door. Enter_ LULU.]